The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-08

The ships were stationed accordingly. and
early the next morning a ship of twenty
two guns the largest Tripolitan warship,
was discovered making INFO a narrow in
let. She anchored 50 as to sweep the ap-
proaches with her broadside battery and
nine gunboats and body of troops
from the town soon appeared 20 aid in her
defense. The John Adams and the Enter
prise stood boldly into the bay and opened
fire at about 8 o'clock. After cannonade
of three-quarters of an hour the Turks be-
gan 10 Jump overheard with shouts Of ter
ror. Suddenly dense cloud of smoke APP
peared over the ship, the main and mizzen
masts shot $50 feet up into the air, and
the vessel exploded with a. terrific concus-
sion.
On Sept. 10 Capt. Edward Preble ar
rived in the frigate Constitution to take
command Of che squadron. Soon after
this the Philadelphia, while on blockading
duty alone off Tripoli, caught sight of one
OF the enemy's corsairs, and following her
among the dangerous and uncharted
shoals Of the locality ran hard and fast
aground on a shoal only three miles from
the city Nine gunDoats at once put out
from the city and opened fire under the
Philadelphias stern Being unable to re-
turn the fire and having vainly tried ev-
cry expedient to float his ship, Capt Balm
bridge was obliged to surrender in order
to save useless bloodshed SO 3l5 Amerl-
can prisoners were hurried TO the town TO
be exhibited to the Pasha. Soon after
with the assistance of a strong northerly
wind and long hawsers led astern. the
Philadelphia was foated off by her cap
tors and anchored near the town in such
a position that her powerful battery com
manded the only deep channel, and. with
the assistance of the forts made the har-
Dor impregnable.
Not long after his confinement as a
prisoner, Capt. Bainbridge managed TO
open communication with Commodore
Preble. who had arrived off Tripoli with
the Constitution and Enterprise. In a let
ter written with lemon juice, which be-
came visible on being held TO the fire. he
suggested the destruction of the Philadel-
phia. He advised that a small schooner
be filled with men led by determined Off
GERS who should approach the Phiadel-
phia at night, foul her as if by accident,
carry her by boarding, and destroy her,
The TrpOlitan ketch Mastico, recently
captured by the Enterprise, occurred to
Preble as the very craft for such an add
venture, and she was accordingly fitted
out to look like a peaceful merchant al
though her hold was filled with arms and
combustibles.
The command of the desperate expedition
was given to that bold and accomplished
officer, Lieut.. Stephen Decatur, and on the
afternoon of Feb. 8, 1904, the Mastico, ac-
companied by the sloop Siren, left Syracuse
for Tripoi, the other vessels remaining at
Syracuse to lull the enemy into a sense of
safety. At this time Tripon was defended
by various batteries, which mounted lis
heavy guns, and We're manned by 5000
Mussulmans; by nineteen gunboats, each
mounting a 26-pounder in the bow and two
brass howitzers in the quarters; by two
galleys of 100 men each, two schooners Of
eight guns apiece, one brig of ten guns and
the frgate Philadelphia, all moored so as
to command the approaches TO the harbor.
Up to the face of those terrible Odds
up to apparently certain destruction-steer-
ed the little Yankee 1etch, through the
dark and stormy night OF Feb 16, while
the Siren lay to off the harbor to cover her
possible retreat. On she went drought
the lines of the enemys vessels, and under
the walls of his frowning fortresses until
at 10 o'clock at night she was within hail.
ing distancesof the Philadelphia, when De-
catur ordered his helmsman to steer so a
to foul her at he bow.
The true character of the Mastico was
not discovered until she was fairly along
side the Philadelphia, when the cry of
"Amerikano! AmerikanoP' was sounded,
and the Turks rushed to the defense of
their prize. But they were too late for
successful resistance. The Americans
were now swarming over the bulwarks and
through the portfolios, cutlass and board
ing pike In hand, driving the demoralized
Turks overheard or into the holds. The
combustibles on the ketch We're now hasu-
ly transferred to the captured vessel and
the spark applied. After a stay on board
Of only twenty-five minutes, Decatur saw
that the frigate could not possibly be saw
ed, and the little Mastco moved away
from her dangerous proximity
BY this time the Philadelphia was a
roaring mass of flame, which Illuminated
plainly visible and an easy mark for the
enemy's guns. The Mussulmans were
so excited that they could not aim we'll
and only one shot struck the little vessel
as she steered out of the harbor ana
rejoned her eonsort. Once off the harbor
mouth, she lay to and watched the awful
spectacle until the final explosion came
and the last fragments of the frigate were
scattered over the water
Lord Nelson, who was then In command
of the English blockading fleet off Toulon.
characterized this exploit of Decatur's as
"the most bold and daring act of the age
Some time after this the ketch, renamed
the. intrepid, was fitted up as a floating
mine and again sent into the harbor I'M
der the command of Master Commandant
Richard Somers, with Midshipman Henry
Wadsworth, an uncle of Longfellow. the
poet, as second in command. She fell in
with the enemy's gunboats at an inoppor,
tune moment, and IL may be that Sorners.
TO avoid capture, blew her up with his
own hands, destroying one of the Mussul-
man gunboats and shattering two others
at the same time. Truly sad fate for tine
gallant men and the brave little ketch
Preble now assembled a large fleet and
proceeded to the bombardment Of Tripoli.
For months the daily engagement went
on, almost every encounter witnessing
some daring act creditable to the Ameri
can navy. The Constitution would enter
the harbor, shorten sail, wear ship. ana
deliver her broadsdes as calmly as Il
manuevering in a friendly port, while the
other vessels supported her with clock
like precision.
On Sept. 10, 1904, Capt. Samuel Barron
arrived with reinforcements TO assume
command, but returned to the United
States in May, 1905, turning over his re.
sponsibiHdes 10 Capt. John Rodgers.
On June 3, 1901. the Pasha, many of his
ships taken or sunk his Notifications bat
tered and the condition of his treasury
growing critical, came 10 terms and sign.
ed a treaty by which the American prs
oners were 10 be ransomed for a sum suf-
fcent 10 pay for their expenses while in
captivity, and by which he renounced all
claims for future tribute.