Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-10-26
DECATUR AT 1RIPoLI.


Prof. George c. Rowland, in the Chicago
Tribune.
Mention Of Tripoli inevitably suggests to |
every American one OF the most gallant /
fighters in the early American a !
Stephen Decatur.
In February, 1904, the United States gov |
eminent was at war with the pirates who
made Tripod: their headquarters. All the
other nations in Europe either paid trib- J
ute to the pirates or allowed their ships \
to be plundered. The young republic was
ready to pay millions for defense, but
not one cent for tribute
The first movement had been unsuccess- !
full and the American frigate Philadelphia
lay a captive N Tripoh harbor manned by
a Turkish crew. while Commodore Balm
bridge and SEQ of the crew were held in
prison on shore. Commodore Preble with
the United States squadron was at SYRIA
cusc on the southern side of the island of
Sicily.
Lieut.. Stephen Decatur, then % years
old. submitted to the commodore a project
for the %recapturc of the Philadelphia, and
with some difficulty secured his command
ing officers approval. He sailed from
Syracuse February 8. 1904. in the ketch
Nastico with a picked crew of 10. The
weather was so stormy that it took the
boat 10 days to accomplish a journey
which the steamboats, make now in a few
The Philadelphia lay under the guns of
hours.
the castle among other of the eneniy's
men of war. Decatur entered the harbor
In the darkness about s o'clock, but the
wind was so light that the ketch cid not
come up to the frigate. three miles away,
till about IL o'clock. To a hail from the
rt{.r nf A ~ a. ---,- AL-4
they could not come to a stop because
they had lost their anchor.
When only SO yards from the frigate
Decatur sent men In a small boat to fas-
ten a ships cable to the forecha.ns of the
frigate and before the Tripolitans knew
what was going on the Mastico was
warped alongside the Philadelphia and
the Americans, led by Decatur, leaped
upon the deck of the Philadelphia. and
after a brief but desperate struggle got
possession of the ship. BY this time the
port was aroused. the forts began to fire.
and the other Turkish corsairs also pre-
pared to attack. Finding it impossible to
hold the frigate Decatur had 1T fired In
several places and made his escape from
the harbor with all his men alive and only
four wounded. The enemy lost several
score of men and the captured frigate
On August 3. 1901, Commodore Preble ar
SISSO III IIlDOll IldEOOE W aIIdck IuG Guy.
| Even in those days the Italian interests in
Tripoli were SO great that the king of
Naples placed six Italian gunboats and
two smaller vessels under the
of the American commodore, who had be-
sides four American vessels, including the
frigatc Constitution-Old 1ronsides.
Decatur. who had been made a captain
for the Philadelphia affair, was in COM
mand of three of the Italian gunboats
with a mixed crew. He pushed boldly into
the harbor to cut Out one of the enemy's
ships. His commodore. alarmed at his
rashness, desired TO recall him, but there
was no signal for retreat in the navy;
1t had never been thought necessary.
So Captain Decatur went on and board
ed one of the enelny's gunboats, drove
the survivors of the crew into the water,
and was making his way out with his
prize when another gunboat which had
been commanded by his brother, Lieut..
James Decatur. came alongside. The of
ficer in charge informed Decatur that his
brother had been shot treacherously by
a Turkish captain after IA pretended sur
render.
Captain Decatur Immediately went after
the Turkish vessel: he leaped on board,
singled out the captain, killed him in a
hand 10 hand fight. and brought both his
prizes safely out. With his q Americans
and 10 Italians he had killed or captured.
so Turks and taken two hostile gunboats.
The war was ended soon after by the
surrender OF Tripoli and the abolition of
piracy.
The name of the Mastico was changed
to the Intrepid in honor of the exploit
and 1t later was blown up by Lieut.. Rich
ard Somers to prevent it falling into the
hands OF the enemy. All on board per-
iShed.