The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-03-26

Lieutenant Stewart; the Nautilus, Is
guns; the Vixen, 16 guns; and the
Enterprise, Lieutenant Stephen Deca-
tur, IA guns.
AT this time the situation was crit
ical. The administration had adopted
the same policy toward Tunis and Tri-
poll as haA,~-lel European powers, CIV
ing them tributes to prevent attacks
on shipping. Commodore Prebles
fleet was sent to blockade their ports.
When the squadron reached GibraI-
tar it was learned that the Philadel-
phia had captured the Mirboka, %
guns. and found a. paper sent to the
Mirboka's captain by the Tangier gov
eminent ordering him to cruise for
Americans. Under these orders he
had captured the American ship Ce-
liza, which Captain cambridge restor-
ed to it's owner.
Commodore Preble then dispatched
his smaller, vessels to cruise off Mo-
gador, Sallee, Zarach and Tetuan
while he entered the bay of Tangier.
He sent the Philadelphia and Vixen
to blockade Tripoi. On October 6
Preble moved toward the city of Tan
gier' with his larger ships, which were
The same day the emperor arrived
with 5000 troops and encamped on
the beach. Preble tickled the emper-
or by saluting him with 81 guns, and
this honor APPARENTLY paved the way
for an audience, for five days later
the commodore conferred with the
emperor, as a result of which the at
tacks by the Tangier government
ended and American ships were re-
stored. In this way, by threatening
war Preble enforced peace.
Commodore Preble then declared
the blockade of Tripoli, and during ~.
cruise captured a ship under Turkish
colors, which he converted into the
ketch Intrepid, which took a promi-
nent part in later battles.
With six gunboats and two bomb
vessels borrowed from the king of
Naples, Commodore Preble attacked
the batteries and shipping in the har-
Dor of Tripod on August 3. Fifteen
minutes after the signal to attack was
given the bomb-vessels were Smelling
the city. AS the various divisions of
the fleet singled out and attacked the
division of the enemy's force assign
ed to them, Commodore Preble in the
Constitution kept the enemy's flotilla
in disorder and assisted his various
units. being a large part of the time
under the direct fire of the shore bat
teries at close range.
Although the engagement lasted
two and a half hours, only one man
was killed, and his death occurred
through treachery. Three enemy
boats were captured, and three sent
to the bottom. Forty-seven of the
crew of the captured boats were kill
ed, and on shore a large number of
persons were killed.
On August 7, when the bashaw still
failed to give any indication of being
ready to treat with the Americans,
Commodore Preble began a second as
sault with the bomb-vessels and
schooners, shelled the town, and 81
fenced a battery of seven guns.
| Before Commodore Preble reached
TripoH, the Philadelphia, which had
been sent on ahead, had run aground
while chasing an enemy boat in the
harbor, and was captured by the Tri-
politans and the crew imprisoned.
Following Preble's second assault on
the city, the bashaw sent word that
| ne WOulu accept pow EACH 1OI Lac
ransom of the prisoners, a total OF
about $50 900 and terminate the war.
Preble offered to pay 100000 thinking
to avoid further bloodshed, the bashaw
refused, and awaited another attack.
Preble attacked on the 23rd, with
out results. I On the 9th the COM
modore sailed into the harbor in the
Constitution with a picked crew OF
volunteers and routed the enemy gun
boats and silenced many of the shore
batteries. The attack was renewed or
the third of September. and following
this Preble decided to send fire shiI
into the harbor to destroy the floriI1a
The attempt failed, and the heroic
Captain Somers and his crew lost theil
lives.
Shortly after this attack Commo
dore Preble was relieved by Commo
dore Barron, and sailed for the UnI
ted States Congress voted him thu
: thanks of the nation and an emblem
attic medal was presented to him b!
the president. The following year thu
campaign Commodore Preble had be
gun ended in peace with TTipoli ant
the navy returned home.
BISHOP BREWSTER AT ST.JOHN's