The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-04-02

fleet as sent to blockade their ports.
When the squadron reached Gilbral
tar 1t was learned that the Philadel
phia had captured the Mirboka, 22
guns, and found paper sent to the
Mirkobas captain by the Tangier gov
eminent ordering him to cruise for
Americans, Under these orders he
had captured the American ship Celia,
which Captain cambridge restored to
its owner.
Commodore Preble then dispatched
his smaller vessels to cruise off NIGGA
dor, Sallee, Zarach and Tetuan while
he entered the bay of Tangier. He sent
the Philadelphia and Vixen to block
ade Tripoli. On October Preble
moved toward the city of Tangier
with his larger ships, which were
kept cleared for action night and day,
The same day the emperor arrived
with 5000 troops and encamped on
the beach. Preble tickled the EN-
peror 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 result of which the
attacks 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 Tripolo, and during cruise cap
tured ship under Turkish colors,
which he converted into the ketch In
trepid, which took a prominent 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 Tripoli on August g. Fifteen
minutes after the signal to attack was
given the bomb-vessels were shellin>
the city. AS the various divisions of
the fleet singled out and attacked the
division of the enemy's force assigned
to them, Commodore Preble in the
Constitution kept the enemy's flotilla
in diCnrIar onI aociCfnI bie MI
units. being large part of the time
under the direct fire of the short bat
teries at close range.
Although the engagement lasted
two and 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
assault with the bomb-vessels and
schooners, shelled the town, and sill
enced battery of seven guns.
Before Commodore Preble reached
Tripolo, the Philadelphia, which had
been sent on ahead, had run aground
while chasing an enemy boat in the
harbor, and was captured by the
Tripolitans and the crew imprisoned. :
Following Preble's second assault
on the city, the bashaw sent word that
he would accept $500 each for the
ransom Of the prisoners, a total of
about $150,000 and terminate the war
Preble offered to pay $4,000 thinking
to avoid further bloodshed. The bas-
lhaw refused, and awaited another at
tack.
Preble attacked on the 23rd, with
out results. On the 9th the COM
modore sailed into the harbor in the
Constitution with a picked crew of
volunteers and routed the enemy
gunboats and silenced many of the
shore batteries. The attack was re-
newed on the third of September, and
followed this Preble decided to send
a fire-ship into the harbor to destroy
! the fiotilla. The statement failed, and
the heroic Captain Somers and his
crew lost their lives
Shortly after this attack Commo-
dore Preble was relieved by Commo-
dore Barron, and sailed for the Unit
ed States. Congress voted him the
thanks of the nation and an emble-
matte medal was presented to him by
the president. The following year the
campaign Commodore Preble had be-
gun ended in peace with Tripoli and
] the navy returned home.