The Coolidge examiner., 1932-10-14

on the opposite side, and the sailors had only
the surface of the casks in the hold To these
| inconvenience were added the want of any
room on the deck for exercise and the attacks
of innumerable vermin which our predecessors,
the slaves. had left behind them. The provisions
proved to be decayed and offensive"
Finally however, the little fleet again stood
before Tripoli. and this time the grim drama
was not to be interrupted. With approximately
81 men aboard, the Intrepid commanded by Ste
phen Decatur. drifted into the harbor a pale,
beautiful young moon overhead lighting her way.
| The harbor and town were still no sound was
| to be heard but the gentle tapping of the waves
as the Intrepid moved quietly TO her destination.
Her quarry-the Philadelphia-stood before a
handsome ship, her 40 guns all loaded and
doube-shotted and well manned. This was the
enemy which the little ketch of 60 tons and four
small guns faced-and in addition there were
the guns of the Pashas castle as we'll as other
batteries Furthermore. there were floating de-
fenses close by consisting of two or three cruis-
ers and some galleys
1t was a tense moment and had suspicion
been directed against the Intrepid she would
have been blown out of the water and not a
man could have escaped" All the men on the
ketch were kept concealed except few in ma
tive dress and, owing to the smooth Tripotanese
OF the Sicilian pilot, no suspicion was excited
aboard the Philadelphia The watch hailed and
the pilot Of the Intrepid replied that she had
lost anchors in the gale and would like TO make
fast TO the Philadelphia for the night This
was agreed to- but after the ketch warped
alongside the Philadelphia's crew scented dan
ger and there came the cry: "Americanos
Americanos :"
In another moment the Intrepid had swung
broadside and quickly passed lashings held
the two ships locked in deadly embrace. Then
Decatur's cry of "Boardl" rang out and with
quick rush and the discharge of only a single
gun the decks were gained.
The surprise as perfect the assault
was rapid and the Tripoltan crew panicstrick
en-, huddled like rats at bay awaiting the final
dash. Decatur had early gathered his men aft
stood a moment for them to gain sight of the
enemy, and then with the watchword "Phla-
delphia' rushed upon the rOvers. No defense
made for, swarming to leeward, they tum-
bled overheard; over the bows, through gun
ports by aid of trailing billiards and stranded
rigging, out of the channels pell-mel by every
loophole they went-and then, such as could
swan like water rats for the friendly shelter of
the neighboring war galleys.
One by one the decks were cleared. Ten min
utes after the boarding party swung over the
rails Decatur was in full possession of the ship
Events then moved with lightning rapidity. Par
ties, especially assigned of course, darted here
there and elsewhere. setting fire to vulnerable
points. Then, with the ship already blazing
mass which lighted the entire harbor and sent
terror to the hearts of the native onlookers the
brave little crew of Americans made for the In
trepid. Then came the struggle to escape, with
the town awakened the Tripolitanese batteries
coming into action, and the tiny ketch the OBJ
ject of every missile.
Through a veritable hell of gunfre the Intrepid
| Of bor
they did so a mighty explosion shook the earth
and sea and a column of flames shot to the sky
the Philadelphia had blown up. The impos-
sible had been accomplishment not single
one of Decatur's men had been killed
Shortly after the epic firing of the Philadel-
phia Preble recommended to the secretary of
the navy that Decatur be promoted. This rec
ommendatiOn was promptly carried out, and the
! secretary addressed a letter TO Stephen Decatur
ESQ., captain in the navy of the United States
Decatur was just twenty-five years old, the
youngest captain ever appointed in the United
States navy.
G by Western Newspaper Union.