Andrew Sterett Andrew Sterett ( January 27 , 1778 – June 9 , 1807 ) was an officer in the United States Navy during the nation ' s early days . He saw combat during the Quasi - War with France and in the Barbary Wars , commanding the schooner USS " Enterprise " in both conflicts . Early life . Born in Baltimore , Maryland , Andrew Sterett was the son of John Sterett , a former Revolutionary War captain and a successful shipping merchant . The fourth of ten children , he nevertheless inherited a sizable amount of money . Despite this , he resolved to join the Navy , and was commissioned as a lieutenant on 25 March 1798 . The Quasi - War . Sterett ' s first assignment was as Third Lieutenant of the USS " Constellation " , under Captain Thomas Truxtun , which was sent to do battle with French vessels during the Quasi - War . He was commanding a gun battery when " Constellation " defeated and captured the French frigate " Insurgente " on 9 February 1799 . " Insurgente " lost 29 dead and 41 wounded ; the only American loss was a seaman run through by Sterett ' s saber in a summary execution , the seaman , Neal Harvey , having abandoned his post in a panic . Upon " Constellation < nowiki > ' < / nowiki > " s arrival back in Baltimore , the anti - federalist press , who opposed the military in general and the Quasi - War in particular , seized upon this incident as an example of the Navy ' s " " arrogance and cold - bloodedness " " . The objections intensified when Sterett was heard to say , " We put men to death for even looking pale on this ship . " The Navy saw things quite differently , and soon promoted Sterett to the rank of First Lieutenant . A year later , Sterett was involved in a battle to a draw with the 54 - gun French frigate " Vengeance " . Soon afterward , he took command of the schooner USS " Enterprise " where he remained through the end of the Quasi - War , capturing the privateer " Amour de la Patrie " on 24 December 1800 . The Barbary Wars . After resupplying in Baltimore , Sterett sailed " Enterprise " to the Barbary Coast in June , 1801 , as part of a force under Commodore Richard Dale , in the first stages of the Barbary Wars . On 1 August 1801 , " Enterprise " under Sterett ' s command handily defeated the 14 - gun " Tripoli " , a Tripolitan corsair . After twice faking surrender , " Tripoli " suffered 30 dead and 30 wounded , including the Captain , Rais Mahomet Rous , and the first officer . " Enterprise " suffered no casualties . Since there was no formal declaration of war , " Enterprise " was under orders not to take prizes . After her crew was ordered to dump its guns overboard , " Tripoli " was allowed to sail home , where her captain was humiliated and punished . " Enterprise " was sent back to Baltimore with dispatches after this engagement . While there , on the recommendation of Congress , Sterett was presented by President Thomas Jefferson with a sword in gratitude of the victory over the " Tripoli " . " Enterprise " < nowiki > ' < / nowiki > s crew was also rewarded with an extra month ' s pay . The ship returned to the Mediterranean in November 1802 . Sterett turned over command of the " Enterprise " to Stephen Decatur in April 1803 . He was then promoted to Master Commandant and offered the command of a brig which was under construction . Resignation . Sterett had been senior in rank to Decatur , but due to their comparative length of service , in 1803 , Decatur was selected to be promoted above Sterett . Sterett therefore resigned from the Navy , on 29 June 1805 , to join the merchant marine . Final Voyage . In August 1806 Sterett was hired by Baltimore ship owner Lemuel Taylor to captain Taylor ' s sloop " Warren " on a trading voyage to the North West coast of America and China ( though there were rumors that the ship was actually headed to the West Indies or South America with a cargo of contraband ) . Taylor selected Procopio Pollock , son of Revolutionary War financier Oliver Pollock , as the " Warren ' s " supercargo ( cargo master ) . Both men were given sealed orders that were not to be opened until a certain point in the voyage . On 12 September the " Warren " sailed out of Baltimore with a complement of about 112 men , including four officers ( all previously known to Sterett . In early December , off the coast of Brazil , Sterett and Pollock opened their instructions . To his horror Sterett discovered that Taylor ' s orders to Pollock gave Pollock control over not only the cargo but operational control of the vessel as well ; they stated that the ship was to proceed to the west coast of South America , where Pollock was to engage in trade as he saw fit . These orders , different from those given to Sterett and in violation of the articles of employment signed by the crew , caused a violent argument between Sterett and Pollock . Sterett seems to have been driven into a frenzy bordering on madness ; he was heard by members of the crew to say that before he would follow such orders he would kill either Pollock or himself . About a week later , after apparently trying unsuccessfully to shoot Pollock , Captain Sterett retired to his cabin alone and shot himself in the head . He lingered in agonizing pain for two weeks before dying on 9 January 1807 , a few weeks shy of his 29th birthday and shortly before the ship rounded Cape Horn . Neither the records of the " Warren " or a lawsuit later filed against Taylor by the crew make any mention of Sterett ' s body , so it is presumed that he was buried at sea . Thus ended the short life of an officer of great principle and promise . Legacy . Four ships of the United States Navy have been named USS " Sterett " in his honor .