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"... to the Shores of Tripoli" (Read 381 times)
Feb 16th, 2005 at 10:09am

Felix/FFDS   Offline
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from the History Channel's website:

   
February 16

1804 The most daring act of the age


During the First Barbary War, U.S. Lieutenant Stephen Decatur leads a military mission that famed British Admiral Horatio Nelson calls the "most daring act of the age."

In June 1801, President Thomas Jefferson ordered U.S. Navy vessels to the Mediterranean Sea in protest of continuing raids against U.S. ships by pirates from the Barbary states--Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, and Tripolitania. American sailors were often abducted along with the captured booty and ransomed back to the United States at an exorbitant price. After two years of minor confrontations, sustained action began in June 1803 when a small U.S. expeditionary force attacked Tripoli harbor in present-day Libya.

In October 1803, the U.S. frigate Philadelphia ran aground near Tripoli and was captured by Tripolitan gunboats. The Americans feared that the well-constructed warship would be both a formidable addition to the Tripolitan navy and an innovative model for building future Tripolitan frigates. Hoping to prevent the Barbary pirates from gaining this military advantage, Lieutenant Stephen Decatur led a daring expedition into Tripoli harbor to destroy the captured American vessel on February 16, 1804.

After disguising himself and his men as Maltese sailors, Decatur's force of 74 men, which included nine U.S. Marines, sailed into Tripoli harbor on a small two-mast ship. The Americans approached the USS Philadelphia without drawing fire from the Tripoli shore guns, boarded the ship, and attacked its Tripolitan crew, capturing or killing all but two. After setting fire to the frigate, Decatur and his men escaped without the loss of a single American. The Philadelphia subsequently exploded when its gunpowder reserve was lit by the spreading fire.

Six months later, Decatur returned to Tripoli Harbor as part of a larger American offensive and emerged as a hero again during the so-called "Battle of the Gunboats," a naval battle that saw hand-to-hand combat between the Americans and the Tripolitans.



 

Felix/FFDS...
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Reply #1 - Feb 17th, 2005 at 8:57pm

jimclarke   Offline
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Hard to imagine the lives of sailors back then taking weeks or months to get somewhere on those old ships and then carrying out such a mission.

Jim
 

No God? Know God!
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Reply #2 - Feb 18th, 2005 at 11:13am

Woodlouse2002   Offline
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Sounds like something Aubrey and Maturin would do. Grin
 

Woodlouse2002 PITA and BAR!!!!!!!!&&&&Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the Act made in the first year of King George the First for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King.&&&&Viva la revolution!
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Reply #3 - Feb 18th, 2005 at 12:33pm

Smoke2much   Offline
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Quote:
Sounds like something Aubrey and Maturin would do. Grin


I think they did, but in 1814/15 in either "Yellow Admiral" or "100 Days".  O'Brien used actual events for every action in the books.  His research files were massive and not limited to just the Royal Navy.

Will
 

Who switched the lights off?  I can't see a thing.......  Hold on, my eyes were closed.  Oops, my bad...............&&...
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Reply #4 - Feb 18th, 2005 at 2:05pm

Woodlouse2002   Offline
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Quote:
I think they did, but in 1814/15 in either "Yellow Admiral" or "100 Days".  O'Brien used actual events for every action in the books.  His research files were massive and not limited to just the Royal Navy.

Will

Ah. That doesn't suprise me. I knew before I even started reading the series they were based on true events. However I've only read up to the Surgeon's mate as I try to stay off reading during term time. For if I have a good book to read then I'll never get any work done. It is as you could say the "lesser of two weevils". Wink
 

Woodlouse2002 PITA and BAR!!!!!!!!&&&&Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the Act made in the first year of King George the First for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King.&&&&Viva la revolution!
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Reply #5 - Feb 19th, 2005 at 6:35am
Flt.Lt.Andrew   Ex Member

 
thats awesome!

Woohooo!
Eat that Tripolitans!
tehehehehee.....

A.
 
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Reply #6 - Feb 21st, 2005 at 3:43am

Smoke2much   Offline
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Quote:
It is as you could say the "lesser of two weevils". Wink


Very good mate Wink
 

Who switched the lights off?  I can't see a thing.......  Hold on, my eyes were closed.  Oops, my bad...............&&...
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Reply #7 - Feb 21st, 2005 at 1:41pm

Woodlouse2002   Offline
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I like jam.
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Had to fit it in somewhere didn't I. Roll Eyes Grin Wink
 

Woodlouse2002 PITA and BAR!!!!!!!!&&&&Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the Act made in the first year of King George the First for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King.&&&&Viva la revolution!
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