prisoners, from the American government, to enable him to support the vain and gorgeous pageantry of royalty, he demanded the sum of six hundred thousand dollars for their emancipation, and an annual tribute, as the price of peace. This, Mr. Lear indignantly rejected. He left it with such negotiators as Preble, Decatur, &c. to make the interchange of powers, and to agree upon the preliminaries of a treaty.

After having stated that the whole of Com. Preble's squadron lay before Tripoli, the reader may have been led to suppose that it was a very formidable force. But to prepare the mind to follow him and his comrades into the harbour, and to pursue him to the very mouths of the Bashaw's cannon upon his batteries, in his castle, and on board his corsairs, gun-boats, and other marine force, mounting little less than three hundred cannon-Let it be remembered that his whole squadron, including the Neapolitan bombards and gun-boats, mounted less guns than one completely armed Seventy-Four, and one Frigate. His squadron consisted of one frigate, three brigs, (one of which had been captured from the enemy,) three schooners, two bombards, and six gun-boats. His men amounted to a very little over one thousand, a considerable number of whom were Neapolitans, upon whom he could place but little reliance in a close engagement with Turks. But he felt like a warrior-and knew that Americans were such.

CHAPTER IX.

Lieutenant Decatur promoted to the rank of CAPTAIN-Preparations for a general attack upon Tripoli-Capt. Decatur takes command of a division of Gun-boats-Disparity of force between his and the enemy's-He grapples and captures a Tripolitan boat-Is bearing for the squadron with his prize-Hears of the treacherous murder of his brother, Lieut. James Decatur-Returns to the engagement, and followed by Midshipman Macdonough and nine seamen, boards the enemy's boat-Slays the Turk who slew his brother, and bears his second prize to the squadron-Other achievements of the Squadron, Bombards, and Gun-boats-Effects of the attack upon the Bashaw and Tripoli

tans.

CAPT. Decatur, at this time, (August 1804,) was placed in the first grade of officers in the American Navy; and, to remind him of the gallant achievement for which he was there placed, his commission bore date the memorable 16th day of February, 1804. He also received a vote of thanks, expressed in the most applauding terms, and also an elegant sword, for the destruction of the Philadelphia frigate. These high honours were amongst the first of this nature bestowed upon the officers of the Navy. They were more gratifying to such a mind as Decatur's, than it would have been to have captured a fleet of merchantmen, and to have shared largely in the prizes. Far from being elated with these unequivocal tokens of the approbation of his govern

ment and commander, he sought only to show the world, by his future conduct, that he deserved them.

There being but one frigate in the squadron, and that commanded by Commodore Preble, there was yet no national ship in the Mediterranean, of a rate that corresponded with Capt. Decatur's grade. But little did he care in what sort of vessel he served his country, so be it he could efficiently aid in compelling the imperious Jussuff to bow to American prowess; and, after being humiliated, to release from bondage the noble and gallant Bainbridge-his gallant officers and seamen-and all the Americans holden in Mahometan slavery.

Commodore Preble had made the best possible preparations he could, with his limited means, to effect his ultimate object. The two preceding squadrons sent from America to the Mediterranean, under Commodores Dale and Morris, had gone but little beyond mere blockading ships-for this was all they could do. The American government, in the season of 1804, used every exertion to prepare a respectable augmentation to Commodore Preble's squadron, and in the mean time, he was preparing to make "demonstrations" upon Tripoli rather more impressive than those made by ten times his force upon fort McHenry, fort Bowyer, and fort St. Phillip, by immense British squadrons, in the war of 1812, in America.

After having been baffled for a long time by adverse winds, he reached the harbour of Tripoli, in the last week of July. The Bashaw affected to dis

guise the real apprehensions he felt, by exclaiming to his courtiers" They will mark their distance for tacking-they are a sort of Jews who have no notion of fighting." He had not yet sufficiently studied the American character; and needed a few more lessons from Decatur, to enable him thoroughly to comprehend it. He was soon to learn that Americans upon the ocean were not like the children of Israel, or the descendants of Ishmael.

Captain Decatur was selected by Commodore Preble to command one division of the Gun-boats, and Lieut. Somers the other. The duty imposed upon them was of a nature the most hazardous; as from the little water they drew, they could come almost in contact with the Bashaw's batteries and castle, where the numerous gun-boats of the Tripolitans were stationed. As this was one of the most desperate engagements amongst the numerous ones in which Capt. Decatur was ever called to display his personal prowess, as well as his nautical skill and desperate courage, the reader will indulge the writer in detailing it particularly, as related to him by one of the officers on board the Constitution, lying. in full view of the bloody scene.

The bombards, each carrying a mortar of thirteen inches, were commanded, one by Lieut. Commandant Dent, and the other by first Lieut. Robinson, of the Constitution. The Gun-boats were thus arranged, mounting each a brass twenty-six pounder.

SECOND DIVISION.

Boat No. IV. Capt. Decatur,
No. V. Lieut. Bainbridge,
No. VI. Lieut. Trippe.

FIRST DIVISION.

No. I. Lieut. Somers,
No. II. Lieut. J. Decatur,,
No. III. Lieut. Blake.

The Constitution, the Brigs, and the Schooners, were to be situated to cover them from the fire of the batteries and the castle, and to silence the tremendous cannonade expected from more than two hundred pieces of heavy ordnance mounted in them, and on the marine force of the enemy.

Although

the squadron had been long in the Mediterranean, the unceasing vigilance and assiduity of Com. Preble, Capt. Decatur, and the rest of the officers and seamen, had kept it in the most complete preparation for any service. The Bashaw was also prepared to receive them, and, (as he confidently expected,) to repulse them. Preble had not the most distant wish to enter the city with his small force. He was determined, if possible, to destroy the naval force, the batteries, and the castle of the enemy, and conquer them into peace upon his chosen element.

Upon the 3d of August, the gales had subsided, and the Commodore resolved to commence an attack. The disparity of force between Preble and the Bashaw at Tripoli, was much greater than that of Nelson and the king of Denmark at Copenhagen. At about half past ten o'clock, the two bombards, from signals previously arranged, stood in for the town, followed by the whole squadron, in the most gallant style. More than two hundred of the Bashaw's guns were brought to bear directly upon the American squadron. Included in this force of the enemy, were one heavy armed Brig-two Schooners-two large Gallies, and nineteen Gun-boats, each of superior force to those commanded by Capt. De