Bombardment of Tripoli--Treacherous Act of a Turkish Captain--A Quick
Retribution at the Hands of Captain Decatur.
The Bashaw of Tripoli was not yet subdued. He treated his American
prisoners with greater harshness and refused to believe their nation was
strong enough to bring him to terms.
On August 3, Commodore (as the senior officer of every squadron was then
called) Preble sailed into the harbor of Tripoli with his fleet and
opened the bombardment of the city. At the same time, several of his
gunboats engaged those of the enemy. Lieutenant James Decatur, brother
of Stephen, made chase of a Tripolitan vessel, reserving his fire until
the two almost touched, when he poured in such a destructive discharge
of musketry and grape that the terrified enemy surrendered. Lieutenant
Decatur sprang aboard of his prize, when, at that instant, the Turkish
commander, a man of massive strength and build, fired his pistol in the
American officer's face and killed him. In the confusion caused by this
treacherous act the enemy's boat got away and started for the city.
[Illustration: CAPTAIN STEPHEN DECATUR.]
Meanwhile, Captain Decatur had been doing characteristic work. With
three gunboats he attacked a force three times as numerous as his own.
Impetuously boarding the first craft, after a discharge from his long
boat, he engaged the numerous crew in a furious hand-to-hand struggle,
in which all were made prisoners or forced to leap into the sea to save
themselves. Then Decatur began towing away his prize, when he was told
of the murder of his brother.
The grief-stricken and enraged captain instantly cast his prize adrift
and started after the "unspeakable Turk." The boat was easily
recognized, and, delivering a destructive fire, the pursuer ran
alongside and the Americans rushed aboard, with Decatur in the lead. The
enormous size and gorgeous uniform of the Turkish captain made him so
conspicuous that Decatur knew him at once, and, rushing forward, lunged
at him with his boarding pike. The Turk must have felt contempt for the
American who dared thus to assail him, for his assailant was but a boy
in size compared to him. He speedily proved his physical superiority
over Decatur, for he not only parried the lunge of the pike, but
wrenched it from his hand. He in turn drove his pike at Decatur's
breast, but his blow was also parried, though its violence broke off the
American's sword at the hilt. The active Turk came again, and his
second blow was only partly turned aside, the point of the pike tearing
through Decatur's coat and inflicting a bad wound in his chest.
Before the Turk could strike a third time, Decatur ran in, and the two
instantly engaged in a fierce wrestling bout. The American was the most
skilful, but by sheer strength his enormous antagonist threw him to the
deck, and, gripping him by the throat with one hand, he reached down to
draw a small curved knife, known as a yataghan. It was behind the sash
in his waist and directly in front. Decatur threw both legs over the
back of the Turk and pressed him so close that he could not force his
hand between their bodies to reach his weapon. Decatur's pistol was at
his hip. He was able to withdraw it, and he then did the only thing that
could possibly save his life, though the chances were that the act would
hasten his death.
Reaching over the back of the Turk, he pointed the weapon downward
toward his own breast and pulled the trigger. In most cases the bullet
would have passed through both bodies, but, fortunately, the ball
encountered some obstruction and did not reach the imperiled American.
He shoved off the bulky form, which rolled over on its back, dead.
It must not be supposed that while this furious hand-to-hand encounter
was under way the respective crews were idle. They, too, were fighting
fiercely, and, closing about the struggling commanders, each side
endeavored to help its own. The crowd surged back and forth and became
mixed in inextricable confusion. One of the Turks saw a chance to help
his captain and made a vicious blow at his opponent with his scimiter.
Reuben James, a sailor, who was so wounded in his arms that he could not
use them, thrust his head forward and received the stroke upon his
skull. The wound was a frightful one, but, beyond dispute, it saved the
life of Decatur, who never forgot the man that had done him this
inestimable service.
Reuben James was one of the volunteers who helped Decatur destroy the
_Philadelphia_. He recovered from his terrible wound and did excellent
service in the war of 1812. In one battle he was three times wounded
before he would allow his comrades to carry him below. He lived fully
twenty years after the death of his beloved commander, dying at a good
old age, though he was scarred with sabre cuts, wounded times
innumerable by bullets, and compelled to suffer the amputation of a leg.
The bombardment of Tripoli was less successful than expected. The
shells were of such poor quality that no impression was made on the
defences. All naval operations have proven that, as a rule, ships are
comparatively powerless for aggressive work against forts and batteries
on shore.
An investigation into the cause of the failure of so many shells sent
into Tripoli brought out several interesting facts. Captain Bainbridge,
who carefully noted the results of the bombardment while a prisoner in
the city, stated that out of forty-eight thrown on one day only one
exploded. It was found that the fuses in many of the bombs had been
choked by lead that was poured into them. This was probably done by
French agents in Sicily.
At the beginning of hostilities, the Tripolitans placed great reliance
upon their ability to fight at close quarters. Undeniably, they did
better in such position than in handling their ships. They had all the
viciousness of wild cats, and it has been shown how fiercely they fought
in hand-to-hand encounters; but their experience with the Americans
taught them that they were to be dreaded in any situation where their
anger was aroused, and, as a consequence, the Turks became less eager
for tests of individual strength, skill and bravery.