Joe
Stephen Decatur vs. the Barbary Pirates
January 13, 2011 12:00 AM
It’s not out until July, but the book I’m most looking forward to this year is RAID 22: Decatur’s Bold and Daring Act – The Philadelphia in Tripoli 1804. You see, it’s the topic, it’s the author, and it’s the artwork! (seriously, check out the artwork).?
I’ve got a confession to make, Raid is now my favourite Osprey series. For me, there is just something more exciting about these smaller actions that can be perfectly covered in a short book. There are a lot of interesting Raids coming out this year, but the one I’m most looking forward to is RAID 22: Decatur’s Bold and Daring Act – The Philadelphia in Tripoli 1804,
Growing up in the American South, I often heard the name Stephen Decatur, but rarely any stories of his military exploits. America has a tendency to overlook its military history between the War of Independence and the Civil War. Only later, when I specifically went looking for information on the Wars of the Barbary Pirates did I learn about Decatur’s famous cutting-out operation. It’s got it all. A captured American frigate, pirates, a night-time boat attack, the a clash of sabres – what more could you want?
How about an author like Mark Lardas, then man who has already brought us a slew of great books, including DUE 19: Constitution vs Guerriere, NVG 161: Ships of the Revolutionary Navy, and Raid 12: Roughshod Through Dixie – Grierson’s Raid 1863?
Still not convinced, how about a sneaky preview of some Steven Noon artwork from the book?
COMMENTS
Joe,
Thanks for the preview. Looks like more great work from Steve Noon. I think Decatur would have been even more famous had he lived longer. He died too soon!
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Joe:
You are making me blush with your praise.
This book was a lot of fun to write. Decatur was one of my favorites.
The book should have a lot of surprises. I know there were a lot of things that surprised me when I wrote it. One surprise is shown in the plate -- the Americans dressed up in Mediterranean and Arab garb for the raid. In a lot of pictures of the raid you see them boarding wearing naval garb -- and in the worst ones wearing anachronistic uniforms of 70 years later (see http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h01000/h01340.jpg for example -- not only are the boarders wearing uniforms, sailors are armed with -- and firing -- pistols!). It makes sense -- and it wasn't a secret. Read the official reports on the battle and it says they wore native clothing. Charles Morris, in his autobiography talks about it. (He was a midshipman during the raid, and the first man to board.)
There were several other fascinating things. A lot of images of the battle show Philadelphia fully rigged. (This one -- http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/kn10000/kn10849.jpg -- for instance.) But Bainbridge had the foremast chopped away when Philadelphia grounded, and it had not been replaced. Additionally, because the foremast is needed to anchor the upper masts on the main mast, those had been taken down, along with the upper mizzen masts. The upshot of this is that it would have been impossible for the Americans to have "cut out" Philadelphia -- take it out of the harbor. It would have taken too long to set the masts and yards, and bend the sails to the yards. On top of that, they could only have used the mizzen topsails, possibly the main course, but would have lacked staysails or jibs forward. That would have made steering the ship almost impossible.
Forget all the romantic nonsense you read about how Decatur must have longed to take the ship out, but had strict orders to burn the ship that he had to follow. Once Decatur had control of the spar deck his thoughts were probably relief at being ordered to burn the ship and not attempt to bring it out of harbor -- he would have recognized the impossibility.
Also -- the Tripolians were expecting trouble. Philadelphia's guns were shotted and loaded, and could have blown Intrepid apart as it approached. That it did not was largely due to the theatrical abilities of Savatore Catalano, Intrepid's pilot. Catalano, a Sicilian was rewarded with American citizenship and a master's warrant in the United States Navy. Yet he is one of the few officers participating in the battle who has not had a navy warship named for him. A real shame because few are as deserving of the honor.
Another thing I realized was that the American's unimpeded escape was not as odd as it sounds today. There was a bare half hour between the time Philadelphia was boarded and the time it was fully involved and the American party was leaving the ship. That is barely enough time for someone asleep to realize something is going on and start to take action. By the time the Tripolians realized what was happening Intrepid was already some distance from the burning Philadelphia, and just another merchant vessel in a crowded harbor made more crowded by everyone taking to the sea.
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