Jefferson's War

by Joseph Wheelan

  167. “‘I have zealously served’”: Ibid., p. 174.

  167. “Bainbridge’s torment moved”: Ibid., p. 169.

  167. “Busy convoying, Preble”: Ibid., p. 175; McKee, p. 179.

  168. “‘This affair distresses me’”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, p. 256.

  168. “He feared that”: Ibid., p. 175.

  168. “‘Would to God”’: Ibid., p. 256.

  168. “To his brother”: McKee, p. 181.

  168. “‘I have not the smallest’”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, p. 280.

  168. “‘Keep up a good heart’”: Ibid., p. 335.

  169. “Preble discovered months’ worth”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, pp. 351, 385-6.

  169. “Jefferson’s political enemies”: Allison, pp. 29—30.

  169. “‘This accident renders’”: Jefferson Presidential Papers (Library of Congress), Microfilm, Reel 30.

  169. “Congress established a”: Ibid., p. 523.

  170. “‘I have never been’”: Ford, vol. 8, p. 301.

  170. “So while the president”: James Madison Presidential Papers (Library of Congress), vol. 27, p. 35.

  170. “On May 8, 1803”: Whipple, p. 96.

  170. “Besides being instructed”: Naval Documents, vol. 2, p. 468.

  171. “Off Cape de Gatt”: Naval Documents, vol. 2, p. 507.

  171. “James Simpson, the U.S.”: Ibid., p. 514.

  172. “Algiers’s dey was”: Ibid., vol. 3, pp. 132, 361—2.

  172. “Rodgers objected to it”: Ibid., pp. 46—7.

  173. “The American merchantman Hannah”: Ibid., pp. 23, 62-3.

  173. “Finally, the emperor arrived”: Ibid., p. 106.

  173. “He made a show”: Ibid., pp. 107—8.

  173. “The delighted emperor”: Ibid., p. 110.

  174. “‘a small man’”: Ibid., p. 126.

  174. “The emperor suspended”: Ibid., pp. 164—5.

  174. “As the two nations”: Ibid., pp. 19, 118, 126—7, 153.

  174. “Many were built”: Ibid., pp. 461, 466.

  174. “The morning after”: Ray, pp. 83—4.

  175. “While the crewmen”: Ibid., p. 104.

  176. “‘Rough-bearded men’”: John Greenleaf Whittier. The Complete Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1892), pp. 410—1.

  177. “John Morrison, a”: Ray, pp. 114—5.

  177. “‘Behave like Americans’”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, p. 312.

  177. “A janissary cut off”: Ray, p. 96.

  178. “The officers were excused”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, pp. 530—2.

  178. “the midshipmen attended”: Ibid., p. 256.

  178. “The captain even”: Dearborn, pp. 66—7.

  179. “blindness was a relatively”: Whipple, p. 128.

  179. “With happier results”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, pp. 531—2.

  179. “a sailor cut his”: Ibid.

  179. “Nelson’s ‘... Answer was’”: Ibid., p. 357.

  179. “The first convert”: Ibid., pp. 530—1.

  179. “Wilson became one”: Allison, p. 120.

  Chapter X: A Daring Counterstroke

  180. “The Danish consul”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, pp. 266—7.

  180. “Lear opened an account”: Ibid., pp. 310, 369; Allen, pp. 163—4.

  181. “He first tried”: Dearborn, p. 60.

  181. “After experimenting with milk”: Ibid.; Whipple, p. 121.

  181. “The censor’s eyes”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, pp. 526—7.

  181. “Bainbridge suggested to Preble”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, p. 253.

  182. “‘I shall hazard much’”: Ibid., p. 258.

  182. “Lieutenant Charles Stewart swore”: Ibid., pp. 426—7.

  182. “A month after”: Ibid., p. 236.

  182. “By mid-December, he had”: Ibid., p. 273.

  183. “Preble and Decatur now”: Ibid., p. 304.

  183. “The Mastico was”: Ibid., pp. 351, 374.

  183. “They turned up”: Ibid., p. 334.

  184. “Preble had shifted”: Ibid., p. 257.

  184. “Before the Mastico’s capture”: Ibid., p. 292.

  184. “Yusuf’s agent at Malta”: Ibid., pp. 385, 378.

  184. “But Preble decided”: Ibid., p. 311.

  185. “Who was the”: Irvin Anthony, Decatur (New York, London: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1931), pp. 4—33.

  186. “Decatur helped equip”: Ibid., pp. 35—41.

  187. “He settled his first”: Ibid., pp. 103—4.

  187. “Decatur and Macdonough”: Ibid., p. 121.

  188. “Decatur had assembled”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, p. 389.

  188. “‘We shall astonish’”: Ibid., pp. 381—2.

  189. “‘It will be well’”: Ibid., pp. 375—7.

  189. “The strike force arrived”: Ibid., pp. 399, 415—6.

  189. “The Intrepid was small”: Ibid., p. 417.

  189. “When they weren’t busy”: Anthony, p. 129; Whipple, p. 133.

  189. “The most recent”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, p. 258.

  190. “The Intrepid slowly”: Ibid., p. 416.

  190. “Decatur launched the mission”: Ibid. p. 418.

  190. “Decatur divided his force”: Anthony, pp. 124—5.

  191. “A voice in the”: Ibid., p. 132.

  191. “The Philadelphia’s officer”: Ibid., pp. 416—7; Anthony, pp. 130—3.

  192. “The enemy’s bloodcurdling”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, pp. 417—9.

  192. “The frigate went up”: Ibid., p. 415.

  193. “Morris described the sight”: Whipple, p. 319.

  193. “With seamless precision”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, p. 414.

  193. “Thirty Siren crewmen”: Ibid.

  194. “At daybreak, they”: Ibid., pp. 414—5.

  194. “The Philadelphia burned”: Tucker, p. 283.

  194. “The commodore signaled impatiently”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, p. 444.

  194. “‘Their conduct in the’”: Ibid., p. 413.

  194. “‘the most bold’”: Irwin, p. 135.

  195. “‘The American commander”’: Allison, p. 193.

  195. “‘... it is the only’”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, p. 525.

  195. “Congress Decatur commended”: Ibid., pp. 427—8.

  195. “A silent play”: Allison, p. 190.

  195. “Francis Scott Key”: Victor Weybright, Spangled Banner: The Story of Francis Scott Key (New York: Farrar & Rinehart Inc., 1935), pp. 137—43.

  195. “Key’s new, forgettable”: Ibid., pp. 143—50.

  196. “Susan Decatur made”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, pp. 421, 230-1; Allen, pp. 174—5.

  197. “The night of the”: Ray, p. 110.

  197. “The commotion also”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, p. 532.

  197. “At daybreak the next”: Ray, p. 110.

  197. “‘The Turks appeared”’: Naval Documents, vol. 3, p. 421.

  197. “when the soldiers tried”: Ray, p. 111.

  198. “‘I have seen the Sea’”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, p. 256.

  198. “Six weeks after”: Ibid., p. 532.

  198. “One reason for”: Ibid., p. 474.

  198. “‘people who handle’”: Ibid., p. 489.

  198. “the bashaw forbade”: Ibid., p. 536.

  Chapter XI: Preble’s Fighting Squadron

  199. “In Tripoli, gun crews”: Naval Documents, vol. 4, pp. 293—4.

  200. “Since taking command”: Ibid., vol. 2, p. 508.

  200. “Cathcart had tried”: Ibid., vol. 3, p. 459.

  200. “Prime Minister Sir John Acton”: Ibid., vol. 4, pp. 100—1.

  200. “Preble mounted all”: Ibid., p. 130.

  201. “He had sent”: Ibid., pp. 183—92, 255.

  201. “‘It is from thence’”: Ibid., p. 275.

  201. “Tobias Lear said”: Ibid., p. 471.

  202. “‘It must be dreadful’”: I
bid., p. 79.

  202. “Almost alone, Bainbridge”: Ibid., vol. 3, pp. 329—30.

  202. “A harassing bombardment‘”: Ibid., vol. 4, pp. 264—5.

  203. “The Philadelphia prisoners”: Ray, p. 119.

  203. “The captives were driven”: Ibid., pp. 121, 145.

  203. “Stephen Decatur led Lieutenants”: Naval Documents, vol. 4, p. 295.

  204. “Trippe boarded another”: Ibid., pp. 296—7.

  204. “For the rest”: Ibid., footnote.

  205. “‘I find hand to hand”’: Ibid., p. 346.

  205. “Decatur overtook an”: Anthony, pp. 144—5.

  206. “As a souvenir”: Naval Documents, vol. 4, pp. 347—8. (Excerpt from Life of Stephen Decatur by Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, U.S.N.)

  206. “The Constitution bombarded”: Ibid., pp. 296—7.

  206. “Preble, expecting more”: Anthony, pp. 146—7.

  207. “‘I always thought’”: Naval Documents, vol. 4, p. 346.

  207. “Forty-four Tripolitans perished”: Ibid., pp. 297—8.

  208. “Blake’s gunboat never”: Ibid., pp. 385—6.

  208. “they ascribed the Americans‘”: Ray, pp. 123—4.

  208. “A few days after”: Naval Documents, vol. 4, pp. 297—8.

  208. “‘They did not abate’”: Ray, pp. 124-7.

  209. “Two days after”: Naval Documents, vol. 4, p. 62.

  209. “‘The conduct for sometime’”: Ibid., vol. 2, pp. 474—7.

  209. “Preble was determined”: McKee, p. 176.

  209. “The commodore had”: Naval Documents, vol. 4, pp. 323, 495—6.

  210. “The Siren chased”: Ibid., pp. 234, 255.

  210. “‘a deep designing’”: Ibid., vol. 3, p. 70.

  210. “When he was fourteen”: McKee, pp. 6—7.

  210. “was a midshipman”: Ibid., pp. 10—12, 18.

  210. “he went back to sea”: Ibid., pp. 20—9.

  211. “He then had”: Fowler, Jack Tars and Commodores, p. 49.

  211. “he contracted malaria”: Whipple, p. 106.

  211. “A husky six-footer”: McKee, frontispiece, p. 80.

  211. “Preble was known”: Ibid., p. 35.

  211. “criminal charges were”: Ibid., pp. 46—7.

  212. “In a letter”: Ibid., p. 138.

  212. “Unlike Morris, Preble”: Ibid., pp. 133—4; Naval Documents, vol. 3, p. 225.

  212. “on October 4, 1803, five”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, p. 105.

  212. “On November 16, 1803”: Ibid., p. 225.

  212. “Preble kept all”: Ibid., pp. 103-4.

  213. “Thus, when Robert Quinn”: Ibid., vol. 4, pp. 218—9, 227.

  213. “The meeting took”: Anthony, pp. 109-11.

  214. “And then, without warning”: Naval Documents, vol. 4, pp. 352, 298—9.

  215. “The bashaw hunkered”: Ibid., pp. 299—300.

  215. “Besides the casualties”: Ibid.

  Chapter XII: A Destructive Scheme

  217. “Whenever Barron arrived”: Naval Documents, vol. 4, pp. 114—5.

  218. “While he regretted”: Ibid., p. 301.

  218. “Preble’s pride was”: Ibid., p. 377.

  218. “Weeks later, when”: Ibid., pp. 63—4.

  218. “The John Adams”: Ibid., pp. 300—1.

  219. “Since the failed parley”: Ibid., p. 222.

  219. “Preble offered $80,000”: Ibid., pp. 389, 397.

  219. “Yet he couldn’t resist”: Ibid., p. 397.

  219. “Stephen Decatur had exulted”: Ibid., p. 243.

  220. “Preble had declared”: Ibid., vol. 3, p. 210.

  220. “Enemy gunners opened up”: Ibid., vol. 4, p. 301.

  220. “Preble decided to resume”: Ibid., pp. 302, 481.

  220. “Yet the nervous”: Ibid., p. 64.

  221. “For three hours”: Ibid., pp. 302—3.

  221. “Inside the city”: Ibid., pp. 64, 476, 480—2.

  221. “Bainbridge was nearly”: Ibid., pp. 302—3.

  221. “Preble brought the Constitution”: Ibid., pp. 472—3, 476, 504.

  221. “A few days later”: Ibid., pp. 302—4.

  222. “Preble suggested a”: Ibid., p. 495.

  222. “Beaussier reported that”: Ibid., 496—7, pp. 480-2.

  222. “The American fire”: Ibid., p. 65.

  222. “There were so many”: Ray, p. 135.

  223. “Preble once again”: Naval Documents, vol. 4, pp. 304-5, 504.

  223. “Preble’s reckless sorties”: Ray, p. 142.

  223. “When Somers asked”: Naval Documents, vol. 4, p. 508.

  224. “‘No place presents’”: Ibid., p. 49.

  225. “In Malta in May”: Ibid., p. 136.

  225. “Preble himself demanded”: Ibid., vol. 3, pp. 112—3, 156.

  225. “A decade later”: Allen, p. 140; Tucker, p. 338.

  225. “‘many remarkable fine’”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, p. 210.

  225. “‘I have an excellent’”: Ibid., p. 439.

  226. “Somers impulsively removed”: Anthony, pp. 150—1.

  226. “The Intrepid was loaded”: Naval Documents, vol. 4, pp. 305—6.

  226. “‘like so many planets’”: Ibid., p. 352.

  226. “The huge concussion”: Ibid., pp. 360, 509.

  227. “The Nautilus showed”: Ibid., p. 507.

  227. “there was no sign”: Ibid., p. 306.

  227. “Without any basis”: Ibid., pp. 306—7.

  228. “The bashaw and his”: Ibid., p. 65.

  228. “Preble chased down”: Ibid., pp. 307—8.

  228. “Barron cruised off”: Ibid., p. 513.

  228. “President Jefferson took time”: McKee, pp. 314—5.

  229. “With $1,245 they raised”: Naval Documents, vol. 6, p. 497.

  229. “the monument was vandalized”: Wright-Macleod, p. 194.

  230. “Its inscription reads”: Taken from the monument.

  230. “In Portland, Maine”: Tucker, p. 333.

  230. “In 1938, the”: Lieutenant (jg) Arthur P. Miller, Jr. “Tripoli Graves Discovered” (U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, April 1950), pp. 373—7.

  231. “In April 1949”: Ibid.

  Chapter XIII: Plotting a Regime Change

  233. “‘The Secretary of War”’: Edwards, p. 127.

  233. “This proposal was”: Naval Documents, vol. 1, p. 494.

  233. “‘The subjects in’”: Ibid., p. 569.

  233. “‘does not accord’”: Ibid., vol. 2, p. 245.

  234. “‘We have no’”: Ibid., vol. 4, p. 153.

  234. “Madison permitted up to”: Ibid.

  234. “Thin, pale, and”: Karl Schuon, ed., The Leathernecks (New York: Franklin Watts Inc., 1963), p. 34.

  234. “he had moved”: Naval Documents, vol. 2, p. 486; vol. 3, p. 222.

  235. “Eaton said that organizing”: Ibid., vol. 5, p. 37.

  235. “Eaton dispatched his”: Edwards, pp. 128—31.

  235. “Bainbridge, Murray, Morris”: Tucker, pp. 229—31.

  236. “Significantly, Preble, the”: Naval Documents, vol. 3, pp. 259—60, 486.

  236. “Eaton complained to”: Ibid., vol. 4, p. 120.

  236. “‘If my project’”: Ibid., vol. 5, p. 35.

  236. “Hull’s verbal orders”: Ibid., p. 20.

  237. “‘How Glorious would’”: Ibid., p. 305.

  237. “Founded in 332 B.C.”: Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia (USA: Funk & Wagnalls, 1983), vol. 1, p. 372.

  237. “The Americans gazed”: P. J. Vatikiotis. The History of Egypt (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1969), p. 31.

  237. “Napoleon’s lightning invasion”: Ibid., pp. 30—1.

  238. “‘Let the Franks’”: Ibid., pp. 38—9.

  238. “But the shrewd Napoleon”: Ibid., p. 44; Felix Gilbert, Eugene F. Rice, Jr., Richard S. Dunn, Leonard Krieger, Charles Breunig, Norman Rich, ed., The Norton History of Modern Europe (New
York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. 1971), p. 816.

  238. “In 1801 they”: Vatikiotis, p. 50.

  239. “While waiting for the”: Naval Documents, vol. 5, p. 171.

  239. “They started up”: Wright-Macleod, p. 151.

  239. “A striking blue-eyed”: Prentiss, p. 446.

  239. “he was fluent”: Edwards, p. 5.

  239. “He also happened”: Ibid., pp. 5—6.

  239. “he had mastered”: Ibid., p. 11.

  240. “These traits had”: Ibid., p. 27.

  240. “‘Egypt has no”’: Naval Documents, vol. 5, p. 191.

  240. “‘Wild Arabs’ roved”: Ibid., p. 186.

  240. “Eaton’s party hunted”: Ibid., pp. 186—7.

  241. “‘They kissed our”’: Ibid., pp. 190—2.

  241. “Eaton impressed the”: Ibid., p. 174.

  241. “Cairo’s viceroy, Khorshid”: Vatikiotis, p. 37.

  241. “They were escorted”: Naval Documents, vol. 5, pp. 188-9.

  242. “‘It was more like’”: Ibid.

  242. “He cemented their”: Ibid., pp. 185—6.

  242. “The viceroy’s envoy”: Ibid., p. 192.

  242. “Eaton sent a letter”: Ibid., p. 180.

  243. “‘Thus you must’”: Ibid., p. 268.

  243. “‘I cannot but”’: Ibid., p. 252.

  243. “Bring plenty of money”: Ibid., pp. 277—9.

  243. “Less than halfway”: Ibid., pp. 303—4.

  244. “Eaton began to notice”: Ibid., p. 314.

  244. “‘There is more’”: Tucker, p. 366.

  244. “Turkish guards suddenly”: Naval Documents, vol. 5, pp. 301, 304.

  245. “‘Tents were pitched’”: Ibid., p. 333.

  245. “The governor and”: Ibid., p. 304.

  245. “Hamet had decided”: Ibid., p. 349.

  245. “if even 100”: Ibid., p. 214.

  246. “The envoy was”: Ibid., pp. 349—50.

  246. “He ‘is now’”: Ibid., p. 360.

  246. “Yusuf had halted”: Ibid., p. 100.

  247. “‘His people thought”’: Ibid., p. 131.

  247. “Yusuf presided over”: Ibid., p. 206.

  247. “Hull opened a”: Ibid., p. 349.

  247. “Eaton got another $7,000”: Ibid., pp. 348, 408.

  247. “‘Cash will do’”: Ibid., p. 553.

  247. “There were Greeks”: Tucker, p. 369.

  248. “Of the 400”: Edwards, p. 170; Naval Documents, vol. 5, pp. 371, 388.

  248. “Selim Comb, a Turk”: Naval Documents, vol. 5, pp. 398—9.