Four American Naval Heroes Part 8

America had large trading interests with those islands. Many of our merchant vessels brought from there large cargoes of fruits, coffee, and spices. The _General Greene_ was ordered to protect these cargoes from the French cruisers, and bring them safely into port.

For several months Captain Perry's vessel convoyed ships between Cuba and the United States. In July, some of the sailors on board were sick with yellow fever. So Captain Perry brought the vessel back to Newport.

Oliver went at once to see his mother. The tall lad in his bright uniform was a hero to all the children in the neighborhood.

His brothers and sister considered it an honor to wait upon him. They would go out in the early morning and pick berries for his breakfast, so that he might have them with the dew upon them.

While on shipboard he had learned to play a little on the flute. The children loved to sit about him, and listen to his music.

By the autumn of 1799, the crew of the _General Greene_ were well again, and Captain Perry sailed back to Havana.

It was during the following winter months of cruising with his father, that Oliver was taught his lessons of naval honor. He also applied the lessons in navigation which he had learned from Mr. Frazer.

He read and studied very carefully, and could not have had a better teacher than his father.

While the _General Greene_ was cruising among the West Indies, Captain Truxton had won another victory with his _Constellation_. This time he captured a French frigate which carried sixteen guns more than the _Constellation_.

The French, dismayed at these victories of the Americans, began to be more civil. They even seemed anxious for peace.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE CONSTELLATION.]

War had been carried on for about a year, though it had never been formally declared.

In May, 1800, the _General Greene_ came back to Newport, and remained in harbor until the terms of peace were concluded.

The trouble with France being settled, it was decided by the government to dispose of nearly all the naval vessels. As a result, many of the captains and midshipmen were dismissed, Captain Perry being one of the number.

Fortunately for the country, young Oliver was retained as midshipman.

V.--THE WAR WITH THE BARBARY STATES.

On the northern coast of Africa, bordering on the Mediterranean Sea, are four countries known as the Barbary States. These are Tunis, Algiers, Tripoli, and Morocco.

For more than four hundred years, these countries had been making a business of sea-robbery. Their pirate vessels had seized and plundered the ships of other nations, and the captured officers and men were sold into slavery.

Instead of resisting these robbers, most of the nations had found it easier to pay vast sums of money to the Barbary rulers to obtain protection for their commerce.

The Americans had begun in this way, and had made presents of money and goods to Algiers and Tunis.

Then the ruler of Tripoli, called the Bashaw, informed our government that he would wait six months for a handsome present from us. If it did not come then, he would declare war against the United States.

[Ill.u.s.tration: COMMODORE CHARLES MORRIS.]

This did not frighten the Americans at all. Their only reply was to send a fleet of four ships to the Mediterranean. The intention was to force the Bashaw to make a treaty which should insure safety for our ships.

This squadron did not do much but blockade the ports of Tripoli.

A year later, in 1802, a larger squadron was fitted out to bring the Bashaw to terms. Commodore Morris was the commander. On one of the vessels, the _Adams_, was Oliver Perry as midshipman.

Soon after the arrival of his ship in the Mediterranean, Oliver celebrated his seventeenth birthday.

The captain of the _Adams_ was very fond of him, and succeeded in having him appointed lieutenant on that day.

For a year and a half, the squadron of Commodore Morris cruised about the Mediterranean. No great battles were fought and no great victories were won.

The _Adams_ stopped at the coast towns of Spain, France, and Italy.

Through the kindness of the captain, Oliver was often allowed to go on sh.o.r.e and visit the places of interest.

Commodore Morris, being recalled to America, sailed thither in the _Adams_; and so it happened that in November, 1803, Oliver Perry arrived again in America.

His father was then living in Newport, and Oliver remained at home until July of the next year.

He spent much of his time in studying mathematics and astronomy. He liked to go out among the young people, and his pleasing manners and good looks made him a general favorite.

He was fond of music and could play the flute very skillfully. When not studying, he liked most of all to ride horses, and fence with a sword.

While Lieutenant Perry was spending this time at home, the war in the Mediterranean was still being carried on. Commodore Preble, who had succeeded Commodore Morris, had won many brilliant victories.

The most daring feat of all this war was accomplished by Stephen Decatur, a young lieutenant only twenty-three years old.

One of the largest of the American vessels, the _Philadelphia_, had, by accident, been grounded on a reef. Taking advantage of her helpless condition, the whole Tripolitan fleet opened fire upon her.

Captain Bainbridge, the commander of the _Philadelphia_, was obliged to surrender. The Tripolitans managed to float the vessel off the reef, and towed her into the harbor.

Captain Bainbridge, although a prisoner, found means to send word of his misfortune to Commodore Preble, who was then at Malta, and the American fleet at once sailed for Tripoli.

At the suggestion of Captain Bainbridge, the Americans determined to burn the _Philadelphia_, rather than allow the Tripolitans to keep her.

This was a very dangerous undertaking, as the vessel was anch.o.r.ed in the midst of the Tripolitan fleet. It was also within easy range of the guns of the fort, commanding the harbor.

The task was given to Stephen Decatur. In order to deceive the enemy, he took a small boat which had been captured from them a short time before.

Its crew was made up of volunteers, for the chances of escape were very few.

[Ill.u.s.tration: STEPHEN DECATUR.]

Under cover of night, the little vessel sailed into the harbor, and, as if by accident, ran into the _Philadelphia_. Before the Tripolitans realized what had happened, Decatur and his men were climbing over the sides of the vessel and through the port holes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BURNING OF THE PHILADELPHIA.]

Decatur had ordered his men to use no firearms. He did not wish to attract the attention of the Tripolitans who were in the fort and on the other vessels in the harbor.

A desperate hand to hand fight ensued. In a few minutes the Americans were in possession of the vessel. Some of the Tripolitan crew had been killed; others had jumped into the sea.

The Americans then set the _Philadelphia_ on fire and jumped into their boat to escape. Lieutenant Decatur was the last one to leave the burning ship.

The situation of the little band was now desperate. The _Philadelphia_ was a ma.s.s of flames, lighting up the harbor for miles around.