Dawn Like Thunder by Glenn Tucker

Author:Glenn Tucker [Tucker, Glenn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, General
ISBN: 9780359321872
Google: XHeDDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Lulu.com
Published: 2018-12-28T16:08:34+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN — Preble’s Preparations

After pacifying Morocco, Preble replenished his water in Cadiz, reprovisioned, procured a new cable to replace the one that had parted in Tangier Bay with the loss of an anchor, and sent his invalids back to the United States in the returning John Adams and New York. Then on November 6, 1803, he turned toward Syracuse and Tripoli.

On the following day he arrived in Gibraltar Bay where he ordered Lieutenant Stephen Decatur, who had come out on the Argus, to take command of the Enterprise, which had been in company with the Constitution at Cadiz. This amounted to no more than an exchange of ship commanders, for Lieutenant Isaac Hull, who had commanded the Enterprise, and was the senior, took the Argus, a larger ship. Preble assigned her to the highly responsible but less exciting work of patrolling off Gibraltar.

Preble was elated by his view of the Argus, the arrival of which he reported to the Secretary of the Navy on November 9. She was “without exception the handsomest vessel of her rate that I have ever seen. She is very much and very justly admired by every Officer.” The orderly condition of the brig after her passage of the Atlantic did great credit to Lieutenant Decatur, he told the Secretary. Decatur delivered $30,000 in cash, which Preble would need in his vigorous operations. He promised the Secretary: “You may rest confidently assured, there shall not be an idle Vessel in my Squadron.” Referring again to his delight over the Argus, he said he would like to have her in front of Tripoli and urged that a frigate be sent to the Straits of Gibraltar and the Moroccan coast, so as to release this splendid new ship.

At the conclusion of this letter to the Secretary, Preble made a statement as prophetic perhaps as any in American history: “I have on board the Constitution many remarkable fine young men whose conduct promises great things for their country.”

Corporal punishment was resorted to frequently in the U.S. Navy as in others at this period. Preble’s severe discipline could be seen from the log book of the Constitution. One unruly marine, who had been received in irons from the Argus, was punished with forty-eight lashes on November 16 for refusing duty, contempt of a commissioned officer, and insolence to a non-commissioned officer, and trying to desert. He was put down in the log book as a “very Notorious character.” On the same day a seaipan was given thirty-six lashes for drunkenness, neglect of duty, and insolence to a superior; while still another got twenty-four lashes for drunkenness and neglect of duty.

The transfer of Decatur to command the Enterprise was the beginning of a series of events which opened to him unusual opportunity and a glorious naval career. The Enterprise sailed eastward November 9 as an escort to the provision ship Traveller, which Preble was sending to establish a base at Syracuse, from where he might conduct at closer quarters a more spirited war against Tripoli.

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