Barbary Wars

A Typical Day in the Barbary Wars

                                                 18 MARCH 1804                           A TYPICAL DAY IN THE BARBARY WARS Official Navy records show that March 18th, 1804, was a typical day for the vessels blockading the Barbary state of Tripoli.  This power had been holding American merchant crewmen and cargoes Read More

Age of Sail, Barbary Wars, War of 1812

USS LYNX

                                               11 JANUARY 1820                                                       USS LYNX In modern times, the unexplained disappearance of a vessel at sea would raise much interest, concern, news coverage, and even sensationalist speculation.  Witness the loss of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in 2014.  In the 19th century, Read More

Age of Sail, Anti-Piracy, Barbary Wars

Bombship INTREPID

                                              3 SEPTEMBER 1804                                             BOMBSHIP INTREPID One of the first missions assigned to our fledgling Navy around the turn of the 19th century was the protection of US merchant shipping from the piracy of the southern Mediterranean Barbary States of Tripoli, Algeria, Read More