I think I’m tapped out of writing energy today.
I have even tagged this post miscellaneous so you can write what you want.
Of course, you’ll have to do it in the comments, unless you have the rights to edit this post, in which case, feel free to update it.
You want a post, Meryl? I’ll give you a post.
I just finished reading a book called “The End of Barbary Terror” by Frederick Leiner. It’s about the 1815 camapign by the US Navy to coerce the Dey of Algiers to not attack American merchant ships in the Mediterraneran.
Commodore Stephen Decatur led ten ships, most newly built at the end of the War of 1812. He was scheduled to be relieved by Commodore William Bainbridge later that year. Unfortunately for the latter Decatur finished the whole job before he got there. Decatur found two Algerine ships out and captured both, in one case killing the leader of the whole Algerine Navy in the process. Having captured the ships he went to Algiers and threatened to blockade the place and capture the rest of the Dey’s ships as they came back.
Faced by a wrathful USN the Dey capitulated and agreed to stop attacking US ships without the customary tribute he had demanded in the past, as well as other conditions. Decatur then went to Tunis and Tripoli and coerced the local rulers into similar treaties. It was a smooth and quick triumph.
In 1816 the British came and blew the hell out of Algiers to put them in a cooperative frame of mind to renounce piracy altogether.
A very interesting book, short but full of excitement. Decatur was one of the greatest heros of the USN, and with good reason.
Don’t everybody post at once.
Welcome to my world, Michael.