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In a letter dated October 12, 1796, Joel Barlow, of State that the Bey of Barbary "is becoming powerful.
American Consul at Algiers writes "Another large ship, His marine, which before he took Capt Sampson last
richly laden, the Betsy of Boston, Captain Sampson, year consisted of only two small cruisers, is now
has been taken at Tripoli. The crew are in slavery; they almost equal to that of Algiers."
will soon be free." No further details of these captures
ff are given. Upon conclusion of peace with Tripoli, In a letter of 14 Dec 1799 from James L. Cathcart,
e which soon followed, the Betsy was retained by the US Consul, Tripoli to David Humphreys, US Minister
c pasha, but her crew were released. to Madrid. There is a reference to the services that
e Joel Barlow, was an American poet, diplomat, and O'Brien had rendered the crew of the Betsy.
g politician he was among the fi rst American poets to be James Leander Cathcart was a diplomat, slave, and
h taken seriously in England and Europe, with his works sailor. He joined the American Revolution and at the
s such as “The Vision of Columbus,” “The Columbiad,” age of twelve served on a privateer. Three years later,
s and “Hasty Pudding.” as a midshipman on The Confederacy, he was captured
n by the British and imprisoned on prisoner ships, from
e It appears that Captain Richard O'Brien, was able which he escaped in 1782. He became fl uent in Spanish
s to secure freedom crew of the Betsy and they were and French, which he learned from fellow prisoners
r released to him for transport them home on November during his three-year internment. He is notable for
, 27, 1796. Capt. Sampson returned to Boston around his narrative as a slave in Algiers for eleven years.
a 1800. He returned to the Barbary States in December 1798,
s Richard Henry O'Brien, was an American privateer as special agent to William Eaton. In 1802, he was
d during the American Revolution, he later served as the appointed US Consul to Tunis and Tripoli. Cathcart
U.S. Consul General to the Barbary state of Algiers. served in the United States diplomatic corps during
y He had previously spent 10 years as a slave in Algiers the administrations of John Adams, Thomas Jeff erson,
y after his ship was captured. He eventually returned to and James Madison.
Philadelphia, serve in the state legislature. He died in
1824. The In February 1802, Congress empowered
, President Thomas Jeff erson to use the Navy in any way
n In a letter dated Dec. 30, 1796, Algiers, from Joel he deemed fi t to protect "the commerce and seamen
l Barlow to his wife, Ruth Baldwin Barlow. He writes of the United States against Tripolitan cruisers."
y "You are the proprietor of half a ship; the other half Jeff erson's instructions to naval offi cers were explicit:
f belongs to a friend whom you will see some day. The "subdue, seize and make prizes of all vessels, goods,
e ship is called the Friendship, commanded by Captain and eff ects belonging to the Dey of Tripoli" and
y Sampson, of Boston, a brave man, recently captured at proceed with whatev er measures "the state of war will
e Tripoli. The ship is in good condition; I have brought justify." 8 & 10
s it here and sold half of it; the other half I give to you. I
e have ordered the Captain to sail with it as much as he The Barbary states of North African consisted of
e pleases and send the gains to Wm. Biddle, at Boston; today’s Algeria, Morocco, Libya, and Tunisia. The
I have written to him to place the money as it comes, Barbary War (1801-1805) mark the reestablishment of
in United States funds in the name of Ruthy Barlow, a the US Navy and the Marine Corps. In 1805 Marines
9 woman that he once knew. Behold your fortune made!" took the Barbary pirates' harbor fortress of Derna.
e In another letter from Joel Barlow to his wife dated Following the battle of Derna, the Marines were
10
t Feb. 6, 1797. "The brigantine Friendship came safely going to take Tripoli. The ruler of Tripoli was Yusef
g from Tunis, delivered her cargo, and has been chartered Caramanli, the Battle of Derna put pressure on the
n at $450 a month to my friend the Ambassador of Yousef’s regime to change their policy of piracy, and
e France, to carry him to Tripoli, and then to Naples; to release the American hostages in Tripoli, which is
e this service ended, it will go to America. It is a ship of remembered in the Marine Corp Hymn "To the Shores
150 tons. 6 of Tripoli." This also solidifi ed the Navy mission of
deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the
d Capt. Sampson returned to Boston around 1800. seas. The Barbary War also was the fi rst foreign war
, After his time as a ship captain, he became a framer. fought by the US after the American Revolution, the
In June 1801, he moved from Boston to West Gardner, fi rst time an American soldier shed blood on foreign
y Maine. He Died there on 29 December 1853 at the age soil, the fi rst ground battle for US Marines, and the
, of 86. 7 fi rst time the Stars and Stripes were raised over foreign
n soil after a military victory.
a In a letter dated 18 August 1797, Joel Barlow,
American Consul at Algiers mentioned to the Secretary C P 36
Volume 94 Number 6 Montana Freemason Page 35