e
13th of August, sailed in the Constitution for the Mediterranean.
Having adjusted the difficulties which had sprung up with the emperor
of Morocco, he turned his whole attention to Tripoli. The season was,
however, too far advanced for active operations.

On the 31st of October, the Philadelphia, being, at nine o'clock in
the morning, about five leagues to the westward of Tripoli, discovered
a sail in shore, standing before the wind to the eastward. The
Philadelphia immediately gave chase. The sail hoisted Tripolitan
colors, and continued her course near the shore. The Philadelphia
opened a fire upon her, and continued it, till half past eleven;
when, being in seven fathoms water, and finding her fire could not
prevent the vessel entering Tripoli, she gave up the pursuit. In
beating off, she ran on a rock, not laid down in any chart, distant
four and a half miles from the town. A boat was immediately lowered to
sound. The greatest depth of water was found to be astern. In order to
back her off, all sails were laid aback; the top-gallant-sails
loosened; three anchors thrown away from the bows; the water in the
hold started; and all the guns thrown overboard, excepting a few abaft
to defend the ship against the attacks of the Tripolitan gun-boats,
then firing at her. All this, however, proved ineffectual; as did also
the attempt to lighten her forward by cutting away her foremast. The
Philadelphia had already withstood the attack of the numerous
gun-boats for four hours, when a large reinforcement coming out of
Tripoli, and being herself deprived of every means of resistance and
defence she was forced to strike, about sunset. The Tripolitans
immediately took possession of her, and made prisoners of the officers
and men, in number, three hundred. Forty-eight hours afterwards, the
wind blowing in shore, the Tripolitans got the frigate off, and towed
her into the harbor.

On the 14th of December, Commodore Preble sailed from Malta, in
company with the Enterprize, commanded by Lieutenant Stephen Decater.
When the latter was informed of the loss of the Philadelphia, he
immediately formed a plan of recapturing and destroying her, which he
proposed to Commodore Preble. At first the commodore thought the
projected enterprize too hazardous: but at length granted his consent.
Lieutenant Decater then selected for the enterprise the ketch
Intrepid, lately captured by him. This vessel he manned with seventy
volunteers, chiefly of