USS Vixen (1803)-- Part 2: Action in the Mediterranean Against the Barbary Pirates

Commodore Preble dispatched the Vixen and frigate USS Philadelphia in October to establish a blockade of Tripoli.  However, the Vixen was searching for two Tripolitan warships when the Philadelphia ran aground and was captured on October 31.

The Vixen ended up carrying dispatches about the Philadelphia's capture and the imprisonment of Captain William Bainbridge, officers and crew to Gibraltar in December.

Retribution for the Philadelphia's capture came quickly, and on 16 February 1804, Lt. Stephen Decatur, Jr.  boarded the ship in Tripoli Harbor and after determining it wasn't seaworthy, destroyed it.  Commodore Preble then followed up on this with heavy bombardments of the city on fiver different dates.

The Vixen participated in all five bombardments and also performed tactical actions to coordinate American movement in the Mediterranean Sea.    While in Malta on October 16, 1804, the Vixen was rerigged as a brig to improve its sailing ability.

The American Mediterranean Squadron was now commanded by Commodore John Rodgers and had actions at Tunis in August 1805.  The Vixen returned to the U.S.  in August 1806, now captained by Master Commandant George Cox.

Lots of Future War of 1812 Leaders.  --Brock-Perry

USS Vixen (1803)-- Part 1: First Barbary War

From Wikipedia.

The Vixen was one of four  vessels authorized by Congress on 28 February 1803 and was built  at Baltimore, Maryland,  in the spring of 1803 and launched  25 June 1803 with Lieutenant John Smith in command.

STATS:

Cost:  $20,872
Type:  Schooner
83.6 feet long
23.2 foot beam

Complement:  111 officers and enlisted
Armament:  twelve 18-pdr. carronades, two 9-pdr. bow chasers

It was designed specifically for the shoal waters off the coast of Tripoli and joined Commodore Edward Preble's  squadron for duty in the First Barbary War (1810-1805).

She sailed from Baltimore immediately after commissioning and deployed off Gibraltar 14 September.

--Brock-Perry

USS New York-- Part 3: Service in the Mediterranean and Burned at Washington Navy Yard

The USS New York sailed to Malta on June 14, 1803, where she received a 17-gun salute from the British Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson and then sailed for Gibraltar by way of Naples and Malaga..  Once there on September 14, she met the fleet of Commodore Edward Preble sent to relieve the New York and Commodore Morris.

Captain John Rodgers came aboard and relieved Morris and a month later, the New York sailed for home.  She arrived at Washington Navy Yard 9 December 1803 and was immediately placed in ordinary.

The New York remained in that state for the next eleven years and was burned when the British captured Washington, D.C., on August 24, 1814.

--Brock-Perry

George Henry Preble

The last four posts have been about this man and the flag he captured from a Chinese pirate.

Here is some more information about him.

February 25, 1816 - March 1, 1885.

American Naval officer.  Wrote a history of the United States flag and took the first picture of the Fort McHenry banner.

He was born in Portland, Maine, into a seafaring family.  His father was Enoch Preble and uncle was Commodore Edward Preble of the Tripolitan Wars fame.

Preble entered the U.S. Navy as a midshipman on December 10, 1835, and served on the frigate USS United States (built in 1797) until 1838.

In 1841, he was in the Seminole War in Florida and was on the sloop USS St. Louis during its circumnavigation of the world 1843-1844.

He was involved in China, the Mexican War and the Civil War.

--Brock-Perry

Preble's Flag-- Part 3: Lt. Preble Had a Famous Uncle

On September 1, 1854, Commodore Perry ordered the charter of local steamship Queen to patrol the Chinese coast between Hong Kong and Macau at a monthly cost of $750.

Captain Joel Abbott of the Macedonian placed Lt. George Henry Preble in command of the Queen with 40 sailors and 14 Marines.  Five decades earlier, Lt. Preble's more famous uncle, Commodore Edward Preble, had commanded the Third Squadron against the Tripoli pirates in the Mediterranean.

Young Lt. Preble fought Chinese pirates often with his command.

--Brock-Perry

Preble's Flag-- Part 1: Recently Rediscovered at Annapolis

From the January 2018, War On the Rocks:  Preble's Flag:  An Emerging Navy Fights Chinese Pirates" by Claude Berube.

In December last year, the staff at the USNA Museum in Annapolis rediscovered quite a few flags from the 18th century that were thought to have been lost, including ones from the Spanish-American War and the Korean Expedition of 1871.

One of particular interest was a flag captured by George Henry Preble, a young Navy lieutenant in his first command.  It was from a largely-forgotten fight with Chinese pirates in 1854.

This story is a bit beyond the scope of this War of 1812 blog, but quite a few of the ships and people in the story were involved with the war, so I will write about it.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Preble, Portland Maine-- Part 1

From WikipediaSouth Portland.  Built in 1808 by Henry A.S. Dearborn and modified through 1906.

Now on the campus of Southern Maine Community College.

U.S. Secretary of War Henry Dearborn authorized its construction in 1808 and placed his son, Henry A.S. Dearborn, in charge of it.

It was named for Commodore Edward Preble who led an American squadron during the First Barbary War.  he died in Portland in 1807 and is buried there.

Fort Preble was a Second National System Fortification.

--Brock-Perry

Joseph Tarbell, USN

Earlier this week I was writing about the USS Alligator, Gunboat #166, and found out that its first commander was Joseph Tarbell.  I'd never heard of him, so Wiki here I come.

(1780-1815)  Served in the First Barbary War and War of 1812.  Born in Norfolk, Virginia.  Became a midshipman in 1798.  From 1800-1804, served on the USS Constitution and other ships in the Mediterranean Squadron.  He was with Commodore Edward Preble's command at Tripoli in 1804.

During the War of 1812, he commanded a boat expedition June 19-23, 1813, against the British at Craney Island .  His fifteen ships battled them for 15 hours and forced them away, sinking 3 British boats, capturing 43 and killing 90.

Never Heard of Him Before.  --Brock-Perry