So wide-spread had been the patriotism of our citizens during the revolutionary war that our only frigates, except those made up of aged merchant-vessels, had been built by private subscription; but now the government was awake, alert, and able. To take just a glance at the condition of affairs that led up to this is of great interest. So far back as the year 1798 the impositions of Great Britain upon our merchantmen are on record, and on November 16th of that year they culminated in a deliberate outrage and insult to our flag. The U. S. ship of war _Baltimore_, of 20 guns, was overhauled by a British squadron, and five American seamen were impressed from the crew. At this time we were engaged in the quasi-war with France, during which the _Constellation_, under Captain Truxton, captured the French frigate _L’Insurgent_, of 54 guns. On February 1st, 1800, a year after the first action, the same vessel, under the same commander, captured _La Vengeance_, of 54 guns. On October 12th of the same year the U. S. frigate _Boston_ captured the French corvette _Le Berceau_. Minor actions between the French privateers and our merchantmen occurred constantly. We lost but one of our national vessels, however--the schooner _Retaliation_, captured by two French frigates. England was protecting the Barbary pirates in the Mediterranean at this time, in order to keep out competitive commerce--a fine bit of business! Europe and America bought immunity. On June 10th, 1801, war was declared, however, by the Bashaw of Tripoli against the United States, because we failed to accede to his demands for larger tribute, and a brief summary of the conduct of this war will show plainly that here our officers had chances to distinguish themselves, and the American seamen won distinction in foreign waters. Captain Bainbridge, in command of the frigate _Philadelphia_, late in August, 1803, captured off the Cape de Gatt a Moorish cruiser, and retook her prize, an American brig. About two months later the _Philadelphia_, in chase of one of the corsairs, ran on a reef of rocks under the guns of a battery, and after four hours’ action Bainbridge was compelled to strike his flag to the Tripolitans. For months, now, it was the single aim of the American squadron under Preble to destroy the _Philadelphia_, in order to prevent her being used against the United States, and on February 15th, 1804, this was successfully accomplished by Lieutenant Stephen Decatur and seventy volunteers, who entered the harbor on the ketch _Intrepid_, set fire to the _Philadelphia_, and escaped.