There was no trouble in finding officers or men for the duty, but the whole was finally turned over to the commander of the _Enterprise_ to arrange, and her crew only was to be employed except that five midshipmen of the _Constitution_ were detailed to assist. Sixty-two men of the _Enterprise_ were taken. The officers were Decatur, commanding; Lieutenants Lawrence, Bainbridge, and Thorn, and Midshipman Macdonough, all of the _Enterprise_; Midshipmen Izard, Morris, Laws, Davis, and Rowe of the _Constitution_, and Salvador Catalano as pilot. Nearly two months from the inception had been spent in maturing the plans, and on the evening of February 3d the _Intrepid_ and _Siren_ sailed together from Syracuse and were off Tripoli on the 7th. A gale of wind drove them to sea, and it was not until the 16th that they were again off Tripoli. At dark the _Intrepid_ was two miles from the entrance, and here Midshipman T. O. Anderson, with a boat and nine men from the _Siren_ (which was disguised as a merchantman), was taken on board. This made a total of eighty-four in the _Intrepid_. A careful division of duties had been made. Decatur, two midshipmen, and fifteen men were to hold the spar (or upper) deck; the others were to look after the lower decks except a midshipman and his boat’s crew who were to secure the _Philadelphia’s_ boats and prevent the escape ashore of the Tripolitan crew. The watchword was “Philadelphia.” The captured ship had her main and mizzen topmasts housed (partially lowered), the foremast which had been cut away was not yet replaced; the sails were unbent and her lower yards lying across the bulwarks. Her forty guns were all loaded. She was lying in front of the castle well inshore. The night was almost calm with a smooth sea and a young moon, and the _Intrepid_ crept slowly in, apparently exciting no distrust. The main part of her crew was kept concealed, only some ten or twelve being visible. She was steered straight for the _Philadelphia’s_ bow.