[Illustration: “The _Sally_ Attacked by a Sea-Serpent off the Shore of Long Island.” _From a French engraving._] The patriotic American does not care to dwell on this trouble with a people that had rendered such great aid when the nation was struggling for life against the oppressor. The significant features of such conflicts as took place were found in the efficiency and good discipline of the crews of the American ships and the development of an _esprit de corps_ unknown during the Revolution. The pride and dignity of the new nation were stirring the blood of its naval seamen. [Illustration: A French Cutter of 16 Guns. _From an engraving by Merlo._] CHAPTER XIII WAR WITH BARBARY PIRATES A SQUADRON UNDER RICHARD DALE SENT TO THE MEDITERRANEAN--THE DEY OF ALGIERS BECAME FRIENDLY, BUT THE BASHAW OF TRIPOLI SHOWED FIGHT--FIERCE BATTLE BETWEEN THE SCHOONER _ENTERPRISE_ AND THE TREACHEROUS CREW OF THE POLACRE _TRIPOLI_--SLAUGHTER OF THE PIRATES--TRIPOLI BLOCKADED--GROUNDING AND LOSS OF THE _PHILADELPHIA_. The story of the first conflict with the pirates of the Mediterranean Sea follows that of the small war with France. It was a conflict made necessary, as already explained, because, in the supposed interests of her trade, a civilized nation sicked on the Barbary whelps to tear the peaceful passer-by. Not only did the British agent negotiate a treaty by which the pirates would be turned loose into the Atlantic, especially to prey on American commerce; a British subject named Lisle was admiral of the Tripolitan fleet when the Bashaw of Tripoli, seeing the success of the Dey of Algiers in levying blackmail on the United States, declared war against us. [Illustration: Benjamin Stoddert. _From a Painting at the Navy Department, Washington._] On May 20, 1801, the Secretary of the Navy (Congress had established a Navy Department on April 30, 1798, with Benjamin Stoddert as Secretary) ordered a “squadron of observation” to the Mediterranean. Capt. Richard Dale was placed in command, and it consisted of the _President_, Capt. James Barron; the _Philadelphia_, Capt. Samuel Barron; the _Essex_, Capt. William Bainbridge; and the twelve-gun schooner _Enterprise_, that had done such effective work against the French in the West Indies. She was now under Lieut. Andrew Sterrett, the officer who shot a sailor on the _Constellation_ for leaving a gun in time of battle. Under Sterrett was David Porter, who had shown his metal on the captured _Insurgent_ and elsewhere.