1803. June 22 - American squadron under the command of Capt. John Rodgers, attacked a large Tripolitan war ship and nine gunboats off the harbor of Tripoli. The gun boats were driven into the harbor; the warship was destroyed.
1803. Oct. 31 - While chasing a Tripolitan craft, the 36-gun frigate Philadelphia, Capt. William Bainbridge, ran aground off the harbor of Tripoli. The following day he was compelled to surrender.
1804. Feb. 16 - Lieut. Stephen Decatur with 74 volunteers manned the ketch Intrepid and, under cover of night, ran into the harbor of Tripoli and destroyed by fire the frigate Philadelphia, which the Tripolitans had cap tured the year before.
1804. Aug. 3 - Americans began that series of bombard ments on Tripoli which resulted in the capture of the place.
1804. Sept. 4 - Richard Somers with 11 volunteers manned the ketch Intrepid (which had been fitted as a floating mine to be exploded among the Tripolitan and, under cover of night, carried her into the Tripoli. The ketch was exploded and every one of the Americans was killed.
1805. June 3 - Treaty of peace signed with Tripoli.
1807. June 22 - Our 36-gun ship Chesapeake, Capt. James Barron, attacked off the Virginian coast by the 50-gun English frigate Leopard and was compelled to surrender. Three of the American crew were taken aboard the English ship. This outrage hastened the War of 1812.
1811. May 16 - Our 44-gun frigate President, Capt. John Rodgers, at night was fired upon by the English 22-gun warship Little Belt, The Americans promptly returned the foe and compelled the English to surrender, after which the Little Belt was permitted to proceed.
1812. June 18 - Congress declares war against Great Britain. At that time England had 1,048 warships with 27,800 guns, and the United States 17 -warships with 442 guns, 1812. July .31 - Our 3-gun schooner Julia attacked in the Saint Lawrence river near Ogdensburg by the English war craft Earl of Moira and the Duke of Gloucester. The English were driven off with heavy losses.
1812. Aug. 13 - First naval action of the War of 1812. The 32-gun frigate Essex, Capt. David Porter, captured , the English 16-gun sloop of war, Alert. Only 3 of the enemy were wounded. No American casualties.
1812. Aug. 13 - First frigate action of the war, the 44-gun frigate Constitution, Capt. Isaac Hull, captured the English 38-gun frigate Guerrtert, Capt. James Richard Decree. The battle lasted only 40 minutes, the Ameri cans having 14 killed or wounded and the enemy 78.
1812. Oct. 7 - At night a boat party of Americans on Lake Erie attacked and captured the English war craft Detroit and Caledonia near Buffalo. The Americans were led by Lieut. Jesse Duncan Elliott, 1812. Oct. 17 - Our 18-gun sloop of war Wasp, Capp. Jacob Janes, after an action of 4.3 minutes, captured the English 18-gun war brig Frolic. The Americans had 10 killed or wounded, and the English 62.
1812. Oct. 25 - The 44-gun frigate United States, Capt. Stephen Decatur, after an action of an hour and a half captured the English 38-gun frigate Macedonia, Capt. John Surnam Carden. Our casualties were 12 killed or wounded; the enemy lost 104.
1812. Dec. 29 - Capt. William Bainbridge in the 44-gun frigate Constitution captured, off the coast of Brazil, the English 38-gun frigate Java after an action lasting nearly two hours. The Americans had 34 killed or wounded; the English, 161.
1813. Feb. 24 - The 18-gun sloop of war Hornet, Capt. James Lawrence; captured, after a sharp action of 15 minutes, English sloop of war Peacock of the same force, her commander, William Peake, being killed. The American casualties were 5 killed or wounded; that of the enemy, 38. Tne Peacock was sunk in tne action.
1813. June 1 - American 36-gun frigate Chesapeake, Capt. James Lawrence, captured after a desperate action of 15 minutes off the port of Boston; by the English 38-gun frigate Shannon, Capt. Philip B. V. Broke. The Ameri cans had 146 killed or wounded and the English 83. Lawrence was killed, his last words being " Don't give up the ship." 1813. Aug. 14 - The American 18-gun sloop of war Argus. Capt. Wm. Henry Allen. captured of English coast by British war ship Pelican (of the same force). Capt. John Fordyce Maples, after a severe action of 47 minutes in which the American commander was mortally wounded. The Americans had 23 killed or wounded; the English 7.