PREBLE, pr'elfl, EDWARD (1761-1807). An American naval officer. He was born in Port land, Me., ran away from home in 1777, joined a privateer, and soon afterwards entered the Massachusetts marine as a midshipman on board the Protector. In 1779 he was captured and imprisoned on the prison-ship Jersey in New York harbor: but was soon released, and until the close of the war served on the Winthrop. While attached to this vessel, he boarded with only 14 men a British brig in Penobscot harbor, Maine, and took her out in the face of a battery. When the United States Navy was organized, in 179S, he was one of the first to be commissioned as lieutenant, and in 1799 was promoted to the rank of captain. In the same year, while in com mand of the Essex, he convoyed from Batavia a fleet of merchant vessels. In May, 1803, he was put in command of the squadron fitted out against the Barbary Powers. Arriving off Tangiers in Oc tober, he forced the Sultan of Morocco to renew the treaty of 1786 (see BARBARY POWERS, WARS WITH THE ) , and then cruised for some time in the 'Vicinity of Tripoli, which port he kept closely blockaded for several months. On July 25, 1804,
his fleet then consisting of a frigate, three brigs, three schooners. two bomb-vessels, and six gun boats, he attacked the defenses of Tripoli and the Tripolitan fleet with great vigor, captured three gun-boats. and sank three more. In five subsequent attacks on August 3d, August 7th, August 24th, August 29th, and September 3d, he inflicted considerable damage with small loss to himself, but on September 10th was super seded in his command by Commodore Samuel Bar ron, who soon concluded a satisfactory treaty of peace with the Bey. Returning to the United States, Preble received a medal and a vote of thanks from Congress, and in 1806 was urged by President Jefferson to enter the Cabinet as Secre tary of the Navy, but declined on account of failing health, and in 1807 died of consumption at Portland.