CHAPTER IX.
Bombardment of Tripoli--Treacherous Act of a Turkish Captain--A Quick Retribution at the Hands of Captain Decatur.
The Bashaw of Tripoli was not yet subdued.

He treated his American prisoners with greater harshness and refused to believe their nation was strong enough to bring him to terms.
On August 3, Commodore (as the senior officer of every squadron was then called) Preble sailed into the harbor of Tripoli with his fleet and opened the bombardment of the city.

At the same time, several of his gunboats engaged those of the enemy.

Lieutenant James Decatur, brother of Stephen, made chase of a Tripolitan vessel, reserving his fire until the two almost touched, when he poured in such a destructive discharge of musketry and grape that the terrified enemy surrendered.

Lieutenant Decatur sprang aboard of his prize, when, at that instant, the Turkish commander, a man of massive strength and build, fired his pistol in the American officer's face and killed him.