Quasi WarThe “Quasi War” with France, 1798 - 1801, wasentirely a naval war. It followed worsening diplomaticrelations with France, including a refusal by the FrenchSecretary of Foreign Affairs to receive U.S.representatives unless a bribe was paid and a loangranted. The famous expression “Millions for defense,but not one cent for tribute” originated at this time. TheQuasi War was the baptism of fire for the United StatesNavy under the new Constitution.Barbary States WarThe U.S. Navy was sent to the Mediterranean todeal with the Barbary States, who were forcing othernations to pay ransom for safe passage through theMediterranean Sea. During the campaign, LieutenantStephen Decatur and 84 seamen slipped into the harborat Tripoli on February 16, 1804, and burned the capturedfrigate USS Philadelphia (fig. 5-3). Not a singleAmerican Sailor was lost. Britain’s Admiral LordNelson described the raid as “one of the most bold anddaring acts of the age.”THE WAR OF 1812The War of 1812 was brought on, in part, becausethe British were impressing (forcing Americans to servein the British Navy) American seamen. Englandimpressed American seamen to make its presence feltand demonstrate its power on the American continent.On August 19, 1812, Captain Isaac Hull aboard theUSS Constitution defeated the British frigate Guerriere(fig. 5-4), and the USS Constitution earned its nickname“Old Ironsides.” The victory convinced Congress andPresident Madison that a stronger Navy was needed towin the war and protect the country.Almost a year after Hull’s important victory,another famous event in our naval history occurred. OnSeptember 10, 1813, Captain Oliver Hazard Perrydefeated a British squadron on Lake Erie and wrote hisdispatch, “We have met the enemy and they are ours.”Perry’s win cut British supply lines on the Great Lakes,gained control of Lake Erie, and strengthened theAmerican claim to the Northwest Territory.The Barbary States War and the War of 1812 sawbigger ships coming into the Navy. Typical was our firstship-of-the-line, the USS Independence, followed bythe 74-gun USS North Carolina.THE YEARS FROM 1813 TO 1815Following the War of 1812, our Navy underwenttechnological changes. Before the Civil War, newscientific advances foreshadowed the incredibletechnologicalrevolutionthatcontinuesintotoday’sworld.One change was the use of steam. The Navy entereda new era, an era of the “steam-driven warship.”Harnessing the power of steam was the most importantdevelopment in the surface Navy during the first half ofthe 19th century. Steam began to replace wind as ameans of propulsion. It promised to eliminate some ofthe hazards and delays caused by ships being blown offcourse or left dead in the water.5-6Student Notes:Figure 5-3.—Lieutenant Stephen Decatur and 84 seamenslipped into Tripoli harbor and burned the capturedAmerican frigate USS Philadelphia.Figure 5-4.—During the War of 1812, Captain Isaac Hull,aboard the USS Constitution, defeated the Britishfrigate Guerriere.
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