Ottoman Algeria in Western Diplomatic History with ... - Bibliothèque

justified by a belief in the moral superiority of American foreign policy. When
these three elements are mixed together, they produce belligerent nationalism,
a type of aggression justified in the name of American national interest.
To make a long story short, Madison carried his war in two phases. The
first phase lasted from June 17 to July 4, 1815. During that phase, two
squadrons from the U.S. navy, commanded by Stephen Decatur and William
Bainbridge, were ordered to the Mediterranean. 107 Decatur’s squadron sailed
first with William Shaler as new consul for Algiers. On June 17, the squadron
reached Cape de Gatta, Spain where it accidentally encountered, or to use
Decatur’s words ‘fell in with’, the frigate Mashouda (44 guns), flagship of
Admiral Rais Hamidou. 108
A fight ensued. Despite inequality in arms,
Mashouda resisted for four hours; Rais Hamidou was killed in action. 109 On
June 19, the squadron met with the Algerian brigantine Estedio (22 guns); a
sharp engagement followed and the brigantine was captured after it run into
shoal water. 110 Both Algerian ships were conveyed to Carthagena, Spain as war
prizes. Those two encounters constitute what the Americans call the ‘Second
Barbary War.’
107 Decatur’s squadron consisted of 10 vessels: 3 frigates (44, 38, 36 guns), 2 sloops-of-war (18, 16
guns), 3 brigantines (14 guns each), and 2 schooners (12 guns each); the squadron had a combined fire
capacity of 178 guns. It sailed on May 20.
108 ASP/NA, 1:396, Naval Operation against the Barbary Powers in 1815, Stephen Decatur to Secretary
of the Navy, June 19, 1815.
109 A portrait of Rais Hamidou may be found in Albert Devoulx, Le Raïs Hamidou: Notice
biographique sur le plus célèbre corsaire Algérien du XIIIe siècle de l’hégire d’après des documents
authentiques et pour la plupart inédits (Alger: Typographie Adolphe Jourdan, 1859).
110 ASP/NA, 1:396, Stephen Decatur to Secretary of the Navy, June 20, 1815.
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