Duncan Gleason
⚈ Sold
American (1881-1959)
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Duncan Gleason
American (1881-1959)
Fighting Ladies of 1815
(CONSTELLATION, GUERRIERE, MACEDONIAN, etc. )
⚈ Sold
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Throughout the history of travel and trade by sea the threat of piracy has been a constant plague to sailors around the world. For European merchants, the coast of North Africa was a hotbed of pirate activity for centuries. At minimum pirates would demand tribute for passage through these waters- at worst cargoes and ships were stolen and crews taken for ransom or as slaves. It's estimated that more than a million Europeans were captured and taken as slaves just between 1530 and 1780- including ships from the British Colonies in America. Eventually known as the Barbary States, the coastal city states of Tripoli, Tunis, and Algiers were central ports for pirates, each with a thriving European slave trade. While under British rule, the American Colonies were under the protection of a British Treaty with these ports, but once America became independent, it was open season on American ships once again. Deeply in debt after the Revolutionary War, the US Government was unable even to afford to maintain warships and the Continental Navy was disbanded and all ships were sold. With no defense or threat of retaliation American ships were attacked with impunity. It was this rise of Barbary piracy that drove Congress in 1794 to allocate funds for six new frigates whose first job would be to attack pirate fortifications in North Africa and thus the United States Navy was born. The First Barbary War (1801-1805) resulted in President Thomas Jefferson obtaining concessions of fair passage from local rulers and ships were safe for a time. In the following years, the U.S. was drawn into conflict with Great Britain over trade with France, leading to the War of 1812. Meanwhile in 1803, French ... Read More |
