Action of 22 June 1803

The Action of 22 June 1803 was a naval battle between the United States Navy and the Tripolitan Navy during the First Barbary War. Two ships from the American squadron blockading Tripoli, USS John Adams and USS Enterprise, met and engaged a Tripolitan polacre along with nine gunboats. After fighting a sharp action for forty five minutes the gunboats veered off and the polacre was abandoned. The Tripolitians later retook the polacre and were reengaged by the Americans before the vessel was destroyed in a large explosion.[2]

Action of 22 June 1803
Part of First Barbary War
Date22 June 1803
Location
Near Tripoli (present day Libya)
Result American tactical victory
Belligerents
 United States Eyalet of Tripolitania
Commanders and leaders
John Rodgers[1] Shadi Nazmi Reis
Strength
1 frigate
1 schooner
290 sailors and
marine infantry		 1 polacre
9 gunboats
Casualties and losses
None 1 Polacre sunk
Unknown human casualties

Aftermath

The destruction of the Tripolitan polacre was the greatest victory the American navy had yet inflicted over the Tripolitans. As such the confidence and morale of the American Mediterranean squadron ran so high that its commander saw no further need to blockade Tripoli and withdrew his vessels.

Citations
  1. London, p. 128.
  2. American naval history: an ... - Internet Archive

References
  • London, Joshua (2005). Victory in Tripoli. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-44415-4.

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