Commodore Dale did not have orders to capture enemy vessels and could only respond to the North African's attacks if fired upon first or if coming to the aid of a merchant ship.

In May 1802 Captain Daniel McNeill in USS Boston assisted two Swedish frigates in a battle while blockading Tripoli.

In the action several Barbary vessels sortied and the Americans and Swedish frigates fought off the attack which then forced the Tripolitans back into harbor.

Under heavy fire from enemy shore batteries the Americans attempted to refloat their ship but she was hard aground.

When Tripolitan gunboats approached for her capture, her commander surrendered his ship and was made a slave along with the crew.

On that night Lieutenant Stephen Decatur in the ketch USS Intrepid boarded and recaptured Philadelphia and scuttled her by fire.

During the battle the Mediterranean Squadron vessels under Oliver Hazard Perry bombarded the city while the land forces besieged the Tripolitan garrison.

After, the squadron arrived at Algiers and prepared for battle but before fighting began the enemy surrendered and the short war came to an end.

[1] (Lieutenants acting as flag captain to Commodore Preble) [1] In 1843, the squadron comprised four ships, Columbia, Cumberland, Fairfield and Plymouth.