Second Barbary War
1815
While the United States was at war with Britain, the Dey of Algiers seized American ships and held their crews for ransom. As soon as the War of 1812 was over, Congress declared war on Algiers, and in May 1815 Stephen Decatur sailed from New York with ten ships. Within days of entering the Mediterranean he took the Algerian flagship Mashouda off Cape Gata, killing the famous corsair captain Rais Hamidou, and then the brig Estedio off Cape Palos. He sailed into Algiers and dictated peace in less than two days: no more tribute, the American prisoners freed and compensation paid. He then went on to Tunis and Tripoli and forced the same terms on them.
How the fleets moved
Click a route to see which ships made it, or a battle for its summary. Routes are approximate.
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American movement
Battle (size: ships engaged)
Routes are approximate.
Battles
In date order.
17 June 1815
Battle off Cape GataOff Cape Gata, Spain
American victory; the Algerian flagship captured
10
vs
1 (1 lost)
19 June 1815
Battle off Cape PalosOff Cape Palos, Spain
American victory; the brig Estedio captured
4
vs
1 (1 lost)
Fleets
Each navy's ships in the war, from its biggest down.