American Honor

The USS Essex was at anchor in the Malta Harbor on July 1, 1801, when Lieutenant Charles Stewart had a confrontation with a British officer. A British ship was anchored perhaps three hundred feet from the Essex. A young British officer was taunting the crew of the Essex. “Hey, you ignorant assembly of boys, I don't think you could capture a defenseless row boat?” Charles instructed his crew not to be baited into a shouting match. “I guess you liver lily spineless after thoughts don’t have tongues?” Finally Charles Stewart being a man of honor and criticized of his ship and crew was not going to be tolerated. Charles was on the quarter deck when he shouted back at the taunting foe. “I challenge the person with a loud mouth on the British vessel to meet in a duel on land at six a.m. tomorrow morning.” “Who has the balls to challenge an officer of the British Navy?” “I do as captain of this vessel,” Charles responded in an authoritarian voice. The British officer shot back, “Are they sending little boys out on the seas without their mommy’s?” Charles contained himself. “I will be on land at six a.m. with my seconds. If you fail to show I will assume you are the typical egotistical overblown English officer.” “You better bring enough men to transport your body back to that vessel you call a ship.” The following morning, Charles Stewart accompanied by his first and second officers was at the appointed location, just above the harbor waiting on the English trouble maker. The English contingency arrived and the two contesters faced off. “The parties being placed at their stations, the second who gives the word shall ask them whether they are ready; being answered in the affirmative, he shall say-present! After this the parties shall present and fire when they please. If one fires before the other, the opposite second shall say one, two, and three, fire, and he shall then fire or lose his fire.” Charles turned and fired hitting the English Officer in the throat tumbling him to the ground. “He’s dead!” cried out the English second. “Come on men let’s return to the Essex and leave these blowhards to deal with their own,” Charles knew better than to stick around. The British were not about to let the incident end there, they sent letters of contest to Commodore Dale and also to the British Embassy. The weeks went by before Commodore Dale received an order from the Secretary of the Navy ordering Charles Stewart suspended from duty and to return to the United States immediately. The crew on the Essex had the officers draft a letter outlining the incident and the proper conduct of Stewart acting on behalf of the entire complement of the ship. Charles Stewart did return to Philadelphia and appeared for the Secretary of the United States, Robert Smith who had become Secretary on July 27, 1801 under the Jefferson Administration. Charles gave the Secretary the letter from the crew and signed by all of them. The meeting between the two gentlemen was very cordial and the investigation of the matter rendered Stewart blameless. “Charles, we need more men like you to defend the United States Navy and to demonstrate that Americans are here to exist for the protection of their own interests. The British for too long have preyed on our navy and our merchant vessels,” Secretary Smith was on the same page as Charles. “I have new orders for you Charles, you are to take command of the USS Argus and join Commodore’s Preble’s squadron. Preble’s squadron is being ordered to Tripoli to blockade the Muslim pirates and protect American interests. One other thing Charles, try to avoid killing any more English officers, they make such a fuss.” Dueling took the lives of thirty-six naval officers in eighty-two duels between 1798 and 1848. The Congress had passed a law outlawing duels amount army officers in 1806 but not naval officers. Dueling in the navy would be acceptable for another sixty years. The Congress deemed dueling a private affair that the government had no business regulating. In August Charles Stewart was given orders to take command of the USS Chesapeake, 38-guns. Captain John Barry wrote to Navy Secretary Stoddert: “I am perfectly satisfied with your appointment of Lieutenant Charles Stewart to command the USS Chesapeake." . On the 27th ultimo entered two cruisers of this government from a cruise, a xebec of 24 twelve pounders, and a corvette of two brass nines, which had been boarded and disarmed by a French detachment, commanded by Vice-Admiral Gautheaume. The affair is so novel, so well done, and at the same time so laconic, that it seems worthy of detail. "Who are you?" hailed the Republican. "Tunisians." was the answer. "Whom do you cruise against?" "Neapolitans!" "What! Do you not know that the Neapolitans are our friends? Dare you insult the allies of Frenchmen? Toss overboard, immediately, every offensive weapon or I send you to the bottom." The order was promptly obeyed. "Go make the compliments of the first consul to the Bey, your master. Tell him if it was not his intention to have regarded his breach of faith in renewing the war, you might have remained tranquil and undisturbed at home; but if we find you abroad in search of mischief, we deprive you of the means. Tell him to beware of provoking the resentment of the first consul: it will be terrible to him and to his country." The Admiral wrote to the Dey in the same style. His chagrin and mortification may be better imagined than described. These were two of his best cruisers, but the contempt is more grating than the injury done him.