The Action of 1 August 1801 was a single ship action of the First Barbary War fought between the American schooner USS Enterprise and the Tripolitan polacca Tripoli off the coast of modern-day Libya. As part of Commodore Richard Dale's Mediterranean Squadron, Enterprise had been deployed with the American force blockading the Velayat of Tripoli. Under the command of Lieutenant Andrew Sterett, Enterprise had been sent to gather supplies at Malta. While cruising towards Malta, Enterprise engaged the Tripoli, commanded by Admiral Rais Mahomet Rous. Tripoli put up a stubborn fight and the engagement lasted for three hours before the polacca was finally captured. Although the Americans had taken the vessel, Sterett had no orders to take prizes and so was obliged to release her. Enterprise completed her journey to Malta, and received honor and praise from the squadron's Commodore on her return to the fleet. The success of the battle boosted morale in the United States, since it was that country's first victory in the war against the Tripolitans. The opposite occurred in Tripoli, where morale sank heavily upon learning of Tripoli's defeat. Despite Enterprise's triumph, the war continued indecisively for another four years.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_1_August_1801

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1774:

British scientist Joseph Priestley discovered oxygen gas, corroborating the prior discovery of this element by German-Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/oxygen

1798:

French Revolutionary Wars: The Battle of the Nile started between a British fleet commanded by Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson and a French fleet under Vice-Admiral François-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Nile

1907:

Robert Baden-Powell held the first scout camp at Brownsea Island in Dorset, England, beginning the Scouting movement. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownsea_Island_Scout_camp

1944:

World War II: The Polish Home Army began the Warsaw Uprising in Warsaw against the Nazi occupation of Poland, a rebellion that lasted 63 days until it was quelled by the Germans. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Uprising

1981:

The American cable television network MTV, the first dedicated video-based outlet for music, made its debut with the music video for the song "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

roil (v): 1. To render turbid by stirring up the dregs or sediment of. 2. To annoy; to make someone angry http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/roil

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

In this world of lies, Truth is forced to fly like a sacred white doe in the woodlands; and only by cunning glimpses will she reveal herself, as in Shakespeare and other masters of the great Art of Telling the Truth, — even though it be covertly, and by snatches. --Herman Melville http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Herman_Melville