| By the 1830's American merchant
ships were a common sight on the world's oceans, and to protect those commercial
interests went also the United States Navy and Marine Corps. On Feb. 7 1831, the merchant ship Friendship was attacked in Sumatra by pirates who killed 3 of the ship's crew and plundered her cargo.
The USS Potomiac, disguised as a merchant man, was dispatched on a punitive raid. On Feb. 4 1832 she arrived at Quallah Batto.
A landing party of Marines and sailors attacked one fort, carried it and proceeded inland to reduce the remaining two forts.
The first was stiffly defended until Marine Lt. Edson finally seized
the drawbridge and gained entrance for the assaulting troops. All the defenders
were either killed or retreated into the surrounding jungle. The Marines
then assisted in the assault on the remaining position. Shortly thereafter, the remaining pirates escaped into the jungle
with the Marines in pursuit. After inflicting casualties upon the sea rovers,
the Marines and sailors withdrew to the ships which began shelling the remaining
strong point until it's surrender. |
