Lore of the Corps
Marines took on African pirates in pitched battle
By Keith A. Milks - Special to the Times
Posted : September 17, 2007

The West African coast was a hotbed for piracy when the Navy dispatched Commodore Matthew Perry and his four-warship squadron of Marines to protect American merchant ships in June 1843.

Perry’s squadron arrived off the African coast in July and began patrolling. For several months, the mission was relatively uneventful, but local contacts in Liberia revealed that the most belligerent of the regional tribes was called the Fishmen, who were ruled by a king named Ben Crack-O.

Perry began a discourse with Crack-O in early December 1843, but after several meetings in villages governed by the Fishmen king, he became impatient with his progress.

On Dec. 13, Perry, along with nearly 300 Marines and sailors, landed at the village of Little Berribee to bring the matter to a head.

The meeting between Perry and Crack-O took place in a house inside the village’s wooden palisade. Crack-O vehemently denied accusations by Liberia’s president of murdering American sailors.

Fed up with Crack-O’s denials, Perry strode forward and told him to stop lying. The situation quickly deteriorated.

Crack-O reached out, grabbed Perry and began dragging him to where his spear lay. A wild melee broke out in the house, with Crack-O and Perry in a desperate struggle when a Marine leapt on Crack-O and ripped his cloak from his shoulders. Now completely nude, the king attempted to flee the building.

A Marine sergeant shot Crack-O; the huge man fell, only to spring back to his feet and lunge at the Marines.

He was met by two leathernecks who rammed their bayonets into the king’s belly and chest. According to historical reports, it took another musket ball, several more stab wounds and three men to wrestle Crack-O to the ground.

Meanwhile, the 200 or so Fishmen had taken flight from the village at the first sign of trouble, only to re-emerge with muskets. The landing force unleashed several volleys at their attackers and set fire to the town to cover their withdrawal to their waiting ships.

The landing force began to row back to the ships with the wounded and bound Crack-O in tow.

The squadron sailed away, leaving the village in ashes and seven Fishmen dead. Crack-O died aboard Perry’s flagship the next day.

In order to keep pressure on the Fishmen and their tribal allies, Perry’s squadron launched several more punitive raids that resulted in the sacking of seven villages.

Perry’s squadron withdrew from the African coast shortly after its battle with the Fishmen, having successfully curbed piracy in the region.

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The writer is a master sergeant. He can be reached at kambtp@aol.com.

Ellie