Andrew Sterett was an officer in the United States Navy during the nation's early days. He saw combat during the Quasi-War with France and in the Barbary Wars, commanding the schooner USS Enterprise in both conflicts.
Background
Andrew was born on January 27, 1778 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States and was a son of John and Deborah (Ridgley) Steret. His paternal grandfather, also named Andrew, emigrated from Ireland to America, and settled temporarily at Bradford, Massachussets, but later moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and eventually, to Baltimore, Maryland.
Deborah (Ridgley) Sterett was a sister of General Charles Ridgley, owner of the large country estate "Hampton" near Baltimore. Beyond the facts that Andrew was the fourth of ten children, that he inherited a considerable amount of property from his father, and that at an early age he became interested in maritime affairs, little seems to be known about the first years of his career.
Career
John Sterett became active in public life, serving as captain of a company during the Revolution, and later, as a member of the Maryland state legislature. He was also a successful shipping merchant, was interested in iron-works, and owned a 1646 acre estate, together with a considerable number of slaves.
His emergence from obscurity really begins with his entering the navy as a lieutenant on March 25, 1798. For a time thereafter he served as the executive officer of the frigate Constellation, commanded by Thomas Truxtun.
On February 9, 1799, the Constellation, after a battle lasting one hour and fourteen minutes, captured the French frigate Insurgente off the island of Nevis, West Indies. In this engagement only two Americans were killed, and three wounded - one of the former being slain by Sterett himself.
The Constellation won another signal victory on February 2, 1800, by capturing a powerful French frigate, La Vengeance. Sterett was at the time first lieutenant on board the Constellation, and took an active part in the action.
Later in the year he was given command of the schooner Enterprise, and in December 1800 captured the L'Amour de la Patrie, a vessel of six guns and seventy-two men, in the West Indies. He performed the most brilliant exploit of his career soon after the outbreak of war between the United States and Tripoli. He took the Enterprise to the Mediterranean in 1801, and on August 1 of that year, while en route to Malta, sighted a Tripolitan polacca, the Tripoli. The latter vessel, finding escape impossible, finally resorted to boarding tactics, in which the Tripolitans were reputed to excel, but the skilful maneuvering of the Enterprise kept the enemy at a distance and enabled the Yankee gunners to fire sweeping broadsides which brought the captain of the polacca to throw his colors into the sea and to surrender his vessel after three hours of fighting.
Because of his victory Sterett received words of appreciation and a sword from Congress. He was also promoted to the rank of master commandant, and was placed in command of a brig which was under construction at Baltimore.
On June 29, 1805, soon after the contest with Tripoli ended, he resigned his commission and entered the merchant marine. He died in 1807.
Achievements
Views
Quotations:
"One fellow, " he said, "I was obliged to run through the body with my sword, and so put an end to a coward. You must not think this strange, for we would put a man to death for even looking pale on board this ship".
Connections
His paternal grandfather, also named Andrew, emigrated from Ireland to America, and settled temporarily at Bradford, Massachussets, but later moved to Lancaster, Pa. , and eventually, to Baltimore, Md.