1816 James Madison - Treaty of Peace and Amity

In 1815, Commodore Stephan Decatur led an attack on the Day of Algiers that forced the Day's hand at signing a treaty returning all American captives and giving the United States full shipping rights in the Mediterranean Sea.   But soon afterwards, the Day repudiated the treaty and refused to accept the terms.  Then in August of 1816, Great Britain and the Netherlands in an attempt to put an end to the slavery practices of the Day of Algiers, they launched a bombardment of ships and the harbor defenses of Algiers.  For centuries, the Algerian Muslims had taken Christians as slaves.  With the War of 1812 over, the Royal Navy were free to focus their attention on the Barbary states and their practice of enslaving European Christians.   After failed attempts at negotiating a treaty, a bombardment of Algiers was ordered.  The plan of attack was for larger ships to approach in a column so that the majority of Algerian guns could not reach them.   Then they were to anchor and bombard the batteries and fortifications prior to troops storming the shore.   The Dey, aware of the approaching fleet planned to wait for the boats to anchor, and then sortie his men from the harbor in small gun boats to board and take over the ships. 

On August 27th, Lord Exmouth gathered a squadron of five ships of the line including Queen Charlotte with 100 guns and the Impregnable with 98 guns to launch the attack as planned on Algiers.  In response the Dey of Algiers launched a flotilla of 40 gunboats in an attempt to board the Queen Charlotte but 28 of the boats were sunk by broadsides and the remaining 12 ran themselves on  shore.   The crew of Queen Charlotte then attacked and destroyed several other Algerian frigates.  Meanwhile, the Impregnable became isolated and was attacked by Algerian gunners who severely damaged her with 268 shots killing 50 British soldiers and wounding 164.  The other ships in the fleet bombarded the city with only minimal damage (cannon balls passed through the walls of houses, leaving neat holes, but without destroying them).  They had much more success with their explosive mortar shells and rockets which destroyed the harbors where even nearby warehouses caught fire and burned down.   The Algerian batteries continued to put out a fight, but eventually were unable to maintain fire and the battle ended, allowing the British fleet to leave and limit their casualties.   In all, 128 British were killed and 690 wounded out of about 5000 men.

Lord Exmoth, then threatened the Dey with future rounds of attack if he did not capitulate and sign a treaty of peace. On September 24, 1816 the Dey signed the treaty, freed 1083 Christian slaves and repaid ransom monies.   An additional 3000 slaves were freed at a later date.  News traveled a lot slower in those days, and so it's not clear when the United States first learned of this event.  But by early December Commodore Chauncey was already on his way to deliver an ultimatum to the Dey of Algiers from the United States.   By time, the Commodore had reached Algiers on December 7th, the Algerian naval forces had already been almost completely destroyed by the British fleet, and the Dey of Algiers was in no position to refuse to sign any treaty presented to him.   Especially, when the alternative was war.    Thus on December 22, the Day of Algiers signed a Treaty of Peace and Amity, concluded between the United States of America and the Dey and Regency of Algiers. 

On December 3rd, President James Madison was still waiting to hear news of the treaty when he delivered his final annual address to Congress.  In his address, he stated that "The posture of our affairs with Algiers at the present moment is not known".   Commodore Chauncey was still on his way to Algiers, and apparently we were not aware of the extent of the damage to Algiers by the British.   Adams shared with congress that a letter was on it's way to Algiers giving the Day of Algiers tow alternatives, either eliminate the demand for annual tribute or face war with the United States.  Adams stated that the letter was "an explicit declaration that the United States preferred war to tribute".  If the Day refused and renewed his warfare on our commerce, then Madison already had the Navy in the Mediterranean under Commodore Chauncey ready and willing to use force to protect them.

"The posture of our affairs with Algiers at the present moment is not known. The Day, drawing pretexts from circumstances for which the United States were not answerable, addressed a letter to this Government declaring the treaty last concluded with him to have been annulled by our violation of it, and presenting as the alternative war or a renewal of the former treaty, which stipulated, among other things, an annual tribute. The answer, with an explicit declaration that the United States preferred war to tribute, required his recognition and observance of the treaty last made, which abolishes tribute and the slavery of our captured citizens. The result of the answer has not been received. Should he renew his warfare on our commerce, we rely on the protection it will find in our naval force actually in the Mediterranean."

 I guess lucky for us, the British beat us to Algiers, else we would have had to fight the war and suffered the casualties, but instead we got our treaty with nothing more than a threat of war.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29458
http://www.stateoftheunionhistory.com/2016/11/1815-jams-madison-decaturs-treaty-with.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Barbary_War
http://history1800s.about.com/od/americanwars/tp/barbarywars.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardment_of_Algiers_(1816)
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/bar1816n.asp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardment_of_Algiers_(1816)#/media/File:Sm_Bombardment_of_Algiers,_August_1816-Luny.jpg