LogFAQs > #978791963

Finally finished the 220 pages of Navy readings, splitting it into three was more digestible.
The pettiness of these officers was nuts, totally astounding compared to the tightly buttoned image of the post-WWII American armed forces. Like you'd think the honor or good of the States would come first but nah...
Just the latest example, I'm currently at the First Barbary War. The first two Commodores sent to deal with Tripoli's piracy basically either sit in port for the duration or take a vacation. Third guy, Commodore Preble, gets sent and is committed to actually settling the matter via combat. He requests reinforcements from America to deal with Tripoli. They reinforce him with additional ships but since one ship's Captain Barron has seniority, the thought process is this:
Barron won't serve under a man his junior
Preble won't serve as Captain again after being Commodore
So Preble ends up requesting to return to the States despite the Secretary of Navy, Congress, Jefferson all believing he was the right man for the job and Barron being ill/unfit for duty. And it's just symptomatic of how literally EVERY big name I've read about acts exactly the same. Jefferson on his predecessor: he's the president of a party, not the United States *self-fulfills his prophecy by undermining Adams whenever possible*. Jefferson on his election: we're all federalists, we're all republicans! Absolute insanity.