First Sumatran Expedition 1832
The island of Sumatra in what is now Indonesia has long been held in the highest esteem for the quality of its pepper, and in the early part of the nineteenth century ships from many nations including the United States voyaged to the island to trade for cargoes of the prized spice. In 1831 the American merchant vessel Friendship journeyed to the island only to be attacked while part of its crew, including its Captain, were ashore.
Three members of the crew were murdered and the cargo intended to be exchanged for pepper was plundered by the attackers, natives from the Kingdom of Kuala Batu, a rival chiefdom on the island. Those crewmen ashore at the time of the attack escaped and eventually managed to retake their ship, with which they returned to Salem, Massachusetts.
After telling their tale a public outcry arose which compelled President Andrew Jackson to dispatch the USS Potomac, with an extra contingent of Marines on board, to punish the transgressors. Jackson was motivated in part by similar expeditions being dispatched by the Dutch and his desire to demonstrate American ability to care for its own.
When Potomac arrived at Sumatra its commander enlisted the aid of local chieftains friendly to American traders and launched an attack against the natives of Kuala Batu, destroying their watercraft, fortifications, and eventually their village. More than 500 villagers and warriors were killed in American retaliation, with only two Americans losing their lives.
The demonstration convinced other rival chiefs on the island to beg for American mercy, and offer trading terms highly favorable to American merchants. Potomac journeyed home by visiting Hawaii on the voyage, completing a circumnavigation of the globe. Once American guns no longer threatened the Sumatrans, attacks on American merchant ships resumed, and a second expedition was launched in 1838, with similar results. The American public viewed the expeditions favorably, especially the highly satisfying demonstration of American determination to protect its commercial interests.