Stephen grew up loving the sea. His father had been a naval officer in the American Revolution. At nineteen, he joined the Navy as a midshipman and fought in the undeclared war with France. Soon, trouble would brew with the Barbary pirates. Now in command of his own ship, Stephen would become the hero of the Battle of Tripoli. He won the admiration of both friend and enemy and when he had to surrender his ship during the War of 1812, the British captain refused to take Stephen's sword when he had "fought so gallantly."