High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! USS Scourge was the former British privateer, Transfer, which had been sold to Tripoli at Malta. As a Tripolitan ship, she had been used in blockade running during the Barbary Wars of North Africa. She was captured off Tripoli, on 21 March 1804 by Syren, commanded by Lieutenant Charles Stewart. When captured, she had a crew of 80 men and mounted 10 guns.