| Show F EA I I Ia j a Off If D oon G I lUJ 0 mm 1 t p If Ml lm M 1 P rm ID If ff W fAL L W W I ll m f lID mr Till M fi G W OGI bEd 11 ui l OO 1 lm lr IL r V 4 has been called caUccI Iho tho DECATUR D Chevalier Bayard oC of the sea i That he was without fear his brilliant career would seem to tol l proves That he was tress without reproach depends altogether on the viewpoint r To some students of history he ar ap appears pears to bo be the moat most magnificent figure of oC the tho most glorious days dats of oC the American navy nav To others and and among these th se stay may be Included Theo Theodore dore doro Roosevelt he is ranked below men who played less spectacular spec cular parts Whichever may bo ho right the fact re remains remains remains mains Ie hardly Is anything In all an naval history to hl his achieve achievements achievements achievements ments In the war with Tripoli while his handling of oC the United States S In Inthe Inthe Inthe the light with the Macedonian and of oC the President in the fight with the tho were among the duo finest ex examples amples of oC se seamanship displayed in inthe inthe Inthe the war of 1512 A captain at 25 35 a commodore at 29 9 dead de d on the dueling Held field at 41 ho Ito crowded Into his hL short life lire more of oC action and more glory glo glothan than any am man of oC hIs time There was Irish and Dutch and French and American blood in the veins of oC Stephen Decatur From the Irish he got imagination and dash from front the Dutch stubborn resolution rom the French vivacity courtliness s and LInd brilliance nil all well balanced by his Ills strong sturdy strain of oC Ameri Amerl Americanism Americanism His grandfather who had been en a lieutenant In the French navy nav came cIme to America about the middle of the eighteenth century and his fath father er who also followed the sea won renown in the war of oC the Revolution Revolution Revolution tion as captain of oC a u privateer Stephen Decatur was born near Bristol Md d January 5 1779 Ho He was reared In luxury and antI highly educated His first work for Cor his country was in the con construction construction construction of the famous frigate United States which his fathers firm tad had the contract to build and it was in his this vessel that he saw his first sea ea duty dut shipping as a midshipman in Its 1789 at nt the outbreak qt QC the war with France Perhaps no warship ever sailed from an American port with more mOle young men destined to win fame in the nations cause for Decatur had for shipmates not only the great Stewart the brave Som Somers Somers ers the brilliant Jones but also James Barron who rose to rank rani equal to Decatur only to fall Into disgrace and In an evil hour rut an added stain blain to his name by killing Decatur OFF TO THE MEDITERRANEAN That first cruise brought no fighting to the frigate United States but when Decatur came homo he was wag a lieu lieutenant lieutenant lieutenant tenant It was not until 1804 1801 that De Decatur Decatur Decatur had a real opportunity to show the stuff that was in him He had lied fought several duels and had a wide reputation refutation as a daredevil but that was all In the summer of oC 1803 1503 he ho had been leen placed in III command of the brig Argus and in September was ordered to the Mediterranean to Join Com Commodore Commodore Commodore Preble For many man years the rulers of oC Tripoli Tunis and Algiers had preyed pre ed upon all the commerce of the Mediterranean except that protected by h the British flag and many mant Ameri American American can vessels had been captured and the crews sold into slavery It was lit little little little tle less Jess than piracy that the tho chiefs of or orthe the Barbary Barbar states practised but they thoy practically had the sanction of the British government for the Immunity British vessels enjoyed served to add to the commerce of England Several efforts had been made by the Ameri American American can government to punish the tho pirates and In one olle of oC them the great reat frigate Philadelphia which father had been the first filst to command ran ashore while blockading Tripoli and Commodore Bainbridge and his whole crew of men had hall been made pris prisoners When Decatur Joined Trebles squad squadron ron he was transferred to the command I of oC the schooner Enterprise r and a few lays Clays la s later he captured e a Ketch the tiro Masico Ia sico Early Earh In December Decem December ber bel 1803 1503 Preble sailed ailed ins t Tripoli I with his squadron In the tho harbor tho the Americans could sec see the Philadelphia which the pirates had floated and I made mule the flagship of oC their navy It was bitter bit te I Indeed for Cor the tho Americans to toge see ge that sight but it Jl was worse for forI them to contemplate the fate of oC Bain Bainbridge Bainbridge bridge and his men num To 10 several of ot tho the I daring spirits In squadron tho the same Idea occurred to go eo Into tho the harbor guarded as it Jt was by bt frowning forts the big frigate and a multitude of gunboats and cut out or destroy destro the Philadelphia They all suggested It to tho the commodore but the tho first suggestion came from Decatur and the tho like a Just man gave i preference to him The he squadron pro proceeded proceeded to Syracuse S and there Preble issued his Ilia hI orders un i ne tr tn to i his s crew Ij O man l th the tho ketch l which hl h had h been renamed the Intrepid and with the Siren under command of Stewart to support him ho was to go into the harbor of Tripoli and burn the Phila Philadelphia Philadelphia Philadelphia delphia escaping as best he could On February 3 1804 1509 the Intrepid and Siren left lct Syracuse S and on February 6 G they were before Tripoli A storm arose alose and they had to beat to sea For a week the gale Jale continued and In that thaL week Decatur and amI his men Wren had a desperate time All the provi provisions provisions were spoiled by selL sea water and they the were half starved When tho storm subsided Decatur got food from the Siren and early in the evening of oC February 16 the two vessels were be before before before fore Tripoli again It was a calm moonlight night and Decatur sailed right into the harbor The Philadel Philadelphia Philadelphia Philadelphia phia lay at anchor under the protection protection protection tion of ot the castle and various vari various various ous batteries which mounted big guns In crescent formation nearer neater the shore than time the big frigate were 19 13 gunboats On shore and within easy call of oC the castle were more than troops tr op The Philadelphia which was crowded with was was more morn than ten times as big as the ketch lietch and almost any anyone one of ot the gun gunboats gunboats gunboats boats was a match in size sire for Cor Deca vessel For sheer audacity tho project in which Decatur was as engaged ed cd lieu has few parallels in history THE ATTACK I But the security of or the tho Philadelphia really gave ave assistance to Decatur for forit forIt or it lulled the suspicions of or the pirates As the ketch crept into the tho harbor the tho wind vind freshened and Decatur fearing It was too early to attack put out drags to check the boat It ws wis V s not un until until until til 1030 p m when the tle city was still stilt and only the night watches were alert that the ketch drifted within hailing distance of oC the Philadelphia Decatur had headed the ketch for the tho frigates bow bon bo Intending to board there but the wind suddenly failed ailed and at the same moment there was as a hall from the frigate fri frigate frigate gate A Sicilian n pilot Decatur had taken aboard answered that they were traders and had lost their anchor In Inthe Inthe inthe the storm Ho asked permission to tie up to the frigates cables for fOl the night Permission was given and the tho manned a small boat to as assist assist assist In mooring the time ketch boat drifted right under tinder tho the guns of oC the time Philadelphia Discovery DIscover at this mo moment moment moment ment meant death to all but Decatur cool as ever over he was gave his orders placidly lJ and calmly Slowly the ketch got from under the guns and breasted into the time frigate but as she did so the tho commander saw the time anchors on the bow of or the ketch and almost at atthe atthe atthe the same moment the tho crowd on the frigate discovered tho the men on the tho ketch etch crouched ready to board There was wasa a wild cry crt of oC American Americanos os I All need for concealment being beinS past Decatur ordered Boarders away awa and sprang for Cor the tho frigates chains His Ills foot slipped 1 and he had difficulty in get getting getting et ting HnS aboard but In a few Cew moments the themen themen themen men of the ketch were clambering over oer the sides of oC the frigate scrambling over the rails nails or creeping into the portholes Those who got on deck formed into companies and hurled themselves upon II tho time startled Up from irom be below belo below low lo came tho the officers and men of ot tho the I 9 Ic 1 L r r 17 I y IP i II r 1 frigate only to be cut to pieces by bt tho the swords of or the tile Americans The had the reputation of or being tho the greatest hand to hand ers ens in tho world but thoy they were no match for tho the Americans Those who reached the deck deek sought to escape esca by Jumping overboard Those who were driven drivon below sought to hide in the hold of oC tho time frigate There a horrible death awaited them Within 10 minutes Decatur had lied cap captured capture captured ture the frigate and mcI not an American had been wounded THE PHILADELPHIA AFLAME AFLA IE Decatur might possibly have taken tho the frigate out of tho the harbor Such an achievement would have Ilae been won wonderful wonderful wonderful indeed but his orders were to toot burn time the great ship The he ketch 1 was loaded ot with combustibles tl ible These 4 were I transferred hurriedly to the frigate and I the torch applied The ship burned so rapidly that many of oC those below had no chance to escape With the Philadelphia a raging rains fur furnace furnace furnace nace Decatur and his men sprang trot lor tho the ketch letch He was the tho last to leave the frigate Ho lIo tried to move stove off orr but the Intrepid clung to the Philadelphia Flames were pouring out of oC the pert holes of tho frigate and amid sparks were falling on the tarpaulin that covered tho the supply of 01 powder J At any moment there was likely to be an ex explosion The Tho men on the tile ketch could not understand what held them to the frigate until some one discovered that the tho stern lines had not been beon cast off ore With tho the energy ener of ot desperation Decatur and others hacked at the lines with their swords and the men mien bent to the tho oars Then as tho lines parted the tho ketch darted away When hen they had cleared the shower of sparks the men menrose menrose menrose rose from front their oars and ancI yelled like Their feelings relieved I they thet resumed rowing THE ESCAPE Meanwhile the city was in turmoil Drums were beating troops sero rue rac racing laCIng ing about men were shouting guns were being discharged and lights were appearing all along the shore But there was another note noto soon added to the tine list One of oC the big guns of oC the time Philadelphia discharged by b the time heat of ot the fire 1 Ie had sent its shot into tho the city Tho The next moment time the castle tho the gun gunboats gunboats gunboats boats and the batteries opened fire file on time the little ketch leetch There were wele 84 men menon menon menon on tho the ketch and they rowed as 84 81 men never rowed before perhaps Shots fell all alt around them but marvelous to relate not one struck the time the vessel How lIow the tho gunners missed missel them when the tho whole harbor was as light lIht as day dat from fromn the naming limning frigate Is hard to under understand understand stand From being so long IonS in a tropical port the tho timbers Umbels were welo dry dr as tinder and tho the big ship burned like a torch Her Hem guns exploded in rapid suc succession succession succession cession and then the time huge craft part partIng parting Ing InS from her hel anchors went drifting shoreward Under the castle she blew up The Intrepid was beyond tho the range tange of oJ the shore guns when the time I fragments were scattered overtime over the wa na waters waters tens and the tho men on the tho ketch kelch soon f i 0 iII of 4 JiN N iak t tI I I r f reached the Siren Two days dats later the ketch and the Siren were welO at Syracuse S and Preble the proudest pro man In all the Mediterranean had dispatched a re report reI report port to Washington telling of ot I achievement and recommending the young officer for fOl promotion to a cap captaincy captaincy I Lord Nelson when he ho heard of oC exploit is said to have havo pronounced it tho the boldest and most daring act of ot the ago age ageD DEATH D ATH STRUGGLE WITH A PI PIRATE PIRATE RATE The burning buining of oC the tho Philadelphia was not enough In August Decatur was back in the tho harbor of Tripoli po 11 to destroy the fleet of gunboats The American force fOICe of or six gunboats was divided In two divisions of three boats each The Tito fleet was in two divisions of oJ nine nino each cach Decatur had bad loaded the thelong thelong thelong long gun sun in the tho bow of ot his boat with 1000 musket balls and with this did great execution He had captured one of the tho enemy and had the prize in Into tow to when he learned that his brother mad had ha been mortally wounded by a n Trip commander who had struck his flag and then shot young toung Decatur as the youth stepped aboard Maddened lad by bJ the news miens Decatur went In pursuit pUI of or tho the murderer He reached tho time vessel essel climbed aboard a oard and sprang at tho tine leader who was a man of oC gigan gigantic tic size The Tho two had a duel such as ashad ashad had not been seen in many man days De Do Decatur atur in tin thrusting listing at the corsair broke his cutlass at the hilt Twice Decatur I fas ln as wounded before he ha managed to close coso with the giant Slant Then they thet fell ell to tho deck In a death grapple Over and over they rolled while all around them then other men fought Soon the 1110 strength of or the time and time the wounds of the American began beSan to tell The Time worked until he ho got Decatur under him Then Thon drawing a dagger from his sash ho lie lifted it to stab time the American But Decatur caught the descending arm and with his other hand he drew a small revolver and aud reached hed around to the tho back of oC the tho TrIpoli tan They ho pulled the trigger and a dead corsair lay upon him Decatur wriggled from rom under the dead deadman deadman man and was rising when another Tri politan cut at his head with a scimitar One Ono of or men threw himself In inthe the tho way wa and took tool the blow on his own O ll head to save savo his captain Not a corsair on et that boat was living when the tho fight ended Of tho the Ameri Americans Americans Americans cans 13 were wounded Never Nevel had tho time pirates been so rough roughly ly handled as that day Their whole fleet was captured or dispersed Novel Never again would they meet Americans In encounters The engage engagement engagement engagement ment has been termed the biggest little tight fight In history Throughout the summer Decatur and Somers acting under orders gave no rest to the and ancI then Preble i rewarded Decatur with the command of the Constitution No o higher honor could be h shown him than command of tho the greatest ship in the tine navy naT and he only 25 When ho re returned returned returned turned to the tho United States many ban han banquets banquets were given In III his honor and ancI Con Coi Congress CO 1 giess |
