Show is lq antto w W at me indented leased by b western newspaper union victims of the code cocle duello N THC morning ot of march 20 0 ON 1820 two american naval cors stood facing other in III a grassy field near car the town of hla dens bensburg burg md not far from washington D C they had been phlp shipmates and friends once but now there was something akin to hatred in ili their eyes as they looked at each other across tho the space of tight t yards arda that separated them both men acro 0 well above six sl feet in ili height one was about 40 years old slender slander and graceful lie ho was commodore stephen decatur one of tile tho nations greatest heroes because of his brilliant exploit in ill burning tile the captured frigate palla n dolphin ns as she lay at anchor in ili tho harbor of tripoli during tho the war with tho the barbary pirates the oth cr was about 50 years old broad shouldered ills his hair a little gray nt at the temples lie ho was commodore Commodo io 1 za I 1 N 0 ak U 17 at ak STEPHEN DECA james barron who had been court marti aled and suspended from tilt the service for five years because ho he had find surrendered tho the frigate chesapeake to the british man of war leopard just before the outbreak of the war of 1812 A trifling incident had caused the farst rift in their friendship later decatur was caustic in ili his criticism of barrons barrens conduct in the chesapeake leopard affair and in an exchange of letters which followed made so many insulting statements that barron barren eventually challenged him to a duel so hero here they were on this march morning meeting on the flold field of W A AV ax A v R 1 1 X 1 I exl N V I 1 tl A 1 I 1 I 1 N R 1 1 k V JAMES BARRON honor their friend commodore richard bainbridge was to give the words of command fire one two three neither man was to fire before the word one or after three gentlemen to your places take albl decatur leveled his pistol at barrons barrens waistline and his adversary pointed hla his weapon at de capurs hip fire one the reports of the two pistols sounded as one and both men dropped to the ground they brought a carriage to bear decatur back to washington there was no such vehicle ready for barron and decatur insisted that his opponent be taken with him but there room for both As they lifted the young officer into the carriage barron barren called to him god beets you decatur farewell farewell Barro barroll nl he replied as the carriage rolled away that wai was the last time he ever heard decature Deca voice for the gallant young officer after suffering intense agony all day died that night barron recovered from his wound and lived alved to be 03 years old the last of his generation in the navy A cloud on ills name james barron barren who had for years been barron barren of the Cheape chesapeake Chea peake akel now bore the odium of having killed the nations most popular hero writes william oliver stevens in the chapter the two commodores in his book pistols at ten paces published recently by the houghton mif hin flin company upon which this account of the famous duel Is based to this day the cloud still hangs iver ill his name he is still the man who killed decatur |