Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/141

Rh can merchant marine, at that time totally unpro- tected. A squadron of four vessels, under the command of Com. Richard Dale, was fitted out, and Decatur joined the "Essex," one of the squad- ron, being selected by Capt. Bainbridge to fill the important place of first lieutenant when he had been but three years in the navy. After perform- ing effective service in restraining the Barbary powers from molesting American vessels, and con- voying American mei-ehantmen safely into the At- lantic, the " Essex " sailed for New York on 17 June, 1802, reaching that port on 23 July. Decatur joined there the frigate " New York," Capt. James Barron, and sailed again for the Mediterranean. He was transferred to the command of the " Nor- folk," of eighteen guns, and afterward to the schooner " Enterprise," of twelve guns, under Com. Preble. The latter, hearing of the loss of the "Philadelphia" off Tripoli by striking on a reef, sailed in the frigate " Constitution " for that place, taking Decatur with him. On 23 Dec. Deca- tur captured the ketch " Mastico " off Tripoli, which vessel was named the " Intrepid," and after- ward was used to destroy the " Philadelphia," then moored under the guns of Tripoli, the Tripolitans having succeeded in getting her afloat and taking her into the harbor. Decatur volunteered for this service, left Syracuse in midwinter, and arrived off Tripoli, 16 Feb., 1804, and, with a picked crew of officers and men, stood into the harbor, boarded the "Philadelphia," and carried her. Then the order was given to set fire to her, and in ten min- utes she was ablaze. Decatur and his crew escaped to the " Intrepid," and made their way out of the harbor amid the rapid firing and falling shot of 141 guns. The " Philadelphia " was totally de- stroyed. Admiral Nelson pronounced this " the most daring act of the age." In the subsequent attack on Tripoli, Decatur took charge of a divis- ion, and greatly distinguished himself in taking vengeance on the Tripolitans for the death of his brother James. Ha received his commission as captain, in reward for his gallant services in de- stroying the " Philadelphia," on 22 May, 1804. He served at Tripoli during the war, and in Septem- ber was appointed by Preble to the command of the " Constitution," from which he was afterward transferred to the frigate " Congress." Peace be- tween Tripoli and the United States having been concluded, 3 June, 1805, Decatur returned home, laid up the " Congress," and was received most enthusiastically throughout the country. In Feb- ruary, 1808, he was appointed a member of the court-martial that tried Com. James Barron for surrendering the " Chesapeake " to the British man- of-war " Leopard." Decatur was next appointed to command the " Chesapeake." This was during the time that the embargo was laid on British commerce. He was afterward ordered to the frig- ate " United States," in which ship, in 1810, he hoisted his broad pennant as commodore of the southern station. This command was held by him when war began between England and the United States in 1812. Putting to sea, he soon fell in with the British frigate " Macedonian," which he cap- tured after a short, sharp action, in which the ene- my's ship was completely dismasted and much cut to pieces. Jury-masts were rigged, and the " Mace- donian " brought safely into port. In the spring of 1814 Decatur took command of the frigate " President " and a squadron consisting of the " Peacock," the " Hornet," and the store-sliip " Tom Bowline." He left his squadron in New York to escape the British blockade ; but, having grounded in going to sea and injured his vessel, he decided to return to port for repairs, but fell in with four British frigates, to which the " President " was obliged to surrender after a most obstinate resist- ance, in which one frigate, the " Endymion," was so cut up as to be obliged to haul out (or she drift- ed out) of action. The " President " was not sur- rendered until she was surrounded by the three other frigates — the " Majestic," the " Pomone," and the " Tenedos " — and when her decks had the ap- pearance of a slaughter-house. She had twenty- five killed and sixty wounded — one quarter of her crew. While the war of 1812 was in progress, the dey of Algiers began to capture American merchant- men ; and, when peace was established, the United States fitted out two squadrons to punish Algiers for her treachery and the violation of her treaty. Decatur was given the command of one squadron and Bainbridge of the other. On Decatui*'s arrival in the Mediterranean, he captured the Algerine frigate "Mashouda," forty-six guns, flag-ship of Admiral Rais Plammida, after a brave resistance. He also captured, subsequently, the Algerine brig- of-war "Estedio." He arrived off Algiers on 28 June, 1815, where peace was concluded on terms very favorable to the United States. It was stipu- lated that the United States should never pay trib- ute to the dey of Algiers, and all Christian cap- tives were to be released. This treaty and the de- mands of Decatur gave the death-tilow to that cruel system which for centuries, to the shame of Christendom, had elevated the Barbary powers into- baneful importance. Decatur next went to Tunis and demanded indemnity from the bey for violat- ing treaty stipulations, which demand was con- ceded. He then made a similar demand on the pacha of Tripoli, and for the release of Neapoli- tan and Danish prisoners, all of which was grant- ed, thus ending forever the pretensions of the Barbary powers. For this Decatur received the thanks of all Europe ; and, on the assembling of congress in December, 1815, President Madison began his message with a high eulogium upon his success against the Barbary states. Decatur ar- rived in Washington in January, 1816, and was appointed navy commissioner with Commodores Rodgers and Porter, in which office he gave all his zeal, skill, and experience in building up the young navy of the republic. While attached to the board of navy commissioners Decatur made some re- marks of a censorious nature against Com. Barron,, which the latter objected to, and which Decatur refused to re- tract, though he disclaimed any intention to be insulting. A

long correspond- ence ensued, in which Decatur did all that an honorable man could do to re- move unfavor- able impressions from Com. Bar- ron's mind, but nevertheless the latter challenged Decatur. The

meeting occurred at Bladensburg, 22 March, 1820,. Capt. Elliott being Barron's second, and Com. Bainbridge Decatur's. When the word " fire " was given, Barron fell, wounded in the hip, where Deca-