Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/213

 DECATUR

DECATUR

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troubles with France, 1798-1801, and after the peace establishment of the U.S. navy in 1801 a merchant »in Philadelphia. His grandfather Decatur was a French naval officer who came to America about 1740, married an American lady and resided in Newport, R.I. The younger Stephen was ap- pointed a midsh ip- man in the U.S. navy in April, 1798, and made his first cruise with Capt. John Barry on board the United States in the West Indies. In 1799 he was promoted lieu- tenant and went to France on the United States at the time she carried as passen- gers the three Amer- ican commissioners, Franklin, Deane and Lee. In the reduction of the naval force to a peace footing in 1801 he was retained in the service and in the expedition against the Pasha of Tripoli, commanded by Com. Richard Dale, he was appointed senior lieutenant on the Essex, Captain Bainbridge. In 1803 he sailed to the Mediterranean on board the Xeic York; Capt. James Barron, and was transferred to the sloop Xorfolk and later to the Enterprise under Commoiiore Preble. When that officer heard of the disaster to the •Philadelphia, which vessel had ijeen stranded on the reef inside the harbor of Tripoli, he sailed thither with the Constitution, taking Lieutenant Decatur with him, but they could furnish no immediate help to the stranded frigate, which had been cap- tured by the Tripolitans and her officers and crew thrown into prison. The Tripolitau ketch JIastico was captured by Decatur and transformed into the U.S. sloop Intrepid. On Feb. 16, 1804, Deca- tur, with a jjicked crew disguised as Tripolitans, and with the armament concealed, boldly ran the Intrepid alongside the PhiladeJphia, made fast to her hull and boarded her, driving the frightened Tripolitan crew over her sides and into the water, whence thej' swam to the shore. Before the garrison of the town could be alarmed. Decatur had fired the frigate and in the light of the blaz- ing ship cut loose the Intrepid, set her sails, and amid the shot and shell from the 141 guns which \\ ere brought to bear upon the little craft from fort and fleet, escaped out of range to the protec- tion of the Constitution, where Preble awaited the result of the daring expedition. Admiral Nelson characterized this exploit " the most daring act of the age." Decatur received for this service a

commission as captain on May 23, 1804, and in September of that year was given command of the Constitution and was subsequently promoted to the command of the Congress. He served in 1808 on the court-martial that tried Com. James Barron for having surrendered the Chesapeake and was subsequently gis-en command of that vessel during the embargo on British commerce. He was promoted to the rank of com.modore and commanded the southern squadron with the United States as his flagship, 1810-13. Soon after war was declared with Great Britain he ca^J- tured the British frigate Macedonian, Oct. 13, 1813, and brought her .safely into port. In 1814 he was placed in command of the President and with a small squadron started on a cruise, but the President having grounded he put for the port of New York for repairs and was attacked bj' four British frigates. After a desperate resistance during which about one-quarter of his crew was killed or wounded. Commodore Decatur sur- rendered the President. In 1815 he humiliated the dej' of Algiers by capturing the frigate Mashouda, his admiral's flagship, and the brig-of- war Estedio, obtained from that treacherous ruler a treats* that freed the United States from ever again paj'ing tribute to the dey of Algiers, and secured the return of all Christian captives. He also obtained indemnity from the bey of Tunis for the violation of treaty stipulations, and from the Pasha of Tripoli the release of Neapoli- tan and Danish prisoners. For these acts, which forever put a stop to the arrogance of the Barbary powers, he received the thanks of civil- ized Europe, a eulogium in a message to congress by President Madison, and the appointment as a navy commissipner, in which position, in co-op- eration with Commodores Rogers and Porter, he built up the new navy. Some remarks made by Decatur against Commodore Barron while attached to this board incensed that officer and he demanded a retraction which Decatur refused to make, although he disclaimed intentional insult. A challenge to Decatvir was made through the hands of Captain Elliott and was accepted through Commodore Bainbridge and the principals and seconds met on the field at Bladens- burg, Md. . 3Iarch 23, 1820. Barron was wounded in the hip and Decatur was sliot through the abdomen and died the same night. His nephew Stephen, born in New Jersey in 1815, was mid- shipman in the U.S. navy, 1839, lieutenant, 1840, commander, 1861, and commodore, 1869. He served throughout the civil war and died in Boston, Mass, Jan. 9, 1876. His son Stephen was graduated at the U.S. naval academy and in 1899 was a lieutenant (junior grade) U.S. navy. Stephen Decatur, the hero of the Tripolitan war. died at Bladensburg, Md., March 33, 1830.