Star.
London, England, 1811-09-07 00:00:00


ONE OF THE CRENV.

Why this world was first launch's' in the ocean of space,
Some may puzzle their brains to find out;
Convinc'd it is notifor a Sailor to trace,
• I am willing to leave it In doubt. <-
But confident us who first sent us to sea
Had some grand conceard Object in view,
I trust from on high uz will ever seem*
Do my duty as ow f the crew.
Ira sweet littie'pineace, assaird by distress,
Were seen dash's' on the breakers of woe,
1 wouktlfy to her aid—(could a Briton do less ?)
And ntahfully take her in tow.
Staunch in sickness and health to my love end my friend,
bough storms most tremendous pursue,
They may burst and may blast, but they never shall bend -
From my deny as ear cf Ike cr:te.
- Wild with impotent rage though base factions may rave,
I will .'ill rise at I.oyalty's call,
And meeting the toe on the ambient wave,
Dauntless fight till they strike, or I tad.
"That course I will take through the voy.lge of life,
Which Gon seems to poh:t out ; and true
To my Cuuntry and King, to my Friend anti my Wile,
Do my ditty as cat of the rrew

AMERICAN N4VAL BIOGReIPHT.

No.
Commodore STEPHEN DECATUR ha native of Phila-
delphia ; his father, the late Captain Decatur, a man
who was endowed with every virtue, was of French
descent.. The present Commodore has imbibed the
good qualities of his parent—he is an officer of the
new settee .1, for he commenced his nautical career in
the navy under the protection of the late father of the
navy, Commodore Barry, as a midshipman, on board
the United States frigate. His assiduity and at-
tention to obtain a knowledge of his profession
soon gained hiin the coofidence and friendship of
his Comm :nder, with wh :m it was only necessary
to sse merit and reward it.— lie had the plea-
sure before his death of seeing his protesie on
the list of Lieutenants. At this period the poli-
tical interest of Commodore Decatur's father
changed, although he had been a successful com-
mander during the revolutionary -war ; he was not
a partisan of France ; and on Mr. Jefferson's being
elected President, and peace made with Prance, he
w. .informed his services were no longer required,
and the command of his ship, the Philadelphia
frigate, given to Captain Samuel Barron, since Com-
modore. So disgusted were some of his chief officers
at the unprecedentei conduct of the Administration,
and also so alive to the merits of their late Cern.'
minder, that several of them resigned their commis-
sions, amongst whom were, Ist Lieut.ThomasWilkie,
since deceased, and 4th Lieut. Thomas Hughs, who
was lately in London, master of a merchant ship.—
Commodore Decatur was not again employed until
the year 1804., when he went up the Mediterranean
with Commodore Preble as a Lieutenant, but was I
soon promoted to the schooner Enterprize as Lieutee
nant-Commandant. Tha first opportunity he had ofi
shewiag his skill and bravery was after the frigate
Philadelphia got aground off Tripoli, and taken pos-1
session of by the Ttipolitans, she having been surren-
dered by her brave and humane Captain (Bainbridge),
the crew suffered the most abject slavery and want
of almost every necessaty for 20 months. Tile Tripo-
litans in two hours after her surrender, got her atloat
and warped her into the outward harbour. Lieut.
Decatur immediately saw it was possible by taking
the crew at night by surprise, to set her on fire. I'le
had the day before captured a small xebec, laden
with fruit and oil,' whiCh was bound for Tripoli, and
having on board the Enterprize, an old pilot, v ho un-
derstood the Tripulitan language, he suggested hie
. plan to Commodore Preble, who approved i 4 it. Ale
would only acceptof 2o hands, although a muchgreater
numberhad volunteered, and but oneoffizer, Mr. Morris. I
a midshipman. He kept his men concealed in the I
bottom of the xebec, and only appeared himself, in I
disguise, and the old pilot.. When hailed from the
Philadelphia, the pilot answered, that he had lust his
cable and anchor, and begged to make fast to the fri-
gate until morning. This they refused, but said he I
might make fast to their stern hawser until they sent
a boat to the Admiral for leave. The boat put off for
the shore ; on which Lieutenant Decatur, with his!
brave companions, boarded the frigate, and out of
fifty Tripolitans not one of them reacted the shore.
Their consternation was so gnat that numbers of
them jumped overboard, and, in a few minutes, the
frigate was in flames, and he got out of the harbour
with safety. There was but one man of the little
party wounded, a seaman, in the act of saving his
Commander's life. Lieutenant Lecatur had been
disarmed, and had fallen ; the brave seaman saw his
situation, and, rushislg forward, received the blow of
a sabre on the arm, which would have been a death
blow to his officer. Lieutenant Decatur was imme-
diately preferred to a Post-Captain, and Mr. Morris
to a Lieutenant, and presented with swords from the
American Government. He was then appointed
Commodore of the- Neapolitan gun-boats in the •
pay of the United States, and had several severe
engagements with those of the Bey of Tripoli, in
one of which he had the misfortune of seeing his i
brother killed, at the moment he had boarded one
of the enemy's gun-boats. There never were brothers
that had greater affection for each other; but Com-
modore Decatur, forgetting private feeling, boarded,
without noticing his loss, thenexaripolitan gun-boat,
after which he regained the one that was lost by his
brother's death. On his return on board the frigate
Constitution, he related every thing that had passed,
an account of what they had taken and lost, carefully
avoiding mentioning, until the last, the death of his
brother. Having done his duty, he gave way to the
feelings of a brother. Lieut. James Decatur was uni-
versally regretted by the whole fleet—he was only 22
years ofage. Deer' . then aline' ed
to the Congress
returned with
ried a most am
nia, the' daughtt
• years of age,
make, but rather
nian's than an

aniatnt, long

Imb..:._

V

. •

.

Commodore Decatur was then appointed
ess frigate, and in Oc latter end of 1805,
t her to Washington, and soon after mar-
miable young lady of Norfolk, in Virgi-
;liter of the tlwn Mayor. He. is about 3+
5 feet 10 inc?tei height, Of a stna'rt
flier thin. His face 11 Msire a a Erctich.
al American's, his eyeit quick and pro-
face, tux' complexion dark) with Slack,