The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-06-18
miscellaneous.
FROM THE ANALECric MAGAZINE.
BIOGRAPHY
Co.MaiODoHE DEC.arUH.

cent. by the male line. His grandfather was ma
IRE OF la Rocheile, in France, aud married lady
o. hhode Island. Hisfather, Stephen decatur, was
born an Newport Rhode Island aud when q very
young man removed to Pbiialephia, where he
married the daughter OF an Irish gentleman by the
lame Of Pine. de was bred to the sea, aud com.
nisnded merchant vessel out OF the port PniIa-
1eipia, until the establishment OF the aaYy, when
he was appointed to commsnd the Delaware soop Of
war. lie continued in her until the frgate Phiia.
deipia was built, when the command OF that ship
was given to him, at the particular request Of the
merchants who had built her by subscription. In
this situation he remained until peace wns made
with France, when lie resigned his mi sion, and
retired tohis residence few nies from Philadei.
phis. where he resided until III. death, which hap
pSIed in Nov. 1903.
His son, Stephea Decatur, the present commo.
dore, Was horn tue 5t Jan. l179, The eastern
shore ct Maryisnd whittier his pal ents lad retired,
whilst the British in possess OF Philadellhia
They re;nrned Go that city when he was few
months old, and he theirs educated and brought
up.
He entered The navy in March, 1898, AS mid.
ship,nan, anil joined che frigate United States. un.
der the com "snii OF Consn,odose Barry, WHO had
obtsinc the warrouf Tor him. He continued for
some time viii, that oHicr, sni p, omo,ed to
the rank Of Lieutenant. The United States at that
time required some repairs, and not wishing
main in port he requested ordsrko Join the b,ig
Norfolk, then bound to the Spanish main. He per
frrnei one crize ia her IS FIRST lieutenant, aud on
his return TO port resumed his station on board of
the u. States. where he remained until peace WIS
concluded with France.
He then ordered to the Essex as frss reii.
tenant and sailed with commodore Daie's So alron
the Mediterranean. On the return OF that squad.
he vas ordered TO the Now York, one of the Sc
eonl Mediterranean squadron, under the com and
OF commodore Morris.
When he returned TO the United States lie was
ordered 10 take command OF the Argus aud PRO-
cesd in hes 70 join commodore Prehie's squadron,
then in the Mediterranean, and his arrival the re
TO resign the command of the Argus to lieut.. Hull
and take the schooner Enterprise, then command I'd
1vf t,atp Pc att 4.
proceefcd TO Syracuse, where the .quatlron was to
rendezvoas On his arrival at that port he was in.
formed of the fate OF the frigatc Fhsdslpha, which
had ran aground on the Baroary coast, and fallen
into the hands ofthe Trpolitans. The idea i,nn,e-
datey presented itself to his mind of
re-captn,s or destruction. On cotnino lore Pre-
hes atr'va'. ev days afterwards, he proposed to
hn plan Tor the purpose, and vounte cred his ser.
vices to execute Il. The Wary mind Of that yete-
ran officer ~ first disapDrovei OF an ente rprise 50
fill oil peril but the risks and difficulties that sur
rounded only stimulated the ardpr Of Decatur ana
Impaired 10 IL an AR OF adventure, fascinating his
youthful Imagination.
The consent of the commodore having been oh.
tanei lieut. Decatur seiecte,r for the expedition
ketch THE !ntrepd1 which he had espturei "a few
weeks before FROM the cpeny, and manned her witt,
seventy volunteers chiefly from his own crew. lie
sai'ed from Syracuse on tie Feb. 1907. accom-
panied BY the Un e'! Statss' brig Syren lieutenant
Stewart, Who Was 10 all with his bpats. and 10 re-
eeiVe the crew of the kcteh Ia cas- II should Sc
f1und expedient 20 her .sa Ere ship
Alter fifteen feys of very temp-stuons weather
they arrsed n the h;rhnr Of Tripo.i tls hefore
sinss;. 1t bad been arranged between !ien,enants
Decatur AMI Stewart, that the katci should enter
the 'srh0 about 10 O'ciock that nieEt sttenIed IA,
the boats .! tie syren. On arriving OF the harbor
the Sfgen, IN sons queree OF chlnse OF wind, al
been thrown SIX Gig hit miles without the Intrep;d
The wind At this time was fair, bat fast declining &
lieut. Deeaur unprecedented that, should he wait for
the Syrens bolts up IL might lie too ls,e q,
make tie attack T. at night. Surh deiav mrjt be
fatal TO the enterprise as hey could not rem in lon.
ger the coast, their provisions being nearly ex.
lsnste'l. For these rersons he determined to adj.
venture irio the harbor alone, which he did shout
eight O'clock.
Anidea may be formed of the extreme hazard Of
this enterprise from theXustion of the frigate -
She WAS moor"d within half Gun shot o. the RASH
avs eastle ana OF the principal battery Two of the
enemy's sraizsrs lay within cables LENGTH on
the siaroosTd quarter, and their gun hoats within
half gun shot on the starhoard bow. All the euns
OF the frigate were mounted and loaded Such were
the Immediate perils that our hero ventured to en-
counter with s;Hge kech, beside the other
dangers tiiat abound in strongly fortified har-
5or
Although from the entrance 10 the place where
the frsste lay was only three miles, yet in conse-
uuence OF the ightness of the win they did not get
within hail Of her until eleven o'clock When tJ,er
had approached within two hundred yards, they
were hailed aud ordered to anchor, or they would
De fifsd into Lieut.. Decatur ordered a Maltese
pilot, who wasen board the ketcf to answer that
they had lost their anchors in gale of wind on In
coast, and therefore could comply with their re-
quest. By this time lt had become perfectly coIrn
md they about City ards from the frigste
Lieutenant Decatur ordered a small boat that was
aionssije OF the kecb, TO take rome and make IL
fast to the fTgste's fore-chainE. This being done
they began 70 warp the ketch aIongcde. IL was not
until this moment that the enemy suspected the
character other visitor, and great confusion n,ne
dIateiy ensucd. This enabled our adyenturers 4,
get aongdde OF the frigate, when Decatur i'm med;.
ate'y sprsng aboard, followed by Mr. Charles Nor
ris, midshipran. The sc two we're nearly +, nninute
on the deck before their companions could succeed
on mounting the side. Fortunately, the turks had
not sufficiently recovered from their surprise IN
take advar-age Of this delay. They were crowded
together on the quarterback, perfectly astonisbed
aud aghast, without making any attempt to oppose
the assaihng party. Al soon ~ suficistt p,1aber
Of our men ha'l gained the deck, TO form a front
lna totha OF the enemy, they rusl ed IA upon them
The Turks stood the assault but short time. and
we're completely oVerpowered. About twenty were
Killed oil the SPOT, many jumped overboard and the
resi- ned to the main deck, whittier they were our.
aued aud driven TO .be hold.
Aiier entire possession had been ceiDed Of the
saip aud every thing prepared to set fre 10 her
huanber OF launches were rowing s5ouf the hsr-
h0r. ihis tstyrrained Lieut. Decatur To remain in
tle irlgate, from whence better defence coGld De
made than from on board the ketch Tie eneUy
had already commenced firing upon them from le,
batteries ana aaste, and lromtwo eorssrs tat were
lsyisg near Perceising thn, the launches odd not
atcwit 70 apprOseh, he ordered that the slim
I'd be SGT on hTe, Which was done at the came
tine, IN different parts. Is soon as this wss corr.
pgtciy effected they left her and slch va mo pa ri