The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-08-26

cutlass.-ln the contest, which for time appeared
doubtful, Decatur broke his sword near the hllt He
seized his enenys spear, and afer q violent struggle
succeeded in throwing him on deck The Turk now
drew from his belt dirk, and when in the act Of srk
ing, Decatur caught his arm, drew from his pocket
pistol, and shot hun through the head During the
tinuance Of this terrible struggle the Of each
sci mpetuously rushed TO the assistance of their
spectye commanders Such the carnage in this fur
and desperate battle, that il with difficulty Deca-
tur could extricate himself from the killed and wounded
by which he was surrounded
In this affair American sailor, named Reuben
James, manifested the most heroic scfdeyo,on. See
ing Tnpohtan officer aiming blow at Decatur's head
while he was struggling with his PROSTATE foe, and
which must have proved fatal had not the generous and
fearless tar who had been deprived Of the Of both
his hands, by wounds rushed between the
bre and his commander, and received the blow his
head, by which his skull! fractured.
The boat commanded by Lieutenant Joseph Balm
bridge received shot that carried away her steen yards
by which all his exerons to get alongside OF the enemy
rendered altogether unavailing. Being within
musket shot, he directed brisk fire. which had great
execution. Unable to manage his boat without sails,
she grounded near the enemys batteries; but by
age and great exertons she extrcated from her Pc
Tloas situation.
Captain Somers being unable to beat wndward, in
order to cooperate with Decatur, bore down with his
single boat the leeward division of the enemy, and
attacked within pistol shot i've Of the Tnpolan vessels.
He maintained the action with great spirit until the
other division OF the enemy defeated when this also
preciptately fed within their harbor
The enemys boat again rallied, and attempted TO
surround the American gunboats and prizes. This bold
enterprise defeated, however, by the advance Of
Commodore Preble, in the rgatc Constitution, which,
by few spirited broadsides, eecuay covered the
treat OF the brave little squadron, which had slgnay
trumphcd. The frgate Constitution, bomb vessels,
&c created great alarm and confusion In the city, by
throwing shot and shells The rgae several times
within the cables length Of the batteries, and each time
sanced those against which her broadsIdes were d.
rectrd These advantages, however the gallant
modorc unable TO without more assistance,
for he changed his position, the firing
menced at the points Of the fort from which the men had
been driven.
Awaiting themselves OF the land breeze, which
menced to blow between and in the afternoon, the
squadron retired from the action The damage sus-
tanned by the Americans quite nconsiderable when
compared with the apparent danger to which they were
exposed. The loss OF the enemy very great Three
boats captured from the Irpotans contained lO3 men.
Of whom AZ were killed, and IS wounded. Three Of
their boats sunk, and the buried in the
waves number Of guns in the batteries were dis
mounted, the city considerably injured, and many
Oft inhabitants killed. great portion Of the in
habtants and all the foreign consus fled from the city,
with the exception of the benevolent Mr.. Nissen So
devoted he to the American prisoners, that he re-
NAMED at the risk OF his life aud property, order that
he might contribute to their comfort.
During Of the attacks twenty four pound shot
entered the window Of small room IN the turret
where Mr.. Nssin but a moment before had been exam
lining the operations of the squadron. This shot con-
tnues lodged in the wall, and shown to commo
dorc Decatur the year 1915, by another Danish
sui Several shells fell in Mr.. Nissin's house, during
the bombardment, but asthey did not explode, little in
Jury done.
At the commencement Of these operations, the Ba-
shaw surveyed the squadron from his palace windows,
and affected to ridcue any attempt which might be
made to njurc eth n the batteries or the city Hep
missed the spectators who the terraces, that
sport would be presently enjoyed, by observing the tn
umph of his boats those Of the Americans, Ina
few minutes, however, he became convinced Of his CT
ro and preciptately reeaed with an humbed and ach
ing heart to his bomb proof chamber.
On the fifth Of August, the wounded Turkish prisoners,
who had been carefully and kindly treated, were placed
on board French privatecr and sent to Trpoli The
prisoners informed the Bashaw that "the Americans IN
battle fercer than lions, yet in the treatment of
prisoners they were even kinder than Mnssulmans
The Bashaw appauded the humane conduct Of commo
dore PEBBLE returning the wounded, and observed,
that if any American similarly injured should fall into
his hands, he would them with equal Kindness
The Bashaw offered terms OF adjustment, but
they could not be acceded to, consequence Of his
travagant demands. Prcblc determined to quicken his
anxiety for peace, by renewing his broadsldes-Prc-
partitions being completed for another attack tile &C
ton commenced at half past two, p. NJ, and in two
hours the batteries again silenccd, and much nju
done to the city, 10y round shot and shells
serious one. A small vessel was blown up by
the passage of red hot shot through the magazine
There souls board Of her. of whom
ten killed, and wounded The injured well
as those who escaped unhurt, picked out OF the
water by other boats Among the killed was her gal
liant commander, Lieutenant James Caldwell.
On the eth of August the u. States squadron again
stood into the harbor, and after directing rapid fire
for two hours slenced the batteries and did much injury
10 the castle In this attack twentyfour pound shot
,,,J a. a.,
men, The ball fell within foot Of Captan Banbridges
head threw him as he lay in bed at least ton of
stone and mortar from the wall Ho severely
woundcd in the ankle by large stone, and from which
he slowly recovered.
During the first attack of the American squadron thee
Trpolan guards fled from their posts the terrace,
behind the wall Of an adjoining building. This cowardly
retreat excited the gbes and merrmcnt OF the American
officers. The guard finding that their unmanly attempt
to screen themselves from danger discovered by tho
prisoners, became ungovcrnaby enaged, threw stones
The reader may be know more of the char
acter and services Of this gallant He native
Of the state of Delaware, and when quite boy, devoted
himself to the In 1891 he captured by French
prvaecr, and after his Liberation determined ship here
AFTER menoiwar, by which he hoped 10 escape for the
future the hardshps and suengs To which prisoners
exposed In accordance with this determination he ship.
ped board the frigate Constellation l709 commanded
by Commodore TTuxton, and both the actions
which resulted in the capture OF the French rgaes In
surgentc and Vengeance.
IN soi nc sailed IN the iHgate united states Tor the
Mediterranean, and a volunteer with Decatur when
he burnt the fgae Philadelphia the harbor of Tnpol
He renamed under Dccaturs command, the desperate
action, with the Tripotan gunboats which
nc performed the act OF noble daring already recorded
After five years absence he returned across the Allan
TIC in common gunboat, with the lamented Captain
Lawrence. lie rcuned his avorte Captain Decatur, and
remained with HIM during the whole Of the last Ho
in the action which resulted in the capture of the fri.
gate Macedonian, and in the severely fought battle be-
tween the United States gae President and the British
igaie Endymon. In this engagement he received three
wounds. He afcrw ards the United States frgate
Guerrero, when she captured the Agernc igatc Mes
SCUBA.