The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1837-03-29

round within the harbor ofTripoli, and was
then at anchor within half gun shot of tie
/ Bashaw's castle, surrounded by cruisers and
gun boats.
This bold undertaking was accomplish
( ed in the most gallant manner, and was
pronounced by Lord Nelson " the most bold
and daring act of the age" And we add
with much regret, that even at this late day
the prize money so nobly earned has never
been awarded to the captors.
In 1904, Com. Preblc planned an attack
upon the battery and vessels by means of
the squadron and gun boats, which was
carried into execution on the 3D. of August.
The first division of gun boats was in
command Of Captain Decatur, who had
been promoted fer his gallant achieyment
| in the destruction ofthe Philadelphia. Rcu-
ben james was on board the same boat with
him, and during the engagement saved the
life Of Captain Decatur, by an net of the
greatest bravery and attachment to his COM
mander; the incident is thus narrated in
the Naval Temple, pages 81 and 30.
"Ai this moment Captain Decatur was
informed that the gun boat commanded by
his brother, had engaged and captured a.
boat belonging to the enemy, but that his
brother, as he was stepping on board, was
treacherously shot by the Trpolitan COM
mander who made off with his boat. Cap
tain Decatur Immediately pursued the muir
derer, who was rctreatng within the lines
having succeeded in coming along side he
boarded with only eleven men. A doubtful
contest Of twenty minutes ensued. Decatur
Immediately attacked the Tripolitan COM
mander, Who was armed with a spear and
cutlass. In parrying the Turks spear,
Decatur broke his sword close to the hit,
and received slight wound in the right arm
and breast, but having seized the spear he
c,sed, and after n violent struggle both fell,
Decatur uppermost. The TURK then drew
n dagger from his b3lt but Decatur caught
hold of his arm, drew pistol from his pock-
ct, and shot him.
7 "Wblle they were thus struggling, the
crews of both vessels rushed to the assistance
of their commanders, and SO desperate had
the contest around them been, that it was
with difficulty that Decatur could extricate
himself from the killed aud wounded that
had fallen around him. In this affair an
American manifested the most heroic cour-
agc and attachment to his commander De-
catur, in the struggle, was attacked in the
renr by Tripolltan, who had aimed blow
at his head, which must have proved fatal,
had not this generous minded tar, then dan
gerously wounded and deprived of the use
of both his hands rushed between him and
the sabre, the stroke of which he received
on his head, whereby he was severeiy iy
wounded. This hero, however, survived,
and now receives pension from his CRATE
ful country"
Reuben James is still living, but has nov
er received n pension for his services.
| Soon after this event, Captain Robinson
purchased four gun boats in the Gulf of
Venice, and being scarce of officers, the sub
ject of this memoir was assigned the com
mand Of one of them. He was separated
from the others at sea, and was picked up
, by Venitian' ship, and carried to Messina,
and placed in charge of the American con-
sui. lie was transferred TO the brig Syren,
Captain Smith, and appointed an acting
gunner, at which duty he remained until
the treaty of peace with Tripoli, when he
returned to the United States in gun boat
No. 6, Captain Lawrence, after an absence
of nearly g years.
During the embargo he served on board
the frgatc Chesapeake, and afterwards on
board the United States, Captain Decatur,
rs guard ship at Norfolk, until the dcclara-
ton of war, when they put to sea- during
! her second cruise, on the 25th of October,
engaged and captured the British frigatc
Macedonia, in which the disparity of loss
was astonishingly great: on the part of tho
enemy one hundred and four were killed
and wounded that of the Americans but
eleven.
RcGtted in New York and put to sea
| fell in with the British squadron, which
gave chase, but tho United States escaped
! by running into the harbor of New Lon
don.
From the United States he was transfer
red TO the frigatc President, with Com
modorc Decatur, and fought on board her
when she whipped the Endymon, and was
captured by the British squadron off Sandy
Hook in this engagement he received three
wounds.
War being declared Immediately there
after against Algicrs, Reuben James sailed
on board the Guerrero, Commodore Dcca-
tur, for the Mediterranean, where they fell
in with and captured the Algerine frigate
with their Admiral, and proceeded to Al
giers, where a treaty was made highly
honorable to the Americans, after which
he returned to the United States.
His next service was in the cruize of the
Independence "a, Commodore Bainbrid.e,
and after that in the Gucrrere, Commodore
McDonough, in the Mediterranean.
His next re-shpment of three years, he
served under Commodore Porter, on the
Yves, India station, in his cruise against the
pirates, IN which many dangers were en-
counteroi from, tho .nemy aud disease