The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1866-12-27
aMisfe1lanu.
DEATH OF COMMODORE DE
CATUR.
BY JAMES PARTON.

I suppose we all use more freedom
in speaking of one another than we do
in speaking to one another. Conse-
queatly, almost any person can destroy
a friendship or embitter an emnity by
reporting to one man what another man
has said of him. To do this is just
ly esteemed one of the mcanest of all
actions, as it is assuredly one Of the
most mischievous. The duel in which
Commodore--Decatur fell was directly
caused by this bad, dastard'y practice
Stephen Decatur, born in Maryland
in 1879, was the FARRAGUT Of his time
His father before him was gallant of
ficer in the infant navy of the United
States, captured several British ships
in the Revolutionary war, and was re
tanned in the service after the peace
In the year 1900, he was the Comodore
of the American fleet of thirteen YES
sells cruizing about the West Indies =
but when Mr. Jefferson reduced the na-
w in 1901, Commodore Decatur was
retired, and he became q merchant in
Philadelphia, where he died 1908 The
old Commodore, however, lived long
enough to see his son a captain in the
navy, and the darling of his country
men.
Entering the service as midshipman
in 1898, when he was n retecn, he was
lieutenant at twenty, and at twenty
three he Lad reached the rank Of frs:
lieutenant Of a brig, the captain OF
which was that very James Barron who
aftorwa. DIS killed him. Two years la
ter, when OFT brilliant little war with
Algiers was at its height, Decatur was
in command Of the brig Enterprise, one
of the vessels of the fleet in the Medit-
erranean, and it was while command
ing the Enterprise, that he performed
the exploit which made him favorite
hero of the American people.
The reader remembers, Of course,
that the Algerines had the luck to
catch fine American frigate, the Phil
adelphia, ground and helpless, with
her guns overheard; and that they cap
tured her and took her into the harbor
of Tripoli, where they were fitting her
out for cruise, Bainbridge, her cap
tain, wlIile prisoder at Tripoli, con
trived to send word to Commodore
Preble that the Philadelphia was care
lessly guarded and could easily be sur
prised and burnt The commodore
consulted Lieutenant Decatur upon the
project, and Decatar, the bravest of the
brave, supported it with all the enthu-
siasm Of his age and character. Com
modOre Preble came into the scheme,
and named young Decatur commander
of the expedition. Lieutenant Deca-
tur called for volunteers, and every
man and boy on board his brig express
ed willingness to join. Sixty-two of
the best men were picked from the ca
ger crew, who, with the twelve officers,
were transferred to a small Algerian
vessel, belonging to Tripoli, captured
a few days before, and now re-christend
the Intrepid.
1t was a still, fine evening in Febru-
ruary, 1903, at ten o'clock, when the
Intrepid glided slowly and noiselessly
into the harbor, Decatur at the helm,
Greek pilot at his side and the crew
lying along the deck. So complete was
the surprise, and so ell-concerted the
attack, that in just ten minutes from
the time the Intrepid touched the trig-
ate the Americans had possession of
her Decatur was the second man to
reach her deck, Charles Morris, mid
shipman, having jumped two seconds
before him. Everything having been
provided beforehand for burning the
ship, the fire burst forth with such un-
expected rapidity that the Intrepid mar
rowiy escaped catching. The work
having been accomplished, a light
breeze from shore sprang up in the
nick of time and waited the little yes
sci gently out of the harbor, lighted
on her way by the flames, and saluted
by the harmless thunder of Algerian
guns.
This gallant exploit made Decatur
captain. Without dwelling on his
subsequent career, can trnly say that
it was all of piece with this brilliant
opening.
Far different was it with James Bar
ron. Barron, native Of Virginia, and
like Decatur, the son of revolution
ary commodore, entered the navy in
the same year as Decature, and out
stripped him in the race for promotion
A wear after he entered the service,
being then thirty-one years of age, he
was a captain, and he continued to
rise in the esteem of his countrymen
until the year 1867 when sad mis-
fortune befelI him, which cast shad-
ow over all his subsequent life.
June 22d, 1907, the United States
being at peace with all the world, the
American frigate Chesapeake, thirty
eight guns, under command ol
1 lCommodora Barron. left hel