The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-09-10


| Immediately down the pathway to the
Valley OF Chance came many gen tlemep,
all friends. of Decatur Rodgers. and
I Porter, and Bolton, two doctors, Bailey
I Washington and TTfevitt, General Harper
and others. friends or idlefs. u
i There were anxious looks and utter
ances ofs aTqt! tut!"; or "Dearl dear''
The doctors proceeded to loosen7the
clothes of the sufferers and ascertain the
nature Of their wounds. The little green
valley, at the breakfast hour, had s,ecome
a'surgeon's hospital. In it were fepre-
sented nearly all the naval, victories in
tho republicr-Tripol and lAlgiers, Lake
Erie and both oceans; they held solemn
congress in this unholy ampitheatre.
the groin. Decatur had caught the ball
on his hip, and it had glanced upward
into his abdomen, seSefing the large
blood-vessels there. The two doctors
exchanged giances: there was no hope
for Decatur; his pulsatioh had almost
ceased. .ht
Now began on the ground, as they lay
upon cloaks spread for them, that dying
interview Of mingled tenderness and re-
elimination which Writ has compared to
the last intercourse of Hamlet and Laer-
tes. Each striving to clear up his fame,
and prove that this crime was mistake
or the work of ofacious enemies. Bar
ron, certain that his hours were num-
bered, wished to be at peace with his
enemy, that they might enter the court
of judgment friends. Decatur was less
relenting, but he consented to forgive
Barron, though not his advisera
1t was sadder scene than Nelson, De-
49, IT,
during the battle, or BayardE to Gwhotn
battlefield. s.'2e=s':: '.''S'
The carriage came, and they bore De-
catur to it, Bainbridge kissing his cheek.
He had wrested Bainbridge from the
dungeons of the Moors. Bainbridge, in
return, had measured the ground for him
to stain it with his blood. -
Rodgers took Deoatur's head upon his
shoulders, the doctor, Trevitt, seated
with them, and the carriage took its
painfultway back to the city. Bainbridge
and Hamblet6n hastened, toft the navy
yard, where The tug. lay to carry them
back to the Columb bus that ship of dis
cord.
At half-past 10 a'olock, Decatur re-en-
tered his elegant mansion, his wife and
household disturbed at the breakfast ia
BILE with the appalling news, md they
were driven to the upper part of tho
house. Around tho city the evil news
spread. Friends crowded around the
door and into the duelist's dying cham
ber. He signed his will, refused to have
the ball extracted from his wound, and
spoke affectionately of his wife, whom
he yet refused to see. Excrutiating
pains came to him. After one oe the
spasms, he said:
s'I did not think it possible for a per.
son to endure 80 much pain as I feel"
The town was aroused, and his door
ways and pavements crowded. They
stopped the drawing-room at President
Monroe's. Uncomplaining, in the midst
of anguish to the last, the unconquera-
BILE soul of the ''Bayard of the Seas"
yielded itself up without q groan at half
past 10 o'clock in the night.
Next day the little old National InteM-
gencer came out with loaded editorial
head saying that it would be "affecta-
ton" to be silent upon the fact that the
duel had occurred, and that the combat
ants were mortally wounded. In '.'post-
script" it related that Decatur was dead,
and added in the crude apostrophe of
that period, "Monfn, Columbia! for one
of thy bravest stars is set!"
Three days afterward the mail was
robbed, three miles from Baltimore, the
driver tied to tree and shot dead, and
the mail bags picked over in the bushes
near by.
All this time while Decatur's body was
going from his residence, close by the
White House, to "Kalorama," an estate
on hill overlooking Georgetown, and
while Barron lay in the city, writhing
in pain and listening to the funeral
drums.
In Congress, John Randolph offered
consolatory resolution ;, but they were
TT nTy