Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1870-01-17
CHARLESTOWN, MONDAY, JANUARY II. 1870.

lev of Chance came many gentlemen, all friends
of Disadvantages and Porter and Bolton,
two doctors, Bailey Washington and Tr,vitt,
General Harper and others, friends or idlers
There were anxious looks and utterances OF
&" Tut tutw or " Dearl dear "
The docter proceeded to loosen the clothes
of the sufferers and ascertain the nature OF their
wounds. The little green valley at the break
fast hour had become surgeons hospital
In it were represented nearly all the naval
victories in the republic-Tripoli, Algiers
Lake Erie, and both oceans; they held solemn
congress in this holy amphtheatre.
Barron was struck in the hip and about the
groin. Decatur had caught the ball on his
hip and it had glanced upward into his abdo-
men, severing the large blood vessel there. The
two doctors exchanged glances; there was no
hope for Decatur; his pulsation had almost
ceased.
Now began on the ground, as they lay upon
cloaks spread for them, that dying interview
Of mingled tenderness and recrimination which
Writ has compared to the last intercourse Of
Hamlet and Laertes, each striving to clear up
his fame, and prove that this crime was mis-
take or the work Of officious enemies Barron,
certain that his hours were numbered, 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 forgivee
Barren, though not his advisers.
It was sadder scene than Nelson, Dccatur's
admircr, dying in a cockpit during the battle,
or Bayard, to whom he had been compared,
bleeding on the battlefield.
The carriage came, and they bore Decatur to
it, Bainbrdge kissing his cheek. He had
wrested Bainbridge from the dungeons OF the
Moors. Banbridge, in return, had measured
the ground for him to stain it with his blood.
Rodgers took Decatur's head upon his shoul-
ders, the doctor. levitt, seated with them, and
the carriage took its painful way back to the
city. Bainbridge and Hambeton FASTENED to
the navy yard, where the tug lay TO carry them
back to the Columbus, that ship of dscord.-
At half-past ten o'clock, Decatur rc-cntered his
elegant mansion, his wife and household dis
turbed at the breakfast table with the appall-
ing news, and they were taken to the upper
part of the house. Around the city the evil
news spread. Friends crowded around the
duelist's dying chamber. He signed his will,
refused to have the ball extracted from his
wound, and spoke aifectionately of his wife,
whom he yet refused to see. Excruciating
pains came TO him. After one Of these spssms,
he said: al did not believe it possible for a
person TO endure so much pain as feel"
The town was aroused, and his door-ways
and pavements crowded. They stopped the
drawing room at President Monroe's. Un-
complaining, in the midst Of anguish to the
last. the unconquerable soul Of the " Bayard Of
the Seas yielded itself up without grcan at
half-past ten o'clock in the night.
Next day, the little old National Inteligen-
Ger came out with a loaded editorial head saying
that it would be ahectation to be silent
upon the fact that the duel had occurred, and
that the combatants were mortally wounded
In postscript it related that Decatur was
dead. and added in the crude aposttophe Of that
period. Mourn, Columbia for one Of Thy
brightest stars is set y
Three days afterwards the mail was robbed
three miles from Baltimore, the driver was tied
to tree and shot dead, and the mail bags pick
cd over in the bushes near by, all this time,
while Decatur's body was going from his resi-
dencc, close by the White House, to Kalorama,
an estate on a hill overlooking Georgetown,
and while Barron lay in the city, writhng in
main and listening to the funeral drums. In
Congress John Randolph offered consolatory
resolutions but they were objected TO. The
tone of the press commenting on the duel was
respectful both to the living and the dead an
tagonist. but as sternly denunciatory on the
code" as our newspapers nowadays could be
Barron suffered dreadfuly for many months,
but recovered at last, and lived down to 1851.
! Commodore Decatur's cbildess widow, sur
vived until 1853 near Georgesown College, in
ill-health and poverty, finding in the consola-
ton Of religion alone alienation Of her sorrows,
but hopeful Of securing something from Con-
cress. Barron went TO sea again, and had
charge Of several vessels, but the shadow Of the
duel lay across bis life. People forgot the
apology for it in the catastrophe Of it. A new
generation Of boys rose up who read of Deca-
tur's valor. and learned to regard Barron as bis
assassin The poor living victim could not
explain against a dead man. He asked for a
court-rnarsal on Dccatur's charge against him,
and was exonerated with meagre compliments.
Decatur lies buried behind St. Peters Church,
Philadelphia, in venerable and spacious
graveyard, under an eagle-capped monument.
His portrait is in Georgetown College. His
name is conferred on many towns and counties
In this country. What he lived for be obtain
ed-glory in the eyes of bis country. Barron
got satisfaction little more. Yet helatter
was throughout the aggrieved spirit.
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