The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-09-27
DECATUR AND HE TURK.
A Hand-to- Hand Combat on the Deck of
Tripolitan Boat.


One of the adventures of the leading
character, the intrepid Decatur is told
as follows: The Tripolitans advanced
boldly, keeping up hot fire of grape
and musketry, which Decatur returned
with interest. In the midst of the
smoke from the vessel and the batteries
the TriDolitans could not quite make
out where the "Americanos" We're: but
suddenly a boat was laid alongside of
the first Tripolitan gunboat. and Deca
tur's voice was heard ringing out,
"Board."-and they knew then, indeed,
where the Americanos were. The
Turkish gunboat was divided into two
parts by long, open hatchway. eX-
tending from her port to her starboard
side. The TripoIitans, taken by sur
prise, rushed to the farther end of the
hatchway, while Decatur, joined by his
lieutenant, Thorn. and his favorite
midshipman, Marlborough, made dash
for the Tripolitans. Celebrated as
these pirates We're for their hand-tO-
hand fighting, they could not with
stand the steady charge of the Ameri-
cans, and the boat was carried with.
the first rush. Scarcely were the Fri
politan cOlOrs hauled down and the
'aptured boat taken in tow. when, in
the midst of the drifting smoke, an
American gunboat was found to have
ranged directly under the stern of De-
catur's boat.
What is the matter" shouted De-
catur.
~ inu+aDop+ no.o+,,. J., ,you,1a1 -
answered MidShipman Morris-the one
whose loot had first touched the Phila
delphia's deck. He was standing on
the gunwale of the boat, and the in
slant Decatur saw his pale and agitated
face, he knew that his brother was des-
perately injured.
Severely wounded?" asked Decatur
quickly.
Yes, sir" answered Morris, in low
voice.
''Mortally?" asked Decatur.
To this Morris made no answer for
moment Then he said husllily:
He had boarded Turkish boat
wonderland the flag had been hauled
down, when. as he advanced across the
deck, the Tripolitan captain drew a
pistol and shot him. We carried him
to our own boat: the Turk escaped.
and there is his boat now within the
enemys line
Decatur knew his duty to his coun-
try. and to the brave men under him,
whose lives and regulations depended
upon his Judgment and GOODNESS. too
well to spend moment indulging his
private grief.
81 cannot go to him vet" he cried in
an agonized voice, but l can punish
the treachery of the wretch who shot
him."
The Tripolitan boat was now well in
the line of the rest, few hundred
Yards away, but the Americans bend
ing to their sweeps, and unshipping
their bowsprit in little while had
reached the boat, and had run aboard
Of it. They could see that it was
strongly manned, and its decks
crowded with turbaned heads. Deca-
tur had put his pistol in his pocket and
taken a boarding-pike in his hand to
parry the Turkish scimetars. As the
two boats neared each other. Decatur.
whose heart was torn with grief for
his brother and the determine lion to
punish the pirates, recognized the
treacherous Tripolitan captain, a
| man of gigantic frame and ferocious
cOuntenance, standing near the bow
The next moment. he noticed the
Young sailor. Reuben James, at his
side. WHO threw, with unerring skill, d
graphing iron aboard of the Tripolitan
boat. Then the Americans. dra gging
| On the chain. drew the boat toward
them. There was no need to call away
the boarders. Every man that could
be spared,from the sweeps was up and
ready to spring. Next Decatur stood
Macdonough, and Immediately behind
him were Danny Dixon and Reuben
James. Before the boats had touched
the Americans leaped over the side and
found themselves on the Tripolitan's
| deck surrounded by twice their num-
Der Of enemies. Then began a hand
to-hand fight to which all that had
gone before was child's play. The
Americans. keeping together as closely
as possible, fought from one end Of the
deck to the other, while Decatur mad
dash for the Tripolitan captain
Decatur was tail and athletic, but the
Turk was a giant. As the Young
American charged with his pike. the
Turk caught ii and actually wrested it
out of his hands. The Turk, then
standing on a tiptoe to bring the pike
down with terrific force. Decatur had
time to draw his sword The sword
flashed over his head for a moment.
, and then the heavy iron pike descend