The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-07-07
DUELlSTS OF OUR NAVY.

familiar to naval officers but is new
to the library and reading public.
At the various civilized ports where
the American ships called the Ameri
can officers fell in with the officers of
the European navies The Yankees
had already shown some what of their
skill as sea warriors, but in the minds
CT the European officers they were at
best mere plebians. They were of
the people. In short, III the mind of
tie European officer, they were not
gentlemen. The English officers were
the chief aggressors in treating the
Americans with contumely. Consid-
ering the state of civilization at that
day. what was an American officer to
do?
On a certain night in the month of
February, 1903, while the Chesapeake
| the New York, the John Adams, and
the Enterprise were lying at Malta, a
nnmber of the officers went ashore to
spend the evening. Eventually they
] gathered at the theater While a
number Of them stood III the lobby
there, the secretary of the Governor
came III with some friends He was
Of mature years and a noted duelIst
of that day had killed a number of
men. III fact and his mission in the
thedter was to get fight with one of
the Yankee officers He had openly
boosted, it Is said, that he HonId have
Il Yankee for breakfast" the next day.
| Looking over the group. he selected
one of the youngest, MidshIpman 10
seph Bainbridge, for his victim, and
on walking past the group jostled
hlm. As it happened, BaiLbridge was
at that moment speaking to ship
mate and vas taken wholly by sur
prise Having no idea that anyone
would wilfnlly seek deadly quarrel,
his first impression was that the iost
ling was accidental. Nevertheless,
when the secretary walked away with
a jannty air, B4inbridge suspected
that an assault had been intended,
and he was speaking to his shipmates
about it, when Lieutenant Stephen
Decatur happened along Decatur
had had experience in such matters,
and BAinbrldge at once stated the
case to him
well very soon learn whether II
was an accident or an insult" said
| Decatur, and he was turning away to
| 60 in search of the offender when the
fellow came past the group from be
hind Decatur. As he arrivel beside
young Bainbridge, the duelist said, in
voice that all could hear:
Those Yankees will never stand
the smell of gunpowder" Then he
| ljostled the youngster again and start
eel on, but before he could take a sec
ond step he received blow from the
Yankees fist which sent him sprawl
ing.
OF course. the duelist challenged as
soon as he could get on his feet De
catur smiled and bowed Turning tC
cambridge. who was, it should be re
membered, boy of about Is, Deca
tur said:
Go aboard ship, sir, and give your.
self no more concern about this mat
ter. | will attend to everything"
As soon as Bainbridge left the thea
ter Decatur went aside with the Eng
ishman to arrange for the inevitable
duel. As the challenged party, the
americans had the right to make the
terms. Said Decatur when the others
were ready to hear him:
I'VE will 60 to the beach at sunrise
tomorrow morning. There we will
place our men back to back, and at
the word March, they shall each
march two steps and then whirl and
fire. There shall be only the one
word"
My God, man. said the English
second; that is clear murder"
Pardon me, said Decatur, "your
man Is an experienced duelist. He
has picked ont for his victim one OF
our young officers who has had nc
experience whatever BY the terms
that propose they will be placed as
nearly on an equal footing as is DOS
~lhle. However, sir, If you do not
wish to fight III that way, | will take
the place of the mIdshiplnan and meet
Your man on the usual terms at ter
PAGES.
And the Englishman chose to fight
the boy on the terms named rather
than face the experienced Decatur.
SO Decatur went on board ship. anC
taking Niidshipman Bainbridge OF
deck, placed him with a cooked bu
empty pistol in hand back to bacl
with shipmate, and said March :
cambridge marched two steps. whirl
eel on his heel in military fashion, ant
snapped the empty pistol at his ship
mate. Again he was placed in posi-
ton, and again he marched and tnrn
ed and snapped the pistol. And from
that time on he stood erect and march
ed and turned, again and again, the
whole night through; he was drilled
in his duty till he did it as mechanic
ally and with the accuracy of a clocl
that strikes the hour
And rs the sun was tinging the
morning sky he was placed back to
back with the professional duelist
Both marched at the word and both
turned, but because Bainbridge had
been trained by Stephen Decatur he
turned more swiftly than the enemy
and shot him dead
Let the reader decide for himself
whether that was not fight for the
honor of the flag.
An American lieutenant on golns
ashore was publicly insulted by 81,
British officers who were all challeng
ed by the American, and it WAS ar
ranged that he should meet one eacl
day at sunrise. should he survive lon.
enough. until he had had satisfaction
from them all. For four morning
the American lieutenant rode away t
the dueling ground, and each day rcd
back again leaving the Englishmen t
bring IN the dead body of their mar
But on the next morning. as he rod
out with the fifth. there being no on
in the party but the principals, th
seconds, and the surgeons, mob c