The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-10
PRIZE FIGHT VS.. DUEL
Reno ARRAY Recalls Memorable DecaturBannOn Encounter
at BIadensburg

house Of Decatur stands. so brief out
line Of the facts may be interesting.
Five years before the war with Eng
land called that Of 1912. Commander Bar
ron set out from Hampton Roads In MS
vessel. the Chesapeake. in sight Of Deca-
tur and the feet assembled there. II
was supposed TO be time of peace ana
there was not gun aboard Barrons
vessel fit for service; IL was the Dag
ship It was suddenly boarded on the
ocean by a boat from the British ship
Leopard, demanding the surrender Of
three British sailors. The Leopard
opened fire on the defenseless Chesa-
peake and killed some and wounded many
and secured the sailors asked for. The
affair set the country in blaze. and it
is said IN the pages OF history that be-
cause the administration was unready
for a war a victim was offered the peo-
pie in Commander Barron. His personal
bravery had been so conspicuous and his
bearing so sailor-lis1e that the court
martial could only convict him on his
misfortune OF being "unready for action"
and suspended him for five years without
pay.
Decatur took a leading part against
him both in and out of court; many have
thought because II was at the moment
the popular thing TO do Barron went
abroad In the merchant service TO earn
his bread and Decatur was given his
ship and hoisted the conmodore's PEN
nant. War with Great Britain came to
a head while Barron was In exile, De-
catur went buoyantly up from victory TO
victory. and in 1918 on Barron's return
he was Commissioner OF the Navy and
the most-sought after person Of his day.
Every success gave him added grace OF
manner and the French and Irish blood
| in his veins tempered with the stability
Of TIE American fluid made him, from all
accounts. amost charming person
On the other hand Barron's exile had
pot sweetsned his temper. and physical
/ inirmity and poverty, coupled with the
ever present sense OF injustice. had shat
tered his nerve. SO he became 10 all who
| would listen TO him that unpleasant be-
ing, a man with a grievance BaTron's
father had been a gallant officer and Bar
ron's own service had been brilliant, so
on the strength OF these facts and his
sentence having been served out Barron
made application for active service.
Someone said he had ambitions toward
the fine ship Columbus. and the command
OF the Mediterranean squadron; so De-
catur was stimulated by pride Of con-
quest TO resist Barron's request, and he
induced Porter and Rodgers, who were
also commissioners with him. to join in
the opposition. So Barron's request was
denied and the ship given 10 BaipbEidge.
friend of Deeatur's. Not content with
Shocking Barron's ambition Decatur
4 seems to have circulated stories to Bar
ron's dlscredit and declared his conduct
during the period OF exile. was such as
ought TO bar his readmission 70 the ser
vice.
Barron answered the charges by let
ter, and long and pitiful correspondence
was maintained IN which Decatur was
exasperadngly cool and Barron showed
a sort OF irritated entreaty-Barron
seemed begging Decatur for a chance 10
take place in the world, and Decatur
IN the pride of his own success showing
contempt for the under dog. Barron at
|
said he, Barron, could be insulted with
impunity," then the duel. had TO come.
Decatur was playing TO his audience.
doubtless, at heart, as his last words
prove that he did rot want 20 further
Punish the fallen foe Had there been no
public. 1t is more than probable the c0un-
try would not have lost the services OF
these men. Public sentiment was veer-
ing around to Barron at the time of the
fight. for the persecution had been so
long. and many thought so needless, but
Decatur's death restored him to the
niche he had occupied earlier in his ca
reer, and poor Barron. always unlucky.
had to drag out a broken life long after
his prosecutor was sleeping peacefully
ont on Kalorama's slopes.
When these two men who had faced
a common enemy shoulder to shoulder
stood face to face for the last time, Bar
ron said. Com. Decatur. when We meet
in Heaven I hope We will be better
friends than we have been in this World .
and Decatur answered, Il have never
been your enemy. 4; Then when Barron
lay torn Dy Decatur bullet ne exclaimed,
81 am mortally wounded; everything has
been accomplished in the most honorable
manner; 1 forgive you. Decatur. from the
bottom Of my heart" and Decatur echoed
Barrons words so far as the forgiveness
was concerned, showing that as man 70
man there was not enough bitterness OF
feeling to have led to the field Of
honor" but that for the sake of the
public and for the applause Of the popu-
lace the dreadful tragedy was enacted.
There is no dueling in the country in
these more kindly days, and though the
veneer Of our civilization got some bad
cracks In 1t few days ago. the veheer
is only cracked. 1t is not torn away as
q the days when it was the fashion to
observe the code.