The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1911-11-18

chors. and sharp cry. "Americanos!" was raised.
Even at that the crew, lying in the shadows on
the nearby deck, did not move.
moment later, those same bewiidered TURKS
behed the 1.-THE body of man, leaping cathke
for the Philadelphias chainplate. The man was
Decatur, and as he clambered up the side OF the
frigate he gave orders that transformed the
tranquil deck of the merchantmen into what ap-
peared like ant hill, suddenly aroused. Long
before the men on the Philadelphia began to I'M
derstand the meaning of those forms that ap
peared to grow, mushroom-like, out OF the shad-
owy decy, they were confronted by heads and
bodies that emerged from the ports and swarmed
the rail. 1t was like the mystic spell OF
some weird magician, undertaking human beings
out of empty space, and In another moment the
terrified Turks rushed, panic-stricken to the star
board side Of the ship AS the Americans dashed
after them, they flung themselves overheard and
began to swim for shore. Fromthe quarterback.
Decatur sent up rocket to announce to Captain
Stewart, board sthe Siren, that the ship had
been captured, and before the Sirens rocket
could reply the flames were seen leaping up from
every part of the ill-starred Philadelphia. AS
swiftly as they had boarded her, the Americans
departed, dropping back to the deck Of the ketch
and cutting loose. The engagement had lasted
but twenty-five minutes
shout from Decatur dispatched dozen men,
with swords. to cut the entangling ropes and
mighty shove sent the ketch out of reach of the
roaring flames. In another instant the sweeps
had been manned, and succession of long oar
strokes carried the craft we'll out into the chan
mel of the treacherous harbor. Now the men
could hold in no longer, and mighty shout OF
triumph arose, shout that drowned in the
roar of the batteries, for the sleepy gunners
had been startled into activity by the sight OF
the burning Philadelphia. Two corsairs and a
galley gave chase and the surface OF the water
was torn by rapid succession of explosions, as
the fire in the burning frgate reached her bat
terfes. By strange freak Of the wind, the
flaming hull was shifted around and poured a
terrific broadside directly into the town-the
American warship's almost human retaliation up
her hated captors. From their prison win
dows. Captain cambridge and the 300 men who
had been captured on that proud ship.
watched with mingled joy and grief the work OF
the destruction. At least the Philadelphia would
not serve as the enemy's slave.
In veritable rain of shot and shell, that sent
brilliant jets of umined water all about her, the
Intrepid dashed out of the harbor. joined the
Siren and Set sail for Syracuse. She had not
lost single man, and only one member of her
crew had need for the surgeons aid The Tri-
politans lost twenty in addition to those un-
numbered victims who had retreated to the
depths Of the burning ship. When the story OF
the adventure told aboard, the pirate nations
along the northern coast OF Africa sat up In wild
eyed amazement This was not the sort of thing
they had been accustomed to. The war had |
dragged along for almost three years and nothing
much had happened They began to ask VINO
this Stephen Decatur was ana Sslittie while later
they had reply when one OF their commanding I
officers under pretense Of surrender. boarded the /
ship commanded by Decatur's brother and MUIR
dered him. No sooner had the news OF this das-
tardly act come to the newly appointed captain
that he made of for his dead brothers. ship. en-
gagged the murderous Turk In q handto-hand
hgnt bore him. struggling and pleading for
mercy. to the deck and ran him through with
h}c CHI unrd fbn
have at hand when the death OF his brother was
reported to him.
Without waiting to wash the blood from his
hands, he gave orders for the occupation Of the
Turks ship, and that night he joined the Amer
can feet with two captured vessels.
1t is commonly asserted that piracy extin
su1sned by the drubbing he gave TripoH in 1905;
but this is by no means true We we're immune
rom molestation, because the Barbary states had
earned to fear and respect u.s.