Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-22
Nim@ty-F owrth Anniversary
of Death of Stephen Decatur

to distinguish himself by adding to his
record of valor. He captured the Brit
ish frigate Macedonian after an engage
ment of less than two hours, with a loss
of men to the British ship of thirty-siX
killed and sixty-eight wounded, all of
whom but fifteen received mortal wounds,
while Decatur's official report stated that
the damage to his ship. the United
States, was not such as to render her
return to port necessary, and had l not
deemed it important that we should see
our prize in. should have continued our
cruise The loss to the United States
was five killed and seven wounded.
Honors were showered upon Decatur
A remarkable reception took place at
Washington when the captured flags ar
rived at the height of a ball given to the
officers of the navy. Congress voted
thanks and medal for this victory.
Virginia did the same, and New York and
other states and cities followed with the
same action.
Decatur also covered himself with honor
in closing the negotiations with the Bar
barry powers. Two squadrons were fitted
out and sent to tile Mediterranean inIme-
diately after peace was declared between
the United States and England.
The arrival of Decatur in the Guerricre.
his conquest of the Algerine squadron and
the terms of peace which he dictated are
familiar history. The American prison
ers were released, and after he had re
Tripoli he was given a royal reception b.
the King of Naples. Ten Christian slaves
We're liberated in Tripol in acknowlede-
ment of his peace policy and of these
family OF eight Sicilans were taken home
by their liberator to Syracuse.
Upon his return to the United States
and to Washington. Decatur took up du-
ties on the board of navy commissioners
and in this connection. his long disagree
ment with Commodore Barron, who had
not been recalled to duty after his sus-
pension because of the affair of the Ches-
apeake, was revived. Barron had alb
scented himself from the country and con-
sidered himself a misused man, and ac-
cordingly he offered Decatur a challenge.
Their correspondence continued over 4
number of months. during which time De-
catur wrote in his usual direct way his
Impotence of the whole affair. To
dueling itself, though he had engag ed in
several during the course of his lifetime,
he was Indifferent, explaining in one OF
his letters.
II do not think" he says, that fight
ing duels under any circumstances can
raise the reputation of any man, and
have long since discovered that it is not
even an unerring critic: ion of personal
courage. He also admits that the man
who makes arms his profession is not at
liberty to decline an invitation from any
person who is not so far degraded as to
be beneath his notice"
Hence in due time, a. the appointed
spot, Bladensburg, the meeting took
place. at eight PAGES with pistols. The
words "one two. three" were given by
cambridge and both men fired on the In
slant Barron received a painful wound
in the hip, while Decatur was struck In
the abdomen.
Decaturs death threw gloom over
Washington. The marriage of the young
daughter of President Monroe. which had
occurred during that week. was to have
been the occasion of much socis. enter
tanning. but all this was abando d