The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-06-03

Wien he fell the nation sorrowed and
grirved This duel is said ITO have
been caused solely by gossip and
slander and came on without for
NAL challenge from either party
Commodore Decatur was a member
OF the court-martlal and voted TO
suspend Barron in 1907 for allowing
the crew OF the British ship Leonard
to board and search the frigate
Chesapeake, which Barron command
ed Commodore Decatur opposed
every apple alton I'm after years that
Barron made for restoration In rank.
and although Il is said Decatur acted
the part OF a true man at the court
martial and subsequently, neverthe-
less Barron naturally considered him
his enemy. Some one reported that
Barron had been challenged TO com
bat be Decatur Decatur denied the
report and wrote, IL do not think
that the fghting OF duels under any
circumstances can raise the reputa-
ton OF any man. and have long since
discovered that Il is not even an UNI
erring criterion OF personal courage"
From this report insults and cor
respondenCe accumulated The fol-
lowing is an extract from a letter or
Barron TO Decatur dated Nov ~,
| 1919 the original OF which is in the
possession OF Mrs. Jansy Hope Mari
OF Virginia.
You acknowledged that you had
formed and expressed an opinion un.
favorable to me and yet your con
science was made OF such pliable ma
a1 no
able Secretary OF the Navy was pleas
ed 10 insist on your serving as a
member OF the court-martial and be-
cause | did not protest against II, you
conceive that duty constrained you 10
take your seat as a member although
you were 20 act under the solemn
sanction of an oath TO render me i'm
partial justice upon the very testi-
mony from which you formed an un-
favorable opinion OF me. How such
conduct can be reconciled with the
principles OF common honor and JUS
tice Is To me inexplicable Under such
circumstances no consideration, no
power or authority on earth could or
ought to have forced any liberal,
high-minded man to sit in case in
which he had prejudice"
The final result was tnat these two
men. unQuestioned in courage and
holding the highest grade in the navy
at the time, stihed their better judg-
ment and on March %, 1920. took
their places, eight PAGES apart, on
the field at Bladenburg. Face TO face
they raised their pistols and took de-
liberate aim, although IL has been
claimed that Decatur intended only
to wound his opponent. The fact that
Barron was hit in the exact spot
Decatur had indicated seems to bear
out his claim. Commodore cambridge
was Decatur's second, while Capt.
Elliot acted for Barran.
Before the command to fire was
given Barron addressed Decatur:
sir, | hope on meeting in another
world we will be better friends than
In this
Decatur replied; Il have never
been your enemy, sir
Both fired at the same instant
Both fell. revived, forgave, regretted
the act and parted. Both were taken
TO Washington, Decatur TO his home
near Washington Square. where he
soon died Barron, after eighteen
days of convalescence, removed to
Hampton, Va.
Superstitious Negroes who live near
the ground believe that II is haunted
by the spirits OF the men who fell
there Until the Civil war meetings
We're held there, but since then there
have been no hostile encounters.