The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-09

1 From the Pittsburg Post
 l TN the early years of the United States 1 II navy dueling prevailed to an alarm S ing extent among the officers and men of the fleet. For any little offense the men would rush to arms, and num- Der of these duels resulted fatally. One of the most noted of the American naval affairs of honor was that fought be- tween Stephen Decatur and James Bar ron, both captains in the navy. Decatur was one of the most chivalrous men in the navy, and had several affairs of honor, the first being fought in 1799, when he was young lieutenant and at tached to the frigate United States. His 1 opponent was an officer on board an In dian ship. He fought four duels following l this, the last being his fatal duel with James Barron, in which Decatur was | slain on March 2, 1920
 ! The dueling ground was Bladensburg, not far from Washington, and the two men fought with pistols at eight paces. Capt. William Bainbridge was the sec ond for Decatur and Capt. Jesse D. Elliott the second for Barron. Several other gentlemen of the navy were wit nesses of the affair.
 l Before the duel began Barron remarked to his opponent: 'I hope, when we meet 1 in another world, we will be better friends than in this" to which Decatur replied:
 1T have never been your enemy, sir Nothing more was said.
 | At the first shot both fell. An eyewit- lness said that they, fired so near together that but one report was heard. Decatur
 was supported a short distance from where he fell, and sank down near his antagonist, who was severely and, as was supposed at the moment, mortally wounded.
 That a conversation occurred between them and that they exchanged forgive ness is certain. One of Decatur's friends
 went for carriage, into which Decatur was placed. About the ;sst words he ut
 tered were that the only sorrow he felt was that he had not died in the service of his country.
 For this duel there was very little cause. Decatur, as will be seen in the correspondence between the two men. dis
 
 claimed all personal animosity toward
 Barron. He claimed, for the good of the service Barron should not be readmitted, for as he put it in one of his letters to Barron: Between you and myself there never has been a personal difference; but
 I have entertained, and do still entertain the opinion that your conduct as an of icer, since the affair of the Chesapeake has been such as ought to forever bar your readmission into the service" 1r ; this view, he further declared, he be-
 lieved he was sustained by every officer
 "of our grade with single exception.
 Previous to the affair of honor Decatur
 told MT. Wirt that he did not wish tc
 meet Mir Barron. and that "the duel was
 forced upon me-" and it is said he as-
 sured Commodore Rodgers, on receiving the challenge, that nothing could induce
 him to take Barron's life.
 The whole trouble between vne swe
 men was brought about through severa
 individuals, ingenious in fomentng quar- hels for others. Though singular as il
 may seem, both men were opposed to
 dueling. Tn spite of the fact that Deca.
 bats, he excused himself to MT. Wirt by
 saying: Fighting is my profession, and lit would be impossible for me to keep my station and preserve my responsibility without showing myself ready at all times to answer the call of any one who } bore the name of gentleman
 At the time of the duel Decatur was