Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-05-03
Brave STEPHEN DECATUR
Famous Soldier Who Made nIs-
tory.
Cleaned OUT TRlPOLITAN PIRATES
A Name that Won Fame in the Early
Days Of the American Navy, and
Which 10 Still Hold in High Honor
in tho Records Of His Country.
ISSUED by the Navy League Of the Unit
ed States, l20i--l6th street, Wsshinston.
d. CO.

Our country, In her intercourse
with foreign nations may she always
be In the right; but our country. right
or wrong"
This toast, given In Norfolk. Va. In
April, 1915. BY Stephen Decatur. was
the keynote Of an ideal that made
him one OF the most famed charac-
tiers in naval history. Decaturs career
was filled TO overfiowing with re-
markable deeds that rang loud with
bravery. an absolute disregard OF per-
sonal safety and a cleverness and in
genuity that invariably resulted in
notable victories.
| Decatur was born in 1879 and en-
tered the navy as n midshipman In
Il79S. Five years later he began n
career that made the young officer
permanent place in the front rank OF
history.
| Ordered TO the Mediterranean to join
Commodore Preble's squadron. Decatur
took command M lieutenant OF the
Enterprise and proceeded to Syracuse.
There he learned that the frigate
Philadelphia. commanded by Captain
cambridge, had run ashore In the har-
hor OF Tripoli and had been captured
by the Tripolitans.
| Commodore Preble determined to
destroy the Philadelphia AZ she lay
at anchor, having been refioated BY
the Tripolitans. Lieutenant Decatur
volunteered his services to command
this daring expedition. He disguised
the Intrepid. which he had captured
from the enemy. and accompanied by
the Siren, Lieutenant Charles Stew
art as a support and to cover his re-
treat, made the venture with VOL
unteer crew Of seventy men.
| The Philadelphia was protected by
the guns of the pasha's castle, by the
neighboring forts. and was surrounded
by all the gunboats Of the enemy's
hotilla. The Philadelphia was a fri
gate of A guns, but her armament had
been destroyed by Captain Bainbridge
before her capture.
| In the little Intrepid. which mounted
only four guns. Decatur, with his crew
disguised with Maltese caps. crept into
the dark harbor. They passed the
battery. gained the side OF the Phila-
delphia. and in the language OF tho
Tripolitans asked the officer Of the
captured ship for permission to run
ashore to the frigate. az they had lost
their anchors In the stt m.
! 4peeaaaa aass4eetel tel.p-eede eieA--s-Assss
manned to carry the hawser to the
frigate. A boat from the Philadelphia
was sent out to help them, and soon
brought the Intrepid alongside the
Philadelphia Suddenly they were dis
covered and q cry went up "Ameri-
canos."
Decatur's order Board" rang out
and with Lieutenant Morris leaped
upon the deck of the Philadelphia The
crew, each armed with cutlass and
pistol. followed and the Tripolitan
crew, panic stricken, leaped overheard.
Within few minutes the Philadel-
phia was blaze of fire. Decatur was
the last to leave the frigate and swung
from the rail into the rigging Of the
Intrepid as she veered off to escape.
The shore batteries and gunboats
opened fire, but only one shot struck
the ship. No lives were lost and only
four men were wounded.
Lord Nelson, then commanding the
English feet or Toulon. declared the
exploit as "the most bold and daring
act of the age"
For this gallant achievement. De-
catur was made post captain. and In
the attack on Tripoli in the spring OF
llS05 was given command OF one d.
vision made up OF gunboats loaned by
the king OF Naples.
AS Decatur led his division under
the fire of the batteries, Commodore
Preble, fearing he could not stand
such fire, attempted to order him to
withdraw, but found no signal for
that order in the code. Therefore, De-
Icatur continued to meet the enemy
gunboats. He rccaptured his first
adversary with but little fighting,
and was about to carry OF his prize
when he learned that his brother.
Lieutenant James Decatur. had been
killed treacherously by the captain OF
a boat who. after, striking his flag TO
the American. shot his captor as he
stepped aboard his prize.
Captain Decatur, finding that the
lcowardly Turk had escaped with his
gunboat. pushed farther within the
lenemys lines and reached the vessel
at the head OF eleven Americans. all
OF the crew he had left after man.
ming his prize. For twenty minutes
the contest was doubtful. and all Of
the Americans were by now severely
wounded. Decatur ordered the cap
tain left for him. The Turk was arm
ed with an espontoon, Decatur with a
cutlass, and In attempting to cut of
the head OF his antagonists weapon,
his sword was broken OF close to the
hilt.
AZ the Turk closed on him, Decatur
slightly wounded on the arm and
breast, grappled with him and they
fell to the deck, Decatur on top. AZ the
Turk drew a dagger Decatur shot him
dead. In the meantime the crews.
coming to the assistance Of their COM
manders. engaged In a death struggle
and when Decatur attempted to rise
he found himself pinned down by the
dead sailors.
One Of the enemy crew. seeing an
opening in the fighting mass, raised
his sword to cleave the skull Of the
American officer. AS the sword swept
downward another head was showed In
its course. and Decatur. having time
to use a pistol clear. shot the Tripoli-
tan.
The hero that interposed his own
head IN saye tho life NJ Decatur was