The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-04-19

"Our country! In her intercourse
with foreign nations may she always
be m 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
characters in naval history. Deca-
tur's career was filled to overlooking
with remarkable deeds that rang loud
with bravery, an absolute disregard
pf personal safety, and cleverness
and ingenuity that invariably result
I'D in notable victories.
Decatur was born in 1779 and en-
tered the navy as a midshipman in
79S. Five years later began career
hat made the young officer a perma-
hent place in the front rank of his
Tory.
Ordered to the Mediterranean to
DIN Commodore Prebles squadron,
Decatur took command as a lieuten-
int of the Enterprise and proceeded
10 Syracuse. There he learned that
he frigate Philadelphia, commanded
by Captain Cambridge, had run
shore in the haribor Of Tripoi and
had been captured by the Tripoli-
ans.
Commodore Preble determined to
destroy the Philadelphia as she lay
t anchor, having been relocated by
he Tripolitans. lieutenant Decatur
Volunteered his services to command
his daring expedition. He disguised
he Intrepid, which he had captured
rom the enemy, and accompanied by
he Siren, Lieutenant Charles Stew
rt as q support and to cover his re
reat, made the venture with a VOL
lnteer crew of 70 men.
The Philadelphia was protected by
Ne guns of the pasha's castle, by the
leighboring forts, and was SURROUND
ID by all the gurboats of the enemy $
iotilla- The philadelphia was fr1s-
tie of a guns, but her armament had
been destroyed by Captain BAN
Fridge before her capture
In the little Intrepid, which mount
ID only four guns, Decatur, with his
rev dS<sguised with Maltese caps,
rept into the dark harboT. They
PASSED the battery, g&ined the side OF
he hPilaaefphia, and in the Language
# the Tripolitans asked the officer Oh
he captured ship for permission TO
nm q. hawser to the frigate, as they
ad lost their anchors in the storm.
Decatur quietly ordered a boat
manned to carry the 11awselr to the
igate. A boat from the Philadelphia
vas sent out to help them. and soon
rougbt the Intrepid alongside the
Philadelphia. Suddenly they were
discovered and a cry went UP Amer
canos''
Decatur's order "FBoard'' rang out
nd with Lieutenant Morris leaped
non the deck of the Philadelphia
NE crew, each armed with cutasS
nd uistol. followed and the Tripoll-
an crew, panic stricken, leaped over
oard.
Within a few minutes the Phifanel-
hia was q. blaze of fire. Decatur
gas the last to leave the friga4e and
wpug from the rail into the rigging
f the Intrepid as she veereh off to
scape. The shore batteries and gun
'oats opened fire, but only one sffot
ank the ship, No lives were lost
nd only four men were wounded.
Lord Nelson, then commanding the
English fleet of Toulon, declared tine
xplost as 1.-The most bold and daring
ct of the age"
For this gallant achievement Deca-
ur was made post-captain, and In
he attack on Trtpoh in the spring OF
Sos was given command OF one ID
ision made up of gunboats loaned
" the King of Naples.
AS Decatur led his division under
ne fire of the batteries Commodore
>reO,le. fearing he could not stand
uch fire, attempted to order him tc
withdraw, but found no signal tor
hat order in the code. therefore
Decatur continued to meet the enemy
unboats He captured his first ad-
ersary with but little fighting, and
Eas about to carry off his prize wher
a learned that his brother, Lieuten-
Mt James Decatur, had been killed
reacherously by the captain of a boa'
yho, after striking his flag to tht
merican, shot his captor as he
tepped aboard his prize.
Cartain Decatur, finding that the
owardly Turk had escaped with hi
unboat, pushed farther within the
nemy's lines, and reached the veSse
the head of IL Americans, all o.
he crew he had left after manning
is prize. For 20 minutes the contes
yas doubtful, and all of the Amerl
ans were by now severely wounded
Decatur ordered the captain left 10
i'm. The Turk was armed with al
spontoon, Decatur with cutlass
nd in attempting to cut off the hea'
4 his antagonists weapon, his sWor'
ras broken off close to the hilt.
As the Turk closed on him Decs
ur. slightly wounded on the arm an
breast, grappled with him and the
ell to the deck Decatur on top. A
he Turk drew a dagger Decatur sht
him dead. In the meantime tn
rews coming to the assistance of the
commanders, engaged in a deaf
struggle and when Decatur attemp@a
o rise he found himself pinned dow
by the dead sailors.
One Of the enemy crew, seeing a
opening in the fighting mass, raise
his sword to cleave the skull of Il
american oliver. AS the swol
wept downward another head W;
,hoved in it's course, and Decatu
having time to get his revolver clea
hot the fripolitan.
The hero that interposed his ov
head to save the life of Decatur, vi
Reuben James, a red headed, freck
aced youngster who had been wi
Decatur in the destruction of Il
Philadelphia, and who loved his cor
nander with a sort of slavelike