Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-05-03
BRAVE STEV n DECATUR
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Gus Turk, young J mes had one arm
disabled by q pist shot. He then
armed himself witt a pike, and soon
the other arm wal disabled from
sabre blow.
IL was in this c ndition, with both
arms. useless. that the saw his cap
tain endangered. dhd interposed his
own head to save, Decatur. Strange
to say the blow dhd no more injury
than to cut a deeA cash in his head.
James lived many years after his
captain met death in 1920 in a duel.
Decatur succeed4d in getting both
his prizes to the squadron.
Decaturs next engagement OF note
was in the war df 1912. when, in
command OF the frtgate United States.
he fought and captIu the Macedoni-
an, IS guns, Captain Garden. Decaturs
superior skill In manoeuvering his
ship ended the battle with compare
lively little damage, and only four kill
ed and seven wolnded, while the
Macedonian's masts were all shot
away, she had one hundred round shot
in her hull, and 10 st SO killed and Is
wounded.
Decatur refused to take Captain
Gardens sword, saying he would rath-
er take the hand Of SO brave an OFF,
Ger. Decatur conveyed his prize to
Newport through seas swarming with
British ships. Decatur then went TO
sen in the President, and fell in with
British fleet. Seding escape was i'm
possible he decided to give battle TO
the most formidable Of the feet in the
hope Of later escaping. After a hot
engagement in which he seriously dam
aged his opponent. Decatur made sail,
hoping for thick weather. However,
two of the enemy outdistanced him.
and rather than sdcrifice the lives Of
his crew, SURRENDERED.
After the battle it was found he
had struck the frigate Majestic.
that he had badly whipped the Endy-
mion. 40 guns, and that the other two
in the fleet were the Pomone, 3S
guns, and the TenRdos. as guns.
Decatur was pfroled and arrived
at New London, February %, 1915.
He was acclaimed q hero and placed
In a carraige and driven through the
streets by the people. On the declara-
ton of war with the Barbary powers
in 1915 Decatur Commanded one di-
vision Of the fleet sent to the Medi-
terranean. With the Guerriere, A
guns, he captured the Algerine ship
Mashouda, 46 guns, commanded by
Admiral Rails Ham,mida, the ranking
officer Of the Bey Gf Algiers, who was
killed early in the action.
Before leaving the United States
Commodore Bainbridge, in command
Of the entire squadron; Commodore
Decatur. and William Shaler. consul
general from the United States to
the Barbary powers, had been ap-
treaty of peace with the Bey Of AL
giers.
With the consul aboard his ship,
Decatur decided ntt to await the ar
rival Of Bainbridee, and forced the
Bey to sign the treaty that provided
that no more tribL Ltes be paid by the
United States, no Americans be en-
slaved, and all American vessels be
treated Hospitality s1nd their wants re-
lieved in any Alse1be port. Decatur
then n%Sas;sssal % the athss Bar
barry powers and forced them to sign
like treaties.
Commodore Decatur's brilliant
career was ended in a duel with James
Barron. a former naval officer. whose
reinstatement he had fought. De-
catur refused to shoot to kill Barron.
who sent a fatal bullet into the COM
modore. The duel took place near
Washington. March 20. 1920. AS he
lay on the field Of death Decatur ex-
claimed:
II am mortally wounded, at least I
believe so, and wish I had fallen in
defence Of my country"
or the forty-two years Of his life
twenty-five had been spent In the
naval service of his country. And
throughout that career his record had
been one Of splendid achievement,
daring. and an intense love Of coun-
try.
His name Is even now, almost a
century after his death, on the rolls
of the navy department, and in service
in the world conflict Is a destroyer
that bears his name. Deeds as heroic
as those that were recorded opposite
his name will be performed in the
present war, and 1t may fall to the
lot Of the young officers and crews
aboard the Destroyer Decatur to have
a share Of the plaudits.
II tradition counts for anything
and it has been rated as having a
high place in keeping the navy up to
a standard second to none-then the
boys" aboard the Decatur will be /
heard from before peace comes to the
world