Evening star., 1920-11-28


principal in duel in 1899. when he
and involved i'll other disputes of
similar character in 1901 and 1903,
when he offered to fight the secretary
of the governor of Malta in place OF
William Bainbridge. a midshipman in
the United states Navy. who later
served as his own second at the fatal
Bladensburg duel. During the war OF
1912 Decatur made a written proposal
to Sir Thomas Hardy to fight naval
duel.
Two principal causes induced the
Decatur Barron duel, which had been
brewing for twelve years. First: In
June, 1897, Commodore Barron. In
command Of the Chesapeake, one OF
the first American men-of-war, sailed
from Norfolk for the Mediterranean
with British prisoners aboard. The
British ship Leopard had been on
guard and met the Chesapeake at sea-
with most Of his men; undisciplined
and his decks encountered with stores,
Barron was forced to haul down his
colors and allow the British officers
to board. This was one OF the causes
of the war with Great Britain. "A
i,rt-martial, Of which Decatur was
a. member. suspended Barron from the
service for five years without pay.
Second: Capt. Barron's suspension
ended five months before the outbreak
Of the war Of 1872. He was abroad.
Decatur and other officers In the
United States Navy considered Bar
ron'ss failure to return to this coun-
try and at once offer his services as
an unpardonable sin. So. when Barron
later applied for readmission into the
NAVY. he was opposed by Decatur,
who was then serving with ,Commo-
aores Rodgrs. and. Porter as q Navy
commissfHf.
.Barronzkrew bitter and blamed De
catur for his unenviable position ana
the aska be glances OF, his former
fellow of ters. a correspondence. IN
which Barron sought redress. contin-
uett for eighteen months, in the course
of, which Decatur wrote:
.1 should regret the necessity OF
fighting with any man, but, in my
opinion. the man who makes. arms nus
prof is not at liberty to decline
an invitation from any persons VINO Is
not SO far degraded as. to. be ,beneatn
his notice" He ended by saying that
IL Barroyf was SO eager for q nght ne
had missed some, fine chances in the
war of 1872. Finally Decatur wrote
to Barron that :if we Aght It must
be. OF your own. seekihg," and Barron
replied: 'If; you intended IL as a chai-
lenge, accept" y
In due time the meeting was arr
ranged. Decatur stole out Of his
home at daybreak. walked to Capitol
Hiii, whste he 6fe&kfSsteds with hts
and then they drove 70
each ~ Il other I, 8 shosa1y after ) o'clock. Tfey
fought With pfaols at eight PAGES. in
condescension to Barron's being near
sighted. Capt. william Bainbridxel
was Deeatnrss secDnd and Capt Jesse
o. Elliot was Barron.s second. Capts.
Rodgers and Porter were. witnesses. 4
Before the fire Barron expressed The
hope that on meeting In the next
world they would be better friends
than In this. Decatur, replied:
have never been your enemy. SIT. As
agreed at the word present: they
faced each other taking deliberate
two. three" neither. to fre before the
WORD "une" or after the word three"
They both fred 4t the word two"
and so close that only one report. was
heard. g - - = Al
Barron fell instantly with a wound
in his hip,>exactfy where Decatur had
confided to hts friends he; intendedf to
hit him. Decatur stood for q moment.
dropped his pistol and put his hand to
his right SIDE. Bainbridge sprang to
his friend and eased his fall The
surgeon found q cruel wound In his
abdomen. 'I am mortally wounded.
at least I think so., said Decatur.
''and wish had fallen in defense OF
my country" m
Eye witnesses have recorded that as
almos. touching. the duelists ex-
changed expressions Of mutual for
giveness. As Decatur was being
placed in his carriage Barron said:
Everything has been conducted in
the most honorable manner. and
forgive you from the bottom Of my
heart" On the drive home Decaturs
concern was principally for his wife.
Ignorant OF the tragedy being en-
acted, Mrs. Decatur was entertain
ing a party offriends at dinner. among
whom we're Dolly Madison and Mrs.
Richard Cults. mother of Mrs. stephen
A. Douglas. AS we sat laughing and
talking around the table" Mrs. Cults
related: 'the intelligence >of the COM
modore's death, was brought to us.
conscious upon the floor"
Decatur, suffered intensely until the
end came at 10:S0 that night. Attor-
ney General Writ. who knew in con-
hdence Of the difficulty, issued a for
NAL statement that Decatur had as
sured him he did not wish TO meet
Bafron and that "the duel had been
forced upon him."
In the national House Of Represent
atives uprose John Randolph Of Roa-
noke. Va. who six years later was to
meet Henry Clay on "the field Of hon.
or" and moved that Congress attend
the funeral in a body and wear Grape
for the rest of the session. The fu-
neral was headed by the Marine Corps,
led by its band. and a firing SQUAD.
Veteran naval officers who had fought
with Decatur and two generals Of the
Army were pallbearers. The casket
was followed by James Monroe. Pres
ident Of the United States, by the Su-
preme Court. headed. by the famous
John Marshall; by members Of the
cabinet. the Senate and House.
Barron was famed for life by Deca.
tur's bullet and never again trod the
quarter deck. He was assigned TO
shore duty and was still awaiting or
ders when death relieved him Of his
memories.
TWO OF the most extraordinary
men our country in its prodi-
gality' has produced" MET in mortal
combat. man to man, on the shore
Of the Potomac near Little FANS. just
as the sun was sinking behind the
blue hills OF Virginia, on April s,
1880. at 1870 pm. They were John
Randolph Of Roanoke. Va, who had
served with. distinction in the House
and was then one of the leaders in
the Senate. later was a. member of
the Virginia constitutional conven-
tion and the following year minister
to Russia. and Henry Clay of KEN
lucky. Secretary Of State. with a
notable record in Congress and three
times q candidate for the presidency.
It was ClAy's second duel, and in
each case it was he who sent the
challenge. In 1908 he had fought a