Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-11

within SO feet OF the goal there fell a
! dread and tragic calm The voice OF
the watch. harsh with suspicion. now
called them to stand off, bat the ltal-
ian pilot answered quickly with the
glib story that they had lost their
anchor. and might they run a warp 10
the Philadelphia, and ride by her for
! the night?
Under cover of his cabhlc boat
Slipped to the fOreChainS with rope,
and even as the startled Arab sounded
tthe alarm. the Intrepid drew along
side. and Decatur and his men came
leapinS over the rail like wildcats.
Such was the fury of the attack
that victory was a matter of minutes,
half of the startled crew taking to the
water.
For moment Decatur thrilled to
the thought of sailing the Philadelphia
out of the harbor. but the danger OF
recapture held him back, and racing
over the dead that Uttered the deck.
the youthful Conquerors set fire to the
doomed frigate in a score of places
Pointing the guns straight at the
castle. in the hope that their last vol
ley might carry an American message,
the signal for retreat found flames
bursting through the matches and lick
ing at the rigging. Still the calm
held and it was with feverish haste
that they pushed off and manned the
ketch's sweeps, for at any second the
fire might reach the Philadelphia s
magazines.
This peril past. there was the CANT
let of the batteries and the cruisers.
In the glare of the burning vessel, the
Intrepid was a fair mark, and every
convulsive staggev was through a hail
of lead; vet when they won the open
sea at last-free of that hell of roar
and shot--not a man had suffered NOR
tai injury
And as they shouted their defiance.
a column of flame shot to the sky, a
mighty explosion shook earth and sea.
and looking down from the shattered
walls upon a wreck-strewn harbor, the
Bashaw ordered lashes for the min
lister who had assured him that Amer
leans were sheep, afraid to fight.
No less than Nelson led the world
in praise, declaring it 1.-The most bold
and daring act of the age" and Com
modore Preble expressed the love and
admiration of the fleet when he wrote
the President asking that the young
lieutenant be promoted to post-captain
Every heart now burned with conf
dence and high resolve, and it was in
a spirit of almost laughable assurance
that the shabby, hodge-podge fleet
came again before Tripoh. A frigate.
three briggs, three schooners, six gun
boats and two bombards, borrowed
from the King of Naples-small won.
der the Bashaw permitted himself a
return to insolence.
X X
THE ships, drawing in as close as
the reefs allowed, began eXchang-
ing fire with the shore batteries, and
Decatur. proud in his new command,
led a division of three gunboats to
the harbor mouth. Out to meet him
charged six of the enemy, all manned
twice as heavily. and he saw straight
way that his one chance was to come
to close quarters.
Crying an order to unship the bow.
spirits and board. he urged his men to
the oars, and locked in a death grip
with the leading gunboat. Outnum-
bered two to one. and fighting in the
hand-to-hand fashion that the Turks
and Arabs were assumed to prefer, the
Americans asked no quarter and gave
none. Pixies, axes and cutlasSes were
the weapons-no room for pistols
and step by step Decatur and his men
swept the deck
Looking up from his own victory, he
rejoiced at sight of gallant Trippe in
possession of another gunboat, but
anxiety seized him Is he saw the craft
commanded by his brother James.
coming slowly away from its grapple.
All too soon an officer called the tragic
news across the bloody water. De-
ceived by feigned surrender. James
had been shot through the head by the
Turkish captain as he stepped on
board
1t was as though the heart had been
torn from Decatur's breast. James,
the apple of his eye, his mothers eve
lamb that she had put in his care.
There in the distance laughed the as
sassin. and with a shout that was half
sob. Decatur ordered pursuit. What
mattered ii that the bulk OF the crew