Naval officer; born in Sinnepuxent, Md., Jan. 5, 1779; died near
Washington, D. C., March 22, 1820; entered the United States navy as a midshipman April 30, 1798, and rose to
captain in 1804.
His first notable exploit was the destruction of the
Philadelphia in the harbor of
Tripoli, in the
Preble Expedition, for which Congress gave him thanks, a sword, and promotion.
the
Philadelphia had chased a Tripolitan ship into the harbor in front of that town, and struck upon a rock not laid down on the charts.
Fast bound, she was captured by the Tripolitans, and
Captain Bainbridge and his officers were made prisoners of war, and the crew were made slaves.
Decatur caught a Tripolitan ketch laden with maidens, whom the Bashaw was sending to the Sultan at
Constantinople as a present.
The captured ketch was taken into the
United States service and renamed the
Intrepid.
In her
Decatur and seventy-four brave young men sailed for
Tripoli, accompanied by the
Siren, under
Lieutenant (afterwards
Commodore)
Stewart.
On a bright moonlit evening they sailed boldly into the harbor, warped alongside the
Philadelphia, sprang on board, and after a fierce struggle all the Tripolitans were killed or driven into the sea, the
Philadelphia was set on fire, and the
Intrepid was towed out of the harbor by the boats of the
Siren.
The Bashaw was greatly alarmed by this display of American energy and boldness, and acted with more caution in the future.
Decatur commanded a division of gunboats in the attack on
Tripoli, Aug. 3, 1804.
In this action
Decatur commanded a gunboat, which he laid alongside of a large Tripolitan war-ship, which he captured after a brief struggle.
Immediately boarding another vessel,
Decatur had a desperate personal struggle with the commander.
The fight was brief but deadly.
Decatur slew his antagonist, and the vessel was captured.
The
Americans withdrew, but four days later renewed the conflict, which was indecisive, but on Aug. 24 and 28, and Sept. 3,
Preble repeated the attack, and on the night of Sept. 4 the
Intrepid, under
Captain Somers as a fire-ship, was lost in the attack, with all on board.
In command of the frigate
United States,
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Decatur captured the frigate
Macedonian, Oct. 25, 1812, for which Congress gave him a gold medal.
the
Macedonian was a new ship, rated at thirty-six, but carrying forty-nine guns.
She was badly cut in the fight, and
Decatur thought best to order his prize to
Newport, while he returned in the
United States to New London.
Both vessels sailed into New York harbor on New Year's Day, 1813.
The Corporation gave
Decatur the “freedom of the city,” and requested his portrait for the picture-gallery in the City Hall, where it still hangs.
In January, 1815, after a running fight, the
President, his flagship, was captured by a British squadron;
and a few months later he was sent to the Mediterranean, and compelled the government of
Algiers to relinquish its barbarous conduct towards other powers and to pay for American property destroyed (see
Algiers). He was appointed a navy commissioner in November, 1815, and made his residence in the fine mansion of
Kalorama, about a mile from
Georgetown, built by
Joel Barlow.
Decatur had opposed the reinstatement of
Barron to his former position in the navy, and a duel was the consequence.
They fought at the famous duelling-ground near
Bladensburg, when
Decatur was mortally wounded, and was taken to
Washington.
Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer wrote to his wife from that city, on March 20, 1820, as follows: “I have only time, after
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writing to several, to say that an affair of honor took place this morning between
Commodores Decatur and
Barron, in which both fell at the first fire.
The ball entered
Decatur's body two inches above the hip and lodged against the opposite side.
I just came from his house.
He yet lives, but will never see another sun.
Barron's wound is severe, but not dangerous.
The
ball struck the upper part of his hip and turned to the rear.
He is ruined in public estimation.
The excitement is very great.”
Decatur died March 22, and his remains were taken from the house in
Washington to
Kalorama by the following officers:
Commodores Tingey,
Macdonough,
Rodgers, and
Porter,
Captains Cassin,
Ballard, and
Chauncey,
Generals Brown and
Jesup, and
Lieutenant McPherson.
The funeral was attended by nearly all the public functionaries in
Washington, American and foreign, and a great number of citizens.
While the procession was moving minute-guns were fired at the navyyard.
His remains were deposited in
Joel Barlow's vault at
Kalorama, where they remained until 1846, when they were taken to
Philadelphia and reinterred, with appropriate ceremonies, in St. Peter's cemetery.
Over them a beautiful monument, delineated in the accompanying engraving, was erected.
