Stephen Decatur Jr. (; January 5, 1779 – March 22, 1820) was an American naval officer and
commodore
Commodore may refer to:
Ranks
* Commodore (rank), a naval rank
** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom
** Commodore (United States)
** Commodore (Canada)
** Commodore (Finland)
** Commodore (Germany) or ''Kommodore''
* Air commodore ...
. He was born on the eastern shore of
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
in
Worcester County. His father,
Stephen Decatur Sr., was a commodore in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
who served during the
American Revolution
The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...
; he brought the younger Stephen into the world of ships and sailing early on. Shortly after attending college, Decatur followed in his father's footsteps and joined the U.S. Navy at the age of nineteen as a
midshipman
A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Afr ...
.
Decatur supervised the construction of several U.S. naval vessels, one of which he later commanded. Promoted at age 25, he is the youngest man to reach the rank of
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
in the history of the United States Navy. He served under three presidents, and played a major role in the early development of the U.S. Navy. In almost every theater of operation, Decatur's service was characterized by acts of heroism and exceptional performance. His service in the U.S. Navy took him through both
Barbary Wars
The Barbary Wars were a series of two wars fought by the United States, Sweden, and the Kingdom of Sicily against the Barbary states (including Tunis, Algiers, and Tripoli) of North Africa in the early 19th century. Sweden had been at war with ...
in North Africa, the
Quasi-War
The Quasi-War (french: Quasi-guerre) was an undeclared naval war fought from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States. The ability of Congres ...
with France, and the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
with Britain. He was renowned for his natural ability to lead and for his genuine concern for the
seamen under his command. His numerous naval victories against Britain, France and the Barbary states established the United States Navy as a rising power.
During this period he served aboard and commanded many naval vessels and ultimately became a member of the
Board of Navy Commissioners
The Board of Navy Commissioners was a United States Navy administrative body in existence from 1815 to 1842, with responsibility for the navy's material support. The three-member Board was created as part of an expansion of the U.S. Navy Departme ...
. He built a large home in
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, known as
Decatur House
Decatur House is a historic house museum at 748 Jackson Place in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It is named after its first owner and occupant Stephen Decatur. The house (built, 1818) is located at the northwest corner of L ...
, on
Lafayette Square, and was the center of Washington society in the early 19th century. He became an affluent member of Washington society and counted
James Monroe
James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was ...
and other Washington dignitaries among his personal friends.
Decatur's career came to an early end when he was killed in a duel with Commodore
James Barron
James Barron (September 15, 1768 – April 21, 1851) was an officer in the United States Navy. He served in the Quasi-War and the Barbary Wars, during which he commanded a number of famous ships, including and . As commander of the frigate , h ...
. They fought after he refused to retract remarks he had made about Barron's conduct in the
''Chesapeake''–''Leopard'' affair in 1807. Decatur emerged as a national hero in his own lifetime, becoming the first post–
Revolutionary War hero. His name and legacy, like that of
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-American naval captain who was the United States' first well-known naval commander in the American Revolutionary War. He made many friends among U.S political elites ( ...
, became identified with the United States Navy.
Early life and education
Decatur was born on January 5, 1779, in
Sinepuxent, Maryland Sinepuxent or Sinepuxent Town was a village in Worcester County, Maryland, located on Sinepuxent Neck across Sinepuxent Bay from the barrier island of Assateague. The village was destroyed by a hurricane in 1818 and never rebuilt. Its location ar ...
, to
Stephen Decatur Sr.
Stephen Decatur Sr. (June 1751 – November 11, 1808) was an American privateer in the American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War and later in the Quasi-War was commissioned as a captain in the United States Navy. He was the father of ...
, a merchant captain and later an officer in the young American navy during the
American Revolution
The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...
, and his wife Ann (Pine) Decatur. The family of Decatur was of French descent on Stephen's father's side, while his mother's family was of Irish ancestry. His parents had arrived from
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
just three months before Stephen was born, having to flee that city during the American Revolution because of the British occupation. They later returned to the same residence they had once left in Philadelphia and Decatur grew up there, eventually graduating from the Episcopal Academy.
Decatur came to love the sea and sailing in a roundabout manner. When Stephen was eight years old, he developed a severe case of
whooping cough
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis or the 100-day cough, is a highly contagious bacterial disease. Initial symptoms are usually similar to those of the common cold with a runny nose, fever, and mild cough, but these are followed by two or ...
. In those days, a supposed tonic for this condition was exposure to the salt air of the sea. It was decided that Stephen Jr. would accompany his father aboard a
merchant ship
A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which are u ...
on his next voyage to Europe. Sailing across the
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
and back proved to be an effective remedy, and Decatur came home completely recovered. In the days following young Stephen's return he was jubilant about his adventure on the high sea and spoke of wanting to go sailing often. His parents had different aspirations, especially his mother who had hopes that Stephen would one day become an
Episcopal clergyman, and tried to discourage the eight-year-old from such jaunty ambitions, fearing such would distract Stephen from his studies.
Decatur attended Woodbury Academy in
Woodbury, New Jersey
Woodbury is the county seat of Gloucester County, New Jersey, Gloucester County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the South Jersey region of the state. . At the direction of his father, Decatur attended the
Episcopal Academy
The Episcopal Academy, founded in 1785, is a private, co-educational school for grades Pre-K through 12 based in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Prior to 2008, the main campus was located in Merion Station and the satellite campus was located in D ...
, at the time an all-boys school that specialized in Latin, mathematics and religion; however, Decatur had not applied himself adequately, and barely graduated from the academy. He then enrolled for one year at the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
in 1795, where he better applied himself and focused on his studies. At the university, Decatur met and became friends with
Charles Stewart and
Richard Somers
Richard Somers (September 15, 1778 – September 4, 1804) was an officer of the United States Navy, killed during an assault on Tripoli during the First Barbary War.
Early career
Born at Great Egg Harbor, New Jersey, he attended the Episc ...
, who would later become naval officers themselves.
Decatur found the
classic studies prosaic and life at the university disagreeable, and at the age of 17, with his heart and mind set on ships and the sea, discontinued his studies there. Though his parents were not pleased with his decision, they were apparently wise enough to now let the aspiring young man pursue his own course through life.
[ Lewis, 1937, p. 7.] Through his father's influence, Stephen gained employment at the shipbuilding firm of Gurney and Smith, business associates of his father, acting as supervisor to the early construction of the frigate . He was serving on board this vessel as a midshipman when it was launched on May 10, 1797,
[ Bradford, 1914, p. 42.] under the command of
Commodore John Barry.
[ Tucker, 2004, pp. 10–11.]
Pre-commission
In the years leading up to the
Quasi-War
The Quasi-War (french: Quasi-guerre) was an undeclared naval war fought from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States. The ability of Congres ...
, an undeclared naval war with the revolutionary
French Republic
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
(
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
) involving disputes over U.S. trading and shipping with Britain, the
U.S. Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and an upper body, ...
passed the '
Act to provide for a Naval Armament' on March 27, 1794. The act provided for the commissioning of
six frigates for the Navy. It was promptly signed by
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
that same day. There was much opposition to the bill, and it was amended and allowed to pass with the condition that work on the proposed ships would stop in the event that peace with the
Pasha of Algiers was obtained. Construction of the six new American
frigate
A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat.
The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...
s was progressing slowly when, because of a peace accord with Algiers in March 1796, work was halted. After some debate and at the insistence of President Washington, Congress passed an act on April 20, 1796, allowing the construction and funding to continue, but only on the three ships nearest to completion at the time: , and .
In 1798,
John Barry obtained Decatur's appointment as midshipman on ''United States'', under Barry's command. Barry was a veteran and hero of the Revolutionary War and was Decatur's good friend and mentor. Decatur accepted the appointment on May 1.
During his early naval career Decatur learned the arts of naval war under Barry, and also James Barron, both of whom took a liking to Decatur.
To ensure his son's success in his naval career, the senior Decatur hired a tutor, Talbot Hamilton, a former officer of the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
, to instruct his son in navigational and nautical sciences. While serving aboard ''United States'' Decatur received what was the equivalent to formal naval training not only from Hamilton but through active service aboard a commissioned ship, which is something that distinguished the young midshipman from many of his contemporaries. He also had a talent for drawing ships and designing and building ship models and when time allowed would also pursue this hobby.
Quasi-War
![USS Constellation](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/USS_Constellation.jpg)
Once the United States won its independence and no longer had the protection of Britain, it was faced with the task of protecting its own ships and interests. There were few American ships capable of defending the American coastline, much less of protecting
merchant ships
A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which are us ...
at sea and abroad. The few warships that were available were converted into merchant ships. The French in particular were outraged that America was still involved in trading with Britain, a country with whom they were at war, and because of American refusal to pay a debt that was owed to the French crown, which had just been overthrown by the newly established French Republic. As a result, France began intercepting American ships that were involved in trading with Britain.
[ Guttridge, 2005, p. 30.] This provocation prompted President
Adams to appoint
Benjamin Stoddert
Benjamin Stoddert (1751 – 18 December 1813) was the first United States Secretary of the Navy from 1 May 1798 to 31 March 1801.
Early life and education
Stoddert was born in Charles County, Maryland in 1751, the son of Captain Thomas Stoddert. ...
as the first Secretary of the Navy. Stoddert immediately ordered his senior commanders to "subdue, seize and take any armed vessel or vessels sailing under the authority or pretense of authority, from the French Republic."
At this time, moreover, America was not even ranked with European naval forces.
On May 22, 1799, Decatur was promoted to lieutenant by President
John Adams
John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Befor ...
after serving for more than a year as midshipman aboard the frigate ''United States''. While ''United States'' was undergoing repairs Decatur received orders to remain in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
to recruit and assemble a crew for the vessel. While there, the
chief mate
A chief mate (C/M) or chief officer, usually also synonymous with the first mate or first officer, is a licensed mariner and head of the deck department of a merchant ship. The chief mate is customarily a watchstander and is in charge of the shi ...
of an
Indiaman
East Indiaman was a general name for any sailing ship operating under charter or licence to any of the East India Company (disambiguation), East India trading companies of the major European trading powers of the 17th through the 19th centuries ...
, using foul language, made several derogatory remarks about Decatur and the U.S. Navy, apparently because he had lost some of his crew to Decatur's recruiting efforts. Decatur remained calm and left the scene without further incident. When he related the matter to his father, however, Captain Decatur stressed that the honor of the family and of the Navy had been insulted and that his son should return and challenge the chief mate to a duel. Stephen's friend and shipmate, Lieutenant Somers, was sent ahead with a letter from Decatur asking if an apology could be obtained from the man. Refusing to apologize, the chief mate instead accepted Decatur's challenge and secured a location for the duel. Decatur, being an expert shot with a pistol, told his friend Lieutenant
Charles Stewart that he believed his opponent not to be as able and he would thus endeavour to only wound his opponent in the hip, which is exactly how the duel turned out. The honor and courage of both duelists having been satisfied, the matter was resolved without a fatality.
By July 1, 1799, ''United States'' had been refitted and repaired and commenced its mission to patrol the south Atlantic coast and
West Indies
The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...
in search of French ships which were preying on American merchant vessels. After completing this mission the ship was taken to
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
, for minor repairs and then set sail for
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...
, arriving on September 12. While the ship was berthed there, Commodore Barry received orders to prepare for a voyage to transport two U.S. envoys to Spain and on December 3 sailed on ''United States'' for
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
via England. During the crossing the ship encountered
gale force
The Beaufort scale is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. Its full name is the Beaufort wind force scale.
History
The scale was devised in 1805 by the Irish hydrographer Francis Beaufort ...
winds, and at their insistence the two envoys were dropped off at the nearest port in England. Upon returning home and arriving on the
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...
on April 3, 1800, it was discovered that ''United States'' had incurred damage from the storms she had weathered at sea. Consequently, the vessel was taken up the Delaware to
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located within the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, it is the only city in Delaware County and had a population of 32,605 as of the 2020 census.
Incorporated in 1682, Chester is ...
, for repairs. Not wanting to remain with ''United States'' during the months of repairs and outfitting, Decatur obtained a transfer to the brig under the command of Thomas Calvert. In May the ''Norfolk'' sailed to the West Indies to patrol its waters looking for French privateers and
men-of-war
The man-of-war (also man-o'-war, or simply man) was a Royal Navy expression for a powerful warship or frigate from the 16th to the 19th century. Although the term never acquired a specific meaning, it was usually reserved for a ship armed w ...
. During the months that followed 25 armed enemy craft were captured or destroyed. With orders to rendezvous with merchantmen bound for America, ''Norfolk'' continued on to
Cartagena (Colombia)
Cartagena ( , also ), known since the colonial era as Cartagena de Indias (), is a city and one of the major ports on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region, bordering the Caribbean sea. Cartagena's past role as a link ...
with orders to escort the ships back to the United States, protecting them from pirates and privateers.
Decatur transferred back to ''United States'' by June 1800; with extra guns and sails and improved structure the refurbished ship made her way down the Delaware River. Aboard ship at this time were Decatur's former classmates Lieutenant
Charles Stewart and Midshipman
Richard Somers
Richard Somers (September 15, 1778 – September 4, 1804) was an officer of the United States Navy, killed during an assault on Tripoli during the First Barbary War.
Early career
Born at Great Egg Harbor, New Jersey, he attended the Episc ...
, along with Lieutenant
James Barron
James Barron (September 15, 1768 – April 21, 1851) was an officer in the United States Navy. He served in the Quasi-War and the Barbary Wars, during which he commanded a number of famous ships, including and . As commander of the frigate , h ...
.
Following the Quasi-War, the U.S. Navy underwent a significant reduction of active ships and officers; Decatur was one of the few selected to remain commissioned. By the time hostilities with France came to a close, America had a renewed appreciation for the value of a navy. By 1801 the American Navy consisted of 42 naval vessels, three of which were , ''Constellation'' and .
First Barbary War
![Barbary coast3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Barbary_coast3.jpg)
The first war against the
Barbary States was in response to the frequent piracy of American vessels in the
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...
and the capture and
enslavement
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
of American crews for huge ransoms. President
Jefferson Jefferson may refer to:
Names
* Jefferson (surname)
* Jefferson (given name)
People
* Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States
* Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...
, known for his aversion to standing armies and the navy, acted contrary to such sentiment and began his presidency by sending U.S. naval forces to fight the Barbary states rather than continue paying huge annual tributes to the
petty
Petty may refer to:
People
* Bruce Petty (born 1929), Australian political satirist and cartoonist
* Bryce Petty (born 1991), American football player
* Dini Petty (born 1945), Canadian television and radio host
* Eric D. Petty (born 1954), Amer ...
North African kingdoms. On May 13, 1801, at the beginning of the war, Decatur was assigned duty aboard the frigate to serve as the first lieutenant. ''Essex'', bearing 32 guns, was commanded by
William Bainbridge
William Bainbridge (May 7, 1774July 27, 1833) was a Commodore in the United States Navy. During his long career in the young American Navy he served under six presidents beginning with John Adams and is notable for his many victories at sea. He ...
and was attached to Commodore
Richard Dale
Richard Dale (November 6, 1756 – February 26, 1826) was an American naval officer who fought in the Continental Navy under John Barry and was first lieutenant for John Paul Jones during the naval battle off of Flamborough Head, England against ...
's squadron which also included , ''President'' and . Departing for the Mediterranean on June 1, this squadron was the first American naval squadron to cross the Atlantic.
On July 1, after encountering and being forestalled by adverse winds, the squadron sailed into the Mediterranean with the mission to confront the
Barbary pirates
The Barbary pirates, or Barbary corsairs or Ottoman corsairs, were Muslim pirates and privateers who operated from North Africa, based primarily in the ports of Salé, Rabat, Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli, Libya, Tripoli. This area was known i ...
. Arriving at
Gibraltar
)
, anthem = " God Save the King"
, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
, image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg
, map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe
, map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green
, mapsize =
, image_map2 = Gib ...
, Commodore Dale learned that
Tripoli
Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to:
Cities and other geographic units Greece
*Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece
* Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece
* Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...
had already declared war upon the United States. At this time there were two Tripolitan warships of sizable consequence berthed in Gibraltar's harbour, but their captains claimed that they had no knowledge of the war. Dale assumed they were about to embark on the Atlantic to prey on American merchant ships. With orders to sail for
Algiers
Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques ...
,
Tunis
''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois
, population_note =
, population_urban =
, population_metro = 2658816
, population_density_km2 =
, timezone1 = CET
, utc_offset1 ...
and Tripoli, Dale ordered that ''Philadelphia'' be left behind to guard the Tripolitan vessels.
In September 1802, Decatur transferred to the 36-gun frigate as 1st Lieutenant under Commodore
James Barron
James Barron (September 15, 1768 – April 21, 1851) was an officer in the United States Navy. He served in the Quasi-War and the Barbary Wars, during which he commanded a number of famous ships, including and . As commander of the frigate , h ...
. While en route to Tripoli the five-ship squadron to which ''New York'' was attached encountered gale-force winds, lasting more than a week, which forced the squadron to put up in
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
. While there Decatur and another American officer were involved in a personal confrontation with a British officer which resulted in Decatur returning to the United States. There he took temporary command of the newly built 18-gun
brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...
which he sailed to Gibraltar, relinquishing command of the ship upon arrival to Lieutenant
Isaac Hull. In exchange Decatur was given command of ''Enterprise'', a 12-gun
schooner
A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoon ...
.
On December 23, 1803, ''Enterprise'' and confronted the Tripolitan
ketch
A ketch is a two- masted sailboat whose mainmast is taller than the mizzen mast (or aft-mast), and whose mizzen mast is stepped forward of the rudder post. The mizzen mast stepped forward of the rudder post is what distinguishes the ketch fr ...
''Mastico'' sailing under
Turkish colors, armed with only two guns and sailing without passports on her way to
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
from Tripoli. On board were a small number of Tripolitan soldiers. After a brief engagement Decatur and his crew captured the ship, killing or wounding the few men defending the vessel. After its capture the small ship was taken to
Syracuse
Syracuse may refer to:
Places Italy
*Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa''
*Province of Syracuse
United States
*Syracuse, New York
**East Syracuse, New York
**North Syracuse, New York
*Syracuse, Indiana
* Syracuse, Kansas
*Syracuse, Miss ...
, condemned by
Commodore Preble as a legitimate
prize of war
A prize of war is a piece of enemy property or land seized by a belligerent party during or after a war or battle, typically at sea. This term was used nearly exclusively in terms of captured ships during the 18th and 19th centuries. Basis in inte ...
, and given a new name, .
Burning of USS ''Philadelphia''
![Capture Philadelphia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Capture_Philadelphia.jpg)
On October 31, 1803, ''Philadelphia'', under the command of Commodore
William Bainbridge
William Bainbridge (May 7, 1774July 27, 1833) was a Commodore in the United States Navy. During his long career in the young American Navy he served under six presidents beginning with John Adams and is notable for his many victories at sea. He ...
, ran aground on an uncharted reef (known as Kaliusa reef) near Tripoli's harbor. After desperate and failed attempts to refloat the ship she was subsequently captured and her crew imprisoned by Tripolitan forces. After coming up with an elaborate plan, Decatur sailed for Tripoli with 80 volunteers (most of them being U.S. Marines) intending to enter the harbor with ''Intrepid'' without suspicion to board and set ablaze the frigate ''Philadelphia'', denying its use to the corsairs. , commanded by Lieutenant
Charles Stewart, accompanied ''Intrepid'' to provide supporting fire during and after the assault. Before entering the harbor eight sailors from ''Syren'' boarded ''Intrepid'', including
Thomas Macdonough
Thomas Macdonough, Jr. (December 31, 1783 – November 10, 1825) was an early-19th-century Irish-American naval officer noted for his roles in the first Barbary War and the War of 1812. He was the son of a revolutionary officer, Thomas Macdonou ...
who had recently served aboard ''Philadelphia'' and knew the ship's layout intimately. Decatur established a close friendship with Macdonough and became his mentor during the course of their careers.
On February 16, 1804, at seven o'clock in the evening under the dim light of a waxing crescent moon, ''Intrepid'' slowly sailed into Tripoli harbor. Decatur's vessel was made to look like a common merchant ship from Malta and was outfitted with
British colours. To further avoid suspicion, on board were five Sicilian volunteers including the pilot
Salvatore Catalano, who spoke
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
. The boarding party remained hidden below in position, prepared to board the captured ''Philadelphia''. The men were divided into several groups, each assigned to secure given areas of the ship, with the additional explicit instruction of refraining from the use of firearms unless it proved absolutely necessary. As Decatur's ship came closer to ''Philadelphia'', Catalano called out to the harbor personnel in Arabic that their ship had lost its anchors during a recent storm and was seeking refuge at Tripoli for repairs. By 9:30 p.m. Decatur's ship was within 200 yards of ''Philadelphia'', whose
lower yards were now resting on the deck with her foremast missing, as Bainbridge had ordered it cut away and had also jettisoned some of her guns in a futile effort to refloat the ship by lightening her load.
![Burning of the uss philadelphia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Burning_of_the_uss_philadelphia.jpg)
As Decatur approached the berthed ''Philadelphia'' he encountered a light wind that made his approach tedious. He had to casually position his ship close enough to ''Philadelphia'' to allow his men to board while not creating any suspicion. When the two vessels were finally close enough, Catalano obtained permission for Decatur to tie ''Intrepid'' to the captured ''Philadelphia''. Decatur surprised the few Tripolitans on board when he shouted the order "board!", signaling to the hidden crew below to emerge and storm the captured ship. Without losing a single man, Decatur and 60 of his men, dressed as Maltese sailors or Arab seamen and armed with swords and boarding
pikes, boarded and reclaimed ''Philadelphia'' in less than 10 minutes, killing at least 20 of the Tripolitan crew, capturing one wounded crewman, and forcing the rest to flee by jumping overboard. Only one of Decatur's men was slightly wounded by a
sabre
A sabre ( French: sabʁ or saber in American English) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the early modern and Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such as th ...
blade. There was hope that the small boarding crew could launch the captured ship, but the vessel was in no condition to set sail for the open sea. Decatur soon realized that the small ''Intrepid'' could not tow the larger and heavier warship out of the harbor. Commodore Preble's order to Decatur was to destroy the ship where she berthed as a last resort, if ''Philadelphia'' was unseaworthy. With the ship secure, Decatur's crew began placing combustibles about ''Philadelphia'' with orders to set her ablaze. After making sure the fire was large enough to sustain itself, Decatur ordered his men to abandon the ship and was the last man to leave ''Philadelphia''. As the flames intensified, the guns aboard ''Philadelphia'', all loaded and ready for battle, became heated and began discharging, some firing into the town and shore batteries, while the ropes securing the ship burned off, allowing the vessel to drift into the rocks at the western entrance of the harbor.
While ''Intrepid'' was under fire from the Tripolitans who were now gathering along the shore and in small boats, the larger ''Syren'' was nearby providing covering fire at the Tripolitan shore batteries and gunboats. Decatur and his men left the burning vessel in Tripoli's harbor and set sail for the open sea, barely escaping in the confusion. With the cover of night helping to obscure the enemy gunfire, ''Intrepid'' and ''Syren'' made their way back to Syracuse, arriving February 18. After learning of Decatur's daring capture and destruction of ''Philadelphia'' without suffering a single fatality, British Vice Admiral Lord
Horatio Nelson
Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was a British flag officer in the Royal Navy. His inspirational leadership, grasp of strategy, and unconventional tactics brought abo ...
, who at the time was blockading the French port at
Toulon
Toulon (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Tolon , , ) is a city on the French Riviera and a large port on the Mediterranean coast, with a major naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and the Provence province, Toulon is th ...
, is said to have stated it was "the most bold and daring act of the Age." Decatur's daring and successful burning of ''Philadelphia'' made him an immediate national hero in the US.
Appreciation for the efforts of Preble and Decatur was not limited to their peers and countrymen. At
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
, Decatur was praised and dubbed "Terror of the Foe" by the local media. Upon hearing the news of their victory in Tripoli,
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII ( it, Pio VII; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. Chiaramonti was also a m ...
publicly declared that "the United States, though in their infancy, had done more to humble and humiliate the anti-Christian barbarians on the African coast in one night than all the European states had done for a long period of time." Upon his return to Syracuse, Decatur resumed command of ''Enterprise''.
Second attack on Tripoli
![Decatur Boarding the Tripolitan Gunboat](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Decatur_Boarding_the_Tripolitan_Gunboat.jpg)
With the significant victory achieved with the burning of ''Philadelphia'',
Preble now had reason to believe that bringing Tripoli to peaceful terms was in sight. Preble planned another attack on Tripoli and amassed a squadron consisting of the frigate ''Constitution'', the brigs ''Syren'', ''Argus'' and , and the schooners , and ''Enterprise'', towing gunboats and ketches.
For the coming attack Preble borrowed six gunboats from
King Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I ( es, Fernando I; 10 March 1503 – 25 July 1564) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1556, King of Bohemia, Hungary, and Croatia from 1526, and Archduke of Austria from 1521 until his death in 1564.Milan Kruhek: Cetin, grad izbornog sabo ...
of the Two Sicilies who was also at war with Tripoli. Light vessels with shallow drafts were needed to make their way about in the shallow and confined waters of Tripoli's harbor. Making their way into the west end of Tripoli harbor, they began bombarding Tripoli on August 3, 1804.
[ Symonds and Clipson, 2001, p. 30.]
Preble divided his gunboats into two divisions, putting Decatur in command of the second division. At 1:30 Preble raised his signal flag to begin the attack on Tripoli. It was elaborate and well planned with brigs, schooners and bomb ketches coming into the attack at various stages. The Tripolitan
pasha
Pasha, Pacha or Paşa ( ota, پاشا; tr, paşa; sq, Pashë; ar, باشا), in older works sometimes anglicized as bashaw, was a higher rank in the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, gener ...
,
Murad Reis, was expecting the attack and had his own gunboats lined up and waiting at various locations within the harbor.
Throughout the month of August 1804 Preble used these gunboats to launch a series of furious attacks on Tripoli, forcing the residents to flee into the country-side. During this time Decatur in command of the gunboats captured three Tripolitan gunboats and sank three others.
The Tripolitans also inflicted considerable damage on some of the attacking vessels; Decatur's ship was struck with a 24-pound shot through her hull above the waterline. Before the battle ended , commanded by
Isaac Chauncey
Isaac Chauncey (February 20, 1772 – January 27, 1840) was an American naval officer in the United States Navy who served in the Quasi-War, The Barbary Wars and the War of 1812. In the latter part of his naval career he was President of th ...
, arrived on the scene. On board the vessel were official documents promoting Decatur to the rank of
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
. ''John Adams'' also brought news that, upon the loss of the frigate ''Philadelphia'', the government was sending four additional frigates, ''President'', , ''Constellation'' and ''Essex'', to Tripoli with enough force to convince the Pasha of Tripoli that peace was his only viable alternative. Because Preble's rank was not high enough for this command ''John Adams'' also brought the news that he would have to surrender command to Commodore Barron.
The fighting between the squadrons and the bombarding of Tripoli lasted three hours, with Preble's squadrons emerging victorious. However, success and promotion were overshadowed by an unfortunate turn of events for Decatur. During the fighting Decatur's younger brother,
James Decatur, in command of a gunboat, was mortally wounded by a Tripolitan captain during the boarding of a vessel feigning surrender. Midshipman Brown, who was next in command after James, managed to break away from the ambushing vessel and immediately approached Decatur's gunboat bringing the news of his brother's fatal injury. Decatur had just captured his first Tripolitan vessel and upon receiving the news turned command of his captured prize over to Lieutenant
Jonathan Thorn
Jonathan Thorn (8 January 1779 – 15 June 1811) was a career officer of the United States Navy in the early 19th century.
Early life and Naval career
Born on 8 January 1779 at Schenectady, New York, during the Revolutionary War, Thorn was ...
and immediately set out to avenge his brother's treacherous injury. After catching up with and pulling alongside the Tripolitan ship, Decatur was the first to board the enemy vessel with Midshipman Macdonough at his heels along with nine volunteer crew members. Decatur and his crew were outnumbered 5 to 1 but were organized and kept their form, fighting furiously side by side. Decatur had little trouble singling out the corsair captain, the man responsible for James' mortal wound, and immediately engaged the man. He was a large and formidable man in Muslim garb, and armed with a boarding pike he thrust his weapon at Decatur's chest. Armed with a
cutlass
A cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket-shaped guard. It was a common naval weapon during the early Age of ...
Decatur deflected the lunge, breaking his own weapon at the hilt. During the fight Decatur was almost killed by another Tripolitan crew member, but his life was spared by the already wounded
Daniel Frazier, a crewman who threw himself over Decatur just in time, receiving a blow intended for Decatur to his own head. The struggle continued, with the Tripolitan captain, being larger and stronger than Decatur, gaining the upper hand. Armed with a dagger the Tripolitan attempted to stab Decatur in the heart, but while wrestling the arm of his adversary, Decatur managed to take hold of his pistol and fired a shot
point-blank
Point-blank range is any distance over which a certain firearm can hit a target without the need to compensate for bullet drop, and can be adjusted over a wide range of distances by sighting in the firearm. If the bullet leaves the barrel paral ...
, immediately killing his formidable foe. When the fighting was over, 21 Tripolitans were dead with only three taken alive.
Later James Decatur was taken aboard ''Constitution'' where he was joined by his brother Stephen, who stayed with him until he had died. The next day, after a funeral and military ceremony that was conducted by Preble, Stephen Decatur saw his brother's remains committed to the depths of the Mediterranean.
When a good number of days passed without the reinforcements of ships promised by president
Jefferson Jefferson may refer to:
Names
* Jefferson (surname)
* Jefferson (given name)
People
* Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States
* Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...
, the attack on Tripoli was renewed by
Preble on August 24. As the days passed, Tripoli showed no signs of surrender, which now prompted Preble to devise another plan. ''Intrepid'', the same ship that captured ''Philadelphia'', was loaded with barrels of gunpowder and other ordnance and sent sailing into a group of Tripolitan vessels defending the harbor, commanded by Lieutenant Richard Somers, with Midshipman Henry Wadsworth and eleven volunteers. The plan was to place the ketch amidst the Tripolitan ships, light the fuzes, and evacuate to ships awaiting their return at the harbor entrance, but somehow the plan went awry, exploding prior to arriving at its target, killing all aboard. The siege of the harbor and Tripoli, with the momentous capture of the fortress of Derna by US Marines ("the shores of Tripoli") proved successful and ultimately caused the Bashaw of Tripoli to consider surrender and the return of American prisoners held captive, including Commodore Bainbridge of ''Philadelphia'', who had been held prisoner since October 1803 when that ship was captured after running aground near Tripoli harbor. On June 4, 1805, the Bashaw of Tripoli finally surrendered and signed a peace treaty with the United States.
Command of USS ''Constitution''
![Constitution1803](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Constitution1803.jpg)
Shortly after his recapture and destruction of ''Philadelphia'', Decatur was given command of the frigate ''Constitution'', a post he held from October 28 to November 9, 1804. Upon the day of Decatur's return with ''Intrepid'',
Commodore Preble wrote to Secretary of the Navy
Benjamin Stoddert
Benjamin Stoddert (1751 – 18 December 1813) was the first United States Secretary of the Navy from 1 May 1798 to 31 March 1801.
Early life and education
Stoddert was born in Charles County, Maryland in 1751, the son of Captain Thomas Stoddert. ...
recommending to President Jefferson that Decatur be promoted to captain. Decatur was promoted to captain with the date of rank February 16, 1804. He was promoted to captain at the age twenty-five, largely for his daring capture and destruction of ''Philadelphia''
in Tripoli's harbor, making him the youngest man ever to hold the rank.
On September 10, 1804,
Commodore Barron arrived at Tripoli with two ships, ''President'' and ''Constellation'', whereupon Commodore Preble relinquished command of his blockading squadron to him. Before returning to the United States he sailed to Malta in ''Constitution'' on September 14, so it could be caulked and refitted. From there he sailed to Syracuse in ''Argus'', where on September 24 he ordered Decatur to sail this vessel back to Malta to take command of ''Constitution''. From here Decatur sailed ''Constitution'' back to Tripoli to join ''Constellation'' and ''Congress'', the blockading force stationed there now under the command of Commodore Barron. On November 6, he relinquished command of ''Constitution'' to Commodore
John Rodgers John Rodgers may refer to:
Military
* John Rodgers (1728–1791), colonel during the Revolutionary War and owner of Rodgers Tavern, Perryville, Maryland
* John Rodgers (naval officer, born 1772), U.S. naval officer during the War of 1812, first ...
, his senior, in exchange for the smaller vessel ''Congress''. In need of new sails and other repairs Rodgers sailed ''Constitution'' to Lisbon on November 27, where it remained for approximately six weeks.
Marriage
On March 8, 1806, Decatur married Susan Wheeler, the daughter of Luke Wheeler, the mayor of
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
. She was well known for her beauty and intelligence among Norfolk and Washington society. They had met at a dinner and ball held by the mayor for a
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
n ambassador who was in the United States negotiating peace terms for his country's recent defeat at
Tunis
''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois
, population_note =
, population_urban =
, population_metro = 2658816
, population_density_km2 =
, timezone1 = CET
, utc_offset1 ...
under the silent guns of
John Rodgers John Rodgers may refer to:
Military
* John Rodgers (1728–1791), colonel during the Revolutionary War and owner of Rodgers Tavern, Perryville, Maryland
* John Rodgers (naval officer, born 1772), U.S. naval officer during the War of 1812, first ...
and Decatur. Before marrying Susan, Decatur had already vowed to serve in the U.S. Navy and maintained that to abandon his service to his country for personal reasons would make him unworthy of her hand. Susan was once pursued by Vice President
Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr Jr. (February 6, 1756 – September 14, 1836) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805. Burr's legacy is defined by his famous personal conflict with Alexand ...
and
Jérôme Bonaparte
Jérôme-Napoléon Bonaparte (born Girolamo Buonaparte; 15 November 1784 – 24 June 1860) was the youngest brother of Napoleon I and reigned as Jerome Napoleon I (formally Hieronymus Napoleon in German), King of Westphalia, between 1807 and 1 ...
, brother to
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
, both of whom she turned down. For several months after their marriage the couple resided with Susan's parents in Norfolk, after which Stephen received orders sending him to Newport to supervise the building of gunboats.
[ Lewis, 1937, p. 89.] The couple never had children during their fourteen years of marriage.
[ Tucker, 1937, p. 174.]
Supervision of shipbuilding
In the spring of 1806, Decatur was given command of a squadron of
gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.
History Pre-steam ...
s stationed in the
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the ...
at Norfolk, Virginia, the home of his future wife, Susan Wheeler. He had long requested such an assignment; however, one of his colleagues believed that his request was also motivated by a desire to be close to Wheeler. While stationed here Decatur took the opportunity to court Miss Wheeler, whom he would soon marry that year. After their marriage in March, Decatur lived with his wife's family in Norfolk until June when Secretary of the Navy
Robert Smith gave him orders to supervise the building of four gunboats at Newport, Rhode Island, and four others in Connecticut of which he would later take command. Having drawn many illustrations of and designed and built many models of ships, along with having experience as a ship builder and designer from when he was employed at Gurney and Smith in 1797 while overseeing the construction of the frigate ''United States'', Decatur was a natural choice for this new position. Decatur and his wife Susan lived together all through this period.
[ Tucker, 1937, p. 11.]
''Chesapeake''–''Leopard'' affair
![Leopardchesapeake](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Leopardchesapeake.jpg)
After overseeing the completion of gunboats, Decatur returned to Norfolk in March 1807 and was given command of the
Naval Yard at Gosport. While commissioned there he received a letter from the residing British consul to turn over three deserters from the British ship ''Melampus'' who had enlisted in the American Navy through
Lieutenant Arthur Sinclair, who was recruiting crew members for ''Chesapeake'', which was at this time in Washington being outfitted for its coming voyage to the Mediterranean. Since the recruiting party was not under the command of Decatur, he refused to intervene. Sinclair also declined to take any action, claiming that he did not have the authority or any such orders from a superior officer. The matter was then referred to the British minister at Washington, a Mr. Erskine, who in turn referred the matter to the Navy Department through Commodore Barron, demanding that the three deserters be surrendered to British authority. It was soon discovered that the deserters were American citizens who had been impressed into the Royal Navy, and since the existing American treaty with Britain only pertained to criminal fugitives of justice, not deserters in the military, Barron accordingly also refused to turn them over.
Soon thereafter ''Chesapeake'' left Norfolk, and after stopping briefly at Washington for further preparations, set sail for the Mediterranean on June 22. In little time she was pursued by , which at the time was part of a British squadron in
Lynnhaven Bay. Upon closing with ''Chesapeake'', Barron was hailed by the captain of ''Leopard'' and informed of a demand from Vice-Admiral Humphreys that ''Chesapeake'' be searched for deserters. Barron found the demand extraordinarily bold. When he refused to surrender any of his crew, ''Leopard'' soon opened fire on ''Chesapeake''. Having just put to sea, ''Chesapeake'' was not prepared to do battle and was unable to return fire. Inside twenty minutes, three of her crew were killed and eighteen wounded. Barron struck the ship's colors and surrendered his ship, whereupon she was boarded and the alleged deserters were taken into British custody. News of the incident soon reached President Jefferson, the Department of the Navy and Decatur, who was outraged, was the one who was first confronted with the matter. The incident soon came to be referred to as the
''Chesapeake''–''Leopard'' affair, an event whose controversy would lead to a duel between Barron and Decatur some years later, as Decatur served on Barron's
court-martial
A court-martial or court martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of memb ...
and later was one of the most outspoken critics of the questionable handling of ''Chesapeake''.
[ Toll, 2006, p. 470.]
Command of USS ''Chesapeake''
![USSChesapeake](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/USSChesapeake.jpg)
On June 26, 1807, Decatur was appointed to command ''Chesapeake'', a 38-gun frigate, along with command of all gunboats at Norfolk. ''Chesapeake'' had just returned to Norfolk after repairs to damage incurred during the ''Chesapeake''–''Leopard'' affair. Commodore Barron had just been relieved of command following his court martial over the incident. Decatur was a member of that court martial, which had found Barron guilty of "unpreparedness", barring him from command for five years. Consequently, Barron's previous orders to sail for the Mediterranean were canceled and ''Chesapeake'' was instead assigned to Commodore Decatur, with a squadron of gunboats, to patrol the
New England
New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
coast enforcing the
Embargo Act
The Embargo Act of 1807 was a general trade embargo on all foreign nations that was enacted by the United States Congress. As a successor or replacement law for the 1806 Non-importation Act and passed as the Napoleonic Wars continued, it repr ...
throughout 1809. Unable to command, Barron left the country for
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
and remained there through the War of 1812. Before Decatur assumed command of ''Chesapeake'' he learned from observers, and then informed the Navy Secretary, that the British ships and were lightening their ballasts to prepare for a blockade at Norfolk.
During this segment of his life, Decatur's father, Stephen Decatur Sr., died in November 1808 at the relatively young age of 57, with his mother's death following the next year. Both parents were buried at
St. Peter's Church in Philadelphia.
Command of USS ''United States''
![USSUnitedStates1797](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/USSUnitedStates1797.jpg)
In May 1810 Decatur was appointed commander of ''United States'', a heavy frigate with 44 guns. This was the same vessel that he supervised the building of while employed at Gurney and Smith, and the same ship, then under the command of
John Barry, on which he had commenced his naval career as midshipman in 1798. The frigate had just been commissioned and was outfitted and supplied for service at sea. After taking command of ''United States'', now the rallying point of the young American Navy, Decatur sailed to most of the naval ports on the
eastern seaboard and was well received at each stop. On May 21, 1811, he sailed ''United States'' from Norfolk along with on assignment to patrol the coast, returning to Norfolk on November 23 of that year. In 1812 he sailed with ''Argus'' and ''Congress'' but were soon recalled upon receiving news about the outbreak of war with Britain. There Decatur joined Captain
John Rodgers John Rodgers may refer to:
Military
* John Rodgers (1728–1791), colonel during the Revolutionary War and owner of Rodgers Tavern, Perryville, Maryland
* John Rodgers (naval officer, born 1772), U.S. naval officer during the War of 1812, first ...
, commander of ''President'' and his squadron. On this cruise Rodgers failed to accomplish his mission of intercepting the fleet of English West-Indiamen. On August 31, Decatur sailed ''United States'' to Boston. On October 8, he sailed a second cruise with Rodgers' squadron.
War of 1812
![Stephen Decatur npcc 19686](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Stephen_Decatur_npcc_19686.jpg)
The desire for expansion into the
Northwest Territory
The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was formed from unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolutionary War. Established in 1 ...
, the capture and impressment of American citizens into the Royal Navy along with British alliance with, and recruitment of, American Indian tribes against America, were all events that led into the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
. Intended to avoid war, the
Embargo Act
The Embargo Act of 1807 was a general trade embargo on all foreign nations that was enacted by the United States Congress. As a successor or replacement law for the 1806 Non-importation Act and passed as the Napoleonic Wars continued, it repr ...
only compounded matters that led to war. Finally on June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on Great Britain. By 1814 Britain had committed nearly 100 warships along the American coast and other points. Consequently, the war was fought mostly in the naval theater where Decatur and other naval officers played major roles in the success of the United States' efforts during this time.
Upon the onset of the war President
James Madison
James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for hi ...
ordered several naval vessels to be dispatched to patrol the American coastline. The U.S. flagships ''President'', ''Essex'' and the ''Hornet'' were joined in lower
New York harbor
New York Harbor is at the mouth of the Hudson River where it empties into New York Bay near the East River tidal estuary, and then into the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of the United States. It is one of the largest natural harbors in t ...
by ''United States'' commanded by Decatur, ''Congress'', and ''Argus''. Secretary of State
James Monroe
James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was ...
had originally considered a plan that would simply use U.S. naval vessels as barriers guarding their entrances, but the unpopular plan never materialized.
Three days after the United States declared war against Britain, a squadron under the command of Commodore
John Rodgers John Rodgers may refer to:
Military
* John Rodgers (1728–1791), colonel during the Revolutionary War and owner of Rodgers Tavern, Perryville, Maryland
* John Rodgers (naval officer, born 1772), U.S. naval officer during the War of 1812, first ...
in ''President'', along with Commodore Stephen Decatur of ''United States'', ''Argus'', ''Essex'' and ''Hornet'', departed from the harbor at New York City. As soon as Rodgers received news of the declaration of war, fearing that the order to confine naval ships to port would be reconsidered by Congress, he and his squadron departed New York bay within the hour. The squadron patrolled the waters off the American upper east coast until the end of August, their first objective being a British fleet reported to have recently departed from the West Indies.
''United States'' captures ''Macedonian''
![BirchBattleBetweenTheUnitedStatesAndTheMacedonian](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/BirchBattleBetweenTheUnitedStatesAndTheMacedonian.jpg)
Rodgers' squadron again sailed on October 8, 1812, this time from Boston, Massachusetts. Three days later, after capturing ''Mandarin'', Decatur separated from Rodgers and his squadron and with ''United States'' continued to cruise eastward. At dawn on October 25, five hundred miles south of the
Azores
)
, motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace")
, anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores")
, image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg
, map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union
, map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
, lookouts on board reported seeing a sail 12 miles to windward. As the ship slowly rose over the horizon, Captain Decatur made out the fine, familiar lines of , a British frigate bearing 38 guns.
''Macedonian'' and ''United States'' had been berthed next to one another in 1810, in port at Norfolk, Virginia. The British captain
John Carden bet a fur
beaver hat
A beaver hat is a hat made from felted beaver fur. They were fashionable across much of Europe during the period 1550–1850 because the soft yet resilient material could be easily combed to make a variety of hat shapes (including the familiar t ...
that if the two ever met in battle, ''Macedonian'' would emerge victorious. However, the engagement in a heavy swell proved otherwise as ''United States'' pounded ''
'' ''Macedonian'' into a dismasted wreck from long range. During the engagement Decatur was standing on a box of shot when he was knocked down almost unconscious when a flying splinter struck him in the chest. Wounded, he soon recovered and was on his feet in command again. Because of the greater range of the guns aboard ''United States'', Decatur and his crew got off seventy broadsides, with ''Macedonian'' only getting off thirty, and consequently emerged from the battle relatively unscathed. ''Macedonian'' had no option but surrender, and thus was taken as a prize by Decatur. Eager to present the nation with a prize, Decatur and his crew spent two weeks repairing and refitting the captured British frigate to prepare it for its journey across the Atlantic to the United States.
Blockade at New London
After undergoing routine repairs at New York, ''United States'' was part of a small squadron that included the newly captured (formerly HMS ''Macedonian'') and the
sloop of war
In the 18th century and most of the 19th, a sloop-of-war in the Royal Navy was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. The rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above; thus, the term ''sloop-of-war'' enc ...
''Hornet''. On May 24, 1813, the squadron departed New York. On that same night ''United States'' was struck by lightning which shattered its main mast. By June 1, Decatur's squadron encountered a powerful British squadron on patrol and under the command of
Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy. Hardy's squadron, which emerged from behind
Montauk Point
Montauk ( ) is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York, on the eastern end of the South Shore of Long Island. As of the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 4,318.
The ...
, consisted of the ships of the line and along with the frigates and . Realizing his only chance for escape was to set a course for
New London
New London may refer to:
Places United States
*New London, Alabama
*New London, Connecticut
*New London, Indiana
*New London, Iowa
*New London, Maryland
*New London, Minnesota
*New London, Missouri
*New London, New Hampshire, a New England town
** ...
, Decatur was forced to flee and take refuge at that port where they were blockaded until the end of the war.
[ Tucker, 2012, p. 72.]
Decatur attempted to sneak out of New London harbor at night in an effort to elude the British blockading squadron. On the evening of December 18, while attempting to leave the
Thames River
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...
, Decatur saw blue lights burning near the mouth of the river in sight of the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
blockaders. Decatur was furious, believing that various residents had set the signals to betray his plans. He abandoned the project and returned to New London. In a letter to the Navy Secretary, dated December 20, Decatur charged that traitors in the New London area were in collusion with the British to capture ''United States'', ''Hornet'' and ''Macedonian''. The allegations of
treason
Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...
soon became public, causing controversy and debate among New London residents and others over the matter. A congressional investigation was called while Decatur made efforts to discover who was responsible but was unsuccessful. Whether the signals were given by a British spy or an American citizen remains uncertain.
Democratic-Republicans (the then-future
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
) immediately blamed the Federalists who were adamantly against the war from the beginning, and so here earned themselves the name
"Blue-light Federalists".
Unable to get his squadron out of the harbor, Decatur decided to write a letter to
Captain Thomas Hardy offering to negotiate a resolution of the situation at a prearranged meeting. He proposed that matched ships from either side meet and, in effect, have a duel, to settle their otherwise idle situation. The letter was sent under a
flag of truce
White flags have had different meanings throughout history and depending on the locale.
Contemporary use
The white flag is an internationally recognized protective sign of truce or ceasefire, and for negotiation. It is also used to symboliz ...
but was in violation of orders, as after the loss of ''Chesapeake'', Navy Secretary Jones forbade commanders from "giving or receiving a Challenge, to or from, an Enemy's vessel." The next day Hardy gave answer to Decatur's proposal and agreed to have ''Statira'' engage ''Macedonian'' "as they are sister ships, carrying the same number of guns, and weight of metal." After further deliberation Decatur wanted assurance that ''Macedonian'' would not be recaptured should the ship emerge victorious, as he suspected it would be. After several communications it was ascertained that neither side could trust the other and so the proposal floundered, never coming to fruition.
Command of USS ''President''
![Usspresidentatanchor](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Usspresidentatanchor.jpg)
In May 1814, Decatur transferred his commodore's pennant to ''President'', a frigate with 44 guns. By December 1, 1814, Secretary of the Navy
William Jones, a staunch proponent of coastal defense, appointed Decatur to lead a four-ship squadron comprising ''President'', which would be the flagship of his new squadron, along with ''Hornet'', a
sloop
A sloop is a sailboat with a single mast typically having only one headsail in front of the mast and one mainsail aft of (behind) the mast. Such an arrangement is called a fore-and-aft rig, and can be rigged as a Bermuda rig with triangular sa ...
bearing 20 guns, bearing 22 and bearing 12 guns. In January 1815, Decatur's squadron was assigned a mission in the
East Indies
The East Indies (or simply the Indies), is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The Indies refers to various lands in the East or the Eastern hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainlands found in and around t ...
. However, the British had established a strict blockade in the squadron's port of New York, therefore restricting any cruises.
[ Roosevelt, 1883 p.401] On January 14, a severe snowstorm developed, forcing the British squadron away from the coast, but by the next day the storm had subsided, allowing the British fleet to take up positions to the northwest in anticipation of the American fleet trying to escape. The next day ''President'' emerged from the west,
and Decatur attempted to break through the blockade alone in ''President'' and make for the appointed rendezvous at
Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha (), colloquially Tristan, is a remote group of volcanic islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, lying approximately from Cape Town in South Africa, from Saint Helena ...
, but encountered the British West Indies Squadron composed of
razee
A razee or razée is a sailing ship that has been cut down (''razeed'') to reduce the number of decks. The word is derived from the French ''vaisseau rasé'', meaning a razed (in the sense of shaved down) ship.
Seventeenth century
During the ...
bearing 56 guns, under the command of Captain
John Hayes, along with the frigates , bearing 40 guns, commanded by
Captain Henry Hope, , bearing 38 guns, commanded by Captain
John Richard Lumley, and , bearing 38 guns, commanded by Captain
Hyde Parker. Decatur had made arrangements for "pilot boats" to mark the way for clear passage out to sea, but due to a plotting error the pilot boats took up the wrong positions and consequently ''President'' was accidentally run aground.
[ Roosevelt, 1883 pp.401–405]
After an hour upon the sandbar, with Decatur's ship procuring damage to the copper and pintles, the ship finally broke free. Decatur continued the attempt to evade his pursuers and set course along the southerly coast of
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
.
As ''Endymion'' was the fastest ship in the engagement, she was the only ship to catch up to and engage ''President''. After a fierce fight lasting several hours, during which both ships were severely damaged (''Endymion''s headsails & ''President''s hull), Decatur reluctantly surrendered to ''Endymion'' as there were four remaining British ships he would have to fight.
[ Lambert, 2012 pp.364–371] Decatur's command suffered 35 men killed and 70 wounded, including Decatur himself who was wounded by a large flying splinter.
[ Hickey, 1989, p.216]
![Decatur by Davidson](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Decatur_by_Davidson.jpg)
''Endymion'' had sustained severe damage to the rigging, and her captain, Hope, decided to carry out repairs before tying up ''President''. While this was happening Decatur made an attempt to escape.
Decatur's frigate was finally overtaken by ''Pomone''. Unaware that Decatur had surrendered, and then tried to flee, ''Pomone'' fired two broadsides into ''President'' before they realized that the battle was over.
When boats from ''Pomone'' boarded ''President'' Decatur said "I surrender my sword to the captain of the black ship", a reference to Hope of HMS ''Endymion''. After surrendering a second time, Decatur later claimed, "my ship crippled, and more than a four-fold force opposed to me, without a chance of escape left, I deemed it my duty to surrender."
Soon ''Majestic'' caught up with the British fleet. Decatur, now dressed in full dress uniform, boarded ''Majestic'' and surrendered his sword to Captain Hayes. Hayes in a gesture of admiration returned the sword to Decatur saying that he was "proud in returning the sword of an officer, who had defended his ship so nobly." Before taking possession of ''President'', Hayes allowed Decatur to return to his ship to perform burial services for the officers and seamen who had died in the engagement. He was also allowed to write a letter to his wife. Decatur along with surviving crew were taken prisoner and held captive in a
Bermuda
)
, anthem = "God Save the King"
, song_type = National song
, song = " Hail to Bermuda"
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, mapsize2 =
, map_caption2 =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name =
, e ...
prison, arriving January 26, and were held there until February 1815. Upon arrival at the prison in Bermuda the British naval officers extended various courtesies and provisions that they felt were due to a man of Decatur's stature. The senior naval officer at the prison took the earliest opportunity to parole Decatur to New London, and on February 8, with news of the cessation of hostilities, Decatur traveled aboard (32), landing in New London on February 21. On February 26, Decatur arrived in New York City, where he convalesced in a boarding house.
At war's end Decatur received a sword as a reward and thanks from Congress for his service in Tripoli and was also awarded the
Congressional Gold Medal
The Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress. It is Congress's highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. The congressional pract ...
for distinguished service in the War of 1812.
Second Barbary War
![DecaturOffAlgiers](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/DecaturOffAlgiers.jpg)
Now that war with Britain was over, the United States could concentrate on pressing matters in the Mediterranean, at
Algiers
Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques ...
. As had occurred during the
First Barbary War
The First Barbary War (1801–1805), also known as the Tripolitan War and the Barbary Coast War, was a conflict during the Barbary Wars, in which the United States and Sweden fought against Tripolitania. Tripolitania had declared war against Sw ...
American merchant ships and crews were once again being seized and held for large ransoms. On February 23, 1815, President Madison urged Congress to declare war. Congress approved the act but did not declare war against Algiers. Madison had chosen
Benjamin Williams Crowninshield
Benjamin Williams Crowninshield (December 27, 1772 – February 3, 1851) served as the United States Secretary of the Navy between 1815 and 1818, during the administrations of Presidents James Madison and James Monroe.
Early life
Crownins ...
as the new
Secretary of the Navy
The secretary of the Navy (or SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department (component organization) within the United States Department of Defense.
By law, the se ...
, replacing
William Jones.
Two squadrons were then assembled, one at New York, under the command of Stephen Decatur, and one at Boston, under the command of Commodore
William Bainbridge
William Bainbridge (May 7, 1774July 27, 1833) was a Commodore in the United States Navy. During his long career in the young American Navy he served under six presidents beginning with John Adams and is notable for his many victories at sea. He ...
. Decatur's squadron of ten ships was ready first and set sail for Algiers on May 20. At this time it was the largest US fleet ever assembled. Decatur was in command of the flagship . Aboard was William Shaler who had just been appointed by Madison as the consul-general for the Barbary States, acting as joint commissioner with Commodores Decatur and Bainbridge. Shaler was in possession of a letter authorizing them to negotiate terms of peace with the Algerian government.
4Because of Decatur's great successes in the War of 1812 and for his knowledge of and past experience at the Algerian port, Crowninshield chose him to command the lead ship in the naval squadron to Algiers.
The US was demanding the release of Americans held captive as slaves, an end of annual payments of tribute, and finally to procure favorable prize agreements. Decatur was prepared to negotiate peace or resort to military measures. Eager to know the Bey's decision, Decatur dispatched the president's letter which ultimately prompted the Bey to abandon his practice of piracy and kidnapping and come to terms with the United States.
Command of USS ''Guerriere''
On May 20, 1815, Commodore Decatur received instructions from President
James Madison
James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for hi ...
to take command of the frigate
USS Guerriere and lead a squadron of ten ships to the Mediterranean Sea to conduct the
Second Barbary War
The Second Barbary War (1815) or the U.S.–Algerian War was fought between the United States and the North African Barbary Coast states of Tripoli, Tunis, and Algiers. The war ended when the United States Senate ratified Commodore Stephen De ...
, which would put an end to the international practice of paying tribute to the Barbary pirate states. His squadron arrived at
Gibraltar
)
, anthem = " God Save the King"
, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
, image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg
, map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe
, map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green
, mapsize =
, image_map2 = Gib ...
on June 14.
[ Waldo, 1821, p. 248.]
Before committing himself to the Mediterranean, Decatur learned from the American consuls at
Cadiz and
Tangier
Tangier ( ; ; ar, طنجة, Ṭanja) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. The town is the cap ...
of any squadrons passing by along the Atlantic coast or through the
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar ( ar, مضيق جبل طارق, Maḍīq Jabal Ṭāriq; es, Estrecho de Gibraltar, Archaic: Pillars of Hercules), also known as the Straits of Gibraltar, is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Medi ...
. To avoid making known the presence of an American squadron, Decatur did not enter the ports but instead dispatched a messenger in a small boat to communicate with the consuls. He learned from observers there that a squadron under the command of the notorious
Rais Hamidou
( ar, رئیس), plural , is an Arabic title meaning 'chief' or 'leader'. It comes from the word for head, . The corresponding word for leadership or chieftaincy is . It is often translated as 'president' in Arabic language, Arabic, and as 'boss' ...
had passed by into the Mediterranean, most likely off
Cape Gata
Cape Gata ( "cat cape", "falcon cape") is the south-eastern cape of the Akrotiri Peninsula on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located within the British Sovereign Base Areas, and is the southernmost point of the island. However, the ...
. Decatur's squadron arrived at Gibraltar on June 15, 1815. This attracted much attention and prompted the departure of several dispatch vessels to warn Rais of the squadron's arrival. Decatur's visit was brief with the consul and lasted only for as long as it took to communicate with a short letter to the Secretary of the Navy informing him of earlier weather problems and that he was about to "proceed in search of the enemy forthwith", where he at once set off in search of Hamidou hoping to take him by surprise.
On June 17, while sailing in ''Guerriere'' for Algiers, Decatur's fleet encountered near
Cape Palos
Cape Palos ( es, Cabo de Palos) is a cape in the Spanish municipality of Cartagena, in the region of Murcia. It is part of a small range of volcanic mounts that form a small peninsula. The Mediterranean islands of Grosa and the group known as ...
the frigate , commanded by Hamidou and the Algerian brig , which were also en route to Algeria. After overtaking the ''Mashouda'', Decatur fired two broadsides, crippling the ship, killing 30 of the crew, including Hamidou himself, and taking more than 400 prisoners.
''Lloyd's List'' reported that the Algerine frigate , which had been under the command of the Algerine admiral, had arrived at
Carthagena on June 20 as a prize to Decatur's squadron. The newspaper also reported that Decatur's squadron had run another Spanish frigate onshore near Carthagena.
Capturing the
flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...
of the Algerian fleet at the
Battle off Cape Gata
The Battle off Cape Gata, which took place June 17, 1815, off the south-east coast of Spain, was the first battle of the Second Barbary War. A squadron of vessels, under the command of Stephen Decatur, Jr., met and engaged the flagship of the A ...
Decatur was able to secure sufficient levying power to bargain with the
Dey
Dey (Arabic: داي), from the Turkish honorific title ''dayı'', literally meaning uncle, was the title given to the rulers of the Regency of Algiers (Algeria), Tripoli,Bertarelli (1929), p. 203. and Tunis under the Ottoman Empire from 1671 o ...
of Algiers. Upon arrival, Decatur exhibited an early use of
gunboat diplomacy
In international politics, the term gunboat diplomacy refers to the pursuit of foreign policy objectives with the aid of conspicuous displays of naval power, implying or constituting a direct threat of warfare should terms not be agreeable to th ...
on behalf of American interests as a reminder that this was the only alternative if the Dey decided to decline signing a treaty. Consequently, a new treaty was agreed upon within 48 hours of Decatur's arrival, confirming the success of his objectives.
After bringing the government in Algiers to terms, Decatur's squadron set sail to
Tunis
''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois
, population_note =
, population_urban =
, population_metro = 2658816
, population_density_km2 =
, timezone1 = CET
, utc_offset1 ...
and
Tripoli
Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to:
Cities and other geographic units Greece
*Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece
* Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece
* Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...
to demand reimbursement for proceeds withheld by those governments during the War of 1812. With a similar show of force exhibited at Algiers, Decatur achieved concessions to all of his demands and promptly sailed home victorious. Upon his arrival Decatur boasted to the Secretary of the Navy that the settlement had "been dictated at the mouths of our cannon." For this campaign, he became known as "the Conqueror of the
Barbary Pirates
The Barbary pirates, or Barbary corsairs or Ottoman corsairs, were Muslim pirates and privateers who operated from North Africa, based primarily in the ports of Salé, Rabat, Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli, Libya, Tripoli. This area was known i ...
".
Domestic life
![Decatur house2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Decatur_house2.jpg)
After his victory in the Mediterranean, Decatur returned to the United States, arriving at New York on November 12, 1815, with the brig ''Enterprise'', along with Bainbridge of ''Guerriere'' who arrived three days later. He was met with a wide reception from dignitaries and countrymen. Among the more notable salutations was a letter Decatur received from the Secretary of State
James Monroe
James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was ...
that related the following tidings of appreciation: "I take much interest in informing you that the result of this expedition, so glorious to your country and honorable to yourself and the officers and men under your command, has been very satisfactory to the President."
The Secretary of the Navy,
Benjamin Williams Crowninshield
Benjamin Williams Crowninshield (December 27, 1772 – February 3, 1851) served as the United States Secretary of the Navy between 1815 and 1818, during the administrations of Presidents James Madison and James Monroe.
Early life
Crownins ...
, was equally gracious and thankful. Since a vacancy was about to occur in the board of Navy commissioners with the retirement of Commodore
Isaac Hull, the Secretary was most anxious to offer the position to Decatur, which he gladly accepted. Upon his appointment Decatur made his journey to Washington, where he was again received with cordial receptions from various dignitaries and countrymen. He served on the
Board of Navy Commissioners
The Board of Navy Commissioners was a United States Navy administrative body in existence from 1815 to 1842, with responsibility for the navy's material support. The three-member Board was created as part of an expansion of the U.S. Navy Departme ...
from 1816 to 1820. One of his more notable decisions as a commissioner involved his strong objection to the reinstatement of
James Barron
James Barron (September 15, 1768 – April 21, 1851) was an officer in the United States Navy. He served in the Quasi-War and the Barbary Wars, during which he commanded a number of famous ships, including and . As commander of the frigate , h ...
upon his return to the United States after being barred from command for five years for
his questionable handling of the ''Chesapeake'', an action that would soon lead to Barron challenging him to a duel.
During his tenure as a Commissioner, Decatur also became active in the Washington social scene. At a social gathering in April 1816, Decatur uttered an after-dinner toast that would become famous:
Our country – in her intercourse with foreign nations, may she always be in the right, and always successful, right or wrong.
Home in Washington
![Commodore Stephen Decatur (118102136)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Commodore_Stephen_Decatur_%28118102136%29.jpg)
Now that Decatur was Naval Commissioner he had settled into a routine life in Washington working at the
Navy Department during the day, with many evenings spent as an honorary guest at social gatherings, as both he and his wife were the toast of Washington society.
Decatur's first home in Washington was 1903 Pennsylvania Avenue (one of the "
Seven Buildings
The Seven Buildings were seven townhouses constructed on the northwest corner of Pennsylvania Avenue NW and 19th Street NW in Washington, D.C., in 1796. They were some of the earliest residential structures built in the city. One of the Seven Build ...
"), purchased in 1817. In 1818, Decatur built a three-story red brick house in Washington on
Lafayette Square, designed by the famous English architect
Benjamin Henry Latrobe
Benjamin Henry Boneval Latrobe (May 1, 1764 – September 3, 1820) was an Anglo-American neoclassical architect who emigrated to the United States. He was one of the first formally trained, professional architects in the new United States, draw ...
, the same man who designed the
U.S. Capitol
The United States Capitol, often called The Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the Seat of government, seat of the Legislature, legislative branch of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, which is form ...
building and
Saint John's Church. Decatur specified that his house had to be suitable for "impressive entertainments". The house was the first private residence to be built near the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
.
Decatur House
Decatur House is a historic house museum at 748 Jackson Place in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It is named after its first owner and occupant Stephen Decatur. The house (built, 1818) is located at the northwest corner of L ...
is now a museum that exhibits a large collection of Decatur memorabilia and is managed by the
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 by ...
. Located on President's Square (
Lafayette Square), it was built in grand style to accommodate large social gatherings, which in the wake of Decatur's many naval victories were an almost routine affair in the lives of Decatur and his wife.
Duel between Perry and Heath
In October 1818, at the request of
Oliver Hazard Perry
Oliver Hazard Perry (August 23, 1785 – August 23, 1819) was an American naval commander, born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. The best-known and most prominent member
of the Perry family naval dynasty, he was the son of Sarah Wallace A ...
, a very close friend, Decatur arrived at New York to act as his second in a
duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon Code duello, rules.
During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the r ...
between Perry and Captain John Heath, commander of Marines on . The two officers were involved in a personal disagreement while aboard that ship, that resulted in Heath challenging Perry to a duel. Perry had written to Decatur nearly a year previously, revealing that he had no intention of firing any shot at Heath. After the two duelists and their seconds assembled the duel took place. One shot was fired; Heath missed his opponent while Perry, keeping his word, returned no fire. At this point Decatur approached Heath with Perry's letter in hand, relating to Heath that Perry all along had no intention of returning fire and asking Heath if his honor had thus been satisfied. Heath admitted that it had. Decatur was relieved to finally see the matter resolved with no loss of life or limb to either of his friends, urging both to now put the matter behind them.
Death
![James Barron](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/James_Barron.jpg)
Decatur's life and distinguished service in the U.S. Navy came to an early end when in 1820 Commodore
James Barron
James Barron (September 15, 1768 – April 21, 1851) was an officer in the United States Navy. He served in the Quasi-War and the Barbary Wars, during which he commanded a number of famous ships, including and . As commander of the frigate , h ...
challenged Decatur to a duel, related in part to comments Decatur had made over Barron's conduct in the
''Chesapeake''–''Leopard'' affair of 1807. Because of Barron's loss of ''Chesapeake'' to the British he faced a court-martial and was barred from command for a term of five years. Decatur had served on the court-martial that had found Barron guilty of "unpreparedness". Barron had just returned to the United States from
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
after being away for six years and was seeking reinstatement. He was met with much criticism among fellow naval officers, among whom Decatur was one of the most outspoken. Decatur, who was now on the board of naval commissioners, strongly opposed Barron's reinstatement and was notably critical about the prospect in communications with other naval officers and government officials. As a result, Barron became embittered towards Decatur and challenged him to a duel.
Barron's challenge to Decatur occurred during a period when duels between officers were so common that it was creating a shortage of experienced men, forcing the
Department of the Navy Navy Department or Department of the Navy may refer to:
* United States Department of the Navy,
* Navy Department (Ministry of Defence), in the United Kingdom, 1964-1997
* Confederate States Department of the Navy, 1861-1865
* Department of the ...
to threaten to discharge those who attempted to pursue the practice.
Barron's
second
The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds ...
was Captain
Jesse Elliott
Jesse Duncan Elliott (14 July 1782 – 10 December 1845) was a United States naval officer and commander of American naval forces in Lake Erie during the War of 1812, especially noted for his controversial actions during the Battle of Lake Erie.
...
, known for his jaunty mannerisms and antagonism toward Decatur. Decatur first asked his friend
Thomas Macdonough
Thomas Macdonough, Jr. (December 31, 1783 – November 10, 1825) was an early-19th-century Irish-American naval officer noted for his roles in the first Barbary War and the War of 1812. He was the son of a revolutionary officer, Thomas Macdonou ...
to be his second, but Macdonough declined the request because he had always opposed dueling. Decatur then turned to his supposed friend Commodore
William Bainbridge
William Bainbridge (May 7, 1774July 27, 1833) was a Commodore in the United States Navy. During his long career in the young American Navy he served under six presidents beginning with John Adams and is notable for his many victories at sea. He ...
to act as his second, to which Bainbridge consented. However, according to naval historian
Alexander Slidell Mackenzie
Alexander Slidell Mackenzie (April 6, 1803 – September 13, 1848), born Alexander Slidell, was a United States Navy officer, famous for his 1842 decision to execute three suspected mutineers aboard a ship under his command in the Somers Mutin ...
, Decatur made a poor choice: Bainbridge, who was five years his senior, had long been jealous of the younger and more famous Decatur.
The seconds met on March 8 to establish the time and place for the duel and the rules to be followed. The arrangements were exact. The duel was to take place at nine o'clock in the morning on March 22, at
Bladensburg Dueling Grounds
Bladensburg Dueling Grounds is a small spit of land, a fraction of its original size, along Dueling Creek, formerly in the town of Bladensburg, Maryland, and now within the town of Colmar Manor, just to the northeast of Washington, D.C., ...
, near Washington, at a distance of only eight paces. Decatur, an expert pistol shot, planned only to wound Barron in the hip.
Decatur did not tell his wife, Susan, about the forthcoming duel but instead wrote to her father asking that he come to Washington to stay with her, using language that suggested that he was facing a duel and that he might lose his life. On the morning of the 22nd the dueling party assembled. The conference between the two seconds lasted three-quarters of an hour. Just before the duel, Barron spoke to Decatur of conciliation; however, the men's seconds did not attempt to halt the proceedings.
![Gravemarker of Stephen Decatur](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Gravemarker_of_Stephen_Decatur.jpg)
The duel was arranged by Bainbridge with Elliott in a way that made the wounding or death of both duelists very likely. The shooters would be standing close to each other, face to face; there would be no back-to-back pacing away and turning to fire, a procedure that often resulted in the missing of one's opponent. Upon taking their places the duelists were instructed by Bainbridge, "I shall give the word quickly – 'Present, one, two, three' – You are neither to fire before the word 'one', nor after the word 'three'." Now in their positions, each duelist raised his pistol, cocked the flintlock and, while taking aim, stood in silence. Bainbridge called out, 'One' and Decatur and Barron both fired before the count of 'two'. Decatur's shot hit Barron in the lower abdomen and ricocheted into his thigh. Barron's shot hit Decatur in the pelvic area, severing arteries. Both of the duelists fell almost at the same instant. Decatur, mortally wounded and clutching his side, exclaimed, "Oh, Lord, I am a dead man." Lying wounded, Commodore Barron (who ultimately survived) declared that the duel was carried out properly and honorably and told Decatur that he forgave him from the bottom of his heart.
![Detail, grave of Stephen Decatur](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Detail%2C_grave_of_Stephen_Decatur.jpg)
By then other men who had known about the duel were arriving at the scene, including Decatur's friend and mentor, the senior officer
John Rodgers John Rodgers may refer to:
Military
* John Rodgers (1728–1791), colonel during the Revolutionary War and owner of Rodgers Tavern, Perryville, Maryland
* John Rodgers (naval officer, born 1772), U.S. naval officer during the War of 1812, first ...
. In excruciating pain, Decatur was carefully lifted by the surgeons and placed in Rodgers' carriage and was carried back to his home on Lafayette Square. Before they departed, Decatur called out to Barron that he should also be taken along, but Rodgers and the surgeons calmly shook their heads in disapproval. Barron cried back "God bless you, Decatur" – and with a weak voice Decatur called back "Farewell, farewell, Barron." Upon arrival at his home, Decatur was taken into the front room just left of the front entrance, still conscious. Before allowing himself to be carried in, he insisted that his wife and nieces be taken upstairs, sparing them the sight of his grave condition. A Dr. Thomas Simms arrived from his home nearby to give his assistance to the naval physicians. However, for reasons not entirely clear to historians, Decatur refused to have the ball extracted from his wound. At this point Decatur requested that his will be brought forward so as to receive his signature, granting his wife all his worldly possessions, with directives as to who would be the executors of his will.
Decatur died at approximately 10:30 pm that night. While wounded, he is said to have cried out, "I did not know that any man could suffer such pain!"
Washington society and the nation were shocked upon learning that Decatur had been killed at the age of forty-one in a duel with a rival navy captain. Decatur's funeral was attended by Washington's elite, including President
James Monroe
James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was ...
and the justices of the Supreme Court, as well as most of Congress. Over 10,000 citizens of Washington and the surrounding area attended to pay their last respects to a national hero. The pallbearers were Commodores Rodgers,
Chauncey Chauncey may refer to:
*Chauncey (name), both a given name and a surname.
Places in the United States
* Chauncey, Georgia
* Chauncey, Illinois
* Chauncey, Michigan
* Chauncey, Ohio
* Chauncey, West Virginia
* Chauncey Peak, a mountain near Meride ...
,
Tingey,
Porter
Porter may refer to:
Companies
* Porter Airlines, Canadian regional airline based in Toronto
* Porter Chemical Company, a defunct U.S. toy manufacturer of chemistry sets
* Porter Motor Company, defunct U.S. car manufacturer
* H.K. Porter, Inc., ...
and Macdonough; captains Ballard and Cassin; and Lieutenant Macpherson. Following were naval officers and seamen. At the funeral service a grieving seaman unexpectedly came forward and proclaimed, "He was the friend of the flag, the sailor's friend; the navy has lost its mainmast." Stephen Decatur died childless. Though he left his widow $75,000, a fortune at the time, she died virtually penniless in 1860. She received an
annuity
In investment, an annuity is a series of payments made at equal intervals.Kellison, Stephen G. (1970). ''The Theory of Interest''. Homewood, Illinois: Richard D. Irwin, Inc. p. 45 Examples of annuities are regular deposits to a savings account, mo ...
of $630/year from her $7,000 donation to
Georgetown College
Georgetown College is a private Christian college in Georgetown, Kentucky. Chartered in 1829, Georgetown was the first Baptist college west of the Appalachian Mountains.
The college offers 38 undergraduate degrees and a Master of Arts in educat ...
(part of
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...
) in 1834 and later a $50/month pension from Congress.
Decatur's body was interred in the
Barlow family vault at
Kalorama in accordance with Susan's request. It was later moved to Philadelphia, where he was buried at
St. Peter's Churchyard in 1846, alongside his mother and father.
After the funeral, rumors circulated of a last-minute conversation between the duelists that could have avoided the deadly outcome of the duel and, moreover, that the seconds involved might have been planning for such an outcome and accordingly made no real attempts to stop the duel. Decatur's wife Susan held an even more damning view of the matter and spent much of her remaining life pursuing justice for what she termed "the assassins" involved.
Decatur's widow, Susan, tried for several years to obtain a pension from the U.S. Government. By an act of Congress on March 3, 1837, she was granted a pension retroactive to Decatur's death.
Legacy
![Decatur MacDonough Saratoga 1937 Issue-2c](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Decatur_MacDonough_Saratoga_1937_Issue-2c.jpg)
Although he died at a relatively young age, Decatur helped determine the direction of the young nation playing a significant role establishing its identity. For his heroism in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812, Decatur emerged as an icon of American naval history and was roundly admired by most of his contemporaries as well as the citizenry:
*
Congressional Gold Medal
The Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress. It is Congress's highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. The congressional pract ...
awarded January 29, 1813, to honor capture of HMS ''Macedonian'' by USS ''United States'' under his command.
* five U.S. Navy ships have been named .
*At the urging of
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
, the U.S. Post Office Department issued a series of five stamps honoring the U.S. Navy and various naval heroes, Decatur being one of the few chosen, appearing on the 2-cent issue, along with fellow officer
Macdonough.
*An engraved portrait of Decatur appears on the Series of 1878/1880 $20
silver certificates.
*His last house has been turned into a museum owned by the
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 by ...
.
*At least 46 communities in the United States have been named after Stephen Decatur, including
Decatur, Alabama
Decatur (dɪˈkeɪtə(r)) is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County (with a portion also in Limestone County) in the U.S. state of Alabama. Nicknamed "The River City", it is located in northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake ...
,
Decatur, Georgia
Decatur is a city in, and the county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, which is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. With a population of 24,928 in the 2020 census, the municipality is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple ZIP Codes in ...
,
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur ( ) is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois, with a population of 70,522 as of the 2020 Census. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Ce ...
, and
Decatur, Texas
Decatur is the county seat of Wise County, Texas, United States. Its population was 6,538 in 2020.
History
Wise County was established in 1856, and Taylorsville (in honor of Zachary Taylor) was made the county seat.
Absalom Bishop, an early sett ...
.
*Seven counties in the United States have been named after Stephen Decatur, including
Decatur County, Alabama
Decatur County was a county of the state of Alabama, United States. It was named for Commodore Stephen Decatur of the United States Navy. Its county seat was Woodville.
History
Decatur County was established by the Alabama Legislature on December ...
(renamed
Morgan County, Alabama
Morgan County is a county in the north central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, its population was 123,421. The county seat is Decatur. The county was created by the Alabama Territorial legislature on February 6, 181 ...
),
Decatur County, Georgia
Decatur County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 27,842. The county seat is Bainbridge.
Decatur County comprises the Bainbridge, GA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included ...
,
Decatur County, Indiana
Decatur County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 26,472. The county seat (and only incorporated city) is Greensburg.
History
In 1787, the US defined the Northwest Territory which i ...
,
Decatur County, Iowa
Decatur County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,645. The county seat is Leon. This county is named for Stephen Decatur Jr., a hero in the War of 1812.
History
Decatur County was orga ...
,
Decatur County, Kansas
Decatur County (county code DC) is a county located in Northwest Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 2,764. Its county seat and most populous city is Oberlin. The county is named in honor of Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr. ...
, and
Decatur County, Tennessee
Decatur County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,435. Its county seat is Decaturville.
History
This county is named after naval hero Stephen Decatur, Jr., who gained national r ...
.
*The Borough of
Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Doylestown is a borough and the county seat of Bucks County in Pennsylvania, United States. It is located northwest of Trenton,
north of Center City, Philadelphia,
southeast of Allentown, and southwest of New York City.
As of the 2020 cen ...
, incorporated a street in his name.
* Decatur Avenue in
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman () is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, with a population of 128,097 as of 2021. It is the largest city and the county seat of Cleveland County, Oklahoma, Cleveland County, and the second-largest city in the Oklahoma C ...
, is named in honor of Decatur, as is Decatur Avenue in the
Bronx
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
, New York,
Decatur Boulevard
Decatur Boulevard is a major north–south section line arterial in the Las Vegas metropolitan area located on the west side of the city.
Route
Decatur Boulevard is situated in the west of Las Vegas and runs for roughly 25 miles along a north– ...
in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
, Decatur Street in Mineral Point, Decatur Street in
Omaha
Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest city ...
, Wisconsin and Decatur Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
* Decatur Avenue in
Eaton, Ohio
Eaton is a city in, and the county seat of Preble County, Ohio, United States, approximately 24 mi (38 km) west of Dayton. The population was 8,375 at the 2020 census, down 0.4% from the population of 8,407 at the 2010 census. Eaton's ...
, is named after him. Eaton is the county seat of
Preble County, named after
Edward Preble
Edward Preble (August 15, 1761 – August 25, 1807) was a United States naval officer who served with great distinction during the 1st Barbary War, leading American attacks on the city of Tripoli and forming the officer corps that would la ...
, Decatur's squadron commander during the
Second Battle of Tripoli Harbor
The Second Battle of Tripoli Harbor was a naval action that occurred during the American naval blockade which took place in Tripoli Harbor on July 14, 1804. The battle was part of the First Barbary War between forces of the United States and ...
.
* Decatur Street is also a street in the New York City borough of
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, where
Henry Miller
Henry Valentine Miller (December 26, 1891 – June 7, 1980) was an American novelist. He broke with existing literary forms and developed a new type of semi-autobiographical novel that blended character study, social criticism, philosophical ref ...
lived in 1901 (at number 1063).
* In honor of Stephen Decatur, in the county of Worcester, Maryland, where he was born, a street, monument, park, and
middle and
high schools
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
are named after him. His birthplace is marked in the current town of Berlin, Maryland.
*A main
thoroughfare in New Orleans' French Quarter is named Decatur in his honor.
*An island in the San Juan Archipelago (Washington state) is named Decatur Island.
*
Decatur Township, in
Van Buren County,
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
, and
Decatur Township, in
Clearfield County
Clearfield County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 80,562. The county seat is Clearfield, and the largest city is DuBois. The county was created in 1804 and later organized in 1822.
...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
are named in his honor.
*One of his family's descendants is the operatic soprano
Florence Kirk
Florence Kirk (1909 – June 6, 1999) was an American dramatic soprano who had an active international performance career in operas and concerts from 1937 to 1954. Born in Philadelphia and trained at the Curtis Institute of Music by Elisabeth Sc ...
.
*
C. D. Howe
Clarence Decatur Howe, (15 January 1886 – 31 December 1960) was an American-born Canadian engineer, businessman and Liberal Party politician. Howe served as a cabinet minister in the governments of prime ministers William Lyon Mackenzie ...
, American-born Canadian federal cabinet minister, is related to him via Howe's mother Mary Emma Hastings
.
See also
*
History of the United States Navy
The history of the United States Navy divides into two major periods: the "Old Navy", a small but respected force of sailing ships that was notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy" the ...
*
List of United States Navy people
*
List of sailing frigates of the United States Navy
This is a list of sailing frigates of the United States Navy. Frigates were the backbone of the early Navy, although the list shows that many suffered unfortunate fates.
The sailing frigates of the United States built from 1797 on were unique ...
Notes
References
Bibliography
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Further reading
* Anthony, Irvin, (1931). ''Decatur'', Charles Scribner & Sons, New York, p. 319
Book (snippit view)
*
* De Kay, James T. De Kay, (2004), ''A Rage for Glory: The Life of Commodore Stephen Decatur, USN'', Simon and Schuster, New York p. 297,
Book (par view)
*Lardas, Mark. ''Decatur's Bold and Daring Act, The 'Philadelphia' in Tripoli 1804''. Osprey Raid Series #22. Osprey Publishing, 2011.
Book (par view)
*London, Joshua E. (2005).''Victory in Tripoli: How America's War with the Barbary Pirates Established the U.S. Navy and Shaped a Nation'', New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., .
*
Lossing, Benson John (1869), ''The Pictorial Field-book of the War of 1812: Or, Illustrations, by Pen and Pencil, of the History, Biography, Scenery, Relics, and Traditions of the Last War for American Independence'', Harper & Brothers, New York, p. 1054
Url*Lowe, Corinne. ''Knight of the Sea: The Story of Stephen Decatur''. Harcourt, Brace. 1941.
* James, William, (1847/1859), ''The naval history of Great Britain...Volume 5'', Richard Bentley, London, pp. 458
Ebook (full view)
* ——(1837) ''The naval history of Great Britain...Volume 6'', Richard Bentley, London, p. 468
Ebook (full view)*Miller, Nathan. ''The US Navy: An Illustrated History''. New York: American Heritage, 1977.
*
Oren, Michael B. ''Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East, 1776 to the Present''. New York: W. W. Norton, 2007. .
*
* Smethurst, David (2009) Tripoli: The United States' First War on Terror (Google eBook), Random House LLC, p. 320,
Book (par view)
* Zacks, Richard, (2005). '' The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805'', Hyperion, p. 448,
Book (no view)
External links
The Stephen Decatur House Museum: Washington, DC
National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan
*
*
*
ttp://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/34393 Correspondence, between the late Commodore Stephen Decatur and Commodore James Barron which led to the unfortunate meeting of the twenty-second of March*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Decatur, Stephen
1779 births
1820 deaths
18th-century American naval officers
19th-century American naval officers
American people of French descent
American people of Irish descent
United States Navy personnel of the War of 1812
Congressional Gold Medal recipients
Deaths by firearm in Maryland
Duelling fatalities
People from Westville, New Jersey
People from Berlin, Maryland
American military personnel of the Quasi-War
United States Navy commodores
American military personnel of the First Barbary War
People of colonial Maryland
Burials at St. Peter's churchyard, Philadelphia
People of the Quasi-War
Commanders of the USS Constitution
War of 1812 prisoners of war held by the United Kingdom