Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume V.djvu/753

DEOATUR 749 an English officer, which terminated fatally to the latter. The surrender of all concerned to the civil authorities was demanded by the gov- ernor, and it was therefore deemed prudent for Decatur to return to the United States. In November, 1803, the squadron, materially strengthened, was placed under the command of Com. Edward Preble, Decatur serving in it at first in command of the brig Argus, and sub- sequently of the Enterprise. "While in this service he distinguished himself by recapturing and burning the frigate Philadelphia, which had fallen into the enemy's hands and was in the harbor of Tripoli. With a crew of 70 men and 13 officers he sailed into the port on the night of Feb. 16, in a captured Tripolitan ves- sel which had been named the Intrepid. By the aid of a Greek pilot and interpreter, and under pretence that they were in distress, the Americans got alongside the frigate before their character was discovered. They instant- ly boarded the vessel, and after a slight resist- ance captured her. Combustibles were spread about and fired, and by the light of the burn- ing frigate the Intrepid sailed out of the har- bor. On the part of the Americans but a sin- gle casualty occurred, one man being slightly wounded. The loss sustained by the enemy could never be correctly ascertained. Many swam ashore or to the nearest cruisers, and 20 were reported killed. For this gallant exploit a captain's commission was conferred upon De- catur, a sword was presented him by con- gress, and two months' pay was voted to each of his officers and crew. In the subsequent attacks upon Tripoli by Com. Treble's squad- ron Decatur bore a distinguished part, and es- pecially in that of Aug. 3, 1804. On this oc- casion, with three Neapolitan gunboats under his command, he assisted in the attack upon a flotilla of gunboats protected by batteries on shore, and a ten-gun brig. Each of his boats, singling out an opponent, boarded and carried her, after a desperate hand-to-hand conflict with cutlass and pistol. Decatur, on taking possession of the boat which he first assailed, took her in tow, and bore up for the next one to leeward, which he boarded with most of his officers and men, himself attacking and af- ter a desperate struggle slaying the Tripolitan commanding officer, who had just killed his brother, Lieut. James Decatur, after pretend- ing to surrender to him. The two boats cap- tured by Decatur contained 80 men, of whom 52 are known to have been killed or wounded. The American loss was 14 killed and wounded. On Aug. 7, just at the conclusion of another attack in which Decatur participated, his com- mission as captain arrived, and he subsequently served at one time in the Constitution as flag captain, and at another in the frigate Con- gress. On June 3, 1805, peace was proclaimed. Between the close of the Tripolitan war and the declaration of war with England in 1812, he was variously employed, at one time super- intending the construction of gunboats. After the affair of the Chesapeake our ships of war were for the most part kept upon our own coast, in anticipation of hostilities with Eng- land, and Decatur was then in command of a squadron, the frigate United States, 44, bear- ing his flag. On Oct. 25, 1812, Decatur, still in command of the United States, fell in with and captured, after an action of an hour and a half, the British frigate Macedonian, 49, Capt. Garden. Although the American ship was the heavier, her superiority was certainly not in proportion to the execution done in this com- bat. The Macedonian, being to windward, could choose her distance, and the action for the most part was at long shot. Her mizzen mast, fore and main topmasts, and main yard were shot away, and 100 round shot struck her hull, while of her 300 men 36 were killed and 68 wounded. The United States lost a topgallant mast and was otherwise somewhat cut up aloft, but her hull was very slightly in- jured ; 5 men were killed and 7 wounded. The Macedonian was taken into New York. For this capture congress voted a gold medal to Decatur, and a silver one to each commissioned officer under his command. On May 24, 1813, Decatur sailed from New York in command of a squadron, consisting of the United States (flag ship), the Macedonian, now an American frigate, and the Hornet sloop of war. The Sandy Hook channel being blockaded, he passed through Long Island sound, and on June 1 at- tempted to go to sea by running out past Mon- tauk point. He was intercepted by a British squadron of much superior force, and compelled to enter the harbor of New London, where he remained closely blockaded until the summer of 1814, when he was transferred to the com- mand of a squadron, consisting of three vessels of war and a store ship, destined for a cruise in the East India seas. So closely was New York blockaded that he did not get to sea until the middle of January, 1815, when he sailed at mid- night. The flag ship President, 44, struck, and 'was much injured in passing the bar. She was pursued by four ships and brought to action about 3 P. M. on the following day by the frigate Endymion of 40 guns. A running fight took place, which lasted about eight hours, whea the Pomona, 38, another of the pursuing ships, also closed, and, obtaining a position upon the weather bow of the President, fired a broad- side into her ; and as at this moment the Te- nedos, 38, was fast closing upon the quarter, and the razee Majestic was within gun-shot astern, Decatur surrendered. The loss of the President was very severe ; 80 were killed or wounded. The loss of the Endymion was 11 killed and 14 wounded. The President was carried into Bermuda, and both she and the Endymion were dismasted in a gale before reaching port. Decatur was soon paroled, and on his return to the United States was honorably acquitted by a court of inquiry for the loss of the ship. On May 21, 1815, with a squadron under his command con-