dent of the support of my fellow citizens. In presentfto-
that Report, I was extremely anxious to avoid castino- c'em
sure or reproach upon any, while I felt it mv duty at every
hazard to vindicate the freedom of religion to our fellow
citizens, universally, and to denounce, in pointed terms,
any interference of government on that snbject. I am hap-
py to believe that the case is viewed in its true iio-ht, and
that all concur in the sentiment, that the measure contem-
plated will never again be seriously renewed. Religion
can be a blessing only v.-lien every one is left to be per-
suaded in his own mind, wkhout legal restraint or coercion.
For the kind manner in which you have forwarded the
highly valued present, accept my thanks ; and wishing you
the enjoyment of every blessing, I remain truly and sin-
cerely your friend and fellow citizen, Rh. M. Johnson.
Saml. M. Osbourxe, Esq.
Colonel Johnson has lately been re-elected to congress
by a vast majority of his district, say four of every five
voters, and is yearly becoming a more popular favourite.
Meetings have lately been called in approbation of his mail
reports.
COMMODORE STEPHEN DECATUR.*
In recording the events of a life, the major part of
which was devoted to the service of his country, the
' writer is aware that the space which it must occupy is
too circumscribed to render complete justice to the subject.
The space which his fame occupied in the public estima-
tion, and the scenes in which he took an active part, are
enstamped on the minds of his contemporaries, and inse-
parable from the history of our national glory. Nothing
remains for the compiler, but to select with discretion, and
condense with judgment, those events which are indisso-
lubly connected with the progress and achievements of
the American na\y.
Little as some may imagine the circumstances of birth
and education are connected with the events of adult life,
certain it is, that to these we may often refer as the impe-
tus by which the man is either propelled or induced to
action in later years. The father of our hero, though of
French descent, was born in Rhode Island. When but a
young man, he removed to Philadelphia, where he married
a Miss Pine, of Irish extraction. He was bred to the sea,
and commanded a merchant vessel out of the port of
Philadelphia until the establishment of the Navy, Vv^hen
he was appointed to command the Delaware sloop of war. *
He continued in her until the frigate Philadelphia was
built, when the command of that ship was given to him,
at the particular request of the merchants who had built
her by subscription. In this situation he remained until
peace was made with France, when he resigned his com-
mission, and retired to his residence a fe^O- miles from
* Commodore is not a title in the navy, distinguishing a grade in office,
but merely seniority of commission ; tlie oldest captain in a squadron, on
taking the command, is entitled to it as a distinguishing appellation. Post
captam is the highest title yet given to our naval officers.
192
GLORY OP AMERICA.
Philadelphia, where he resided until his death which
happened in November, 1808.
His son, Stephen Decatur, was born on the 5th January,
1779, on the eastern shore of Maryland, whither his
parents had retired while the British were in possession
of Philadelphia. They returned to that city when he
was a few months old, where he was educated".
It is not a little remarkable, that as the father first com-
manded the noble ship Philadelphia, so the son, when she
was in possession of a Barbary powder, risked his life in
the astonishingly hazardous enterprise of destroying her,
in the harbour, and under the very guns of the enemy.
He received a midshipman's warrant in March, 1798,
and joined the frigate United States, under the command
of Commodore Barry, who had obtained it for him. He
continued for some time with that officer, and was pro-
moted to the rank of Lieutenant. The United States at
that tmie requiring some repairs, he requested an order to
jom the brig Norfolk, then bound to the Spanish main.
He performed one cruise in her as first Lieutenant, and
then resumed his station on board of the United States,
where he remained until the affairs with France were
settled.
During most of the time in which young Decatur was
in the United States, that ship was engaged in the duty of
convoying and protecting American ^merchantmen, and
chastismg or destroying the literal swarms of French and
Spanish picaroons which infested the Atlantic ocean.
Constitutionally ardent, and panting for naval ^lory, no
wonder the lessons and examples of'his father had their
effect on his conduct ; nor need we wonder that so able a
commander as Commodore Barry, should encourao-e the
noble bud of promise for future usefulness, which he'could
not observe but with the utmost satisfaction. It may not
be amiss here to remark, that of this ship, in which he
rose from midshipman to lieutenant, he captured, fourteen
years afterwards, one of the finest frigates belongino; to
the British navy.
He was then ordered to the Essex, as first Lieutenant,
and sailed with Commodore Dale's squadron to the Medi-
STEPHEN DECATtJR* 193
terranean. Commodore Dale, having accomplished the
object for which he was despatched with his squadron to
the Mediterranean, returned with it to America. Lieu-
tenant Decatur returned in the Essex; and was received
by his friends and countrymen with those demonstra.tions
of respect which might be expected fron. the character he
had previousb,^ established.
Decatur, if not already in his glory, clearly saw the
shining path that led to it. He had not that untutored
and blusterino; courage which sometimes, by fortunate
circumstances, crovv'^ns a rash fool with laurels, but had
that cool, regulated, and scientific fortitude, v/hich almost
invariably carries forv/ard a great man to temporal fame.
If a hackneyed expression is admissible on a subject so
elevated, it might be said that Decatur was born to achieve
victories " seciutdein artemP He did not wish to leave to
the uncertain and variable fortune of wa.r, those conquests
which are to be obtained by systematic, and regulated
courage. Assiduously employed as he was, in preparing
the Essex for the first important armed expedition from
the new to the old world, he thus addressed the whole-
souled tars of the ship: "Comrades Yv^e are now
about to embark on an expedition, vv^hich may terminate
in our sudden doaths, our perpetual slavery, or our im-
mortal glory. The event is left for futurity to determine.
The first quality of a good seaman, is, personal courage,
the second, obedience to orders, the third, fortitude under
sulTerings; to these may be added, an ardent love of
country. I need sa\r no more I am confident you pos-
sess them all.'' Such an address as this.* from such a man
as Lieutenant Decatur, to such men as American seamen,
some of whom had recently been led to victory by Trux-
ton, and all panting for fame, must have operated like a
shock of electricity. What v/ere in reality its effects, will
no lon2:er be problematical to those who learn what ha
accomplished by the valour and good conduct of those
whom he commanded.
Since the year 1805, expeditions to the Mediterranean
have become familiar ; and, by our officers and seamen,
rather considered a,s pastime and amusement, than as
Yi
194 (GLORY OF AMEklCA.
entering into a hazardous and doubtful contest ; but until
1801 no American armed ship or squadron had ever
passed the straits into that sea, which had so lono- been
infested by barbarian corsairs let it also be remembered
that Stephen Decatur, was one of those who led the
van in the acquisition of the fame which has since shone
so conspicuously upon the American navy in the Medi-
terranean. It might then, although in a minor station, be
said of Decatur as it was said of one of the first heroes
of the revolution : " He dared to lead, where axy
DARED to follow."
When he returned to the United States he v.^as ordered
to take command of the Argus, and proceeded in her to
join Commodore Preble's squadron, then in the Mediter-
ranean, and on his arrival there, to resign the comimand
of the Argus to Lieutenant Hull, and take the schooner
Enterprise, then commanded by that officer. After mak-
ing that exchange, he proceeded to Syracuse, where the
squadron was to rendezvous. On his arrival at that port
he was informed of the fate of the frigate Philadelphia,
which had run aground on the Barbary coast, and had
fahen into the hands of the Tripolitans. The idea imme-
diately presented itself to his mind of attempting her re-
capture or destruction. On Commodore Fieble's' arrival,
a few days afterwards, he proposed to him a plan for the
purpose, and volunteered his services to execute it. That
officer at first disapproved an enterprise so full of peril ;
but the risks and difficulties that surrounded it, only sti-
mulated the ardour of Decatur, and imparted to it an air
of adventure, fascinating to his imagination.
The consent of the Commodore having been obtained,
Lieutenant Decatur selected for the expedition the ketch
Intrepid, which he had captured a few weeks before from
the enemy, and manned her with seventy volunteers,
mostly his own crew. He sailed from Syracuse, on the
third of February, 1804, accompanied by tlie United
States' brig Syren, Lieutenant Stewart, who was to ?id
with his boats and to receive the crew of the ketch, m
case it should be found expedient to use her as a fire ship.
After fifteen days of very tempestuous weather, they
STEPHEN DECATUR. 195
arrived off Tripoli a little before sunset. It had been ar-
ranged between Lieutenants Decatur, and Stewart, that
the ketch should enter the harbour about ten o'clock that
night, attended by the boats of the Syren. On arriving
off the port, the Syren, in consequence of a change of
wind, had been thro^vn six or eight miles without the In-
trepid. The wind at this time was fair, but fast declining,
and Lieutenant Decatur apprehended that, should he wait
for the Syren's boats to come up, it might be too late to
make the attack that night. Such delay might be fatal to
the enterprise, as they could not remain longer on the
coast, their provisions being nearly exhausted. For these
reasons he determined to adventure into the harbour
alone, which he did about eight o'clock.
An idea may be formed of the extreme hazard of this
ex:':3rprise from the situation of the frigate. She was
moored within half gun shot of the Bashaw's castle, and
of the principal battery. Two of the enemy's cruisers
lay within two cables' length, on the starboard quarter,
and their gunlx)ats within half gun-shot on the starboard
bow. All the guns of the frigate were mounted and
loaded. Such were the immediate perils that he ventured
to encounter with a single ketch, besides the other dangers
that abound in that strongly fortified harbour.
Although from the entrance to the place where the fri-
gate lay was only three miles, yet in consequence of the
lightness of the wind, they did not get within hail of her
until eleven o'clock. When they had approached within
two hundred yards, they were hailed and ordered to
anchor, or the enemy would fire. Lieutenant Decatur
ordered a Maltese pilot, who w^as on board the ketch, to
answer that they had lost their anchors in a gale of wind
on the coast, and therefore could not comply with their
request. By this time it had become perfectly calm, and
they were about fifty yards from the frigate. Lieutenant
Decatur ordered a small boat that was alonofside of the
ketch, to take a rope and make it fast to the frigate's fore-
chains. This being done, they began to warp the ketch
alongside. It was not until this moment that the enemy
suspected the character of their visiter, and great confu-
196 GLORY OF AMERICA.
sion immediately ensued. This enabled our adventurers
to go alono-side of the frigate, when Decatur immediately
sprang aboard, fullowed by Mr. Charles Morris, midship-
man. These two were nearly a minute on the deck be-
fore their companions could succeed in mountins: the side.
Fortunately, the Turks had not sufiiciently recovered from
their surprise to take advantasfe of this delay. Theyw^ere
crowded together on the quarter-deck, perfectly astonished
and oghast, without making any attempt to oppose the
a,ssailing party. As soon as a sufficient number of his
men had gained the deck, to form a front equal to that of
the enemy, they rushed on them. The Turks stood the
assault but a short time, and vrere completely overpower-
ed. About twenty were killed on the spot, many jimiped
overboard, and the rest fled to the main-deck, whither
they were pursued and driven to the hold.
After entire possession of the ship had been gained, and
eveiy thing prepared to set fire to her, a number of
launches v/ere seen rowing about the harbour. This de-
termined Lieutenant Decatur to remain in the frigate,
whenci ; a better defence could be made than on board the
ketch. The enemy had already commenced firing upon
them from their batteries and castle, and from two corsairs
that were lying near. Perceiving that the launches did
not attempt to approach, he ordered that the ship should
be set on fire, which was done, at the same time, in dilTer-
ent parts. As soon as this was completely effected, they
left her, and such was the rapidit}^ of the flames, that it
was VvUth the utmost difficulty they preserved the ketch.
At this critical moment, a most propitious breeze sprung
up, blowing directly out of the harbour, which, in a few
minutes, carried them beyond the reach of the enemy's
guns, and they made good their retreat without the loss
of a single man, and with but four wounded.
For this gallant and romantic achievement, Lieutenant
Decatur was made post-captain, there being no interme-
diate grade. This promotion was done v/ith the consent
of the officers over whose heads he was raised.
In the ensuinsf spring, it being determined to make an
attack on Tripohj Commodore Preble obtained from the
STEPHEN DECATUR. 197
kins: of Naples the loan of six ^ui-boats and two bom-
bards, which he formed into two divisions, and gave the
command of one of them to Captain Decatnr, the other
to Lientenant Somers. The sqnadron sailed from Syra-
cuse, consisting of the fris^ate Constitution, the brig Syren,
the schooners Nautilus and Vixen, and the gun-boats.
Having arrived on the coast of Barbary, they were for
some days prevented from making the attack, by adverse
wind and weather ; at length, on the morning of the 2d
of August, the weather being favourable, the signal was
made from the Commodore's ship to prepare for action,
the liofht vessels towing the gun-boats to windward. At
nine o'clock the signal was made for bombarding the town
and the enemy's vessels. The gun-boats were cast off.
and advanced in a line ahead, led on by Captain Decatur,
and covered bv the frigate Constitution, and the brigs and
schooners. The enemy's gii.n-boats were moored along
the mouth of the harbour under the batteries, and withirj
musket shot. Their sails had been taken away from them.
and they were ordered to sink rather than abandon their
position. They were aided and covered likewise by a
brig of sixteen, and a schooner of ten guns.
Before entering into close action. Captain Decatur went
alongside each of his boats, and ordered them to unship
their bowsprits and follow him, as it was his intention to
follow the enemy's boats. Lieutenant James Decatur com-
manded one of the boats belonging to Lieutenant Somers'
division, but being farther to windward than the rest of
his division, he joined and took orders from his brother.
When Captain Decatur, who was in the leading boat,
came within range of the fire from the batteries, a heavy
fire was opened on him from them and from the gun-
boats. He returned their fire, and continued advancing
until he came in contact with the boats. At this time
Commodore Preble, seeing Decatur approaching nearer
than he thought prudent, ordered the signal to be made
for a retreat, but it was found that in making out signals
for the boats, one for a retreat had been omitted. The
enemy's boats had about forty men each ; his an equal
number, twenty-seven of whom were American, and thir-
17*
198 GLORY OF AMERICA.
teen Neapolitans. Decatur, on boarding the enemy, was
instantlv follovred by his countmiien. but the Neapohtans
remained behir^d. The Turks did not sustain the com-
bat, hand to hand, Vvdth that firmness for which they had
gained a rejDutation ; in ten minutes the deck was cleared ;
ei2:ht of them soug-ht refusfe in the hold : and of the rest,
some fell on the deck, and others jumped into the sea.
Only three of the Am.ericans were Y\"Ounded.
As Decatur was about to proceed out with his prize, the
boat which had been commanded by his brother came
under his stern, and informed him that tliey had engaged
and captured one of the enemy : but that her commander,
after surrendering, had treacherously shot Lieutenant
James Decatur, and pushed off with the boat, and was
then making for the harbour.
The feelincrs of the gallant Decatur, on receiving this
intelli-ence, may m.ore easily be imiagined than described.
Every consideration of prudence and safety was lost in
his eagerness to punish so dastardly an act. and to avenge
the death of a brother so basely murdered. He pushed
Vv'ithin the enemv's line with his sinole boat, and havinof
succeeded in getting alongside his retreaiinsf foe. boarded
her at the head of eleven men, who were all the Ameri-
cans he had left.
The fate of this contest was extremely doubtful for
twenty minutes, ^ill the Americans except four were now
severely wounded. Decatur nov." singled out the com-
mander as the peculiar object of his vengfeance. The
Turk was armed with an espontoon, Decatur with a cut-
lass ; attmepting to cut off the head of the weapon, his
sword struck on the iron, and broke close to the hilt. The
Turk at this moment made a push, which slightiv wound-
ed him in the right arm and breast. He immediately
seized the spear, and closed with him. A fierce strugsfle
ensued, and both fell, Decatur uppermost. Bv this time
the Turk had dra^^m a dagger from his belt, and was about
to plunge it into the body of his foe. when Decatur caught
his arm. and shot him with a pistol, which he had taken
from his pocket. During the time they were struggling
on the deck, the crews nished to the aid of then- com-
STEPHEN DECATUR* 199
manders, and a most sanguinary conflict took place, inso-
much that when Decatur had despatched his adversary, it
Avas with the greatest difficuhy he could extricate himself
from the killed and wounded that had fallen around him.
During the early part of Decatur's struggle with the
Turk, he was assailed in the rear by one of the enemy,
who had just aimed a blow at his head with his sabre,
which must have been fatal ; at this fearful juncture, a
sailor, who had been so badly wounded as to lose the use
of his hands, seeing no other means of saving his com-
mander, rushed between him and the uplifted sabre, and
received the blow on his own head, which fractured his
skull. This generous fellov/ survived, and received a
pension from government.
Decatur succeeded in getting with both of his prizes to
the squadron, and the next day received the highest com-
mendation, in a general order, from Commodore Preble,
When that able officer was superseded in the command
of the squadron, he gave the Constitution to Captain De-
catur, who had, some time before, received his commission.
From that ship he was removed to the Congress, and re-
turned home, as a passenser, in the Chesapeake, when
peace was concluded with Tripoli. On his return to the
United States, he was employed in superintending gun-
boats, until the affair of the Chesapeake, when he was or-
dered to supersede Commodore Barron in the com.mand
of that ship. About which time, he married Miss Wheeler,
of Norfolk, Ya. When the United States was again put
in commission, he was removed from the Chesapeake to
that frigate.
The late war with Great Britain gave Commodore De-
catur another opportunity of adding to the laurels he had
won. On the 25th of October, 1812, in lat. 29 N., long.
29 30 W. he fell in with his Britannic Majesty's sliip Ma-
cedonian, mounting forty-nine carriage grms. This was
one of the finest frigates in the British navy, jand com-
manded by Captain S. Carden, one of the ablest officers.
She was in prime order, two years old, and but four months
out of dock. The enemy, being to windward, had the
advantage of choosing his own distance ; and, supposing
200 GLORY OF AMERICA.
the United States to be the Essex, (which only mounted
carronades,) kept at first at long shot, and did not at any
moment come within the complete effect of the musketiy
and grape. After the frigates had come to close action,
the battle was terminated in a very short period by the
enemy's surrender. The whole engagement lasted for
an hour and a half, being prolonged by the distance at
which the early part of it was fought, and by a heavy
swell of the sea. The superior gunnery of the Americans
was apparent in this, as in all their other actions. The
Macedonian lost her mizen-mast, fore and main top-niasts
and main yard, and was much cut in the hull. Her loss
was thirty-six killed, and sixtv-ei2:ht wounded. The da-
mage of the United States was comparatively trivial, four
killed, and seven wounded : and she suffered so little in
her hull and rigging, that she miight have continued her
cruise, had not Commodore Decatur thought it important
to convoy his prize into port. His reception of Captain
Garden on board of the United States was truly charac-
teristic. On presenting his sword, Decatur observed tha.t
he could not think of taking the sword of an officer who
had defended his ship so gallantly, but he should be happy
to take him by the hand.
Commodore Decatur convoyed his prize, in her shat-
tered condition, across a vast extent of ocean, swarming
with foes, and conducted her triumphantly into port ; thus
placing immediately before the eyes of his countrymen a
noble trophy of skill and national prowess.
The crew of the United States, on deck, v\^ere amused
at this time by an odd occurrence. An old negro on board
this ship, who had formerly sailed imder Garden, and had
frequently heard him express a wish to meet in contest a
yankee ship of war, had posted himself at the companion
door, and as Captain Decatur was escorting his captive
guest to the cabin, the old negro accosted the captain of
the Macedonian with " E^ad^ massa. you glad you see
yankee noio ?'' It was with much ado that tlie Commo-
dore could restrain the risible m.uscles of his countenance.
He ordered the black to begone, and the old fellow went
off continuing the repetition of the odd phrase, to the
itih, Klivv YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX.
'~ >T F OU N D ATIONS
Capture of the Macedonian^ Oct. 2bth, 1312. P. 200.
Victory of York, V. C. Death of General Pike. P. 283.
I STEPHEN DECATUR. 201
I no small amusement of the American tars who had just
" achieved this conquest.
After the action, the Macedonian was brought into New-
port, (R. I.) under the command of Lieutenant Wilham
H. Allen, where she was partially repaired. From New-
port, she proceeded to New York, where the command
was given to Captain Jacob Jones, and that of the Argus
to Mr. Allen. The United States had previously arrived
at that port, and both ships were put in a condition to
proceed to sea. Accordingly, in the latter part of May,
1813, they, in company with the liornei, sloop of v/ar,
Lieutenant Biddle, sailed from New York, down Long
Island Sound, for the purpose of avoiding the British squad-
ron off New York, and proceeding to sea by the east end
of Long Island. On the first of June, the appearance off
Montaug Point of a seventy-four, two frigates, and some
otiier vessels, part of a large British force, then in the vi-
cinity, in a hostile attitude, induced Commodore Decatur
to put into New London harbour ; the British squadron
following closely, but without effect. In the evening, the
ships v\^ere drawn up abreast of New I^ondon fort, extend-
ing across the harbour ; the United States in the centre,
the Macedonian on the right, and the Hornet on the left,
in expectation of an attack. For a long time, the squad-
ron remained in the harbour of New London, vigilantly
blockaded by a British force, under the command of Sir