DECATUR. 69 



gale of wind, and was badly strained in getting off; also five British men-of-war 

 chased her. One of these, the Endymion, he defeated; but the others coming 

 up captured him and the President. Peace was signed shortly afterwards, and 

 Decatur returned to his country. He was again, in charge of a squadron, sent to 

 the Mediterranean against the Moors. He captured the Meshouda, 46 guns, and 

 forced treaties at Algiers and at Tripoli. Returning to America, he was appointed 

 to serve with Commodores Rogers and Porter on the board of naval commissioners. 

 He was killed in a duel with Commodore James Barren, March 1820. 



Decatur possessed from boyhood a "love of the sea." This was recognized 

 at the age of 8 years. It is said to have led him to oppose his mother's wish that 

 he should become a priest and induced Commodore Barry to appoint him mid- 

 shipman. He was, throughout life, averse to anything sedentary. His father 

 and father's father were seamen. Little is known about the family of his mother, 

 Anna Pine, who is said to have been the daughter of an "Irish gentleman." 



Decatur had a fighting instinct that could be completely set into action. 

 As a child his nature was considered fiery. His undertaking to burn the Phila- 

 delphia was a desperate one which succeeded by its pure audacity. When the 

 President was discovered and chased by the British fleet he fought the swiftest of 

 his opponents until she was helpless, until 24 on his ship were killed and 55 wounded, 

 and until he was surrounded by three fresh, powerful enemy vessels. He fought two 

 duels and was killed in one. It is said of him: "The high temper with which he 

 had been born was kept under control, except in rare instances, when he was excited 

 by injustice, deceit, or oppression." His brother James was a similar fighter. 



He was tenacious, as in his hopeless battle with the Endymion. After he 

 had suffered terrible slaughter he still kept on until every sail had been stripped 

 from her yards and her battery had been completely silenced. 



He was quick in decision, as when he jumped into the sea to rescue a man who 

 had fallen overboard, and when, having learned of his brother's death by treachery, 

 he chased and defeated the Tripolitan gunboat that had caused James's death. 



FAMILY HISTORY OF STEPHEN DECATTTK. 



I 1 (F F), Etienne Decatur, of French and Dutch ancestry, became a citizen of Rhode Island 

 in 1753. He was a sailor and a bold privateersman. He died in Philadelphia, leaving his family 

 in straitened circumstances. 



I 2 (F M), Mrs. Priscilla (George) Hill. I 3 (M F), Pine, an Irish gentleman. 



II 1 (F), Stephen Decatur (born 1752), commanded 

 merchant ships and privateers with brilliant success during 

 the Revolution. After the war he entered into partnership 

 with a Philadelphia firm and made many voyages to France. 

 In 1798 he was commissioned a captain of the navy. II 2 

 (M), Anna Pine, hoped that the propositus would be a clergy- 



' Fraternity of Propositus: III 1, Decatur. Ill 2, 



James Decatur, as lieutenant, had command of a gunboat off 

 Tripoli and was mortally wounded in boarding a Tripolitan. ,,,- i-U i-J^ 43 JU 

 III 3, John P. Decatur. Ill 5, Captain James M'Knight, Ld LJ U Cf; 



of the marine corps. Ill 6, Decatur. Ill 7, Dr. Hurst, of Philadelphia. Ill 8, (Pro- 

 positus), STEPHEN DECATUR. 



Children of brother: IV 1, Stephen Decatur, a lieutenant in the navy. IV 2, John P. Deca- 

 tur, a midshipman. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 



BRADY, C. 1900. Stephen Decatur. Boston: Small, Maynard & Co. xviii + 142 pp. 

 MACKENZIE, A. 1846. Life of Stephen Decatur. Boston: C. Little & J. Brown, xi +443 pp. 



