STEPHEN

See also:

• DECATUR
• STEPHEN DECATUR (1779-1820)

DECATUR (1779-1820)  , American naval commander, was born at Sinnepuxent, Maryland, on the 5th of January 1779, and entered the United States navy as a midshipman in 1798 . He was promoted lieutenant a year later, and in that rank saw some service in the short war with France . In 1803 he was in command of the " Enterprise," which formed part of Commodore Preble's squadron in the Mediterranean, and in February 1804 led a daring expedition into the harbour of Tripoli for the purpose of burning the U.S. frigate" Philadelphia " which had fallen into Tripolitan hands . He succeeded in his purpose and made his escape under the fire of the batteries with a loss of only one man wounded . This brilliant exploit earned him his captain's commission and a sword of honour from Congress . Decatur was subsequently engaged in all the attacks on Tripoli between 1804 and 1805 . In the War of 1812 his ship the " United States " captured H.M.S . " Macedonian " after a desperate fight, and in 1813 he was appointed commodore to command a squadron in New York harbour, which was soon blockaded by the British . In an attempt to break out in February 1815 Decatur's flagship the " President " was cut off and after a spirited fight forced to surrender to a superior force . Subsequently he commanded in the Mediterranean against the corsairs of Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli with great success . On his return he was made a navy commissioner (November 1815), an office which he held until his death, which took place in a duel with Commodore James Barron at Bladensburg, Md., on the 22nd of March 1820 . See Mackenzie, Life of Decatur (Boston, 1846) .