Georgia Biographies Stephen Decatur File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Barbara Winge barbarawinge@yahoo.com http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Georgia Table of Contents: STEPHEN DECATUR Commodore Stephen Decatur was born of French extraction, on the eastern shore of Maryland, on the 5th of January, 1779, but was brought up in Philadelphia. He entered the navy in 1798, as midshipman, under Commodore Barron. In February, 1804, he was with the squadron in the Mediterranean, having command of the schooner Enterprize. While at Syracuse, he formed in his own mind the determination to rescue the frigate Philadelphia, which had run aground on the Barbary coast, and fallen into the hands of the Tripolitans. Having obtained consent of Commodore Preble, Lieut. Decatur, with 70 volunteers, chiefly from his own crew, in a ketch, (the Intrepid,) accompanied by a brig, sailed across the sea, for the harbor of Tripoli. After fifteen days tempestuous weather, they arrived off the port; but the frigate was six or eight miles behind. Lest the wind, which was then fair, should die away, he boldly, perhaps rashly, made up, about 8 P. M., to the moored vessel, then within half gun shot of the Bashaw’s castle. Two armed boats lay within cable length of the starboard quarter, and gun-boats all around. When first discovered by the enemy, Decatur directed his Maltese pilot to say, “they had lost their anchor in a gale, and could not stop.” In a moment a rope was fastened to the Philadelphia, from a small boat, and he, with Mr. Morris, sprang on board! The Turks were crowded together on the deck, and so perfectly astonished, as not to oppose the assailants, till a sufficient number of our men had mounted up and rushed upon them, so that they were soon overpowered. Twenty Turks were killed on the spot; many jumped overboard, and others were driven into the hold. The Philadelphia was set on fire in several places; and although fired upon from the Battery, and nearly surrounded by hostile boats, our heroes again sprung into their ketch, and made their way out of the harbor, without loss of a single man, and only four wounded! For this achievement he was promoted to the office of Post Captain. During the late war with England, he was successful in capturing several vessels, and rendered essential service to his country. Commodore Barron, the individual under whom he first entered the naval service, killed him in a duel in March 1820. It is maintained by the advocates of this murderous practice that it is yielded to for the purpose of escaping the name coward! As if fighting a duel was evidence of courage. But suppose it were true, Decatur had no need to resort to such an expedient to save him from the charge of cowardice; he had proved himself as brave a man as ever faced a cannon’s mouth, and his country had acknowledged it. Now why destroy a useful life? Shy leave a disconsolate widow and children, to prove what was already as certain as any axiom in mathematics? I would not have drawn his “frailties from their dread abode,” were it not to utter my disapprobation against this barbarous practice, and toss from the hand of its advocates the weapon, that duels are fought to evince courage. Ref: Sherwood, Adiel, A GAZETTEER OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA, 1837, Printed by P. Force, Washington City, pp. 269-271. DECATUR COUNTY, GEORGIA Laid off from Early in 1823; part set off to Thomas in 1825, it received its name from Commodore Stephen Decatur. The Flint River runs through the county, and the Chattahoochee forms its western boundary. BAINBRIDGE is the county town, situated on the east side of the Flint River, on a beautiful bluff, 190 miles from Milledgeville. FORT SCOTT is below Bainbridge, on the Flint River. Among the original settlers of this county may be named the following; G. Mitchell, Wm. Martin, Wm. Donaldson, Joel Darsey, John Darsey, W. Williams, H, Ingraham, B. Crawford, James Griffin, M. Hardin, James Brown, Samuel Cherry, Wm. Powell, Samuel Williams, Daniel O. Neal, Hiram Atkinson, James T. Neal, Wm. Forson, M. Kelly, Wm. Hawthorn, John White, John Jones, Duncan Ray, Edmund Herring, Joshua Proctor, William Whigham Elias McElvan, William Powell, Philip Pitman, John Donaldson, R. B. Douglas, Abner Bishop, Jeremiah Slade, Wm. Chester, Captain Parham R. Strickland, J. Saunders, G. G. Gaines. Ref: White, Rev. George, M. A., HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF GEORIGA, 1854. Pudney & Russell, Publishers, New York, pp. 419-420. (Reprinted 1968, Heritage Papers, Danielsville, GA) Note: Adiel Sherwood, A GAZETTEER OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA, Washington City, Printed by P. Force, 1837, pp. 255-256. APPENDIX: BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES "The author conceived that a short biographical sketch of the individuals after whom the several counties were named, would furnish an instructive and pleasing appendage to his topographical work... Acquainted with the intimate friends of some of the 'venerable dead,' he has been furnished with sufficient materials to enlarge on their character... There are in the State ninety counties (book printed in 1837, presently in 2001, there are 159 counties)..." ======================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for FREE access. ==============