Maryland; stories of her people and of her history . STEPHEN DECATUR MARYLAND these, two who distinguished themselves especially wereJohn Rodgers and Stephen Decatur. Decatur had distinguished himself about ten yearsbefore in the war with Tripoli. An American frigate,the Philadelphia, had run aground in the harbor ofTripoli, and was captured. The Americans wanted torecapture her, or at least to destroy her so that the Tripol- itans might notmake use of Americancommander call-ed for sprang upready to go, andLieutenant De-catur was put incommand ofthem. They pu
Maryland; stories of her people and of her history . STEPHEN DECATUR MARYLAND these, two who distinguished themselves especially wereJohn Rodgers and Stephen Decatur. Decatur had distinguished himself about ten yearsbefore in the war with Tripoli. An American frigate,the Philadelphia, had run aground in the harbor ofTripoli, and was captured. The Americans wanted torecapture her, or at least to destroy her so that the Tripol- itans might notmake use of Americancommander call-ed for sprang upready to go, andLieutenant De-catur was put incommand ofthem. They putoff in a smallboat, and rowedwith muffled oars to where the Philadelphia was went so quietly that those on board the frigatedid not hear a sound until the boat was alongside. Thebrave volunteers sprang on board. With sword andpistol they drove the Tripolitans overboard into thewater. Then they set fire to the Philadelphia and THE FLAG-SHIP PRESIDENT 170 SAILOR HEROES OF 1812 At a short distance from the burning ship they lay ontheir oars and gave three rousing cheers. LieutenantDecatur was made a captain for his bravery, and Con-gress presented him with a sword. Decatur was a small man, but he was cool, brave anddetermined. In one engagement he attacked a Tripoli-tan officer, a large and powerful man. In the strugglethey both fell, Decatur un-derneath. He grasped hisenemys hand so that hecould not draw his he drew his own pistoland shot the man in theback. Shortly after war withEngland was declared,Decatur, in command of thefrigate United States, cap-tured the British frigateMacedonian. For this cap-ture he received a gold medal from Congress. A little later in the war he tried to sailfrom New York with a squadron. The port was soclosely blockaded that in trying to get out his shipran aground. Four ships of the enemy chased him. Hefought bravely for eight hours and then had to was r
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