Stephen Decatur

author

Stephen Decatur

1779–1820

A bold young naval officer who became one of the early United States Navy’s best-known heroes, he was celebrated for daring action in the Barbary Wars and for dramatic victories during the War of 1812.

1 Audiobook

Correspondence, between the late Commodore Stephen Decatur and Commodore James Barron, which led to the unfortunate meeting of the twenty-second of March

Correspondence, between the late Commodore Stephen Decatur and Commodore James Barron, which led to the unfortunate meeting of the twenty-second of March

by Stephen Decatur, James Barron

About the author

Born on January 5, 1779, in Maryland and raised in Philadelphia, Stephen Decatur followed his father into naval service and joined the U.S. Navy in 1798. He rose quickly in the republic’s early years, building a reputation for courage, speed, and cool leadership at sea.

He became famous during the First Barbary War, especially after leading the raid that destroyed the captured frigate Philadelphia in Tripoli harbor—an exploit that made him an international celebrity. Decatur later served with distinction in the War of 1812, where his capture of HMS Macedonian added to his standing as one of the nation’s most admired naval commanders.

After the war, Decatur remained a prominent public figure, but his life ended suddenly and tragically when he was mortally wounded in a duel with Commodore James Barron on March 22, 1820. Though he died at just 41, his career helped shape the image of the early American Navy and made his name a lasting part of U.S. naval history.