Stephen Decatur Was a Badass
Decatur Metro | May 20, 2010
No wonder there are so many cities and counties in the U.S. named “Decatur”. This dude ruled the high seas.
From a post on the Naval History Blog this morning…
195 years ago today, Commodore Stephen Decatur sailed his squadron of ten ships to the Mediterranean Sea to take part in the Second Barbary War, whose goal was to suppress a growing piracy industry. Decatur was dispatched to Algiers to secure the release of American sailors taken prisoner and held in slavery, to put an end to the payment of tribute (state-to-state extortion), and finally, to procure favorable prize agreements.
According to the Naval History Blog, Decatur captured two ships on his way to Algiers, which provided him bargaining power. Within 48 hours, he had a treaty signed, accomplishing all the objectives stated above. Decatur then sailed on to Tunis and Tripoli and demanded and received compensation for the War of 1812 that had previously been withheld.
For this campaign, he became known as “the Conqueror of the Barbary Pirates.”
Latest from Decaturish
Stephan Decatur Was a Bad Ass
The puffy shirt and fancy coiffure were the signs?
Dude, back in the 19th century, men in puffy sleeves terrorized the streets. And those with the pointy shoes and fluffed-up coiffures were the baddest of the bad. Heck, they could kill with one shoulder-swing of their epaulets!
Dang! The one day that I don’t check out the “Naval History Blog”, and look what I might have missed!!
I wonder what he would think of the faux marble at Decatur Diner
I smell a new festival . . . .
Wow, DM. Fatherhood must be taking its toll!
There are a couple of howlers here:
– “Stephen” misspelled in the head.
– “NAVEL history” (twice) Ah yes, few will forget the bloody Civil War between Innies and Outies…
– And while I’m picking nits, “badass” is generally considered to be one word.
That said, interesting stuff!
Oy. Thanks Lump.
It was only a matter of time before the lack of sleep started to catch up with my editing.
On fatherhood & Stephen Decatur’s badass self…
Did you end up naming the baby after him?
A Navel History blog. Now that’s something worth looking into.
Only if you’re into lint.
…or gazing into.
Stephen Decatur could even kick Chuck Norris’s butt.
Chuck Norris cooks his meat by staring at it.
Stephen Decaur was mortally wounded in a pistol duel, then died at his house after hosting a party from his deathbed. He’s just like Chuck Norris® only real.
If he were alive and lived here now he’d have go through sensitivity training and be moderated by DM for hatin’ on all those pirates! Tsk, tsk.
BTW I’m sure a man of his class and taste would make whoever painted the marble at DD walk the plank.
Sounds like Stephen would not approve of Pirate’s day.
Arrrrgh!
Stephen’s antipiracy activism may have kicked off global warming!
http://www.venganza.org/images/spreadword/pchart1.jpg