Stephen Decatur
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Stephen Decatur Jr. was a United States Navy officer. He was born on the eastern shore of Maryland in Worcester County. His father, Stephen Decatur Sr., was a commodore in the Continental Navy during
Portrait by Charles Bird King
USS Constellation, the first U.S. Navy vessel put to sea
Barbary Coast of North Africa
Grounding and capture of USS Philadelphia
James Barron
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Commodore James Barron was a United States Navy officer. He served in the Quasi-War and the Barbary Wars, during which he commanded a number of famous ships, including USS Essex and USS President. As
Stephen Decatur
…and other Washington dignitaries among his personal friends. In 1820, Decatur's career came to an early end when he was killed in a duel with Commodore James Barron after he refused to retract remarks he had made about Barron's conduct in the Chesapeake–Leopard affair in 1807. Decatur had emerged as a national hero…
Portrait by John B. Neagle, 1829
Barron surrendering his sword to Salusbury Pryce Humphreys during the Chesapeake–Leopard affair