James Millikin House

We next find him assisting in the construction of the frigate "United States," which he afterwards commanded, and which became famous in our country's naval history. He went with Commodore Barry on board the United States on a cruise through the west Indies, to suppress the depredations of the French privateers. On this voyage several successful encounters were had with French vessels in the vicinity of Martinique, in all of which Decatur, then but twenty years of age, manifested the bold, daring disposition of his future life, and ren- than the surrounding country, and vice vei-sa ; but that has not been the case with Macon county ;ind the city of Decatur. They have kept step by step in their advancement in wealth, improvements, popuhition and general prosperity. Political demagogues are sometimes, for their own seltish purposes, disposed to array the city against the country or the country against the city, as the case maybe; but to the true obser\er their interests are one and inseparable, as a moment's reflection will demonstrate. The man that takes no interest in his countv town and its advancement is an dered signal services for wliich he was made lieutenant. He was next engaged in cruising along the coast from Georgia to Cape Cod, protecting our commercial interests. He then made two voyages across the ocean, after which a treaty of peace was declared between the United States and France, which put an end to the naval prospects of Decatur for the time being.

Passage source: History of Macon County, Illinois, from Its Organization to 1876, published 1876.

The United States soon after sent a squadron to the Mediterranean to stop the depredations of the Tripolines and Algerines upon our commerce. Decatur was commissioned first lieutenant under Capt. Bainbridge, on board the Essex, which was stationed to guard the coasts and port of Tripoli, where he remained until 1802, when the Essex was relieved by the Chesapeake, under Com. Morris, when he returned home. After spending a few weeks at home his restless spirit induced him to join the New York, under Capt. James Barrow, with whom he again set sail for the Mediterranean in Sept., 1S02. He remained but a short time and returned home, where he was put in charge of the Argus, on which he sailed to Gibraltar, where he assumed command of the schooner Enterprise, with which, on the 23d of October, 1803, he captured the Tripoline craft Mostico, with 70 prisoners. In the early part of 1S04, Captain Bainbridge, being a prisoner in the City of Tripoli, and the gallant old ship Philadelphia having been captured, which, with its forty guns, well manned, effectually guarded the harbor of Tripoli, it was determined that this ship should be burned, but who was to undertake the hazardous experiment.'' Decatur volunteered his services. With his little schooner hitrepid, with but a few guns, assisted by the Siren, he set sail for Tripoli, where he arrived July 4, 1S04. They cautiously approached the harbor where the Philadelphia lay anchored, and oh a dark night the Intrepid, with Decatur at the helm, came up to within a few yards of their coveted prize before being discovered. They lashed the Intrepid to the towering form of the Philadelphia and Decatur and his brave men jumped on deck of the latter, drew their swords and rushed upon the panic stricken crew, and in five minutes killed and drove them pell-mell into the water. The cables of the Philadelphia were cut and she was set on fire, floating at the mercy of the winds. "As the streaming flame circled around mast and boom, flinging its lurid glare over the waste of water, the old vessel floated along until her final explosion. The exultant shouts of her captors penetrated the prison walls of Tripoli and proclaimed speedy liberation."

Passage source: History of Macon County, Illinois, from Its Organization to 1876, published 1876.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Decatur Township - 721,469 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.