[Rarebooks] fs: "My Country, Right or Wrong"

[Joslin Hall Rare Books]

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

Washington; Gales & Seaton: 1820.
Published by friends of Decatur "to place the subject
in its true light".

Dashing, promising Stephen Decatur, hero of Tripoli, hero of the
War of 1812, the toast of Washington, originator of the phrase
"my country, right or wrong"... but given to quarreling and dueling,
now suddenly dead after a duel with a former friend.

The duel had its origins in 1807 when Barron commanded the
'Chesapeake' and was said to have failed to prepare her for an
encounter with a British frigate. Barron was court-martialed
and suspended from the Service for five years -Decatur, his
friend, sat on the Court Martial Board. Barron did not return to
America when his five years were up, and sat out the War of
1812, only returning to America in 1818. Barron pleaded that
he had been broke and unable to return, but Decatur
questioned his former friend's conduct and opposed the
reinstatement in the Service.

Letters were exchanged, of which this pamphlet reprints the
penultimate portion of the correspondence, beginning with a
short note from Barron- "Sir: I have been informed that you have
said that you could insult me with impunity, or words to that
effect".

The final chapter was not far off.

Much younger than Barron, Decatur allowed a distance of only
eight paces between them at the duel, out of respect for his
opponents failing eyesight, and he declared he would not shoot
to kill. Decatur wounded Barron in the thigh, but Barron killed
Decatur with his first shot. It is said that 80 percent of
Washington, DC attended Decatur's funeral, including the
President and the Supreme Court.

Softcover. 5.5"x8.5", 26 pages, lacks rear wrapper, front cover
partially detached; light soil and browning, some tips chipped,
2" by 3/4" chip from gutter of the last page, slightly affecting
two letters; appears to have been bound into and then removed
from a larger compilation. [02501]                      $150.00


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