By Jack Krost

Familiar quote has Decatur connection

Have you ever heard of the saying, "My country, right or wrong?"
You may or may not agree with it, but it's a fairly common expression, and somewhat pertinent to what's been happening recently. But do you know who said it? It happens to be the man whom our fair city is named after, Commodore Stephen Decatur, a naval hero from back in the early 1800s. Decatur was born in Sinepuxent, Maryland in 1779. His father, also named Stephen, commanded several ships in the Revolutionary War, and young Stephen took after his father by developing a love for the sea. He was an adventurous tyke, known for climbing onto bowsprits to dive into the water. Later at the age of 14, he was said to have defended his mother against a drunken ruffian.

He joined the fledgling U.S. Navy in as a midshipman in 1798, and the next year was promoted to lieutenant. Decatur later made a name for himself in battles against both the Barbary pirates and Britain in the War of 1812. He led the bombardment of Tripoli in 1804, captured an enemy ship, and destroyed an American vessel that itself had been captured. Early in the War of 1812, he defeated the British frigate, Macedonian. Decatur was stuck in port for much of the war, however, because of the British blockade of New York harbor. But in a daring effort in January of 1815, he managed to break out with the frigate, President, destroying the British ship, Endymion. The next day, the British retaliated with a superior force, capturing Decatur's ship and wounding him in the process. But Decatur recovered, and he was given command of a powerful squadron.

After the war with Britain, the U.S. set its sights on stopping Barbary raids on American commercial ships once and for all. It was decided that instead of paying bribes to pirates as European powers were doing, the U.S. military was needed to deal with a rogue nation in the Middle East. (Hmmm. Does something sound familiar?) In May of 1815, Decatur commanded a nine-ship squadron that sailed to the Mediterranean Sea. The show of force apparently was so impressive, it persuaded Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli to sign peace treaties.
After returning home, Decatur became a member of the Board of Navy Commissioners in Washington, D.C. And it was then, during a victory celebration, that Decatur uttered his famous phrase, in a toast. His actual words were, "Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be right, but our country right or wrong."

But fortune didn't always smile on Decatur. In 1820, he was challenged to a duel by a man with a serious grudge, Captain John Barron. Decatur had suspended the elder Barron from service some years earlier while serving on an inquiry board, and as Navy commissioner, he opposed reinstating him. In those days, it was considered a matter of honor to accept such challenges, which Decatur did. He even agreed to fight at the relatively short distance of eight paces, in deference to Barron's failing eyesight. The duel took place at Bladensburg, Maryland in March of 1820. Both men managed to wound each other. Barron survived, but shortly afterward, Decatur died. Much of official Washington turned out for Decatur's funeral. And over the years, the Navy has honored Decatur by naming five ships after him, including a destroyer that's still in service.

Another honor came three years after Decatur's death, when the Georgia state legislature created DeKalb County. It decided to locate the county seat at the intersection of two Indian trails, with a log courthouse on the site of the current old courthouse. But what to name the town? What better than naming it after a valorous naval hero?
So by now, you should realize that Decatur was courageous, acclaimed by his countrymen, and wise to have come up with an expression that's still with us today. But if had been really smart, he would have come up a slightly different saying:"My country! Putting down roots together." (Of course, you may hear a similar slogan around Oakhurst these days.)

That's our latest old-time tale. Come to future meetings of the Oakhurst Neighborhood Association to hear another. The ONA meets on the fourth Monday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Solarium at old Scottish Rite.