
Stephen Decatur
American Naval Hero, 1779-1820
Robert J. Allison(Author)
University of Massachusetts Press
Will be published approx. on 30. March 2007
Book
Paperback/Softback
280 pages
978-1-55849-583-8 (ISBN)
Description
Born to an immigrant Philadelphia family in 1779, Stephen Decatur became at age twenty-five the youngest man ever to serve as a captain in the U.S. Navy. His intrepid heroism, leadership, and devotion to duty made him a perfect symbol of the aspirations of the growing nation. Leading men to victory in Tripoli, the War of 1812, and the Algerian war of 1815, and coining the phrase ""Our country, right or wrong,"" Decature created an enduring legend of bravery, celebrated in poetry, song, paintings, and the naming of dozens of towns - from Georgia to Alabama to Illinois. Decatur's friendships with James Madison, John Quincy Adams, and others made him a rising star in national politics. He and his wife Susan built an elegant home near the White House, which became a center of Washington society. The capital and the nation were shocked when Decatur was killed at the age of forty-one in a duel with a rival navy captain. Although he died prematurely, Decatur played a significant role in the shaping of the nation's identity at a time when the American people were deciding what kind of nation they would become.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Massachusetts
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Illustrations
illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 232 mm
Width: 166 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
386 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-55849-583-8 (9781558495838)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
ROBERT J. ALLISON is professor of history at Suffolk University and author of The Crescent Obscured: The United States and the Muslim World, 1776-1815.