Many of you know the city’s volunteer coordinator, Lee Ann Harvey. But most of you probably aren’t aware that she’s a huge American history buff. She even has a This Day in History calendar on her desk. And thanks to this wonderful fact-filled calendar, Lee Ann brought the following to our attention today:
This Day Yesterday in History:
March 22, 1820: Naval Hero Killed in Duel
Stephen Decatur, a hero of the War of 1812, was killed in a duel on this day in 1820. Decatur faced off against James Barron, a naval officer suspended during a trial in which Decatur participated. Despite the tragic duel, Barron was permitted to rejoin the Navy at a lesser rank in 1821.
For those of you who haven’t recently brushed up on your Decatur history, this city was named after Commodore Stephen Decatur. In addition to his famous duel, he was a naval hero of the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812.
