BOSTON RECORDER, April 1, 1820  

* War of 1812 hero Commodore Stephen Decatur

Page 3 has a report: "Murder of Commodore Decatur" which is a nice account of his fateful duel with Commodore James Barron.
It begins: "The gallant Commodore Decatur has been murdered in a duel. The particulars of this melancholy event will be found below..." which they are (see photos).
Four pages, never bound nor trimmed, various foxing, generally in good condition.

Background: This April 1, 1820 issue of the Boston Recorder is an exceptional historic artifact that captures a watershed moment in early American history: the tragic death of War of 1812 hero Commodore Stephen Decatur following an eight-pace duel with Commodore James Barron on March 22, 1820. The publication is highly significant because its bold framing of the duel as a "murder" mirrors a profound shift in the American consciousness, where public outrage over losing its most celebrated naval icon began to turn the cultural tide decisively against the archaic ritual of dueling. Its rarity and historical value are further elevated by the expansive, multi-page layout of the "particulars," which likely includes the full, dramatic sequence of the personal correspondence exchanged between the two commodores prior to the gunfire. Because newspapers of this era were typically only four pages total, dedicating such immense real estate to a single event underscores the sheer magnitude of the national shock waves, making this complete, well-preserved original specimen an incredibly scarce and desirable piece of early 19th-century journalism.