[quote=@Dnafein]
Decatur was most likely a friend.  Friends insult jokingly quite a bit, or so I'm told.
[/quote]

Yeah, they were both officers on the same ship. Still, it's somewhat confusing. People were angry at someone not being angry at someone only to end up dueling the person who they were angry about not being challenged in a duel. Just a whole lotta angry sailors.