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The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines & the Secret Mission of 1805
A real-life thriller -- the true story of the unheralded American who brought the Barbary Pirates to their knees.
In an attempt to stop the legendary Barbary Pirates of North Africa from hijacking American ships, William Eaton set out on a secret mission to overthrow the government of Tripoli. The operation was sanctioned by President Thomas Jefferson, who at the last moment grew wary of "intermeddling" in a foreign government and sent Eaton off without proper national support. Short on supplies, given very little money and only a few men, Eaton and his mission seemed doomed from the start. He triumphed against all odds, recruited a band of European mercenaries in Alexandria, and led them on a march across the Libyan Desert. Once in Tripoli, the ragtag army defeated the local troops and successfully captured Derne, laying the groundwork for the demise of the Barbary Pirates. Now, Richard Zacks brings this important story of America's first overseas covert op to life.
In an attempt to stop the legendary Barbary Pirates of North Africa from hijacking American ships, William Eaton set out on a secret mission to overthrow the government of Tripoli. The operation was sanctioned by President Thomas Jefferson, who at the last moment grew wary of "intermeddling" in a foreign government and sent Eaton off without proper national support. Short on supplies, given very little money and only a few men, Eaton and his mission seemed doomed from the start. He triumphed against all odds, recruited a band of European mercenaries in Alexandria, and led them on a march across the Libyan Desert. Once in Tripoli, the ragtag army defeated the local troops and successfully captured Derne, laying the groundwork for the demise of the Barbary Pirates. Now, Richard Zacks brings this important story of America's first overseas covert op to life.
464 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2005
About the author
Richard Zacks
9 books75 followersRichard Zacks (1955-?) was born in Savannah, Georgia but grew up in New York City. He was a Classical Greek major at the University of Michigan and studied Arabic in Cairo, Italian in Perugia, and French in the vineyards of France.. After completing Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism, he wrote a syndicated column for four years carried by the NY Daily News, Boston Globe, Dallas Morning News and many others.He keeps a hole-in-the-wall office in Manhattan and lives just outside the city limits in an 1897 stucco house, once used by bootleggers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 247 reviews
May 3, 2022
A very well researched and written book about the United States' war with the Barbary pirates in the early 1800's, and follows the one man that did more than any other to lead them to victory, William Eaton. The book is mostly a biography of Eaton, but in the pages there are so much more historical value for readers. The politics between the United States, the north African states, Christian Europe and the Islam Ottomans, with all the inner politics of these different factions as well, it is almost like a soap opera. Eaton really had his work cut out for him, not just by the odds he faced fighting the pirates, but by his own government under Jefferson who was wary of becoming involved in a costly war on African shores. There is also great insight into the scale and brutality of the white Christian slave trade on the north African coast, which is eye opening as history will have you believe that slaves were only brought from Africa, and what they faced were just as bad if not a worst fate than what slaves faced in western countries, though this does not overtake the main story of Eaton, but this was his main mission to free the US Navy sailors held there. There is also much action in this book from the daring missions and big blunders made by the US Navy during the conflict, to the action where the United States Marines made a name for themselves on the shores of Tripoli. Exciting read and highly recommended.
August 12, 2023
With already one phenomenal book under his belt following piracy near American waters, Richard Zacks has brilliantly scored again—this time covering the United States policy towards the Barbary Pirates and the powers that be on the African coast. There is not a moment of boredom or drudgery to be found, as the reader follows the daunting adventures of William Eaton and his crew as they race the clock to free American captives on the USS Philadelphia from the grip of the sitting Pasha and nation of Tripoli. They embark on their journey from Washington City, and from there Zacks takes his audience through the trials and tribulations that led to the capture of the USS Philadelphia—all the while highlighting exciting events like Stephen Decatur’s daring raid.
The book features a cast of men who would eventually become both famous as well as infamous including the likes of Commodore Preble, William Bainbridge, David Porter, Presley O’Bannon, and Tobias Lear. Upon rooting for one of Eaton’s approaching victories, the reader will not necessarily find themselves comfortable—as events can take a turn for the worst in so sudden a fashion—and without any clear purpose from the directions and actions of those higher in authority. Zacks shows the hesitance and reluctance of Thomas Jefferson as President— traits that would come to dog him and repeat all throughout his failed Second Term—and humorously shows the ineptitude, greed, and egotistical ambition of his appointed consul to the Barbary powers, Tobias Lear:
Lear was also quite impressed with Bashaw Yussef Karamanli. (His note to Fanny has an awed schoolgirl tone.) The American diplomat showed no outrage at this ruler who had enslaved Americans. “He paid me many compliments and expressed himself on the peace with much manliness,” Lear wrote. “He is a man of very good presence, manly & dignified and has not in his appearance so much of the tyrant as he has been represented to be.”
Full of twists, epic raids, and explosive land and sea battles, the reader cannot help but compare William Eaton to the likes of Lawrence of Arabia— recognizing his fine moral compass and extreme devotion to his Tripolian allies’ cause for justice. Zacks’ engaging writing style and his talent for drafting from thoroughly researched notes comfortably captures the audience’s attention from the very first pages and onward. The Pirate Coast appropriately leaves the reader wanting to follow up on the numerous minor players discovered throughout the history of the Barbary Wars—where a helpful Cast of Characters, illustrations, and maps are found inside as well.
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The book features a cast of men who would eventually become both famous as well as infamous including the likes of Commodore Preble, William Bainbridge, David Porter, Presley O’Bannon, and Tobias Lear. Upon rooting for one of Eaton’s approaching victories, the reader will not necessarily find themselves comfortable—as events can take a turn for the worst in so sudden a fashion—and without any clear purpose from the directions and actions of those higher in authority. Zacks shows the hesitance and reluctance of Thomas Jefferson as President— traits that would come to dog him and repeat all throughout his failed Second Term—and humorously shows the ineptitude, greed, and egotistical ambition of his appointed consul to the Barbary powers, Tobias Lear:
Lear was also quite impressed with Bashaw Yussef Karamanli. (His note to Fanny has an awed schoolgirl tone.) The American diplomat showed no outrage at this ruler who had enslaved Americans. “He paid me many compliments and expressed himself on the peace with much manliness,” Lear wrote. “He is a man of very good presence, manly & dignified and has not in his appearance so much of the tyrant as he has been represented to be.”
Full of twists, epic raids, and explosive land and sea battles, the reader cannot help but compare William Eaton to the likes of Lawrence of Arabia— recognizing his fine moral compass and extreme devotion to his Tripolian allies’ cause for justice. Zacks’ engaging writing style and his talent for drafting from thoroughly researched notes comfortably captures the audience’s attention from the very first pages and onward. The Pirate Coast appropriately leaves the reader wanting to follow up on the numerous minor players discovered throughout the history of the Barbary Wars—where a helpful Cast of Characters, illustrations, and maps are found inside as well.
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June 20, 2021
Unless you know the story, like fiction, this is a nail biter. Yes, you surmise the POWs/slaves will be freed (or there would be no line in the Marine Corps Hymn) but you don’t know how, when, how many or under what conditions. As you learn about the miserable situation of the captives, the incompetence of the negotiators and the sacrifice of the US Navy, even 200+ years later, you care.
Richard Zachs is thorough. He does not end it in the Mediterranean, he takes it home to its conclusion in the US. The heroes are welcomed against the backdrop of negotiations and cover ups in Washington. This piece of history stretches into the trial of Aaron Burr.
The episode shows an unflattering side of Thomas Jefferson who, historically, and dubiously, is credited with successful resolution of the Barbary issue. Like Eaton, you mourn for the missed opportunity. The “Epilogue” follows up on the later life (and roles in history) of the key players and makes you curious for more.
I see there is a movie, “Tripoli”, currently on YouTube. It was made in the 1950’s before the research unearthed by Richard Zachs.*
Zachs's recent reading of documents from the National Archives in Holland fleshes out the lives of the POWs/slaves and the weakness of the Yussef Karamanli’s government. Zachs also adds a modern perspective on the individuals. While he does not use the words “alcoholism” and “PTSD” you see them play out.
The “Notes” show the scope of research. The book has a good Index. The maps inside the covers are hard to read. There are a few B & W plates of which the portraits of William Eaton, Tobias Lear and Fanny Lear, and William Bainbridge are most helpful.
I highly recommend this to readers of history. Friends who like historical fiction will like it too… and may cross over to reading more history in its pure form.
*I've now seen the movie which is an airbrushed view of the march to Derne. The troops, beautifully clad in clean and pressed uniforms, enjoy camping and evening entertainment. There is romantic interest as a woman (with a 1950's image of glamor) tries to marry the crown prince Hamet. It has a glorious arrival in Derne. The movie trivializes William Eaton and the commitment and contribution of his troops.
Richard Zachs is thorough. He does not end it in the Mediterranean, he takes it home to its conclusion in the US. The heroes are welcomed against the backdrop of negotiations and cover ups in Washington. This piece of history stretches into the trial of Aaron Burr.
The episode shows an unflattering side of Thomas Jefferson who, historically, and dubiously, is credited with successful resolution of the Barbary issue. Like Eaton, you mourn for the missed opportunity. The “Epilogue” follows up on the later life (and roles in history) of the key players and makes you curious for more.
I see there is a movie, “Tripoli”, currently on YouTube. It was made in the 1950’s before the research unearthed by Richard Zachs.*
Zachs's recent reading of documents from the National Archives in Holland fleshes out the lives of the POWs/slaves and the weakness of the Yussef Karamanli’s government. Zachs also adds a modern perspective on the individuals. While he does not use the words “alcoholism” and “PTSD” you see them play out.
The “Notes” show the scope of research. The book has a good Index. The maps inside the covers are hard to read. There are a few B & W plates of which the portraits of William Eaton, Tobias Lear and Fanny Lear, and William Bainbridge are most helpful.
I highly recommend this to readers of history. Friends who like historical fiction will like it too… and may cross over to reading more history in its pure form.
*I've now seen the movie which is an airbrushed view of the march to Derne. The troops, beautifully clad in clean and pressed uniforms, enjoy camping and evening entertainment. There is romantic interest as a woman (with a 1950's image of glamor) tries to marry the crown prince Hamet. It has a glorious arrival in Derne. The movie trivializes William Eaton and the commitment and contribution of his troops.
August 29, 2016
What a relatively unknown and quite fascinating real-life adventure!
An ambitious U.S. general/diplomat turns guerilla warlord and takes a troop of the newly-minted U.S. Marines with Arab mercenaries into North Africa to wage a private war with the local tribal rulers in an effort to rescue captured American sailors in a very Lawrence of Arabia way.
The U.S. government's spy-game secretive backing and simultaneous denying of this mission is intriguing to see in its CIA-esque infancy. The cover-ups and casting adrift of the ambiguously valiant hero, William Eaton, doing what he thought was morally right is like something out of Hollywood. But it happened, and Richard Zacks does well to squeeze what he can out of a minor and little-known footnote in the greater book of U.S. history.
For more clarification on this mission, here is a section lifted from a Wiki page...
"The Marines' most famous action of this period occurred in the First Barbary War (1801–1805) against the Barbary pirates, when General William Eaton, the Naval Special Agent and appointed commander-in-chief of the multi-national expedition, and First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon led a group of eight Marines and 300 Arab and European mercenaries in an attempt to capture Tripoli and free the crew of the captured USS Philadelphia. Though they only made it as far as Derne, Tripoli has been immortalized in the Marines' Hymn. The deposed Pasha, Prince Hamet Karamanli was so impressed with the Marines that he presented a Mameluke sword to O'Bannon inscribed in memory of the The Battle of Derne, a tradition continued today by the swords worn by Marine officers."
Richard Zacks may not be Simon Winchester or Nathaniel Philbrick, but he does a decent job in the "new historian" genre, bringing the people and places in his book back to life with great descriptives that put you into the scene and setting. I even felt like I knew Eaton as a person. His motivations came through quite clear and that human connection is important, even for readers of non-fiction.
An ambitious U.S. general/diplomat turns guerilla warlord and takes a troop of the newly-minted U.S. Marines with Arab mercenaries into North Africa to wage a private war with the local tribal rulers in an effort to rescue captured American sailors in a very Lawrence of Arabia way.
The U.S. government's spy-game secretive backing and simultaneous denying of this mission is intriguing to see in its CIA-esque infancy. The cover-ups and casting adrift of the ambiguously valiant hero, William Eaton, doing what he thought was morally right is like something out of Hollywood. But it happened, and Richard Zacks does well to squeeze what he can out of a minor and little-known footnote in the greater book of U.S. history.
For more clarification on this mission, here is a section lifted from a Wiki page...
"The Marines' most famous action of this period occurred in the First Barbary War (1801–1805) against the Barbary pirates, when General William Eaton, the Naval Special Agent and appointed commander-in-chief of the multi-national expedition, and First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon led a group of eight Marines and 300 Arab and European mercenaries in an attempt to capture Tripoli and free the crew of the captured USS Philadelphia. Though they only made it as far as Derne, Tripoli has been immortalized in the Marines' Hymn. The deposed Pasha, Prince Hamet Karamanli was so impressed with the Marines that he presented a Mameluke sword to O'Bannon inscribed in memory of the The Battle of Derne, a tradition continued today by the swords worn by Marine officers."
Richard Zacks may not be Simon Winchester or Nathaniel Philbrick, but he does a decent job in the "new historian" genre, bringing the people and places in his book back to life with great descriptives that put you into the scene and setting. I even felt like I knew Eaton as a person. His motivations came through quite clear and that human connection is important, even for readers of non-fiction.
May 21, 2024
Zacks' book was an introduction for me to the Tripolitan War, the Barbary pirates, and William Eaton. I found reading about the enslavement of the nearly 300 American men on the North African coast to be of interest. I have this book in print form too and want to read it in that format in the future. I think readers who enjoy David Grann and who like historical fiction would enjoy reading this thrilling history account.
August 22, 2013
“From the Halls of Montezuma,
To the shores of Tripoli,
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land, and sea.”
--The Marines’ Hymn
The Pirate Coast tackles the story of the fledgling United States’ first foreign war, a conflict with the country formerly known as Tripoli (now Libya). By the early days of the United States, the Barbary pirates had a long history of making a nice living from piracy. Operating out of Tripoli, Tunis, and Algiers, they were the scourge of the Mediterranean, capturing ships, stealing their cargo, and holding the passengers for ransom or selling them as slaves. The Barbary states were able to bring in a steady income as tribute from from other countries. Refusal to pay the tribute would put foreign vessels at risk of falling prey to the pirates.
William Bainbridge paying tribute to the Dey of Algiers (Source: Wikipedia)
President Jefferson refused to pay the tribute, and Tripoli declared war on the United States. In October 1803, an American ship under the leadership of Captain William Bainbridge was blockading Tripoli when it was captured. More than 300 Americans were made slaves. For almost two years, they lived under harsh conditions, with physical abuse, small quantities of poor food, and difficult work. Yussef Karamanli, the Dey (ruler) of Tripoli, hoped that such treatment would result in complaints back to the U.S., hopefully driving up the ransom. His scheming had an impact - Americans back at home, perhaps somewhat hypocritically, were horrified at the idea of white Christian Americans serving as slaves to Muslim oppressors.
Enter William Eaton, army officer and former consul to Tunis. Irascible but principled, Eaton led his Marines on a difficult mission to bring the Yussef’s ousted brother, Hamet, across the desert to Tripoli with the objective of inciting civil war and replacing the recalcitrant and demanding Yussef with the more cooperative, though regrettably weaker, Hamet.
William Eaton (Source: Wikipedia)
Eaton made a good showing, capturing the city of Derne and placing the U.S. in an excellent position to negotiate a favorable treaty. Unfortunately, poor communications and weak diplomacy undermined what could have been an impressive military victory. Despite American pronouncements on entering the war, the United States eventually ended up paying to ransom the slaves and even agreed to objectionable tributes, a condition that would last until the Second Barbary War in 1815. Even more disgraceful in Eaton’s eyes, the U.S. did not manage to negotiate freedom for Hamet’s wife and children (who had been the brother Yussef’s hostages for years), and left Hamet in an extremely uncomfortable situation after his failed coup. Eaton never forgave Tobias Lear, who negotiated the treaty, or Thomas Jefferson for betraying promises to Hamet and tarnishing the American reputation in that region.
Overall, it was an inauspicious start for U.S. foreign affairs. Despite Jefferson’s inaugural vow to avoid “entangling alliances” with other nations, it proved easier said than done. Fomenting civil war in another country turned out to be trickier than anticipated. The discussion afterwards as to what the U.S. had and had not actually agreed to, while the participants worked on spinning a more favorable version of the story and political opponents seized the opportunity to take advantage of it, did none of them any credit. It's funny what a hard lesson that is to learn.
To the shores of Tripoli,
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land, and sea.”
--The Marines’ Hymn
The Pirate Coast tackles the story of the fledgling United States’ first foreign war, a conflict with the country formerly known as Tripoli (now Libya). By the early days of the United States, the Barbary pirates had a long history of making a nice living from piracy. Operating out of Tripoli, Tunis, and Algiers, they were the scourge of the Mediterranean, capturing ships, stealing their cargo, and holding the passengers for ransom or selling them as slaves. The Barbary states were able to bring in a steady income as tribute from from other countries. Refusal to pay the tribute would put foreign vessels at risk of falling prey to the pirates.
William Bainbridge paying tribute to the Dey of Algiers (Source: Wikipedia)
President Jefferson refused to pay the tribute, and Tripoli declared war on the United States. In October 1803, an American ship under the leadership of Captain William Bainbridge was blockading Tripoli when it was captured. More than 300 Americans were made slaves. For almost two years, they lived under harsh conditions, with physical abuse, small quantities of poor food, and difficult work. Yussef Karamanli, the Dey (ruler) of Tripoli, hoped that such treatment would result in complaints back to the U.S., hopefully driving up the ransom. His scheming had an impact - Americans back at home, perhaps somewhat hypocritically, were horrified at the idea of white Christian Americans serving as slaves to Muslim oppressors.
Enter William Eaton, army officer and former consul to Tunis. Irascible but principled, Eaton led his Marines on a difficult mission to bring the Yussef’s ousted brother, Hamet, across the desert to Tripoli with the objective of inciting civil war and replacing the recalcitrant and demanding Yussef with the more cooperative, though regrettably weaker, Hamet.
William Eaton (Source: Wikipedia)
Eaton made a good showing, capturing the city of Derne and placing the U.S. in an excellent position to negotiate a favorable treaty. Unfortunately, poor communications and weak diplomacy undermined what could have been an impressive military victory. Despite American pronouncements on entering the war, the United States eventually ended up paying to ransom the slaves and even agreed to objectionable tributes, a condition that would last until the Second Barbary War in 1815. Even more disgraceful in Eaton’s eyes, the U.S. did not manage to negotiate freedom for Hamet’s wife and children (who had been the brother Yussef’s hostages for years), and left Hamet in an extremely uncomfortable situation after his failed coup. Eaton never forgave Tobias Lear, who negotiated the treaty, or Thomas Jefferson for betraying promises to Hamet and tarnishing the American reputation in that region.
Overall, it was an inauspicious start for U.S. foreign affairs. Despite Jefferson’s inaugural vow to avoid “entangling alliances” with other nations, it proved easier said than done. Fomenting civil war in another country turned out to be trickier than anticipated. The discussion afterwards as to what the U.S. had and had not actually agreed to, while the participants worked on spinning a more favorable version of the story and political opponents seized the opportunity to take advantage of it, did none of them any credit. It's funny what a hard lesson that is to learn.
July 22, 2021
Those of you that follow my reviews probably already know that I have little regard for Thomas Jefferson and believe him among the most undeserving of our Founding Fathers. Reading this book simply adds to the list of books that have brought me to that sad conclusion.
As the author points out the event that is recounted in this history is the event responsible for the line in the Marine Corps hymn about "the shores of Tripoli". The event described resulted in the first ever excursion of the U.S. of what in today's world would be called Black Ops and more likely the work of the CIA but the result was the first ever planting of the American flag on foreign soil as a result of combat. This was done under the leadership of a former U.S. Army captain named William Eaton whose patriotism, character, and tenacity are on full display in this extraordinarily difficult, maddening, dangerous, and forgotten accomplishment. Also on full display is the duplicity and political cunning of the U.S. president, Thomas Jefferson.
In 1803 TJ decided that the U.S. was not going to be any part in the accepted international practice of paying tribute to the Barbary pirates in order to allow U.S. merchant ships to sail the Mediterranean unmolested by Barbary corsairs. Two attempts to bring home this message to North Africa had failed so the frigate USS Philadelphia was sent to make the message clearer. The Philadelphia sailed up to the harbor at Tripoli and made its presence and message known and was fired upon. Sadly the ship ran aground and without firing a shot surrendered to the Tripoli pirates. These Tripolitan pirates now had 300+ officers and sailors and an intact U.S. warship. The sailors were enslaved and all were held for ransom while the local leader made plans for using this very powerful warship. Jefferson's policy was not to pay for the release of American prisoners but he needed to free these sailors from slavery. William Eaton now enters into Jefferson's plans.
As the former Consul for neighboring Tunis Eaton offers to return to Africa in an attempt to assist a coup against the sitting ruler of the Tripoli pirates and attack the city from the land while the U.S. Navy attacks from the sea. Tj agrees to the mission and gives Eaton a nebulous title and secret instructions which offer support but in today's understanding gives TJ plausible deniability should the effort fail. At the same time Jefferson is still attempting to negotiate a settlement that includes paying for peace and the ransoming of the prisoners while denying that any money for prisoners is being considered. Most of the book deals with Eaton's maddening struggles to assemble the force and leadership for an armed land attack on Tripoli. Once assembled he has to march this "army" which includes a handful of U.S. Marines from Eaton's support ship the USS Argus under Capt. Hull some 500 miles across the Libyan desert. Eaton's "army" is a ragtag bunch of European mercenaries and assorted Arab tribesmen all of whom have very fragile loyalties and are primarily motivated by payment and they resort to all sorts of schemes extort Eaton for more money that he doesn't have and doesn't know if he ever will. What is recounted would be enough to try the patience of Job but Eaton's zeal and patriotism as well as the honor of his word to his loyal followers keep him going and succeeding regardless of obstacles, obstinacy, and opposition.
I have read about Eaton's campaign in other histories but it has always been glossed over or simply mentioned in passing. This book makes it clear that this was an event deserving of much more attention and that William Eaton is one of our forgotten heroes undone by politics and the politically powerful and privileged. If you want to know what Eaton endured and how all of it turned out for him and all those involved then I suggest you read this book. You won't be disappointed. Enjoy.
As the author points out the event that is recounted in this history is the event responsible for the line in the Marine Corps hymn about "the shores of Tripoli". The event described resulted in the first ever excursion of the U.S. of what in today's world would be called Black Ops and more likely the work of the CIA but the result was the first ever planting of the American flag on foreign soil as a result of combat. This was done under the leadership of a former U.S. Army captain named William Eaton whose patriotism, character, and tenacity are on full display in this extraordinarily difficult, maddening, dangerous, and forgotten accomplishment. Also on full display is the duplicity and political cunning of the U.S. president, Thomas Jefferson.
In 1803 TJ decided that the U.S. was not going to be any part in the accepted international practice of paying tribute to the Barbary pirates in order to allow U.S. merchant ships to sail the Mediterranean unmolested by Barbary corsairs. Two attempts to bring home this message to North Africa had failed so the frigate USS Philadelphia was sent to make the message clearer. The Philadelphia sailed up to the harbor at Tripoli and made its presence and message known and was fired upon. Sadly the ship ran aground and without firing a shot surrendered to the Tripoli pirates. These Tripolitan pirates now had 300+ officers and sailors and an intact U.S. warship. The sailors were enslaved and all were held for ransom while the local leader made plans for using this very powerful warship. Jefferson's policy was not to pay for the release of American prisoners but he needed to free these sailors from slavery. William Eaton now enters into Jefferson's plans.
As the former Consul for neighboring Tunis Eaton offers to return to Africa in an attempt to assist a coup against the sitting ruler of the Tripoli pirates and attack the city from the land while the U.S. Navy attacks from the sea. Tj agrees to the mission and gives Eaton a nebulous title and secret instructions which offer support but in today's understanding gives TJ plausible deniability should the effort fail. At the same time Jefferson is still attempting to negotiate a settlement that includes paying for peace and the ransoming of the prisoners while denying that any money for prisoners is being considered. Most of the book deals with Eaton's maddening struggles to assemble the force and leadership for an armed land attack on Tripoli. Once assembled he has to march this "army" which includes a handful of U.S. Marines from Eaton's support ship the USS Argus under Capt. Hull some 500 miles across the Libyan desert. Eaton's "army" is a ragtag bunch of European mercenaries and assorted Arab tribesmen all of whom have very fragile loyalties and are primarily motivated by payment and they resort to all sorts of schemes extort Eaton for more money that he doesn't have and doesn't know if he ever will. What is recounted would be enough to try the patience of Job but Eaton's zeal and patriotism as well as the honor of his word to his loyal followers keep him going and succeeding regardless of obstacles, obstinacy, and opposition.
I have read about Eaton's campaign in other histories but it has always been glossed over or simply mentioned in passing. This book makes it clear that this was an event deserving of much more attention and that William Eaton is one of our forgotten heroes undone by politics and the politically powerful and privileged. If you want to know what Eaton endured and how all of it turned out for him and all those involved then I suggest you read this book. You won't be disappointed. Enjoy.
May 12, 2008
An absolutely wonderful read by Richard Zacks (author of The Pirate Hunter, another great read). Zacks tells the story of Captain William Eaton and the first authorized black operation of the United States government in 1805 against the Bashir of Tripoli and the Barbary pirates. Once again Zacks never ceases to impress me with his research, insight, and storytelling ability. This book is a must read for anyone in the USMC, as it sheds light on the early history of the Corps. A great read from start to finish.
November 4, 2007
What a hoot! William Eaton was a bulldog who got on the wrong side of T Jeff or we'd be singing songs and visiting monuments about him....history is fickle. Although this is non-fiction, I laughed out loud at this guy's audacity and gumption! His fatal flaw was believing in honor above all else...not too politic! The senario mirrors today's world politics eerily, including a regime change in the Middle East!
November 13, 2012
A good account of the first war with the Barbary pirates. It explores the actions of the Americans involved in leadership roles. It also details the struggles of William Eaton who commanded eight US Marines and a mercenary force of the kingdom of Tripoli in 1805. The character of Eaton and the politicans involved are discussed and explains why the US and Tripoli went to war again after the War of 1812.
June 21, 2007
"The Pirate Coast" chronicles America's first attempt at regime change. Results, as always, were mixed. Despite the obscurity of this mission, readers will find many of the circumstances and events to be quite familiar. Let's just say that history does tend to repeat itself.
Mr. Zacks style is, as always, engaging and readable. He makes no obvious effort at comedy, yet the absurdity of several situations are nearly laugh-out-loud.
For me, the most interesting lesson in this book is on the importance of communication in diplomacy, warfare and covert actions. The world hasn't really changed that much in the past 200 years, but communications have certainly changed the speed at which things happen.
Mr. Zacks style is, as always, engaging and readable. He makes no obvious effort at comedy, yet the absurdity of several situations are nearly laugh-out-loud.
For me, the most interesting lesson in this book is on the importance of communication in diplomacy, warfare and covert actions. The world hasn't really changed that much in the past 200 years, but communications have certainly changed the speed at which things happen.
August 24, 2014
One of the tragic aspects of any forgotten war is that in being forgotten the lessons of that conflict are inevitably lost. That loss represents a serious failure of civilization, for there is truth in the now cliche words of George Santayana: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." The United States has repeated the errors of the First Barbary War many times in the centuries since. Indeed, it would not be outrageous to suggest that this early conflict set the tone for American activities abroad that would continue until the present day, and that the failures of the past have been repeated again and again right up until we turn on our nightly news.
Those who have paid attention to modern history will see many parallels between events in living memory and this, the first "foreign war" of the United States. Elements that echo the withdrawal of American forces from Vietnam; the support and then abandonment of various "freedom fighters" in Afghanistan, the changeability of irregular, native troops; the calls for war to protect commerce blended with the ideals of freedom all ring familiar to the modern reader of American history. The events of the First Barbary War are also familiar in terms of the characters and motivations of the participants as well: patriotic soldiers bent on self-sacrifice and hardship--all in naive anticipation of just treatment by a grateful nation; perfidious diplomats who undermine the noble aims of idealistic warriors--but whose self-serving motives are often in the long run more lasting and profound, the aloof and detached chief executive whose feigned interest or disinterest masks little more than a desire for deniability when things go wrong, and an opportunity to take credit for others' successes. Mr. Zacks draws all these elements in to tell a story that is at once exciting in its particulars but depressingly repetitive in its scope and history.
Within that focus, Zacks does an excellent job of telling a broad, inclusive history with details ranging from the experience of the lowest private to the actions of President Thomas Jefferson. However, even with that range of attention, William Eaton (the American patriot and soldier who led the ground forces that captured Derne--the first American foreign victory) is the undeniable hero of this history; his character and actions touch upon every aspect of the book. In fact, this book would be better served with a title that reflected that content. Though Thomas Jefferson and the United States Marines do figure prominently in the book, it really should be called William Eaton: The Adventures of America's First Covert Commander or something to that effect. Such a title would have been more accurate to the actual contents of the book.
The only other critique I'll offer up for this book is that Mr. Zack's vocabulary, though current, is sometimes jarring on the sensibilities of the reader, and really does little to convey the facts other than to replace the terminology of the time with more modern, but equally obfuscatory language of the present day. Using modern (and somewhat Orwellian) terms such as "regime change" or "covert op" to describe a foreign led rebellion backed by the United States is sometimes awkward to read when juxtaposed with the quotes of the participants who use terms like "noble effort" and "the honour of our nation" in a comparable way. Though the facts are presented clearly and distinctly by Mr. Zack, the lesson of history and any possible hope not to repeat them, rests on the ability of historians to call things out for what they are, not revitalize them using upgraded terms.
Leaving that up to the reader in this case does undermine some of the significance of this work, but not so drastically as to ruin it by any means. The remainder of the prose, quotes and narrative both, are composed with reliable and readable language. Mr. Zacks can tell a story well, with both brevity where it is called for, and detail where it is needed. He presents the voices of his principles neatly and weaves their quotes into his own prose with considerable skill so that we get both his interpretations (almost universally fair in my estimation) along with the voices of those he describing.
I can enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone interested in American foreign policy, the history of our conflicts abroad or simply a biography of a forgotten hero of the Republic.
Those who have paid attention to modern history will see many parallels between events in living memory and this, the first "foreign war" of the United States. Elements that echo the withdrawal of American forces from Vietnam; the support and then abandonment of various "freedom fighters" in Afghanistan, the changeability of irregular, native troops; the calls for war to protect commerce blended with the ideals of freedom all ring familiar to the modern reader of American history. The events of the First Barbary War are also familiar in terms of the characters and motivations of the participants as well: patriotic soldiers bent on self-sacrifice and hardship--all in naive anticipation of just treatment by a grateful nation; perfidious diplomats who undermine the noble aims of idealistic warriors--but whose self-serving motives are often in the long run more lasting and profound, the aloof and detached chief executive whose feigned interest or disinterest masks little more than a desire for deniability when things go wrong, and an opportunity to take credit for others' successes. Mr. Zacks draws all these elements in to tell a story that is at once exciting in its particulars but depressingly repetitive in its scope and history.
Within that focus, Zacks does an excellent job of telling a broad, inclusive history with details ranging from the experience of the lowest private to the actions of President Thomas Jefferson. However, even with that range of attention, William Eaton (the American patriot and soldier who led the ground forces that captured Derne--the first American foreign victory) is the undeniable hero of this history; his character and actions touch upon every aspect of the book. In fact, this book would be better served with a title that reflected that content. Though Thomas Jefferson and the United States Marines do figure prominently in the book, it really should be called William Eaton: The Adventures of America's First Covert Commander or something to that effect. Such a title would have been more accurate to the actual contents of the book.
The only other critique I'll offer up for this book is that Mr. Zack's vocabulary, though current, is sometimes jarring on the sensibilities of the reader, and really does little to convey the facts other than to replace the terminology of the time with more modern, but equally obfuscatory language of the present day. Using modern (and somewhat Orwellian) terms such as "regime change" or "covert op" to describe a foreign led rebellion backed by the United States is sometimes awkward to read when juxtaposed with the quotes of the participants who use terms like "noble effort" and "the honour of our nation" in a comparable way. Though the facts are presented clearly and distinctly by Mr. Zack, the lesson of history and any possible hope not to repeat them, rests on the ability of historians to call things out for what they are, not revitalize them using upgraded terms.
Leaving that up to the reader in this case does undermine some of the significance of this work, but not so drastically as to ruin it by any means. The remainder of the prose, quotes and narrative both, are composed with reliable and readable language. Mr. Zacks can tell a story well, with both brevity where it is called for, and detail where it is needed. He presents the voices of his principles neatly and weaves their quotes into his own prose with considerable skill so that we get both his interpretations (almost universally fair in my estimation) along with the voices of those he describing.
I can enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone interested in American foreign policy, the history of our conflicts abroad or simply a biography of a forgotten hero of the Republic.
March 16, 2009
My expectations for unabridged audio books are that they keep me engaged as I drive through the midwest. Those of you who have ever driven through the midwest will understand that doing so can be a bit tedious to say the least, so the prospect of having a dude or dude-ette read me a ripping good yarn goes a long way toward maintaining sanity behind the wheel. I lean toward historical non-fiction because it's always been my cup of tea, though I'm equally happy with John Grisham/Stephen King/J.K Rowling in a pinch.
Having said all of that, I found this book a slow starter that built up speed in the middle and kept it up right right through to the end. Historical non-fiction provides you the benefit of hindsight, but a good writer can tell the story in a way that places you in the middle of the moment so that you're either shaking your head and cursing or cheering the various players involved in the action. The overly simplified explanation of the plot is that this is the story of how politics helped ruin a brave man, who also seemed intent upon ruining himself.
The larger version of the plot is that this is the story of how the stanza in the Marine hymn concerning '...the shores of Tripoli' came to be. The book has a little bit of everything from well-written battle scenes, political intrigue, diplomatic buffoonery, and a fair amount of drinking. What William Eaton, a little band of Marines, and a larger mercenary army accomplished in North Africa makes for an amazing and sometimes painful story about the cost of ambition and how fickle a 'grateful nation' can sometimes be.
Having said all of that, I found this book a slow starter that built up speed in the middle and kept it up right right through to the end. Historical non-fiction provides you the benefit of hindsight, but a good writer can tell the story in a way that places you in the middle of the moment so that you're either shaking your head and cursing or cheering the various players involved in the action. The overly simplified explanation of the plot is that this is the story of how politics helped ruin a brave man, who also seemed intent upon ruining himself.
The larger version of the plot is that this is the story of how the stanza in the Marine hymn concerning '...the shores of Tripoli' came to be. The book has a little bit of everything from well-written battle scenes, political intrigue, diplomatic buffoonery, and a fair amount of drinking. What William Eaton, a little band of Marines, and a larger mercenary army accomplished in North Africa makes for an amazing and sometimes painful story about the cost of ambition and how fickle a 'grateful nation' can sometimes be.
July 26, 2014
This took a bit of patience getting into, but the story took off. I was always a bit confused trying to follow who was who exactly among the various captains and commanders who dealt with Eaton. Still, the Eaton character is why this book is important. I believe after reading the story that this man was likely as close to a 19th century version of TE Lawrence in his WWI experience as you might find. Maybe the only one in US history. This might be a stretch, but the similarities are certainly there. It is an epic tale and much more readable than the Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Fascinating.
March 11, 2015
From the halls of Montezuma,
To the shores of Tripoli,
We will fight our country's battles
On the land and on the sea...
—U.S. Marine Corps Hymn
Richard Zack's thrilling novel, The Pirate Coast , provides insight into the reason for the second line of this chorus, "to the shores of Tripoli."
In 1785, the Moslem regent of Tripoly, Yussef Karamanli, declared war on an infant nation, the United States of America, sending out Barbary pirate vessels to harass, sink or capture American shipping. The goal was to have tribute paid by the U.S., in exactly the way the Barbary regents had been bribed for centuries by France, Britain, Denmark, and so on. President Thomas Jefferson's famous response to one such demand (in public, anyway) was Millions for Defense, but Not One Penny in Tribute!
By 1804, the war had escalated, with six U.S. fleet ships in the Mediterannean. Then Bey Yussef seized the officers and crew of the U.S.S. Philadelphia, and held them as slaves while he waited for ransom and tribute to be paid. Jefferson responded by sending William Eaton, a former consul to the region who had already proved himself no friend to piracy or slavery, with a commission to find and support Bey Yussef's brother Hamet in a coup atttempt to create a U.S.-friendly state on the Barbary Coast.
Once Eaton had departed, however, Jefferson began to reconsider the commission. In the age of sailing ships, information from the other side of the world might be years out of date, and Eaton, no diplomat, had ruffled more than a few feathers while a consul in the Middle East.
A former army captain, Eaton had recently been court-martialed and convicted. He was impetuous, hardheaded, argumentative. His loud voice cut through conversations; his ramrod-straight stance inspired respect; his Dartmouth education added polysyllables to his vocabulary. Diplomacy, he had very little; he was blunt-spoken, exceedingly direct. He once wrote of the feeble efforts of the U.S. Navy that "a fleet of Quaker meeting houses would have done just as well."
The US. government, with a huge debt from the Revolutionary War, found it cheaper to pay off Tunis—and keep the pirates away—than to fight against them, Jefferson's anti-tribute bluster to the contrary. Eaton, however, was appalled by the aspect of slavery close-up.
"For my part, it grates me mortally when I see a lazy Turk [a Moslem] reclining at his ease upon an embroidered sofa, with one Christian slave to fan away the flies, another to hand him his coffee and a third to hold his pipe... It is still more grating to perceive that the Turk believes he has a right to demand this contribution and that we, like Italians, have not the fortitude to resist it."
Within two years, this disgraced diplomat would lead a band of eight Marines (then a service chiefly known for supplying military bands to Washington ceremonies) and several hundred foreign mercenaries, "the dregs of Alexandria, on a mad hopeless mission to march across the hell of the Libyan desert." Eaton, cut off from the promised funds for his mission, used every wit and wile available to him to round up the missing Hamet, corral the nomadic tribes who had allied against Bey Yussef, and keep them all marching in the same direction.
Eventually this rag-tag group would mount a surprise-attack on Tripoly's second-largest city, Derne, and they would achieve a near miraculous victory—followed by a disastrous retreat in the face of that victory, as commanded by the jealous U.S. Naval commander, John Rodgers, and the pompous (and disastrously compliant) Ambassador to Tripoly, Tobias Lear. (Six years after his suspiciously lenient treaty with Bey Yussef, Tobias Lear, then United States consul general to Algiers, would accept two female Italian slaves to work as housekeepers in the consulate. Their $75-a-year upkeep was part of his reimbursed expense accounts, making the U.S. government complicit in their slavery.)
Their retreat would abandon the allied tribes to the vengeance of their enemies, most of whom had fled when the U.S. fleet showed up in the harbor of Derne, assuming the fleet was there to support Hamet's allies. Despite the slaughter that followed the U.S. retreat, the United States Marines acquired a new reputation for courage. Eaton's single Marine officer, Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon (a fiddle-player in the Marine band), raised the U.S. flag over the harbor of Derne. This was the first time the flag would fly over conquered foreign territory; it flew side-by-side with the banner of Hamet, would-be Pasha of Tripoly.
Returning to the U.S from the Barbary Coast, Eaton found himself lauded and fêted by a 15-state nation that had thrilled to his victories. In Washington, however, Eaton was faced with another campaign far more dangerous than his recent trudge across the Libyan deserts: he set out to recoup his financial losses from multiple Mediterranean campaigns, and to bring Lear, Rodgers, and Jefferson himself under censure for commanding his retreat from Derne. None of the principals are simon-pure; Zachs spares no one, not even Eaton himself.
Thrilling, enraging, and delighting by turns, The Pirate Coast reveals that many things we applaud or decry in current events actually have a long, if secret, tradition in the United States. This is a wonderful story—and so well written, I have already ordered Zack's history of Caribbean pirate Captain Kidd, The Pirate Hunter .
Note: The country's name, Tripoly, was also variously spelled Tripoli and Tripolly in correspondent and accounts of the time, with Tripoly predominating. I have used the same spelling Zacks' book uses. When the spelling standardized to Tripoli, that was the version used in the Marine Corps Hymn.
January 13, 2022
Audible.com 13 hours 16 min. Narrated by Raymond Todd (B)
I am trying to catch on books I've downloaded but have not read. As I was listening, the material in the book sounded familiar, but I was too tired to check on it. This afternoon I looked back on books from 2021 and discovered JEFFERSON'S WAR written by Joseph Wheelan. Since I've listened to a few hours, I'll continue and refresh my memory and perhaps learn something new. So far I prefer JEFFERSON'S WAR for the writing and the reader. I also looked up another book on Audible about the same subject THOMAS JEFFERSON AND THE BARBERY PIRATES written and read by Brian Kilmeade. It is about half as long as both the other books and reviewers criticized the reading. I was interested in Jefferson's war because he was so critical of Washington and Adams for their desire to have a standing army and a navy. It seems he had to eat a few words during his own presidency. I am also interested in the history of the Marines since one of the first songs that I learned was the Marine Corp Hymn. My dad served as a marine in WW2, and my son-in-law is a retired marine pilot.
I just finished reading the best of the three books I've mentioned. THE PIRATE COAST was much better than JEFFERSON'S WAR. Since I had just completed reading Ron Chernow's detailed biography GEORGE WASHINGTON, I was much more familiar with Tobias Lear who married one of Martha Washington's granddaughters, was George's personal secretary and also managed his books. Chernow included SO much detail in his book that it was surprising to learn he didn't include that Lear misappropriated vital letters and papers that George Washington had entrusted to his care. These papers just "coincidentally" had to do with Thomas Jefferson. Nor did Chernow include that Lear had actually stolen farm payments entrusted to him. Washington found out and felt betrayed, but because of their long time friendship Washington forgave Lear. It's possible that Lear used Washington's letters to blackmail Jefferson after Washington's death for a position in the Jefferson government. Tobias Lear was deceitful and lavish with the America's money and failed at brokering an advantageous treaty with Pasha at Tripoli.
On the other had William Emmert perform an incredible feat of marching seven marines, a group of mercenaries and discordant Berber army on horse and camels across the desert to the town of Derne where they supplanted the local Bey, planted the American flag and could quite possible have defeated the ruling Pasha if he had only had more support from the American government. Jefferson and Madison backed the wrong man. Humiliated and in debt, Emmert returned to America to end his life as a drunkard. Easy to read, this book captured all the hardship, courage, and suspense that became America's first venture to topple a foreign government.
Note: it was dangerous as a sailor or passenger to cross the waters of the Atlantic Ocean or the Mediterranean during the years the five Muslim countries, the Barbary states, ruled the waters. Prisoners were forced into slave laborers until ransoms or bribes could be paid and for girls or women the fate could be worse than death. Robert C. Davis has written a book about the European and north American while slavery during the 15th through early 19th centuries in which an estimated million or more people were captured, sold. or held for ransom.
I am trying to catch on books I've downloaded but have not read. As I was listening, the material in the book sounded familiar, but I was too tired to check on it. This afternoon I looked back on books from 2021 and discovered JEFFERSON'S WAR written by Joseph Wheelan. Since I've listened to a few hours, I'll continue and refresh my memory and perhaps learn something new. So far I prefer JEFFERSON'S WAR for the writing and the reader. I also looked up another book on Audible about the same subject THOMAS JEFFERSON AND THE BARBERY PIRATES written and read by Brian Kilmeade. It is about half as long as both the other books and reviewers criticized the reading. I was interested in Jefferson's war because he was so critical of Washington and Adams for their desire to have a standing army and a navy. It seems he had to eat a few words during his own presidency. I am also interested in the history of the Marines since one of the first songs that I learned was the Marine Corp Hymn. My dad served as a marine in WW2, and my son-in-law is a retired marine pilot.
I just finished reading the best of the three books I've mentioned. THE PIRATE COAST was much better than JEFFERSON'S WAR. Since I had just completed reading Ron Chernow's detailed biography GEORGE WASHINGTON, I was much more familiar with Tobias Lear who married one of Martha Washington's granddaughters, was George's personal secretary and also managed his books. Chernow included SO much detail in his book that it was surprising to learn he didn't include that Lear misappropriated vital letters and papers that George Washington had entrusted to his care. These papers just "coincidentally" had to do with Thomas Jefferson. Nor did Chernow include that Lear had actually stolen farm payments entrusted to him. Washington found out and felt betrayed, but because of their long time friendship Washington forgave Lear. It's possible that Lear used Washington's letters to blackmail Jefferson after Washington's death for a position in the Jefferson government. Tobias Lear was deceitful and lavish with the America's money and failed at brokering an advantageous treaty with Pasha at Tripoli.
On the other had William Emmert perform an incredible feat of marching seven marines, a group of mercenaries and discordant Berber army on horse and camels across the desert to the town of Derne where they supplanted the local Bey, planted the American flag and could quite possible have defeated the ruling Pasha if he had only had more support from the American government. Jefferson and Madison backed the wrong man. Humiliated and in debt, Emmert returned to America to end his life as a drunkard. Easy to read, this book captured all the hardship, courage, and suspense that became America's first venture to topple a foreign government.
Note: it was dangerous as a sailor or passenger to cross the waters of the Atlantic Ocean or the Mediterranean during the years the five Muslim countries, the Barbary states, ruled the waters. Prisoners were forced into slave laborers until ransoms or bribes could be paid and for girls or women the fate could be worse than death. Robert C. Davis has written a book about the European and north American while slavery during the 15th through early 19th centuries in which an estimated million or more people were captured, sold. or held for ransom.
July 16, 2014
In the late 1700’s and early 1800’s European shipping and that of the nation called the USA were being harassed by pirates in the Mediterranean Seas. There bases of operation were located in the Northern Coast of Africa nominally under the control of the Ottoman Empire. Tripoli, Tunis and Algeria were the main pirate ports. In the late 1700’s the Pirates attacked the island of Sardinia and made everyone who they captured into slave. Of course in the Ottoman Empire if you were a Muslim would automatically be redeemed. One of the people captured was a young girl called Anna Porcine. Her fate would have been marrying some minor sultan unless she could be ransomed. No one came to her aid and her father a small time diplomat did not have the fund. One brave American soul stepped up to the plate and got a loan for 5,000 dollars. The young girl was redeemed but he was in dept. The Turk that he bought her from would later jack the dept up to 40 thousand dollars. Eaton would later return to the states as a minor disgrace.
Years later in the 1790’s the pirates would continue their merciless plunder and the US under president Jefferson had decided it appropriate to take military action. So the Navy was sent. One ship in particular engaged the Tripoli navy only to end up getting beached upon a reef outside of Tripoli. 300 Navy men were captured and 7 officers. The Navy men were put into, fed meager rations and worked like slave. The officers were taken to Pasha Yuseff’s apartment and were fed with fine foods and drink. Their captivity would last four years.
The man who volunteered for the job of rescuing the imprisoned Americans was William Eaton. Along with 7 other Marines his job was to find Pasha Hemet Bey the rightful ruler and with an army of irregulars he would lead a ground assault against Tripoli and put Hemet in power. Hemet would not condone piracy and would not make the Americans or anyone else pay tribute.
William Eaton had quite an adventure. The United States government was less then truthful. Various officer would tie up the delivery of needed fund . The irregulars would often balk and try to skim for higher wages then what was originally bargained for. The irregulars consisted of Muslims and Middle Eastern Christians an these two groups did not get along. The US pursued a diplomatic tact and a military one. The two would sort of cancel each other out.
Eaton became a hero for a while and Jefferson was temporarily noted for being soft. Eaton would later be bitter at the American weakness and end up turning into an alcoholic. But seriously read the book it has juicy details.
March 25, 2014
What an eye opener. As a retired officer of Marines, I can truly say that I was completely surprised by the apparent inaccuracy of the legend and lore that exists today of U.S. Marine Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon with regard to his acquisition of the "Mamaluke" sword. I'll say no more on that as it would be a spoiler for other Marines who will yet read this book. The fact of that matter does not detract in the least from the outstanding and courageous performance and behavior of the U.S. Marines involved in this operation.
This is a thoroughly researched and well-written piece of historical fiction, albeit, there appears to be little fiction to it except for that necessary to fill those ever-occurring gaps in all good historical fiction that must be covered by the author's imagination to provide for richer character development and viable continuity to the stories of the events. Striking, at least to me, are the many close parallels of yesteryear's politics to today's politics... and for the most part, I find them equally disgusting. From my current perspective, now somewhat better informed, Thomas Jefferson was not really the man or the President I thought he was. And to my way of thinking, Tobias Lear should have been tried, convicted, and jailed for his role in this whole Tripoli/Barbary Coast affair. Again, enough said so as not to interject spoilers into this review.
Anyone interested in early North African history, the Barbary pirates, and Naval history in the Mediterranean will enjoy this very focused narrative on those very subjects. As earlier implied, however, be prepared to find the politics of the era just as unsettling as the politics of today.
This is a thoroughly researched and well-written piece of historical fiction, albeit, there appears to be little fiction to it except for that necessary to fill those ever-occurring gaps in all good historical fiction that must be covered by the author's imagination to provide for richer character development and viable continuity to the stories of the events. Striking, at least to me, are the many close parallels of yesteryear's politics to today's politics... and for the most part, I find them equally disgusting. From my current perspective, now somewhat better informed, Thomas Jefferson was not really the man or the President I thought he was. And to my way of thinking, Tobias Lear should have been tried, convicted, and jailed for his role in this whole Tripoli/Barbary Coast affair. Again, enough said so as not to interject spoilers into this review.
Anyone interested in early North African history, the Barbary pirates, and Naval history in the Mediterranean will enjoy this very focused narrative on those very subjects. As earlier implied, however, be prepared to find the politics of the era just as unsettling as the politics of today.
March 18, 2024
While you can read this book to get an "American" perspective on the time period, it really is only that. The book is full of Orientalist tropes and biases, but isn't even really accurate in most of these. There are just silly things like don't even make sense, like the author saying that beduoins asked the American soldiers to convert by saying "la ilaha illa Allah Muhammad ibn Allah", which translates into "There is no God but God and Muhammad is the son of God", which is not anything any Muslim anywhere throughout history would have said and actually very clearly evidence a Christian theological bias in the text. The correct essential testimonial of the Muslim creed is, of course, La ilaha illa Allah, MuhammadarRasulAllah, "There is no God but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God", and there really is no confusion about this (maybe it meant Muhammad ibn Abdullah is the Messenger of God and they left out the fullness of his father's name, which was "The servant of Allah" or "Abdullah". I don't know). The elevation of the main character's narrative above all others may be the source of much of the poor scholarship, but it gets annoying, and a responsible author or editor should have amended the many mistakes in the text. The best you can do is take the text for what it is, and enjoy what you can from the book, and it is interesting as a work taken in that light to some extent.
October 24, 2008
The story of how, in an effort to stop the Barbary Pirates from hijacking American ships along the coast of North Africa and imprisoning U.S. sailors, William Eaton was sanctioned by President Thomas Jefferson in 1805 to lead a secret mission to Africa to free U.S. hostages being held in Tripoli. Denied official support, because of the covert nature of the mission, Eaton recruited a small band of men including European mercenaries, Arab cavalry, and Bedouin fights to join his core group of men (including several U.S. Marines)to cross the Libyan desert. This group of men captured Derna, a city in Tripoli, and laid the foundation for the eventual defeat of the Barbary Pirates. This operation is celebrated in the Marines' Hymn. Once back in the U.S., Jefferson set out to distance himself from Eaton and ultimately to destroy his reputation. An alcoholic, Eaton died several years later on the verge of bankruptcy.
This book is a fascinating read. Based largely on primary sources, it includes valuable information about the early history of the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps and also includes excellent discussions of the political atmosphere in the United States in the early 1800s.
This book is a fascinating read. Based largely on primary sources, it includes valuable information about the early history of the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps and also includes excellent discussions of the political atmosphere in the United States in the early 1800s.
January 20, 2011
This was a fascinating book about the first "regime change" attempt by the U.S. gov't in the early 1800s by Thomas Jefferson's administration. Plagued by Barbary pirates, we attempted to replace the Tripoli shah with his older exiled brother. William Eaton, former rev. war vet, sales to Egypt, finds the brother, marches across 500 miles of Libyan desert, takes Durnya, and then is hung out to dry by Tobias Lear and T.J.
Interesting notes from my recent readings!
Lear shows up in Geo. Washington's book by Chernow. Lear was an overseer from Mt. Vernon that G.W. fires for dishonest dealings.
Decatur shows up in TRs and Cabot Lodges book on Am. Heroes as the sea captain who goes into the Tripolitan harbor to burn the seized Philadelphia.
Burr's plot to start his own western country plays a part since Eaton ends up testifying against him. This was alluded to the in the Chernow book on Alex. Hamilton.
Reuben James is a hero of the Philadelphia seige (the ship the R. J. was the first sunk WWII and was immortalized in song by W. Guthrie and sung by the Kinston Trio)
This is where the "shores of Tripoli" comes from in the Marine hymn.
Interesting notes from my recent readings!
Lear shows up in Geo. Washington's book by Chernow. Lear was an overseer from Mt. Vernon that G.W. fires for dishonest dealings.
Decatur shows up in TRs and Cabot Lodges book on Am. Heroes as the sea captain who goes into the Tripolitan harbor to burn the seized Philadelphia.
Burr's plot to start his own western country plays a part since Eaton ends up testifying against him. This was alluded to the in the Chernow book on Alex. Hamilton.
Reuben James is a hero of the Philadelphia seige (the ship the R. J. was the first sunk WWII and was immortalized in song by W. Guthrie and sung by the Kinston Trio)
This is where the "shores of Tripoli" comes from in the Marine hymn.
March 31, 2008
Well, it took over a year to read this book. It started very slowly, but about half way the pace picked up and I found it to be a satisfying read. Be warned, you need to be a history lover to really enjoy the detail and nuance of this book.
The book centers on William Eaton, a former Army Captain that leads a covert operation to topple the government of the Barbary Pirates. Along the way you get a good glance at how the government of the day, headed by President Jefferson, operated in both the domestic and international arena. At times the book is dry and the pacing is slow- but that is probably due in part to my Generation X upbringing and expectation of constant action (too many Pirate movies out there). Of course, real life hardly resembles a movie unless you take out 90% of the actual living.
Overall a good book if you like history, pirates, and autobiographies of brave and tragic men.
The book centers on William Eaton, a former Army Captain that leads a covert operation to topple the government of the Barbary Pirates. Along the way you get a good glance at how the government of the day, headed by President Jefferson, operated in both the domestic and international arena. At times the book is dry and the pacing is slow- but that is probably due in part to my Generation X upbringing and expectation of constant action (too many Pirate movies out there). Of course, real life hardly resembles a movie unless you take out 90% of the actual living.
Overall a good book if you like history, pirates, and autobiographies of brave and tragic men.
May 23, 2012
William Eaton....one of my Heroes
March 14, 2021
This book is interesting and engaging. I was struck by the realization that we have a very long history of adversarial relationships with the Middle East.
May 29, 2019
I have read several books before this one about the topic of the Barbary Pirates and the US intervention to squash their practice of raiding towns, capturing ships, and taking prisoners for ransom or eventually as slaves. Contrary to some recent claims about the contributions of Muslims to early American history, these contributions seem to be primarily plundering American trading vessels and taking Christians as slaves, not so different from today! This did prompt America to build up strong naval and marine (...to the shores of Tripoli) forces to deal with this threat to civilization. What was different with this author's take on it was that it left me with a bad impression of how it was handled by Thomas Jefferson and his administration. America, like many of the European powers, had been paying tribute and bribes for these pirates to leave our ships alone. But the cost kept escalating. Jefferson, prior to becoming president, had always spoken out against paying the Muslim pirates. As president he ordered the building of a naval fleet to take on this challenge and put a stop to the piracy stating America would no longer pay extortion. The story generally goes that he sent the fleet to blockade the Barbary ports and challenge any pirate ships they found, capturing or sinking them. At the same time an overland force of marines, the true leader of Tripoli looking to reclaim his country, and local tribes marched on Tripoli ending the piracy and the US paying them.
But, not so fast there! According to this author the blockage was working although it lasted for several years. And the overland march was successful but stopped short of Tripoli because Jefferson had authorized peace negotiations that accomplished the release of Americans being held. The agreement was reach in part because the pirate leader saw the inevitable outcome and decided to do what was necessary to stay in power. The US ended up paying money to them and agreed to pay annual sums less than they had in the past but that's not the story most of us were familiar with. Meanwhile, the American General William Eaton who led the overland expedition was furious at how this worked out. He felt the US had used and then discarded the true ruler of Tripoli and turned many supporters into critics as their lives were left at risk for having joined a revolt. Eaton also fell on financial hard times as a result of what he did for his country and the bargain that had been struck was loaded with weasel words just because Jefferson wanted a treaty instead of finishing the war the right way.
There is way more here than I could possibly summarize but it does present a detailed account of what it took to put together a military expedition when the government wants to be stingy and supports a dodgy character to negotiate and then be recognized as a hero. Great read for history buffs interested in the rest of the story.
But, not so fast there! According to this author the blockage was working although it lasted for several years. And the overland march was successful but stopped short of Tripoli because Jefferson had authorized peace negotiations that accomplished the release of Americans being held. The agreement was reach in part because the pirate leader saw the inevitable outcome and decided to do what was necessary to stay in power. The US ended up paying money to them and agreed to pay annual sums less than they had in the past but that's not the story most of us were familiar with. Meanwhile, the American General William Eaton who led the overland expedition was furious at how this worked out. He felt the US had used and then discarded the true ruler of Tripoli and turned many supporters into critics as their lives were left at risk for having joined a revolt. Eaton also fell on financial hard times as a result of what he did for his country and the bargain that had been struck was loaded with weasel words just because Jefferson wanted a treaty instead of finishing the war the right way.
There is way more here than I could possibly summarize but it does present a detailed account of what it took to put together a military expedition when the government wants to be stingy and supports a dodgy character to negotiate and then be recognized as a hero. Great read for history buffs interested in the rest of the story.
December 10, 2015
Richard Zacks delivers a great rendition of the events that led up to the Babary Pirates defeat by the American navy in 1805 by focusing on the 1803 mission fo William Eaton. Eaton who was a hard drinking solider of the revolution that spent time as a diplomat in the Barbary states following the war led a group of marines (then a very underpaid and underappreciated service) to try and rescue US Navy sailors from the clutches of Barbary Pirates. Part spy story, part diplomatic negotiation this book focuses on all the efforts to free the sailors after William Bainbrige abandoned the USS Philadelphia in Tripoli’s Harbor. Eaton’s attempt to find Hamet the brother of the leader in Tripoli and place him on the throne and the aborted attempt that led to the now famous marine slogan including “on the shores of Tripoli”. Eaton makes an interesting character study in that he was a man who believed in the right thing and stood above party politics. He loyally served his country and although came off as a mercenary for the funds he personally expended on the mission he was eventually paid back what he was owed. His life ended in tragedy and defeat but set in motion events that set the United States apart from the world in standing up to the Barbary Pirates as opposed to paying them off as Europe did. The story is well told and fast paced. Well worth the read if you are interested in more on Jeffersonian America.
June 9, 2014
I purposely did not refresh my knowledge of this incident in history. I wanted to first see it through the author's eyes. Had I done even a modicum of research, I might have declined to invest so heavily in a tale of Eaton. Although history did not quite work out in the way I had hoped (no fault of the author of course), the writing was well-paced and descriptive. I feel that I was fed a knowledge of North African culture and history, well beyond anything picked up in school, by means of an engrossing yarn. It was outside my comfort zone of light or abstract reading, but the effort was rewarding. Someone with a darker temperament might well give this story four or five stars.
December 29, 2015
Excellent read. Provides a terrific insight into the First Barbary War - filled with so many firsts for the U.S. Our first foreign war. The first war declared on the U.S. The first time a U.S. flag was hoisted over foreign soil. The first covert military operation by the U.S. Our first war against what today would be called Islamist terrorism.
Many tragic heroes. Many villains. I have deep sympathy for the firebrand General Eaton and all the demons he failed to slaughter after his time in the desert. Loved Stephen Decatur Jr. Loved Presley O'Bannon. Commodore Preble was terrific. Tobias Lear - yuck, icky, can't stand.
Many tragic heroes. Many villains. I have deep sympathy for the firebrand General Eaton and all the demons he failed to slaughter after his time in the desert. Loved Stephen Decatur Jr. Loved Presley O'Bannon. Commodore Preble was terrific. Tobias Lear - yuck, icky, can't stand.
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July 24, 2011I expected to get The West Wing c. 1800 but was reminded how little central control the President could exercise over anything, and especially foreign affairs -- in an era of relatively slow communication. Jefferson used this to his advantage as he sent off a mission-centered operative with little risk to his own political capital. His stubborn informal instrument was the central character, a patriot at times heroic and at times sad. Those looking for the good old days of clear victories will need to keep looking.
July 12, 2014
The Pirate Coast is a masterfully-written novel. It is historical fiction at its best! Richard Zacks frames U.S. Ambassador Eaton as a principled man who dares to put his beliefs in front President Jefferson's strategic goals. The details in this book are presented so well that it is difficult for the reader to spot the fiction that is necessary to present the facts in a thrilling read. Even thought the setting is in the year 1800, The Pirate Coast is relevant in today's America. I recommend this book for a fact-filled fun summer read! Best - Tony
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