The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805A 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. |
Contents
Washington City | |
American Slaves in Tripoli City | |
New England Roots | |
Decaturs Raid | |
Alone at | |
Peace at Any Cost | |
An American Flag on Foreign Soil | |
Diseased Liverand Cold Feet 17 Tripoli Fear 18 Tripoli Harbor Lear to the Rescue 19 Derne Defiance | |
Peace? Freedom? Honor? | |
From a Kingdom to Beggary? | |
Lear Pays | |
Wounded and Restless | |
Homecoming | |
Yussef | |
Eaton Unleashed | |
Hunting Hamet in Egypt | |
White Christmas in Tripoli | |
Fresh Enemies and Money Money Money | |
The Desert | |
Jefferson vs Eaton | |
Burr Bottle and Six Feet Under | |
Epilogue | |
Acknowledgments | |
Other editions - View all
The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret ... Richard Zacks No preview available - 2005 |
The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret ... Richard Zacks No preview available - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
Alexandria American andhis andthe Arabs Argus army arrived ashore attack atthe Barbary Bashaw Bashaw Yussef Bedouin boat Bomba Brimfield British Burr Burr’s Cairo camels Captain Bainbridge captured Cathcart Christian coast command Commodore Barron Congress consul Decatur Derne desert Dghies diplomat Edward Preble Egypt enemy Farquhar Federalist flag force French frigate fromthe Hamet hehad Hornet Hull Ibid inthe intothe Isaac Hull John Rodgers June Karamanli Lear’s letter Lieutenant Madison Malta Mamelukes Mediterranean Midshipman miles mission morning Moslem musket nation negotiations Nissen O’Bannon O’Brien officers ofhis ofthe ofTripoli onthe ordered peace Philadelphia Plumer Porcile President Presley O’Bannon prisoners ransom sail sailors Samuel Barron secretary Senate sheiks ship slaves squadron Syracuse Tayyib thatthe theBashaw theUnited Thomas Jefferson Tobias Lear tohis tothe treaty Tripoli troops Tunis Turkish Turks U.S. Navy United UnitedStates USS Constitution vessel Washington City WEHL William Bainbridge William Eaton Yussef Zuchet