##The Barbary War
May 13th 1805 Derna, Libya
After gaining her independence in 1783, the United States of America began trading by sea with European nations. In 1800, many American merchant ships were being raided and plundered by North African nations known as the Barbary States. Initially the United States tried diplomacy to get the Barbary Pirates to stop attacking their ships, but when the US ambassador met with a Moorish prince in London, England, his response to the Americans was "because Allah commands us to attack the infidels". Realizing that diplomacy was out of the question US President Thomas Jefferson had congress declare war on the Barbary States in 1801, which became known as the Barbary War.
In 1804 the US government came up with a plan to end the Barbary War by deposing the ruler of Tripolitania Yusuf Karamanli and replacing him with his brother Hamet Karamanli. In 1805 a group of 10 US Marines led by Lieutenants Presley O'Bannon and William Eaton arrived in Alexandria, Egypt where they met Hamet Karamanli. From there they recruited a group of 200 Greek and 300 Arab-Turkish mercenaries. On March 8th Eaton's group(Eaton placed himself in charge) left Alexandria for Derna. At around halfway through the journey the Arabs revolted over believing they were not receiving enough food, but was quelled by the Greeks and Marines.
On April 27th the expedition arrived at Derna, at the same time 3 American ships arrived off the coast of the city. At 2:45pm on the next day the American ships began bombarding the city and Lt. Eaton lead his forces to attack the city. The men captured the gun batteries of the city and turned them on the city as the defenders had left them functioning in their hasty retreat. Lt Eaton then raised the American flag above the battery. By 4pm the battle was over. Yusuf had received word that Derna had been captured, and sent an army to recapture it on May 13th, but was driven back by the expedition still occupying the city.
On June 10th a treaty was signed between America and Tripolitania and the US Marines and Greeks left Derna. Hamet became governor of Derna. The Battle of Derna ended the Barbary War. The attack on Derna had shocked many of the other Barbary states into leaving American merchant ships alone and European ships took advantage of this by carrying American flags on board to convince the pirates to leave them alone. The Battle of Derna was Americas first battle on foreign soil and was latter immortalized in The Battle Hymn of the Marine Corps, with the part "to the shores of Tripoli".
https://gab.com/ValeOfShadows/posts/108858597783263505
