David's Reviews > The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines & the Secret Mission of 1805

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.