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

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.