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

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.