Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War That Changed American History

196 Pages·2015·10.38 MB·English

by  Brian Kilmeade

ALSO BY BRIAN KILMEADE AND DON YAEGER
George Washington’s Secret Six

SENTINEL
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Image 6: Stephen Decatur (1779–1820), by Rembrandt Peale, ca. 1815–1820; oil on canvas; overall: 29 x
23 5/8 in (73.7 x 60 cm); 1867.309, New-York Historical Society Image 13: The attack made on Tripoli on
the 3rd August 1804 . . . ; from PR100 (Maritime File), FF 56—Barbary War; neg #3516, New-York
Historical Society Image 16: Blowing up the fire ship Intrepid; from PR100 (Maritime File), FF 56, FF E,
Drawer; Med Naval Battles: Barbary War; neg #90696d, New-York Historical Society Image 19: General
William Eaton and Hamet Qaramanli, On the Desert of Barca, Approaching Derne; from “Memories of a
Hundred Years,” p. 60, E173, H16 v. 1; neg #90916d, New-York Historical Society Image 23: The U.S.
Squadron, under Command of Com. Decatur, At Anchor off the City of Algiers, June 30, 1815; from
PR100 (Maritime File), box 11, folder 8; neg #90695d, New-York Historical Society Additional credits
appear adjacent to the respective images.
ISBN_978-0-69819741-1
Map Illustrations by Daniel Lagin
Version_1
To my dad, who died way too young, and my mom, who worked way too
hard. They taught me from day one that being born in America was like
winning the lottery. This story is yet more proof that they were 100
percent right.
—BK
To Jeanette: I adore you. Thanks for encouraging this relationship,
making this book happen.
—DY
CONTENTS
ALSO BY BRIAN KILMEADE AND DON YAEGER
TITLE PAGE
COPYRIGHT
DEDICATION
CAST OF CHARACTERS
AUTHOR’S NOTE
PROLOGUE
Unprepared and Unprotected
CHAPTER 1
Americans Abroad
CHAPTER 2
Secretary Jefferson
CHAPTER 3
The Humiliation of the USS George Washington
CHAPTER 4
Jefferson Takes Charge
CHAPTER 5
A Flagpole Falls
CHAPTER 6
The First Flotilla
CHAPTER 7
Skirmish at Sea
CHAPTER 8
Patience Wears Thin
CHAPTER 9
The Doldrums of Summer
CHAPTER 10
The Omens of October
CHAPTER 11
The Philadelphia Disaster
CHAPTER 12
By the Cover of Darkness
CHAPTER 13
The Battle of Tripoli
CHAPTER 14
Opening a New Front
CHAPTER 15
Win in the Desert or Die in the Desert
CHAPTER 16
Endgame
CHAPTER 17
Fair Winds and Following Seas
EPILOGUE
IMAGES
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
NOTES
A NOTE ON SOURCES
INDEX
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Sidi Haji Abdrahaman: Tripolitan Envoy to Great Britain John Adams: Minister to
the Court of St. James’s, later President of the United States William Bainbridge:
Captain, U.S. Navy Joel Barlow: Consul General to the Barbary States Samuel
Barron: Captain, U.S. Navy, commander of the USS President
Salvador Catalano: Pilot, USS Intrepid
James Leander Cathcart: U.S. Consul to Tripoli Richard Dale: Captain, U.S. Navy
James Decatur: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, Gunboat No. 2
Stephen Decatur Jr.: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy William Eaton: U.S. Consul General to
Tunis Daniel Frazier: Ordinary Seaman, U.S. Navy, Gunboat No. 5
Albert Gallatin: Secretary of the Treasury Hassan: Dey of Algiers*
Isaac Hull: Captain, U.S. Navy, USS Argus
Martha and Mary (Polly) Jefferson: Daughters of Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson:
Minister to France, later President of the United States Ahmed Khorshid: Viceroy
of Egypt Tobias Lear: U.S. Consul General to the Barbary States James Madison:
Secretary of State, later President of the United States Richard Valentine Morris:
Captain, U.S. Navy, commander of the USS Chesapeake
Alexander Murray: Captain, U.S. Navy, commander of the USS Constellation
Bobba Mustapha: Dey of Algiers Nicholas Nissen: Danish Consul General Presley
Neville O’Bannon: Lieutenant, U.S. Marines Richard O’Brien: Captain of the
Dauphin
Edward Preble: Captain, U.S. Navy, commander of the USS Constitution
Hamet Qaramanli: Brother of Yusuf and rightful heir as Bashaw of Tripoli Yusuf
Qaramanli: Bashaw of Tripoli Murat Rais: High Admiral, Navy of Tripoli (formerly