Talk:William Eaton (soldier)

Untitled
The article says William Eaton's force included a small regiment of Marines. His force included only 8 Marines, Lieutenant O'Bannon, a Sergeant and 6 Privates.

I have created a timeline of the Barbary Wars that encapsulates Eaton's life. It's based on extensive research I've done, primarily books rather than primary resources at this point. I'm still working on it and adding to it as I come across additional information. I welcome any suggested corrections to it. Any objections? Here's the link: Barbary Wars timeline —Preceding unsigned comment added by Barrs (talk • contribs) 22:04, 23 April 2009 (UTC) --Barrs (talk) 21:33, 24 April 2009 (UTC)

section is undergoing re-write
I removed the following section, perhaps temporarily, as it lacks context and citations. As soon as I decipher it (within the context of Eaton's exploits) I may restore it, in whole or in part. Right now it makes no sense to someone who is not familiar with the events.

During the afternoon of Oct 11, 1800, William Eaton agreed to guarantee a six month loan for the release of captive Anna Maria Porcile who was to become a slave if no ransom was given. If at the end of the six months' Count Porcile/Count of Sant-Antioco of Settimo San Pietro, Sardinia, could not make payment, then Eaton was responsible to do so. However Eaton had no substantial funds of his own. So in June 1801 Eaton was told to pay the ransom. Which Eaton paid by borrowing the money from a Tunisian merchant named Unis ben Unis.

In Feb of 1803, Commodore Richard Morris and Captain John Rodgers arrived in Tunis with three heavily armed frigates. However, despite the presence of the fleet, Commodore Morris was arrested for Eaton's debt. The Commodore agreed to pay the debt which had ballooned to $22,000 and to replace Eaton. Eaton departed with the fleet on Mar 10, 1803 on the USS Chesapeake. Morris stated in his report: "Eaton appeared to be a man of lively imagination, rash, credulous. And by no means possessed of sound judgement." However, Eaton's observations of the Barbary ruler proved correct when on October 31, 1803, the USS Philadelphia (1799) was captured after it ran aground, and its crew made slaves or ransomed. --Ishtar456 (talk) 22:58, 31 March 2010 (UTC)

The Barbary Regencies
Although I find this section to be fairly well written, It is entirely un-sourced. If you know the sources, and add the citations please replace it to the article. In the meantime I am going to try to re-write this information with the sources I have and add citations.

On 26 May 1804, because of his experience in the North African region, he was appointed Navy agent for the Barbary Regencies. He sailed to Alexandria, Egypt, where the former pasha of Tripoli, Hamet Karamanli, was rumored to be living. On landing, he learned that Hamet had fled Alexandria into the interior, where he'd taken up with a Mameluke rebel army in Minyeh, about 60 miles north of Cairo. Eaton's entire plan rested on forming an alliance with Hamet and marching with him on Tripoli so he set off to find the former pasha.

Egypt was suffering from a chaotic civil war following the French and British invasions. But Eaton managed to co-opt two armed boats and, with a handful of volunteers, sail up the Nile to Cairo. The local regent provided Hamet a pass through enemy lines and, after a series of exchanged letters and delays, the two united at Damanhur where they formed an official alliance.

From there, he established a group of about 20 Christian (eight of which were US Marines) and 100 Muslim mercenaries to begin the takeover of Tripoli starting with Derna. He managed to trek with a small detachment of Marines led by Presley O'Bannon and his mercenary force over 500 miles while stopping arguments, threats, and mutinies which originated from difference of opinion between his European and Arab soldiers, as well as the withholding of rations by the Christians at one point. Supported at sea by Isaac Hull, Captain of the USS Argus, in an effective "combined operation," Eaton led the attack in the Battle of Derna on 27 April 1805. The town's capture, and the threat of further advance on Tripoli, were strong influences toward peace, negotiated in June 1805 by Tobias Lear and Commodore John Rodgers with the Pasha of Tripoli.

Eaton and Hamet were disappointed by the treaty and the mercenaries and Marines were angry when they learned that Eaton had been forced to abandon the plan to capture Tripoli. Hamet was exiled to Syracuse.

General Eaton died in Brimfield, Massachusetts, 1 June 1811. --Ishtar456 (talk) 20:54, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

Not a Marine
Eaton, was actually a diplomat who led a mixed group on soldiers and mercenaries into battle. Five of those with him were Marines, thus "to the shores of Tripoli" as was at one time, anyway, explained in the article. The title of General was sort of honorary. --Ishtar456 (talk) 11:21, 13 January 2014 (UTC)