Barbary War
Burning of the frigate Philadelphia in the harbor of Tripoli, February 16, 1804, by Edward Moran, painted 1897, depicts a naval action of the First Barbary War. See also See USS ''Philadelphia'' for other Navy ships of the same name
Date 1801–1805 Location Northwest African and Mediterranean coasts Result United States victory, peace treaty
Belligerents
United States Sweden(until 1802)	Barbary States (Ottoman Empire regencies)
Commanders
Richard Dale William Eaton Edward Preble	Hassan Bey Murad Reis
Strength
7 Ships 10 US Marines and Soldiers Christian Mercenaries Arab Mercenaries	4000
Casualties and losses
2 Ships destroyed 2 Marines killed, 3 wounded Christian/Arab Mercenaries killed and wounded uncertain	800 dead, 1200 wounded at Derne plus ships and crew lost in naval defeats

The First Barbary War (1801–1805), also known as the Barbary Coast War or the Tripolitan War, was the first of two wars fought between the United States of America and the North African states known collectively as the Barbary States. Northwest Africa or Northwestern Africa is a variably defined Region of North Africa. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. The Barbary Coast, or Barbary, was the term used by Europeans from the 16th until the 19th century to refer to the middle and western coastal regions of North Africa—what Richard Dale ( 6 November 1756 - 26 February 1826) was an officer in the United States Navy. William Eaton ( 23 February 1764 &ndash 1 June 1811) was a United States Army officer involved with the First Barbary War Edward Preble ( 15 August 1761 - 25 August 1807) was a US naval officer The Barbary Wars (or Tripolitan Wars were two wars between the United States of America and Barbary States in North Africa in the early 19th century The United States of America —commonly referred to as the North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan The Barbary Coast, or Barbary, was the term used by Europeans from the 16th until the 19th century to refer to the middle and western coastal regions of North Africa—what These were the independent Sultanate of Morocco, and the three Regencies of Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli, which were quasi-independent entities nominally belonging to the Ottoman Empire. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Algiers (الجزائر Algerian Arabic: Dzayer ( (From kabyle pronunciation Kabyle: Ledzayer, Alger) is the Capital and largest Tunis ( Arabic: تونس Tūnis) is the Capital of the Tunisian Republic and also the Tunis Tripolis ( Arabic: طرابلس Ṭarābulus - also طرابلس الغرب Ṭarā-bu-lus al-Gharb Libyan vernacular: The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish

Contents 1 Background and overview 2 Background: Power vacuum in the Mediterranean 3 Declaration of war and naval blockade 4 Battles 5 Peace treaty and legacy 6 Monument 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External links

Background and overview

Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli, although nominally governed by the Islamic Ottoman Empire, had been largely independent Muslim states since the 17th century. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The monarchy of Morocco, which had been under its current government since 1666, was well known by the time of the Barbary Wars for supporting piracy. Piracy is Robbery committed at sea or sometimes on shore without a commission from a sovereign Nation (as distinct from Privateering ^[1]

Britain and France had come to uneasy ententes with the pirates; a combination of military might, diplomacy, and extorted payments had kept ships flying the Union Flag or French tricolor more or less safe from attack. The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The National flag of France (known in French as drapeau tricolore, drapeau français,and in military parlance les couleurs As British colonists before 1776, American merchant vessels had enjoyed the protection of the Royal Navy. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) During the American Revolution, American ships came under the aegis of France due to a 1778 Treaty of Alliance between the two countries. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The Franco-American Alliance (also called the Treaty of Alliance) was a pact between France and the Second Continental Congress, representing

However, by 1783 America became solely responsible for the safety of its own commerce and citizens with the end of the Revolution. Without the means or the authority to field a naval force necessary to protect their ships in the Mediterranean, the nascent U. S. government took a pragmatic, but ultimately self-destructive route. In 1784, the United States Congress allocated money for payment of tribute to the Barbary pirates and instructed her British and French ambassadors (John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, respectively) to look for opportunities to negotiate peace treaties with the Barbary nations. The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses The Barbary pirates, also sometimes called Ottoman corsairs, were Muslim Pirates and Privateers that operated from North Africa, from John Adams (October 30 1735 July 4 1826 was one of the most influential Founding Fathers of the United States. Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence The Barbary Coast, or Barbary, was the term used by Europeans from the 16th until the 19th century to refer to the middle and western coastal regions of North Africa—what Unfortunately, the price demanded for these treaties far exceeded the amount that Congress had budgeted.

In 1786, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams went to negotiate with Tripoli's envoy to London, Ambassador Sidi Haji Abdrahaman or (Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja). Upon inquiring "concerning the ground of the pretensions to make war upon nations who had done them no injury", the ambassador replied:

It was written in their Koran, that all nations which had not acknowledged the Prophet were sinners, whom it was the right and duty of the faithful to plunder and enslave; and that every mussulman who was slain in this warfare was sure to go to paradise. He said, also, that the man who was the first to board a vessel had one slave over and above his share, and that when they sprang to the deck of an enemy's ship, every sailor held a dagger in each hand and a third in his mouth; which usually struck such terror into the foe that they cried out for quarter at once. ^{[2] [3]}

Jefferson reported the conversation to Secretary of State John Jay, who submitted the Ambassador's comments and offer to Congress. John Jay (December 12 1745 – May 17 1829 was an American Politician, Statesman, revolutionary, Diplomat, a Supreme Court Jefferson argued that paying tribute would encourage more attacks. Although John Adams agreed with Jefferson, he believed that circumstances forced the U. S. to pay tribute until an adequate navy could be built. The U. S. had just fought an exhausting war, which put the nation deep in debt. Federalist and anti-federalist forces argued over the needs of the country and the burden of taxation. Jefferson's own Democratic-Republicans and antinavalists believed that the future of the country lay in westward expansion, with Atlantic trade threatening to siphon money and energy away from the new nation on useless wars in the Old World. ^[4] The U. S. paid Algiers the ransom, and continued to pay up to $1 million per year over the next 15 years for the safe passage of American ships or the return of American hostages. Payments in ransom and tribute to the privateering states amounted to 20 percent of United States government annual revenues in 1800.

Jefferson continued to argue for cessation of the tribute, with rising support from George Washington and others. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the With the recommissioning of the American navy in 1794 and the resulting increased firepower on the seas, it became more and more possible for America to say "no", although by now the long-standing habit of tribute was hard to overturn.

Background: Power vacuum in the Mediterranean

The Knights Hospitaller, also known as the Knights of St. The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John, had begun their occupation of Rhodes in 1309. They created a new identity as the "Knights of Rhodes" and began to engage the Barbary Pirates in naval warfare, as part of their greater war on the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish

To protect Rome from Islamic invasion, in 1530 Charles V deeded the islands of Malta to the knights. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 The wars of the Ottoman Empire in Europe are also sometimes referred to as the Ottoman Wars or as Turkish Wars, particularly in older European Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands The newly christened "Knights of Malta" widened their war against the pirates and their Ottoman masters to include the entire Mediterranean. From the 16th century until 1798, Malta served as a bastion defending Europe against the corsairs and pirates of Algeria and Barbary, and Christian nations respected her and kept friendly relations with the Order. Thus, Malta flourished in this golden age of the Order's history, and the pirate's booty was brought to the island, sold, and the money filled the Treasury of the Order. [1]

In 1798, Napoleon seized Malta en route to his campaign in Egypt. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. Requesting safe harbor to resupply his ships, he waited until his ships were safely in port, and then turned his guns on his hosts. The Knights of Malta were unable to defend themselves from this internal attack. After holding the Barbary Pirates in check for centuries, they were forced to leave their island stronghold. Napoleon's actions created a power vacuum in the Mediterranean which the pirates exploited.

Declaration of war and naval blockade

On Jefferson's inauguration as president in 1801, Yussif Karamanli, the Pasha (or Bashaw) of Tripoli, demanded $225,000 from the new administration. Yusuf (ibn Ali Karamanli, Qaramanli or al-Qaramanli or Caramanli (most commonly Yusuf Karamanli) (1766-1838 was the best-known Pasha Pasha or pacha, formerly bashaw, (paşa پاشا ( Persian: پاشا ( Armenian: Փաշա was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire Tripolis ( Arabic: طرابلس Ṭarābulus - also طرابلس الغرب Ṭarā-bu-lus al-Gharb Libyan vernacular: (In 1800, Federal revenues totaled a little over $10 million. ) Putting his long-held beliefs into practice, Jefferson refused the demand. Consequently, in May of 1801, the Pasha declared war on the United States, not through any formal written documents but by cutting down the flagstaff in front of the U. S. Consulate. Morocco, Algiers, and Tunis soon followed their ally in Tripoli.

In response, Jefferson sent a group of frigates to defend American interests in the Mediterranean, and informed Congress. For the bird see Frigatebird. A frigate /ˈfrɪgɪt/ is a warship The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses Although Congress never voted on a formal declaration of war, they did authorize the President to instruct the commanders of armed vessels of the United States to seize all vessels and goods of the Pasha of Tripoli "and also to cause to be done all such other acts of precaution or hostility as the state of war will justify. "

The frigate USS Enterprise defeated the 14-gun Tripolitan corsair Tripoli after a fierce but one-sided battle on August 1, 1801. First Caribbean tour On 17 December 1799 Enterprise departed the Delaware Capes for the Caribbean to protect United States merchantmen from the depredations Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Year 1801 ( MDCCCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Tuesday

The American navy went unchallenged on the sea, but still the question remained undecided. Jefferson pressed the issue the following year, with an increase in military force and deployment of many of the navy's best ships to the region throughout 1802. USS Argus, USS Chesapeake, USS Constellation, USS Constitution, USS Enterprise, USS Intrepid, USS Philadelphia and USS Syren all saw service during the war under the overall command of Commodore Edward Preble. First Barbary War Though no document recording the date of her commissioning has been found Argus set sail from Boston on 8 September 1803 Early service She was launched 2 December 1799 by Gosport Navy Yard, where Josiah Fox had served as her Master Constructor and commissioned Construction On 27 March 1794, the United States Congress passed the Naval Act of 1794 which provided for building the US Navy its first new Construction In August 1785 after the Revolutionary War drew to a close Congress sold, the last ship remaining in the Continental Navy. First Caribbean tour On 17 December 1799 Enterprise departed the Delaware Capes for the Caribbean to protect United States merchantmen from the depredations See also Ralph Izard (1785 See also See USS ''Philadelphia'' for other Navy ships of the same name Service history First Barbary War The brig departed Philadelphia on 27 August 1803 and reached Gibraltar on 1 October Edward Preble ( 15 August 1761 - 25 August 1807) was a US naval officer Throughout 1803, Preble set up and maintained a blockade of the Barbary ports and executed a campaign of raids and attacks against the cities' fleets.

Battles

Main articles: Battle of Tripoli Harbor and Battle of Derne

In October 1803, Tripoli's fleet was able to capture USS Philadelphia intact after the frigate ran aground while patrolling Tripoli harbor. Efforts by the Americans to float the ship while under fire from shore batteries and Tripolitan naval units were unsuccessful. The ship, its captain, William Bainbridge, and all officers and crew were taken ashore and held as hostages. William Bainbridge ( May 7, 1774 &ndash July 28, 1833) was a Commodore in the United States Navy, notable for The Philadelphia was turned against the Americans and anchored in the harbor as a gun battery.

On the night of February 16, 1804, a small contingent of U. Events 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khan of the Mongols Year 1804 ( MDCCCIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a S. sailors in a captured Tripolitan ketch rechristened USS Intrepid and led by Lieutenant Stephen Decatur, Jr. were able to deceive the guards on board the Philadelphia and float close enough to board the captured ship. A ketch is a Sailing Craft with two masts: a main mast and a shorter Mizzen mast abaft (rearward of the main mast See also Ralph Izard (1785 Commodore Stephen Decatur Jr ( 5 January 1779 – 22 March 1820) was an American naval officer notable for his heroism Decatur's men stormed the vessel and decimated the Tripolitan sailors standing guard. To complete the daring raid, Decatur's party set fire to the Philadelphia, denying her use to the enemy. Decatur's bravery in action made him one of the first American military heroes since the Revolutionary War. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots"

Preble attacked Tripoli outright on July 14, 1804 in a series of inconclusive battles, including a courageous but unsuccessful attack by the fire ship USS Intrepid under Captain Richard Somers. Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France. Year 1804 ( MDCCCIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a A fire ship, used in the days of wooden rowed or Sailing ships was a ship filled with combustibles deliberately set on fire and steered (or where possible allowed to drift Richard Somers (1778 or 1779&ndash 4 September 1804) was an officer of the United States Navy, killed during a daring assault on Tripoli Intrepid, packed with explosives, was to enter Tripoli harbor and destroy itself and the enemy fleet; it was destroyed, perhaps by enemy guns, before achieving that goal, killing Somers and his crew.

The turning point in the war came with the Battle of Derna (April-May 1805). The Battle of Derne was a decisive victory of a mercenary army led by a detachment of United States Marines over the forces of the Barbary coast nation of Tripoli Ex-consul William Eaton, who went by the rank of general, and US Marine First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon led a mixed force of 500 United States Marines, Greek, Arab and Berber mercenaries on a remarkable overland march across the desert from Alexandria, Egypt to assault the Tripolitan city of Derna. William Eaton ( 23 February 1764 &ndash 1 June 1811) was a United States Army officer involved with the First Barbary War Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services Presley Neville O’Bannon (1776 &ndash 12 September 1850) was an officer in the United States Marine Corps, famous for his exploits in the First The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. Alexandria ( Egyptian Arabic: اسكندريه Eskendereyya; Standard Arabic: ar الإسكندرية Al-Iskandariyya; Ἀλεξάνδρεια This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Darnah may refer to Darnah Libya Darnah Municipality Darnah Governorate

With support from American ships, the expeditionary force captured the city. This action, memorialized in the Marine Hymn — "to the shores of Tripoli" — gave the American forces a significant advantage. The " Marines' Hymn " is the official Hymn of the United States Marine Corps.

Peace treaty and legacy

Wearied of the blockade and raids, and now under threat of a continued advance on Tripoli proper and a scheme to restore his deposed older brother Hamet Karamanli as ruler, Yussif Karamanli signed a treaty ending hostilities on June 10, 1805. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem Year 1805 ( MDCCCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Although the Senate did not approve the treaty until the following year, this effectively ended the First Barbary War. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives

Article 2 of the Treaty reads:

The Bashaw of Tripoli shall deliver up to the American Squadron now off Tripoli, all the Americans in his possession; and all the Subjects of the Bashaw of Tripoli now in the power of the United States of America shall be delivered up to him; and as the number of Americans in possession of the Bashaw of Tripoli amounts to Three Hundred Persons, more or less; and the number of Tripolino Subjects in the power of the Americans to about, One Hundred more or less; The Bashaw of Tripoli shall receive from the United States of America, the sum of Sixty Thousand Dollars, as a payment for the difference between the Prisoners herein mentioned.

In agreeing to pay a ransom of sixty thousand dollars for the American prisoners, the Jefferson administration drew a distinction between paying tribute and paying ransom. At the time, some argued that buying sailors out of slavery was a fair exchange to end the war. William Eaton, however, remained bitter for the rest of his life about the treaty, feeling that his efforts had been squandered by the State Department diplomat Tobias Lear. Tobias Lear V (born 1762 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire - died October 11 1816 in Washington D Eaton and others felt that the capture of Derna should have been used as a bargaining chip to obtain the release of all American prisoners without having to pay ransom. Furthermore, Eaton believed the honour of the United States had been compromised when it abandoned Hamet Karamanli after promising to restore him as leader of Tripoli. Eaton's complaints generally fell on deaf ears, especially as attention turned to the strained international relations which would ultimately lead to the War of 1812. The War of 1812 was fought between the United States of America and the British Empire, particularly Great Britain and her North American colonies

The First Barbary War was beneficial to the military reputation of the United States. America's military command and war mechanism had been up to that time relatively untested. The First Barbary War showed that America could execute a war far from home, and that American forces had the cohesion to fight together as Americans rather than Georgians or New Yorkers. The United States Navy and Marines became a permanent part of the American government and the American mythos, and Decatur returned to the U. S. as its first post-Revolutionary war hero.

However, the more immediate problem of Barbary piracy was not fully settled. By 1807, Algiers had gone back to taking American ships and seamen hostage. Distracted by the preludes to the War of 1812, the U. S. was unable to respond to the provocation until 1815, with the Second Barbary War. The Second Barbary War (1815 also known as the Algerine or Algerian War) was the second of two wars fought between the United States of America

Monument

The Tripoli Monument, the oldest military monument in the U. S. , honors the heroes of the First Barbary War: Captain Richard Somers, Lieutenant James Caldwell, James Decatur, Henry Wadsworth, Joseph Israel, and John Dorsey. Originally known as the Naval Monument, it was carved of Carrara marble in Italy in 1806 and brought to the United States as ballast on board the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides). From its original location in the Washington Navy Yard it was moved to the west terrace of the national Capitol and finally, in 1860, to the U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

See also

• Barbary pirates
• Barbary treaties
• Military history of the United States
• Second Barbary War

References

Further reading

• Toll, Ian W. (2006), Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U. S. Navy, W. W. Norton, ISBN 978-0393058475
• London, Joshua E. (2005), written at New Jersey, Victory in Tripoli: How America's War with the Barbary Pirates Established the U. S. Navy and Shaped a Nation, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. , ISBN 0-471-44415-4
• Lambert, Frank The Barbary Wars: American Independence in the Atlantic World New York: Hill and Wang, 2005. ISBN
• Adams, Henry. Henry Adams may refer to Henry Adams (mechanical engineer (1858-1929 American engineer Henry Adams (pastor (1802-1872 American History of the United States of America During the Administrations of Thomas Jefferson. Originally published 1891; Library of America edition 1986. The Library of America (LoA is a Nonprofit Publisher of classic American literature. ISBN.
• De Kay, James Tertius. A Rage for Glory: The Life of Commodore Stephen Decatur, USN. Free Press, 2004. ISBN.
• Wheelan, Joseph. Jefferson's War: America's First War on Terror, 1801–1805. New York: Carroll & Graf, 2003. ISBN.
• Zacks, Richard. The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805. New York: Hyperion, 2005. ISBN.
• Smethurst, David. Tripoli: The United States' First War on Terror. New York: Presidio Press, 2006.
• Boot, Max. The Savage Wars of Peace: Small Wars and the Rise of American Power. New York: Basic Books, 2002. ISBN 0-465-00720-1

External links

• Treaties with The Barbary Powers :
• http://www.deanesmay.com/archives/000374.html#000374
• http://www.victoryintripoli.com/
• http://www.heritage.org/Research/NationalSecurity/hl940.cfm
• http://www.slate.com/id/2157314/

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