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The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Barbary War - Feb. 28th, 2003
http://earlyamerica.com/review/2002_winter_spring/terrorism.htm ^ | Thomas Jewett

Posted on 02/28/2003 5:35:48 AM PST by SAMWolf

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America and the Barbary Pirates:
An International Battle Against an Unconventional Foe


The events of September 11, 2001 shocked the United States out of its complacency concerning its invulnerability. Even though the U.S. has the most powerful military machine on earth, it might be of little avail; it seems that a new type of war will be fought. A war that will need resolve, years of effort, and new tactics.

This is not the first conflict in which America has faced such deprivations against life and property. There was another time when it was determined that diplomacy would not only be futile, but humiliating and in the long run disastrous. A time when ransom or tribute would not buy peace. A time when war was considered more effective and honorable. And, a time when war would be fought, not with large concentrations of military might, but by small bands peopled with individuals of indomitable spirit.

Almost 180 years ago our infant country attacked Tripoli under circumstances that are eerily similar to contemporary times. That conflict, immortalized in the Marine Corps Hymn, "From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli" called the Tripolitan War or the Barbary Pirate War, came shortly after we gained our independence from England. The United States chose to fight the pirates of Barbary, rather than pay tribute, as did all the other nations who traded in the Mediterranean Sea. The decision was bold, but the eventual victory by the tiny United States Navy broke a pattern of international blackmail and terrorism dating back more than one hundred and fifty years.



The Barbary States was a collective name given to a string of North African seaports stretching from Tangiers to Tripoli. These ports were under the nominal control of the Ottoman Empire, but their real rulers were sea rovers or corsairs who sallied forth from the coast cities to plunder Mediterranean shipping and capture slaves for labor or ransom. Among the famous prisoners ransomed from the shackles of Barbary were St. Vincent de Paul, and Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote (Castor, 1971).

Common piracy by the Barbary States blossomed into a sophisticated racket in 1662, when England revived the ancient custom of paying tribute. The corsairs agreed to spare English ships for an annual bribe paid in gold, jewels, arms, and supplies. The custom spread to all countries trading in the Mediterranean.

England paid tribute for the vessels of her American colonies, and France guaranteed it for them during the War of Independence. The new United States awoke abruptly to an ugly responsibility of independence when in 1785 the Dey of Algiers seized an American ship and jailed its crew for nonpayment of tribute (Channing, 1968).



The Dey was in no hurry to wring tribute from this new source of revenue. The capture of American ships would be more profitable, and in view of the naval weakness of the United States, a rather safe venture. Eleven of the first unfortunate Americans to fall into his hands died before their country ransomed the rest ten years later.

To the sea hawks of Barbary, the American ships in the Mediterranean were "fat ducks" prime for the plucking. In this view, they were encouraged by England and France whose trade was being hurt by the upstart Yankees (Castor, 1971).

Turkey, overlord of Barbary, was an ally of Britain. The North Africans depended on free trade with France for supplies. Hence the pirates were forbidden to attack British shipping and in plain self-interest could not raid the French. With targets so limited, the American "fat ducks" were a godsend. By 1794, the Dey of Algiers had plundered eleven American ships and held one hundred and nineteen of their survivors for ransom.

President George Washington tried to reach an agreement with the Barbary States but with little success. His agents, one of whom was John Paul Jones, had diplomatic doors slammed in their faces.



Washington's ambassadors in Europe worked to free Americans enslaved in Barbary dungeons, but John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson were ridiculed.

In 1785, the exasperated Jefferson suggested that war was the only solution. His mind was "absolutely suspended between indignation and impotence." Jefferson declared that tribute was "money thrown away" and that the most convincing argument that these outlaws would understand was gunpowder and shot. The future president proposed a multi-national effort between European powers and America that would in effect economically blockade North Africa and ultimately provide for a multi-national military force to combat pirate terrorism. The European powers chose to continue paying tribute to the Barbary States (Irwin, 1970).

John Adams, the next President, went along with the Europeans and paid for peace in the Mediterranean. Congress, in 1795, authorized payment of tribute. Algiers was granted the equivalent of $642,500 in cash, munitions, and a 36-gun frigate, besides a yearly tribute of $21,600 worth of naval supplies. Ransom rates were officially set for those Americans already in Barbary prisons-$4,000 for each passenger, $1,400 for each cabin boy. Sunday after Sunday, a sad roll of names was read out in the churches of Salem, Newport, and Boston, listing the men in irons. Congress would only pay $200 for their freedom, the rest of the money had to be raised privately. Eventually, at long last, the American captives of the Dey of Algiers walked into the light, except for thirty-seven dead, whose ransoms had to be paid nevertheless (Malone, 1951).



Adam's acquiescence to Algiers prompted Tunis and Tripoli to demand and be promised their own blood money. Tripoli, especially, was piqued at the Dey of Algiers' good fortune.



TOPICS: VetsCoR
KEYWORDS: barbarypirates; freeperfoxhole; jefferson; marines; navy; tripoli; veterans
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Comment #21 Removed by Moderator

To: coteblanche
It's Friday I'm suposed to be a bad boy. LOL
22 posted on 02/28/2003 8:55:53 AM PST by SAMWolf (We do not bargain with terrorists, we stalk them, corner them , take aim and kill them)
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To: All

23 posted on 02/28/2003 9:53:47 AM PST by SAMWolf (We do not bargain with terrorists, we stalk them, corner them , take aim and kill them)
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To: sphinx; Toirdhealbheach Beucail; curmudgeonII; roderick; Notforprophet; river rat; csvset; ...
Wonderful post about the Barbary Wars. All are invited to contribute.

If you want on or off the Western Civilization Military History ping list, let me know.
24 posted on 02/28/2003 12:07:22 PM PST by Sparta (ANSWER, the new Communist conspiracy for the twenty-first century)
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To: SAMWolf
The truth shall set you free BUMP!
25 posted on 02/28/2003 12:14:33 PM PST by eleni121
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To: Don Diego; Warrior Nurse; JAWs; DryLandSailor; NikkiUSA; OneLoyalAmerican; Tester; U S Army EOD; ...
FALL IN to the FReeper Foxhole!

To be removed from this list, please send me a blank private reply with "REMOVE" in the subject line! Thanks! Jen
26 posted on 02/28/2003 12:27:44 PM PST by Jen (The FReeper Foxhole - Can you dig it?)
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To: AntiJen
BTTT!!!!!!
27 posted on 02/28/2003 12:39:53 PM PST by E.G.C.
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To: SAMWolf; AntiJen
I'll be bach.
28 posted on 02/28/2003 12:41:41 PM PST by SpookBrat
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To: eleni121
Thanks for the bump.
29 posted on 02/28/2003 12:48:01 PM PST by SAMWolf (We do not bargain with terrorists, we stalk them, corner them , take aim and kill them)
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To: SpookBrat; AntiJen; Sparta
Good afternoon. Seems like we have the same enemies just a little farther east today.
30 posted on 02/28/2003 12:50:04 PM PST by SAMWolf (We do not bargain with terrorists, we stalk them, corner them , take aim and kill them)
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To: SAMWolf
Hooches and smugs. I have to get up from here for a bit. I'll be back. I promise.
31 posted on 02/28/2003 12:57:19 PM PST by SpookBrat
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To: SAMWolf
the public rallied behind the slogan, "Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute!"

Unfortunately for the story, the first use of this slogan had nothing to do with the Barbary pirates. It had to do with bribery demands by officials of the French Directory in the famous XYZ affair.

32 posted on 02/28/2003 1:10:30 PM PST by Restorer (TANSTAAFL)
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To: SAMWolf
Bravo, SAM. Great thread!
33 posted on 02/28/2003 1:35:20 PM PST by dcwusmc ("The most dangerous man, to any government, is the man who is able to think things out for himself.")
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To: Restorer
LOL. That's why you don't see that quote in the original Post. It seems Richard Leiby didn't do the research for his story very well.
34 posted on 02/28/2003 1:46:37 PM PST by SAMWolf (We do not bargain with terrorists, we stalk them, corner them , take aim and kill them)
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To: SAMWolf
This is all great stuff.

I went on board the Connie in Boston in 1969 and again last fall. She was a lot bigger in 1969. She must have shrunk or something.

Walt

35 posted on 02/28/2003 1:47:14 PM PST by WhiskeyPapa (Be copy now to men of grosser blood and teach them how to war!)
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To: SAMWolf

Who is the pirate and why does he dipilitate his chest?

Walt

36 posted on 02/28/2003 1:48:56 PM PST by WhiskeyPapa (Be copy now to men of grosser blood and teach them how to war!)
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To: AntiJen
Today's graphic


37 posted on 02/28/2003 1:49:17 PM PST by GailA (THROW AWAY THE KEYS http://keasl5227.tripod.com/)
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To: WhiskeyPapa
oil on canvas 22" X 12"
BARBARY PIRATE
From the history of piracy
Commissioned by Questar Video
38 posted on 02/28/2003 2:01:32 PM PST by SAMWolf (We do not bargain with terrorists, we stalk them, corner them , take aim and kill them)
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To: GailA
Afternoon GailA!
39 posted on 02/28/2003 2:02:18 PM PST by SAMWolf (We do not bargain with terrorists, we stalk them, corner them , take aim and kill them)
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To: SAMWolf
This one is a keeper.
40 posted on 02/28/2003 2:07:47 PM PST by KDD
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