Evening star., 1935-12-08

african Augean Stables. so Hamet
became Eaton's focal fighting point
and held long and earnest sessions
with him at Tunis. where the deposed
Bashaw was living under protection
OF the Bey. Finally, Hamet was per-
suaded that, with assistance Of Aneri-
can means and supplies, Yusuf would
be unSeated from his embroidered
chaise-longue and Hamet reseated.
So earnest was Consul Eaton in the
venture that he made a special trip
to Washington, presented his plan-
and received iukewarr1 rece.Glon.
Undiscouraged. Eaton returned to
his post in 1904, sailing on the John
Adams of Commodore Barrons re-
placing squadron for Mediterranean
waters, the accompanying frigates being
the President, Congress, Essex and
Constellation. Hamet at that time
was in Upper Egypt and Eaton joined
him at Fayoum. They collected a
| few followers and returned to Alex
andria, proposing to sail from that
port, but were promptly arrested by
a Turkish contingent. Dashed in their
hopes Of going by water, it was de-
termined to march overland to Derne,
dependency of Tripoli, 500 miles across
the Desert of Barca. PauSing long
enough at Alexandria, they collected,
| not selected, one of the most mongreI
armies Of history, band of 500 made
up Of Arabs, Greeks. Italian and
/ French veterans: Hamet and his per-
-OT1al train Of on
ican Marines from the frigate Argus,
Mr.. Peck, a midshipman; Lieut..
O'Bannon, Marine officer; a doctor
picked up at large and, finally, Gen"
Eaton. Thus far only nine Americans
were in this not-one- -cent-f for tribute
expedition.
IT WAS March 8. 1905. when this
motley army" took up the 5OO-mile
trek to Derne, over hot sands, under
the blaze of an African sun and over
a terrain unknown to Gen. Eaton.
MutinieS, desertion, lack of food and
water, theft of everything tied or not
tied down, camel drivers stampeding
when refused extra money, all were
/ hourly occurrences. But marching
/ from Is to 20 miles a day, under
a sun never less than 100 degrees,
the contingent reached Bomba on
April IS. where it was expected two
American vessels would be riding the
/ Mediterranean. No boats we're to be
/ found and a bitterly disappointed and
respondent army camped for the
night. Repairing to high hill, Eaton
/ caused signal fires to be lighted and
great was the excitement and relief
when morning showed the United
States ship Argus dramatically draw
/ ing into view, her captain having
( seen and responded to the blazing
signals. The frigate brought not only
food supplies, but two brass field
pieces and $1,000 in cash, making a
total of S1l 900, which Eaton grudg.
ingly obtained from the Navy Depart
ment for his project. He was not
allowed the 100 Marines requested.
March was resumed and on April
Is the outfit camped on an eminence
overlooking Derne. With arrival Of
the boats Nautilus, Argus and Hornet
it looked as if the years of desultory
fighting might result in Yusuf's over"
throw. Under flag of true Eaton sent
a courier to Bey Yusuf. offering amity.
but the Bloody Bey returned the flag
with the laconic answer to the gen.
eral, My head or yours"
The following day the enemy opened
fire upon the American ships In her
harbor and the United States frigateS
obngingly replied with their 24-pound-
ers. Gen. Eaton divided his land
forces into composite detachments;
the Arabs under Hamet, with Arab
cavalry in reserve; Lieut.. O'Bannon
and Americans, "a cannoneers, SO
Greeks and a few Arabs. By early
afternoon action on sea and land be-
came general. O'Bannon, with the
help of Eaton, pushed his men to the
point of the harbor under raking fire
from the opposing forces, finally seiz-
ing the fort on Ras el Mataris and
hoisted the Stars and Stripes on the
works-the first land conquest made
by Americans in the Eastern world.
Hamet and his followers attacked the
castle where the Red Bey had taken
refuge and that official fed, hiding
first in a mosque and then, according
to the Eaton diary, in hiram, that
most sacred of sanctuaries among the
Turks"
For six weeks the bright Stars and
Stripes waved over the Derne RAM
parts, and then arrived the frigate
Constellation, bringing a purchased
peace-price between the United States
and Tripoi, the sum of $4,000 being
paid by the Government at Washington
in consideration of the Bashaw re-
nouncing future assessments. Gen.
Eaton. of course, was furiously angry
and disheartened at this sudden and
ignominiouS ending of his short but
courageous and triumphant campaign.
But be it to his eternal credit that he
hauled down the American flag and
> got his army out of Derne and onto the
Constellation without injury to a
single person. Hamet and the other
"fugitives" we're put ashore at Syra-
cuse. Writing to Commodore Rodgers,
Eaton declared: Hamlet falls from the
most flattering prospects OF KINGDOM
to beggary."
Gen. EATON continued westward,
~ landing in Hampton Roads in
November, 1905. President jefferson
honored him with a message to Con-
gress, he was rendered public dinners
in the cities through which he passed
and for a time was hailed as the
Hero of Derne." Congress came near
decreeing him a medal, but did not.
In later years he applied for reim-
bursements of personal sums spent Ia
the Tripoh campaign, but never was
able to collect.
Eaton was shot in the arm during
the fighting at Derne and for the rest
! of his life suffered from effects of the
wound. He retired to Brimfield. Mass,
where he died in June, 1911, and up
to 1892 no monument marked the spot
where Law the Hero of Derne," Will