The Washington and Adams administrations had gone along with the European practice of paying off the Barbary rulers. It was a protection racket, pure and simple. Adams believed paying tribute was cheaper than war. “We ought not to fight them at all unless we determine to fight them forever,” he said. Paying off the Barbary rulers was not cheap. When Jefferson came into office, the United States had already paid out nearly $2 million. This was nearly one fifth of the federal government’s yearly income!
The Bashaw of Tripoli declared war on the United States in 1801. Jefferson was determined to fight rather than pay tribute. Jefferson sent Commodore Edward Preble in command of the USS Constitution to strengthen America’s naval forces in the Mediterranean Sea. Preble stirred American hearts with his spirited reply to an arrogant British naval captain who had challenged him in to identify himself when shrouded in fog.“This is His Britannic Majesty’s ship Donnegal, 84 guns,” the captain hailed, demanding Preble put over a boat and prepare to be searched. “This is the United States ship Constitution, Edward Preble, an American commodore, who will be damned before he sends his boat on board of any vessel. Strike your matches, boys!” Faced with this threat of cannon fire, the Royal Navy captain backed down. Before Preble could arrive, however, the USS Philadelphia went aground off Tripoli harbor. TheBashaw took the crew captive.
Young Navy Lieutenant Stephen Decatur knew that he must not allow the Bashaw to convert the Philadelphia to his own use. He stole into the harbor by night and set the ship ablaze. America’s consul in Tunis, William Eaton, followed this daring exploit. He gathered a motley crew of U.S. Marines, sailors, Greek and Arab mercenaries and their camels. Eaton marched his men five hundred miles across the Libyan desert to take the coastal town of Derna. Three U.S. warships, in a coordinated attack, bombarded the town. From this stunning victory, the Marine hymn takes the line “to the shores of Tripoli” and their officers still wear Mameluke swords shaped like Arab scimitars. Stephen Decatur added to his reputation by offering this famous toast: “Our Country: In her intercourse with foreign nations, may she always be in the right; but our country right or wrong!”
By 1805, the pirates had had enough. Jefferson’s willingness to use force had triumphed in America’s first war on terror in the Middle East.