1To James Madison from William Eaton, 9 November 1802 (Madison Papers)
The letter accompanying this of 22d. a 27th. ult. went off for Gibraltar on the day of its date by an English merchantman which, having sprung a leak at sea, returned into port. That from the department of State of May 10th. I had the honor to receive 30th. It was enjoined on me to forward my account by the return of the squadron: but it must be long since known to the Government that no ship...
2To James Madison from William Eaton, 12 November 1802 (Madison Papers)
The cause of the sudden change of treatment on the part of this Bey towards me in my representative character is just now discovered. About thirty days ago arrived here a chaux (messenger) from the Sublime Porte with a firman from the Grand Signor demanding immediate restitution of three Sardinian merchant vessels and cargoes, captured during the late war, by the Bey’s cruisers, while under...
3To James Madison from William Eaton, 6 May 1803 (Madison Papers)
I embarked at Tunis in the schooner Enterprize on the 10th. March, touched at Algiers the 20th.—and arrived at Gibraltar the 23d.: the squadron had arrived the morning of the same day. It was my intention thence to have taken passage to the United States in the frigate chesapeak. But, hearing on the 30th. of the arrival of a ship from Leghorn bound directly to Boston, I asked the Commodore’s...
4To James Madison from William Eaton, 5 August 1802 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor herewith to inclose for the information of Government copies of letters A. & B. which I this instant received from our Chargé des affaires and Cap. Morris at Tripoli. The American frigate mentioned in the latter was the Constellation Cap. Murray, as I presume from the circumstance of the Boston having left Malta on the 11th. ult. for the U States, and as I have no information...
5To James Madison from William Eaton, 28 June 1801 (Madison Papers)
On the night of the eighteenth instant a fire broke out in the Bey’s Palace which in its progress consumed fifty thousand stands of small arms. The Second day following I recieved a message to wait on the Bey; but was at that moment confined to my bed with a billious fever so that it was not till this morning I have been able to go in my carriage to the Palace. The Bey’s object in calling on...
6To James Madison from William Eaton, 8 June 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
8 June 1802, Tunis. Complains that his plans regarding Hamet Pasha of Tripoli “have undergone very severe criticism by Captains S. Barron and Bainbridge; by them reprobated in a stile of most illiberal censure; and under their influence, rejected by Capn. Murray in an air of authority and reprimand.” Acknowledges his reporting that “ We are abandoned by our ships of war ” must have offended...
7To James Madison from William Eaton, 18 April 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
18 April 1801, Tunis. Contrary winds have delayed departure of chartered vessel [ Benvenuto ]. Reports arrival of O’Brien letters of 5 Apr., which acknowledge receipt of Cathcart correspondence dated 3 Jan. to 26 Feb. and relate O’Brien’s effort to obtain helpful intervention of Algerine regency at Tripoli. Notes that O’Brien also discusses delays regarding the arrival of U.S. regalia in...
8To James Madison from William Eaton, 12 December 1801 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to inform you that the Peace and Plenty, Captain Richard Woods, under the con v oy of the Geo. Washington, arrived here on the evening of the first instant. She has already delivered her powder (which though somewhat damaged has passed with a bribe to the surveyor) and a small quantity of her plank. The rest of her cargo, so far as I have been able to examine it, appears in...
9To James Madison from William Eaton, 26 January 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
26 January 1803, Tunis. “The enclosed copy of a letter to Commodore Morris conveys an unequivocal expression of the kind of respect this Bey entertains for the flag of the United States, as well as of his intentions.” Has been informed the project of a peace between Tunis and Portugal is “considerably advanced.” The negotiation is said to be conducted through the intervention of the French....
10To James Madison from William Eaton, 19 August 1801 (Madison Papers)
By letter from our Chargè Des Affaires at Tripoli of 27th. ult. we are informed that the Commodore Dale appeared before Tripoli the 26. that the Bashaw proposed a truce, but that his proposition was rejected. By the Danish Commodore I learn that the Raguse Brig, Ben Venuto, Captain Gio. Jercovich, which I dispatched express to the United States on the twentieth of April last, was in Malta late...