Word: hamet
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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When Eaton returned to North Africa, he was flush with a $20,000 revolution-promotion fund. His first task was to find the rightful Pasha, who had fled in terror far up the Nile. After a two-month search he found his man. Somewhat reluctantly, Hamet signed a treaty of alliance with the U.S., made Eaton a general in his army, and agreed to march on Tripoli...
Early in March, 1805, General Eaton strode forth to follow the route made famous 138 years later by British Field Marshal Montgomery. His army was a motley crew consisting of Hamet, some 90 of his Arab followers, seven U.S. marines under Lieut. Presley O'Bannon, 40-odd cutthroat Greeks and Italians recruited in Alexandria, an Italian "chief of engineers" (who had been by turns a Capuchin monk, an Indian dervish and a soldier of fortune) and a caravan of 190 camels at $11 a camel...
...28th day Hamet's fear of his brother got too much for him. He disappeared into the desert, but was soon brought back "cringing with apology." By April 6, the invaders were within 120 miles of their objective city, Derna. Starved and thirsty on half rations, they found water in a cistern in which two presumably murdered Arabs were floating. But Hamet and his followers refused to move on without more food...
...April 27 the revolutionary army attacked Derna. While three warships gave support from the harbor, a central spearhead led by Eaton planted the U.S. flag on the city's walls. Yusuf's governor hid in a harem, and Hamet established himself in the royal palace. For one brief moment General Eaton tasted triumph: "The conquest of Tripoli was in sight and with it would come prestige for the U.S. throughout Barbary, the like of which no other nation enjoyed...
...triumph was short-lived. Derna's natives flatly declined to rally to Hamet, and Yusuf's men bore down relentlessly from the hills. Just as the marines were preparing for a last-ditch stand, Eaton got word that his government had made peace with Yusuf, selling Hamet down the river...