Combat· First Barbary War
Skirmish above Derne, 28 May 1805
On May 28, 1805, fifty or sixty enemy foot, covered by a troop of horse, came down a ravine and fell on Arab families camped behind Derne.
Hamet Bashaw's people pursued, killed and wounded three and recovered their cattle. William Eaton marched out with Lieutenant Presley N. O'Bannon of the U.S. Marines, Mann, Farquhar, Captain Constantino and thirty rank and file, Americans and Greeks, to cut off the raiders' retreat. Soon after climbing the mountain they met the enemy, who made a short resistance and fled before a bayonet charge. The party pursued nearly to the enemy camp, killed their captain and five men, wounded others and took two prisoners without receiving any injury. The camp turned out but stayed beyond musket shot while the party retired down the mountain. The next day the enemy commander offered six thousand dollars for Eaton's head and fifty dollars a head for his Christians. When the enemy advanced in force that day, its Arabs refused to attack.
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Record no. 906