William Eaton papers, 1792-1829, bulk 1798-1805

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Summary

Creators:
Eaton, William, 1764-1811
Abstract:
This collection contains the papers of American soldier and diplomat William Eaton (1764-1811), chiefly accumulated during his service in the Mediterranean and dating between 1798 and 1805. The papers document the relations between the United States and the Barbary states, the Tripolitan War (1801-05), James Leander Cathcart, and naval operations of the U.S. and European powers.
Extent:
11.5 Linear Feet (10 boxes)
Language:
English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. William Eaton papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains the papers of William Eaton, chiefly those accumulated during his service in the Mediterranean. The main period covered by these papers is that of 1798 to 1805, relating to the Barbary affairs. The earlier and later items are for the most part of a personal nature. Included are letters, documents (including 9 volumes of contemporary copies), commonplace books, manuscripts, with a few sketches. The papers document the relations between the U.S. and the Barbary states, the Tripolitan War (1801-05), James Leander Cathcart, naval operations of the U.S. and European powers. Also included are items related to Eaton's professional and personal affairs -- his army career, business transactions, claims against the U.S., and relations with his family and friends.

Subject matter:

I. Relations of the United States with the Barbary Powers
  1. A. Algiers: Consulship of Richard O'Brien (official and personal correspondence)
  2. B. Tripoli
  3. 1. Consulship of James Leander Cathcart (official and personal correspondence)
  4. 2. War, 1801-1805
  5. a. Nicolai C. Nissen, Danish Consul and U.S. Chargé d'Affaires (official correspondence)
  6. b. Expedition in behalf of Ahmed II (Hamet Karamanli), ending in the occupation of Derne
  7. c. U. S. naval operations:
  8. 1). Attack on Tripoli
  9. 2). Co-operation with the land force at Derne
  10. 3. Treaty of peace
  11. C. Tunis: Consulship of William Eaton
  12. 1. Negotiations with the bey
  13. 2. Relief of Danish captives
II. General naval operations in the Mediterranean
  1. A. European Powers
  2. B. The United States
III. Eaton's personal affairs
  1. A. Early army service: Recruiting, service in Georgia, courtmartial, etc.
  2. B. Personal correspondence with family and friends
  3. C. Business transactions
  4. D. Claims against the United States

Persons represented in the collection include John Adams (2 pieces); Ahmed II, Bey of Tripoli (11 pieces); Samuel Barron (6 pieces); Samuel Briggs & Briggs Bros. (firm) (7 pieces); James Leander Cathcart (108 pieces); George G. Coffin (4 pieces); George Davies (3 pieces); William Eaton (92 pieces including 11 volumes); Hammoudah, Bey of Tunis (3 pieces); Rufus King (6 pieces); Ahmed Korshid, Viceroy of Egypt (3 pieces); James Madison (6 pieces); Francesco Mendrici (5 pieces); Alexander Murray (3 pieces); Nicolai Christian Nissen (37 pieces) Richard O'Brien (71 pieces); Timothy Pickering (5 pieces); Antonio Porcile (3 pieces); Stephen Pyncron (4 pieces); William Loughton Smith (3 pieces); and others.

The chronological distribution of the correspondence and miscellaneous papers is: 1792-1798 (26 pieces); 1799 (60 pieces); 1800 (72 pieces); 1801 (125 pieces); 1802 (71 pieces); 1803 (21 pieces); 1804 (26 pieces); 1805 (71 pieces); 1806-1811 (36 pieces); and 1813-1829 (3 pieces).

Some notable items include:

  1. 1795, Nov. 26. PICKERING, Timothy. To William Eaton. Instructions relative to the Creek Indians
  2. 1798, June 14. SEAGROVE, James. Return of the Creek Indians at Colerain
  3. 1798, Dec. 18. PICKERING, Timothy. Instructions to Richard O'Brien, William Eaton, and James Leander Cathcart
  4. 1799, Apr. 28. NELSON, Horatio, Viscount Nelson and Duke of Bronte. To Yussuf, Bey of Tripoli. Letter copied by James L. Cathcart and enclosed in a letter to William Eaton (1799, June 22)
  5. 1799, Nov. 2. SMITH, William Loughton. To William Eaton. A résumé of the political affairs of the United States at that time (letter press copy)
  6. 1799. EATON, William. Note of the effects granted to the regency of Tunis by the peace with the United States
  7. 1801, July 10. KING, Rufus. To Richard Dale, regarding the regalia for Tunis (letter press copy)
  8. 1802, Mar. 15. MORTIMER, H. W. & SON, and T. MORTIMER (firm). To Rufus King: Account for arms presented to the Bey of Tunis. Annexed to the above: 1802, Feb. 10. RANDALL & BRIDGE (firm). Bill for jewels set in gun mountings; also, invoice of jewels for the Bey of Tunis
  9. 1804, Sep. 5. O'BRIEN, Richard. To William Eaton. Letter telling of the attack on Tripoli
  10. 1804, Sep. 15. BARRON, Samuel. Verbal orders of Commodore Barron to Captain Hull of the U.S. Ship Argus. Attested by Isaac Hull and William Eaton
  11. 1807, June 8. AHMED II. To William Eaton. Friendly letter thanking Eaton for his efforts in Ahmed's behalf (in Italian, with Ahmed's signature and seal)

Most of the letters are originals, but the official government communications are mainly copies. Many of the letters are duplicated in the letterbooks; some are only in the letterbooks.

Some papers appear in: Naval documents related to the United States wars with the Barbary powers ... / Prepared by the Office of Naval Records and Library, Navy Department, under the supervision of Captain Dudley W. Knox, U.S. (Washington : U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1939-44).

Biographical / historical:

William Eaton (1764-1811), American soldier and diplomat, was best known for his exploits in the Barbary states from 1798 to 1805. After a period of service in the United States Army in Georgia, he became United States consul to Tunis and took part in the negotiations concerning some changes in the 1797 treaty with this country. In 1803, following a conflict with Tunis authorities, he was expelled from the country, and returned to the United States. Having succeeded in promoting his plan for an American intervention designed to support a rival claimant for the rule of Tripoli, Eaton arrived to the Mediterranean in 1804, with the fleet commanded by Samuel Barron, as United States naval agent to the Barbary States. Eaton led an expedition in behalf of the deposed ruler of Tripoli, in an attempt to end the war between that country and the United States begun in 1801. When the success of the venture seemed almost secured with the capture of Derne, Eaton was surprised to be ordered to leave Tripoli, and to learn that negotiations by Tobias Lear for a peace, involving the ransom of American captives and maintaining the usurping ruler, were concluded. Following the peace of 1805, Eaton returned to the United States. He obtained a grant of 10,000 acres in Maine from the Massachusetts legislature and later received about $10,000 to liquidate claims for his expense in Tripoli. In May 1807-1811, he served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He finally retired to his home in Brimfield, Massachusetts, and died in 1811.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from Charles T. Harbeck, through the agency of George D. Smith, 1917.
Processing information:

This finding aid was updated in 2022 by Melissa Haley as part of the American Presidential Papers Project with enhanced description of the presidential material present. In 2024, Mari Khasmanyan rehoused formerly loose volumes and facsimiles into box 10 and updated the collection's linear feet.

Arrangement:

Items are arranged chronologically.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. William Eaton papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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