William Eaton Papers: Finding Aid mssEA
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Note
Finding aid last updated on April 9, 2024, by Mari Khasmanyan.
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: William Eaton papers
Creator:
Eaton, William, 1764-1811
Identifier/Call Number: mssEA
Physical Description:
11.5 Linear Feet
(10 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1792-1829, bulk
1798-1805
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.
Language of Material: English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department.
For more information, contact Reader Services.
Conditions Governing Use
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.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Charles T. Harbeck, through the agency of George D. Smith, 1917.
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.
Scope and Contents
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
- A. Algiers: Consulship of Richard O'Brien (official and personal
correspondence)
- B. Tripoli
- 1. Consulship of James Leander Cathcart (official and personal correspondence)
- 2. War, 1801-1805
- a. Nicolai C. Nissen, Danish Consul and U.S.
Chargé d'Affaires
(official correspondence)
- b. Expedition in behalf of Ahmed II (Hamet Karamanli), ending in the occupation of
Derne
- c. U. S. naval operations:
- 1). Attack on Tripoli
- 2). Co-operation with the land force at Derne
- 3. Treaty of peace
- C. Tunis: Consulship of William Eaton
- 1. Negotiations with the bey
- 2. Relief of Danish captives
II. General naval operations in the Mediterranean
- A. European Powers
- B. The United States
III. Eaton's personal affairs
- A. Early army service: Recruiting, service in Georgia, courtmartial, etc.
- B. Personal correspondence with family and friends
- C. Business transactions
- 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:
- 1795, Nov. 26. PICKERING, Timothy. To William Eaton. Instructions relative to the
Creek Indians
- 1798, June 14. SEAGROVE, James. Return of the Creek Indians at Colerain
- 1798, Dec. 18. PICKERING, Timothy. Instructions to Richard O'Brien, William Eaton, and
James Leander Cathcart
- 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)
- 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)
- 1799. EATON, William. Note of the effects granted to the regency of Tunis by the peace
with the United States
- 1801, July 10. KING, Rufus. To Richard Dale, regarding the regalia for Tunis (letter
press copy)
- 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
- 1804, Sep. 5. O'BRIEN, Richard. To William Eaton. Letter telling of the attack on
Tripoli
- 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
- 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).
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.
General
Individual call numbers included in the collection: mssEA 1-555, mssFAC 385-399.
Separated Materials
Three Thomas Jefferson items were transferred to the Thomas Jefferson collection,
mssJefferson: contemporary copy of Thomas Jefferson letter to Hammuda Pasha, Bey of Tunis,
1801 September 9 (EA 328); contemporary copy of Thomas Jefferson instructions to Alexander
Murray, 1802 February 18 (EA 329); contemporary copy of Thomas Jefferson letter to Hammuda
Pasha, Bey of Tunis, 1804 January 27 (EA 330).
Arrangement
Items are arranged chronologically.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Consuls -- United States -- Archives
Diplomats -- United States -- Archives
Navy agents -- United States -- Archives
Africa, North -- Foreign relations -- United States.
Libya -- History -- 1551-1912 -- Sources
United States -- Foreign relations -- Africa, North.
United States -- Foreign relations -- 1789-1809
United States -- History -- 1783-1815 -- Sources
United States -- History -- Tripolitan War, 1801-1805 --
Sources
Barron, Samuel, -1810
Barron, Samuel, -1810 -- Correspondence
Cathcart, James L. (James Leander), 1767-1843
Cathcart, James L. (James Leander), 1767-1843 --
Correspondence
Eaton, William, 1764-1811 -- Archives
Harbeck, Charles Thomas, 1850- former owner
King, Rufus, 1755-1827
King, Rufus, 1755-1827 -- Correspondence
Madison, James, 1751-1836
Madison, James, 1751-1836 -- Correspondence
O'Brien, Richard, approximately 1758-1824
O'Brien, Richard, approximately 1758-1824 --
Correspondence
Pickering, Timothy, 1745-1829
Pickering, Timothy, 1745-1829 --
Correspondence
United States. Army -- Officers -- Archives
United States. Navy -- History -- Tripolitan War,
1801-1805 -- Sources
Box 1
1792 March 17-1799 July 30
Box 2
1799 August 4-1800 June 20
Scope and Contents
Box includes two John Adams contemporary copies: a tutti quelli, approximately 1800
January 10 (in Italian) and to Hammuda Pasha, Bey of Tunis, 1800 January 15 (in
Italian, in French) (EA 12, EA 13 A&B).
Box 4
1801 March 15-1801 July 30
Scope and Contents
Box includes James Madison letter to William Eaton, 1801 May 20 (incomplete) (EA
353).
Box 5
1801 August 2-1802 March 31
Box 6
1802 April 10-1803 January 26
Scope and Contents
Box includes contemporary copy of James Madison letter to William Eaton, 1802 August
22, with note of Eaton (EA 354).
Box 7
1803 February 20-1805 January 31
Scope and Contents
Box includes contemporary copies of James Madison letters to James L. Cathcart, 1803
April 9 (incomplete) (EA 355 A&B); to William Eaton, 1803 April 14 (EA 356); to
Richard Harrison, 1804 February 11 (EA 357).
Box 8
1805 February 7-after 1805
Box 9
1806-1829
Scope and Contents
Box includes James Madison letter signed to William Eaton, 1806 March 1 (EA 357).
Box 10, Folder 1
Letterbook: copies of public and other letters EA 198
1794 May 16-1799 December 9
Box 10, Folder 2
Letter and record book: negotiations of the United States with the Kingdom of
Tunis
EA 199
1798 December 18-1799 December 9
Box 10, Folder 3
Letter and commonplace book EA 200
1799 April 8-1802 February 13
Box 10, Folder 4
Letterbook and journal EA 201
1799 December 14-1801 June 28
Box 10, Folder 5
Pages from a commonplace book EA 202
1799-1802
Box 10, Folder 6
Letterbook and journal relating chiefly to affairs of Denmark in
Tunis
EA 203
1801 July 4-1801 October 2
Box 10, Folder 7
Letterbook: continued communication from Tunis EA 204
1801 June 28-1802 August 23
Box 10, Folder 8
Letter and record book of affairs at Tunis EA 205
1802 September 12-1803 March 22
Box 10, Folder 9-10
Letterbook and journal relating to affairs of Tripoli and the expedition to
Derne
EA 206
1804 January 2-1805 June
17
Box 10, Folder 11
[Commonplace book] EA 207
1804 January 2-1805 November
Box 10, Folder 12
[Letterbook] EA 208
1804 June 22-1805 February 14
Box 10, Folder 13
Collection of photostats from various libraries covering the period
1803-1835.
FAC 385-399
