Herald Of The United States

From the Albany Gazette.

Gen. William Eaton.

The Scipio or Modern Africanus.

This American General, who lately led the army from Egypt through the deserts of Africa, against Tripoli, is about 41 years of age, of middling stature and dark complexion. He is by nature and by education, a soldier; has a countenance bold and undaunted; a constitution robust and confirmed by exercises and fatigues, and courage of that determined and invincible kind, which even amongst Americans, or republicans of any age or clime, would be esteemed extraordinary. He was born at Ashford in Connecticut—in 1776, at the age of 15, he enrolled his name among the soldiers of freedom, and served during the revolution under the famous Capt. Dana, (now a brigadier-general in the county of Schoharie, in the state of New-York) and under this brave and experienced veteran, Gen. Eaton learned the use of valor and the art of war. At the dawn of peace, he applied himself to study, to pursue and explore those grand objects which the force and fertility of his untutored genius presented imperfectly to his eager view, and which he knew could be comprehended, attained or enjoyed, but with the aid of education. The labours of Seven years, acquired Mr. Eaton the diploma of bachelor of arts, at Dartmouth college, in New Hampshire, in 1790. Our Scholar now put off the gown, and returned to the camp with a commission of Captain. He fought under St. Clair, at the battle of Miami, and proved his accomplishments and courage worthy of distinction. Capt. Eaton was Sent by President Washington, as consul to Tunis, on the coast of Barbary, in Africa, where, during their menacing attitudes and insolent pretensions in 1801, the consul supported the dignity and interest of the American nation, and held, amidst a despotic court, a language not heard on those degenerated shores since the fall of Cato and the Roman republic. When a rupture with Tripoli was inevitable, the consul suggested a co-operation with Sidi Hamet Caramanli, the late bashaw of Tripoli, who had been dethroned and expelled by his brother, the present bashaw. He negotiated to this effect with the ex bashaw, and returned to the United States, where after having matured his plan, and effected his arrangements, with the sanction of government and the benedictions of his country, he departed in July, 1804, from Washington, in the American squadron destined to humble Tripoli and liberate our fellow citizens, holden there in slavery. or to enforce the ancient Roman threat, "Delenda est Carthago."

He landed at Alexandria, in Egypt, in December last, and collecting a small army with the assistance of the ex-bashaw, then there, accompanied by a few volunteer American officers, led his single band along the coast of the Mediterranean sea, through the desert of Barca—and astonished Africa, after a repose of twelve centuries, from the time of Belisarius, again beheld a conqueror come to reap her laurels and subdue her power upon those fields where the Scipios and the Roman legions, against Hannibal and the Carthagenian bands, contended for the empire of the world—let Africa beware! America has her legions and her Scipios—but she, no Cannibal, no bands,

There are some anecdotes related of the General, which discover the loftiness of his mind after various circumstances. Soon after his appointment to a captaincy in the U. S. army, he paid his addresses to an amiable young widow, (his present wife) who; though admiring the candor of the soldier and the merits of the man, could not grant her hand, but upon conditions of his leaving the army. Placed thus in the alternative of affection or of fame, that gallant young officer without hesitation which to prefer, to the tender

The dialogue between the consul, the bashaw of Tripoli, and his prime minister, took place on the 28th of June 1801.
proposition, nobly replied, "Madam I love you much, but I love glory more!" and with a bow retired to the camp. The Scythian, in his very retreat, re-launched an effectual arrow; and when the young hero rallied and in due time returned to the charge, the lady surrendered unconditionally.
In June, 1801, a magazine of the bashaw of Tripoli took fire, and consumed 5000 stands of arms, to replace which the insolent pirate demanded tribute of arms from other nations, whom he styled his friends. He observed that he had apportioned them among his friends, and required the United States to furnish him with 10,000 stand, and requested Consul Eaton to take his demand to the United States. The consul refused. He was required to write officially in his own name to the President for the arms and refused to draft a letter for the bashaw, and he peremptorily refused to condescend to write anything countenancing or mentioning the demand. It was determined that recourse should be had to menace, force, and every mean of despotism, to bend the firm resolution of the consul, and for this trial he was ordered to appear before the bashaw. As he passed through the palace of the guards, he understood sufficient of their barbarous dialect and their conversation to learn, that unless he submitted to terms he was to be assassinated. Between Mr. Eaton, the bashaw, and the prime minister, an interesting and spirited dialogue ensued. The demands were renewed in various forms, but nothing could change or bow the determination and dignity of the American, who demanded his passport immediately, which the minister refused or hesitated to grant. Driven to the last honorable resort, and having apprehensions for the safety of his life from the anger and designs of the minister and bashaw, who by a single stamp or command might have decided his fate—the consul, traversing the room with a quick, firm and open military step, assuming all the imposing majesty of conscious superiority, conscious rectitude, and undaunted courage, his countenance terrible as Mars, and his eyes glaring as living coals, were sternly fixed on the prime minister, and marked him as a certain victim of his desperate fury, and laying his hand upon his sword, again demanded his pass. A paleness overran the countenance of the minister, and a tremor seized his frame, too effeminate to withstand the bold language of an American, and the awful appearance of an angry veteran, and turning to the bashaw his master, requested that the American consul might receive his pass—which was instantly done. The consul returning through the streets, heard in all quarters, "the American consul is killed!" But heaven and his valor had preserved the consul for other destinies.

+ The court language of Tripoli is Italian. The dialect of the army and the people, a mixture of Turkish, Moorish, and other languages.