Battle of Derna (1805) in the context of "Libyan Desert"

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⭐ Core Definition: Battle of Derna (1805)

The Battle of Derna at Derna, Cyrenaica, was a military engagement in April–May 1805 of a mercenary army recruited and led by United States Marines under the command of U.S. Army Lieutenant William Eaton, diplomatic Consul to Tripoli, and U.S. Marine Corps First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon. The battle involved a 521-mile (839-km) march through the Libyan Desert from Alexandria, Egypt, to the eastern port city of Derna, which was defended by a much larger force.

The Battle of Derna and the broader First Barbary War highlighted the challenges faced by the United States in dealing with piracy and asserting its interests in the Mediterranean during the early years of its existence as a nation. It was also the first foreign military intervention in U.S. history.

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Battle of Derna (1805) in the context of Derna, Libya

Derna (/ˈdɜːrnə/; Arabic: درنة Darnah) is a port city in eastern Libya. With a population of around 90,000, Derna was once the seat of one of the wealthiest provinces among the Barbary States. The city is now the administrative capital of Derna District, which covers a much smaller area than the old province. Among Libyan cities, Derna has a unique location and physical environment, as it lies between the Jebel Akhdar (also known as Green Mountain), the Mediterranean Sea, and the desert and is the fourth most important port in Cyrenaica's northern coast after Benghazi, Bayda and Tobruk. The city is also home to people of many different backgrounds.

The city was the location of the famous Battle of Derna (1805), the first victory achieved by the United States Military on foreign soil. Occurring during the First Barbary War, the battle was fought between a force of roughly 500 US Marines and Mediterranean mercenaries and 4,000 or 5,000 Barbary troops.

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LINKED FROM (PARENTS)
← Derna, Libya
LINKS TO (CHILDREN)
Derna, Libya → Cyrenaica → United States Marine Corps → United States Army → William Eaton (soldier) → Tripoli, Libya → Presley O'Bannon → Libyan Desert → Alexandria → First Barbary War → Piracy → Mediterranean Sea → Foreign interventions by the United States →