Appletons' cyclopædia of American biography . William, soldier, b. in Woodstock,Conn., 23 Feb., 1704; d. in Brimfield, Mass., 1June, 1811. His father, a school-master and farmer,removed to Mansfield about 1774. At the age ofsixteen the son entered the Revolutionary army,which he left in 1783, having attained to the rankof sergeant. He was graduated at Dartmouth in1790, and in 1791 was chosen clerk of the house ofdelegates, where he remained until 1797. In thatyear he was appointed consul to Tunis, and arrivedthere in March, 1799. For several years he wasengaged in a series of negotiations and
Appletons' cyclopædia of American biography . William, soldier, b. in Woodstock,Conn., 23 Feb., 1704; d. in Brimfield, Mass., 1June, 1811. His father, a school-master and farmer,removed to Mansfield about 1774. At the age ofsixteen the son entered the Revolutionary army,which he left in 1783, having attained to the rankof sergeant. He was graduated at Dartmouth in1790, and in 1791 was chosen clerk of the house ofdelegates, where he remained until 1797. In thatyear he was appointed consul to Tunis, and arrivedthere in March, 1799. For several years he wasengaged in a series of negotiations and aitercationswith the bey in reference to the annual paymentof tribute money, and acted with a boldness andtact that secured to the commerce of his countryan immunity from the attacks of Tunisan returned to the United States in 1803, and, afterreceiving the appointment of U. S. naval agent tothe Barbary states, accompanied the Americanfleet to the Mediterranean in the summer of reigning pacha of Tripoli, Jussuf Caramalli,. £^7?K7 had gained the throne by deposing bis brotherHarriet. On Learning that the latter had takenvcUi^c in Egypt, Eaton SOUghl hirn out., and withthe sanction of the government proposed to rein-state him. in the early part of 1805 he assembleda force of about 500 men, four fifths of whomwen; Arabs, the re-mainder being Greeksand a few securing the co-operation of the Uni-ted States squadron,this small army, un-der the command ofGen. Eaton, march (id600 miles across theLibyan desert toDerne, the capital ofthe richest provinceof Tripoli. On sev-eral occasions the mu-tinous disposition ofthe Arab sheiks andthe irresolution ofHamet imperilled thesafety of the fewChristians belongingto the expedition, but the forces were finally brought to Bomba, wherethe * Argus and Hornet, under command ofIsaac Hull, were in waiting. On 27 April, 1805,fire was opened upon the town and a bombardment of an hour, which drovethe
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