The Wargamer

From Weakness to Strength

The Wars of the Barbary Pirates is one of a series of books in Osprey Publishing’s Essential History series. It covers a period of early American history that is often overlooked for many reasons, not the least of which are a series of pragmatic but humiliating decisions the United States made to pay protection money to the Barbary States. This was done in order to prevent American citizens from being captured and enslaved by the Barbary pirates, who were less pirates than state-sponsored extortionists and slavers. The precedent to pay the pirates begins with a luminary of no less fame than George Washington, and makes the story of the wars with the Barbary States no less compelling. The books ends with the the Barbary States being forced to end their extortion, paralleled by America taking its first steps toward projecting its power abroad. It is a proud conclusion to the story of the beginning of the U.S. Navy and Marines.

The Essential History series is designed to provide information about a major war, including the players, the factors that led to it, and the war’s impact. The Wars of the Barbary Pirates does an excellent job of providing all of that information, and it does so in an enjoyable narrative. Compelling from the start, the story begins with an introduction that explains both the significance of the conflict and the reasons why most readers probably won’t be familiar with it. It then goes on to describe the story of the circumstances that led the North African states of Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli to extort payment from weaker nations, enslave crews of ships from weaker nations that were too poor to pay the extortion, and to respect and avoid the ships of the most powerful European battle fleets.

Told primarily from an American perspective, the author explains how the conflict signaled the beginning of American determination to end its tributary status to the Barbary States and also helped to shape the new nation’s self-image. Broken into eleven sections, plus an extensive list of recommended reading and an index, The Wars of the Barbary Pirates is well written and well organized. The illustrations include a number of pieces of contemporary artwork depicting battles during the conflict. It also contains several political maps and maps illustrating key battles.

After introducing the background and significance of the conflict to the reader the author then describes the circumstances surrounding the newly formed United States of America and how its poor finances prevented it from building a robust navy to protect its rather large merchant fleet. It continues to describe, with some pride, how by the early 1800s, the United States had started to realize its westward expansion in the form of the Louisiana Purchase, as well as how its financial circumstances had improved to permit the expansion of its navy.

The high point of the title is the actual combat, and this is where the author directs most of his attention. The story is inexorably intertwined with Commodore Stephen Decatur, whose heroic actions at Tripoli were reputedly described by Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson (prior to his own action at Trafalgar) as “the most bold and daring act of the age.”

In addition to the overall history of the conflict, several chapters provide additional context to help explain American motives and actions. These include an informative biography of Stephen Decatur. There is also a discussion of Lewis and Clark’s exploration of the Louisiana Purchase and beyond, which balances the American expansion eastward across the seas with its westward expansion toward the Pacific. The expedition is significant because it took place concurrently with the conflict in North Africa, and was initiated by the same President, Thomas Jefferson.

There is also a short biography of John Foss, who was enslaved in Algiers. Foss’ account describes the horrifying treatment of slaves at the hands of the Algerians, and his ultimate release after the United States paid his ransom. It serves as a personal account to describe an experience that thousands of others victims of the Barbary States would also have gone through.

The majority of chapters focus on how the United States successfully brought sufficient military force to the Barbary States’ shores to stop them from preying on American vessels. This was a huge blow to the Barbary States and signaled the beginning of the end, but the story does not end there. The Barbary States continued to prey upon weaker European nations’ vessels until a series of battles that included Dutch, English, and finally French ships, and ultimately French colonization, brought a permanent end to the practice of piracy, enslavement, and extortion.

The final chapter puts the Barbary Wars in perspective. The author states that, “…[the conflict] functioned as a catalyst for the development of a navy that would, in time, grow to become an important instrument of American foreign policy.” The author examines the actions of a young United States submitting to humiliating extortion in a sympathetic light. This period of history starts with an unpalatable beginning but ends with the United States well on its way to a triumphantly proud and honorable future, and The Wars of the Barbary Pirates tells this story well.

The Wars of the Barbary Pirates is 90 pages of highly informative military history. Readers interested in early American history or the beginning of the US Navy will find it informative. True to its series’ namesake, it covers an essential part of history that isn’t well known, yet it is a significant and formative part of America’s rise onto the world stage. Readers with an interest in this period won’t want to miss it.

About The Author

Jim Zabek started playing D&D in high school when a group broke off of the Chess Club seeking more interesting gaming material. Already an avid wargamer, having bought his first Avalon Hill wargame at age 10, D&D provided an alternative form of entertainment from the hexes and counters he was accustomed to. Though he briefly played the original version of D&D, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons was released not long after as he started playing with a group, and that was the version that he played until chasing girls became his primary hobby. Fast forward a couple of decades and he started playing version 3.5 at the invitation of a fellow wargamer, failed his Will save and now buys almost anything with the Wizards of the Coast logo without checking for price or content, including D&D, D&D Minis, Star Wars Minis, Axis & Allies Minis, and then there are those new Star Wars Space Battles Minis…