Atlas of Battles

battle, notable, Revolutionary and Napoleonic

Battle of Derna

Battle of Derna was a battle fought on 27 April 1805 at Derna, in what is now Libya; it lasted 46 days. It was part of First Barbary War, which ran from 1801 to 1805. The recorded result: American victory.

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Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon at Derna.
Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon at Derna.. Colonel Charles Waterhouse, U.S. Marines (Marine Corps Art Collection)(http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Home_Page.htm), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought27 April 1805lasted 46 days
WhereDerna, Libya32.767N, 22.633E
OutcomeAmerican victory
BelligerentsUnited States; Tripolitanian rebelsagainstOttoman Tripolitania
Part ofFirst Barbary War1801 to 1805

Where it sits in First Barbary War

Action of 1 August 1801, 1801First Battle of Tripoli Harbor, 1802Action of 17 June 1802, 1802Action of 2 June 1803, 1803Action of 22 June 1803, 1803Action of 31 October 1803, 1803Action of 7 July 1804, 1804Second Battle of Tripoli Harbor, 1804Battle of Derna, 180518011805Battle of Derna, 1805
9 placed engagements of First Barbary War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date27 April 1805
to 12 June 1805
PlaceDerna, Libya
32.767N, 22.633E
KindBattle, Revolutionary and Napoleonic
Strength7 U.S. Marines; 3 navymen; 70 Greek mercenaries; 450 Arabs; 1 sloop; 1 brig; 1 schoonerGarrison: 800 men; Relief force: 1,200 men
Casualties and lossesAmericans: 2 killed; 3 wounded; Greeks: 10 wounded; Arabs: 68–78 killed and wounded68–78 killed; 120 wounded
Commanders
  • William Eaton (soldier)
  • Presley O'Bannon
  • Oliver Hazard Perry
Battle of DernaBattle of DernaBattle of DernaAction at Mechili, 24 January 1941Gulf of Sidra incidentBattle of GazalaBattle of TobrukBattle of DernaAction at Mechili, 24 January 1941Gulf of Sidra incidentBattle of GazalaAl MarjShahhatAl Bayda100 km32.767N, 22.633E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1805

Battle of Derna is one of 3,507 engagements of the 19th century in the atlas and one of 57 in present-day Libya.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q2888407, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Derna (1805), revision 1385751246, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.