First to Fight

Beneath the merciless North African sun of 1805, William Eaton and seven United States Marines set out on a desperate gamble that would echo through American history.

Leading a ragtag force of Greek mercenaries and Arab tribesmen across five hundred miles of scorching desert, they aimed to seize the pirate citadel of Derna and install a friendly ruler, striking a blow against the Barbary corsairs who had long preyed on American ships.

In a stunning feat of courage and will, they captured the city and raised the Stars and Stripes over foreign fortifications for the first time.

First to Fight brings this epic true story to life in a gripping tale of ambition, sacrifice, unbreakable brotherhood, and the origins of the Marine Corps motto First to Fight, a legacy forged in blood and sand that continues to define American valor.