Looking up something else, I came across a reference to the Barbary Coast military expeditions of 1803-1805. The chief military officer of an overland expedition from Cairo to Derna, Tripoli, was named O'Bannon, which I had seen before but which I now recognize as a good Fauquier County name. (I found several years ago that there was a Jett on this expedition; that's one of the surnames I am researching.) Sure enough, this O'Bannon is one of ours, according to one website: >>Presley O'Bannon, a 29-year-old Irish-American from Marshall, in Fauquier County, Virginia, was a Marine lieutenant serving on the USS Argus. The young officer was given command of one Navy midshipman and seven Marines and assigned the daunting task of accompanying Eaton and Hamet and their motley force on the perilous five-hundred-plus mile trek from Alexandria to Derna. On March 8, 1805, Eaton, O'Bannon, and their small group of fellow Americans, "set sail" with Hamet's men on the ocean of desert leading to Derna. With 100 camels and some mules slogging through the red-hot sand, it took the small army 45 days to complete the harrowing journey. One of the delays was the refusal of the camel drivers to proceed on several occasions. O'Bannon was said to be instrumental in persuading them to move again.... Presley O'Bannon served in the Marine Corps until March 6, 1807. He later served in the Kentucky State Legislature. He died on September 12, 1850, at the age of 74. A monument was erected over his grave in the state cemetery in Frankfort, Kentucky. O'Bannon's exploits would be commemorated by the Marine Corps and the Navy, as well. The Marine Corps hymn would later include the words "to the shores of Tripoli" in honor of his victory. In addition, the dress sword carried by every Marine to this day, with ivory hilt and gold eagle head, is called the "Mameluke Sword." It is a copy of the sword carried by Hamet at Derna, which he later gave to O'Bannon in gratitude for his service. Three Navy destroyers have been named USS O'Bannon--DD-177, DD-450, and DD-987. The latter is still on duty. The second, DD-450, was one of the most distinguished destroyers in Navy history. It served in World War 2, where it won 17 battle stars, the most of any destroyer, and served further in Korea and Vietnam, retiring in 1970.<< http://www.thewildgeese.com/pages/obannonp.html