To TH E M E MORY OF

A M E R I C A ’ S N A V A L H E R O E S

W ITH FEELINGS OF T HE DEEPEST ADMIRATION FOR

THEIR ACT S OF SPLENDID DARING FOR T HE

HONOR OF OU R COU NTRY TH IS WORK

I S RESPECTFU LLY bE DIC ATE D

C o p y ri gh t 1 905

W AL T E R F R A N CIS B U R NS

INTRODUCTION .

A careful and sustained search fo r written and traditional records o f those w ho shared in the na

t io na l defence in 1 8 1 2 has revealed a lamentable

dearth o f authentic informa tion both i n offi cial and

o o f he r private circles . America has been pr digal

' s a heroes . Contemporaneous foreign history show

wealth o f smallest details in their perfected sys tems

w a s o f War Office Records . But America in her

infancy ; a struggle for even the form o f the co n

s t i t ut i o n itself was raging while the war o f 1 8 1 2

s i f w a be ng waged . Such o ficial records as were

kep t were despoiled by the British invasion o f

o f Washington . The vast extent the country and the rap idly shifting scenes o f action also co ntri buted much to the difficulty o f accurately recording

a h events . But bove all the fact that so many w o acquitted themselves most bravely in this struggle

t o o - n s- i retired their h me life , and , Cincin at u l ke ,

7 took up the arts of peace with the happy reflection

’ of d uty perfo rmed has made the hi sto rian s wo rk

n f s a mo st di sco uragi g and di ficult ta k .

The w r iter w a s actuated by family intere st in gathering information o f hi s immediate ancestry ;

a s o n s f but the work went with increa ing di ficulty, as he soon found himself invo lved in a tangle o f

s o o f im hi t rical detail , and confronted by a mass

o o o s perfect and contradict ry l cal traditi n , he was impelled t o place the re sult o f his pains -taking i n

s i t i n o n t o ve t ga o in a permanent f rm . It is si cerely be hoped that others may be pro mpted t o perpetuate the memo ry o f those who have co ntributed t o the making of a nati o n and that there may be evolved from the chao s of the pa s t a la sting memorial to

o s the act r in the great drama .

E special thanks a r e due t o those w ho have rendered material assistance in gathering and veri fy i ng information and fo r the interest that they

s have di played in the subj ect . The writer feels under great obligati o ns to many who have entered up o n the work o f co llecting facts i n the life and d o ings o f Captain Otway B urn s and who were actuated solely by pride in the career o f an illus t r i o s u North Carolinian . Foremo st amo ng these i s the H o no rable Chief

u u o J stice Walter Clark , of the S preme C urt of

o a North Car lin , who in a letter to the writer says “ Yo u have do ne great service t o the state o f N o rth

Caro lina in having the useful and ho norable career

n o f yo ur grandfather traced out a d p ut up on record . This state is too prone to neglect to record the

f o s h s fame o her s n w o have erved her well . In ” n o n neglecti g their fame she ha s neglected her w .

D n Pr o fe s Kemp Plummer Battle , LL . . , Alum i

so r o f s o f Hi tory in the University North Carolina ,

has been indefatiga ble in the res earch w o rk upon

o this l cal , as well as national , historical subj ect,

o and has br ught to bear upon the work his sixth , ” o r hi s to rical sen se with which he is so eminently

o end wed .

f . o . o . C . Mr R mulus A Nunn , Newbern , N ,

o a nd has pr ven a most competent tireless ally , not only in the efficient discharge of the onerous duties

o f o f s chairmanship committee , but in the tedious

and exacting w o rk o f investigati o n and proof o f

s No t o r f his detail . a p tion o work left his hands

until he w a s po sit ive o f its full a ut henticity .

9 The writer gratefully acknowledges the many courtes ies and the willing assi stance o f all w ho

n have co tributed to the success of this undertaking .

A T R FRAN C I W L E S BU RN S .

1 0 City , 9 5.

10 CAPTAIN OTWAY BURN S .

T he deeds and character o f Captain Otway Burns are most eloquently and graphically described in the scho larly and graceful orations which are f . o reproduced in their integrity There is , course , some repetition in the statement o f facts ; but the use o f the collected material by two men o f such eminent atta inment s serves to show t he worki ngs o f i t w o tra ned minds up o n the sa me ma terial . The

n a o s o f a deductions , inferences , and me t l pr ces es trained j u r i st and o f a keen histo rian acting upo n the same premises form a study o f interesting psycho

fo r logical importance . Mutilation convenience or fo r practical pu rpo ses would under these circum

stances be unpardonable . The oration of the Honorable Chief Justice

. C . Walter Clark was delivered at Beaufort, N , in

1 0 1 o n t he o o t he o f July , 9 , occasi n f unveiling a monument erected to the memo ry o f Captain Otway t Burns by his descendants . It was vastly o the

I I honor o f the state that a ceremony which might easily have been regarded as a family co mme mo

o n rati was , by the numbers and the eminence of tho se who participated in it from all parts of the

state , transformed into a tribute from North Caro lina to the memory o f one whom her people were

o glad to h nor .

1 2

P R O G R A M

o f the

Ceremon ial Exercises

at the Unveiling of the Monument

erected to the memo ry o f

C A P T A I N O T W A Y B ~U R N S

BY H I S DES CEN DANT S

U R . . BEA FO T, N C

2 1 0 1 July 4 , 9 .

“ a SONG Ame r i c .

e T o as P Noe . R h m . PRAYER v.

“ ” i a SON G C olumb .

INTRODU CTION OF O RATOR

n h s . a r le s . A r a t C h L be y , E q

A H e i t lar k hi us t ce Wa l e r C . OR TION on . C fJ l UN E I Mi s The o dor a lt o na i k e h s . V I N . W W L G . . s a

s SALU TE Ne w be r n Na va l R e s e r ve .

D H r na da . R e Mr . o BENE ICTION v. y

I 3

The dest r uctive pro cess of the years i s strik i ngly sh o wn by the small mass of authentic material left o ut o f which t o construct a narr ative of the life o f o ne who se s malle s t acti o ns wer e once o n

o ne o s s every lip . One by th e cogni ant o f his deeds o f n a nd o u a s dari g c r ge have pa sed away . With true N o rth Caro lina indifference his deed s were rarely co mmitted t o paper a nd hence it is no w perhap s impo s sible w ith the u tmo s t diligen ce to compile a n arrative of the career o f Captain Burn s which is worthy O f him o r to give it that interest which would attach to a co mplete and accurate

f n n s statement o the stirring eve ts i which he hared .

An d first I may be pard o ned fo r a word as to the hi sto r ic i n tere st attaching t o the city and county which a r e mo st intimately associated with his fame and which hold his ashes and the mo nument which

r we a e about to u nveil to his memory today . It was your shores which were first espied by

m o 1 8 — A idas and Barl w , July 4, 5 4, three hundred

n s n and seve teen years ago , in the fir t explori g ex p e di t i o n sent o ut by England to this continent .

They proceeded farther up the coast and entered

f o o . one o the inlets above us , pr bably Ocrac ke The

1 8 s s w a s next year , 5 5, the fir t Engli h settlement

1 6 made at Roanoke Island over thirty - five year s be

O f fo re the landing the Pilgrims at Plymouth , and twen ty - t w o years before the settlement o f James

i n o town , which was reality a continuati n of the

o s o ne one at Roan ke I land , the more commodious a t James River being selected as a substitute for the rather i naccessible o ne at Roanoke .

But aside from that , eight centuries and a half o f English history are inextricably interwoven in f the very names o yo ur co untry and City . On the

o f shores France , where the loud waves of the

s n o Briti h Chan el lash the sh res , there lies the town o r f village o Carteret . From thence came the name

f o o your historic c unty . As the steamer speeds

. t o from St Malo in France Southampton , the pas

o n t o senger standing deck sees the right , on a tall

ff o f o cli , the little village Carteret , c ntaining only s 00 o ome 5 inhabitants t day . Its aspect faces the

fo r o o setting sun , at that p int the French c ast runs fo r many miles nearly north and south . Looking

o o further d wn the c ast to the right , near the verge o f o f o f the horizon , is the smoke a larger town , some o r people which fo r ne ar

e r h a s _ a s f y borne the name o Granville . Still fur

o 1 00 a s o ther south , ab ut miles the cr w flies , down in t he heart o f that pleasant land o f France in the

I 7 u u o f o r n t w o s bea tif l valley the L i e , betwee wift

f r o m ro n s r s s o n o u o . lli g t eam , lie the t w Bea f t Fr

o m s n m o f s s o u o thence c e the a e thi ec nd Bea f rt ,

s r o n i s o u s o o s thi fai t w which l e ar und , a t wn wh e imp o r ta n ce is begi n ni ng a n d wh o se fam e a n d wh o s e

r h m e limit s w ill g o w with the years t at are t o co .

Ho w happen s it that thi s coun tr y and thi s c ity fo unded a n d pe o pled by the Engli sh speaki ng peo ple sho uld r evive a n d c o n tinu e the n a me s o f Fr e nch

o n s ? n s o u ss no but t w Ma y pre ent d btle k w , they will pa r d o n me if I relate the sto ry t o tho se w ho

n o t In f r o n o us a n d do . the year o o u L rd o e th and s si x m o f o m n u o f r o ixty , Willia , N r a dy , r ler the p vi nce o f F r a nce which b o rde r s o n the Engli sh

nne o o s s t o o m o f n Cha l , t k tep add the Kingd E gland t o hi s r o —fo r so r r u o s a nd p perty , they ega ded d ked m

n o m s i n o s s n o n r s o f ki gd th e day , whe the w e hip the

o n r s o f so pe ple we t with the o wne hip the il . He

r m s r r o f n s o r s gathe ed hi elf a brave a ay galla t ldie ,

oo n s n r r s o n w ho g d k ight , eedy adventu e , and every e

w a s n t o fo r o o f r o o f a d willi g fight l ve leade , l ve

n u r o r o f n r T him n o u . o m o o ve t e , l ve pl de , a g thers ,

m o n r o f t he o f hi s ca e the w e village Carteret , with

r n r s o r o m n a nd etai e wh m he p bably ade a captai ,

o r o f n w ho w a s o u s s o o n the l d Gra ville , d btle a c l el

1 8 r n r n s o u o ge e al . At Hasti g , William c nq ered and

hi s r the Engli s h land w a s parcelled o ut t o adhe ents .

D ur Ca r te r et and Granville fa r ed well in England . i ng the s ucceeding cen turies their name s were prom

n n o i e nt in E glish hist ry . Reginald de Carteret and hi s s even so ns were all made knights i n o ne day by

Edwa r d III fo r havi ng held p o sse ss i o n of the island o f Jersey again st Bertran d de Gue s cli n and the

r n n n m r u F e ch . Whe Engla d beca e a ep blic under

o m o r n n o Cr well , Sir Ge rge Carte et we t i t exile with f r s . n o o o o Cha le II O the rest rati n that m narch , he rewarded thi s devo ti o n by givi ng t o Carteret a nd seven o ther s the bro ad do main reachi ng fro m the Virgi n ia line d o wn t o Flo rida and fro m the

n r o ss t o s Atla tic clear ac the Pacific , under the tyle o f r s r o o s o o s u the Lo d P priet r . The c l ni ts d tifully n m f r r s r r o a ed o ne o thei p ecinct Ca te et . Sir Ge rge

’ C a r t e r e t s gr an dso n (who m Co l o n el Wheeler in his hi sto r y ha s co nfo unded with hi s g r an dfather) was created first Baro n Cartere t and married the heiress

f n hi s so n o s . o a nd the Gra ville He died very y ung ,

o n o r n no t J h , Bar n Carteret and Ea l Gra ville , was o nly a Lo rd Propriet o r but a member o f the Briti s h

n r n Cabi et and Lo d Lieutenant o f I r ela d . Walpole says he w a s o ne o f the five greatest me n he had e n r r o ver k o wn . When the o ther Lo ds P opriet rs

1 9 o ut hi s o ne - sold , he retained eighth ownership and had it laid o ff next t o the Virginia line which was

n un o o u his o rthern bo dary . P rtions of his s thern bo rder y o u can see t o this day in the long straight line in the middle o f your state which marks o n the

s u o f map the o thern boundary Chatham , Randolph ,

so n a n d t David , Rowan , Iredell . All be ween that s n s t o n a n d traight li e , extended ea t the Atla tic west

to to the Pacific , up the Virginia line (extended

b —a in like manner to oth oceans ) , tract nearly seventy miles broad and extending from ocean t o

—he N ocean retained in fee simple . O wonder when co unties were first created in this province in 1 729 o ne O f them was named Carteret and that a little

1 6 o later , 74 , when an ther great county was created ,

“ w n it was called Granville . It was his o land , a

f n part o his o w farm . When the American Revo lut i o n ended in o u r independence he claimed that unde r the terms o f the treaty of peace his right t o the owner ship o f that vast terr ito ry was protected

o o f and he had a go d show right , as the treaty is

u o worded . He began s it in the United States C urt .

Ho w and why he failed is another story .

u ? n s But how about Bea fort Well , the E gli h

n o f u o ki gs , descendants William , ret rned the N rman inva s ion by them selves becoming conquero rs of the

20 r f g reate part of France . One o the s ons of E d “ ” O f Gua nt o o s ward III , John , time h n red Lanca ter , acquired among other scraps of property in the co nquered co untry this to wn of Beaufo rt which

o ne he gave to some of his illegitimate children , o f whom was the great Cardinal Beaufo rt who con

t he t o d ducted English King Henry VI , be crowne at Paris as King of France and who presided at

o f the trial and conviction o f Joan Arc . He it

n ff was , whe dying , whom Shakespeare makes o er t o ro f the app aching specter o death .

“ ’ ’ ’ t o u e e s e a e t e e n a n s r e a sur e If h b t d th, I ll giv h E gl d t , nou t o ur c a se suc a no e r s a n E gh p h h th i l d, i l l m n e no n So tho u w t e t e live a d f e l p a i . And it is to him the king said “ ’ o r a r nal t ou n e st o n e a e n s ss L d C di , if h thi k h v bli ,

o u t h a n ma e s nal o f t h ho e . H ld p y h d , k ig y p him He e s a nd ma e s n o s n 0 Go d o r e . di k ig ; , , f giv

a r ba d e a a r ue s a m o ns r o us e . W w i ck . So a d th g t lif i r r e a r t o u e fo r w e a r e s nne r s K n H e n . o g y F b j dg , i a ll

o se u hi s e e s a nd r a w t h e cur a n c o se Cl p y , d t i l , ” And l e t us t o me dit a ti on .

Fro m a bro ther of that Cardinal Beaufort was descended the Duke o f Beaufort who was one of the eight Lords Proprietors . The name of whose

s o duchy was be towed up n your city , and from him also i s descended the present duke who sits as a

2 1 he r edi ta r y s enat o r i n the B r iti sh Par liament a nd th r o ugh the female li n e he al so number's am o ng hi s s n n s r s n n o f n de ce da t the p e e t Ki g E gland .

No r d o es yo ur hi sto r ic co nnecti o n with F r ance

r m n r fo r s o n w a s o r te i ate he e , thi pr vi ce iginally named C a r o le n a i n ho no r o f Cha r le s IX o f Fr an ce w ho i s dam n ed t o all time a nd eternity a s the author

f r f r m o s o . o o w a s the Ma sac e St Ba th l ew , and it r echri s tened Caro lina when gran ted t o the Lo r d s

r o r o r o f n n — m s o f P p iet s by Charles II E gla d , hi elf

n ff n very i di ere t fame .

Fo r s r s s o n s o n t o so m n ho w thi dig e i , h wi g e exte t hi sto r y i s i n te r w o ven i n the ve r y wa r p and w o o f o f the name s o f yo u r co u n ty a n d city I tru st that i n a n add r ess up o n an hi s to r i c subj ect I m a y be par do n e d b o th by tho s e w ho r emembe r thes e facts and

o s w ho r n m a or o n . by th e , pe cha ce , y have f g tte them

No w t o thi s hi sto r ic lscene came Otway B urn s t o add by his deed s t o the i nter e st which shall a l wavs li nger aro und the hi s to ric name s o f Beaufo r t n r a d Ca teret .

u rn s w a s o n i n o u o f n o Otway B b r the c nty O sl w , n amed in h o n o r o f the fa mo us Speaker Onslow

’ r r s n s s n afte wa d Lo rd O lo w . He w a born o Queen s

r t w o m s r o m w a n n sbo r o C eek , ile f S in the year

22

o r o f 1 8 1 2 Bef e the war , Captain Otway Burns had attained the co mma n d of a merchantman which

t o . C . sailed from Newbern , N , Portland , Maine , He was on one o f these vo yages when the smo uld ering tro ubles with Great Britain came to a cri sis

n f i n 1 1 2 o o 8 . by the declarati war June , On this arrival at Po rtland he learn ed the news and fo und

m oo that peaceable com erce was at an end . He t k his ves sel t o New Yo rk and b o ught a larger and ”

o ne s . swifter , previou ly named the Levere He

s s o f altered thi into a ve sel war , armed and equipped “ m t o n - her , changing her na e the S ap Dragon which w a s desti ned fo r three years t o be a name o f ill

t o e w omen and terror the enemy . Taking her to N

o o f t o bern , b oks subscription were opened the cap i tal sto ck which was nece s sary to be raised to pay fo r the p urchase and equipment of the vessel and f r f o the defrayal o her expen ses . Among the own

r o f u n ers were John Shepard , g andfather J dge He ry

r n McKi nle o R . B ya , James y , J hn Harvey and other

o f n s leading men that day , whose desce dant are still

pro minent in business and so cial circles .

In recent yea r s there has been an effort in high

n s s r fi ancial circle to di credit p ivateering . This is because that element thinks that war should be con

24 fi n n so s o r u f ed to i j ury to the per n , destr ction o the

s o f s o s live , the ailors or s ldiers (who u ually have the leas t interest in the war) but that their property

s hould be held sacred and exempt . But privateering , w i s s o n hich imply a volunteer navy , dependent up

o w n o fo r its enterprises and c urage pay , has always been the resort of a weak nation against a superior

- sea p ower . It was the right arm of this country upon the sea in both o u r wars with Great Britain and was resorted to by the S o uthern Confederacy in o ur late Civil War .

The legality of privateering IS expressly recog n i z f e d o . in the constitution the United States , Art

1 8 1 1 , Sec , Clause , which empowers Congress to ” issue Letters o f Marque and Reprisal . Under f the influence o those largely interested in shipping, t he o f - merchants the great sea ports , many Euro pean nations agreed to a provision in the Treaty

s 1 8 6 of Pari , 5 , prohibiting privateers , but the

s t United States did not a sent o it . The experience o f the United States and o f the Confederate States as well has been that the surest way to inculcate a desire for p eace in that influential element o f the

enemy is for our privateers t o lay rude hands upon

’ o o o m their fl ating wealth . Sh ting at the ene y s ff soldiers and . sailors had no such salutary e ect .

2 5 D u r i n g the fi r st si x mo nths o f the war o f 1 8 1 2 our

p r ivatee r s captured 500 me r cha ntmen a nd several

n r o n r th o u sa d p is e s .

It i s proper t o add that p r ivateers a r e o n ly co m

m i ssioned up on a petition s etti ng fo rth all the par

r r n m n t r n st t i cula r s r equi ed by go ve e t . If af e i ve i

a t i o n r s a r e s e o n r s o f g lette is u d , the w e the privateer

give bo n d fo r the obse r va n ce o f all the regulati ons

s r o ne o f i s o n r u pre c ibed by law , which that the et rn

’ fr o m each vo yage a j o ur nal givi ng each day s p r o

ce e di n s m a n d o f g , with na e value each capture ve r ified by the co mman di ng o fficer s hall be filed

n s with the go vernme t . No capture i turned o ver

until the o w n er ship o f the ve ss el and the legality

f i r o the captur e s a dj udged by a c o u t o f admi r alty .

It w a s p r obably r equi r ed that applicati o n fo r

letter s o f Ma r que a nd Repri sal sh o uld be renewed befo r e each vo yage fo r we have a co py o f the a p p li m o n n ur s o n u 1 1 8 1 . cati ade by Captai B n J ly , 3

In that he specifies that the ve ss el is o f 1 47 to n s “ ” u n m - o n um o f w b rthen , a ed Snap Drag n , ber cre

r m n u 0 u s -s 75 , a ma e t 5 carriage g ns , 5 m ket and 4

un-de r bu sse s t u r s s i bl , Cap tain , O way B n ; Fir t L eu

n s o ne f . o o u tena t , Jame Br wn In his s bsequent v oyage s he had a crew o f 1 27 men with De

26 o r s u n n a n d o n o ne C kely Fi t Lie te a t , in the ly of

w e u o o f r o u n which have a f ll c py ce tified j r al , Jan

— r r f m e n u r 1 8 1 o . a y Ap il , 4 , he had a c ew 99

' The j o urnals o f all hi s cr ui se s giving his daily

o n s s o f o f s m e n o f o s d i g with li ts ficer and were , c ur e ,

s n n a s r As r filed at Wa hi gto equired by law . afte pro per applicati o n o nly the o ne mentioned ca n be

fo un d it i s p r obable they were destro yed with s o many o the r archive s when the B r iti sh bu r n t t h

o m n u n s 1 1 T o g vern e t b ildi g at Washingto n in 8 4 .

o m o o m o o f s e extent h wever , we have inf r ati n the co ntent s o f the j o urna l s o f t w o other c r uises fr o m articles w r itten in the Un iver s ity Magazine in 1 855 a nd 1 856 by s omeo ne w ho had s een copies of the s e

o s su o no n o i s l g , pre mably the late G ver r Swai . C p e o f o r n o s se e the igi al j urnal , have been n by parties s n n f . . s o till livi g , Dr J . W Sau der , your county ,

o o o o C lonel J hn D . Whitf rd and p ssibly others .

Fro m the syn o psis o f tho s e given in the Univer si t o o i s o n y Magazine the f ll wing c densed . The “ — ” S nap Dragon w a s a Baltimore clippe r and no ted

fo r s her peed . Her armament was t w o guns (1 2

s s a n d un pounder ) on each ide a pivot g . She r r o n o n n o ne anged f om bey d Newf u dla d , where on

s o she occa i n tackled an iceberg , when her captain

o ut o f ob o n t o o o f was a j , d w the n rthern coast

27 r n o s a South Ame ica ear the Equat r . She thu p

o n o tro lled the wh le ocea front , carrying terr r to

’ m o m -o f- the ene y s c merce and defying his men war , a nd when they were not to o big she tackled them

o n o ne s o n a s s too , occa i we hall see defeating one

2 s o f 2 gun . Like the Alabama in our late war she

so metimes placed prize crews o n captured ves sels and sent them i nto ports and when that was not

feas ible s he relieved them o f the mo st valuable

portion of the cargo and burnt the vessel .

While the lo g o f t h e cruise in the spring of

1 8 1 n o o n 4 alo e is c mplete , it is record that in the “ first seven months , Captain Burns in the Snap ” Dragon captured two barks , five brigs , and three schooners with cargoes valued at one milli o n dollars

2 0 and 5 prisoners . As this was not calculated to

dampen his energy, we may make some calculation of the damage he did to British commerce in the “ ” nearly three years before the Snap - Dragon met

s her fate , and estimate the ize of the sentiment for

peace with Captai n Burn s built up in the influential — ship o wn i ng cla ss es in British p o r ts w ho had no

liking for war which was made at their expense .

As l o ng as sailors and soldiers shot each other they

no t o may have been much c ncerned , but when their

2 8 bale s o f merchandise and their vessels were sacri

o fice d they clam red for the war to stop .

Among many incidents it is recorded that Cap ” tain Burns o f the Snap - Drago n a nd Captain ” Almida o f the Kemp having made some joint

captures proceeded to make a division in port , when t he fiery Burns disapproving of the division chal

o ut s e a t lenged Almida to fight it at . They put o

s o f sea for that purpo e , but happening upon some

’ the enemy s merchant ve ssels each to ok a new prize and very sensibly dropped the dispute .

’ On Captain Burn s fi r s t crui se his first a dve n

t w s -o f- ture was to fall in with o Briti h men war,

o f a frigate and a sloop . By the superior swiftness his vessel he escaped but he w a s willing to fight and sho rtly falling in with a vessel o f 1 4 guns he captured her , this being his first prize . His next

o f experience was at the island St . Thomas when he suddenly found himself all but surrounded by

-o f- five British men war, three to windward and t w o t o T leeward . o deceive them he hoisted Span

o o ish c lors but John Bull was t o wide awake . He knew the cut o f her j ib and that a Baltimo re clipper “ ha d no s business floa t ing Spani sh c o l o r . The Gar ” land ma n-o f- war fi r ed a 32- pound shot at the

29 S nap - Drago n barely mi s s i ng he r a nd s ign alled

~ - i s the o ther ma n o f w a r t o cl o se n . The latter o o n

- m a n r s had her t op ha per up d c o wded all her ail .

The o nly p o ss ibility o f e scape w a s thro ugh Sail

o ss w a s o r m s s n a nd R ck pa age , which f ty ile di ta t ,

dead t o wi n dward a n d with th r ee o f the ho stile

n u o n a nd ve ss el s o n that s ide . With the i t iti the

o m s o n o f o n s o r n u n pr pt deci i a b r ail , Captai B r s

sa w that hi s o nly Cha nce w a s t o head hi s ship di r ect

fo r o so o u n o t s n s i o f the R ck , it c ld be ee which de

w o u ss o u w a s so s it he ld pa . A c rse haped that all

“ ’ ” the Garland s sail s d r ew o n o ne ma s t which gave ” n - o n n n a the S ap Drag a advantage . Whe they p “ ” p r o a che d the Ro ck the Ga r lan d made s ignal s t o

’ h e r co mpan i o n s t o cut o ff B urn s s hip when sh e

i t r m n hauled n o cho o se he pa ssage . They a o e uv

r r n N m r o w ub . e ed acco di gly . ca e the Captain

B ur ns made all hi s m e n lie d o w n a nd to o k the “ m m s o r a s n e r s hel hi el f . The S phia b ig w a e t “ ” a n d a s the S nap - D r ago n came ab r ea st di s charged

In at he r a b r o ads ide o f g r ape a nd ro u nd sho t .

“ ’ ” the h u r r y t o r epeat t h e fi r e t he So phia s o w n bul

s r s o i n r s s wark we e h t away , the delay the c i i “ ” w a s o r fo r i n m nut s n —D r o n ve , five i e the S ap ag

had all five o f the en emy o n the wind and

o ut o f gun sh o t fo r sh e c o uld walk the water s

30

l e r d s Of the town . That night he ow his boat which passed a battery which they had taken to be a flock

o f s heep but which were guns painted white , and “ ” e t t le r quitely pulled up alongside the N , when a hail fo llowed by a volley o f musketry showe d them

s that the enemy was ready . Instantly the town w a

r - in a ms , and sky rockets were traversing the hea t vens in all direc ions . Retreat was the only thing “ ” t - o do . The Snap Dragon hoisted a light t o

u g ide them , whereupon the whole battery opened

on her . Extinguishing the light , Burns returned the fire with his guns which served equally well t o

a guide the retreat . By daylight he w s twenty mi les

o w fr m the island , doubtless ith meditations on t he “ unp r o fit a ble ne s s o f going fo r wool and coming ” back shorn .

The next day he captured an Englis h vessel

z bound for Santa Cru . She had on board some

forty o r fifty Guinea negroes and some mechandise .

o o r He t ok seventeen eighteen and , not wishing to

u e be tro bl d with the others , let the vessel go on

her course .

o s So n after , finding an Engli h vessel in the

’ o o f u harb r Santa Cr z , he sent in a boat s crew and

ut cut her o . Being loaded with lumber and the

32 ss no t u . ve el very valuable , he b rnt her The Snap ” D r agon then went into the neutral port o f P o nce on the south side of Po r to Rico t o get water and

s stores and ell her captured goods , only enough to pay fo r supplies and the Spanish governo r went

n - so far as t o sell him a very fi e long 9 pounder gun .

o o n s s So n after , the Spani h Main he cha ed an

Eng lish packet but had t o give it up by rea so n o f o ne of tho se sudden gales which a r e frequent i n

o u s r o th se latit de , and which nea ly pr ved fatal to “ n - o u no t the S ap Drag n . B rns did leave the deck

ne f the who le night . At daylight he placed o o his officers in charge and had just gone below when a s hift o f wind foll o wed by a tremendo us wave kno cked t he ves sel o n her beam ends in the trough o f se a n the , filling the waist with water and setti g s m s r u ns m o t o e of the gun ad ift . B r i mediately g o n deck , secured the guns , and wore the vessel

o un o n o u s o ar d an ther tack . The p mp sh wed three

o f r o a nd o o o feet wate in the h ld , it t k three h urs t o pump her out when it w a s di s co vered that the

n s s r o r pla k heer had ta ted for m re that thi ty feet . Fo r tunately the gale had abated and the ship was

’ saved ; but all admitted th a t but fo r B urn s s e a ma n ship a nd pro mpt deci s i o n the ves s el would have

o o o m g ne to the b tt . The Snap - Drago n then bo re away t o Mara t o o o . caib , in S uth America , repair damages The governor gave the requi site permi ss i o n and invited

s t n the o fficer o dine with him . Learni g that seven

sa o f n i s ss s o s or eight il E gl h ve el were cl e by , the “ ” S nap - Drago n s ailed amo ng them like a hawk

amo ng partr idges capturi ng three and runn i ng one

s o . s s u ns a h re Some day afterward , Captain B r fell

s so o in with fo ur large hips . He n decided that o ne w a s m a n- o f- a war disguised as a merchantman ,

so m o f hi s o f s n ur s o but e ficer , grumbli g, B n t ld them

he had a s many friend s i n British p r i so n s as they

had and was j ust as willing a s they were t o pay

them a vi sit and he no w wo uld sh o w them that he ”

n o s u n r r . 0 w a s ot deceived . S he ailed p ea e T — his fir st sh o t the co ncealed man - o f war replied by

r s o f a nd n s a b oad ide grape ca i ter and , giving chase ,

nearly o verhauled the Snap - Drago n but when

o fficers and m e n were r e a dv t o pack their baggage

fo r t o n u n s a trip E gland , Captain B r s by mo t

adro it seamanship evaded capt ure till night enabled

him s n s s r to e cape . An E gli h ves el f o m Curacoa

captured by him a few days later gave the i n fo r

mati o n that the ship from w hich he had so narrowly “ ” — escaped was the Faw n Sl o op o i - war and that she

34 had gone into Curacoa with the rep o rt that she had sunk the Yankee privateer .

Having o cca s i o n to land some English pri son

ers , at their request at a port in Venezuela , the

Spani s h go vernor seized the boat and crew sent to

o put them ashore . Thereup n Captain Burns cap t ur e d a felucca with o ne hundred men o n board belo nging to that port and threatened t o hang the last on e of them in t w o ho urs if hi s bo at and crew

n s n were o t sent back . This mes age bei g sent

s o s s o s a h re , the mi ing b at and men were ent back to him with wonderful alacrity . Sailing towards Car t a ge na he came upon a Spanish brig of 1 2 guns and another of 8 guns in company with an English

u om vessel . B rns captured the latter though the c

f s mander o the Spanish ve sel threatened t o fight .

n o o s oo e o He went i t p rt n after , wher up n they got the captured vessel between them selves a n d the fort

- s and forced the prize ma ter to surrender . The ves s el was fin ally given up after the Spaniards had ro bbed it o f everythi ng they co uld lay their hands o n n . There were 1 5 or 20 E gli sh vessels in the harbo r but they prevailed upon the Spanish co m

o o t o mander of the f rt , d ubtless by bribery , lay an embargo upo n Burn s fo r a week during which time

o t o f they all g out his reach .

35 In his j o urnal intere sting account s are given o f the people at the va r ious por t s in So uth America

' n r ff and in the West Indie s where he we t asho e . O

Cape Flor ida he engaged an Engli sh p r ivateer o f 1 0

s m e n a n d uns gun . He killed several of her hipped

several of he r l o ng gu n s when she bore away and

r a n into the reefs .

Next he came up o n what w a s tho ught to be an

s o Engli h ship fr m Havana , but heaving a shot ahead o f her she rounded t o showing herself a brig with

20 u s o u e T o o f s o n g n m nt d . the relief ome board

r o t n s n n s she p ved o be Spa i h . Captai Bur then

fo r u o r o r n r headed Bea f t Harb . Whe nea there he

’ s t o s ss o o t o u n gave cha e a mall ve el which s n , B r s

gr eat am u semen t pretended t o be p o ling where he

n a s n - m f well k ew there w seve fath o s o water . After

n o o u n s m u givi g them a g d fright , B r ca e p with the

ve s sel which p r oved t o be manned by so m e o f hi s

o ld n n s s w a s ff a n sbo r- acquai ta ce . Thi o Sw o and

he go t into Beau fo rt that eveni n g after a v o yage

o f o nt s s r a nd ut six m h , di cha ged the crew p the

’ n r s o r r s vessel i to the ca penter hands f repai .

In a sho rt time the S nap - Drago n w a s ready

r u o o r m e n o n for an o the cr i se . F rty fifty came

fr o m N o r fo lk where Bu r n s had o pened a no the r

36 o f o n s o rendezvo us . The agents the w er wr te on

t o New Yo rk and got a Fi r st Lieutenant named

r o w ho o . B wn , came highly rec mmended He was

a fine - l o o king man but a martinet and befo re Burns “ too k charge had a part o f the men in iro ns to tame ” - them he said , and everything was topsy turvy , but

as s o on as Burns took command he had the men “ ” s o n m n t di charged . fr m confi e e t and amed the lieu

o u tenant . He set sail fr m Bea fort with a crew of

n s s 1 27 fine men . Heari g that the Briti h ves el “ ” Hi ghfly e r w a s waiting on him o ff the co ast he

t o s s went find her , but the ve el was the American “ ” privateer Raleigh of Baltimore . Captain Burns

o o ff then laid his c urse for Newf undland . O the

Gran d Bank he o verhauled a large vessel which

o o o . sh wed the American c l rs Burns had his doubts , so he s ent an officer abo ard in British unifo rm who

’ looked at the captain s papers and to ld him that he

s s s a s mu t end his hip a prize to Halifax . There up o n the captain to ld him that in fact he was British

i ’ himself and sho wed the ship s genui n e papers the

m r s o A e ican one having been f rged . He simply gave

m s hi elf away .

S o me days later Captain Burns made three sail o ff- h r Cape Race . After a s ort action a b ig and a a ship struck their colors but the third , fine brig

37 ’

1 0 u s r s . n u of g n , t ied to e cape After a seve ho r s

t r o un chase she s uck with ut firing a g . It was a

fine brig a n d the ca r go w a s i nvo iced at

- s ut A prize ma ter and crew were p aboard , but a fortnight after wards he bore do wn t e n miles to speak a s upposed Ame r ican frigate which p r o ved to

n s be E gli h . By this bad management the prize was recaptured and the prize crew in her s ent to Dart

r moor p ison .

A few day s after the Snap - Dragon took two brigs and a schooner .

The next day thereafter she engaged a well

r f 1 2 n o manned b ig o gu s . Soon the horiz n was

s full o f ve sels attracted by the firing . An English

n s u frigate u der full aid bore down , whereupon B rns

s o f moved away . He oon left his pursuer out sight and ran into a n o utward bo und fleet of about forty

’ s r ; o t o ail f om St J hn s England , which were under

’ o s o f the frigate s conv y . Boarding even or eight them he found that they were all laden with lumber

o o f and let them go untouched , as he disappr ved

o f the wanton destruction property , though he could have burned half o f them before the frigate could ff ’ have come up . O St . John s he next captured a valuable prize loaded wit h dry- goods and started

38 master that di sobe ve d him was taken to Dartmoo r a nd remained until the peace . Several masters and

sailors died at Dartm o o r which w a s an English stockade co ntaining many thou sand of French and

o i n o o r other pris ners , sh rt it was the Elmira Point

o n r hi s o Lo o k ut o f that day . Captai Bu ns in j urnal

says the he was cur se d with a mi serable set o f

o o n u o r prize masters wh se inc mpete ce , dr nkenness ,

disobedience cau s ed the recapture o f many prizes

which he had taken .

O ff the Grand Ban k the Snap - Dragon again came near fo undering and was again saved only by

m s f the ad irable seaman hip o her commander . One

’ O f Captain B urns maxim s was that if a ves sel could

no se a o u scud nine miles an hour , c ld board her .

’ f o s o Abrea st o St . J hn several c asters were cap

t ur e d but allowed to go o n their way as their

o o carg es were nly lumber . One morning a schoo

no u ner was described with g ns visible , but the

Captain (Fo x ) who had been taken in the last

brig warned Captain Burns (to whom he had taken “ ” a liking) t hat it was the man -o f-war Ado nis o f

200 a 1 4 guns . About y rds distance her commander became frightened lest he sho uld be boarded Opened

his port s and gave a broadside o f grape and can

40 s - i ter . This was returned with good will and a

s o n s 1 . harp c flict ensued , 5 guns again t 4 In the

’ o very height of it , Burns new lieutenant , Br wn , w ho had been sent to him from New York quit his

stati o n and ran to tell Burn s he would be taken in

- fi ve min utes . Burns broke his speaking trumpet o ver his head and o rdered him back to his post . “ — ” The Snap Drago n sailed aro und the Adonis as “ ” the log s ays like a coo per hammering a cask but

fi o s o ff nally b th partie hauled , only four men being “ — wounded on the Snap Drago n It was afte r ward s learned that 3 were killed and 5 wo unded on “ ” t he s r o Adoni . Bu ns promptly br ke Brown for co wardice and sent him to the forecastle among

D e o ke l C . the men , and made y first lientenant A fe w ho urs later a brig o f 8 guns was chased and c ho s o aptured wit ut firing a h t .

o ff Next day Cape Francis , Burns fell in with a

fl o f s f eet English Fi herman , ninety sail o from forty t o o ne hundred tons each . Burns hoisted English

o o r um fo r c l rs and exchanged with them fish . One

o ld fellow came aboard and , being invited into the “ c s $ ne o f o ur abin , aid This does not look like o

n s E gli h vessels , but we do not care so she does ” “ ” - a s not trouble us . The Snap Dr gon tayed with 00 them all day and caught some 5 or 600 fish .

4 1 Bu r n s sent the captai n o f marines and 25 me n ashore t o a litt le fishi ng town where they passed for Eng

r me n li shm e n and were politely t eated . Just as the

were co mi ng back a s ail hove in sight and Burns

s s fea r i ng she was a cruiser too d o ff. He afterward learn ed that she w a s fro m Bor deauxfo r Baltimore

n . lade with silks , wines , and brandies “ fa r Next he cruised as north as 55 degrees , 30 minutes which is clo se t o Cape Farewell in

r i ce Greenland . Discovered some la ge islands of

o f o ne being icebergs that had grounded . On top

f n - o them was a pond o f rai water . This water ”

t o o . being pure , the crew fell and filled f rty casks The writer in the University Magazine says that there was here an interruption in the co py o f the log before him and that where it resumes it gives “ ” o f - o an account the Snap Drag n being chased , and

throwing overbo ard wo rth o f goods ; but “ ” soon after the Sna p -Dragon captured 1 0 brigs f and schooners o f which a list is given . One o these was made a cartel and 98 prisoners placed

i n her up o n signing a pledge o f ho no r not to bear

arms against the United States until exchange d .

o 2 1 8 1 This as d ne June 4 , 3 , long . 53 W . lat . 46

o ff north , which is Newfoundland and here followed

the o f 8 o f names the 9 signers the parole .

42 The Snap - D r ago n sta rt ed fo r home with o ne

s s o mn u o o f her prize . A crui er c i g up , B rns b ldly

fo r r . n o t u made it and it withd ew He did p rsue ,

a s t as all he wanted t o do w o protect his prize . Being nearly o ut o f pro visi o ns a nd water he had

o o t n o to leave the prize , which , h wever , g i t Beau ” - o r fort ten day s after the Snap Drag n a rived , “ which hi s j ournal says he did after a cru ise o f two

s -o ne month , twenty days , in which he had cap t ur e d o ne and a half millio n s property from the ” enemy .

One o f the supercargo es Burns had taken was a very gentlemanly man . He claimed four cases o f o hi s g ods worth as private property . B urns gave them up to him and also gave him

o ut o f his o w n pocket to carry him back

’

. o o n n to St J hn s where he bel ge d . A other o f like

o ne u t h character , Campbell , was very usef l in e

o o auction ro m and was all wed commissions . One o f t he purchasers claimi ng a more valuable package

o to that he had b ught , Campbell refused give it up .

o n Whereup n the other , bei g a larger man , abused

. o n and struck him Captain Burns , learning this , went at once to the auction room and reprimanded

fo r the fellow abusing a prisoner , and pulled his

43 o s fo r n e him , which the cowardly fellow did not

o f resent . Burns also made Campbell a present

$500 .

s o n After paying every expen e , the men this

r crui se received each fo his share .

The se t w o crui se s o f which the above synopsis

i s s o f - 1 8 1 o f given , and the crui e January April , 4 , which the log is the only one now exi sting are the

only on es o f which any record ha s been pre served .

These three voyage s co vered le ss than twelve mo nths

o f t w o a r a n d the ye s a half that the war lasted ,

but they s how that Captain Otway Burns was a

o brave , daring man , an accomplished sail r , quick — to perceive and decide i n truth a very Viking of

s s u s n n the ea . The p ni hme t he inflicted o the enemy

w a s o f o f terrible , and the profits some his cruises

o were magnificent . From the j urnal which we have

entire o f the crui se from 20t h o f January to the

1 1 t h o f 1 8 1 April 4 , we learn that this was probably

m o u o r his st npr fitable venture , being riche in glory

’ u than in pec niary recompense . The enemy s mer

cha nt me n had , doubtless , by that time been fright

a ened from the se s .

' In this log the officers and men are given as fo llows $

44 o m $ . . Otway Burns , C m ander Benj D Coakley ,

2nd I st Lieutenant ; James Guthrie , Lieutenant ;

r d o Ba r Jo seph F . Anthony , 3 Lieutenant ; Th mas

o f i ker , Captain Marines ; David Wallace , L eutenant

’ o f s o f Marine ; Alexander Glover , Sergeant Ma

r rines ; Joseph Maires , Su geon ; John Gardner ,

s Assi tant Surgeon ; James Smith , Sail Master ;

s o n $ s Moses Horn , Pur er ; J h Parker , Steward I rael

’ or d ho Dyer , Gunner ; Eli Crawf , Master s Mate ; T

n Re dde mas Gree , (killed ) , Boatswain William B . y ,

Dlr m e r s $ D u m . The Prize Ma ters were Gilbert I

r mo o . Ger y , Si n Pendlet n , Gabriel Penn , Samuel S

o o u u Pendlet n , The phil s S . Fitch , William F lford ,

o s $ . B at Mate Peter Cutler , Richard C Miller ,

o e and The dore Stickney , Prize Mast rs Mates ,

Gla w ho r n a nd o Ttra t h Turner , Ge rge , Able

$ n a o B r i d e do n Seamen Alexa der B bc ck , Edward g

n o s (killed ) , He ry Fletcher (l t an arm ) , Henry

d u s Weaver , John E gar , William B rn (killed ) ,

s a r s o t o James Ballantine , I aac Cl k ( h t in high) , J hn

s o o Shilling , Charle M re (killed ) , Alexander Kon

no n u s o He ndr i ch , Arth r Orr , Aaron Pla e , J hn ,

o r o n o o u o R ye Simps , William C lh n , Nich las Hen

dr i ck so n o s o s o , James Le nard , I aac Th ma , J hn

y o a s o s e o Ta l r , J me Starbuck , Nich la Bench r , J hn

s o n William , Charley J rdan , Joh Smith , Sims Stud

45 s o o ley , Chri t pher Kelly, William Smith , J hn Dizer ,

o o J seph Peter , J hn Doyle , Joseph Alexander

e o o u o (kill d) , J hn Loug , C nstant Doby , Peter Van

o s Burgen , Nathaniel Cr by , William Watts , Toney

o C a r o n s J hn , William g , Charles William , Thomas

s O $ o Davi , rdinary Seamen J hn Peter , Alex a r o o nde Tayl r , Peter P hn , John Mason , John John s o n $ McFa r la n , Marines Nat Owens , Peter ,

n P u He ry robus , Sam el Dyer , William Edds , George

o o $ D ye , Allen Th mas , Gunner Seamen Jabe

n s Wright , Peter John , Alexander Cummi g , Joseph

s Davi , Jakeman Emery , William Frederic , John

$ o Wallace , Boys Peter Calea , J hn Durong ,

s o o E ubo n Jame J nes , J hn Lewis , John , Francis

B e n r arie , P ter Sulliva , A nett Latham , David Lewis ,

’

o n o $ . J h White , C ok James Belcher Cook s

Mate James Caj j o .

o $ o f o 2 T tal 99, wh m 4 were killed and perma

ne nt l n s y disabled o that crui e . The slightly wounded

are not even named .

lo s o n 20 1 8 1 This g show that January , 4, the

Snap - Dragon cro ssed the bar here at Beaufort at

’ o o s 22nd 7 cl ck and aluted the fort . On the Cap tai n Burns chased a British vessel which struck her co lors but got away because the sea was t oo

46

- - lay and fought side by side , yard arm and yard arm , and when men did no t

a a n e r n fo r e x st e nce With h k i g i , r r n a o s s a nce Ke e p me e ly fi i g t a fo li h di t .

’ Here i s Captain B urns s tat ement from his j our nal which w a s filed under oa th with t he government o n r w a s o ff his eturn . He at the time just Surinam , o r o n n Dutch Guiana , as we style it , the orthern

u coast of So th America .

“

d 1 8 1 . o Thurs ay , 3 March , 4 C mmenced plea

bo 1 0 . . . sant light rain a ut P M . At 5 A M made a

a t o 6 strange s il leeward , at gave chase , about 7

un e gave her a g and hoisted Am rican colors , she an swered us with ano ther and hoi sted English col o r s - . At half past we engaged her and a regular and cons tant fire w a s kep t up by bo th parties ; the

e r o enemy , p ceiving that we designed b arding , ma no e uvr e d his ship with gr eat skill for a considerable

u r u t o o n . time . At got o m sketry bear her

r t o o s o 20 Orde s were given h i t red flag f rward ,

’ u s s oo n o $ min te pa t n we g t on the enemy s quarter .

e r They , p ceiving that we meant boarding , gave us

se veral s te r n guns which i nj ured o ur sail and rig

' n s fir e f u . u o o ging very m ch We kept p a c tant ,

a n s n A r great d mall gu s . t o rde s were given

48 t ut r un o board . The enemy p his helm hard up to us down ; his fore chains too k our j ib -b o om a n d

bow -sprit ; he endeavo red to haul down his colors

and go t them as far as the gaff . At that instant o ur - o ur o - bow sprit gave way , and f re mast went

s o o ff by the board . The ch oner then fell as quick

s l d m t as two ves e s co ul . The ene y hen rallied his

o ff t he men , let men that had boarded him , hoisted

o . his colors , and made the most of a go d wind All h o n a o f t o ands bo rd us were called clear the wreck ,

h t O - o ur o . s r uds , sails , and p mast being shot away

Our colors were shot away , but were immediately

o tied in the main rigging . The pumps were s unded ,

ha d t and we found that she no wa er . We then rigged a j ury-mast and at length set o ur j ib and

o n . s at 4 made sail the vessel Our sail , rigging , and hull ar e much damaged and our bo at completely

’

. no ruined The enemy s force is t known . She is

22 a large ship coppered to her bends , mounts guns ,

s t s and fought de pera ely using round , grape , cani ter,

o ff and cold shot . They beat o ur boarders with

a pistols , cutlasses , bo rding spikes , hand spikes , and t he above cold shot were thrown . When some were

o - swarming on b ard , they threw stink pots , bricks

and glass bottles . We do not know her loss , but

s he suppose lost considerable , as blood ran o ut o f

49 m her lee scuppers , and her hull received damage fro

$ chain and star shot . We lost 4 men killed , viz

; s o Thos . Green , boatswain ; Wm Barne , J hn Hart ,

o and Charles Nurse (of color ) and 7 w unded , viz

s Edward A . Brigden , Wm . Roger , Henry Fletcher , d Theo ore Stickney , Isaac Clark , Malea and Peter

o Brri d e n e Ge rge . g lost his right arm , and Fl tcher had a severe wound in his t high . Thus ends an acti o n that fo rces us to run to some port to repair

o owing to our losing our mast . Had the mast st od she was our prize . We were so near Surinam we

o . . 8 heard guns fr m the battery Lat 5 degrees , 5

1 min . N . Long . 55 degrees , 5 min . W .

Thus the brave s ail o r to ld the ro und unvarnished

’ tale o f the fight between his 5 guns and the enemy s

’ 22 s - gun . And hear the old sea dog s gro wl at the “ ” $ o ur s o o end had mast t d the prize was ours .

There is something of Paul Jones in that brave o ld

n st a o u North C aroli ian . The te may well be pr d f o . o him It was long before the enemy forg t him .

lo t h The g says that on the 7 of March , three

o n t h s days after the fight the 4 , he cro sed the bar a nd s Ar a a r ran ome twenty miles up the w i river .

Lieutenant Antho ny and s o me men went a sh o re o n a raft , got timber , and went to work to repair

50 1 2t h h e t he vessel . On the the aut orities sent som

s men from Ango tura to know what he was doing ,

t o whom he replied that he wanted only water

and repairs . On the following days , having gotten

ff o f v a nd o , he gives us the names essels their

captains he met ; but none o f the British . From one o f them he learned of a battle between the South

s a American Republicans , then trying to e t blish their

independence , and the Royalists (Spanish ) , in which

1 00 o the latter , 5 in number , were annihilated , nly

fo r e . three escaping , no quarter was giv n On the

1 t 4th he gave chase to a s range sail , but found she “ ” was the American ship Saratoga and learne d that “ ” another ship t he Comet had beaten t w o British

o ne 22 o f 1 p rivateers , of guns and another 9 , after

fighting eighteen hours . On the 24t h he boarded a schooner floating Swe dish co lors but she proved to be an American vessel which had been captured by the British frigate “ ” Cleopatra and had a prize crew aboard . He

o w n changed crews , put his prize master , Simon

o o t Pendleton , with The d re Stickney as ma e , and a crew , aboard and ordered her to the United States .

th o o - o s On April 7 he made Cape Lo k ut light h u e ,

o ff saw a light Ocracoke , fired a gun for a pilot , and , finally , after beating back and forth , came to

51 anchor o ff Shell Castle . He was lightered and then

. 1 1 . o n proceeded up Neuse River At A M . Satur

‘ da t h o f r t o o o fi y , 9 Ap il , came anch r the old county “ ”

e w be r ne . wharf, N So ends , says the j ournal , “a cruise commenced for four months ’ abridged by

n a accident to 79 days . Fired a salute at a quarter

i s n past This signed by Otway Bur s , and duly verified by him (with a full list of crew a n ne xe d o e o o f ) bef r Francis Hawks , C llector the Port .

The accident so mi ldy referred t o was his fight

22 with a gun ship .

w as o This , pr bably , the most unprofitable voyage

a ha d o he made . G me bec me scarce . The doves

had become frightened and ho stile hawks were f plentiful . The prowess o Captain Burns and other brave sailors had d r iven British merchantmen

s from the seas and , in their tead , the ocean was

-o f- swarming with British men war and privateers .

” The la st cruise o f the Snap -Dragon was made

D e C o k e l under command of Lieutenant y , Captain Burns being laid up with rheumatism contracted in the great expo sure to which he ha d been sub — - f e t e d. o j c The British prepared a special man war , “ t he fo r o ld Leopard their enemy , and concealed t he guns , so that she might seem to be a merchant

52 man . Captain Burns , as we have seen , had always t detected that rick by his close observation , but l Lieutenant De C ok e y fell into the snare . He ran “ up to o clos e t o get away when t he Leopard opened “ - her broa dside upon him . The Snap Dragon

o l fought with her d time courage , as if instinct with

c o D e C ok e l life , but when her mmander , y , and others

o f s lay dead on deck and many the re t wounded , ” the Snap -Dragon lowered her flag to t he enemy fo r r o the fi st time in her wh le career . She was

t o carried o England and the crew to Dartmo r prison .

A v o ld t ery man , Redmond Stanley , wi hin the memory of living men , resided at Kenansville , and told a stirring tale o f that last fight of the gallant f o o . ship , and his experience in Dartmoo r pris n It is much t o be regretted that no one took down

fo r his narrative succeeding generations .

1 8 1 2 00 During the war of , there were some 3 s o r oldiers , m stly militia , at Fo t Macon , j ust opposite

o . o ne Beauf rt On occasion , when Burns was in t a port , some of hem h ving gotten into a row with

o f citizens the town while drunk , were being rough l y handled . They called o ut the rest o f their com rades t o whom some of the o fficers very foolishly 1 2 issued rounds of ammunition per man r Captain B urns interposed and his exertions alone saved

53 ' f o . o bloodshed One the s ldiers , however , struck

o o him and Burns pr mptly kn cked the man down .

When thi s news reached the ears o f the c r ew o f “ — ” the Snap Drago n they came en ma s se t o avenge

’ su s the in lt . It required all Burn eloquence to

quiet his men , who very probably would have taken

the fo rt and all the militia .

s In his j ournal , Captain Burns relate the great difficulty he always had to prevent his men from

being swindled o ut o f their prize money and pay

r e n by men , whom he bitte ly denounces as b i g usually — s o f . me n w ho o Torie , the very class had pposed the war and thro wn every obstacle in the way o f its

u successf l pro secuti o n . Pro bably every age and

u s t o ffl every co ntry, has the same cla s of men a ict

o u o f it , but d btless there were very few them in

this section .

- It . i s narrated o f Captain Burns that o n one

o occasion , when his vessel was in p rt at Beaufort , a boat comi ng over from the fort with four men f and an o ficer capsized . As the boat was carried

o ut t by the tide , the four men , when opposi e the

t o a nd o f m p oint , tried swim ashore two the

ffi s drowned . The o cer , James Chadwick , doubtles o f - t on the well known Carteret coun y family , held

54

w o 1 8 1 0 His only child , O en Burns , b rn in , was

o a chip of the old bl ck . He was appointed a mid shipman by the United States government in 1 824 ; “ ” promoted to Ma ster on the John Adams in the Mediterranean Squadron in 1 83 1 commissioned

8 1 8 Lieutenant in the United States Navy April , 34 ;

s 1 0 and re igned in 84 . His last service was three

l - f- years in the Fa mo ut h man o war in the Pacific .

t o Captain Otway Burns , himsel f, was appointed the charge of the “ Brant Island Shoal Light by President Andrew Jackson in 1 835 and was thence forward in the s ervice of the United States govern

ment until his death .

1 820 In , Captain Burns built for a company at “ ” o s Wilmington the Pr metheus , the first teamer

o f that plied on the waters the Cape Fear . The

w a s a o to C vessel c rried ar und Wilmington , aptain

o ne Burns being in charge and , Snyder, being the

engineer . When it was announced that the long

w expected steamer was in the ater , and had turned

“ ’ o the Dam Tree bel w Wilmington , the bells were

o rung , cannon were fired and the entire p pulation

o r . turned out without regard to age , sex , color

t a As she neared Market Dock , Cap ain Burns p p e a r e d on deck in his brilliant uniform with cocked

. - hat and epaulets . There being no speaking tubes C A PT A IN OW EN B U RN S o r c ele tric bells in those days , he raised his speak ing trumpet t o his lips and there rang o ut in s ten to rian tones like the bellow o f some monster o f the “ $ e t o deep , the command to the engineer Giv it

’ 3 her , Snyder . This became for long years a stand ing phrase o n the Cape Fear s omething like the “

o f . Let her go , Gallagher recent days

1 82 In 3 , Captain Burns built the brig Warrior “ ”

1 8 1 r . and in 3 , the brig Hen y The timbers were

' staunch live -o a k which came from Shackleford and

s s Bogue bank . Both ves els engaged in the West India and also the coast- wise trade which was proh

s - ta ble t hen . He also built a mall two masted sail “ ” a - bo t , naming her the Snap Dragon and put a ” - — center board in her , the first ever known in this sectio n . She could beat any boat in Core Sound s ailing .

Captain Otway Burns married in 1 809 a Miss

o f o n . Grant , daughter Reuben Grant f O slow county

ne By his marriage he had o child Owen Burns , b 1 8 1 0 orn in , who , as already stated , became a lieu tenant in the United States Navy .

o f After the death his first wife , he married ,

D 1 8 1 s ecember 4, 4, Mi s Jane Hall of Beaufort ;

n a d fo r her the hands ome residence was built .

57 a o f After her death , he m rried Miss Jane Smith

z 2 ud 1 8 2 . C . Smyrna N , on February , 4 , and moved

. C . n to Portsmouth , N , where he lived u til his death ,

s u o which , according to the be t acco nts , ccurred

2 t h 1 8 0 t o August 5 , 5 , his wi fe preceding him the

s no grave . By his econd and third wife he had issue . Portsmouth , at that time , was a port of

t s e a - s o f en ry , a side resort , and a pro perous town

a more than a thousand inhabit nts . But very appro pr iately his body w a s bro ught back and buri e d in

Beaufort whence he had so often gone fo rth on hi s bold expeditio ns again st t he enemy and to which he had always returned with added ho nor .

Hi s d only Chil , Captain Owen Burns , married

1 8 o f in 49 , Miss Martha Armstrong , daughter

o a nd - Ge n S lomon Armstrong , grand daughter of

t f o t he . eral John Arms rong , an o ficer f Revolution The only li ving descendent s o f Owen Burns are his

s - seven ons , a daughter and ten grand children .

1 . . I R . Burns , who resides in New York City

r and Day tona , Florida . He has an only daughte

Bessie Burns Hulse .

2 X . . Eugene Burns , a fruit grower in Sa nta

C o . . Clara , San Francisco , Cal , who has an only daughter Eugenia Burns Hulse .

58 M ON U M E N T OF C A PTA I N B U R N S .

Like a ll men who have performed distinguished

e r s s vice in their day , myth have already gathered

around t he name of C ap t i a n Otway Burns . One of

“ ’ them , repeated without investigation in Wheeler s ” n s is hi s Remi iscence , that residence was crowned

by a n o bservato ry from when ce Ca ptain Burns scanned the horizo n for a strange sail and kept the crew of his ves sel in readines s t o rush out and

o o f seize it . Aside fr m the absurdity keeping a crew under c o nstant pay fo r such precari o us se r

s f vice , it is u ficient to say that , first , the house was

s not built until after the war , and econdly , during the war English merchantmen had no p ossible des t i na t i o n that could bring them within sight o f o ur

s o t o coa t . Captain Burns had to g seek them where

o they c uld be found , in the West India trade and

o ff the coas t o f Nova Sco tia and Newfoundland .

e s o The idl t ry , doubtless , arose from the fact that

a n obse r his handsome house , after the war , had

va t o r - o y from which , with his old time f ndness for

the se a the gallant o ld sail o r would often sweep t he horizon with his glass .

A mos t remarkable mis -statement in regard to a man whose actions had been so distinguished and

had lived so much in the public eye , being also for the la st thirty years o f hi s life in State o r Federal

60 T O M B OF SO LO M ON AR M ST RO N G

one s service , was recently made by an anonymou ” co rrespondent in the Newbern J o urnal t o the effect that Captai n Burns was the pirate who made

- u o f the ill fated Theodosia , da ghter Aaron Burr

o f o f r o and wife Governor Alston South Ca lina , “ ” walk the plank . She was lost at sea probably

1 8 1 no o in a gale , in January 3 . There is pr of that

ce rt a i nl no she was taken by pirates , and , y , vindi

cation o f s uch a charge is needed by Captain Burns

or the brave men o f this and adjoining counties w ho

i n served under him . The o utrageous and absurd sult t o o ne o f the most gallant men No rth Carolina has ever produced was promptly answered by two

f - o o . . your distinguished fell w citizens , Dr J W . San e fo r me r lv d rs , Senator from Carteret , and Maj or e . t o Graham Davis I only allude the matt r , which s is unpleasant to mention , to impre s upon North Carolinians the necessity o f greater care in pre serving our records and the mem o ry o f the great

w ho deeds performed by those , like Captain Burns ,

o r have reflected hon r upon ou state a nd her peo ple .

Captain Burns was as humane to his pri s oners

w ho - as any man ever walked a quarter deck . But “ ” fo r while he was fighting it was a fight a funeral . One o f the captured commanders asserted that

r o f o Burns having run sho t ammunition , had l aded

61 - his last gun with sail needles . That enemy proba

“ ’ bly got into po rt sewed up . The red flag spoken

S o f in hi s journal was the ignal to board the enemy . As long as Carteret and Onslow can furnish men

w h o shall guard our o cean fro nt with the courage

and the fidelity displayed by O tway Burns and the brave men und e r hi s command we need fear no

enemy . They did well to bury Otway Burns here by the

o se a t he s unding , in the hearing of waves whose

’ i s s rolling had been h lullaby in life . In the sea

o s o n i t s wildest m od he was its ma ter , and rode crest

o t o fo r to fame and f rtune . Judged wi h all wance

s s o s s a n d the mean at his di p al , Otway Burn his “ ” fam o us ves sel were full peer to the Alabama “ ” under Raphael Semme s o r t h e Shenando ah under the gallant Waddell .

There is a fascinati o n t o all w ho gaze on yon

’

s n . n n wild wave incessa t play Sta di g by its side ,

how s mall seem the actions of us petty men o n

o t he n m o f the sh re . On ocea the real dra a history

ha s always been played and the nati o n which con

e w o trols it , is mast r of the orld while that d minion

s la t s . That d o mini o n ha s pa ssed fro m nati o n t o

a un n tion as the centuries have passed away , but

62

P R E S E N T A T I O N OF A PORTRAIT OF C A P T A I N O T W A Y B U R N S TO TH E STATE OF NORT H CAROLINA

0 1 0 1 . October 3 , 9 That was a most interesting ceremony in the — hall o f the Hous e of Representatives indeed a most valuable contribution to the history o f the — stat e the present a ti o n O f a po rt rait of a patri o t so n w ho r endered his state and count ry valiant and t able service in heir early struggles , and the sketch

Of him and O f his deeds so well delivered by Dr .

on Kemp P . Battle . It was a graceful act the part

a Of Mr . W lter Francis Burns of New York, a

o f t grandson this sta e , to present to the state the

t o f d por rait his istinguished grandfather , Captain

t he Otway Burns , who commanded a privateer in

o f 1 8 1 2 war , and served his state as a legislator ’ t later , the subj ect Of Dr . Battle s most interes ing

s s addres la t night . Dr . Battle always does his work

u o f well , and this prod ction is but another his very

’ many valuable contr ibutions to o ur State s histo

r i a l c literature . The Ra le igh P os t E di t or i a l C olumn

Oct obe r 1 1 01 . 3 , 9

64 - PORTRAIT OF CAPTAIN OTWAY BURN S .

The po rtrait O f Captain Otway Burns which was

presented to the State o f North Carolina o n behalf

u o f Mr . Walter Francis B rns by Kemp Plummer

o o f o o f Battle , LL . D . , Alumni Pr fessor Hist ry the

t o f o f . Universi y North Carolina , is the work Mr

’ r F . Mahler , pupil of Mr . W . M . Chase , Ame ica s

so great portrait artist . Mr . Mahler is al a suc ce ssful exhibitor and the recipient o f honorable

mention at the Paris Salon .

“ The painting is a life-s ize head and bust with

- a sailing vessel in the back ground . It is a copy o f an authentic o il -painting on wood and represents

a t r o f o the subj ect about forty yea s age . C lonel

‘ hit fo r John D . W d who knew Captain Otway Burns

in his later years has pronounced it a faithful like ness .

s o The picture is protected by a mas ive g ld frame ,

-box glass , and shadow and bears the following i n scription

65 1 1 8 0 Captain Otway Burns , born 775 died 5 , Commander United States Privateer Snap -D ra ” o n 1 8 1 2 - 1 e 'O f g , War 5, present d to the State North

Carolina by his grandson , Walter Francis Burns . The presentation took place in the Senate Cham

‘ he r a t i n Ra le i h o n , the Capitol g , Wednesday eve

o oth 1 0 1 ning , Oct ber 3 , 9 .

PROGRAM .

R DU RY E M RK S Justi ce Wa lt e r C la r k INT O CTO R A , ,

P r e si de nt of t he N or t h C a r o li na Hi s t or i e a l

e a nd Li t e r a ry S o ci t y .

RE SE DDRE S S K e m P lumme r B a t t le P NTATION A , p ,

l i P Hi i ~ D . A umn r e ss or o s t o r u . o U LL , f f y ,

t r a li na ve rs i y of N o t h C r o .

EP E FOR T H E TE Gove r n or C ha r le s ACC TAN C STA ,

t l A c ck B ra n e y y o .

66 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY WALTER K O F CLAR , CHIEF JUSTICE NORTH

CAROLINA .

Ladies and Gentlemen North Carolina has always l o omed up grander

O f in war than in peace . In piping times peace , we a r e s prone to take our ea e and let the days drift by , but when the long roll beats , and brave men crowd t o w the perilous edge of battle , then her stal art sons gather as t o a marriage feast .

o f 1 8 1 2 a s o s o r In the war , in all ther , N th Caro lina contributed her full quota of men , but the con test did not come within our reach . The war was fought largely on the o cean . On the land it was confined largely to the Canada border and , what

o ur o s was then ther border , at New Orleans , ave the

s o o s brief da h fr m Washingt n . This State ent a

t o o brigade Norf lk , where they languished and died

n at Craney Island . She sent a o ther brigade under General Joseph Graham to the aid of General Jack

67 son in Alabama in the Indian War , but it arrived

j ust too late to take pa r t in the battle of Horse - Sho e

n o s s Be d , where he broke the Indian p wer . Thi tate

r o o o fu nished ther tr ops , which als endured hard

r e o o r ships and wasting disease , but we e d nied p p

i r t un t y fo distincti o n on the battlefield .

ur n o n On the sea was o o ly pportu ity . There

o o in our small navy , j hnston Blakely , from N rth

o a n d n n o n Car lina , achieved merit disti ctio , and , his

u premature death , the state educated his da ghter ,

o i n hi s o Edna ; and a t wn was named hon r , but it

o s has l ng ince vanished from the map .

The most conspicu o us figure that North Caro lina

o ur o n r n furnished in sec d war with Great B itai , take

r n . C on him all in all , was Captain Otway Bu s The

st i t ut i o n O f the United States pro vided for privateer

o f o ing , and , under the broad seal the federal g vern

s o o f ment , Otway Burns was commi si ned captain a

o privateer , whose career was notable . He patr lled

o ur o o ocean fr nt , and displayed the Uni n Jack from

s m Cape Farewell , the outhern ost point Of Greenland ,

o u s r n o s n O f r . to Cape San R q e , the ea te m t poi t B azil

’ He captured the enemy s vessel s u n der the guns o f

Halifax, and pounced up on them like a hawk upon

n a covey o f doves O ff the mouth o f the Ori oco .

68 For three years he was a terror t o the British

o merchant marine , and inflicted damage nly rivalled

since by the Alabama and by an o ther son o f this

a n o . state , the g llant Waddell in the Shena d ah

a w ho Capt in Burns left but one son , became a

s lieutenant in the United States navy , and who ided

with the South in the Civil War . The children of

so n o f this , the only descendants Captain Otway

Burns , are scattered from Australia to Holland ,

o o f i n n ne them residing North Carolina .

o o f But wherever they are , the hereditary ferv r devotion to the land o f their origin still flows in their veins . As a great people , now dispersed

a abroad , still turns to Jerus lem as the cradle of

o their nation and their hopes , and as the R man “ legions , who marched from east to west beneath

n o the eagles from Po tus and Gaul , ever l oked to

a s o the imperial city their h me , so these descendants o f the brave North Ca ro lina soldier and sailor still fondly recall the land of his nativity a n d the

n f r f honors he w o o the state o his birth .

o And N rth Carolina has not forgotten him . The

o highest t wn in the Union , east of the Rocky Moun

o ur -m tains , the county seat of one of fairest counties

Burnsville , bears his name . When , last summer , his

69 de scendants unveil e d a m o nument t o hi s memo ry

o O f u o o u s o f in the t wn Bea f rt , the c ntie Carteret ,

s o ur n s r Jones and On l w , which had f i hed his b ave

u t o o t o m or o f sailors , t rned out do h nor the em y the

h And t o commander w o had led them to victory .

hi s i s night , when portrait to be presented with filial

o piety to the state , a distinguished citizen , f rmerly

o ur u president of State University , and who occ pies

c i s t o the hair Of History in that historic institution ,

a nd o f t h make the p resentation , the Governor e

r e state (who is , himself, unavoidably absent ) will ce i ve f ha s s it through a high state O ficial , who erved

o i n t w o s North Car lina great war , and this brilliant and cultured audience is here t o bear testimo ny to the honor North Caro lina pays those w ho have r e

o s fle ct e d h nor upon her history a a state .

a now o u . L dies and gentlemen , I present to y Dr K f N . o emp P Battle , the University Of orth Caro lina .

m o f o the e inent William M . Chase , New Y rk , F

Mahler, who has received honorable mention in the

Paris Salon .

Francis Burns , one of that stalwart people , who have produced in pro porti o n to numbers more men

’ O fmark in all pursuits than any others in the world s

o f n history, the Lowland Scotch , whom their eigh

- ffs o o s bors , the Scotch Irish , are o h t , emigrated from

1 Glasgow in 734 . He was in company with many

o neighbors , who followed their c untryman , Gov e rno r o o ff Gabriel J hnst n , to the new lands o ered for

o sale on low terms by the Cr wn , which had recently - o f purchased seven eighths the title , and all the right

o of government . He chose Onsl w for his habitation , a choice which profoundly affected t he career O f his

o o o ut o n grandson , because the county l ks the waves

the a i s so a n of gre t Atlantic . It perme ted by sou ds ,

o inlets , and rivers that every Onslow baby is b rn a

- o . lover of the sea , as every duck is b rn web footed

’ t w o His farm was on Queen s Creek , miles from

Swansboro , and therefore very near the county of .

1 Carteret . His will dated in 792 shows that he had

. t been thrifty He bequeathed lands , ca tle , hogs , and

a d fifteen slaves , n gave back to his wi fe all the prop e rt y she had before marriage , as agreed in a pre

72 O RI GIN AL GRA N T TO F RA N C I S B U RN S

t o hi s nuptial contract . Legacies were made grand

o o f da u h s ns , Otway and Francis , and to children g

o o a nd ters , who had married into the Smith , Sp ner

D avis families . The father of Otway Burns was also named

1 Otway . The son was born in 775 . His early life was spent on the farm . He soon , however , devel

- t he oped sea faring ta stes . On sharpies and small s chooners which plied in pursuit o f fish o r fo r pleas

’ ure in the neighboring sounds and near t he o cean s

s shores , and in the larger ve sels carrying merchan

’ dise to and from the Atlantic s p o rts and the West

d t ho ro u hl ll Indies , he learne g y a the duties of sail o r s o O f o t o , fr m those the Jack Tar bef re the mast th o se of the lp r dly captain in his vigilant s o litude on the quarter deck $

He learned more than this . He became a builder

o f o o f Of ships ; not the great clippers , c urse , but such craft as could enter the Shallo w waters of North

- Carolina . His ship yard was at Beaufort .

o n The merchants of his section , ever the look o ut o for nautical experience , so n discerned in him

o f r u qualities of leadership . He had a frame he c

a nd lean strength of tireless endurance , a mind active and acute , a courage which knew not shrink

73 r r s e r ing , a nerve which g ew mo e t ady in the fie cest

s but r s n ud danger , a temper quick neve un ettli g j g m n -co nfide nce u t o e t , a serene self , which , nited fer t i li t o a nd s m n s n y of res urce kill in sea a hip , gai ed the

o f s a n d a n r com confidence other , i on will which

w a s m o o m polled o bedience . He e pl yed as a c mander of o hi s m s o n a c aster , extre e limit being Newbern

o o o n . the s uth , and P rtland , in Maine , the north

The news of the pas sage by Co ngr e ss o n the 1 8t h o f 1 8 1 2 o f a o o f June , , the declar ti n war with the

U o u nited Kingdom Of Great Britain and Ireland , f nd

s r n r him sailing t o his northernm o t ha b o r . On e te ing

s it , he was urged to convert his ve sel into a privateer

him o but t o o s o with as c mmander , deeming her l w ,

n o he declined the propositio . He f und in New Yo rk “ - s n o f a clipper built choo er , called the Levere ,

n admirable saili g qualities . By the aid of a j oint

o stock c mpany she was purchased , strengthened ,

fo r armed , and in all ways made ready her new and hazardous career .

4

Sailors are fo nd of calling vessels after animals

o f o r noted for qualities pluck , swiftness , or some

f o r dangerous trait , O fensive defensive , and the own

t o ers like please them . Thus in the regular navy Of

1 8 1 2 we find a Wasp , Hornet , a Viper , and those

74

o rights by arms , when , in imitation of the arr gance

o f o f s ships war of belligerent , their merchant ves sels o ften were guilty o f acts of i n s o lence and law

lessness ver ging on piracy , and when pirates in

s m e t o reality were sometime . the c mmanders of our

merchant marine were forced to be wise as s erpents

s s and no t harmle s as d o ve . They were quick to

o o n resist ready , i f needs be , to train their l ng guns

o r o the aggressor, drive back b arders , with cutlass ,

a s pike and ax . They went prepared to fight as well

t o trade .

As privateering seems to be not in acc o rdance with the spirit o f the age and as it is Often spoken of “ ” o t o as legalized piracy , I deem it pr per say a few words in vindication of those who in the war of 1 8 1 2

engaged in it .

It is a settled principle O f internati o nal law that

o o n fo r private pr perty land , unless needed military

o s not purp ses , mu t be considered lawful plunder , but this humane law has never been applied to

private property at sea . It is a recognized la w that

o the seizure of merchant vessels and go ds , and their

r a o r r t o i s a approp i tion dest uc i n , an appropri te means o f reaching the enemy and making him ready for

peace .

76 It is one o f the duties o f public war vessels t o m ake these captures , and nations having great navies

may be satisfied to use no other force . But when

a nati o n strong o n the sea fights a nother which is

weak in public ships , the latter may be driven in

self- defence t o hire her citizens to make captures i n her behalf . These captures are made under written

r governmental autho ity .

o f The trend civilization is , however , evidently

1 8 against privateering . Franklin in 7 5 procured a trea ty between the United States and Pru s sia by which each agreed not to employ privateers a gainst one a another ; provision , not , however, renewed in a subsequent treaty . It was not in use by either

t o ur no r par y in conflict with Mexico , by either n e ation in the Crimean War , nor by ither party in

. 1 8 the recent Spanish War In 77 , after making

a a treaty ending the Crime n War , Great Britain ,

ur France , Russia , Austria , Sardinia , Prussia , and T k e t o r y agreed abolish privateering , and invited othe nations to concur . The United States , Spain and

Mexico are the o nly powers which refused . The

United States replied that it w a s their policy t o keep

o n i n only a small navy , and in case Of war to rely

h s f t e u e O . creasing their power by privateers If ,

77 o -s o o however , an additi nal rule h uld be ad pted , plac ing private property o n the s eas on the same fo o ting

a a o . as th t on l nd , they w uld gladly accede This

n suggestion was no t adopted . When the Co federate

r co m War broke out , alarmed by the danger to thei

t t o s merce , by priva eers expected be licen ed by the

o s ff t o o C nfederacy , the United State O ered ad pt the r ff n n ule , but as the O er was evidently i te ded for

S s present use against the Confederate tate , the great

o powers , having already c nceded to the latter bellig t h ff e r e nt s no t e . o right , did accept O er The C nfed c S o f s rate tates , in view their extreme weakne s on

o ff s o f t o o r s the cean , O ered letter marque f eigner ,

o w n s o t o as well as to their citizen , but wing the

ffi o f n u s n o r a n d t o di culty bringi g capt re i to p t , the

o o f u o illegality of disp sing them in ne tral p rts , the

n proj ect failed . The go vernme t was driven t o build

o r s s ing buying their own crui er , the Alabama ,

o o a nd o s no t n Fl rida , Shenand ah , ther , which o ly

- s o n crippled , but well nigh de tr y ed the mercha tmen

of the Union .

This statemen t sh o ws clearly that alth o ugh in m o dern times privateering is les s re sor ted t o than

r n r o fo merly , yet it is e ti ely in acc rdance with inter

o n s s n o f 1 8 n nati al law . Our wi e state me 7 7 co ferred

78 a t o upon Congress , as uxiliary the war power , the

ss right to i ue letters of marque and reprisal , and

s pro hibited it to the individual state . It was not until 1 8 1 2 that this s leeping power w a s aro used into

action . It had , however, been freely used by the

Continental congress and the Co nfederati o n .

After submitting fo r years to degrading in sults

o o n and oppressi n , the part of the warring European

s - power , led by England and France , the peace lov

t a x - i n - - ing , hat g , debt abhorring , standing army

e i - s st dr ad ng , navy despi ing atesmen who held the

o f reins power , declared war gainst Great Britain , believing her mo re blamable than France . Although the war had for years seemed possible if not proba ble , neither respectable armies nor the material for making them had been provided . Our antagonist , f — o men -o f war had nominally ten hundred and sixty

oo sail , of which nearly eight hundred were in g d

o o f fighting order . We had a grand t tal twenty sail , o f which only seventeen were ready t o fight . Great

’ o f s B ritain had many great ships the line , 74 and

- even larger . Our greatest vessels were three 44 gun

o o t he frigates , the C nstituti n , President , and the

U 1 8 1 2—o nited States , while nine were from to p und ers . With this enormous disparity in naval force

79 our a s government naturally , Queen Elizabeth did

o f s against the Spanish Armada , made use the ship

s u o f her citizen . Bonds were req ired that they

would act acco rding t o the rules o f international law .

s o s s Capture and their carg e , where nece sity did not

o r o n o require burning rans mi g , were to be br ught

usu before a district court for adj udicati o n . The al

import duties were to be paid o ut o f the proceeds .

A percentage was to be reserved fo r pensi o ning the

n o f disabled in service , and the widows and childre

s o r the killed . The re idue was t be distributed acco d

o o u ing to prop rti ns prescribed by law ; namely , nless

m o - there was a special agree ent therwise , one half

m n o to the owners of the ship and ar ame t , the ther

am o ng the officers and c r ew i n like ma nn er a s in

o f s . case public armed ves els In truth , the priva

teers were as much government fo rces and do ing

n n co m government work , as were the indepe de t

o f a nd n i n mands Marion , Sumpter , Clevela d , the

o o r s o f o Rev lutionary War, tho e Ashby and F rrest ,

in the early stages o f t hat o f o ur o w n ; o r in the

- u Franc tire rs , in that between France and Germany .

The Captures by such ships were no mo r e robbery

o f than the captures by ships war . The Snap

D r agon w a s no m o re piratical than the B o n - Homme

o r t he o ns u o n o r Richard , C tit ti , the Alabama , the

80 Shenandoah ; Otway Burns no more a pirate than

o o r n o r Paul J nes , Hull , Bai bridge , Blakely ,

e o r . S mmes , Waddell

The Federalist opponents o f the War of 1 8 1 2 vented their fury in abusive epithets agai n st th o se

f y o f o th e war party . Once a compan idlers was

a t n assembled at the wharf Newbern , where the S ap

- i m~ Dragon was lying . An ardent anti war man , an

o f -io n o pulsive citizen French extract , a c mpiler Of

o ur o f s o ur laws and author a hi tory of state , after

a u o s r s w rds a Supreme Court j dge in L ui iana , F anci

X a f avier M rtin , used against her o ficers and crew “ e t e o s n the p i h t fashionable am ng Federali ts , lice sed

’ s robbers . Captain Burns heard the word , leaped

i t o nto his boat , was rowed rapidly the wharf and , ca tching the word - slinger by the seat o f his breeches

c a . and collar of the o t , flung him into the Neuse

su no t sa This cooling process per aded him , I will y

but a o f o to eat his words , , in the refr in an Old r llick “ ” o t o ing s ng , drink them down .

The doughty Captain was al s o prompt to resent

hi s what he considered an infringement Of rights ,

and his methods were no t always such a s a r e laid

o f r down in books legal p ocedure . While enlisting recruits at Newbern , he became satisfied that a sys

8 1 t e ma t i c effo rt was bei ng made t o thwart him by

f r arresting his recruits o petty debts . He gave

orders that no pro ce ss should be s erved o n his men

a o - o o f o n s s r o and , when b at l ad c table wed along

r o o t o s side his ship , he p mptly rdered it be up et , and

the Office r s o f the law made their way t o land like

- half drowned rats .

fo r When the government called privateers , our

e r s o a nd sailors , b ing prevented by B iti h bl ckaders

cruisers fro m plying their regular calling o n the m s e o w . sea , r sp nded ith true A erican alacrity Balti

o r s n 8 s o r o s o 2 m e e t 5 ve sels ; New Y k 55 ; B t n , 3 ;

H 1 1 1 o s o . s Philadelphia , 4 ; P rt m uth , N . , ; Charle

r m o n C . I O . r s s s e r s t S . , , Othe ent malle nu b ,

n 2 o r o u s o ur the total bei g 53 . N th Car lina f rni hed f ,

o n o f the Lovely Lass , of Wilmingt , the Hawk ,

a o f n n W shington ; the Hero , Newber , and the S ap

Dragon .

S o me of t he privateers we r e o f cons iderable

s r t o r un r o size and trength , and efused away f m a

s s ss r o f war ves el near their ize . The Cha eu , Balti

1 6 a nd su i n ca n more , with guns , attacked cceeded

n f . u o o o turi g the St Lawrence , a p blic war sch ner

s m n f n o w n . n o her cla s Captai Cha pli , the Ge eral

r o n n r s r o f 2 A mstr g , gallantly e gaged a B iti h f igate 4

82

- n wea ther victory w a s well nigh sure . Mercha tmen

s 1 o 2 carrying a many as 4 guns had nly 5 sailors ,

0 r o u o o n others 3 , while the p ivateers c ld thr w them 80 to 1 00 men who had n o duties in navigating the

s o ship , but were trained to fight . Thi acc unts for

t n remarkable captures , for example the aki g of a

mer chantman so large that the victori o us captain hauled his craft on the deck of his prize and thus

n r l sailed i to Po t and . As a rule the British merchant vessel sailing alone

m r o f n r u s was al ost su e bei g captu ed , and it was ual

t o n o o o f therefore make up fleets , u der the pr tecti n

- — n one line o f battle ship a d t w o o r three frigates .

The privateers met t his by hovering nea r a n d attack

i n s t o r t o g stragglers , tru ting thei speed escape the

armed escort . They were like w o lves prowling

o r n t o ar und a flock of sheep , endeavo i g evade the

f o vigilance o the shepherd dog . If perchance a st rm

o w a s . scattered the fleet , a g lden harvest reaped

- r o The Snap Dragon , being fast and st ng , quickly

o t o o bedient her helm , and c mmanded by an ex t r e me l ca t a i n w a s succe ss ful i n w e a t h y skillful p , very

r s ering sto m and picking up stray ves els .

The law required that a description o f privateer vessels and lists o f crews should be filed before

84 a o o ne f each voyage . We h ve nly o these in rela

- 1 8 1 . tion to the Snap Dragon , that of July , 3 In

o f 1 that she is said to be 47 tons burthen , her crew

8 he r a 0 7 , arm ment 5 carriage guns , 5 muskets

n s a d 4 blunderbusses . The Fir t Lieutenant was

s o Jame Brown . On subsequent v yages her force

was strengthened ; when o ff the coast o f Nova

one r Scotia she had long gun on a pivot , p obably

- I 8 . an pounder , and six others

o ne s he 1 8 On voyage had 7 men , and her last

1 8 1 . 1 t on under Burns , in 4 , 99 A 47 merchant

man would not require more than . 6 men t o handle

t he o f her , which shows clearly excess numbers on a p rivateer neede d to board the enemy and furnish

re w s fo r f o prizes taken . The o ficers in the lists pre

fo r 20 1 8 1 served the cruise beginning January , 4 ,

s D e C ok e l were besides Burn , Captain ; Benj amin y ,

Fi nst i e ut e n Lieutenant ; James Guthrie , Second L

ant ; Thomas Barker , Captain of Marines and Joseph

‘ o o Meires (pr bably Myers ) , Surgeon . F urteen of

r the whole numbe were classed as marines .

Some o f the papers connected with t he cruises of

- o o w e the Snap Drag n , have been l st , but have

o f authentic copies the logs or journals , kept by

1 1 - 1 Burns in 8 3 4 . The substance of o ne is pre

85 s served in the North Carolina Univer ity Magazine ,

o f o o 1 8 i n Oct ber and N vember , 55, a sketch pre

n h s o n he o r . t e t . pared by late J hn H B ya , Jr ec d was o u s s f nd by my elf printed in the Raleigh Regi ter ,

2 1 8 1 . u September 4 , 4 The third was proc red from the collector o f the port of Newbern by C o l o nel

h o o u John D . W itf rd and printed in the Newbern J r

l r —1 2 1 s s na 8 6 . Janua y 5 February 3 , 9 Thi la t cruise

r u 20 t o 1 1 8 1 . was f om Jan ary , April 9 , 4

t These j ournals p or ray in the terse , direct style u sual in such d o cuments the imp o rtant i n cidents of f o . the voyages . I will abbreviate some them trans

n u a s lating the nautical la guage into the vernac lar , “ r o t o f o u s I p esume m s y are , like my elf , land ”

o . lubbers . Some I will give without alterati n It i s unfortunate that the publication in the University Maga zine does no t give the dates o f the cruise

o therein commemorated . Fr m internal evidence it

r appears to be the fi st . It was among the West

Indies .

T o show t he method o f Captain Burns in manag

i n $ g his crew , I give the following While on his

first cruise he called at Providence , a beautiful

o u o f island f the West Indies . Mindf l the health

o f ’ t o ne - his men , he allowed hem , third at a time ,

86

named Thompson , with a tongue as tireless as the

o f restless waves the sea , had been from the be

o o ginning of the v yage , gasconading ab ut his prow

l o o n hi s o s e ess and exp oits . On this ccasi w rd wer

‘ o ff s s ff o really en ive , tending to create di a ecti n among

o fli c r s o the crew to wards the e . The captain r undly

s chided him , Observing that he was always loude t in

i s o p e ace and st lle t in danger . Thomps n replied that

o o s the captain , being the c mmander , c uld afely use

n n a s such abusive la guage . Bur s said he w willing

o to waive his rank , but th ught it essential to disci

o o pline to administer a fl gging , which he pr ceeded

d o n t o o with his w hand . It subsequently became

fl o s necessary to put the ge e a hore . He left with

o n r s threats f vengeance upo the fl ogge . It is trange that the first person he met after landing in the

o ld o f United States was his enemy , but instead ca ry i ng o ut his threat he begged that the past be fo r gotten . This incident illustrates the strong difference between the discipline of a man -o f-war and that of

a privateer . Such a scene could not have occurred

in the regular service , where by custom and rule the commander has but little personal communi i cat on with the crew . The captain of a privateer ,

o with recruits recently enlisted , with the terr r of

88 o g vernment authority much more remote , his men

n fo r fo r servi g primarily gain and little patriotism , must exact obedience by strength of character , tact , utter fearlessness and indisputable superi o rity a n d seamanship .

In order that y o u may form some idea of the

’ lo graphic and vigorous style of Captain Burns g , I give in its words an encounter with a large and

1 8 1 . powerful merchantman . The date is March , 4

a t It shows the daring nature of the man , that he tacked a vessel with three t imes a s many gu ns as he had . Victory was prevented only by an

‘ accident as will be seen .

“ r d s Thursday , 3 , commenced a plea ant light rain

$ about ten P . M . At five A . M . made a strange sail to leeward ; at six gave chase ; about seven gave her a gun and hoisted American colors ; she answered us with another and hoisted English col o r s - . At half past seven we engaged her and a regular and constant fire was kept up by both par ties ; the enemy perceiving that we designed board i n o l g , man euvred his ship with great skil for

o - f c nsiderable time . At half past eleven go t our mus — que t r y to bear up on him o rders were given to hoist the red flag ; (the red fl a g was the signal fo r

89 r s n o boa ding . ) At twenty minut es pa t on we got

’ o n s r the enemy qua ter . They perceiving that we

n o s mea t b arding gave us everal stern guns , which

u ur s n W inj red o ails and riggi g very much . e kept up co n stant fire o f great a nd small arms ; at half

n t h i s past o e we received orders o board . He put helm hard up to r un us d o wn ; his fo r e chains too k o ur j ib -bo om and bow - sprit ; he endeavored to haul

o t f down his colo rs and g them as low as the ga f . At that instant our bow - sprit gave way and fore

s o o ff mast went by the board . The ch ner then fell o

s as quick as t w o ve sels could fall . The enemy then rallied his men and let o ff the men that had

boarded him , hoisted his colors and made the most

o n o o f us e Of a good wind . All hands b ard wer

o u r o s called to clear the wreck , shr ud , sails and

- top mast being shot away . Our colors were shot

a nd . away , immediately tied in the main rigging The pumps were sounded and we fo und she made no water ; we then engaged by a jury - mast and at

n our o n le gth set j ib , and at four made sail the

s ves el . Our sails , rigging and hull is much dam

’

o ur . s aged , and boat completely ruined The enemy

no t . fo rce is known She is a large ship , coppered

22 s to her bends , mounts guns , and fought de per

ately , using round , grape , canister and cold shot .

90

vented entire success , he carried away the support

’ - - i o f the Snap Drago n s fo re ma st a n d cau sed t s fall .

a s He then s ailed away and esca ped . It w a beautiful

u o contest between two nc mmonly skillful seamen ,

the Engli shmen evidently having a larger crew

n ne tha was usual with merchantmen . O of the

’ - o n Snap Drag n s crew , Nat Owe s , stated that in one

o c of his fights at cl se quarters , Burns harged his

- gun with sail needles when grape ran low , and

this was probably the occasion .

u B rns was a capital sailor . In a tropical gale

r o - of t emendous f rce, the Snap Dragon was saved

o f entirely by his resourcefulness . The first blow the wind l o st her j ib -boom and started her cut

n water . After being o deck all night he took a

i n s n h s . re t , leavi g lieutenant in charge The wi d

shifted and a huge wave knocked the s hip o n her

- u beam ends , breaking the g ns from their fasten ings and opening a seam in her side thirty feet

o n o n l g . Burns rushed deck, secured the guns ,

promptly turned her head and held it on the tack . Thi s raised the leak above the water and by vig

o r ous m pu ping the danger was passed .

The log tells o f a narrow escape fro m capture

ff be ni u s o u s s e ected by the s of Burn . F r large hip

s t s were de cried. His keen eye sa i fied him that

92 o ne was a war vessel disguised by taking down her

fo re and mizzen top - gallant masts and pinni ng o ld

n s black patches o the sails . There was uch mur muring at his caution that Burns concluded that it was best to r un some risk in o rder t o satisfy his

r o n s crew . Bea ing d wn o the stranger he ent sev eral shots into her but no answer was made until

h - n t e Snap Drago n began t o retreat . Sudde ly the

batteries were u nma sked a n d grape a n d cann i ster

s o s s u - o o n whi tled thr ugh her ail . The peacef l l ki g

merchantman was t ransfo r med i nto a po werful a nd

- o f— s o f s be swi ft man war . Then en ued a trial kill

n t w o no twee the , both ma euvering with ability , while

t o o o n the breeze increased almost a storm . S me the

’ - o n n li shme n s Snap Drag n , seei g the E g size and

to speed , began to pack up their clothing , so as

fo r to be ready a voyage England . But the pluck

o f Burns and the faith in his craft never faltered .

He seized the helm and suddenly tacking , sailed ff by his adversary only three hundred yards o . Of

c - ourse he received a broad side , but j ust as the shot

left the guns a great wave hid the privateer, so

that she really seemed to dive like a duck o ut o f

d . anger Her sails were only slightly cut up . The Englishman attempted t o tack in pursuit but his

t o o o f ship failed turn pr mptly and , by a series

93 s o hi s n m u no t h rt tacks , which larger e e y co ld imi

- a o r he r t n . tate , the Sn p Drag n rapidly inc eased dis a ce

Such was the fo rce of the wind and she w a s so

m u w s hidden by the ountaino s ave , that the captain

n - f- o she o f the ma o war rep rted that had sunk .

’ Captain Burns pluck and seamanship w as di s

played t o great advantage in rescui ng his ve ssel

o m fr five British vessels of war at the port of St .

o n o f Thomas the island the same name , then in

s p osse sion of Great Britain . Stationing himself a t night near the harbor in o rder to cut out s ome

s s ves el at anchor therein , he was surprised when the darkn es s li fted at fin ding him self lyi ng b e tween

s -o f- w a r t o t w o five Engli h men , three windward and

r to leewa d . One of them , the Garland frigate , was i n - s o s 2 - o u sh gun h t di tance , and fired a 3 p nd ot ,

o un s r s which , f rt ately , mis ed . Fo ty miles di tant

r o the e was a huge r ck , called the Sail Rock , it

n s s s n s u s . bei g fea ible t o pa o either ide . B rn headed his s wift cruiser directly for the rock so that the

enemy co uld not divine on which s ide he would

s . hi s n o o pas Making men lie dow , he t k the helm

a d o s himself , n at the critical m ment cho e the safer

s . s ide The neare t brig , the Sophia , gave him a

r o - o f o s b ad side grape and r und hot , and then

o r o f - r o s an the , with ut ef ect , and the Snap D ag n ailed

94

n o n mi ed the strong hand . He weighed anchor a nd

o sailed Off . S on a small war boat , called a felucca ,

1 00 o n o with about a men b ard , came out o f the

- r n su n harbor . The Snap D ago ddenly ret ur ed and

T o s n captured her . w gibbet were rigged a d the

m r n s com ander was notified that , i f the Ame ica were no t t w o o o n d released in h urs , all w uld be ha ge ,

In o ne beginning with the captain . hour the Snap

’ w o n w a s Dragon s men ere board , and the voyage

continued .

Another incident well illustrates the little weight

the United Stat es then had among nations . While

s di st i n ailing to Cartagena for supplies , Burns g ui she d an Engli sh vessel o n the high seas convoyed

o ne o f 1 2 by two Spanish , a brig , the other a

o 8 o f sch oner of guns . Without any warrant inter d national law , they claime in a blustering manner that the Englishman was exempt from capture . He

r dis egarded their threats , seized her , put on her a

20 prize crew of men , and , ordering them to await

i s h . return , proceeded to Cartagena While absent,

a number o f Spanish gunboats attacked and cap

t ur e d th e prize after a short resistance and carried

her into harbor . The crew were thrown into prison

r n in irons fo firing o the Spaniards . After three

96 ’ n o us e o f r r week s dete ti n , by free b ibes , thei release

to o o f was secured . The loss the stockh lders the

Snap - Dra gon was est imated at It i s n ot conceivable that a United States privateer would be treated in this arbitrary manner in these days

o o f fleet smashi ng o ff Man ila a n d Santi a g .

o ne o While at Cartagena , f the crew attempted

t o to desert , and , being caught , claimed be a Span i r - o f- o n a d. A brig war anch red ear her, and her captain came on board the Drago n and claim e d the

o o sail r . High words foll wed between him and

o f Burns , when in a spirit gasconade , he drew his

- sword . Burns seized a boarding pike and was with difficulty prevented from staving it thro ugh his

w ho o . adversary , promptly aband ned his claim

o f Shortly afterward , in exercising the right search f f o a Spanish brig , and while the boarding o ficer

n n o was in the cabin exami i g papers , s me of the sailors who had been imprisoned at Cartagena , pro ce e de d t o hang a Spaniard o r t w o by way o f

o retaliation . The r pe was around the neck of one o f o the d ns , and the body was about to swing , when the officer came up from below and stopped

u n the exec tio . Truly , Jack Tar is a reckless fellow i n f times o war .

97 The next incident is supplied by Mr . Thomas

o t o o C . Davis , of M rehead City , wh m I am indebted

n n ns for mu ch valuable i fo rmati o . Captain Bur and ff Captain Almida , of the privateer Kemp , di ered

s about the divisio n of a valuable prize . The di pute waxed so hot that Burns challenged Almida to a “ r - r m - a e . o ya d du l In this mode f satisfying honor, the an tagoni sts station themselves on a yard -arm

of their respective vessels , Then the vessels are

ou o ne o sailed near and ar nd an ther , while the duel i st s fro m their airy s eats fire aw ay each at t he other

us o r s s with m ket , rifle , pi tol , while the ailors below

o eagerly watch the sp rt . He , who is hit , may drop at o nce on deck or into the ocean . While they

o n r o were thei way to the place agreed up n , they

n t i n s s cha ced o see the di tance everal sails . The ho stile en co unter w a s changed into a chase of the

a nd o ne so mo llifie d enemy , the capture of apiece their anger that the duel was adj o urned S i n e die by

n m u ani ous consent .

F r om the j ournal of the cruise from June 3 rd

t o u us 1 6 1 8 1 o f A g t th , 3 , over the Banks New

fo undla n d s t o o , we find a sarcastic allu ion an pinion o f u s the Chief J stice of the United State . June

8 S o n s r o ‘rV i l mi n t o n , p ke America hip Active , f m g

t o o fl o ur— S w Cadiz , carg , had the impudence to ho

98

o o f light , cleared away and discovered a c nvoy

2 o r 0 s 5 3 ail to windward , protected by several

’ s t w o o f fo r frigates and 74 , which stood the chase,

s ns AS so o a s as so o n a s they heard her ignal gu . n

s s r n t o r s o the cha e , which we a ce tai ed be a b ig , h w

1 s m u o ne she ing 4 gun , ca e p with of them , was fired

o n upon , and immediately ran t ward us , and the firi g

We o at . . continued intervals until 4 P M , h wever , ” s t u s o . suspected a dec y , and kept at a re pec f l di tance

After some days O f anxious sailing in a n d o ut o f “ s o f o the darkne s visible the f gs , was made the

o mo st valuable captu re o f the v o yage . I qu te from “ M fo a the log ; At 4 P . . , a thick g prevailing,

r o i n - mu s ue t s o s b ig h ve in sight half q h t , tanding

ur m h e across o quarter . We hailed i mediately . S

r t answe ed she was the brig Ann , Captain Mar in , f o r . u from Liverpool St John , New Br nswick, car

o go , bale g ods , steel , card wire , and crockery ; put a p r ize mas ter and crew on bo ard and took her in ” t o w . fo r Thick fog prevailing several days .

July 1 5th and 1 6th employed in taking goods out o f the prize and putting them aboard the Snap ” a o Dr g n .

s 1 6t h r On Augu t , Beaufo t was reached after a

o f u r s r o f i nco n si d cruise 76 days . The capt e we e

I OO e r able value , except that of the last mentioned brig,

w a s the Ann , which , with her cargo , estimated at

nearly half a millio n dollars . After being duly

e libelled in the District Court of the United Stat s ,

e Judge Henry Potter presiding , they w re sold for cash at auction by Edward Pasteur and William

Shepard , agents , at Newbern , beginning October

h 1 l 1 t 1 8 . , 3 The hearts of the belles and beaux of North Carolina must have leaped fo r j oy a t reading

o f the advertisement . I copy the list articles speci

fie d i n order that y o u may se e what kind of goo ds

o ur grandfathers and o ur great- grandfathers and “ their wives and daughters wore and used . Super fine and c o arse cloth o f all co lors a n d sizes ; Ca s si

s o o Re d mere , ditto ; Grey, Br wn and Olive c atings ;

o s s and White Flannels ; R e and Striped Blanket ,

ff B omba ze e ns Bomba ze t s Plams , Du els , Kerseys , ,

o f all co lo r-s Sa t i ne t t s and Ra t t i ne t s o f all colo r s ;

’ Swansdown , Striped and Figured ; Prince s , Bruns

’ o f o wick , and Benner s Cord ; Flushings all c lors ;

t n Carpeting , Cambric , and Cambric Muslin , Cot o

Shirting , Prints , Calicoes , Shawls , Checked and

Mole sdo w n a Fancy , Pl in and Silk Striped Toil

V e l enets , Bedford , Patent and Windsor Cords ; ve t e e ns ; Ela stic St o cki ne t t ; Webb Brace s ; Cotton

’ ’ and Silk Laces ; Men s and Women s Cotto n and

I O I s o s D m t n s B e a Wor ted H e ; i i ies , Love Ha dkerchief , ve r o s V -e st ule t s n o Gl ve , Fancy , Sewi g Silks , Bo t

r o o n a n d VV hi t e cha e l Co d , Thread , L nd p Needles ,

60 ca sks Card Wire i nvo iced at 2 200 p o u n d s ster

2 o n s o f a nd e o n a n d n ling , 5 t Steel She t Ir , fi ally , the ” n n f s s u n n n c o te t s o 58 package a yet k o w . The

Ann an d u r so s m m her f rniture we e ld at the a e ti e .

Articles o f the same name as most of these a re o u o with us yet ab t our persons and h mes . i to . a t ne tt s Some are new me I have heard of S , but what are Ra t i ne t t s ? I am not acquainted with

le s ns Mo do w . Perhaps they all go t lo st o n the “ ” u Undergro nd Railway . Love Handkerchiefs

o f became Obsolete before I had need them , away

t o ile ne t back in the fifties . If a ever crossed my

no t r path , I did recognize whether it was male o “ ” o n s l female . I can ly gue s that a V e st u e t is a mor e becoming appellati o n for a m o dern raiment

- with a name , which to an Old fashioned ear has a “ ” o f - flavor immodesty , Shirt Waist . The list is comfo rti ng a s sh o wi ng that the fabrics which ado rn t he perso ns o f the ladies o f 1 90 1 are not much more numero us and perhaps not more costly than the fabrics which aided o ur grandmo thers in causing t he hearts o f our grandfathers to thump under their capacious waistcoats .

1 02 s eventy -five days before the war began and that a large portion o f our merchantmen returned to their ports within four months afterwards and were laid t f up o u Of reach o the enemy . After six months the blockading ves sels rendered regular commerce imp ossible .

The privateers penetrated every part o f the several oceans , where it was likely that a British merchantman could be found . They cruised and

made prizes in the English Channel , in the Irish

o f Channel , in the Bay Biscay , and along the

u Spanish coast , in the waters aro nd Hindostan and

s o o o s Au tralia , am ng the West Indies , al ng the c a t o f South America and Africa and beyo nd the Arctic

s o s Circle . They not only inflicted immen e l s es on the

t o enemy, but them , as well as to the commanders Of our war frigates , is due the increased respect felt by all the nations of the world fo r the i nt e lli Am gence and skill , the daring and energy of erican s n h i n s u n s eame . T ey aided ec ri g the grand re ult that the United States was thenceforth to be reco g ni ze d and treated as equal to any of her Older f brothers in the family o nations .

Wheeler is wrong in stating in his Re mi ni ” sce nce s that Captain Burns was captured with the

1 04 - o t Snap Dragon . His c ns ant exposure to drenching

o r d st ms and icy blasts tol even on his iron frame , and during her last cruise , excruciating rheumatism kept him ancho red at port . In this last cruise the

D k l 2 t h commander was Lieutenant e C o e y . On the 9 o f 1 8 1 w a s a s t he June , 4 , she carried into Halifax

- - o f o f . prize the British man war , the Leopard She had sailed from Ocraco ke o n the 28t h o f the pre ceding month . The lieutenant was experienced and capable but h e doubtless lacked the nautical genius

- o f Burns . Perhaps the Snap Dragon resembled the w o e - - o f begone Lady Orange , who married a bad

s fo r hu band . She accounted her bad fate by saying that she was snared into it .

We will now briefly trace the career of Captain

o f Burns in times peace .

b o n A out the cl se of the war , Captain Bur s mar ried Miss Jane Hall , of Beaufort , and lived there

s - t in a hand ome residence for twenty w o years .

Old o f - He renewed his calling ship building , using the stau n ch o ld live o a k timbers from Sha ck e l

’ ’ o s 1 820 f rd and Bogue s banks . About , be built for a Wilmington company the first steamer which

e e o a nd e ev r plied b tween Wilmingt n Smithvill $, n o w Smithport . The captain was Thomas N .

t o ;S n Gautier and the engi eer John Snyder . The sig na ls um were given by a tr pet , and it is handed

o o w a s d wn that when m re speed desired , the cap “

n s o u o $ t o . s tai h ted d wn Give it her , Snyder Thi expres sio n w a s admitted into the language o f cant

r t da and has ha dly died o u at this y .

o u Sh rtly afterwards , B rns built the brig War b rior and afterwards the brig Henry , oth being in

o - o the c ast wise and the West India trade . He als

o t w o - - s w i f c nstructed a small masted sail boat , the

o f o o f hi s test the S unds , and named her in honor

fi h i n - - o H t . e beloved Old g g vessel , the Snap Drag n

ut -bo o f p in her a center ard , the first ever heard in that section . He , however , did not confine him

t o t self to private business , but found time represen

s his county in the General As embly, which then f held annual sessions . He was a member o the

o 1 82 1 1 822 1 82 1 82 House Of Comm ns , in , , 4, 5,

1 826 1 82 o f 1 828 1 82 1 8 0 , 7 , and the Senate in , 9 , 3 ; o f the House o f Commo ns again in 1 832 ; and o f

1 8 1 8 the Senate again in 33 and 34, in all twelve t e mi s o s after twelve electi ns . Thi statement shows that he had in a marked degree the esteem o f t he

o pe ple . When the Republican party divided into

s o l Jacksonite , afterwards Democrats , and Nati na

1 06

u n h ndred years , and co sented to equality with the

t w o others , that is , one senator and Commoners from each co unty and a commoner each from s i x

o b roughs . Of cou r se this arrangement w a s to the a dva n

o f o o f fo r tage the small c unties the east , but some time the only serious effect o n legis lation was the

at o 20 s r tax i n of land by the acre , a $ ea tern ac e , rich

o in c rn , paying the same as a ten cents middle or

s we tern acre , rich in j agged stones . This inequal

ity pro duced little di s content because the rate was

i x n 1 only s cents o $ 00 worth . The Gen eral Assembly thu s co nstituted had a l

s I mo t unlimited power . t could tax some articles

n r and o t othe s and that without limit . There was no restraint whatever o n its pledging the credit o f

a nd e x e cu the state . It elected the governor other tive o fficers for o ne year only and controlled their

salaries . While the j udges were chosen during

o o s t o g d behavior , their alaries were subj ect the will o f i s to the legislature . It much the credit of our people that there was no wild action by this power

o ful b dy , that the only complaint was as to their s trict economy . AS all the smaller counties were in the eastern

a o f - ed h lf the state , eastern land holders controll the

1 08 ’ l t w o - s General Ase mb y by a third vote . This con

‘ he ne ve r trol t hey deter mined to retain . N the

‘ s s o f neces itie the west required a new county , its

e a o r o r o cr tion was either refused , delayed aec m p a ni e d by the creatio n o f a new w estern county

1 6 2 to 8 In 77 , the Senate stood 7 eastern western

o members counting the bor ugh members , the House

8 20 . 1 stood 5 to In 777, were created three east

t w o s e 1 ern and we tern counti s ; in 779 , five eastern and five western counties ; and so on . Between 1 776 and 1 835 there were 1 7 new western and 1 6

o ne new eastern counties . The west had advantage and that was o btained la rgely by the independence and love of fair play o f the sturdy Old privateer ,

fo r o n . 1 82 o Otway Burns In 7, the v te Macon C u ty

6 6 1 one o f 6 . 1 822 stood 3 to , and he was the 3 In ,

o - f his v te was cast for the county o Davidson . In

1 82 o f 7 , he favored the establishment Yancey Coun t 62 t 2 o 6 . y , the vote being tied , The speaker voted

but . Aye , the measure was lost in the Senate In

1 8 33 , in the Senate , Yancey was created by 33 to

28 a n d , so grateful were the people of the new

n t o u s n o u — cou ty B rn , that they amed their c nty seat

s hi s t he Burn ville in honor . He likewise favored

o 1 828 6 t o 6 1 erection Of Cher kee , in , ( 3 ) eleven

1 09 year s before it was admitted i nto the family of

counties .

Matters in the General A ss embly went on for

o m som s e years after the Revolution in an easy ,

o 1 8 1 2 n lent , way . The war of aroused the mem

be r s t o the extent of taking land according to the f o . value , instead by the acre But the time was

o o o D e W i t t n o appr aching when G vern r Cli t n , with

o f o f many great men the state New York , tra

ve lle d - o ff in a canal b at eastward from Bu alo , and ,

o o being towed through New Y rk harb r , amid deaf e ni ng sh o ut s fro m t he th r o at s O f men a n d s creams from the whi stles o f engines and be llow i ngs from

o f n o o the mouths ca n n , p ured water from Lake

n n us r Erie i to the Atla tic . Th was the mar iage of

s s m the lake and the o cean o le ni zed .

The spirit o f canal building spread with the

n n fi r i te sity and rapidity o f a prairie e . In North Ca r o li n a there were wild d r eam s of navigati ng o ur

m n strea s early t o their sources . Raleigh was to

receive the ves sel s o f Pamlico So und up Neuse

r o Rive , up Walnut Creek , up R cky Branch to the

o ss o f cr ing the Fayetteville Road . Boats were to a scend Cape Fear and Deep Rivers t o the Randolph

s r Hill . The pro d uce o f the Yadkin valley f om the

1 1 0 ne neighb o rs ; The western counties became clam o rou s fo r the state to Open her treasury a n d t o e provide th se swift and easy highways . The eastern co unties having navigable rivers through

o s o r o f n sat their b rder , conve ient access , heavily o n the treasury bo x and answered every appeal with

o emphatic N es .

This difference o f interests fired the minds of the western peo ple with indignation against the inequality o f representation in the General As sem bly . They began to assert with wrathful intensity that the state government was under the control

i l r o o f an o l ga r chv o f an ded wealth . They p claimed with elo qu ence the i n j u stice o f Green

2 C 6 with 43 , amden with 394 , Carteret with 3 4 ,

2 26 1 Chowan with 3 9 , Jones with , Currituck with

1 8 o 3 v tes , having the same weight in the Senate

u s a s u om 1 and in the Ho e B nc be with 344 , Burke

1 60 o 1 u 1 with 3 , R wan with 594 , S rrey with 755,

s 1 6 1 2 Wilke with 7 5, and Lincoln with 9 9 votes ; fo ur f r eemen fro m o ne l o cality n o t having as much

ne o weight in the government as o in an ther .

An active agitation ensued fo r calling a Con ve nt i on r e ss to edr the evil . It goes in history under

f s the name o the ea tern and western controversy .

I I Z It was o f such bitterness that even so prudent a

o f man as Governor Swayne , a citizen Buncombe , warned the east that there was danger of the west rising in its might and pulling the pillars of state

o ss o down with a ruinous crash . After l ng discu i n the Convention of 1 833 was called and the evil l partial y remedied . The measure was passed by

o w ho a few b ld and independent eastern members ,

o f were convinced its justice , and were willing t o sacrifice their local popularity fo r what they con side r e d to be right in itself and fo r the best inter

o ests of the wh le state . Prominent among these ,

o o am ng whom was the great Judge William Gast n ,

- was the fearless and independent sea captain , Otway

Burns . Their action led directly t o the restoration o f ha r mony and eventually t o th e development o f o ur state by building the iron highways from north

o o . to south , from east to west , thr ugh ut the borders

o c c By this patriotic c urse , Burns sa rifi ed his popularity . His legislative career ended with f the senate o 1 834. And when the amended con sti t ut i o n was pas s ed on by the peo ple the co unty o f 22 t o 2 o Carteret repudiated his action by 3 3 , ver

t o one o o ten . Other eastern c unties were even m re

n rabid . The constitutio n i n Hyde obtai n ed o ly

o ne two votes , in Tyrrell only , in Bladen six , and

1 1 3 n in Brunswick the negative was una imo us . But in the west the a pproval was shown by such major

c 1 88 t o 2 o 1 0 t o 2 ities as in Lin oln 7 4 , R wan 57 4,

u 1 22 t o 22 1 8 B ncombe 3 , Wilkes 757 to , Surrey

1 1 t o 1 a nd n 754 to 4 , Burke 359 , Ya cey with its

- o f o f 6 county seat Burnsville , rolled up a vote 5 4

o to n thing .

Captain Burns showed that he was superior to

s o f o the prej udice his secti n in other ways . He favo red all measures looking to i nternal improve

n uc o ut a w me ts , s h as clearing of C pe Fear belo Wilmi ngto n and making navigable the Cape Fear

a Ma t t a nusk e e t and Deep Rivers , dr ining Lake , aid i ng the const r uctio no f a tu rn - pike ro ad from Fay e t t e svi l l e t o o r fo r Wilkesbor , g anting charters rail

o a n d n h m s s t e . o o r ads , drai ing swa p land He pp ed all pro po sit i o ns to cripple the work pro j ected fo r

o n o impr vi g our rivers . He fav red measures de s n igned t o favo r our agriculture a n d ma ufacture s .

He aided in carrying against stro ng oppo sition the bill making appropriations for rebuilding the

i 1 1 Cap tol in place o f that destro yed by fire in 83 .

o ff s u He pposed e ort to cripple the S preme Court ,

n n s no t which , havi g been rece tly establi hed , had then the strength i n po pular e stimati o n w hich i t

1 1 4

United States a n d to No rth Carolina he has earne d a right t o a place in the Portrait Gallery o f the

s tate .

In the co urse o f my investigations into the career

o f n a m Otway Bur s , I must d it that harsh words

o f s c o have been said him , u ually in onnecti n with

on his privateering ventures . I have come to the c e lusio n that this traditional Opinion is unjust ; that

o o n t w o n o s e n e nd it is f unded misco cepti n , both g ered and pro pagated by ho t party spirit . The Fed e ra li st s w hO s ro di app ved the war , visited all acts of

' t he a dmi n i st r a t i o n n s , includi g the ending forth pri va t e e r s h ot s su r a nd m n o u s , with di plea e calu i epi t h e t s n i n o o s t o t o n - n s . The again , when pp i i n ni e te th o f ns his co tituents , he sided with the west , and gave votes which they deemed fa tally i n j u r i o u s t o their interes ts they poured fo rth the vials of their wrath

o S up n him . Time has hown that he was right , and

I believe that in his political cours e he w a s actuated

s s t by hone t mo tives . I remember di tinctly hat my

father , the late Judge William H . Battle , who was

o o 1 8 1 8 a comm ner fr m Franklin in 33 and 34, when

u n o f B rns was Se ator , spoke him in high terms , especially praising his independence and freedom

o u o from demag guery , co pled , candor c mpels me

1 1 6 t t he s o t o o o say , with di p sition answer supp sed insults with t he st rong argument of p onderous

fists .

After his legislative career was over, Captain d Burns , his fortune having been impaire by the

fi o f o nancial crisis th se days , received from Presi dent Jackso n the appointment o f Keeper o f the

s s Brant I land Shoal Light Boat . This was not

o t r far from the village of Portsm uth , hen a po t

f 1 r e o b 000 . entry , with a population of a out He moved his r esidence to that place and there the o ld seaman lived a tranquil life until his death o n

2 h 1 0 t 8 . October 5 , 5 He was buried in the beauti ful cem e tery o f Beau fo rt under his favorite live

o s . t ak Recen ly a cannon , said to have been on the

- o a Snap Dragon , was placed ver his grave , with p

ro r i a t e c de li v p p eremonies , Judge Walter Clark ering an a ble and scho larly a ddress .

Capta in Otway Burns was thrice married ; first

s t G o f O n to Mis Gran daughter of Reuben rant ,

’ s o f low , executor his grandfather s will ; second to

s 1 8 1 Mi s Jane Hall of Beaufort , in 4 ; and third , in

1 8 2 e t 4 , to Miss Jane Smith of Smyrna , in Carter

o C unty . His only child was by his first wife , born

1 8 1 0 a a v in , a captain in the United St tes N y , who

1 1 7 o n after service the Atlantic , Mediterranean and

r s n 1 8 0 a n d 1 86 Pacific , e ig ed in 4 died in 9 , Cap

n u tain Owe B rns .

Captai n Owen B u r n s ma r ried Mi ss Martha

o o f Armstr ng , daughter Solomon , and grand

u o f da ghter Gen . John Armstrong . The only liv

o f s ing descendants Owen Burns are his even sons ,

u a da ghter and ten grandchildren .

1 o . I . R . Burns , who resides in New Y rk City

o and Daytona , Fl rida . He has an only daughter

Bessie Burns Hulse .

2 X u u u . . E gene B rns , a fr it grower in Santa _

C 0 . Clara , San Francisco , California , who has an

a h r only d ug e Eugenia Stewart Burns .

u ns w ho s ha s 3 . Richard B r , re ides in Chicago ,

n so n a only Grindall Jerome Burns .

C 0 4 . Charles O . Burns , President C . O . Burns . ,

New York City .

n 5 . Walter Francis Burns , of I wood , New York

o f City , Vice Pres . and General Mgr . the W . F .

n C o l r . Bur s , has two sons Walter Francis Burns , J ,

t a u and O w v B rns .

6 . a . Edwin Osc r Burns , San Francisco , Cal , who has a daughter Martha Burns and a son Owen

u B rns .

1 1 8

f . o . . o . 7 Owen Burns the W F Burns C , who

re sides in Chicago .

o a t o The nly daughter Lillian lives Inw od , New

a nd to o i York City is married John Anth ny W lkens ,

o f o r a n R tte dam , Holland . They have only child

n o f a charmi g young lady four , Theodora Wal

tona . Wilkens .

Divers great-gra ndchildren o f the o ld priva teer bid fair to insure that his bl o o d will co nt inue red

a nd lively as lo ng a s our Ship o f State shall be m o f s a anned by men active brain , br ve hearts and

o str ng hands .

u do no t o w a s In concl sion , I claim that my her

a shining light in the church ‘ o r a ppro priated t o

a ll t he d t ha d t o n himself car inal vir ues . But he s r g i . o a t o h s virtues He was brave and h nest , f ithful

s f o h . s tru t , and kind eart He was largely generou

o hi s hi s a Hi s b th in prosperity and in dversity .

long service in bo th branche s o f the legisl a ture

s o o f h ws that he had the confidence his neighbors ,

not o f o a s -o s alone the p or , but, only land wner

fo r f he o o t . w e voted the Senat rs , rich as well And can now see that this st raight-fo rward sense o f j ustice aided in settling dangero us que stions and

d o t t he a vanced the prosperity f the s ate . At call

1 1 9 of the government he did his full duty in arduous and dangerous service on the sea . Let us then hold

n b in ho or the old warrior and wise legislator ,

Otway Burns .

1 20

s o slow a sailor to uit the service . He theref re declined the prop osition and so o n after sailed for

s o r New York . Whil t there he fell in with a scho ne

o u fo r very well suited as he th ght a privateer . Upon inquiry he ascertained that her name was “ ” w a s fo r Levere , that she sale at After consultation with a gentleman who was part owner o f t he o vessel he commanded , they s ld their vessel

a s and bo ught the other . They fitted her up a privateer and changed her name to the Snap

r a nd fo r . w a s D agon , sailed Newbern Here she so ld out in shares and boo ks wer e o pened t o ship men r o f i nflu for a c uise . At this time most the e nt i a l men in Newbern were Opposed to the

’ r ffo r n u n s s . war , and endeavored to cou teract B e t

Among other expedients a dop ted to prevent his

s w ho obtaining a crew , they tempted tho e had already shipped to contract debts , and then would

s n i n i ssue civil p ro ce sts for t heir arre t . Bur s be g

no le a l very much provoked , gave orders that g officer should be allowed t o boa r d the Snap -D rago n

o ne o co n without his permission . On ccasion six stables undertook t o board with o ut obta ining leave .

The officer on duty ordered them to keep o ff.

They disregarded hi s command a nd came along

1 22 o f r t o side . The ficer then o dered his sailors upset

o o their b at , which was accordingly d ne and the poo r co n st a bles were compelled to get upo n the

t o o f o t o bo t m their b at keep from drowning , where t h e y remained until they dri fte d a sho re . Th at “ r o o o o f olick , says the L g B k , finally br ke the con ” s stable .

e Another incident which happen d at this time , illustrates the oppo sition entertained by many citi

t he o f 1 8 1 2 zens to war , as well as the bold and

o f daring character Burns . Whilst the Snap

“ Drago n was mo ored on the Neuse in fro nt o f t he

o o n t he town , a considerable cr wd assembled nearest X wharf . In the crowd was Francis avier Martin ,

o f u n then a resident Newbern , since a J dge in Lo i

w ho t he - siana , hailed Snap Dragon and called her “ n a licensed robber . Burns was o board , heard t he t n epithet and ordered his boat o be man ed . He soo n stood upon the wharf in the midst o f the

o . cr wd He seized Martin , dragged him to the

’ a n w ter s edge and threw him into the river , whe t h f a e ardor o his p triotism soon cooled to civility .

Whilst in the water he b e gged Burns t o pardon him . Upo n being released he and his associates dispersed in confusion .

‘ 1 23 Finding that he could not co mplete a crew in

fo r . a Newbern , Burns sailed Norfolk The priv

r a teer Revenge , was also at that po t for the s me

. bo purpose In a few days th were ready for sea , and it was agreed by their respective commanders to

s h e crui e together . T y weighed anchor and passing thro ugh Hampton Road s sailed d o wn the Chesa peake .

1 24 no o reply , but st od on his course . When in gun

o s n s o t o a n d sh t di ta ce , the cha e fired a sh t leeward

o o to h isted American colors , pr ving be a Baltimore privateer .

The Snap -Dragon still continued in company

n with the Reve ge , and in a few days made two s s a s fo r ail t o windward . Again the ignal w given

s - o cha e . The Snap Dragon was s on alongside the

s n r o o t o . tra ge and fired a gun , whereup n they h ve Captain B urns sent a boat abo ard to examine their

s a paper , and scertained that both were Spanish vessel s and being neutral s were o f course permitted

s n It a o n s s o n t o u o . w s pa s m lested up thi occa i , as

t r o s m o before , with hese very b ave fell w a ng the crew $ their fears magn ifie d each vessel into a man o f- o war , and it was whispered am ng them that the “ fo ol o f a boy (B urns ) w ould s end them all to

so n m pri or the devil , by i prudently running along ” r side a s t ange vessel befo re he knew what she was .

The t w o p r ivateers had no w been i n company fo r o m o r s s e eight ten day , but Captain Burns hav ing by this time a scertai n ed that his companio n

s o u . a c was a low sailor , c ncl ded to separate He

r i n l co d so . g y did The very next day , cruising

-o f- alone , he fell in with two British men war , a

1 26 frigate and a sl oop . The day was fine and they gave chase to the Snap -Dragon $ it was fruitless however fo r the Snap -Drago n had the heels o f both

o o n i n and using them , she s , the language of Cap

- t s d . s ain Burn , ba e them adieu The cha e though t short was interesting . It was the first time tha the speed had been decidedly tested , and the result

’ c o nfirmed Captain Burns j udgment and raised the f spirits of the crew . The t w o best qualities o a b p rivateer are speed and spirit , and oth are equally i mportant The speed o f the Snap -Drago n was already ascertai ned $ o f the Spirit the sequel will m ore properly speak .

Having escaped an unequal enco unter with t he s ss Briti h ve els , Cap tain Burns resumed his

o e s course , and in a few days enc unter d a Briti h s f 1 hip o 4 guns . It was late in the evening when t he a nd o - sail was made , s on after night fall the

- r s o ne Snap Drago n was al o ngside . Bu n fired gun

a nd e . the en my surrendered , being the first prize

Fo r some days after thi s adventure the weather was very fine and the Snap - Drago n moved pleas a nt l y and sleepily over the waters . The pause of

o f adventure allows mention a little incident , which

s illu trates what has ever been remarked , the inti

o f a n mate union the braggadoci o d the coward .

1 27 o - One Th mpson , holding in the Snap Dragon some s ubordinate post , had already thrust himself fr e quently upo n the notice o f the Cap tain a s the

o s s o f r n- n o n n n i ie t the c ew , van ti g c sta tly , in the

n o f n r o f hi s n a nd w a s abse ce da ge , dari g , when it presented complaining o f the imprudence of Burns

n o u u in e c ntering it . After the cap t re of the British

ss n n o o so a s w a s ve el me tio ed ab ve , Th mp n , usual , ga sco nading in t he hearing o f the offi cers w ho were

s o n a nd a sembled the quarter deck , in language f which savored o mutiny . He was interrupted by

ur w ho o r o f hi s r n B ns t ld him he wea ied b aggi g ,

o s w a s that he b erved he always loudest in peace ,

o o f and stillest in peril . Th mps n o course went

o n s int a net , and said that Captai Burns felt afe

u of in sing such language being his superior ficer, but would no t dare to do so if ashore and o n equality . Captain Burns told him that he waived

o f e all distinction grad s , and called upon the other officers t o witness t hat he held himself in this

r u n pa ticular on an eq al foo ti g with him . and fur ther he to ld Mr Thompso n that under the circum stances he considered it important fo r the discipline o f the ves s el t o administer to him with his o w n “ n fl o a t ha ds a genteel gging , and that he was li so be r t v to defend h imself . Thomp n submitted

1 28

s the harbor the next day . With this view she w a

u s but d s o t s r disg i ed , at aylight the fir t bj ec desc ied

u s i s me n - o f- w a r by Captain B rn were five Brit h ,

e r t w o . three d ad to windwa d , and leeward The “ ” Ga r land f r igate was in gun shot di stance ; and in fact such wer e the relative p os itions o f all t o wards o ne r o no t i m p ivateer , that they c uld have been pro ved i f they had been chosen with a view o f

s o f a s capture , in tead being they were , purely acci

n r dental . Captain Bur s first t ied to deceive the

o n o r u enemy by h isti g c lo s , but John B ll was wide

2 - o n awake . The Garland fired a 3 p u d shot at the — n o S ap Drag n , which came near striking the hull , and i mme di a t e l v set skysail s and made a signal

- — t o the o the r me n o f w a r to j o i n i n the cha se . The

o n o n o f w a s o us c diti the privateer peril , and soon

to w a s s . t o her p hamper up , and every ail set the

s n o f be t adva tage . The only possibility escape , w a s o u - o thr gh Sail Rock passage , which was s me

o r st n e t o n r a nd t o f ty miles di a t , d ad wi dwa d ,

o o f o make the p int , three the enemy h vering upon he r s w as f n direct cour e , of extreme di ficulty . I deed

w a s o s un s n m o be escape h pele s , les the e e y c uld

e r t deceiv d by some manoeuv e . With that sor o f s s u s u deci ion which di ting ishe the man of geni s , a n d that pre s en ce o f mi n d which ma r k s t he ma n o f

1 30 a a n o e x courage , C p t i Burns adopted perhaps the nly

s p e di e nt which co uld have succeeded . It w a this

T o - o put the Snap Dragon directly t wards the Rock ,

to a so which gives name the pass ge , that the enemy could no t anticip ate on which si de she designed to

s T he s o o pa s . cha e immediately opened in g d earn e st s , and our little privateer, pur ued by five British me n - o f— ma no t o t o war , y inaptly be c mpared a fox

s s cha ed by a pack o f h o und in full view . Captain

Burns so shaped his co urse a s to get all the Gar

’ a s s h l nd ails to draw on one mast , w ich gave his

s e n s . t ves el a gr at adva tage in ailing Never heless , the frigate kept for mo re than two h o urs i n gun

o n o nu t o sh t , duri g which the shot c nti ed fall around

ff s so the Dragon , and although without e ect , till near

r f as t o th o w t he spray upo n the o ficers . When they

r o o s n s app ached the r ck , the Garland made ig al to her c o mpan i o ns t o cut o ff the Drago n whe n she

t o o s T w o s o hauled up ch ose the pa sage . brig acc rd i ngly go t into the pa s sage with t he o bj ect of i n ter ce t i n No w n s p g her . came the rub ; Captai Burn made all o f the men lie d o wn a nd t o o k the helm him

s . o w a s s r elf The brig S phia neare t the p ivateer , and when she came abrea st di s charged at he r a b r o ads ide o f m n o o . w a s r ss a d grape and r und sh t The fire ha le , such w a s the hurry of the brig to repeat her fire

1 3 1 that in d o i ng it her fo r wa r d b u lwa r k w a s sh o t

s n away . The crisi was now over . In a few mi utes

o o f n o n the Drag n had all five the e emy the wind ,

( K and w a s quite out of gun-shot walki ng upon the

n As s waters like a thing o f i tellect . o o n as he was

t o s well windward Captain Burns tacked hip , hauled

o s s co s un up his f re ail , di played his lor , and fired a g

n by way o f defiance and farewell . Night at le gth

r s inte r upted the pur uit .

At daylight the next morning a sail was made on

’ o s the lee quarter , which pr ved to be his Maj e ty s

s t o - o ship Dominick . She gave cha e the Snap Drag n

o t o s n n and ran her d wn the pa sage , and the aba

n r n s n do e d the pursuit . Du i g the cha e the wi d blew so fresh as to car r y away the j ibboo m and t w o t o p

- mast stays of the Snap Dragon .

Afte r this Captain Burns beat up t o wi n dward

u s s o f . o and cr i ed about the i land St Cr ix , where he

s made several small capture .

’ I ntelligen ce o f Captai n Burns m o vements

‘

o f . o reached the island St Th mas , where his Maj

’ r f n n r e st s o t e u s w a i n r o . y b ig , The Nettler , g , s ha b

One m o rni ng found the S nap - Dragon ab o ut fo rty

o o o n s s m miles fr m T rt la u der ea y ail , when she ade

t o n n u o a sail windward , run i g down p n her , which

1 32 they th o ught upon a n ea r i n specti o n by a flo ck of s u n t o n s heep , but which t r ed out be a battery , the gu

s n o f which we r e pai n ted white . Pas i g the battery

n undisco ve r ed they appro ached a vess el at a ch o r .

u o o n o f r Quietly they p lled al ngside , and visi s p ize mo ney were already pa ssing th r o ugh the imagina

i o o f r a o o t n the c ew , when a h il foll wed by a v lley of mu sketr y informed them they had gotten h o ld o f the

I e t l r H r n ust . t e t o t e e w r o g c omer prov d be the N .

r r n crew were evidently prepa ed fo r thei recepti o .

- s The town was in arms , and sky rocket were travers

i n ing the heavens every direction . Under these circumsta nces it was considered advisable to retreat . A light w a s h o i sted on b o a r d the S nap - Drago n to guide them in retracing their steps . The light dis

o s o t o y o covered her p iti n the batter , which pened u m i s o . u r n s n u s n h p n her im ediately B , exti g i hi g

fi r e light , returned the with his long gun , which

fin r n a o s t o d . en bled the b at him He then ceased fi i g ,

o ut hi s s n s w a s o ut o f ran sweep , and in a few mi ute

n B u o u n d da ger . t Burns th o ught it w ld ever o t o

u o u fo r o a nd take so m ch tr ble n thing , he came to the con clu sio n if he co uld no t get a p r ize he w o uld a t r least get some fresh p o visi o ns . He therefo re o r dered a boat t o be manned a nd went a sh o re t o a

o n . o u plantati Filled with sheep , p ltry and vegeta bles she returned to the privateer , and by daylight t h e island was twenty miles distant .

I 34 CHAPTER III .

We left o ur gallant navigator at the epoch o f his

a o f o t t escape from the h rbor T r ola , wenty miles at

s e a rej oicing in his might . That day we fell in with a nd captured an English vessel bound t o Santa Cruz ;

she ha d on board between forty and fifty Guinea negroes and some o ther articles o f merchandise . We

ou o f o r took t her seventeen eighteen of the blackest ,

a t o a nd who were very nxious go with us , released

her t o pursue her voyage .

Some days afterwards while cruising o ff Santa

o ut a Cruz , we sent in a boat and cut schooner ;

her crew ha d a lre ady left a nd she was l o aded only w ith mill timber and was not considered worth man

- n so . ing , she was burnt The Snap Dragon then

went into a small harbo r o n the so uth side of Po rto

o r Rico , named Ponce . This was a neutral point t port belonging o the Spaniards . We were very

fo r kindly treated , the Governor gave us permission

t o fill water and get what stores we might want .

I 3S We s old dry goods and s o me o ther a rticles t o pay fo r what we go t ; b o ught a very fine long ni n e o f the Governor and in four or five days were ready t o go on o ur cruise again .

We shaped o ur c o urs e with an En gli sh packet ;

o o we exchanged s me sh t with her, but were forced to give up the chase o n acc o unt o f the ro ugh sea .

o o s Here we enc untered a tremend u gale , which

f o - o lacked but little o proving fatal t the Snap Drag n . We were t o the windward o f the Gulf of Mexico when it came down o n us ; she lost her j ibboom and started her cutwater ; we lay t o under s ail ; Burns

n sh e never left the deck the whole ight , for wanted t wa ching by such a man as he was , and there was n n o n o man o earth that c uld ma age her like him .

’ o o o ne s f At four cl ck he called of his be t o ficers , and

of t o giving him charge the deck , went below refresh h d himself a little . In a few minutes the wind a shifted two o r three po ints a n d b r ought the Snap

Dragon in the tro ugh of the sea ; still the officer of

no t n n o the deck did see her da ger , till a treme d us

s s wave knocked her on beam end , filled the wai t with

se t o f s water and some the gun adri ft . Burns was o n deck in an instant and pro ved himself equal to the crisis ; the guns were secured and as soon a s pos

1 36 a visit and was treated as well a s the natu r e o f o ur

n circum stances w o uld permit . We were i vited in tu r n t o dine with him .

Having learned fro m the fishe r m en that s o me s even o r eight sail of Engli sh ves s el s were up the

u n a s o t g lf , tradi g with the Spani rd , we g under way

u r w a s fine a nd stood o t after them . The e a breeze f . o o at eleven A M . We fell in with five them alt gether ; they s oon sep a r ated like a c o vey when a

d but hawk arts in among them , we succeeded in cap

o ne ra n o n s o s . turing three , hore and the ther e caped

The prizes were principa lly l o aded with d r essed skins and dry good s ; we took o n board the g r eater part of the cargoe s ; gave t w o o f the ba rks to thei r original o wners ; manned the o ther and o rdered her t o the United States .

Some days after this we fell in with fo ur sa il o f

s a ll - t o large ship , in company ; the Snap Dragon was windward a nd bore d o wn o n them till o ur c o mmand er was sati sfied o ne o f them w a s a man -o f- war he w a s s u s ha d hi s a nd t o in di g i e , fore mizzen p gallant

od o ld n mast struck , and a go many black pa tches o

i s h top sails . All the others kept well under his lee ; there was a spanking breeze and we j ust hauled o ff

. No f from him , dead by the wind w some o those

1 38 f um a n d s cowardly o ficers began to gr ble , aid they we r e all merchantmen ; y o u will always find such

o s o f t o i n fell w , plenty them , anywhere , ready get

o r a scrap and never kno w h w to get o ut . Afte a little Burns got angry and to ld them he had a s many f r iends in British prison a s they had a nd w a s j ust

a s t o a s as willing they were pay them vi it like , and he no w would sho w them he was no t deceived in the s so he r r tranger , he ordered helm hard aweathe , “ o ur I and hauled in weather braces ; now says he , ” o but ou hope I see s me of your bravery , soon y

o f o n might see some their fierce c untenances cha ge .

o n t a s a s The chase kept heir course , near the wind

- they would lie , the Snap Dragon ran down till every

ur body was thinking the ship wo uld no t fight . O

shot had struck him several times , but he never replied ; all he wanted was t o get us close alongside and t hen make a sure business o f it ; but Burns o r dered his vessel hard by the wind ; j ust then the man o f war seemed to think it was his only chance and he did show his teeth and let us know he could bark

s o f and bite , pretty savage . He gave us a broad ide

o but not r grape sh t and canister , it did hu t us and o nly cut some holes in o ur sails ; he then put up hi s

o f top mast , set a press sail , and we soon perceived

1 39 a s fi r s - - that he w a t rate sailer . The Snap Dragon

u had j st such a breeze as we wanted , and we eat the

o ut o f she ship right the wind , but before reached o n o o n a n d us , b th were heading int the la d , as the

n s t o t o s s s wind i crea ed we had furl p gallant ail , ingle

o s o f reef t psail and take the b nnet out o the fo re sail .

o It was pretty tight times , the wind bl wing big guns ,

se a o u o o the breaking over us , and a danger s l king st r anger w alki ng right in o ur wake ; he had by this

o r o o r s t o f re eached on us f ur five mile , but we were

r t r wind w a d . When we go pretty nea t o land he tacked ship and a squall came o ff which favored

so d t o o f bo w him , he hea ed windward our the wind

s still increasing we were fo rced to furl t o p ail . Now

t he t o came rub which was weather , the Snap

r u f i s Dragon o the ship . B rns had sent all o h men below except ju st enough t o w o rk the vess el ; some of the o fficers wished t o keep the Snap - Dragon away

o n no o t o fr m the wi d , but he paid attenti n anything

fo r they said ; he knew his business too well that ,

n for the ship would have been alo gside in a j iffy .

Men and officers were all packing up their baggage t o o o fo r m g ab ard the stranger, we ade certain we

s were all ticketed for a free pa sage to England . As

o v t he g od luck would ha e it , j ust at the scratch as

1 40

s o u right tack , but we h t by him again a little f rther

o us hi s o s than bef re ; he paid c mpliment at parting ,

w a s o ss t o o ur fo r . but it imp ible hit hull , that was

m n o s n al o st u der water . T ward ight it mo derated

a little a n d we put o n mo r e s ail ; at suns et the Snap

Drago n w a s mo re than t w o mile s dead t o windward

dark came o n and that w a s the last we ever sa w of

ur s s o s us o tro uble o me cu to mer . N thing aved that

day but the exert i o n s o f Captain Bu r ns al o ne and hi s

n n s skill in saili g ma oe uvre .

A few day s after we captu r ed an E nglish vessel

o C o u s o m o t fr m urac a , which gave the inf r ati n hat

the ship with which we had s uch a tight race was

s f n s s i o o o e n . . the Fawn , lo p war , of the fa te t H B

’

. s s o o o a nd r e M ervice . She had g ne int Curac a

n n r po rted that she had su k a Ya kee p ivateer . I sup

o s o t n u o p se he did think . after aki g three f ll br ad s ides at us ; but pe o ple make mi stakes s o metimes o n

se a a s well a s lan d a nd s om e o f hi s Engli sh f r iend s

o u so t oo n ot on w s . f nd it , l g after ard

Fo r so me tim e after thi s we crui s ed o ff Santa

Ma r tha ; we had s o me Engli sh pri so n e r s o n board

who were ve r y a nxi o us t o be se t a sh o r e the r e ; so o ne m o rning the Snap - D r ago n st o o d i n ab o ut o ff the

m s n w a s p o rt . The c o mander to ld the pri o ers that he

1 42 o willing to blige them , but the Spaniards were a sus

i ci o us o f p set people , and that they and his crew

fo r . might be taken pirates But after some time , a boat was manned a nd the pris o ners and one of the o ffi cers wen t on sh o re ; the Snap lay j u s t o ut o f gun shot from the fo rt . It began to get late in the after no on a nd no boa -t appeared ; our commander grew

s o more and more unea y , and more certain s mething

n no t n wro g was the matter . He did i tend to go in

- o u t o the Snap Dragon , but finally c ncl ded send an o ther b o at and a c o py o f his c o mmis s i o n ; as soon as she arrived she too was taken a nd hauled up alongside o f the o ther one ; the o ffi cer and hi s men were marched o ff to p r i s on where they fo und their

s n comrades . The rea on why they had detai ed the

s s w a s boat and their crew , they said , that they

-t o n ot though we were all pirates , and they w uld give them up until the Sna p - Dragon came in and

s sh o wed her pro per co mmis io n . After a great deal o f palavering they agreed t o let t h e la st b o at come o ff with only the o fficer on bo ard ; it was no w nearly

’ ff o ur eight o clock at night . To go o and leave men — in pri so n l o o ked very hard ; and if the S nap Dragon went in we did not kno w but they might take her a n d

r f s s n o t o all the est o u . It w a fi ally res lved never leave the coast u ntil we go t our men o r had sa t i sfa c

I 43 ' h m s t o . e o o n a i n T shone as bright day , and they could see us very plai nly fr om the fo rt ; so we stood o ff o w e as i f we had finally g ne , and next morning were so far to leeward they c o uld n o t see us . A litt le afte r sunrise there came o ut o ne o f thei r

u o t o o n feluccas , bo nd d wn Porto Cabell , carryi g o ne hundred men and some guns to fo rtify the

As o o o t he place . so n as she g t well out from the f rt Snap - Dragon made sail i n chase ; we s o o n o ver

t o hauled her , fired a gun and made her heave ; ordered her captain on board the Snap - Dra go n and told him i f he did not go asho re and bring o ff o ur f o o . men and boat , we w uld hang every man them We rigged t w o gallows at yard s arms a nd allowed him t w o h o urs t o do a s we bid ; his b oa t w a s s oon

n a nd o ur man ed , in less than the time we gave him

n o a men and bo at were o b ard . There never was

o f set men worse frightened than these Spaniards , and i f that plan had n ot been ado pted we n ever

n should have seen o ur men agai .

We now began to get d o wn to Carthagena for a s upply ; so we bo re away and next m o r ni ng fell in

. o n with three sail We bore down them , fired a gun and di splayed o u r c o l o rs ; they pro ved to be a

r 1 2 n o o 8 u Spanish b ig of gu s , a sch ner of , both g ard a n d captu red t he English vessel ; all unkn own t o

Burns . Immediately there were three gun boats sent out in search of the prize ; they found her where

a nd o t i n un we left her , before they g close g shot ,

t o o n Spaniard like , began fire her ; the prize master

l a n d o was a brave fel ow silenced the wh le three .

By this time o ur c o mmander fo und o ut what w a s

n o n o goi g and despatched a b at and five men , with

n h o i structi o ns to t e prize master . The c wardly ras

o s a nd cals had now got two more b at , and they met captured our boat ; they then met a n d captured the prize a n d fo rce d her t o surrender ; t hey bro ught her i n o s a n d t , put all the crew in ir n threw hem in j ail ; there w a s a s much fuss am o ng the heathen devil s

n f s as i f they had captured a li e o battle hip . Here

n i n n - o n we were the , a nice pickle ; the S ap Drag

s o ft he o under the gun fort , surr unded by their men o f- war no c o nsul and no friend s ; now what was to be d o n e ? The first thing was t o fin d o ut the cau s e

’ o f all thi s ; they said we had fired i nto the king s

ss brig and had captured the prize , in le than three leagues fr o m lan d ; All thi s w a s a lie the Spania r ds

o w a s o n t ld that they might get the prize , which pr ve

n u s by the Engli sh crew . After keepi g there three

‘weeks by bribery we got them t o give up the prize

o t he ss and release our men . They r bbed ve el of

1 46 e t o o very hing they c uld lay their hands on , am ng which w a s in do ubl o ons that we knew no th ing about until it was too late , or that would have

- been taken on b o ard the Snap Dragon too . They robbed the men of everything they had and while f they were in prison two o them died .

There was one thing happened that I shall not

o o . so n f rget While we were laying there , the Span ish brig had come in and anchored ab o ut 1 50 yard s

o s t o fr m u . One of our men had tried run away and he w a s put in irons ; he contrived t o get word t o the Spaniard that he w a s a Span ish subj ect and claimed his p r otection ; so one day the Spanish captain came

o a longside and dema nded him . S me very high

a s a nd w a s o n words p sed between him burns , who deck ; the Spaniard d r ew his s w o rd a nd Bu r ns caught up a boarding pike and w a s in the act of

n o u o ne f stavi g it thr gh him , when of our o ficers pre vented him ; and the Spaniard left in a hurry . The

Wh o le a ffair did not co st the sto ckholders of the

Snap - Dragon less than besides her de t e n tion .

There were fifteen o r twenty s ail o f Engli s h ve s sel s in the harbor when we first g o t clear ; when we were already to sail they petitioned the Go vernor t o

1 47 have an embargo laid o n us u ntil they could get o ut ; this w a s granted them and we we r e detained a

o r o n week . After we did sail we h ve ed the coast s o me days in ho pes o f meet i ng the b r ig that had

us so r ou i n s o u given much t ble , which ca e it w ld have been do ubtful i f sh e w o uld ever ca r ry a ny mor e

h r n lies ; they had told enough t o sink e a yhow .

We crui s ed fo r some time between Carthagena and Jamaica ; o ne night we fell in wit h a Spani sh

’ brig ; the boat s crew that b o arded her happen ed t o be so me o f the unfo rt u nate m e n that had been in

s o o f the Spanish pri o n . While the b arding ficer was

o m n so o f m bel w exa i ing the papers , me the fixed a

’ gall o ws a n d go t a ro pe a r o und one o f the Span iard s neck ; they were j u st in t he act o f swinging him o ff

w hen the officer in terfered ; he hailed us a nd said

o ur men w o uld ha ng every Spania r d o n bo a r d ; so

they h a d t o be immediately r ecalled ; a nd no one o f

them w ho had been in the p r i so n were after this

n r permitted to b o ard a Spa ia d .

We ran down a small island on the Span ish

n n s u o Main , settled pri cipally by E gli h ; the pop lati n

w a s about seven hund r ed and m o re than t h r ee

r s s o r o n fou ths were black ; this little p t , P vide ce , is

o ne of the prettiest I ever saw ; they r ai s e nothing

1 48

m n t h e . down hill ; back he ca e with the ews Burns ,

o u s s n o o with t aying a word , threw him el f i t the b at and o r de r ed them to se t him a sho re ; s word i n han d

s s he walked al o n e t o the little p o t ho u e . The Iri h — — s ergeant his n ame was Plane came t o meet him “ a nd s no w a m s o a s say he , Captain , that I a h re I am

9 good a man as y o u a r e without a syllable B urns cut o r o r him down ; three four m e came up , but he cut and thrust amo ng them until the bloo d r a n in

o o n t o o streams . He br ught them _all d w the b at in

r o f i n o u w f ont him , and less than an h r they ere on

- board the Snap Dragon .

That afte r no on we shaped o u r cou r se fo r Cape

o o r n s s fo r Antoni , and fifteen twe ty day ailed Hav ana ; here we fell in with an English ve ssel from

Hondu r a s we to o k o ut a pa r t o f her cargo and gave

sh s r n her up as e w a not wo th manni g . We now

r s ff o turned towa d ho me . O Cape Fl rida we had a

e n o slight ngageme t with the Pr vidence , a privateer o f uns but o o ten g , she b re away and ran int the

no t u . reefs , where we did purs e her

Next morning we made a large ship ahead ; the wind w a s light and we saw we could no t c o me up

o with her before dark . It was th ught by all hands

w a s n that she an English ship from Hava a , and it

1 50 was concluded t hat we should dog her until daylight ; at early dawn we Were half a mile astern called all

o ur a n d . hands to quarters , showed colors fired a gun

The ship would not come to a showing , so we ranged up in musket shot and fired ah e a d o f her ; but sh e

no o would not heave to . We w disc vered that all t hands were now at quar ers , and that she mounted

20 e o on guns , and then there wer some l ng faces

- on board the Snap Dragon . We came up her lee quarter and a sked what ship it was . They answered

t o . The Fernando , from Havana Cadiz Our c d t o r e omman er ordered him to heave , which he fused t o do until we t hreatened to fire o n him ; fina lly he did so and we sent o ur boat o n board and

e gave him a complete overhauling . His papers wer all genuine and he was discharged .

fo r r rt a We now stood Beaufo t harbor , No h C ro lina j ust before we made land we spied a sail and

a s t o gave chase , we were very anxious speak to some vessel t o hear the news ; the chase stood in fo r

land ; the wind was quite moderate , but we soon

u se e overha led her , and it was quite laughable to them ma ke pretense t hey were poling when there was seven fathoms o f water ; all t o prevent us from

. now Sw a nsbo r ou h speaking them We were near g ,

1 51 o o l and the chase pr ved t o be an d acquaintance .

o - We b th got in that evening . The Snap Dragon had been absent more than six month s ; the crew were discharged and she was put into the carpenters ’ hands for repairs .

1 52 no better men in the wh o le ship ; o ne fine fell o w by

n o f w ho w a s o d the ame Dick , a great fav rite , looke

s at Burns as he came over the hip and began t o cry .

Without a word he went belo w and sent the stewa r d

r nd s h fo r . o a t e on deck Mr B wn , a ked him what matter was ; he sai d they were no isy and saucy a nd — that he w o uld tame the d «m rascals and sh o w them how to behave ; the second luff was then questioned ; he said that Dick was cutting some o f hi s monkey

u n capers and others were la ghi g at him , that they

ff r s had j ust come o and were a little mer y . Burn

r o o o u n o t do o n ve y coolly t ld Mr . Br wn that w ld

r t o o n boa d a privateer , h ugh perhaps it might do

’ t o r e a king s ship , and ordered him have them leased ; h e refused and said he would o rder the “ ” “ No master of arms ; , Si r, answered Burns , you ” put them in and you shall take them out . Mr .

Brown still hesitated , when Burns caught his sword

No w o r and said , , Sir , obey my orders I will run y o u through and this time he was pro mptly

obeyed . From this circumstance Burns put him down as a coward ; fo r y ou never saw a tyrant but what was a coward . That night a boat arrived from Portsmouth and informed Burns that there was a King ’ s schooner

1 54 s o ff n r she crui ing that place , i qui ing for him , and was coming aro und t o Beau fo rt fo r him the n ext f 8 . . o morning . At A M we sailed ; had a fine crew

1 2 o o f t 7 men , s me hem as brave as ever trod deck ;

o f - o f a s some the ficers were cowards though , the

s o reader will see by and by . The cho ner had sent word by a boat to us t o meet him o ff Cape Loo kout

s t o . . o o hoals ; which we o k for H R M . sch ner High

s o flyer . A great many per ons had gone d wn to the

fo r t t he Cape to see the fight , hey had heard that

o t o Englishman had sent w rd t o Burns . The w were meet ing and when in gun -shot it turned o ut that the stranger was the Raleigh , a privateer from Balti m o r ; she went into Beaufort while we bore up fo r

‘ o f Hi hfl e r o ur a r ri xfa l Ocracoke in search the g y . On she was gone ; we cruised there a day and sen t in a

t o o f boat inquire what had become her , but she was

no fo r e found not to be found . We w steered N w land ; in t w o o r three days sailed o ff the Grand Bank ; made a large ship ahead ; orders were given

o f o ur e to make sail in chase , and then some brav officers began to show their cowardice ; the ship displayed American colors and we Engli sh ; we “ h hailed and she answered , The American s ip Nep

’

. C . t o . w a s tune , from Wilmington , N , Cadiz She ordered t o heave t o ; our o fficer went aboard i n

I SS Briti sh uniform and the crew a s Briti sh man -o f

’ war s men ; we had a man by the name o f Jame s

w ho a s o a s on Smith , knew him s on we laid eyes

o him . Burns overhauled his papers , and t ld him that he must send him t o Halifax ; when the p r ize ma ster

e o and crew were r ady , the captain t ld Burns that he could satis fy him he need not send him in i f he would j ust let him go back t o hi s ship ; leave was

hi s granted and he returned with British license .

n t he Fi ding all papers genuine , we hauled down the

British co lors a nd ran up o ur o w n ; Smith walked up and shook hands with the captain and called him by name and you never did se e any p o or devil as

s Hi s frightened as he w a . ship was loaded with rice hi m t and flour ; after plaguing a lit le while , we let

o s c o i n him g , as we had no in tru ti ns regard to licensed vessels ; we t ore up his B ritish license tho ugh ; I have heard Burns o ften sa v since that he

s was sorry that he did not burn the hip .

S o me days after this we made three strange sails o ff Cape Race ; after a short action a brig and a

ship struck their colors ; the other , a fine brig of ten

n gu s , tried to escape ; we gave up the brig we had

taken , manned the ship and after several hours

chase captured the runaway , without firing a gun .

1 56

f l vo . o o r o e t y We b arded seven eight them , but

a ll o s s o s them g , as Burn di appr ved of de troying private pro perty ; he co uld have burn ed half o f them

o f fo r o o i n in sight the frigate , we c uld g and out

m s s s a ong t the thicke t o f them in pite o f him . Off

o a nn fo r St . J hn we cap tured and m ed a brig home ;

w a s oods she a very valuable prize , loaded with dry g , but was retaken in a few days . Next day we made a ten gun brig ; we came up o n her lee quarter and o r

t o s t o dered her cea e firing , which she had begun do , a nd to strike her flag ; this she immediately did with out striking a match ; she had a cargo invo iced at f o Ri fl e bef re we could get her manned , the m a n s -o f— n n , loop war , made her appeara ce ; whe she was i n gun sh o t we had j ust g ot o u r p r ize ready t o

r s o sail , orde s were given her to set all the ail p ssible and to keep befo re the wi n d ; t he S nap - Drago n w a s hauled by the Ri fl e ma n and the Ri fl e ma n cha sed us ;

us a s n but we had j t such a breeze we wa ted , the sl o op w a s a fi r st - clas s sail o r and fo r s o me time it w a s

m o ss t o sa r n s s i p ible y which was the better . Bu aid n o t o r fo r m fo r su f a w d some ti e , he never f ered a ny one to talk to hi m about saili ng the S nap

o o s r s o s us t o no Dragon ; the sl p had eve al h t at , effect ; the cha s e c ontinued fo r about an h o ur and

1 58 s he discovered she was about to lose both privatee r a nd prize as she turned to go after the prize ; as soon a s he did we turned and laid t he Snap -Dragon on h i - s track . All the sloo p guns were eighteen pound c o annonades , while our l ng pivot gun was only a t welve - pounder ; we s o on began to make this t alk to

not a n her , while she could get a single gun to be r o u s . Burns had determined if possible that neither he

s o nor the prize hould be taken , but now the slo p wore ro und and cha se -d us agai n ; she fired s everal d ivisions of her guns at us , which only cut our sails

. o no t a little Finding she c uld catch us , for we

o f kept j ust out her reach , she bore up again after o ur prize ; we turned a b out a nd trained o ur long twelve o n her ; but as it was no w very dark and the

o r t prize six seven miles ahead , tha was the last we e f ver saw o the sloop or the prize . By bad manage ment and the drunkenness o f t he prize master she

was retaken , twenty days afterwards , between Ber m uda and Cape Henry ; unfortunately we had not h a d time to take all the liquo r o ut of her o r perhaps

’ h c o s e might have got home safe . Burns stri t rders

. f f r . o o were to run S and E Bermuda , from there t o Cape Henry was a line o f cruisers d uring the whole war ; it was impo ssible t o get in except at

and Beaufort and Ocracoke , every master who dis

1 59 o beyed him was taken and carried to Dartmoor and

n o f o r remai ed till peace ; two them died , and ten

t he n nn s twelve of crew , all through dru ke e s and

’ n a s r s s o rt u n mismanageme t . It w Bu n mi f e always to have a miserable se t o f ma ste r s and it w a s strange

a a n d s s u t o so th t the agent , tockholder , wo ld go great expen s e in fitting o ut a vessel and then ship such t r ifli ng fell o w s ; fo r after all it depends o n t h e m prize masters t o ake a successful cruise .

The captain o f t he brig we had taken w a s a n oble fellow ; h e had never been in America and expected fro m what he had heard that he would have been r obbed o f ever ythi ng he had ; but all that he and all hi s crew claimed was resto r ed to them ; he came t o love Bu r ns like a brother and gave him a great deal o f credit fo r outmaneuveri ng the sloop as he did .

On the Grand Bank we fell i n with a very heavy gale ; we were compelled t o strike all o u r yard s and

- s n s a s n top ma ts and se d our guns bel o w . Burn w o

’ deck all night until fou r o cl o ck and it requi r ed all his skill t o save the ship ; she w a s lying to under

o r n t n r st m sails , the sea maki g a cons a t breach ove h e r ; he had sca r cely go n e below t o r efre sh him self when the first luff called t o him that he w a s fo u n de r

1 60

o o sch oner Ad nis , of fourteen guns , all eighteens ; that she was well manned and advised him t o haul ff o . to as soon as possible Her main p was struck ,

o o f o j ib bo m rigged in , several bundles h ops were

e s no t lash d on her quarter and a gun to be seen , so

f r Fo x we too k her o a coaster . Burns gave his glass and to ld him t o l oo k again ; we piped to quarters and prepared fo r action ; but Fox swore it was the

’ o o n no t Ad nis and that he had left her in St . J h s

s t o ten day before , that she was trying decoy him and that though he was a prisoner he would be sorry ff . 0 t o o to see him taken 8 he persuaded us haul , but when we were about t w o hundred yard s o ff from

o she o t s a nd the Ad nis , g cared thought we were

“ go ing to b o ard her ; so she up po rts and gave us a bro ad side o f grape and canister ; it w a s returned

n with a very good will and a sharp c o nflict e sued .

n r s f In the very height of it M r . B row , the fi t lu f , quit hi s station and ran to Burns t o tell him he would be taken in five mi n utes ; Burns bro ke hi s speaking trumpet over his head and ordered him back to hi s

o n s s p rt ; I wo der he did not h o o t him . Order were

n t o o n - so o give make sail the Snap Dragon , she c uld

o o play ar und the Adonis , like a c oper round a cask ;

nu s after teasing her thus some twenty mi te , we

o ff t o s hauled repair damage which were very slight ,

1 62 fo ur wounded and so me rigging cut ; Burns then

fo r o sent for M r . B rown and broke him c wardice ,

o no o n t ld him he was l nger lieute ant , but moved him forward ; Mr . Coakley was put in his place , and

’

e . thus ended Mr . Brown s career as a li utenant In a few hours afterwards we chased a strange a o f s il , which proved to be a brig eight guns , which we captured without firing a gun ; she w a s l o aded

’

o s . with salt fro m Liverpoo l t o St . J hn we gave her

s up as she w a a very dull sailor not worth manning .

o o o r S on after we left , the Ad nis b a ded her and thus

‘ found out who we were ; in the afterno on we met her again and got the news that we had killed three

’ and wounded five o f the Ad o ni s m e n ; they th o ught we had int ended t o board her and we w o uld no t have d s o isappointed her only we were h rt of men .

Next day o ff Cape Franc o i s fell in with a fleet o f s s o f Engli h fi hermen , about ninety sail , from fo rty t o o ne hundred tons ; hoi sted Engli sh c o lors a nd went ab o ard several and exchanged rum fo r

fi sh m . One old fellow came o n b o ard and exa ined o ur vessel very closel y ; Burns t r eated him very “ o o hi s politely and invited him d wn int cabin ; Well ,

“ ’ s o o o o ne says he , Captain , thi d n t l k like of our

’ ’ s s o o English vessel , but don t care l ng she doesn t

1 63 so trouble us He gave us some bait , we went to fi shing amongst them ; we staid there nearly a ll

n day a d too k between five and six hundred fish .

We went into a little bay t o fill wa ter ; two o r th r ee miles o ff w a s a little fishing to wn ; the Captain of

Ma r ines and twen ty - five men wen t t o to wn and

. u a s o t n o ur o o treated J st we g all ready agai , l k o ut signaled a strange sail ; we got o ut o f the bay as

fo r u s soon as possible , we were afraid it was a cr i er ,

r o as we hea d there was a sch o o ner o ff the cape . B th

n fo r o a s vessels were steeri g each ther , but we could

o ut s not make the tranger we hauled by the wind , so that we could pa ss t o windward until we c o uld

o ut she r o r - s o on make her ; p ved a th ee ma ted sch er ,

’ s r n s as fine a cr a ft as ever sat o n the e a . Bu tacked

s o o w a s t o o she and t d after her , but it late ; beat us

u n fo r by the wind . B r s was very mad , we could have been al o ngside if we had kept o ur co u r s e ; but we did n o t like t o run up until we fo un d o ut what

f r kind o craft she was . We learned afterwa ds that

w a s o r n t o o she the B deaux , bou d Baltim re with

silks , wines and brandies .

° We cruised north as far as 55 o ne day discovered some la r ge islands of ice ; ran within half a mile ; o ur b o ats fou n d o ne that had a p o nd o f

1 64

° ° ’

N. 6 N . t longitude 53 , and latitude 4 , this wenty

u o f un r s fo rth day J e , He e follow the sign

’ s ers name .

The S nap - Dragon now bo re away with o ne o f

f r t he n o n o her prizes o U ited States . We had b ard nearly worth o f valuable dry go o ds which

ha d u r - we capt red . One mo ning at day light made ’ a strange sail ; signalled o ur brize brig t o keep he r co urse ; s oon fo und the stranger was a crui s er lying

a t t n o ut r . to looking us , ryi g to make what we we e Burns immediately put o n a press o f sail and mad e

b off a old push at him , when he made ; as all we wanted was to drive him away from t he prize we let

o ut s o a n d him alone . We were nearly of provi i ns

o a nd water , and were bliged to let the prize alone get home as soo n as po ssible ; we arrived safe in

o a o f t w o m o Beauf rt harbor fter a cruise nths , twen t -one s a y day , in which we had captured two and half milli o ns o f p r operty fr om the enemy ; ten days afterwards the prize got in .

r e t r B u ns a s a l gi sla o . urn s s - u e r B s a a hip b ild . r B u ns a t Ca p e Ra ce .

ur ns t a rt a e n . B a C g a . rn u r B u s a t C a c o a . .

ur ns t r co n B a Fo t M a . r r o B u ns a t M a a ca ib . . B ur n s a t N e w fo undla nd

B ur ns a t Po nce . .

ur ns t r c . B a Po to Ri o . m a . B urns a t St . Tho s

ur ro x . . B ns a t St . C i

urns t a n ruz . B a S ta C . r r B u ns a t To to la . B urns a t

B urns, bi rt h o f. .

urns ro a m nde ne ss of. . B , b d i d u n u r s r B r s b ilds fi t Ste a me . B ur ns b uilds t he P r ome the us “ ” B urns builds t he Wa rr ior a nd t he He nry B ur ns bur i e d by t he se a m n ur ns a a n o f a e rc a nt a . B , C pt i M h r f ur ns c a ra c e o . . 1 1 B , h t 9

ur ns sc ne o f. 8 B , di ipli 7

ur ns sc ne s Se r e a n a ne . 8 1 0 B di ipli g t Pl 7, 5 ur ns sc ne s om so n 88 128 B di ipli Th p . ,

urns e a r e o f. B , ly lif 73 r ns s B u fa l se sto r ie a bout . 60 ur ns r n r B fi st a dve tu e . 29 ’ ur ns n t r e m n f r rs B ki d a t e t o p isone . . 95

urns a s a s o f. 6 10 1 1 B , l t d y 5 , 5, 7

ur ns ma na e me n o f cre w . 6 B , g t by 8

urns ma r r e e o f. 1 0 1 1 B , i d lif 57, 5, 7 “ B urns not ca pture d w ith t he Sna p -D ra gon 1 04 m i urns o e rco e s d fli cult f s n cr e . . 81 12 1 B v y o hippi g w , urns a r o c cour se 1 1 B , p t i ti 3

ur ns o r r a o f r e se n e t o t he Sa e . 6 B , p t it , p t d t t 4

urns un s e s u e a t n . 81 12 B p i h J dg M r i , 3 B ur n s qua r r e l s w i t h Almid a n f ur ns r e s e ce o . . B , id r cr u a r u B u n s sa ifice s p op l ity t o j st ice . n r n m n B ur s sa ve s d ow i ng e . ’ n s ma ns B ur s e a hip . . f ur ns a o r o . B , v l r B ur ns w a s no pi a t e . . h r ns a t . B u , Ot w y, 4

ur ns e n ” B , O w n f ur ns e sce n a s o . B , d d t f ur ns a t a n w e n ca r e e r o . . B , C p i O ,

ur ns c a r e r ome . B , Ri h d J

ur ns Wa e r ra nc s . . B , lt F i

ur ns Wa t e r ra nc s r . . B , l F i , J

ur ns X . u e ne . B , E g f f n m . ur ns e o r n o a e o . B vill , igi n n n r Ca a l buildi g fe ve r 1 N o th Ca r o li na . nn n n m f a n Ca o o t o b o Ca pt i Otw a y B ur ns .

Ca pe Ra ce . . r r Ca di na l Be a ufo t . C a r o le na

a r o na o r n o f. C li , igi r n Ca ta ge a . . r re ri i n f n m a t e o o a e . C t, g i r r e a rt e r e t e o . C , S G g “ ” s r Cha s e u . a r H n f s n r m o . e us ce s st a ce o . . Cl k, Chi J ti , a i f r H n r m r s a o . e ust ce nt o uct o r re a a t Cl k , Chi f J i , i d y k re s n a t n r r p e t i o o f po t a it . a r H f o n . e ust ce o ra t o n o . . Cl k, Chi f J i , i o n e e r a t e a e s e m r t e r n C f d St t ploye d p iva e i g . “ Co nst it ut i on

a s o ma s D vi , Th C .

D e o e . C k ly . sc n n r Di ipli e o a P iva t e e r . “ ” “ Domi n i ck a t t a cks t he Sna p Dr a gon D ifficulty o f shipp i ng or e w r n n r n n r s Ea ste a d W e ste Co t ove r y . “ ” “ Fa w n a tta cks t he Sn a p - D ra go n e ra s n n f h r F de li ts oppo e ts o t e w a . r Fo t M a co n . “ ” a r a n a a c s na - ra o n 2 G l d tt k S p D g 9, 94, m a s o n u e W a . G t , J dg illi m a u e r o a s N . . G ti , Th “ e ne r r ms r o n a a c s 2 un r G a l A t g tt k a 4 g f iga te . “ n r r n i n Ge e a l A rmst o g Fa ya l . . m e ne r a o se i n t he n a n r r a a Wa . . G h , G l J ph , I di “ ” a r e o n o w ne r o f t h e na r a on H v y , J h , S p D g “ ” H e nr i e tta ca ptur e d . f s o r ca a a sca r c o . . Hi t i l d t , ity “ ” “ ” J a ne ca pture d by t he Sna p D ra go n .

o n a r o n a r e r e a nd a r r a n le . J h , B C t t E l G vil

o ns o n o e r no r Ga r e . J h t , G v b i l “ ” “ Le op a r d ca ptur e s t h e Sna p - D ra gon

Le t t e r s o f M a rque a nd Re p r i sa l . “ ” Le ve re ch a nge d t o Sna p-D ra go n r r Lo r ds P op r i e to s ” McKi nle a me s ow ne r o ft he na - r a on y , J , S p D g

a ra ca o . . M ib 34, X r a r n u e r a nc s a e un s e ur ns . 8 1 M ti , J dg F i vi , p i h d by B , Ba nt ho-l m e M a s sa cr e o f St . e w n me n t o a ur ns r o ra m a t un e n f o u w . M t Ot y B , p g v ili g o m f s se n r m t o s f m N a e s o ve sse l ch o f o h e o a ni a ls .

a s re n o f i n w a r o f 1 8 12 . N vy, t gth , “ ” “ e e r a a c s t h e Sna - r a o n 1 N ttl tt k p D g 3 , 95, n N e w fo undla d . “ ” n- n s r u f h N o Such va li a t t ggl e o t e . r n r a ra n s n N o r th Ca o li a B ig d e a t C e I sl a d . . i r 1 1 2 N o rt h Ca r o lina n t he w a o f 8 . A m nn c r . u omu us . a ss s a n e o N , R l , i t f r O cr a cok e di scove e d . . m ns ow oun o r n o f na e . O l C ty, igi ns ow s e a e r O l , p k “ ” P a nd o r a ca ptur e d by t he Sna p - D r a gon

Sna p -D ra go n ca pture s th re e ve sse l s o ff Ca p e Ra ce 37 Sna - r a o n c a se s t he 1 1 2 p D g h 3 , 3

- na r r f. . S a on c e w o . 8 p D g 45, 5 na r a o n m e nfl c 2 S p D g da a g i i te d . 8 ” Sna - r a o n e scr o n o f 26 p D g , d ipti na - r a o n e s r o s n s r a e r 6 S p D g d t y E gli h p iv t e . 3 Sna p - D r a go n e sca p e s t h e 40 Sna - ra o n e sca e s t he o m n c 1 1 2 p D g p D i i k 3 , 3 ” — h n Sna r a o n e sca e s t e a w . 1 2 p D g p F 34, 4 “ Sna — r a o n e sca e s t he a r a n 2 1 1 p D g p G l d 9, 3 “ Sna p - D r a go n e sca pe s t h e Ri fl e ma n 39 “ ” Sna - O r a o n e sca e s t he So a 1 1 1 p g p phi 3 , 3 na - r n m f r S p D a go e st i a te o ca ptu e s by t h e . 1 03

na - r x n e S p D a go n e te t o f voy a g s . 28

- Sna r a o n t e o ut . . 2 1 22 p D g fi t d 4,

n - r n f S a a o a s cr u se o . 2 1 0 p D g l t i 5 , 5 Sna p-D ra go n Lo g o f t he 1 2 1

n - r f h S a a o n ow n e r s o t e . 2 p D g 4, 75

n a - r a n - n u f 8 S p D go se a go i g q a liti e s o . . 4 na — ra o n s e co n cr u se f t h 6 S p D g d i o e . 3

na - r a o n r r u s f t h S p D g thi d c i e o e . . 44 1 06 “ ” So a a t a c s Sna - ra o n 0 1 1 phi t k p D g 3 , 94, 3

Sw a n o e r no r . . 2 1 1 i , G v 7, 3 ur na m 8 S i . . 4

nt r uz 1 Sa a C . . 35 1 32

a c cs f r r s 1 T ti o p iva te e . . 9 a o r s a a c o w ne r o f t he Sna r a o n T y l , I , p D g 75 o r o a 1 1 2 T t l 3 , 3 2 T r e a ty o f P a r i s o n p r i va t e e r i ng . 5 “ U n ite d 79 U n e r s a a z ne 2 86 iv ity M g i 7,

V e ne z ue l a . 35 “ ” r r i r W a i o r b uilt by C a p a n Otw a y B u ns . 57 W a s hi n gt o n b ur nt by B r iti sh 27 W r l n 2 o C o . o hitf d , J h 7 W n e ns L a n ur s . . ilk , illi B 59 W e ns . n on . ilk , J A th y

W e ns e o o ra Wa lt o na . ilk , Th d Y n a ce y, Ba rtl e tt . m Ya nce o unt o r n o f na e . y C y, igi Y r rm a d a d ue l .