Every Man Will Do His Duty (59 page)

On the morning of 22d of July, got under way from Lynnhaven Bay, and stood to sea. At 9
A.M.,
when about 10 miles outside of Cape Henry
lighthouse, a sail was discovered directly in the wind’s eye of us, bearing down under a press of canvass. Soon ascertaining she was a frigate, supposed to be the
Belvidere,
we stood on upon a wind until she came within short gunshot. Our foresail was now brailed up and the topsail lowered on the cap; at the same time, the frigate took in all her light sails and hauled up her courses. As the privateer lay nearer the wind than the frigate, the latter soon dropped in our wake, and when within half-gunshot, we being under cover of her guns, she furled her top-gallant sails; at the same moment we hauled aft the fore sheet, hoisted away the topsail, and tacked. By this maneuver the frigate was under our lee. We took her fire, and continued to make short boards, and in one hour were out of the reach of her guns, without receiving any damage. This was our first adventure, and we hailed it as a good omen. The crew were all in high spirits, because the frigate was considered to be as fast as any thing on our coast at that time, and, furthermore, the captain had not only gained the confidence of the crew by this daring maneuver, but we found we could rely upon our heels for safety

Nothing material occurred until we got into the Mona passage, when we fell in with the
Black Joke
privateer, of New York; and being unable to ascertain her character, in consequence of a thick fog, we came into collision and exchanged a few shots, before we found out we both wore the same national colors. This vessel was a sloop of not very prepossessing appearance; but as she had obtained some celebrity for sailing in smooth water, having previously been an Albany packet, she was fitted out as a privateer. In a sea-way, however, being very short, she could not make much more head-way than a tub. It was agreed, between the respective captains of the two vessels, to cruise in company, and in the event of a separation, to make a rendezvous at Carthagena. We soon ascertained that our craft would sail nearly two knots to the
Black Joke’s
one, and it may well be supposed that our company-keeping was of short duration. In two days after parting with her, the long-wished-for cry of “Sail ho!” was sung out from the mast-head. Made all sail in chase. When within short gunshot, let her have our midship gun, when she immediately rounded to, took in sail, hoisted English colors, and seemed to be preparing to make a gallant defence. In this we were not mistaken, for as we ranged up, she opened a brisk cannonading upon us. I now witnessed the daring intrepidity of Captain S.; for, while the brig was pouring a destructive fire into us, with the greatest coolness he observed to the crew, “That vessel, my lads, must be ours in ten minutes after I run this craft under her lee quarter.” By this time we had sheered up under her stern, and received the fire of her stern-chasers, which did us no other damage than cutting away some of our ropes and making wind-holes through the sails. It was the work of a
moment; the schooner luffed up under the lee of the brig, and, with almost the rapidity of thought, we were made fast to her main chains. “Boarders away!” shouted Capt. S. We clambered up the sides of the brig, and dropped on board of her like so many locusts, not, however, till two of our lads were run through with boarding-pikes. The enemy made a brave defence, but were soon overpowered by superior numbers, and the captain of the brig was mortally wounded. In twenty minutes after we got alongside, the stars and stripes were waving triumphantly over the British flag. In this affair, we had two killed and seven slightly wounded, besides having some of our rigging cut away, and sails somewhat riddled. The brig was from Jamaica, bound to the Gulf of Maracaibo
¹
, her cargo consisted of sugar, fruit, &c. She was two hundred tons’ burden, mounted six six-pounders, with a complement of fifteen men, all told. She was manned with a prize-master and crew, and ordered to any port in the United States wherever she could get in.

This affair very much disgusted me with privateering, especially when I saw so much loss of life, and beheld a band of ruthless desperadoes—for such I must call our crew—robbing and plundering a few defenceless beings, who were pursuing both a lawful and peaceable calling. It induced me to form a resolve that I would relinquish what, to my mind, appeared to be an unjustifiable and outrageous pursuit; for I could not then help believing that no conscientious man could be engaged in privateering, and certainly there was no honor to be gained by it. The second lieutenant came to the same determination as myself; and both of us most cordially despised our commander, because it was with his permission that those most outrageous scenes of robbing and plundering were committed on board of the brig. After repairing damages, &c, we steered away for Carthagena to fill up the water-casks and provision the privateer, so that we might extend the cruise.

IN A FEW
days we arrived at our destination, without falling in with any other vessel; and, on entering the port, we found our comrade, the
Black Joke
privateer, which had arrived a day or two previously. Carthagena lies in the parallel of 10° 26’ north, and 75° 38’ west longitude; the harbor is good, with an easy entrance; the city is strongly fortified by extensive and commanding fortifications and batteries, and I should suppose, if well garrisoned and manned, they would be perfectly able to repel any force which might be brought to bear against them. It was well known, at this time, that
all the provinces of Spain had shaken off their allegiance to the mother country and declared themselves independent. Carthagena, the most prominent of the provinces, was a place of considerable commerce; and about this time, a few men-of-war and a number of privateers were fitted out there. The Carthagenian flag now presented a chance of gain to the cupidity of the avaricious and desperate, among whom was our commander, Capt. S. As soon, therefore, as we had filled up our water, &c, a proposition was made by him, to the second lieutenant and myself, to cruise under both flags, the American and Carthagenian, and this to be kept a profound secret from the crew, until we had sailed from port. Of course we rejected the proposition with disdain and told him the consequence of such a measure, in the event of being taken by a man-of-war of any nation—that it was piracy to all intents and purposes, according to the law of nations. We refused to go out in the privateer if he persisted in this most nefarious act, and we heard no more of it while we lay in port.

In a few days we were ready for sea and sailed in company with our companion, her force being rather more than ours, but the vessel very inferior, as stated before, in point of sailing. While together, we captured several small British schooners, the cargoes of which, together with some specie, were divided between the two privateers. Into one of the prizes we put all the prisoners, gave them plenty of water and provisions, and let them pursue their course: the remainder of the prizes were burned. We then parted company, and, being short of water, ran in towards the land, in order to ascertain if any could be procured. In approaching the shore, the wind died away to a perfect calm, and, at 4
P.M.,
a small schooner was seen in shore of us. As we had not steerage way upon our craft, of course it would be impossible to ascertain her character before dark; it was, therefore, determined by our commander to board her with the boats, under cover of the night. This was a dangerous service, but there was no backing out. Volunteers being called for, I stepped forward; and very soon, a sufficient number of men to man two boats offered their services to back me. Every disposition was made for the attack. The men were strongly armed, oars muffled, and a grappling placed in each boat. The bearings of the strange sail were taken, and night came on perfectly clear and cloudless. I took command of the expedition, the second lieutenant having charge of one boat. The arrangement was to keep close together, until we got sight of the vessel; the second lieutenant was to board on the bow and I on the quarter. We proceeded in the most profound silence; nothing was heard, save now and then a slight splash of the oars in the water, and before we obtained sight of the vessel I had sufficient time to reflect on this most perilous enterprise.

My reflections were not of the most pleasant character, and I found myself inwardly shrinking, when I was aroused by the voice of the bowman, saying, ‘There she is, sir, two points on the starboard bow.” There she lay, sure enough, with every sail hoisted, and a light was distinctly seen, as we supposed, from her deck, it being too high for the cabin-windows. We now held a consultation and saw no good reason to change the disposition of attack, except that we agreed to board simultaneously. It may be well to observe here that any number of men on a vessel’s deck, in the night, have double the advantage to repel boarders, because they may secrete themselves in such a position as to fall upon an enemy unawares, and thereby cut them off with little difficulty. Being fully aware of this, I ordered the men as soon as we gained the deck of the schooner—proceed with great caution—and keep close together, till every hazard of the enterprise was ascertained. The boats now separated and pulled for their respective stations, observing the most profound silence. When we had reached within a few yards of the schooner, we lay upon our oars for some moments, but could neither hear nor see any thing. We then pulled away cheerily, and the next minute were under her counter, and grappled to her; every man leaped on the deck without opposition. The other boat boarded nearly at the same moment, and we proceeded in a body, with great caution, to examine the decks. A large fire was in the caboose, and we soon ascertained that her deck was entirely deserted, and that she neither had any boat on deck, nor to her stern. We then proceeded to examine the cabin, leaving an armed force on deck. The cabin, like the deck, being deserted, the mystery was easily unravelled. Probably concluding that we should board them under cover of the night, they, no doubt, as soon as it was dark, took to their boats and deserted the vessel. On the floor of the cabin was a part of an English ensign and some papers, which showed that she belonged to Jamaica. The little cargo on board consisted of Jamaica rum, sugar, fruit, &c.

The breeze now springing up, and the privateer showing lights, we were enabled to get alongside of her in a couple of hours. A prize-master and crew were put on board, with orders to keep company. During the night, we ran along shore, and, in the morning, took on board the privateer the greater part of the prize’s cargo.

Being close in shore in the afternoon, we descried a settlement of huts; and, supposing that water might be obtained there, the two vessels were run in and anchored about two miles distant from the beach. A proposition was made to me, by Capt. S., to get the water-casks on board the prize schooner, and, as she drew a light draught of water, I was to run her in and anchor her near the beach, taking with me the two boats and twenty men.
I observed to Capt. S. that this was probably an Indian settlement, and it was well known that all the Indian tribes on the coast of Rio de La Hache were exceedingly ferocious, and said to be cannibals; and it was also well known that whoever fell into their hands never escaped with their lives; so that it was necessary, before any attempt was made to land, that some of the Indians should be decoyed on board and detained as hostages for our safety. At the conclusion of this statement, a very illiberal allusion was thrown out by Capt. S. and some doubts expressed in reference to my courage; he remarking that if I was afraid to undertake the expedition, he would go himself. This was enough for me; I immediately resolved to proceed, if I sacrificed my life in the attempt. The next morning, twenty water-casks were put on board the prize, together with the two boats and twenty men, well armed with muskets, pistols, and cutlasses, with a supply of ammunition; I repaired on board, got the prize under way, ran in, and anchored about one hundred yards from the beach. The boats were got in readiness, and the men were well armed, and the water-casks slung, ready to proceed on shore. I had examined my own pistols narrowly that morning and had put them in complete order, and, as I believed, had taken every precaution for our future operations, so as to prevent surprise.

There were about a dozen ill-constructed huts, or wigwams; but no spot of grass or shrub was visible to the eye, with the exception of, here and there, the trunk of an old tree. One solitary Indian was seen stalking on the beach, and the whole scene presented the most wild and savage appearance, and, to my mind, augured very unfavorably. We pulled in with the casks in tow, seven men being in each boat; when within a short distance of the beach, the boats’ heads were put to seaward, when the Indian came abreast of us. Addressing him in Spanish, I inquired if water could be procured, to which he replied in the affirmative. I then displayed to his view some gewgaws and trinkets, at which he appeared perfectly delighted, and, with many signs and gestures, invited me on shore. Thrusting my pistols into my belt and buckling on my cartridge-box, I gave orders to the boats’ crews that in case they discovered any thing like treachery or surprise after I had gotten on shore, to cut the water-casks adrift and make the best of their way on board the prize. As soon as I had jumped on shore, I inquired if there were any live stock, such as fowls, &c, to be had. Pointing to a hut about thirty yards from the boats, he said that the stock was there and invited me to go and see it. I hesitated, suspecting some treachery; however, after repeating my order to the boats’ crews, I proceeded with the Indian, and when within about half a dozen yards of the hut, at a preconcerted signal (as I supposed), as if by magic, at least one hundred Indians rushed out, with the rapidity of thought. I was knocked down, stripped of
all my clothing except an inside flannel shirt, tied hand and foot, and then taken and secured to the trunk of a large tree, surrounded by about twenty squaws, as a guard, who, with the exception of two or three, bore a most wild and hideous look in their appearance. The capture of the boats’ crews was simultaneous with my own, they being so much surprised and confounded at the stratagem of the Indians that they had not the power, or presence of mind, to pull off.