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<v Speaker 1>Chapter twenty six of Buccaneers and Pirates of Our Coasts.

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<v Speaker 1>This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in

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<v Speaker 1>the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please

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<v Speaker 1>visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Jare Foley Beach, South Carolina.

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<v Speaker 1>Buccaneers and Pirates of Our Coasts by Frank R. Stockton,

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<v Speaker 1>Chapter twenty six, The Battle of the sand Bars. When

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<v Speaker 1>that estimable private gentleman, mister William Rhett of Charlestown, had

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<v Speaker 1>received a commission from the Governor to go forth, on

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<v Speaker 1>his own responsibility and meet the dreaded pirate, the news

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<v Speaker 1>of whose depredations had thrown the good citizens into such

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<v Speaker 1>a fever of apprehension, he took possession, in the name

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<v Speaker 1>of the law of two large sloops, the Henry and

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<v Speaker 1>the se Nymph, which were in the harbor, and at

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<v Speaker 1>his own expense, he manned them with well armed crews,

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<v Speaker 1>and put on board each of them eight small cannon.

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<v Speaker 1>When everything was ready, mister Rhett was in command of

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<v Speaker 1>a very formidable force for those waters, And if he

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<v Speaker 1>had been ready to sail a few days sooner, he

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<v Speaker 1>would have had an opportunity of giving his men some

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<v Speaker 1>practice in fighting pirates before they met the particular and

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<v Speaker 1>more important sea robber whom they had set out to encounter.

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<v Speaker 1>Just as his vessel was ready to sail, mister Rhett

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<v Speaker 1>received news that a pirate ship had captured two or

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<v Speaker 1>three merchantmen just outside the harbor, and he put out

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<v Speaker 1>to sea with all possible haste, and cruised up and

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<v Speaker 1>down the coast for some time. But he did not

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<v Speaker 1>find this most recent depredator, who had departed very promptly

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<v Speaker 1>when he heard that armed ships were coming out of

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<v Speaker 1>the harbor. Now, mister Rhett, who was no more of

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<v Speaker 1>a sailor than Steve Bonnet had been when he first

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<v Speaker 1>began his seafaring life, boldly made his way up the

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<v Speaker 1>coast to the mouth of Cape Fear River, where he

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<v Speaker 1>had been and told the pirate vessel was lying. When

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<v Speaker 1>he reached his destination, mister Rhet found that it would

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<v Speaker 1>not be an easy thing to ascend the river, for

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<v Speaker 1>the reason that the pilots he had brought with him

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<v Speaker 1>knew nothing about the waters of that part of the coast.

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<v Speaker 1>And although the two ships made their way very cautiously,

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<v Speaker 1>it was not long after they had entered the river

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<v Speaker 1>before they got out of the channel, and it being

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<v Speaker 1>low tide, both of them ran aground upon sand bars.

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<v Speaker 1>This was a very annoying accident, but it was not

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<v Speaker 1>disastrous for the sailing masters who commanded the sloops knew

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<v Speaker 1>very well that when the tide rose, their vessels would

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<v Speaker 1>float again. But it prevented mister Rhet from going on

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<v Speaker 1>and making an immediate attack upon the pirate vessel, the

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<v Speaker 1>topmasts of which could be plainly seen behind a high

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<v Speaker 1>headland some distance up the river. Of course, Bonnet, or

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<v Speaker 1>Captain Thomas, as he now chose to be called, soon

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<v Speaker 1>became aware of the fact that two good sized vessels

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<v Speaker 1>were lying a ground near the mouth of the river, and,

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<v Speaker 1>having a very natural curiosity to see what sort of

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<v Speaker 1>craft they were, He waited until nightfall and then sent

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<v Speaker 1>three armed boats to make observations. When these boats returned

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<v Speaker 1>to the Royal James and reported that the grounded vessels

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<v Speaker 1>were not well loaded trading craft, but large sloops, full

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<v Speaker 1>of men and armed with cannon, Bonnet, for we prefer

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<v Speaker 1>to call him by his old name, had good reason

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<v Speaker 1>to fold his arms, knit his brows, and strut up

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<v Speaker 1>and down the deck. He was sure that the armed

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<v Speaker 1>vessels came from Charlestown, and there was no reason to

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<v Speaker 1>doubt that if the Governor of South Carolina had sent

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<v Speaker 1>two ships against him, the matter was a very serious one.

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<v Speaker 1>He was penned up in the river. He had only

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<v Speaker 1>one fighting vessel to contend against two, and if he

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<v Speaker 1>could not succeed in getting out to sea before he

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<v Speaker 1>should be attacked by the Charlestown ships, there would be

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<v Speaker 1>but little chance of his continuing in his present line

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<v Speaker 1>of business. If the Royal James had been ready to sail,

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<v Speaker 1>there was no doubt that Bonnet would have taken his

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<v Speaker 1>chance of finding the channel in the dark, and would

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<v Speaker 1>have sailed away that night without regard to the cannonading

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<v Speaker 1>which might have been directed against him from the two

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<v Speaker 1>stranded vessels. But as it was impossible to get ready

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<v Speaker 1>to sail, Bonnet went to work with the greatest energy

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<v Speaker 1>to get ready to fight. He knew that when the

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<v Speaker 1>tide rose there would be two armed sloops afloat, and

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<v Speaker 1>that there would be a regular naval battle on the

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<v Speaker 1>quiet waters of Cape Fear River. All night his men

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<v Speaker 1>worked to clear the decks and get everything in order

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<v Speaker 1>for the coming combat, and all night mister Rhett and

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<v Speaker 1>his crews kept a sharp watch for any unexpected move

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<v Speaker 1>of the enemy while they loaded their guns, their pistols,

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<v Speaker 1>and their cannon and put everything in order for action.

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<v Speaker 1>Very early in the morning, the wide away crews of

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<v Speaker 1>the South Carolina vessels, which were now afloat and at anchor,

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<v Speaker 1>saw that the topmasts of the pirate craft were beginning

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<v Speaker 1>to move above the distant headland, and very soon Bonnet

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<v Speaker 1>ship came out into view under full sail, and as

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<v Speaker 1>he veered around, they saw that she was coming toward them.

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<v Speaker 1>Up went the Anchor, and up went the sails of

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<v Speaker 1>the Henry and the Sea Nymph, and the naval battle

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<v Speaker 1>between the retired army officer who had almost learned to

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<v Speaker 1>be a sailor and the private gentleman from South Carolina,

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<v Speaker 1>who knew nothing whatever about managing ships, was about to begin.

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<v Speaker 1>It was plain to the South Carolinians that the great

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<v Speaker 1>object of the pirate captain was to get out to

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<v Speaker 1>sea just as soon as he could, and that he

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<v Speaker 1>was coming down the river not because he wished to

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<v Speaker 1>make an immediate attack upon them, but because he hoped

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<v Speaker 1>to slip by them and get away. Of course, they

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<v Speaker 1>could follow him upon the ocean and fight him if

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<v Speaker 1>their vessels were fast enough. But once out of the river,

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<v Speaker 1>with plenty of sea room, he would have twenty chances

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<v Speaker 1>of escape where now he had won. But mister Rhet

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<v Speaker 1>did not intend that the pirates should play him this

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<v Speaker 1>little trick. He wanted to fight the dastardly wretches in

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<v Speaker 1>the river where they could not get away, and he

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<v Speaker 1>had no idea of letting them sneak out to sea. Consequently,

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<v Speaker 1>as the Royal James, under full sail, was making her

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<v Speaker 1>way down the river, keeping as far as possible from

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<v Speaker 1>her two enemies, mister Rhett ordered his ships to bear

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<v Speaker 1>down upon her so as to cut off her retreat

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<v Speaker 1>and force her toward the opposite shore of the river.

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<v Speaker 1>This maneuver was performed with great success. The two Charlestown

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<v Speaker 1>sloops sailed so boldly and swiftly toward the Royal James

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<v Speaker 1>that the latter was obliged to hug the shore, and

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<v Speaker 1>the first thing the pirates knew they were stuck fast

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<v Speaker 1>and tight upon a sand bar. Three minutes later, the

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<v Speaker 1>Henry ran upon a sand bar, and there being enough

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<v Speaker 1>of these obstructions in that river to satisfy any ordinary demand.

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<v Speaker 1>This see Nymph very soon grounded herself upon another of them,

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<v Speaker 1>but unfortunately she took up her permanent position at a

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<v Speaker 1>considerable distance from her consort. Here now were the vessels

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<v Speaker 1>which were to conduct the memorable sea fight, all three

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<v Speaker 1>fast in the sand and unable to move, and their

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<v Speaker 1>predicament was made the worse by the fact that it

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<v Speaker 1>would be five hours before the tide would rise high

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<v Speaker 1>enough for any one of them to float. The positions

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<v Speaker 1>of the three vessels were very peculiar and awkward. The

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<v Speaker 1>Henry and the Royal James were lying so near to

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<v Speaker 1>each other that mister Rhett could have shot Major Bonnet

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<v Speaker 1>with a pistol if the latter gentleman had given him

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<v Speaker 1>the chance, and the Sea Nymph was so far away

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<v Speaker 1>that she was entirely out of the fight, and her

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<v Speaker 1>crew could do nothing but stand and watch what was

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<v Speaker 1>going on between the other two vessels. But although they

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<v Speaker 1>could not get any nearer each other nor get away

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<v Speaker 1>from each other, the pirates and mister Rhet's crew had

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<v Speaker 1>no idea of postponing the battle until they should be

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<v Speaker 1>afloat and able to fight in the ordinary fashion of ships.

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<v Speaker 1>They immediately began to fire at each other with pistols,

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<v Speaker 1>muskets and cannon, and the din and roar was something

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<v Speaker 1>that must have astonished the birds and beasts and fishes

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<v Speaker 1>of that quiet region. As the tide continued to run

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<v Speaker 1>out of the river and its waters became more and

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<v Speaker 1>more shallow, the two contending vessels began to careen over

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<v Speaker 1>to one side, and unfortunately for the Henry, they both

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<v Speaker 1>careened in the same direction, and in such a manner

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<v Speaker 1>that the deck of the Royal James was inclined away

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<v Speaker 1>from the Henry, while the deck of the latter leaned

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<v Speaker 1>toward the pirate foe. This gave a great advantage to

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<v Speaker 1>Bonnet and his crew, for they were in a great

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<v Speaker 1>measure protected by the hull of their vessel, whereas the

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<v Speaker 1>whole deck of the Henry was exposed to the fire

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<v Speaker 1>of the pirates. But mister Rhett and his South Carolinians

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<v Speaker 1>were all brave men, and they blazed away with their

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<v Speaker 1>muskets and pistols at the Pirates whenever they could see

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<v Speaker 1>a head above the rail of the Royal James, while

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<v Speaker 1>with their cannon they kept firing at the pirate's hull.

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<v Speaker 1>For five long hours the fight continued, but the cannon

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<v Speaker 1>carried by the two vessels must have been a very

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<v Speaker 1>small caliber, for if they had been firing at such

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<v Speaker 1>short range and for such a length of time with

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<v Speaker 1>modern guns, they must have shattered each other into kindlingwood.

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<v Speaker 1>But neither vessel seems to have been seriously injured, and

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<v Speaker 1>although there were a good many men killed on both sides,

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<v Speaker 1>the combat was kept up with great determination and fury.

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<v Speaker 1>At one time it seemed almost certain that Bonnet would

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<v Speaker 1>get the better of mister Rhett, and he ordered his

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<v Speaker 1>black flag waved contemptuously in the air, while his men

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<v Speaker 1>shouted to the South Carolinians to come over and call

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<v Speaker 1>upon them. But the South Carolina boys answered these taunts

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<v Speaker 1>with cheers and fired away more furiously than ever. The

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<v Speaker 1>tide was now coming in, and everybody on board the

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<v Speaker 1>two fighting vessels knew very well that the first one

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<v Speaker 1>of them, which should float, would have a great advantage

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<v Speaker 1>over the other, and would probably be the conqueror. In

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<v Speaker 1>came the tide, and still the cannons roared and the

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<v Speaker 1>muskets cracked, while the hearts of the pirates and the south,

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<v Speaker 1>Carolinians almost stood still as they each watched the other

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<v Speaker 1>vessel to see if she showed any signs of floating.

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<v Speaker 1>At last, such signs were seen. The Henry was further

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<v Speaker 1>from the shore than the Royal James, and she first

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<v Speaker 1>felt the influence of the rising waters. Her masts began

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<v Speaker 1>to straighten, and at last her deck was level, and

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<v Speaker 1>she floated clear of the bottom, while her antagonist still

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<v Speaker 1>lay careened over on her side. Now the pirates saw

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<v Speaker 1>there was no chance for them. In a very short time,

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<v Speaker 1>the other Carolina sloop would be afloat, and then the

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<v Speaker 1>two vessels would bear down upon them and utterly destroy

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<v Speaker 1>both them and their consequently upon the Royal James. There

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<v Speaker 1>was a general disposition to surrender and to make the

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<v Speaker 1>best terms they could, for it would be a great

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<v Speaker 1>deal better to submit and run the chance of a

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<v Speaker 1>trial than to keep up the fight against enemies so

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<v Speaker 1>much superior both in numbers and ships, who would soon

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<v Speaker 1>be upon them. But Bonnet would not listen to one

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<v Speaker 1>word of surrender. Rather than give up the fight, he

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<v Speaker 1>declared he would set fire to the powder magazine of

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<v Speaker 1>the Royal James and blow himself, his ship and his

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<v Speaker 1>men high up into the air. Although he had not

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<v Speaker 1>a sailor's skill, he possessed a soldier's soul, and in

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<v Speaker 1>spite of his being a dastardly and cruel pirate, he

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<v Speaker 1>was a brave man. But Bonnet was only one, and

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<v Speaker 1>his crew numbered dozens, and notwithstanding his furiously dissenting voice,

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<v Speaker 1>it was determined to surrender, And when mister Rhett sailed

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<v Speaker 1>up to the Royal James, intending to board her if

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<v Speaker 1>the pirates still showed resistance, he found them ready to

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<v Speaker 1>submit to terms and to yield themselves his prisoners. Thus

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<v Speaker 1>ended the great sea fight between the private gentlemen, and

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<v Speaker 1>thus ended Steed Bonnet's career. He and his men were

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<v Speaker 1>taken to Charlestown, where most of the pirate crew were

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<v Speaker 1>tried and executed. The green hand pirate, who had wrought

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<v Speaker 1>more devastation along the American coast than many a skilled

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<v Speaker 1>sea robber, was held in custody to await his trial.

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<v Speaker 1>And it seems very strange that there should have been

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<v Speaker 1>a public sentiment in Charlestown which induced the officials to

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<v Speaker 1>treat this pirate with a certain degree of respect, simply

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<v Speaker 1>from the fact that his station in life had been

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<v Speaker 1>that of a gentleman. He was a much more black

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<v Speaker 1>hearted scoundrel than any of his men, But they were

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<v Speaker 1>executed as soon as possible, while his trial was postponed,

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<v Speaker 1>and he was allowed privileges which would never have been

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<v Speaker 1>accorded a common pirate. In consequence of this leniency, he

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<v Speaker 1>escaped and had to be retaken by mister Rhett. It

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<v Speaker 1>was so long before he was tried that sympathy for

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<v Speaker 1>his misfortunes arose among some of the tender hearted citizens

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<v Speaker 1>of Charlestown, whose houses he would have pillaged and whose

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<v Speaker 1>families he would have murdered if the exigencies of piracy

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<v Speaker 1>had rendered such action desirable. Finding that other people were

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<v Speaker 1>trying to save his life, Bonnet came down from his

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<v Speaker 1>high horse and tried to save it himself by writing

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<v Speaker 1>piteous letters to the governor begging for mercy. But the

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<v Speaker 1>governor of South Carolina had no notion of sparing a

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<v Speaker 1>pirate who had deliberately put himself under the protection of

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<v Speaker 1>the law in order that he might better pursue his

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<v Speaker 1>lawless and wicked career. And the green hand with the

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<v Speaker 1>black heart was finally hung on the same spot where

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<v Speaker 1>his companions had been executed. End of recording, end of

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<v Speaker 1>chapter twenty six recording by Jare Folly bad Each South

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<v Speaker 1>Carolina Buccaneers and Pirates of our Coasts by Frank R.

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<v Speaker 1>Stockton