1781.
Capture of the Patriot--The Barrons and Captain Starlins--
Battle of the Barges.
WHILE the British men-of-war and transports were assembled in Hampton
Roads, in co-operation with Cornwallis, in the spring and summer of
1781, the small craft were engaged in frequent depredations, going up
the James as far as Jamestown, and looking into the smaller streams for
plunder. To afford some little relief to the distressed inhabitants, for
the most part women, the men being at sea, or in the army, or prisoners,
it was determined to employ the only vessel then afloat belonging to the
State--the schooner Patriot. She was small, and mounted only eight
two-pounders; but she had more than once captured vessels of twice her
calibre. Captain Watkins having received his orders, proceeded at once
down the James River upon this service. For some weeks a sloop, supposed
to be a privateer, had been committing depredations, and Watkins
determined to overhaul her. Two young Virginians were on the north side
of the James, in the County of Elizabeth City, endeavoring day after day
to cross the river and find a safer refuge on the south side of it.
Daily emerging from a small house, "in the great gust-wood," where they
found temporary shelter, they repaired to the river side, distant about
three miles, looking out for some craft to convey them across. In
company of the two brothers was a negro, a native of Africa, who had
been brought to Virginia in his youth, and had soon evinced an ardent
attachment to it. He was an expert pilot, and a devoted "patriot." On a
Sunday morning, as the trio stood on the river bank, at a point in
Warwick County, they espied the schooner Patriot in chase of the
plundering sloop, and apparently gaining fast upon her. The negro, known
as Captain Starlins, at this spectacle, gave noisy utterance to his
extravagant joy, hopping about and clapping together his uplifted hands.
The three hoped soon to witness the capture of the sloop; but it turned
out that she was purposely retarded in her course by a drag thrown out
over her starboard bow, and the Patriot coming alongside of her, there
suddenly up jumped fifty marines, and in a moment the Patriot was
captured.[739:A] The three spectators beheld the catastrophe with
intense disappointment. From the zenith of hope Captain Starlins had
been suddenly plunged souse down to the nadir of despair. He and the
younger of the brothers burst into tears, while the older brother,
fifteen years of age, although no less grieved, had more command over
his sensibilities. Giving a parting look to the unfortunate schooner as
she disappeared in the hazy distance, they retraced their steps. Watkins
and those under him were sent off to Charleston, and confined in the
provost prison, where he died. The Patriot was taken round to Yorktown.
Captain Mark Starlins died a slave a few years after, and just before
the passage of a law giving freedom to those men of color who had served
the patriotic cause. His slavery, however, appears to have been merely
nominal; for his master fully appreciated his noble character, and which
was held in high estimation by all worthy citizens, especially by all
the navy officers of Virginia. The two brothers were the Barrons,
afterwards distinguished in the United States naval service.[739:B]
In 1782 Maryland sent out Commodore Whaley, with some barges, to protect
the Eastern Shore of that State against bucaneering crafts manned by
British sailors, and tories, and negroes. Receiving information of the
appearance of a flotilla of such barges in the Chesapeake Bay, under
command of a Commodore Kid, a Scotchman, Whaley, deeming them too strong
for him, solicited aid from Colonel John Cropper, commander of Accomac
County, who, with a party of volunteers, re-enforced him. Colonel
Cropper, with several Accomac gentlemen, went on board the Protector,
the commodore's barge. Whaley having requested those in the other barges
to support him in case the enemy should make a push at him, they
promised to do so, "or all sink together." The enemy's barges were
descried in the morning of the thirtieth of November, in Cagey's
Straits: they soon hove to, and formed in line. The action commenced at
half-past nine o'clock, and lasted twenty-five minutes. The foremost of
Whaley's barges having fired a few shot at long distance, retreated. He,
nevertheless, with the Protector advanced to within fifty yards of the
enemy, exposed to their fire, and returning it warmly. A gunner, in
handing an eighteen-pounder cartridge out of the chest, happened to
break it, and the spilt powder, although water had been poured upon it,
caught fire from the flash of the small arms, and the chest exploded,
producing great confusion on board, killing two or three, and causing a
number of men, some with their clothes on fire, to jump overboard. The
enemy, encouraged by this, pushed on with redoubled fury, and Whaley was
deserted by his other five barges, who fled ingloriously, leaving their
commander to his fate. Three of Kid's barges were already alongside of
him, when a second ammunition chest exploded, renewing the scene of
disaster and confusion. Lieutenant Handy enquired of Whaley whether it
would not be better to strike: he replied that he should not strike.
Colonel Cropper describes the action at this time as "a continual shower
of musket bullets, pikes, cold shot, cutlasses, and iron stantials, for
eight or ten minutes." The Protector being overpowered by numbers, most
of the men being driven from their quarters, she was surrendered, the
general cry being for quarter, which, however, the enemy refused. The
barge was now boarded by the blacks with brutal cruelty. In this action
all the Protector's officers were either killed or wounded. Whaley fell,
killed by a musket ball; Captain Handy fell fighting with one arm, after
the other had been broken. Lieutenant Handy was severely wounded. Of the
sixty-five men that went into action in the Protector twenty-five were
killed or drowned, and twenty-nine wounded, some mortally. Of the
Accomac volunteers Captain Christian was killed with a musket ball.
Captain William Snead, Mr. John Reville, and Colonel Cropper, were
wounded. Among those thrown into the water by the explosion was William
Gibb, a Scotchman, for many years deputy clerk of Accomac. He could not
swim, and was sinking when his friend, Captain Parker, seized him by the
hair, and kept him afloat until they both were picked up by the enemy.
As long as Gibb lived, which was forty-five years thereafter, he had an
annual feast at his house on the thirtieth of November, the anniversary
of the Battle of the Barges.[741:A]
Colonel Cropper at the age of nineteen was captain of the 9th Virginia
Regiment in the continental line: and in 1776 was made major in the 5th
Regiment.[741:B] He was with Washington in the Jerseys, and present at
the battles of Monmouth and Brandywine. For his good conduct in the
latter he was promoted.
FOOTNOTES:
[739:A] Such is the account given by Commodore Barron from his early
recollections. It appears, however, that he and his companions were
misled by appearances, and that the Patriot was engaged with the British
sloop for two hours, and twice attempted to board her, but
ineffectually. At length the sloop cut away the Patriot's main
halliards, and her main-sail fell to the deck; when, receiving a
broadside, and being no longer manageable, the Patriot struck her
colors.--[_Va. Navy of Revolution_, _S. Lit. Messr._, 1857, p. 147.]
[739:B] Va. Hist. Register, i. 127.
[741:A] I am indebted to Dr. Levin S. Joynes for some MSS. relative to
the Battle of the Barges.
[741:B] Levin Joynes, of Accomac, became at the same time major in the
9th, and Thomas Snead, of the same county, major in the 7th Regiment.