In perusing your Book, Entitled, _A General History of the Robberies and
Murders of the most notorious Pyrates_, &c. I find there an Account of
the taking Captain _Worley_ and his Crew, in many Particulars of which
you have been very much misinformed, and consequently the Publick is so;
that Pyrate having been taken off the Bar of _Charles Town_ in _South
Carolina_ by Col. _Robert Johnson_, the then Governor, in Person; to
whom to do Justice, I have sent you the following Account of the taking
him; for, as to his Beginning and Rise, I cannot say but your Account
may be right, as you have set it forth in your aforesaid Book.
In _October_, 1718, Governor _Johnson_ was informed, that there was a
Pyrate Ship off the Bar of _Charles Town_, commanded by one _Moody_,
carrying 50 Guns, and near 200 Men, that he had taken two Ships bound to
that Port from _New England_, and was come to an Anchor with them to the
Southward of the Bar; whereupon, he called his Council and the principal
Gentlemen of the Place, and proposed to them, to fit out a proper Force
to go out and attack him, fearing he might lie there some Time, as
_Thatch_ and _Vane_ had done before, and annoy the Trade; which they
unanimously agreeing, and there being, at that Time, 14 or 15 Ships in
the Harbour, he impress'd the _Mediterranean_ Gally, _Arthur Loan_, and
the King _William_, _John Watkinson_, Commanders; and two Sloops, one of
which was the _Revenge_, taken from _Stede Bonnet_, the Pyrate, and
another from _Philadelphia_; the former, Captain _John Masters_
commanded, and the latter, Captain _Fayrer Hall_; which two Captains had
lately commanded the same Sloops that took _Bonnet_ at _Cape Fear_,
about a Month before. On board the _Mediterranean_ was put 24 Guns, and
30 on Board the King _William_; the _Revenge_ Sloop had 8, and the other
Sloop 6 Guns; and being thus equipp'd, the Governor issued a
Proclamation, to encourage Voluntiers to go on Board, promising 'em all
the Booty to be shar'd among them, and that he himself would go in
Person with 'em; but the Ships and Sloops before-mentioned being
impress'd, it was natural for the Commanders to desire some Assurance of
Satisfaction to be made the Owners, in Case of a Misfortune; so that the
Governor found it necessary to call the General Assembly of the
Province, without whom it was impossible for him to give them the
Satisfaction they desired, and who, without any Hesitation, pass'd a
Vote, that they would pay for the said Vessels, in Case they were lost,
according to an Appraisement then made of them, and what other Expences
accrued to carry on this necessary Expedition. This Way of Proceeding
took up a Week's Time, during which, the Governor ordered Scout Boats to
ply up and down the River, as well to guard the Port from any Attempts
the Pyrates might make to Land, as to hinder them from having Advice of
what was doing, and also laid an Embargo on the Shipping.
About three Days before the Governor sail'd, there appear'd off the Barr
a Ship, and a Sloop, who came to an Anchor, and made a Signal for a
Pilot; but they being suppos'd to be _Moody_, and a Sloop that had
join'd him (as it was said he expected) no Pilot was permitted to go
near them, and thus they rid for four Days, once or twice attempting to
send their Boat on Shore, to an Island, call'd, _Suilivants_ Island (as
they afterwards confess'd) to fetch Water, of which they were in great
Want; but they were prevented by the Scout Boats before-mentioned: And,
for Want of which, they were obliged to continue in the same Station, in
hopes some Ship would be coming in or going out, to relieve their
Necessities, they being very short also of Provisions.
And now all Things being ready, and about Three hundred Men on Board the
four Vessels, the Governor thought himself a Match for _Moody_ in his 50
Gun Ship, although he should be, as they thought he was, join'd by a
Sloop: And therefore, he sail'd with his Fleet below _Johnson_'s Fort
over Night, and the next Morning by Break of Day, weigh'd Anchor, and by
Eight in the Morning, they were over the Bar.
The Pyrate Sloop immediately slipt her Cable, hoisted a black Flag, and
stood to get between the Bar and the Governor's Ships, to prevent their
going in again, as they expected they would have done; and in a small
Time after, the Pyrate Ship also hoisted a black Flag, and made Sail
after the Sloop; during all this Time, the Men on Board the Governor's
Vessels did not appear, nor was there any Shew of Guns, until they came
within half Gun-shot; when the Governor hoisted a Flag at the
Main-top-mast Head of the _Mediterranean_, they all flung out their
Guns, and giving them their Broad-sides, the Pyrates immediately run,
whereupon, the Governor ordered the two Sloops after the Pyrate Sloop,
who stood in towards the Shore, while himself and the King _William_
followed the Ship who stood the contrary Way to Sea. She seemed to have
many Ports, and very full of Men, tho' she had fir'd but from two Guns,
which occasion'd no small Wonder on Board the Governor, why she had not
flung open her Ports, and made Use of more Guns, she being imagined all
this while to be _Moody_.
The Sloop, which proved to be _Worley_, was attacked by the two Sloops
so warmly, that the Men run into the Hold, all except _Worley_ himself
and some few others, who were killed on the Deck; and being boarded,
they took her within Sight of _Charles Town_: The People seeing the
Action from the Tops of their Houses, and the Masts of the Ships in the
Harbour, where they had placed themselves for that Purpose; but it was
Three in the Afternoon before the Governor and the King _William_ came
up with the Ship, who, during the Chase, had taken down her Flagg, and
wrapping the small Arms in it, had thrown them over-board; and also
flung over her Boat and what other Things they thought would lighten
her, but all would not do: The King _William_ came first up with her,
and firing his Chase Guns, killed several of the People on board, and
they immediately struck; when, to the no small Surprize of the Governor
and his Company, there appeared near as many Women on board as Men, who
were not a few neither. The Ship proving to be the _Eagle_, bound from
_London_ to _Virginia_, with Convicts; but had been taken by _Worley_
off the _Cape_ of _Virginia_, and had upwards of 100 Men and 30 Women on
board. Many of the Men had taken on with the Pyrates, and as such, found
in _Carolina_ the Fate they had deserved at home, being hang'd at
_Charles Town_; the virtuous Ladies were designed to have been landed on
one of the uninhabited _Bahama_ Islands, where there was a proper Port
for these Rovers to put in, at any Time, to refresh themselves, after
the Fatigue of the Sea. And thus a most hopeful Colony would have
commenced, if they had had but Provisions and Water sufficient to have
carried them to Sea; but their Fate kept them so long before the Port of
_Charles Town_, until they were destroyed, and an End put to their
wicked Lives, in the Manner before-mentioned.
Notwithstanding all the Governor's Care, that no Advice should be given
_Moody_ of the Preparations making for him, some People from the Shore
were so wicked, as to go off in the Night and give him a particular
Account of the Ships, Sloops, and Men, that were preparing to go out
against him; whereupon, he having taken (about three Days before the
Governor went) the _Minerva_, Captain _Smyter_, from the _Maderas_,
laden with Wine, he immediately weighed Anchor and took his Prize with
him, and stood out above one hundred Leagues to Sea, where he plundered
her, and named to the Master not only the Vessels, but some of the very
Persons were coming out to attack him, by which Advice he escaped, and
_Worley_ coming just as the other was gone, met the Fate designed for
_Moody_; who having taken out most of the Wine from on board the
_Minerva_, and plundered her, he discharged, and sail'd for
_Providence_, and soon after took the Benefit of his Majesty's Royal
Proclamation.
The Governor kept the Ships and Vessels in sailing Order some Time, in
Hopes _Moody_ might have come off the Bar again; but being informed by
the _Minerva_ he was sailed for _Providence_, he discharged them, giving
the small Booty taken to the Men who were the Captors, as he had
promised them.
Your Account of the taking of _Bonnet_ is pretty just, which was done by
Governor _Johnson_'s Direction and Commission also.
Of Captain _Martel_.
_To Captain_ Johnson.