Wednesday, July 01, 2015

Ocracoke and the Revolution

As we prepare to celebrate Independence Day, I thought our readers would enjoy reading this paragraph from the Pennsylvania Journal, dated Wednesday, June 4, 1777:

"May 9. The Brune, a frigate of 36 guns, and the Merlin, of 20 guns, two of his tyrannic Majesty’s ships of war, are now cruising on this coast, having lately taken nine vessels between Ocracock and Cape-Fear, where they put in to water, having on board a renagado [an archaic form of renegade] American pilot, who served his time in Cape Fear river. The prisoners say the ships are not half manned, and that they met with great insults and savage usage from the humane and polite English officers and seamen, and were stripped of their money and cloaths"

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter relates the story of the prohibition-era rum runner Messenger of Peace that brought much pleasure to the residents of Portsmouth. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news062115.htm

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