CHAPTER C.
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.
