Today, Barb Solem and I attended Lee Ireland's lecture on Pirates in the New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland waterways.
It was both informative and entertaining. I bought Mr. Ireland's book published at his own publishing company.
I did not know that treasure was buried all along the coast and particularly along Long Island! Another interesting fact, as recently as 1992, gold coins were found at Cape May and that a pirate ship, Blackbeard's, was recently found off the coast of North Carolina!
The author described the difference between pirates and privateers.
Pirates were unsanctioned robbers, privateers had letters of marque authorizing them to prey on ships of enemy countries.
My friend, Barbara Solem, had written a book around 2002 on a related subject, The Forks. The Forks is the waterway at the junction of the Mullica and Batsto rivers if my memory serves me correctly. There, a buy Colonial era shipbuilding and privateering enterprise went on until the British raided and burned Chestnut Neck.
The privateers liked the New Jersey rivers because they led off the Atlantic inland through circuitous routes where the British war ships couldn't find them or follow them.
Also, if I remember correctly, Benedict Arnold's beginnings of rancor and betrayal began when his profitable load of goods from his privately invested privateer ship were about to be looted by the British attack on the Forks. He used army men, carts and horses to bring his loot to safety, thereby earning a severe sanction from his superiors for using military resources for private profit. Apparently he was having trouble finding the money to court his young finance' Peggy Shippen in the style to which her wealthy family had raised her.
Lots of fascinating and surprising history in the Pines, in the pine where the un barely shines.
On another topic, the entrepreneur who started the Dark Net business called the Silk Road, which old drugs and guns and other illegal materials was recently captured after he attempted to hire a killer to assassinate a client who had robbed the Silk Road. This young man who developed this illegal business called himself "Dread Pirate Roberts!"
In my next post, some upcoming events at Vincentown.
Happy Trails!
Jo Ann
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