Halifax County NcArchives News.....French Ferocity in 1797 August 16, 1810
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Carolyn Shank Carolynshank@msn.com November 1, 2008, 11:34 am

Thursday, Aug. 16, 1810, Raleigh Minerva August 16, 1810
(Reprinted from  Oct. 9, 1797)
HALIFAX, N. C. – Sept. 25 – Last week arrived at Plymouth, in this State, 
CAPT. LEWIS BOSMAN, in a schooner, belonging to MESSRS. STEWART and ARMSTEAD 
of that place. CAPT. BOSMAN was captured on his homeward bound passage by a 
French privateer, who took all the hands out of the schooner, except the 
Captain’s mate, and supercargo and put five our dear sansculotte allies on 
board. Having no French colors, they transformed American into French, and 
with the fragments decorated the unfortunate Captain, round whom they danced 
the Carmagnole, by way of condolence. Then they seized a hog on board, which 
they called King George, and after cutting off his head, again danced other 
republican gambols, a la mode de Paris. The sagacious and intrepid did not let 
these maneuvers pass unobserved, and taking a good opportunity, seized the 
fellow at the helm, whom he soon secured, and gaining possession of the arm,, 
chest, with the assistance of his mate and super cargo (a manly and spirited 
Quaker of Bertie County) the others were immediately mastered. The privateer 
was at this time only at a small distance; they therefore proceeded on the 
course directed, until the privateer got to a proper distance, when they 
altered their course, committed our dear allies to a leaky boat, in which they 
might either sing La Camagnole, Ca Ira, bale or sink; proceeded on their 
voyage, and these gallant brave men had the good fortune to reach their 
destined port without again encountering any of these merciless pirates. It is 
supposed that the Frenchmen got safe to land, as one of the islands was in 
sight.



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