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Richard Worley

Posted by Under The Black Flag biographies, Richard Worley 2:16 π.μ.

Richard Worley set out from New York with eight others in a small open boat; they were ill equipped and carried a few supplies. The crew set out in late September 1718. Their ship was hardly seaworthy so they set out down the coast and up the Delaware River where they captured a shallop laden with household goods (this was not constituted as piracy, but rather burglary since it did not take place upon the sea).

The next prize taken by these men was more in keeping with their needs, a sloop out of Philadelphia. They took the sloop and increased the size of their band to 12. Within a couple more days they had taken another slop that they felt more well kept than the prior ship and transferred to it.

At this time the governor issued a proclamation for the apprehension of all pirates who had not availed themselves of the King's pardon, and ordered out the Phoenix, a ship of 20 guns, to enforce this proclamation. However, Worley and his band set out to sea and missed the Phoenix which was searching for them in the coastal waters.

Six weeks later the pirates returned, having taken another sloop and a brigantine among the Bahama Islands. The company had increased to 25 during this trip and their sloop now mounted 6 guns. Captain Worley and his crew had also adopted the skull and crossbones in their ensign. Articles were signed and the crew were officially 'on account' that they would fight to the end, no quarter asked or given.

They were next sighted off North Carolina where they paused to clean and refit their ship. The governor received this information and outfitted two ships of 8 and 6 guns to trap the pirates, but to no avail as they were gone by the time the ships arrived. Unfortunately, Worley came in sight of the ships and mistaking them for merchants moved to prevent them from entering the James Town harbor. Instead of preventing their entry, he ended up trapping himself in the harbor with two ships blocking his escape. True to their articles the pirates fought to the end, taking a broadside from one of the Carolina ships before being boarded. All of the pirates died on board, except for the captain and one other, who were very seriously wounded. Both captured pirates were hanged the next day, February 17th 1719, for fear that their wounds might prevent them from receiving the punishment that was felt due.

We see what amounts to a five month run for these pirates, if I had to speculate on their earlier lives, I would guess that they had been employed as ship hands or privateers, having been let off in New York they spent all of their money and found themselves without the means of survival. The small boat they set out in was most likely stolen and the best they could get given limited time before the season changed and weather worsened. Their start was meager but they soon found the means to pursue their goal. If they had not had some seamen skills it is unlikely that they would have survived out on the open seas.