Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1891-05-09
Ea.I,e offha 81, rs.s.

DEAR SIR enclose extracts from
Campbell's History of Virginia, in
reference to the Battle of Barges. Nc
doubt it will interest some of YOU
readers and prompt Others to write
an article giving q far better descrip-
ton, ETC., of that historic event.
In reference thereto Charles Camp
bell in his history of the COLONY and
Ancient Dominion of Virginia, chap
ter c, pages 739, ETC., says:
SIN 1772 Maryland sent out Com
lnodore 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
i the command of Commodore Kid, a
Scotchman, Whaley deemed them too
strong for him, solicited aid from
Colonel John Chopper, commander
of Accomac county, who, with q
party of volunteers reinforced him.
Colonel Chopper, with several Acco-
mae gentlemen went on board the
Protector, the Commodore's barge.
Wha:ey 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 cnemy's
barges were deserted in the morning
of the thirteenth of November, in
.Cagcy's straits, they soon hove to
: and formed in line. The action COM
mcnced MT half past nine o'clock and
/ lasted twenty five minutes. The fore
most of Whaley's harges having fired
ia sho' at long distance retreated.
He. nevertheless. with the Protector
advanced to within fifty yards of the
enemy, exposed to their fire, and re-
turned it warmly. A gunner in han
ding an eighteen-ponnder cartridge
ont Of thc chest happened to break
it, and the split powder. although
water had been poured upon it,
cnnght fire from the flash Of the small
arms and the chest exploded. pro-
dur;ng great confusion on board,
killing two or three and causing a
NUMBER of men. some will! their
clothes on fire, to jump overheard.
The enemy, encouraged by this,
pushed on with redoubled fury. and
Whaley was deserted hv his other
five barrcs, who fled ingiorionsly,
ilenving their commander to his fate.
Three of Kids bargcs were already
along side of him. when second am
munition chest exploded renewing
the scene of disaster and confusion.
Lieutenant Handy cnquire.l of Wha-
lev whether it would not be better to
strike, Re replied that he s!o1ld rot
strike. Colonel Chopper describes
the action at this time as "a contin-
ual shower of lnusket bullets, pixies,
cold shot, cutlasses and iron stan
tials for eight or ten minutes" The
Protector being oyerpowered by
numbers, most of the men being
driven from their quarters, she was
surrendered, the general cry being
for quarters, which however, the en-
envy refused. The barges was now
boarded by the blacks with brutal
cruelty. In this action all tho Pro
tector's officers were either killed or
wounded. Whaley fell, killed by a
musket ball, Captain Handy fell
i fighting with one arm after the other
had been broken. Lieutenant Fandy
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 vol
unteers Captain Christian was killed
with musket ball. Capt. William
Snead, Mr.. John Reville and Colonel
Chopper were wounded. Among
those thrown into the water by the
explosion was William Glib, a Scotch
man, for many years deputy clerk of
Accomac. He could not swim and
was sinking when his friend Captain
Parker seized him by tho hair and
kept him adoat; they were both
picked up by the enemy. As long as
Glib lived, which was for 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."
(Charles Campbell, the author, gives
credit to DR.. Levin S. Joynes for the
material from which the above was
written. CLAY.