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Boston News-Letter article regarding Capt. Newton & Wyer—31 May 1718 |
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Newspaper – Boston News-Letter, 31 May 1718 |
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The Boston News-Letter.; Date: From Monday June 9, to Monday June 16, 1718; Issue: 739; Page: [2]; Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Boston, On the 31st of May last, arrived here the Sloop Land of Promise Thomas Newton Master, who says that about the 5th of April last at the lsland Turneff he was taken by Capt. Edward Teach Commander of a Pirate Ship of 40 Guns, and about 300 Men, and a Sloop of 10 Guns. Capt. Teach told Capt. Newton after he had took him, that he was, bound to the Bay of Hundoras to Burn the Ship Proestant Cæsar, Commanded by Capt. Wyer who had lately fought the abovesaid Sloop, that Wyer might not brag when he went to New England that he had beat a Pirate. In the said Sloop came also Capt. William Wyer late Commander of the Ship Protestant Caesar burthen about 400 Tuns, 26 Guns Navigated with 50 Men, who on the 28th of March last about 120 Leagues to the Westward of Jamaica, near the Latitude 16, off the Island Rattan [Roatan], espyed a large Sloop which he supposed to be a Pirate, and put his Ship in order to Fight her, which said Sloop had 10 Guns and upwards of 50 Men, and about nine a Clock at Night came under Capt. Wyers Stern, and fired several Cannon in upon the said Ship and a Volley of small Shot, unto which he returned two of his Stern Chase Guns, and a like Volley of small Shot, upon which the Sloop’s Company hail’d him in English, telling him that if he fired another Gun they would give him no Quarter, but Capt. Wyer continued Fighting them till twelve a Clock at Night, when she left the Ship, and so he continued his Course to the Bay of Hundoras where he arrived the first of April last, and the eighth Day he had got on Board about 50 Tuns of Logwood, and the remaining part of the Ship's loaden lay ready cut to be taken on Board, when on the Morning of the said Day, a large Ship and a Sloop with Black Flags and Deaths Heads in them and three more Sloops with Bloody Flags all bore down upon the said Ship Protestant Cæsar, and Capt. Wyer judging them to be Pirates, call’d his Officers and Men upon Deck asking them if they would stand by him and defend the Ship, they answered, if they [pirates] were Spaniards they would stand by him as long as they had Life, but if they were Pirates they would not Fight, and thereupon Capt. Wyer sent out his second Mate with his Pinnace to discover who they were and finding the Ship had 40 Guns 300 Men called the Queen Ann’s Revenge, Commanded by Edward Teach a Pirate, and they found the Sloop was the same that they Fought the 28th of March last, Capt. Wyers Men all declared they would not Fight and quitted the Ship believing they would be Murthered by the Sloops Company, and so all went on Shore. And on the 11th of April three Days after Capt. Wyer’s Ship Protestant Cæsar was taken, Capt. Teach the Pirate sent word on shore to Capt. Wyer that if he came on Board he would do him no hurt, accordingly he went on Board Teach’s Ship, who told him he was glad that he left his Ship, else his Men on Board his Sloop would have done him Damage for Fighting with them; and said he would burn his Ship because she belonged to Boston, adding he would burn all Vessels belonging to New England for Executing the Six Pirates at Boslon. And on the 12th of the said April Capt. Wyer saw the Pirates go on Board of his Ship, who set her on Fire and Burnt her with her Wood, and Capt. Wyer took his passage hither in Capt. Thomas Newton's SIoop, taken from him by Capt. Teach the Pirate unto whom he gave back his Sloop again, because she belonged to Rhode Island. Capt. Wyer, Capt. Newton and three others have attested upon Oath to the Truth of the above Account.
Related documents pertaining to events of spring 1718 in Bay of Honduras: Deposition of William Wade, master of William & Samuel—15 May 1718 Deposition of William Megerre, master of Revenge of Jamaica—16 May 1718 Deposition of David Herriot, master of Adventure—24 Oct 1718 |
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