Read Online Murder at the Holiday Flotilla by Ellen Elizabeth Hunter - Free Book Online
Authors: Ellen Elizabeth Hunter
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Wilmington.”
Binkie smiled. “I told you he was good.”
“ I had a good teacher,” Roger said.
“ This happened in 1781 and at that time, Wilmington was controlled by the Loyalists under the command of Major Craig. Lord Cornwallis commandeered the Burgwin-Wright house and set up a temporary headquarters in it. The prisoners he’d captured at Sanford were rowed out to a prison ship, the Forby, that was anchored in the Cape Fear River.
“ Now here’s where the legend comes in. For some reason that is unknown – and as I say, I have no proof that this is true – some prisoners were imprisoned in the old jail under the Burgwin-Wright house. It was no more than a dungeon. One of those prisoners was supposedly your ancestor, Samuel Wood, along with his brother-in-law James Hughes.
“ Cornwallis remained at the Burgwin-Wright house for eleven days in April, from the 13th through the 24th. During that time his soldiers were outfitted with better clothing and shoes and generally used their time to rest and prepare for another march. Cornwallis used the time to correspond with Major General Phillips in Virginia. Should he follow General Greene into South Carolina and engage him there? Or should he march his Cavalry and Infantry into Virginia? He decided on Virginia.”
Roger laughed. “And the rest as they say ‘is history’ for in October of that year he surrendered to General Washington at Yorktown.”
Roger sipped his coffee. “However, according to the legend, an incident occurred at the Burgwin-Wright house before Cornwallis departed. The legendary incident involves your g5 grandfather, that would be Samuel Wood, and your g5 uncle, James Hughes.”
I noticed that we all were scooching forward on our seats.
“ On April 24th, the army made preparations to depart. There was much commotion as they assembled, packed supplies, prepared the wagons and the horses, and tended to everything that had to be done to march an army north across the state of North Carolina and into Virginia.
“ Somehow Samuel and James managed to overcome a guard. They exchanged articles of his clothing for their own so that they could mingle undetected with the soldiers milling about Market Street.
“ When darkness fell, and the soldiers were catching some shut eye in preparation for an early departure the next morning, Samuel and James managed to hitch a horse to a supply wagon. And they rode off with it. Their intent was to find and join up with General Greene and deliver the supplies to him. Once outside of town, they found a secluded place and looked through the supplies they were carrying.”
“ This is so exciting,” I couldn’t refrain from saying.
Roger continued. “If you go on the internet you will find numerous websites devoted to the belief that Lord Cornwallis left a fortune in gold in North Carolina when he marched off to Virginia.”
Melanie rubbed her hands enthusiastically. “Oh goody, gold.”
Roger smiled indulgently. “To continue, Samuel and James searched the supply wagon. Imagine their astonishment when they discovered a barrel containing gold. That made them even more determined to get the supplies and the gold to General Greene.
“ When they stopped at villages they thought might be safe, they made inquiries about General Greene’s next campaign. Remember, that while Greene was marching to South Carolina, they were prisoners of Cornwallis and on their forced march to Wilmington so they had no way of knowing that Greene was headed for Camden.
“ Unfortunately, James had been wounded during the skirmish at Sanford. And his wounds only got worse so that on their journey in search of Greene and the American army, James became fevered and delirious. Then he died.”
“ Mercy,” Aunt Ruby uttered. Binkie took her hand.
“ Samuel was grief-stricken. They were like real brothers. They’d fought side by side since 1775, joining one militia after another. He was determined to bury James in the
Binkie smiled. “I told you he was good.”
“ I had a good teacher,” Roger said.
“ This happened in 1781 and at that time, Wilmington was controlled by the Loyalists under the command of Major Craig. Lord Cornwallis commandeered the Burgwin-Wright house and set up a temporary headquarters in it. The prisoners he’d captured at Sanford were rowed out to a prison ship, the Forby, that was anchored in the Cape Fear River.
“ Now here’s where the legend comes in. For some reason that is unknown – and as I say, I have no proof that this is true – some prisoners were imprisoned in the old jail under the Burgwin-Wright house. It was no more than a dungeon. One of those prisoners was supposedly your ancestor, Samuel Wood, along with his brother-in-law James Hughes.
“ Cornwallis remained at the Burgwin-Wright house for eleven days in April, from the 13th through the 24th. During that time his soldiers were outfitted with better clothing and shoes and generally used their time to rest and prepare for another march. Cornwallis used the time to correspond with Major General Phillips in Virginia. Should he follow General Greene into South Carolina and engage him there? Or should he march his Cavalry and Infantry into Virginia? He decided on Virginia.”
Roger laughed. “And the rest as they say ‘is history’ for in October of that year he surrendered to General Washington at Yorktown.”
Roger sipped his coffee. “However, according to the legend, an incident occurred at the Burgwin-Wright house before Cornwallis departed. The legendary incident involves your g5 grandfather, that would be Samuel Wood, and your g5 uncle, James Hughes.”
I noticed that we all were scooching forward on our seats.
“ On April 24th, the army made preparations to depart. There was much commotion as they assembled, packed supplies, prepared the wagons and the horses, and tended to everything that had to be done to march an army north across the state of North Carolina and into Virginia.
“ Somehow Samuel and James managed to overcome a guard. They exchanged articles of his clothing for their own so that they could mingle undetected with the soldiers milling about Market Street.
“ When darkness fell, and the soldiers were catching some shut eye in preparation for an early departure the next morning, Samuel and James managed to hitch a horse to a supply wagon. And they rode off with it. Their intent was to find and join up with General Greene and deliver the supplies to him. Once outside of town, they found a secluded place and looked through the supplies they were carrying.”
“ This is so exciting,” I couldn’t refrain from saying.
Roger continued. “If you go on the internet you will find numerous websites devoted to the belief that Lord Cornwallis left a fortune in gold in North Carolina when he marched off to Virginia.”
Melanie rubbed her hands enthusiastically. “Oh goody, gold.”
Roger smiled indulgently. “To continue, Samuel and James searched the supply wagon. Imagine their astonishment when they discovered a barrel containing gold. That made them even more determined to get the supplies and the gold to General Greene.
“ When they stopped at villages they thought might be safe, they made inquiries about General Greene’s next campaign. Remember, that while Greene was marching to South Carolina, they were prisoners of Cornwallis and on their forced march to Wilmington so they had no way of knowing that Greene was headed for Camden.
“ Unfortunately, James had been wounded during the skirmish at Sanford. And his wounds only got worse so that on their journey in search of Greene and the American army, James became fevered and delirious. Then he died.”
“ Mercy,” Aunt Ruby uttered. Binkie took her hand.
“ Samuel was grief-stricken. They were like real brothers. They’d fought side by side since 1775, joining one militia after another. He was determined to bury James in the
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