Joseph Whayland

*This MAY be the infamous Joseph Whayland, privateer on the Chesapeake Bay during the American Revolution. It is unknown for sure whether Joseph Whayland the privateer fits here as son of William Whayland or if he fits somewhere else - we do know, however, he was from Dorchester Co.

Governor Dunmore of Virginia had been trying to defend and monitor activities on the Bay in 1776 and here is what Joseph Whayland's role was there as representative of the British government: "Governor Dunmore's pilot on the Chesapeake was Joseph Whayland, Jr., of Dorchester County, Maryland, who in July 1776, had command of three tenders at Smyth's Island, On or about the 15th, being in a creek making out of Holland Straits on a small schooner with three men, he was seized by a detachment of Colonel William C. Traverse's Corps from Hooper Straits under Major Daniel Fallen, and on August 3 the Maryland Committee of Safety sent him to prison until their next convention. Subsequently he was committed, September 12, to the log jail in Frederick County, to be confined until he should make restitution to a party named White whose sloop he had caused to be destroyed, and was ordered to give such security to the Council of Safety as they should judge necessary for his future good behavior. From the jail at Annapolis he petitioned the convention, October 28, being naked and without money, for clothing lost at the time of his capture, and Major Fallen was directed to deliver over all of said clothing then in his possession.

Whether Whayland was released or escaped from confinement does not appear, but he eventually made his way to New York, where Admiral Arbuthnot encouraged privateering, and probably commenced his marauding when the admiral lay in Lynnhaven Bay."

Also:

"Intelligence from Baltimore, August 21, 1781, states that several picaroons from New York, infesting the Chesapeake Bay had lately taken some small vessels near the mouth of the Potomac. The following Spring, five of these small privateers were reported to be armed barges or gunboats, and about May 1782, some of them attacked and took an armed boat from Annapolis near Tangier Island; it was a severe fight and the commander. Captain Grayson, and several of his men were slain. An Alexandria letter of July 12 says that the Salem brig Ranger, eight guns and twenty men, which had sailed the week before for the West Indies, was attacked by two barges on the night of the 5th, between 12 and 1pm, while lying off St. Mary's near the mouth of the Potomac. They were commanded by the noted Whayland and one Barry, and after a severe fight of an hour and a half Captain T. Simmons, of the Ranger, drove them off with pikes, it being too close to use his guns. Whayland himself was wounded and one of his men, a negro, was taken prisoner, while Barry and twenty-four men were killed and buried near by on St. George Island. Captain Simmons lost one man, and he and his first mate being wounded, they returned to Annapolis. Later the Ranger, Captain Perkins, sailed for Havana and finally reached Salem, Massachusetts, on December 18, 1782.

Just after this last event, that is, on July 8, the schooner Greyhound, "a beautiful boat," laden with salt, peas, pork, bacon, and dry-goods, belonging to Furnival and Gerock, of Baltimore, was taken in Hooper Straits "by that notorious renegade-pirate Joe Whaland," whose lieutenant, Timmons, had recently executed two brothers on the eastern shore. Mr. Furnival, who was on board the Greyhound, the skipper, and all the hands were detained for twenty- four hours on the barge, and after being plundered and robbed of everything, were set on shore at a place called Dan (or Dames) Quarter, near Devil's Isle, which at the time harbored a number of desperate adventurers. While on shore and before being released, they saw "several other bay craft fall into the fangs of the same vultures." The prize was sent up to New York.

Later on the Lady Washington schooner, with flour from Baltimore to Havana, was taken In the bay "by an armed British galley called the Revenge, commanded by a certain Joseph Whayland." Retaken at sea, the prize was sent Into Philadelphia In August and the case was tried before a Court of Admiralty at the State House on September 17.

Saturday, November 30, three refugee barges from New York attacked the Maryland State galley Protector, which was taken after Its commander. Captain Whalley, was killed and sixty-five out of his seventy-five men either slain or wounded. This was said to be the most bloody conflict during the war, and Is mentioned in RIvIngton's New York Gazette of December 28.

Early In March, 1783, seven or eight armed barges, manned principally by white and black refugees, were cruising in the bay In quest of plunder and had taken some small craft. A party of these desperadoes had landed from the notorious Joe Whayland's barge and burned the dwelling-house and buildings of Mr. Benjamin Mackall on the Patuxent, in Calvert County, Maryland; the loss was estimated at £3000. After this exploit Whayland was reported as having been "in chase of his own father who has arrived here (Philadelphia) and thinks himself fortunate in having escaped the horrid fangs of his graceless, renegade son."

Both Gaines and Rivington mention two prize schooners of the Victory privateer. Captain Whayland (or Wallen), which had arrived In New York from the Chesapeake on Sunday, March 30, 1783. What was the ultimate fate of this noted refugee I fail to learn; probably, judging from the following Information, a short shrift and a long rope. A Baltimore letter of August 24, 1784, states that he was still the terror of the Chesapeake, committing daily depredations on the coasting vessels and murdering or plundering their crews. "We are informed," says a letter of the times, ^^ "that the vessel that Whayland employs for the above infamous purpose is a topsail schooner with black sides and bottom, full of men, and draws but three and a half feet water. He has also several boats well-armed, so that it is dangerous for any vessels to go within sight of him. How long this fellow may reign is uncertain, as there is no armed vessel here to go in quest of him." "

(from "The Revolutionary Services of John Greenwood of Boston and New York 1775-1783")