The Pirate and the Gunfighter

By Daniel Hance Page

THE PIRATE AND THE GUNFIGHTER is the story of a pirate, Clanton Hayes, who saw his destiny fulfilled when he met the gunfighter, Mary Connor, and together they realized their dreams one day at a time. Daniel Hance Page is a freelance writer with twenty-two books published and others being written. The books are authentic stories filled with action, adventure, history and travel including Native American traditions and spiritual insights to protect our environment in the smallest park or widest wilderness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Jun 22, 2018
• ISBN: 9781483485898

Daniel Hance Page

Daniel Hance Page is a freelance writer with twenty-seven books published and others being written. His books are authentic stories filled with action, adventure, history and travel, including Native American traditions and spiritual insights to protect our environment in the smallest park or widest wilderness

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Copyright © 2018 Daniel Hance Page.

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ISBN: 978-1-4834-8590-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-8589-8 (e)

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Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 06/14/2018

THE PIRATE AND THE GUNFIGHTER

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DANIEL HANCE PAGE

FOR

Marg, Hank,

Jim, Ivadelle, Sheldon, Colleen, Shane and Shannon Page, John, Dan and the Robinson family, Lester and Rose Anderson, Garry and the Pratt family, the Massey family, Murray, Sue, Scott and Neil Shearer, Joe and Linda Hill, Macari Bishara, Kevin, Alison and Michaela Griffin, Jerry and Gaye McFarland, Joan LeBoeuf, Dr. David and June Chambers, Mac McCormick, Grant Saunders, Frank Lewis and other friends with whom we have enjoyed both the wilderness in the forest by Parry Sound, Shebeshekong River, Bremner River and Quinlan’s woods and also the wilderness where the ocean touches the shore at Belleair Beach.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

Henry David Thoreau

We may not arrive at our port within a calculable period, but we would preserve the true course.

Henry David Thoreau

Chapter One

RED FOX

1763

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T he sea and the fog upon it have hidden many stories and none stranger than when in 1763 in the Caribbean during the Anglo-Spanish War a ghostly ship approached unseen to the bow and starboard side of the Spanish vessel. The sentry aboard the Spanish vessel was taken from his sleep-filled thoughts by the eerie way the fog to starboard kept taking on more and more the outline of a ship then there was the cry in the night and the fog ship blossomed with color followed almost instantly by explosions as cannons fired a broadside of death and destruction. The broadside from the English ship, the Red Fox, brought havoc to Spanish decks. With surprising speed, the pirate attacker reloaded cannons while coming about to deliver a similar broadside followed soon afterward by a third. Musket fire rattled next before grappling hooks brought an attacking crew that was more haunting looking than their ship. More than one head rolled along the deck amid smoke, pistol fire, flashing cutlasses and, barely fast enough to save his crew, the wounded Spanish captain surrendered.

Working quickly and independently without the necessity of orders, the pirates started loading a treasure trove of gold, wine, rum and other supplies from the captured vessel to the Red Fox. Captain Clanton Hayes, with the second in command, George Tierney, interpreting, told the Spanish captain, You can keep your ship and what’s left of your crew. We just stopped by for the gold. We’ll remove this and be gone. You can return to a port.

Leaving the captain with Spanish officers, Clanton checked the unloading work until it was completed then the pirate crew returned to their own ship, casting off the Spanish vessel. On board the Red Fox, spirits were high and sent soaring by captured rum added to the usual grog and beer. The gold was, as always, divided equally. Along with the usual booty, the captain had other items collected including knives, bayonets, pistols, cutlasses, muskets and particularly cooking equipment such as pots and pans. This would be used for his crew and particularly for trade and gifts.

Under full sail with a gentle breeze, following a course to the northeast, the crew reveled in another of a string of victories brought to them by their own choice of captain. Exhausted by the close of the day, Captain Clanton Hayes went to his cabin where he was met by George, carrying a bottle of rum.

You have always liked beer better than the grog, said George sitting across from the captain at his table.

Yes, he replied. I see you are enjoying our captured stock.

Enjoying it very much, George exclaimed, and there’s so much of it.

Good of you to reduce such a burden on the ship, offered the captain.

Yeah, he countered, but I can’t take all the credit. The crew is helping.

They do pitch in don’t they, joked Clanton.

They pitch in during a fight too, said George, more seriously.

We’re one of the few ships upon the sea that can win a battle without an order being given, continued Clanton.

They know the routines, agreed George. Well trained they are. They look as terrible as they are in a fight. I think they scare the enemy to death. With their shaggy hair, beards, tans and tattoos, they’re a crew to haunt dreams. Suppose we look the same ourselves. We’re both tall and strong. You have brown eyes, more tan and gray hair. I have blue eyes and red beard. We all wear what each finds comfortable. The only rule on this ship—and an unusual one at that—is cleanliness. When threatened with being dragged behind the ship until clean, a sailor washes up quickly.

After drinking more rum, George continued, Your favorite battle plan of circling in front, somewhat to one side of an enemy delivering broadsides then reloading while coming about again ended this battle before one started. Is this your idea or did you get it somewhere?

I got it from Sir Francis Drake, answered Clanton. He used the maneuver during his attack on the Spanish Armada. The English ships were faster than the heavily loaded Spanish galleons. Circling somewhat in front of the enemy, delivering constant broadsides and reloading while coming around destroyed the armada. We have a fast ship, heavily gunned for its size and we fire at the enemy without giving them a good target to hit. Surprise is also extremely helpful aided by night and fog. All things worked for us last night.

Last year the English captured Havana, noted George, "and we are helping by taking Spanish gold that they looted from the first people living here. Stealing stolen treasure is not theft. Theft only