Richard Avery Hornsby
Encyclopedia
Captain Richard Avery Hornsby is an almost forgotten Sunderland hero from the 18th century. He became famous
after taking on a boat
full of French
pirates almost single-handedly - and winning.
when Richard Avery Hornsby, who lived in Sunderland’s Vine Street, set off for The Hague
on his brig
, the Wrightson and Isabella.
His little ship
was laden with malt
and barley
for the voyage and he had a crew of just five men and two boys. Such was the routine nature of the trip, that the Isabella was built for speed rather than battle, boasting just four small guns, two swivel cannon
s and a few blunderbuss
es.
With such poor defences, she must have appeared an easy target to the 75 French pirates on board the Marquis of Brancas, who spotted her off the Dutch coast. But the Brancas’ ten guns, eight swivel canons and 300 small arms proved no match for the fighting spirit of the British on that fateful day of June 13, 1744.
“Will you stand by me lads?” Hornsby asked his men as the pirates opened fire. “Aye, aye, to the last,” came their reply. After raising the British flag, Hornsby ordered his crew to return the fire – despite the hail of bullet
s being shot at them. Twice the enemy tried to board the Isabella, and twice Hornsby stopped them in their tracks as his crew fought alongside him.
After an hour of bloody battle, the captain of the Brancas bawled over to Hornsby to “Strike you English
dog.” Hornsby’s only reply was to challenge the Frenchman to come on board – “if he dared.” It was not a dare the captain
cared to take up. Instead, he threw 20 of his sailors onto the Isabella, but the blunderbusses of the British crew
soon sent them into retreat.
When the ships then became entangled, Hornsby and his mate shot several of the pirates as they tried to lash the ships together. Once again the French
captain called on Hornsby to strike his flag and surrender, sending yet more men across to the Isabella when he refused. But Hornsby and his sailors kept up their constant fire and, for a second time, the pirates were forced to leave – hauling their dead behind them on hooks.
As battle
raged around him, Hornsby noticed the French
crowded together around their main mast
. Taking his chance, he aimed a blunderbuss
at them – but it had mistakenly been double-loaded.The History of the Town and Port of Sunderland, an 1830 book by James Burnett, states: “It burst and threw him down, but in an instant he started up, though much bruised.”
The shot caused “terrible havoc” among the French, who fled the Isabella – leaving their pistol
s, pole-axes and graplings behind them. But the fierce gun battle
between the ships continued for another two hours, each firing into the other while just yards apart. “The Isabella’s hull
, masts, sails and rigging
were shot through and through, and her ensign
dismantled,” the book states.
A shot from the British
side eventually caused the Brancas to sheer off, giving Hornsby a chance to put the tattered flag
back up. Then, thinking the French had given up the fight, he led his shattered crew into giving the pirates three rousing cheers. But the pirates were not yet defeated and, as the cheers faded, so the Brancas returned – firing a volley of shots into the Isabella.
Wounded in the temple
and “bleeding profusely,” Hornsby refused to give in and, once again, called his crew
to arms. Three tremendous broadside
shots were then fired at the Isabella, but the British returned the fire with equal ferocity. Once again the French ship
drew alongside the British brig, but this time the pirates refused their captain’s demands to go aboard and face Hornsby – knowing now what his crew was capable of.
Eventually admitting defeat, the French
captain cut the lashings and started to sail away – only for his ship to blow up just seconds later. The tiny British
merchant ship had taken on and sunk a formidable fighting ship. Brancas was now lying at the bottom of the sea. Of the 75 pirate sailors on board, 36 were killed or wounded in battle and all but three drowned when it sank.
Hornsby was later awarded a gold medal and chain worth £100 for his bravery by King George II
, at a ceremony held at Kensington Palace
in September 1744. Each of his men – all from Sunderland – were given a bounty of £5, while 40 shilling
s was awarded to the boys in his crew.
It was thought that Captain Hornsby was buried in St Michael & All Angels Churchyard, Houghton-le-Spring, near Sunderland; however, a search of the burial registers by local historian Paul Lanagan revealed that the Richard Hornsby buried in the churchyard had died in 1818 aged 67, meaning he would have been 7 years old at the time of the pirate incident.
There is an old proverb I've lately thought on,
'When you think of a friend you're sure to find none';
For when that I thought to see Lestock come by,
He was five miles a distance, and would not come nigh;
But for all that misfortune, we never could start,
We pursued after them with a true British heart.
A mile's distance next day, they at us did fire,
But in half an hour we to them drew nigher,
Until that we came within pistol-shot,
Then we did let fly ; and why should we not ?
As we sent 'em one broadside, another did come,
Which made our cannons to play, bomb ! bomb !
Our admiral then took his glass in his hand,
To espy what he could, as you shall understand;
A double shot came unto him so nigh,
That it took off the place where his arm did lye.
But for that misfortune, and all that foul play,
He held 'em six hours in hot battle that day.
The night being come, they straightway gave o'er,
And went off with their cripples; we see 'em no more.
But now that the war is proclaim'd against France,
When we see them again we will make 'em to prance;
And if ever they into our presence do come,
We will make our cannons play ' Britons, strike home.'
Then straightway we left them in grief to complain,
Whilst we are carousing along the salt main.
Pray God bless our fleet, and his Majesty too,
And grant them success wherever they go.
Concluding as this, and my song to end,
In Matthews' brave ship these verses were penn'd.
Naval Songs & Ballads (book): Link to this ballad: http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/navel-songs-ballads/naval-songs-ballads%20-%200387.htm
A slightly newer song in his praise:
In Praise of Brave Captain Hornsby
Come all you brave sailors that plough on the main,
And hear of the brave Captain Hornsby by name;
How bravely he acted and play'd his own part,
That he made the proud Frenchmen to quake in their hearts.
Link to this ballad: http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/navel-songs-ballads/naval-songs-ballads%20-%200387.htm
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
after taking on a boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
full of French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
pirates almost single-handedly - and winning.
Adventures on the high seas
It was the height of the War of the Austrian SuccessionWar of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
when Richard Avery Hornsby, who lived in Sunderland’s Vine Street, set off for The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
on his brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
, the Wrightson and Isabella.
His little ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
was laden with malt
Malt
Malt is germinated cereal grains that have been dried in a process known as "malting". The grains are made to germinate by soaking in water, and are then halted from germinating further by drying with hot air...
and barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
for the voyage and he had a crew of just five men and two boys. Such was the routine nature of the trip, that the Isabella was built for speed rather than battle, boasting just four small guns, two swivel cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
s and a few blunderbuss
Blunderbuss
The blunderbuss is a muzzle-loading firearm with a short, large caliber barrel, which is flared at the muzzle and frequently throughout the entire bore, and used with shot and other projectiles of relevant quantity and/or caliber. The blunderbuss could be considered to be an early form of shotgun,...
es.
With such poor defences, she must have appeared an easy target to the 75 French pirates on board the Marquis of Brancas, who spotted her off the Dutch coast. But the Brancas’ ten guns, eight swivel canons and 300 small arms proved no match for the fighting spirit of the British on that fateful day of June 13, 1744.
“Will you stand by me lads?” Hornsby asked his men as the pirates opened fire. “Aye, aye, to the last,” came their reply. After raising the British flag, Hornsby ordered his crew to return the fire – despite the hail of bullet
Bullet
A bullet is a projectile propelled by a firearm, sling, or air gun. Bullets do not normally contain explosives, but damage the intended target by impact and penetration...
s being shot at them. Twice the enemy tried to board the Isabella, and twice Hornsby stopped them in their tracks as his crew fought alongside him.
After an hour of bloody battle, the captain of the Brancas bawled over to Hornsby to “Strike you English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
dog.” Hornsby’s only reply was to challenge the Frenchman to come on board – “if he dared.” It was not a dare the captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
cared to take up. Instead, he threw 20 of his sailors onto the Isabella, but the blunderbusses of the British crew
Crew
A crew is a body or a class of people who work at a common activity, generally in a structured or hierarchical organization. A location in which a crew works is called a crewyard or a workyard...
soon sent them into retreat.
When the ships then became entangled, Hornsby and his mate shot several of the pirates as they tried to lash the ships together. Once again the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
captain called on Hornsby to strike his flag and surrender, sending yet more men across to the Isabella when he refused. But Hornsby and his sailors kept up their constant fire and, for a second time, the pirates were forced to leave – hauling their dead behind them on hooks.
As battle
Battle
Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...
raged around him, Hornsby noticed the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
crowded together around their main mast
Mast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
. Taking his chance, he aimed a blunderbuss
Blunderbuss
The blunderbuss is a muzzle-loading firearm with a short, large caliber barrel, which is flared at the muzzle and frequently throughout the entire bore, and used with shot and other projectiles of relevant quantity and/or caliber. The blunderbuss could be considered to be an early form of shotgun,...
at them – but it had mistakenly been double-loaded.The History of the Town and Port of Sunderland, an 1830 book by James Burnett, states: “It burst and threw him down, but in an instant he started up, though much bruised.”
The shot caused “terrible havoc” among the French, who fled the Isabella – leaving their pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
s, pole-axes and graplings behind them. But the fierce gun battle
Battle
Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...
between the ships continued for another two hours, each firing into the other while just yards apart. “The Isabella’s hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
, masts, sails and rigging
Rigging
Rigging is the apparatus through which the force of the wind is used to propel sailboats and sailing ships forward. This includes masts, yards, sails, and cordage.-Terms and classifications:...
were shot through and through, and her ensign
Ensign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
dismantled,” the book states.
A shot from the British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
side eventually caused the Brancas to sheer off, giving Hornsby a chance to put the tattered flag
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
back up. Then, thinking the French had given up the fight, he led his shattered crew into giving the pirates three rousing cheers. But the pirates were not yet defeated and, as the cheers faded, so the Brancas returned – firing a volley of shots into the Isabella.
Wounded in the temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
and “bleeding profusely,” Hornsby refused to give in and, once again, called his crew
Crew
A crew is a body or a class of people who work at a common activity, generally in a structured or hierarchical organization. A location in which a crew works is called a crewyard or a workyard...
to arms. Three tremendous broadside
Broadside
A broadside is the side of a ship; the battery of cannon on one side of a warship; or their simultaneous fire in naval warfare.-Age of Sail:...
shots were then fired at the Isabella, but the British returned the fire with equal ferocity. Once again the French ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
drew alongside the British brig, but this time the pirates refused their captain’s demands to go aboard and face Hornsby – knowing now what his crew was capable of.
Eventually admitting defeat, the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
captain cut the lashings and started to sail away – only for his ship to blow up just seconds later. The tiny British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
merchant ship had taken on and sunk a formidable fighting ship. Brancas was now lying at the bottom of the sea. Of the 75 pirate sailors on board, 36 were killed or wounded in battle and all but three drowned when it sank.
Hornsby was later awarded a gold medal and chain worth £100 for his bravery by King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
, at a ceremony held at Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century and is the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke and...
in September 1744. Each of his men – all from Sunderland – were given a bounty of £5, while 40 shilling
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
s was awarded to the boys in his crew.
It was thought that Captain Hornsby was buried in St Michael & All Angels Churchyard, Houghton-le-Spring, near Sunderland; however, a search of the burial registers by local historian Paul Lanagan revealed that the Richard Hornsby buried in the churchyard had died in 1818 aged 67, meaning he would have been 7 years old at the time of the pirate incident.
Old Song
An old song written in praise of Hornsby, called Brave Captain Hornsby:There is an old proverb I've lately thought on,
'When you think of a friend you're sure to find none';
For when that I thought to see Lestock come by,
He was five miles a distance, and would not come nigh;
But for all that misfortune, we never could start,
We pursued after them with a true British heart.
A mile's distance next day, they at us did fire,
But in half an hour we to them drew nigher,
Until that we came within pistol-shot,
Then we did let fly ; and why should we not ?
As we sent 'em one broadside, another did come,
Which made our cannons to play, bomb ! bomb !
Our admiral then took his glass in his hand,
To espy what he could, as you shall understand;
A double shot came unto him so nigh,
That it took off the place where his arm did lye.
But for that misfortune, and all that foul play,
He held 'em six hours in hot battle that day.
The night being come, they straightway gave o'er,
And went off with their cripples; we see 'em no more.
But now that the war is proclaim'd against France,
When we see them again we will make 'em to prance;
And if ever they into our presence do come,
We will make our cannons play ' Britons, strike home.'
Then straightway we left them in grief to complain,
Whilst we are carousing along the salt main.
Pray God bless our fleet, and his Majesty too,
And grant them success wherever they go.
Concluding as this, and my song to end,
In Matthews' brave ship these verses were penn'd.
Naval Songs & Ballads (book): Link to this ballad: http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/navel-songs-ballads/naval-songs-ballads%20-%200387.htm
A slightly newer song in his praise:
In Praise of Brave Captain Hornsby
Come all you brave sailors that plough on the main,
And hear of the brave Captain Hornsby by name;
How bravely he acted and play'd his own part,
That he made the proud Frenchmen to quake in their hearts.
Link to this ballad: http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/navel-songs-ballads/naval-songs-ballads%20-%200387.htm