Privateer Patriot

This was the ship carrying Theodosia Burr Alston when it disappeared.

From    Jhup books.press.  "American Privateers and Letters of Marque."

Lists the Patriot along with every American privateer during the war.

PATRIOT

Captain William Merrihew

Commissioned 16 October 1812

Lost at Sea 1813

Out of New York, N,Y,

Owner:  George Youle

Schooner, 75 tons

45 crew

3 guns

9 captures   (0)  I'm taking this to mean recaptures

--Brock-Perry

The Disappearance of the Schooner Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston

I have been writing about the HMS Nimrod captured the French privateer Nouvelle Enterprise, which was taken into the British Navy as the HMS Venturer and afterwards the HMS Theodosia.

From the August 5, 2016, Mental Floss  "7 ships that disappeared without a trace" by Claire Cock-Starkey.  Also from the North Carolina Shipwrecks February 9, 2012, Schooner Patriot  and tye mystery of Theodosia Burr Alston."

Also August 13, 2018 History.com  "Wreckers scavenged a living by snatching shipwrecks' loot" by Hadley Meares.  How Nags Head got name.  Also Bermuda Triangle Central  The Patriot

The Patriot:  The Disappearance of Theodosia Burr Alston. (1783-1813)
--Brock-Perry

Disappearance of the Patriot-- Part 2

Logbooks from British warships off the North Carolina coast  reported a severe storm that struck January 2, 1813, after the Patriot left South Carolina.  The Patriot would have been a bit north of Cape Hatteras when the storm was at its fiercest and facing hurricane-strength winds in the early morning hours of January 2.

The Patriot was never heard from again.  Despite the many conspiracy theories and tales about Theodosia surviving it is most likely she perished with the rest of the ship's passengers and crew that day.

(I have also read that the British ships had stopped the Patriot, but after seeing a letter from Joseph Alston, the governor of South Carolina, asking for them to allow the ship to continue on its way, they did.  But, who will ever know.)

--Brock-Perry

Disappearance of the Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 1: About the Schooner Patriot

From Mark Jones Books site  "Today in Charleston History:  January 2, 1813--  Deaths."

I haven't been able to find out much about the Patriot other than it was a schooner and had been a recent privateer in the Caribbean Sea area.

1813--  Deaths.  Today in Charleston, January 2

Mist scholars agree that at some time on Jan. 2, 1813, that the Patriot schooner was wrecked somewhere off Cape  Hatteras, North Carolina.  Among those lost was the wife of South Carolina's governor and daughter of Aaron Burr, Theodosia Burr Alston.

She left Georgetown, S.C., to visit her father.  Her ship, the Patriot was known to be a fast sailer and had been a former pilot boat recently employed as a privateer.  Her captain, William Overstocks, was anxious to make a fast run up to New York to sell his captures.

--Brock-Perry

Eight Facts About Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 6: The Theda Bara Connection

8.  SHE CONTINUES TO INSPIRE TODAY.

And, considering that a month ago, I had no idea who this woman was.  Never even heard of her name.  And, it is all because of a French privateer captured in early 1800s by the British ship HMS Nimrod, taken into the Royal Navy with the name HMS Venturer, later changed to the HMS Theodosia which is how I came across the name.

**   The musical "Hamilton" isn't the  only  reminder of the disappeared Theodosia's legacy.

Her name has lived on through others.

**  Silent film star Theda Bara's (1885-1955) real name was Theodosia Burr Goodman, named after the daughter of former Vice President Aaron Burr.  She was a famous silent film star known for her vamp roles, but never appeared in a "talkie."

--Brock-Perry

Eight Facts About Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 5: Her Disappearance

7.  IN 1813 SHE DISAPPEARED FOREVER.

Aaron Burr had experienced some very difficult years in his life, but nothing like he did  between 1812 and 1813.

First, his ten-year-old grandson, Theodosia's son, Aaron Burr Alston, died of malaria in June 1812, just a month after he returned from Europe.  A few months later, Theodosia boarded the schooner Patriot, which had been used a s a privateer during the War of 1812, for passage to New York to visit her father.

But, the ship never reached its destination, taking along with crew ad passengers, the 29-year-old Theodosia.

To this day, no one knows what happened.  Many stories abound to answer this question, with the best one seeming to be the ship was captured by pirates.  But, most likely, her end will never be known.

This hit her father hard who was quoted as saying t felt like he "was severed from the human race" because of it.

What Happened To Her?  --Brock-Perry

Eight Facts About Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 4: First Lady of South Carolina

6.  SHE WAS THE FIRST LADY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

Her husband, John Alston, became governor of South Carolina in December 1812, making Theodosia the First Lady.

Unfortunately, she only held that position for  21 days, before tragedy struck.

Columbia was chosen as the site of South Carolina's capital in 1786.

--Brock-Perry

Eight Facts About Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 3: Queen Theodosia? and Getting Dad Back

4.  IF THINGS HAD GONE HER FATHER'S WAY, SHE COULD HAVE BEEN A QUEEN.

In 1805, one year after his famous duel with Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr hatched quite a plan.  He was going to annex a part of North America and declare himself monarch of it.

This would have made Theodosia next in line to be Queen of Mexico/Florida and then, her son, born in 1802, would have inherited the throne.

But, Burr's plan didn't work out and he was tried for treason.

5.  SHE WROTE LETTERS TRYING TO GET HER FATHER OUT OF EXILE.

In 1808, after being found not guilty of treason, Burr went to Europe in self-imposed exile partly to escape creditors and also to get away from the American public which was beginning to turn against him.

After awhile he attempted to return, but didn't have a passport and couldn't get back in.    Theodosia wrote letters to those in power to get him back.  The letters didn't succeed, but it became apparent that the government wouldn't stand in his way returning so he came back in 1812.

--Brock-Perry

Eight Facts About Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 2: Merriwether Lewis? and Her Honeymoon

2.  SHE MAY HAVE BEEN CLOSE TO EXPLORER MERRIWETHER LEWIS

This has been a tabloid story for over a century.  Supposedly they met at a dinner hosted by Thomas Jefferson and  and had a discussion about whether Lewis might find mastadon relatives in his upcoming trip west.  But the timing of their opportunities to be together don't bear this out.

Whether they were sweet on each other is not known.

3.  HER HONEYMOON DESTINATION WAS THE START OF A TREND

On February 2, 1801, 17-year-old Theodosia married a wealthy Southerner named Joseph Alston and they went to Niagara Falls for their honeymoon.  Now, this is common , but they were considered to be the first celebrity couple to do so.  Today, Niagara Falls is called "The Honeymoon Capital of the World."

That Theodosia, the Princess Di of Her Age.  --Cooter

Eight Facts About Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 1: A Remarkable Woman

From July 11, 2016, Mental Floss "8 facts about Theodosia Burr Alston" by Chloe Arnold.

1.  SHE WAS CONSIDERED A PRODIGY  Aaron Burr raised a very educated and well-rounded daughter.  She studied Greek, Latin and reportedly had read all of  "the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by the time she was ten.  She had a very progressive education for the time.

She was possibly the first woman in America to have what was considered a college education.  According to Felton Pidgin in his 1908 biography on Theodosia:  "Her personal charm, her amiability,  her moral heroism,  and her educational acquirements entitle her to he designation which we have given  her THE FIRST GENTLEWOMAN OF HER TIME."

--Cooter

Theodosia Burr and Philip Hamilton-- Part 2: Dear Theodosia" / "Oh Phillip"

Like I said in the last post, I did not know Theodosia was one of the characters in the play.

Here are some lyrics from the song "Dear Theodosia" from the musical Hamilton.

The first are sung by Aaron Burr to his daughter Theodosia:

"Dear Theodosia, what to say to you?
You have my eyes
You have your mother's name.

When you came into the world, you cried and it broke my heart."

*********************

These words are sung to Philip by his father, Alexander Hamilton:

"Oh Philip when you smile I am undone
My son
Look at my son
Pride is not the word I am looking for.

There is so much more inside me now.

Fatherly Love.  --Cooter

Theodosia Burr and Philip Hamilton, the Children-- Part 1

From the July 11, 2016, Mental Floss "8 facts about Theodosia Burr Alston" by Chloe Arnold.

I was unaware until just now about the connection of the name Theodosia to the popular play "Hamilton."  Well, I didn't see it, so that's my excuse.  In the play, Aaron Burr sings "Dear Theodosia" to his daughter Theodosia and Alexander Hamilton to his son Philip.

It is song 22 in Act One.

Philip died in a duel in 1801 and Theodosia was lost at sea in 1813.  He was 19 when he died and she was 33.

So, a Hamilton Connection as Well.  --CootHam

Demolition Plans for the Nimrod Restaurant Put On Hold

From the April 10, 2020, Falmouth (Ma) Enterprise  by Carrie Gentile.

This is the reason I have been writing so much about the HMS Nimrod, HMS Venturer and Patriot as well as Theodosia Burr Alston lately.  This old restaurant in Falmouth, Massachusetts, has the hole made by a cannonball fired by the second HMS Nimrod during the War of 1812 in it.

A photo accompanies the article and the place looks to be in quite bad shape.

Lionel C. Pinsonneault owns it and he has received permission from the zoning board to raze the structure, but demolition plans are put on hold  until the Falmouth Historical Commission votes on the plan.

Before it was a restaurant, it was a private residence that was hit by the HMS Nimrod during a bombardment.  The cannonball is long gone, but the hole it left is still there.

Here's Hoping They At Least Keep the Hole for Its Historical Value.  --Brock-Perry

Disappearance of the Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 5: Never Made it to New York

The journey to New York City normally took five or six days.  After two weeks, there was no sign of the Patriot.  Her husband John Alston and Aaron Burr became desperate.  Finally, Burr gave up hope that his daughter was still alive.

Theodosia Burr Alston, her fellow passengers, the crew and the ship were never seen again.  The Patriot had disappeared without a trace.  Later it was learned that the British fleet had stopped the Patriot off  Cape Hatteras on January 2, but Gov. Alston's letter worked and they released the ship.

Later that night a gale hit and dispersed the British fleet.  Beyond that, there was no clue as to what had happened to the ship.  Burr sent people looking for her who went to Nassau and Bermuda, but to no avail.  It is a mystery why he didn't send them to the Outer Banks.

So, What Happended to Theodosia and the Patriot?  --Brock-Perry

Disappearance of the Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 4: Preparations and a Privateer

As her health continued to deteriorate, and with rumors of pirates operating along the North Carolina coast, Theodosia was still determined to visit her father.  Her husband, John Alston, wrote a letter to the British blockading fleet to allow passage for his wife.  Aaron Burr sent his trusted friend and doctor, Timothy Green to make the voyage with his daughter.

On December 30, Theodosia, her maid and Green climbed aboard the schooner Patriot which lay moored in Charleston Harbor.  It sailed out of the harbor bound for New York City under the command of Captain William Overstocks.

The Patriot had just returned from several months in the Caribbean where it had done privateering on the behalf of the U.S. government.  It was filled with booty from that.  To disguise his ship, the guns had been stowed below and the name had been painted over.

Some stories had Theodosia taking along a recently completed painting of herself that she intended to give her father as a Christmas gift.

--Cooter

Disappearance of Schooner Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston in 1813-- Part 2

After the Patriot left Charleston Harbor, no trace of the ship, crew or Theodosia was ever found.

A number of theories and legends have spring up about their disappearance.  Some claim the ship was attacked by pirates and made to walk the plank.  Others think they might have been captured by the British since the war was going on at the time.

Perhaps most fanciful of all was the story of a Karankawa Indian chief, who claimed that he had rescued a woman who had washed up ashore after a shipwreck and that in thanks, she had given him a locket with the name Theodosia inscribed upon it.

Personally, I think their end came from a storm or shipwreck.  The Patriot would have to pass North Carolina's Outer Banks n the way to New York and, as you know, many ships have been wrecked in that area.  Had the British captured or destroyed the ship, they would have written about it.

Now, after more than 200 years, it is not likely we will ever know their fate.

--Brock-Perry

The Disappearance of the Schooner Patriot and Theodosia Burr Alston in 1813-- Part 1

From the August 5. 2016, Mental Floss "7 ships that disappeared without a trace" by Claire  Cock-Starkey.

While looking up the HMS Theodosia after the last several posts, I came across this article.  It wasn't about the HMS Theodosia but definitely had a War of 1812 connection.

Theodosia Burr Alston (1783-1813) was the daughter of the third U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr.  She had a privileged upbringing and was well-educated.  In 1801, she married wealthy landowner  Joseph Alston who went on to become South Carolina's governor (1812-1814, so, the war years).

Sadly in 1812, she lost her only son and, stricken with grief, boarded the schooner Patriot in South Carolina to visit her father in New York.

After it sailed, it was lost to history.

What Happened to the Patriot and Theodosia?  --Brock-Perry