Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania 20-21 September

Josephine’s Journal
The Account of an Indentured Servant’s Adventures with the Crewe of the Archangel

September 20

September is a pleasant month in the Carolina colony. The weather, which all throughout the summer is nearly unbearable, becomes much more temperate. The crops, which had grown green and tall all summer, are now golden and ready for harvest; the farmers can be seen working in the fields daily. However, for pirate hunters, any time of year can become tumultuous if pirates decide to invade the coast of the colonies. Thus was the case for the Crewe of the Archangel this September.

It was at the start of this month that Dorian and I received word from Captain John Sterling that our assistance was needed in the Pennsylvania colony. Rumor was spreading of a pirate gathering, and all available hands were to meet at Marcus Hook to repel the pirate force. After packing the carriage and making sure that all was in order, Dorian and I left this afternoon. We travelled by way of the coast of Virginia in order to join with Captain Sterling’s son, Sean Merriweather, who was in the area for schooling, and together the three of us travelled to Pennsylvania. The trip was, thankfully, uneventful for us, and we crossed the Chesapeake Bay at sunset; what a beautiful site!

We arrived here at Marcus Hook on the heels of Captain Sterling, Monsieur Murtaugh, and Monsieur Merriweather the Younger. We quickly greeted one another before setting about to work on the encampment. The Vigilant Crew had set up its encampment throughout the day, and was there to meet us and aid us in the set-up of our encampment. After several hours of unloading and set-up, the carriages are unpacked, the tents are standing, the beds are arranged, and the crewe members have bid one another a restful night of sleep. Tomorrow, we have dealings with the pirates.

September 21

We awoke today in the early morning hours,
with the intention of preparing ourselves for the day’s activities. I was to remain in the camp, along with Doctor Geiger, and prepare my herbal remedies in the chance that injuries should occur. Madam Kate Stephens was also with us in camp, helping to curb our appetites and to inform any curious local residents as to the situation at hand. I situated myself alongside the Doctor toward the back of the encampment, where we would have room to work if the situation called for such action. We had lit the brazier, in order to heat several of my herbal concoctions, but it also provided the opportunity to heat the food that had been obtained for lunch: a meat pie called a pasty which was filled with chicken, peas, and other vegetables and was surrounded by something similar to a small pie crust folded in half. Never had I tried such a creation, but it was delicious and filling!

Captain Sterling, Monsieur Lasseter, and the remaining sailors all moved back and forth between the battlefield and the encampment throughout the day, attempting to nourish themselves when not forced to partake in the battle. Nearly every hour, cannon fire could be heard from the waterfront, and my anticipation grew with each resounding rumble. It was impossible to know from the encampment if we were in fact maintaining an upper hand over the scoundrels or if they were inflicting damage upon our crewe. However, as the afternoon grew into evening, it became apparent that the crewe had gained the upper hand with very little damage done to our sailors. Once again, the Crewe of the Archangel had driven back the pirate force and maintained the safety of the coastal town of Marcus Hook.

As the men returned from the field of battle, a look of exhaustion and hunger stretched across their faces, the wind picked up and the sky behind them began to turn a dark gray. Fionn quickly started dinner for the crewe, a soup of chicken and vegetables, as we began to prepare our encampment for foul weather. Large rain drops began to fall just as dinner was served; we all made our way under canvas to partake in a hot meal and conversation. I had grown tired rather early in the evening and went into our tent to lie down. To the sound of conversation and laughter among friends, I have found myself drifting off to sleep even as I write this.

September 22

This morning, rising early, I began to organize our belongings back into the sea chest. Our journey home is expected to take near 7 hours, longer should we need to stop along the way, so an early start was the plan. By noon, the encampment looked barren, as though we had never set foot on the site. The carriages being loaded and there being no other work for Dorian or I to do, we bid farewell to our crewe family and to the remaining members of the Vigilant Crewe, and we made our way back home to the Carolina colony. Arriving home after dark, we unloaded the carriage and crawled into bed, exhausted from a successful weekend and wondering where our next adventure will take us.

Copyright October 2013/J. Otte

Special thanks to K.Strayer & Delco History for the photographs.