; but it turned
out that she was purposely retarded in her course by a drag thrown out
over her starboard bow, and the Patriot coming alongside of her, there
suddenly up jumped fifty marines, and in a moment the Patriot was
captured.[739:A] The three spectators beheld the catastrophe with
intense disappointment. From the zenith of hope Captain Starlins had
been suddenly plunged souse down to the nadir of despair. He and the
younger of the brothers burst into tears, while the older brother,
fifteen years of age, although no less grieved, had more command over
his sensibilities. Giving a parting look to the unfortunate schooner as
she disappeared in the hazy distance, they retraced their steps. Watkins
and those under him were sent off to Charleston, and confined in the
provost prison, where he died. The Patriot was taken round to Yorktown.
Captain Mark Starlins died a slave a few years after, and just before
the passage of a law giving freedom to those men of color who had served
the patriotic cause. His slavery, however, appears to have been merely
nominal; for his master fully appreciated his noble character, and which
was held in high estimation by all worthy citizens, especially by all
the navy officers of Virginia. The two brothers were the Barrons,
afterwards distinguished in the United States naval service.[739:B]

In 1782 Maryland sent out Commodore Whaley, with some barges, to protect
the Eastern Shore of that State against bucaneering crafts manned by
British sailors, and tories, and negroes. Receiving information of the
appearance of a flotilla of such barges in the Chesapeake Bay, under
command of a Commodore Kid, a Scotchman, Whaley, deeming them too strong
for him, solicited aid from Colonel John Cropper, commander of Accomac
County, who, with a party of volunteers, re-enforced him. Colonel
Cropper, with several Accomac gentlemen, went on board the Protector,
the commodore's barge. Whaley having requested those in the other barges
to support him in case the enemy should make a push at him, they
promised to do so, "or all sink together." The enemy's barges were
descried in the morning of the thirtieth of November, in Cagey's
Straits: they soon hove to, and formed in line. The action commenced at
half-past nine o'clock, and lasted twenty-five minutes. The foremost of
Whaley's barges having fired a few shot at long distance, retreated. He,
nevertheless, with the Protector advanced to within fifty yards of the