Old Bookaroo
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- Dec 4, 2008
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The Buried Treasure
Of the
Pirate Gibbs
[First published 1837]
Of the
Pirate Gibbs
[First published 1837]
[Charles] Gibbs in his last visit to Boston remained there but a few days, when he took passage to New Orleans, and there entered as one of the crew on board the brig Vineyard; and for assisting in the murder of the unfortunate captain and mate of which, he was justly condemned, and the awful sentence of death passed upon him!
…
The brig Vineyard, Capt. William Thornby, sailed from New Orleans about the 9th of November, for Philadelphia, with a cargo of 112 bales of cotton, 113 hhds. [hogsheads of] sugar, 54 casks of molasses and 54,000 dollars in specie.
[The bloody details of the crimes committed by Gibbs and his associates may be found in the Pirate’s Own Book – and in the sources listed below.]
After killing the captain and mate, they set about over-hauling the vessel, and got up one keg of Mexican dollars. They then divided the captain’s clothes, and money— about 40 dollars, and a gold watch. Dawes, Talbot and Brownrigg, (who were all innocent of the murder,) were obliged to do as they were commanded—the former, who was placed at the helm, was ordered to steer for Long Island. On the day following, they divided several kegs of the specie, amounting to five thousand dollars each—they made bags and sewed the money up. After this division, they divided the remainder of the money without counting it. On Sunday, when about 15 miles S. S. E. of Southampton Light, they got the boats out and put half the money in each—they then scuttled the vessel and set fire to it in the cabin, and took to the boats. Gibbs, after the murder, took charge of the vessel as captain. From the papers they learnt that the money belonged to Stephen Girard. With the boats they made the land about daylight. Dawes and his three companions were in the long boat; the others, with Atwell, were in the jolly boat — on coming to the bar the boats struck—in the long boat, they threw overboard a trunk of clothes and a great deal of money, in all about 5000 dollars—the jolly boat foundered; they saw the boat fill, and heard them cry out, and saw them clinging to the masts—they went ashore on Barron Island, and buried the money in the sand, but very lightly. Soon after they met with a gunner, whom they requested to conduct them where they could get some refreshments. They were by him conducted to Johnson’s (the only man living on the island,) where they staid all night—Dawes went to bed at about 10 o’clock—Jack Brownrigg set up with Johnson, and in the morning told Dawes that he had told Johnson all about the murder. Johnson went in the morning with the steward for the clothes, which were left on the top of the place where they buried the money, but does not believe they took away the money.
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Editor’s Notes
The bloody history of Charles Gibbs [1794? – 1831] was a staple in many 19th century collections of pirate, mutiny, and shipwreck tales. Accounts of his trial and confession were also very popular in their day – at the excellent Library of Congress website one may consult The Confession of Chas. Gibbs alias James Jeffreys, who has been sentenced to be executed at N. York, on the 22d April 1831 for piracy and murder on board the brig Vineyard (Boston: 1831) – the title appears to be in error. Gibbs was an alias, apparently for James Jeffers.
At his 1831 trial, Gibbs was prosecuted by two sons of Alexander Hamilton.
This little book is in the Library of Congress Piracy Trials Collection (available on the Internet), along with over fifty other rare trial accounts in several languages, including Trial and sentence of Thomas J. Wansley and Charles Gibbs for murder and piracy on board the brig Vineyard (New York: 1831).
Between his conviction and execution, Gibbs “confessed to” (the modern reader might say “bragged about”) killing some 400 persons. At the remove of two centuries, that claim says a great deal about Gibbs as a person, little about the facts of his ill-spent life.
As was the custom of the day, after the execution the bodies of Gibbs and his two shipmates were turned over to surgeons for dissection. The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York has a skull which is reputed to be (or is “was” correct? It certainly isn’t his any longer) Charles Gibbs'.
When it comes to tales of buried pirate treasure, the reader can do no better than start with the classic Dig for Pirate Treasure by Robert I. Nesmith (1958).
Dead Men Tell No Tales; The Life and Legends of the Pirate Charles Gibbs, by Joseph Gibbs (2007) is a modern biography. I have not yet read it, so I offer no opinion about its accuracy.
Good luck to all,
The Old Bookaroo
