The First Prize of War

The first step against William Claiborne was taken, singularly enough, by Captain Fleet himself, who, having left our harbor, sailed directly to the Patuxent River, and it seemed certain he had some information which guided him to that point, for there he found one of Claiborne's traders in the pinnace Longtail. Thomas Smith was in command of the vessel, and must have been somewhat surprised when Captain Fleet, coming alongside, demanded to know by what right he was there making ready for trade.

Smith claimed, as did his master, that he had license from the Virginia Company, as well as from the king himself; but Captain Fleet would not listen, and, with great show of severity, forced all the crew of the trading pinnace to go on shore, refusing to allow them a single weapon with which they might defend themselves against the Indians or wild beasts.

He kept the trader Smith with him, however, and, taking the vessel in tow, made sail for St. Mary's, arriving at our town the next morning after having had the meeting with Governor Calvert.

This was the first prize of the war, and many of our people in St. Mary's gave themselves over to rejoicing because of what had been done.

It appears, as I afterward heard, that the trader Smith insisted that a boat should be sent into the Patuxent River to find his men, and, this done, that they and he be sent to Kent Island.

To such request, however, Governor Calvert turned a deaf ear; but offered to send them either to Virginia or to England, whichever pleased them, providing they went as prisoners who had offended against the laws of the king as well as of our Province of Maryland.

The pinnace Longtail  was anchored close under the guns of the fort, where she might be held as a prize of war, and there were many among us who believed that this would so dishearten the people of Kent Island as to put an end to their trading with the brown men contrary to the commands of Governor Calvert.