Richard Avery Hornsby facts for kids
Captain Richard Avery Hornsby (died 1818) was a brave British sailor from the 1700s. He became famous in 1744 for a daring fight against a ship full of French pirates. His story shows how courage can win even against big odds.
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A Brave Sea Battle
Captain Hornsby lived in Sunderland, England. This was during a time called the War of the Austrian Succession. He was planning to sail his ship, the Wrightson and Isabella, to The Hague in the Netherlands.
The Two Ships Meet
The Wrightson and Isabella was a small ship. It had only seven crew members. It also carried four small guns, two swivel cannons, and a few blunderbusses. This was a normal trip, not meant for fighting.
But then, a French pirate ship appeared! This ship was called the Marquis of Brancas. It was much bigger and stronger. It had 75 pirates, ten guns, eight swivel cannons, and 300 small weapons.
On June 13, 1744, the Brancas spotted Hornsby's ship off the Dutch coast. The pirates attacked!
A Fierce Fight
The two ships battled for a whole hour. The French pirates tried twice to climb onto the Isabella. But Captain Hornsby and his small crew fought them off each time.
Then, a shot from Hornsby's ship hit the Brancas. The pirate ship pulled away. Captain Hornsby quickly raised the Union Jack flag. He and his crew cheered loudly, thinking they had won.
But the Brancas came back! They fired many shots, and Captain Hornsby was hurt in the head. The French ship came close again. This time, the pirates on the Brancas refused to board Hornsby's ship. They were too scared to face him!
The French captain gave up. He cut the ropes holding his ship close and started to sail away. Moments later, the Brancas exploded! Out of 75 pirates, 36 were killed or hurt in the battle. All but three of the remaining pirates drowned when the ship sank.
A Hero's Reward
Captain Hornsby was a true hero. In September 1744, he went to Kensington Palace. King George II gave him a special gold medal and a chain. These gifts were worth a lot of money, about £100!
Each of his brave crew members also got a reward of £5. The two young boys on his ship received 40 shillings each.
The Mystery of His Burial
For a long time, people thought Captain Hornsby was buried in a churchyard near Sunderland. But a local historian, Paul Lanagan, checked the old records. He found that the Richard Hornsby buried there died in 1818 at age 67. This means he would have been only seven years old when the pirate battle happened! So, the brave Captain Hornsby from the battle is not buried there.
Legacy
Captain Hornsby's bravery was remembered in songs. At least two British naval songs were written about him. One was called "Brave Captain Hornsby." The other was titled "A New Song in Praise of Brave Captain Hornsby."
