Melee At Fort Macon

Mess Hall At Fort Macon

During the war of 1812 there were some 300 soldiers, mostly militia, at Fort Macon just opposite Beaufort.  On one occasion, when [Captain Otway] Burns was in port, some of them, having gotten into a row with citizens of the town while drunk, were being roughly handled. They called out the rest of their comrades to whom some of the officers very foolishly issued 12 rounds of ammunition per man. Captain Burns interposed and his exertions alone saved bloodshed. One of the soldiers, however, struck him, and Burns promptly knocked the man down. When this news reached the ears of the crew of the Snap Dragon, they came en masse to avenge the insult. It required all Burns eloquence to quiet his men, who very probably would have taken the fort and all the militia.  Source:  Captain Otway Burns, patriot, privateer and legislator ...