Abstract:
Otway Burns was born near Swansboro in 1775, and began his sailing career as a young man. He was North Carolina�s and the South's most famous and successful privateer of the War of 1812. Sailing aboard the SNAP DRAGON, he captured almost 40 ships with cargoes totaling millions of dollars. His ship was frequently outgunned, however, Burns' outstanding seamanship was more than a match for a superior foe. Although Otway Burns died an obscure pauper, he holds today an honored place in the state's maritime history.