In 1699 pirates were cruising around the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay targeting ships flying the English flag. Almost-at-will they were taking ships going to and coming from ports in the Colony of Virginia. Tobacco was a favorite commodity for capture, but anything in sight was game. Virginia Governor Francis Nicholson was concerned about the effectiveness of the existing guardship, HMS Essex Prize to prevent the relentless carnage. As a result, the Colony had recently received a larger and better armed HMS Shoreham with 32 guns from England to fight the pirate ships mercilessly praying on the merchant fleet. Additionally, the Governor had appointed local militia in the counties of Norfolk, Northampton, Accomack, and Princess Anne to keep watch for the menacing vessels around Hampton Roads. Then in late April 1700, a French pirate vessel named La Paix with twenty-eight cannons, a crew of around 150, and under the command of Louis Guittar, sailed into Lynnhaven Inlet, within what is now called Virginia Beach, with five captured prizes under-its-belt and ready to be pillaged . Also, on the La Paix was the infamous pirate, John Hougling. Pirates had only months before successfully fought off the guardship HMS Essex Prize , thus the buccaneers had little fear of English guardships in Hampton Roads. Even when warned by a recent captive of a more formidable threat in the vicinity, the recent arrivals had little trepidation. Spotted by the Virginia lookouts, the Governor and the Captain of the Shoreham, William Passenger, were informed of the pirates’ incursion. They quickly boarded their new guardship and sailed with a crew and militiamen, totaling 115, to trap the pirates within the Inlet the next morning of Thursday, April 29. They were successful in the surprise entrapment and fired a shot across the bow of the pirate vessel at the crack-of-dawn. When the buccaneers responded with hostile intent, the Virginia Colonists and the English, with sixty percent of the participants under twelve years-of-age, then blasted away all day, with volley after volley and shot after shot. Guittar tried to maneuver his more heavily manned ship to storm the guardship. But Captain Passenger, with the wind in his favor, maneuvered the Shoreham to his advantage until the bloodied La Paix eventually ran aground after nearly ten hours of fierce fighting . Louis Guittar threatened to blow up his ship with the remaining gunpowder if not given quarter. Nicholson promised the “mercy of the King” to all pirates that surrendered. The offer was accepted. “Twenty Seven Barrels of Powder, and Sixteen hundred and Seventy One Shott of Several Natures Besides a hundred Weight Shot in Small Arms,” were used in the battle. The sails, masts, yards, and rigging of the La Paix were shot away. One side of the pirates’ ship hull was terribly pummeled. The vanquished La Paix was boarded by the attacking victors. Going below deck they found forty imprisoned individuals, including English officers and passengers, from the captured prizes. Forty pirates were dead from the engagement and 120 were taken prisoner, many of whom were wounded. Some of the defeated party had jumped overboard to escape but were later apprehended. One hundred and nineteen pirates were to be shipped to England where they were to be tried as pirates. Eight died in the Elizabeth City County Jail before their ship sailed in mid-summer. Several pirates, including Hougling, were captured separately. They had their trial held in Elizabeth City (Hampton) and sentenced to be hung in Princess Anne (Virginia Beach). However, the three escaped but were eventually recaptured in Accomack County. They were taken to the Cape Henry area (Virginia Beach). One was hung near Cape Henry, another was hung on the shores of the Lynnhaven River, and the third had a noose placed around his neck and met his demise where he had been captured after jumping ship. All three were left to rot where they hung, near where the battle had occurred, as a warning to other pirates. Guittar and twenty-three of the other captured raiders were tried, convicted, and hung in London within the month of November 1700. The crew of the English vessel endured casualties as well. One, Peter Heyman of Hampton, the head customs official, was killed as he stood next to Governor Nicholson on the quarterdeck of the Shoreham. With the dueling ships coming within twenty to thirty feet of each other, the Governor was shooting at the invaders within the range of his pistol. The wealth taken from the La Paix and its pirates, along with the sale of the ship, plus an added load of tobacco, was divided between the King, Captain Passenger, the Governor, and some of the crew of the HMS Shoreham, as was the tradition . Of course, some of the riches seemed to disappear, as was the tradition. It is said that my eighth great-grandfather, a Lewis, was among the militia involved in the fight and came away a little richer.