Village’s history changed forever on June 20, 1631

IT WAS a warm peaceful summer’s night on June 20, 1631, as the inhabitants of Baltimore harbour village slept soundly in their beds.

It was two hours before dawn. Some would be waking soon to mend nets, fix ropes and prepare their boats for another day on the ocean.

Outside, light from a crescent moon danced on Roaringwater Bay.

But the peace was about to be shattered, and the course of Baltimore’s history to be changed forever.

Metres away, a small guerrilla force of about 230 Algerian pirates from the North African Barbary coast landed their wooden boats on a shingle beach.

Bare-armed and wearing red waistcoats and plumed hats, they assembled in silence, armed with muskets, yatagan sabres and iron bars to force doors.

They were the legendary Janissaries — a hand-picked elite of highly-trained soldiers, skilled in the art of war.

Led by a Dutch captain turned pirate, Jan Janszoon van Haarlem, also known as Murat Reis the Younger, they broke into 26 small units and then, in a co-ordinated attack, they torched the thatched cottages, forcing terrified villagers onto the streets.

The Janissaries were ruthless. Villager Timothy Curlew put up a brave fight, but was hacked to death on the street as his screaming widow was dragged away. John Davis also resisted, but he too was slaughtered.

A total of 108 people — men, women, children and toddlers were captured before the alarm was raised by William Harris.

Armed with a single musket, he fired a warning shot in the air to alert other villagers who fled in panic.

Murat Reis assessed the situation and retreated with his doomed captives who were shipped off to a life of horrific slavery in North Africa.

Some ended up as galley slaves in pirate ships while others were condemned to years in the Sultan’s harem.

Source: The Stolen Village by Des Ekin.