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Prologue
In
the early 1700s an escaped slave of African royalty turned to
piracy. For several
years he roamed the Florida Keys attacking ships of all nations.
He called himself Black Cesar. Black Cesar was skillful and
vicious in the pursuit of his chosen trade.
He later joined the pirate Blackbeard and sailed north on
the 40gun ship Queen Ann’s Revenge. In September 1718
near Ocracoke Island off the tip of Cape Hatteras British Naval
Lieutenant Maynard successfully attacked the Queen Ann’s
Revenge; Blackbeard is killed. Black Cesar is captured and
taken to Williamsburg, Virginia where he is hanged.
On
Friday the 13th in July of 1733 the annual Spanish
Treasure Fleet of 22 ships sails from Havana, Cuba for Spain.
The next day a hurricane swept all but one ship to their
destruction. The sunken ships are scattered over 30 miles of the
Florida Keys. The Spanish government salvaged what treasure they
could over the next few years however, millions of pesos remained
on the bottom of the shallow waters of the Florida Keys.
Nearly one hundred years later a man of mixed blood
arrives in the Florida Keys.
He takes the name of Black Cesar and resumes the pirate
trade of his namesake.
His attacks on innocent ships are deadly and he always
leaves one survivor to spread the word of his deeds until the mere
mention of his name causes ships to surrender or flee.
In
late 1803 word reaches London that this Black Cesar has discovered
the wreck of the Spanish Treasure ship San Pedro in the
shallow waters between Lower Matecumbe Key and Indian Key.
It is learned that Irish Rebels, who intend to use their
share of the treasure to wage a revolution on the British
Government, are financing the salvage operation with Black Cesar.
The British government knows that while at peace
with Spain a naval squadron cannot be ordered into Spanish
territory to stop Black Cesar and his Irish benefactors.
The
Admiralty is directed to devise a plan for a clandestine venture
to prevent the pirate and the Irish Rebels from succeeding in
recovering the treasure and arming the Irish Rebellion.
A former Dutch merchantman is taken into the Royal Navy,
armed, and outfitted as a pirate raider. Commander Nathan
Beauchamp is given command and ordered to the Spanish Florida Keys
to prevent the San Pedro’s treasure from falling into Irish
hands.
His Majesty’s pirate ship Hawk sets sail on an adventure
of danger, romance and the “Pursuit of Honor” as have British
Warships before her.
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