Dancing Molly Explained

The Dancing Molly was a pirate sloop famous during the Chesapeake Oyster Wars (1865-1959) for humiliating Virginia Governor William E. Cameron as he personally attempted its capture on 28 February 1883.^{[1] [2]} Crewed solely by "plucky petticoated pirates" in the form of the captain's wife and two daughters, the single-masted sailboat outran the steamers Victoria J Peed and Pamlico while under fire.^{[3] [4]}

250px|thumb|right|The oyster war in Chesapeake Bay

Background

By 1865, the states of Maryland and Virginia had passed laws that limited the harvesting of oysters from Chesapeake Bay. Fishermen from other New England states began encroaching on the bay after ther local oysterbeds were overfished and exhausted. By the 1880's, the Chesapeake was the source of almost half the world's supply of oysters, with illegal harvesting by oyster pirates.

Encounter with Governor Cameron

Having successfully captured seven oyster pirate boats in a raid the year before, Cameron set out to capture more in the steamers Victoria J Peed and Pamlico. To ensure media attention, the latter ship contained Cameron, his staff, and reporters from the New York Herald, Norfolk Evening Ledger, and Norfolk Virginian. Spotting the apparently abandoned Molly in an inlet (the other crew were gathering wood on shore), Cameron's ships headed to capture it, not knowing the wife and two daughters of Molly's captain were still aboard. A contemporary newspaper account describes:

The encounter led to a series of letters and editorials ridiculing Cameron, as the "laughing maidens of the 'Dancing Molly,' so completely outmaneuvered him" and jesting that Cameron's official report "on the oyster question" would be "replete with references to … the laughing lassies of the Dancing Molly."^{[5] [6]} Combined with other difficulties in capturing oyster pirates, the embarrassed Cameron never sent an expedition against them again.^[7]

Notes and References

1. Book: Goodall . Jamie L. H. . Pirates of the Chesapeake Bay : From the Colonial Era to the Oyster Wars . 24 February 2020 . History Press US . 978-1467141161 . 118–119 . Paperback.
2. James Tice . Moore . Gunfire on the Chesapeake: Governor Cameron and the Oyster Pirates, 1882–1885 . The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography . 90 . 3 . 367–377 . July 1982 . 4248570 .
3. News: Plucky Women: How an Oyster Pirate's Wife and Daughters Sailed Away from Governor Cameron . 26 July 2020 . The daily dispatch. (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884 . 54 . 4 March 1883 . 63 . 1.
4. News: The Virginia Oyster Pirates – They outwit Governor Cameron and escape . 26 July 2020 . Republican Journal (Maine) . 10. 4 col 3. 1 March 1883 . 55 . West Point, Virginia.
5. News: Corbin . Edward J. . Mr. Corbin Takes a Crack at Willie Cameron . 26 July 2020 . Peninsula Enterprise . 16 February 1884.
6. News: Untitled editorial . Peninsula Enterprise . 12 December 1885.
7. News: Hall . Larry . Time Capsules: The war against oyster pirates proved unpopular . 26 July 2020 . . 18 April 2008 . en.