One of Virginia’s most eccentric patriots was John Sinclair, a government-sanctioned pirate

Privateers were an important component of the American war effort. They were something akin to government-sanctioned pirates — armed vessels that chased down and confiscated the cargo of civilian enemy merchant ships. The techniques privateers employed wouldn’t pass muster today. They’d often approach a ship under a false flag and captain and crew would get a large cut of the captured loot. The post One of Virginia’s most eccentric patriots was John Sinclair, a government-sanctioned pirate...