Although the exciting story of Evelyn’s great-great grandfather had been told in the family through the years, no one had ever put it on paper, so Hilton decided to write the entire story for her grandchildren. Kidnapped by Pirates is based on the true story of fourteen year-old Charles Tilton, who was kidnapped alone in 1814 from a New England whaler by some of Jean Lafitte’s rogue pirates. They brought the boy to their Galveston Island base, just off the Texas coast and presented him to Lafitte as a ransom prize. Enraged that the men had attacked and American vessel and sailors, the French buccaneer had the disobedient men hung. He then offered Charles a job as cabin boy, which he accepted. Charles ended up staying for 6 exciting years of adventure!

In 1820, the U.S. Government sent naval ships to disband the thousand-man base at Galveston but, before they arrived, the French buccaneer split all the spoils with his men and they all headed in different directions. Charles sailed up Texas’ Trinity River, to Old River, then into Lost Lake where he and 3 friends buried his share of the gold and scuttled the schooner Lafitte had given him to avoid detection. He applied for a MX land grant, built a house on the bank, and later married and had nine children. He never forgot his exciting years with Lafitte, which are related in this intriguing book…

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