Captain Otway Burns did something many men have dreamed of doing--one afternoon he snatched up a lawyer who had insulted him and tossed him into the Neuse River in New Bern, North Carolina. Burns did not take disrespect lightly. That is just one of the (true) stories mixed among the legends (mostly not true) about a larger-than-life merchantman, patriot, privateer, entrepreneur, and politician who made his mark in the War of 1812 and on the map of North Carolina, but has largely been forgotten. Burns' adventures on his ship Snap Dragon read like a script from an action movie. He was one of the war's most daring and successful privateers, and his actions as a lawmaker helped expand the power of the common people. He built historically significant ships and invested in many businesses as well as helped build Fort Macon, which still stands 200 years later. A national celebrity in his prime, his headstrong desire to always do the right thing cost him his marriage, then his senate seat, and eventually everything else. This book presents the complete story of one of the most fascinating figures of the 19th century, with many elements stored away for more than two centuries.