Emergencies and World Disasters
Cruel Silence: The Ghost Crew of the Duc de Dantzig
23 min•16 september 2026
Om avsnittet
Cruel Silence: The Ghost Crew of the Duc de Dantzig
The Caribbean brig Duc de Dantzig was found drifting with men crucified to the masts and dried blood across the deck, yet no fresh shot holes in the hull - a privateer launched in 1808 that vanished from official records after December 13, 1811. How did a ship with documented prizes, a captain who pushed hard across the Atlantic, and eyewitnesses simply disappear without wreckage or a coherent explanation?
In this episode, we follow the documented career of the Duc de Dantzig from her construction in Nantes through her most violent cruises under François Aregnaudeau, the paper trail of captures and losses, and the puzzling final traces that leave historians asking what really happened. Could the last confirmed sighting and later unsourced reports point to an answer that the archives have missed?
Person: François Aregnaudeau
Owner: Tiesset
Launched: 1808
Last confirmed sighting: 13 December 1811 (reported by the privateer Gazelle at Morlaix)
Prize money recorded: 220,250.21 francs (from capture of William and Henry)
- Constructed in Nantes and launched in 1808 with fourteen cannons and fifty men at the start.
- Pierre-François Baclin took command on 12 February 1808 and won a court case over prize money from the William and Henry.
- François Aregnaudeau assumed command in October 1810 and, within weeks, captured the Ceres (20 Nov 1810) and the Bonetta (4 Dec 1810).
- After refitting, on 29 June 1811 she intercepted the Barrosa; by summer 1811 she was recorded as having ten cannons and 176 men.
- The last confirmed trace in official records is a Gazelle report to Morlaix on 13 December 1811; subsequent accounts include an uncited June 2, 1812 declaration by Captain Everett of the Rover.
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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
The Caribbean brig Duc de Dantzig was found drifting with men crucified to the masts and dried blood across the deck, yet no fresh shot holes in the hull - a privateer launched in 1808 that vanished from official records after December 13, 1811. How did a ship with documented prizes, a captain who pushed hard across the Atlantic, and eyewitnesses simply disappear without wreckage or a coherent explanation?
In this episode, we follow the documented career of the Duc de Dantzig from her construction in Nantes through her most violent cruises under François Aregnaudeau, the paper trail of captures and losses, and the puzzling final traces that leave historians asking what really happened. Could the last confirmed sighting and later unsourced reports point to an answer that the archives have missed?
Person: François Aregnaudeau
Owner: Tiesset
Launched: 1808
Last confirmed sighting: 13 December 1811 (reported by the privateer Gazelle at Morlaix)
Prize money recorded: 220,250.21 francs (from capture of William and Henry)
- Constructed in Nantes and launched in 1808 with fourteen cannons and fifty men at the start.
- Pierre-François Baclin took command on 12 February 1808 and won a court case over prize money from the William and Henry.
- François Aregnaudeau assumed command in October 1810 and, within weeks, captured the Ceres (20 Nov 1810) and the Bonetta (4 Dec 1810).
- After refitting, on 29 June 1811 she intercepted the Barrosa; by summer 1811 she was recorded as having ten cannons and 176 men.
- The last confirmed trace in official records is a Gazelle report to Morlaix on 13 December 1811; subsequent accounts include an uncited June 2, 1812 declaration by Captain Everett of the Rover.
To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.
© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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