Pirate Days in Alexandria Bay is one of the most popular events in the North Country. It's 10 days of fun on the river and a celebration of the life of an actual pirate, Bill Johnston.

What You Need To Know

  • The Village of Alexandria Bay celebrates the life of Pirate Bill Johnston every year during a 10 day festival

  • COVID-19 forced the festival to cancel this year

  • Johnston's life was controversial, but one that was for sure full of adventure

However, this year, COVID-19 forced the event to cancel.  So we thought, why not find a different way to keep the tradition going by exploring some tales of who Bill Johnston was and what made him so memorable. I don't think anyone would argue, Pirate's Days is perhaps a bit more action packed than Bill Johnston's real life, but it was a life full of adventure for sure.

Born in Canada, in 1782, Bill Johnston was a cargo carrier, but absolutely despised British restrictions and duties. So sometimes, he'd find smuggling a bit more lucrative.

However, he would eventually come to the U.S. to avoid those fees and also fight back during the War of 1812. He eventually became the admiral of the Northern Fleet.

"That sounds like a heck of a title, but you've got to put it into perspective. The fleet was rowboats," Captain Matt Withers of Clayton Island Tours said.

Despite that, Johnston took his fight for liberty seriously. He was involved in battles in nearby Ogdensburg and Prescott until the war ended.

After, he bought a tavern in Clayton and a jewelry shop in Watertown, but also continued his smuggling ways.

However, in the late 1830s war broke out again, the little known Patriot's War, although not so much a war as it was a group of people who wanted to see Canada freed from British rule. Johnston was involved and it’s where he went from war admiral to wanted criminal.

"Bill, still kind of upset with the British, decided he was going to get 20 of his best friends and reenact the Boston Tea Party," Captain Matt said.

Bill's friends started tracking the British ship, the Sir Robert Peel. It carried mail and, more importantly, the payroll for British soldiers. On May 29, 1838, with the ship docked, Johnston led the charge.

"He landed with his men, made their way through the woods; nine of which got lost in the woods in the dark and never made the attack," Withers said.

Despite that, with only 11 men, they took control without having to fire one shot.

Bill wanted to take the ship and turn it over to the U.S. Navy. His team did that, well the first part anyway.

"Only problem was, nobody in his crew knew how to fire a boiler up," Withers said.

Unable to get the Peel moving, they took the money, lit it on fire and pushed it out into the river, where it sank. Several of his men were captured and hanged by the British, but Bill was always a step ahead. So much so, he would eventually earn his freedom by convincing the president of the United States to give it to him.

This is the first story in a two-part series. Part II can be found here.