Carolina Governor Robert Johnson sent four ships after Worley and Cole; the pirate hunters split up and chased them down separately, capturing Cole some hours after Worley when Cole tried to flee the battle. Cole's ship was still carrying prisoners, including 36 women destined to be sold into indentured servitude. Two separate accounts of Worley's demise exist; one in Captain Charles Johnson's original book and a subsequent one sent to Johnson by an eyewitness. Johnson's original account Worley soon prepared to make his return to the colonies, where others such as Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet were enjoying success off Virginia and the Carolinas. When Worley pulled into an inlet near Charleston, South Carolina to clean his ship, the Governor was informed of his presence and sent two provincial naval sloops against him, one fitted with eight guns and the other with six. Worley set sail and the sloops followed him north to the coast of Virginia to Jamestown, Virginia. A later version of The General History corrected this location, and said the engagement that took Worley's life was in Charleston, S.C. (Charles Town at the time). Upon seeing what he assumed were two merchant ships, he hoisted his black flag, causing much alarm amongst the Jamestown residents, who thought they were to be attacked by not one but three pirate ships, and beat to arms to defend themselves. Worley fired a shot at the sloops, but as they drew near he realised his mistake and he and his crew prepared to follow their vow and to all fight to the death. One sloop fired a broadside and drew up to his quarter and the other to his bow before boarding. Worley and his crew, outnumbered by three to one, drew up on the deck to fight a bloody last stand. All were killed bar Worley and one other, who were both severely wounded, and brought ashore in irons. They were hanged the next day (17 Feb 1719) in public to ensure they received a very visible punishment and didn't instead die of their wounds hidden in jail. Eyewitness account In October 1718 the Governor of Charles Town, Robert Johnson was informed that a pirate ship commanded by Capt. William Moody (but actually commanded by Worley) had been sighted off the bar of Charles Town and carried fifty guns and two hundred men. The Governor and his council decided to commandeer