Ben Crack-O (d. December 14, 1842) was a king of the Crack-O tribe in the region around

Cape Palmas Cape Palmas is a headland on the extreme southeast end of the coast of Liberia, Africa, at the extreme southwest corner of the northern half of the continent. The Cape itself consists of a small, rocky peninsula connected to the mainland by a san ...

, in the present day border area of

Liberia Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast–Lib ...

and the

Ivory Coast Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest List of ci ...

, in the 1840s. He was killed by men under Commodore

Matthew C. Perry Matthew Calbraith Perry (April 10, 1794 – March 4, 1858) was a United States Navy officer who commanded ships in several wars, including the War of 1812 and the Mexican–American War. He led the Perry Expedition that Bakumatsu, ended Japan' ...

during the Ivory Coast Expedition.

Crack-O tribe

King Crack-O ruled over the Crack-O tribe, who were an inland people that desiring to engage in foreign trade fought against the Bassa Cove and Berribee people and established ten miles of coast on which they built five towns.

Battle of Little Bereby

Commodore Perry, Liberian Governor

Joseph Jenkins Roberts Joseph Jenkins Roberts (March 15, 1809 – February 24, 1876) was an African-American merchant who emigrated to Liberia in 1829, where he became a politician. Elected as the first (1848–1856) and seventh (1872–1876) president of Liberi ...

, and King Crack-O agreed to hold a palaver at King Crack-O's capital of Little Berribee to discuss alleged piracy by King Crack-O against American shipping. During the meeting held on December 13, King Crack-O through an interpreter denied any involvement in piracy against the American schooner

Mary Carver Mary Carvellas (May 3, 1924 – October 18, 2013), better known as Mary Carver, was an American actress whose career spanned more than 60 years. She may be best known for her role as matriarch Cecilia Simon on the series ''Simon & Simon'' appearin ...

, which had been plundered earlier in the year in the vicinity. The American officers and Governor Roberts felt the interpreter was an "unskillful liar". Commodore Perry stood up and denounced the interpreter as a liar before moving to confront King Crack-O. A scuffle ensued and the US sergeant of the marines shot and wounded King Crack-O while two other marines bayoneted him. The gathering broke down into a melee with King Crack-O's men running in all directions. His interpreter was shot dead while trying to run away. Commodore Perry ordered the town to be burned. The American sailors "gave three cheers and then applied the torch" and in 15 minutes the whole town was set on fire. King Crack-O was taken prisoner by the Americans and died from his wounds the next morning.

References

{{reflist 19th-century Liberian people 1842 deaths Year of birth unknown Tribal chiefs