Nathaniel Gordon
Nathaniel Gordon | |
|---|---|
An 1862 illustration of Gordon's execution | |
| Born | February 6, 1826 Portland, Maine, U.S. |
| Died | February 21, 1862 (aged 36) Tombs Prison, New York, U.S. |
| Criminal status | Executed by hanging |
| Motive | Financial gain |
| Conviction | Engaging in the slave trade |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
| Details | |
| Victims | Hundreds |
Span of crimes | 1851 – August 8, 1860 (allegedly did another voyage in 1848) |
| Locations | Atlantic Ocean Western Africa |
| Target | Africans |
Date apprehended | August 8, 1860 |
Nathaniel Gordon (February 6, 1826 – February 21, 1862) was an American slave trader who was the only person in the United States to be tried, convicted, and executed by the federal government for having "engaged in the slave trade", which was deemed an act of piracy when committed by American citizens under the Piracy Law of 1820. As such, Gordon was also the last person to be executed for piracy in the United States.