Podcast Summary: Aaron Mahnke’s Cabinet of Curiosities – “Hunters’ Duel”

Date: September 18, 2025
Host: Aaron Mahnke

Overview

In this episode of Cabinet of Curiosities, Aaron Mahnke guides listeners through two remarkable stories:

1. The daring escape and heroic life of Robert Smalls, an enslaved man who commandeered a Confederate ship to freedom and made a lasting mark on American history.
2. The bizarre and legendary “vampire feud” that engulfed London’s Highgate Cemetery in the late 1960s and ‘70s, featuring ghost hunters, public rivalries, and the making of a modern urban legend.

Story 1: The Legend of Robert Smalls – Enslaved Man to Civil War Hero

Segment Timestamp: [01:10–05:50]

Key Discussion Points

• Early Life & Circumstances

  • Robert Smalls, born into slavery in South Carolina, “always found small ways to rebel” and married fellow enslaved woman Hannah, defying laws forbidding their union ([01:10]).
  • Demonstrated resourcefulness, rising to responsible positions including crewing the military transport steamship, the Planter.

• The Escape Plan

  • As the Civil War raged and Confederate officials grew careless, Robert seized the chance:
    “He proposed that they steal the ship, pick up their loved ones, and escape to the union blockade, where they would turn over the ship and earn their freedom.” ([02:30])

  • On a tense June night in 1862, they executed the plan, disguised under the Confederate flag, picking up family, and heading past enemy checkpoints.

  • Memorable Moment:
    When challenged by Confederate guards, Robert impersonated the captain:

    “The men on guard yelled down to the ship, ‘Give the Yankees hell.’ To which Robert coolly replied, ‘Aye. Aye.’” ([03:50])

• Triumphant Success

  • Successfully delivered the ship and their story to Union forces:

    “Robert gave them his [name] and told them that they wanted their freedom. And this was just the beginning of Robert's incredible story.” ([04:17])

• Aftermath and Legacy

  • Awarded for their bravery, Smalls continued to command the Planter, fought for the Union, and after the war, “used [the] reward money ... to buy a mansion in South Carolina. And not just any mansion, but the mansion of his original enslaver, who had since fled the state.” ([04:53])
  • Became a state senator, working to secure rights for freed enslaved people despite the rise of Jim Crow.
  • Smalls’ story was “deliberately downplayed in the history books,” but today stands as an inspiring tale of resistance and hope ([05:27]).

  • “When he piloted that ship out of Charleston Harbor, Robert Smalls was just trying to create a future for his family, but in doing so, he contributed to the future of all black Americans.” ([05:40])

Story 2: Duel for the Dead – The Highgate Vampire Feud

Segment Timestamp: [06:18–12:08]

Key Discussion Points

• Origins of the Highgate Ghouls

  • In 1969, Thornton, a middle-aged accountant, took an ill-fated shortcut through the decrepit Highgate Cemetery, encountering a chilling, shadowy figure ([06:18]).
  • “A bell clanged in the distance and he started toward the sound, hoping it might lead him to the gate. But ... the temperature suddenly dropped. A towering figure loomed ahead ... watching him with unblinking intensity.” ([06:44])

• Escalating Paranormal Reports

  • Multiple, identical sightings led David Farrant, a young psychic investigator, to investigate. “He described [the specter] as a tall gray figure with pinpricks of red light for eyes.” ([07:19])
  • Farrant publicized his findings, unleashing a flood of reports and growing media interest.
  • The story escalated as Sean Manchester, a self-proclaimed bishop and exorcist, claimed it was “not just a ghost, but a vampire, possibly a medieval Romanian nobleman ... reawakened by satanic rituals.” ([08:10])

• Rivalry & Media Frenzy

  • Farrant dismissed the vampire claim:

    “He was a firm believer in ghosts, but he drew the line at vampires.” ([08:24])

  • Their mutual accusations of fraud and black magic became central to the saga, each portraying the other as a dangerous charlatan.

  • Notable Quote:

    “Both gave increasingly bombastic interviews, each casting himself as the real hero of the Highgate tale and the other as the deluded or dangerous fraud.” ([08:44])

• The Vampire Hunt & Public Spectacle

  • On Friday the 13th, March 1970, Manchester promised on TV to kill the vampire, prompting hundreds to swarm Highgate in search of the undead ([09:02]).
  • Manchester’s quest failed, but the chaos intensified the legend—including the discovery of a “headless, charred corpse ... suspected of being exhumed for some kind of occult ritual.” ([09:47])
  • Farrant was arrested for trespassing—with stake and crucifix in hand—but Manchester twisted this further, accusing him of grave robbery and black magic ([10:10]).

• Absurd Climax & Lingering Legacy

  • By 1973, both rivals announced a public magical duel—“the two men agreed to a public duel on Parliament Hill, complete with magical weapons. ... But the duel was called off at the last minute.” ([10:40])
  • The legend faded, but Farrant and Manchester “kept themselves in the spotlight, prolonging the story through their personal war.” Even after Farrant’s 2019 death, Manchester both honored and condemned him:

    “Sean Manchester posted a surprisingly respectful tribute and then returned to his blog to reaffirm that Farrant had always been dangerously wrong. Like the creature they had once hunted, their feud refused to stay buried.” ([11:41])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Robert Smalls’s Calm Under Pressure:

  “The men on guard yelled down to the ship, ‘Give the Yankees hell.’ To which Robert coolly replied, ‘Aye. Aye.’” – Aaron Mahnke ([03:50])

• On the Absurdity of the Highgate Feud:

  “Both gave increasingly bombastic interviews, each casting himself as the real hero of the Highgate tale and the other as the deluded or dangerous fraud.” – Aaron Mahnke ([08:44])

• On Legacy and Myth-Making:

  “Like the creature they had once hunted, their feud refused to stay buried.” – Aaron Mahnke ([11:56])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:10] Robert Smalls’s early life and daring escape
• [04:53] Smalls buys his former enslaver’s mansion
• [05:40] Legacy of Robert Smalls
• [06:18] Highgate Cemetery haunting begins
• [07:19] David Farrant investigates Highgate
• [08:10] Arrival of Sean Manchester and the vampire claim
• [09:02] Public invasion of Highgate Cemetery
• [09:47] The occult body and Farrant’s arrest
• [10:40] The unconsummated magician’s duel
• [11:41] Lasting enmity and closing reflection

Tone and Style

Aaron Mahnke delivers both stories with his signature blend of suspenseful narration, historical intrigue, and dry wit—making the bizarre feel both entertaining and deeply human.

Conclusion

“Hunters’ Duel” is a classic Cabinet of Curiosities episode, blending forgotten heroics and peculiar rivalries. It reminds listeners that history is full of both unsung champions and ridiculous feuds worth resurrecting—if only to marvel at what people will do when faced with the extraordinary.