Miscellaneous pirate references from Donnan

[Daniel]

There are a few more references to pirates in Donnan's books on the slave trade which don't each merit an individual thread, but could nonetheless be useful to researchers.

1. Possibly most interesting is a brief reference to an attack by Francis Spriggs not mentioned in Johnson. A footnote says that Jeremiah Clarke arrived in New England and reported that Spriggs had robbed a slave ship captained by Rhode Islander Richard Duffie. Spriggs then released Duffie and gave him 25 black slaves. The attack apparently took place near South Carolina, and was reported in the News Letter on Jan. 28, 1725. Spriggs had deserted Low around Christmas 1724, so this may have been one of Spriggs' first captures. On the other hand, if the News Letter was using the Old Style New Year, the attack may actually have been in 1726. Clarke himself had been captured by pirates some time in 1723. Donnan, III p. 118.

2. There is also a reference to Roberts, presumably Bartholomew. "Two Whipples, Christopher Almy, and Norton were concerned in a vessel which had been seized by the pirate Roberts off St. Lucia. After six or seven weeks the pirates captured a Dutch vessel, loaded it with sugar, cocoa, and and negroes, and sent Norton off to dispose of the cargo. He anchored in Tarpaulin Cove, between Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and here his confederates sent sloops to convey the goods to Providence Plantations. The attention of the customs officers of both Massachusetts and Rhode Island was attracted and that portion of the cargo not already disposed of was seized." Donnan, III 116. This is one of the few descriptions I know of showing the techniques pirates used to fence their loot. I suspect the position between Massachusetts and Rhode Island was chosen to create a conflict of jurisdictions.

3. On 10/6/1725, a young slave named Jack was put up for sale in Boston. He had been taken from the Portuguese by the pirate Senor Quares in the brigantine Anna, who then brought him into Boston. Presumably Jack had been confiscated from Quares by the authoriities and then put up for sale. Donnan, III p. 19.

4. Passenger William Atkinson was captured by pirates in 1726 on a North Carolina sloop, but aided in retaking the sloop and bringing the pirates into Boston as captives. Donnan, III p. 36.

5. One slaver captain, when attacked by pirates, offered freedom to all the slaves who would join him in defending the vessel. The pirates were beaten off, and the captain honored his word, settling the freedmen on the Malbone estate in Pomfret, Connecticut. The date is unspecified, possibly some time in the 1730s when Malbone was slaving. Donnan, III p. 131.

6. The slave vessel Sarah of London, was captured by pirates in the mouth of the Gambia River; word reached Philadelphia on 3/15/1720. Donnan, IV, p. 24.

7. The slave ships Eugene, Henrietta and Gascoigne arrived in Virginia in May and June, 1721. All three reported that Madagascar pirates had "forced from them what Provisions and Men they thought fit, but in return have made them some valuable Presents of Money, etc." All three were still "very rich," and Governor Spotswood's commssioners accused them of trading willingly with the pirates. An investigation cleared all the captains except Joseph Stratton of the Eugene, who was sent to England to stand trial. Since the warship transporting him failed to bring the evidence, it is unlikely Stratton was ever convicted. Donnan, IV p. 184.

8. A report from the Boston News Letter, 5/9/1723: "Our merchants have Advice that the ship Baylor, Capt. Verney, having been Slaving on the Coaswt of Guinea, and thence set sail for Virginia, turn'd Pirate, the Negroes being thrown overboard. The said Ship was afterwards taken by a Dutch Cruizer, after a fight of four Hours." Donnan, IV p. 185.

9. Capt. Durfey, carrying slaves to the Spanish colonies under the Asiento contract, was captured by pirates and his slaves carried to Charleston, c. 4/20/1725. It is not clear whether the slaves were sold. Donnan, IV, p. 268.