About Captain Martel and his pirate gang

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Surprisingly I didn't found proper thread for this :

John/ James Martel was not a particularly notable pirate (though at least accordingly to Wiki he commanded 22 gun ship which is quite large actually)

At first I found an interesting section about this pirate in The history of the pyrates: containing the lives of Captain Mission. Captain Bowen. Captain Kidd ... and their several crews (1728)

link

http://digital.lib.ecu.edu/17002

I appears that a person who had more knowledge about Martel or actually his pirate gang under Captain Kennedy sent a Letter to Johnson since the original edition of the book contained errors. The letter was published in this 1728 Volume.

Pages 330-335

This is the beginning of the letter (I think it is indeed a letter)

To Captain Johnson.

SIR,

THOUGH I can contribute nothing to your Second Volume of pyrates you have (as I hear) in Hand, yet, by your Character of Veracity, I perswade my self I shall oblige you, in rectifying a Mistake you made in your first. In the Life of Captain Martel you say, the Greyhound Galley of London, which I then commanded, fell into the Hands of that Pyrate, who plunder'd her of some Gold Dust, Elephants Teeth, and 40 Slaves. The latter Part of this is just, except the Elephants Teeth, of which I lost, I think, none; but you are misled in the former, for Martel's Company had deposed him, on Account, as they themselves told me, of his Cruelty; had given him, and those who were willing to follow his Fortunes, a Sloop, and, sending him away, chose a more righteous in his Place, whose Name was Kennedy, by Descent an Irishman, by Birth a Spaniard of Cuba, and a Hunter....

and this is the end signature

I am, SIR, Your very humble Servant, J. EVANS.

Feb. 2.

1727-8.

P.S. Four of my Men took on with the pyrates, though I remember the Names of two only, Bryant Ryley, John Hammond.

But here is an interesting description of a "battle" and flags, if indeed true like the Writer says

On the 16th of October 1716, about 10 Leagues S. S. W. from the Island of Monna, in the grey of the Morning, my second Mate came down and acquainted me, that a Ship was almost on board us. We then steer'd about W. half South, and the Pyrate stood to the S. E. His coming very near us made us edge away from him, and call out to desire he would keep his Luff, or he would be on board us. No Answer was given, and not a Soul appear'd on his Decks, but the Man at the Helm, and about two more; however the Greyhound got clear, and crowded, as usual, for a Market. As soon as the Pyrate got into our Wake, she wore, and made all the Sail she could, by which Means she soon came up with us (for she was clean, and we foul) and clewing up her Sprit-Sail, fir'd a Gun with Shot, and at the same Time let fly her Jack, Ensign and Pendant, in which was the Figure of a Man, with a Sword in his Hand, and an Hour-Glass before him, with a Death's Head and Bones. In the Jack and Pendant were only the Head and Cross Bones. I did not think fit to shorten Sail, which occasioned a second Shot from the Pyrate, which went through our Main Top-Sail. Upon this I consulted my Officers, and they advised the shortening sail, as we were no Way in a Capacity to make any Defence.....

It goes on but I find the flags interesting... Sadly no description of the colour. But, we know that by the time the letter was written and the Johnson books (middle/late 1720s) the Black flag was rather universal pirate symbol. I think that if the flag was not black he would have mentioned it. (As the black flag is used as pirate flag synonym in Johnson's books). Anyway it might well have been red, yellow, green etc. or perhaps the flags and pedants had different colors...

Also, here is an interesting part where the writer tells what ha happened earlier and the return to the period of his captivity

The Pyrate, a little before I was taken, had met with two interloping Dutch Men, supposed to be bound for the Main, who gave him a rough Entertainment, and made him glad to sheer off.

The Weymouth had two Women Passengers on board; how they pass'd their Time I need not say; though, I fancy, as they had formerly made a Trip or two to the Bay, there was no Rape committed.

Notwithstanding the melancholy Situation I was in, I could not refrain laughing when I saw the Fellows who went on board the Greyhound, return to their own Ship; for they had, in rummaging my Cabbin, met with a Leather Powder Bag and Puff, with which they had powder'd themselves from Head to Foot, walk'd the Decks with their Hats under their Arms, minced their Oaths, and affected all the Airs of a Beau, with an Aukwardness would have forced a Smile from a Cynick.

When I was permitted to return on board the Greyhound, and prosecute my Voyage, I found all my Papers torn, and every Thing turn'd topsy-turvy; but this was nothing to their leaving all my Negroes out of Irons, of whom I was more in fear than I had been of the pyrates; for, among them, the Captain's Humanity protected us; but we could expect no Quarter from the Negroes should they rebel; and, in such Case, we had no Prospect of quelling them, for the pyrates had taken away all our Arms, and by opening a Cask of Knives, which they had scatter'd about the Ship, they had armed the Negroes, one of whom had the Insolence to collar and shake one of my Men. I therefore called my People aft, and told them, our Security depended altogether on our Resolution; wherefore arming selves with Handspikes, we drove the Negroes into the Hold, and afterwards calling them up one by one, we put on their Irons, which the pyrates had not taken with them, took away their Knives, and, by these Means, arrived safely at our Port.

Edited November 8, 2013 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Swashbuckler 1700]

I have also a question: Who is the pirate captain Kennedy mentioned here and active in 1716? Surely not Walter Kennedy who was in crew of Davis' and Robert's in 1718-21 and who was a captain later...

I also think that the Flag attributed to Walter Kennedy was the one used by this Kennedy who operated in 1716

I wonder if there were two or more Kennedys and similar fail has happened than with captain Moody and Roberts' crew member Christopher Moody?

At least the description of this 1716 Kennedy's flag fits to the flag usually attributed to Walter Kennedy

Like captain Evans told in his letter to Johnson "in which was the Figure of a Man, with a Sword in his Hand, and an Hour-Glass before him, with a Death's Head and Bones"

Edited November 10, 2013 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Fox]

Right on both counts.

Walter Kennedy didn't turn to piracy until 1718, having travelled out to the Caribbean in Woodes Rogers' force sent to suppress the Bahamas pirates, and the flag so often attributed to "Walter" Kennedy almost certainly comes from this description