On this day in history...

[William Brand]

July 29 -

Stede Bonnet is believed to have been born on this day in 1688, as he was christened at Christ Church parish on 29 July 1688.

Also, on this day in 1609, Samuel de Champlain shoots and kills two Iroquois chiefs at Ticonderoga, New York setting the stage for French-Iroquois conflicts for the next 150 years.

And on this day in 1715, the first of many Spanish treasure galleons sank off the Florida coast during a hurricane.

[William Brand]

July 30 -

On this day in 1715, the last of the Spanish Treasure fleet disappeared off St Lucie near the Sebastian inlet, off Florida's treasure coast. Only a single ship made it to safety. The fleet had been returning to Spain from the mines in Terra Firma. The ships were laden with silver, gold, emeralds, tobacco, exotic spices, indigo and exotic fruit. The fleet was struck by an unexpected and deadly hurricane and the ships with their treasure sank to the ocean floor. There were an estimated 1500 survivors who struggled to the shore between what is today Sebastian and Fort Pierce. They set up camp on a barrier island and their existence was a terrible one to say the least. Many buried themselves up to their necks in sand to protect themselves from mosquitoes and no see um's.

People have been searching for treasure there ever since.

And on this day 1729, the City of Baltimore was founded.

[William Brand]

July 31 -

On this day in 1498, Christopher Columbus discovered the island of Trinidad on his third voyage.

And on this day in 1620, The Pilgrim leaders departed Leiden for England before heading to America.

And on this day in 1703, Daniel Defoe was placed in a pillory for the crime of seditious libel after publishing a politically satirical pamphlet, but was pelted with flowers.

Also, in 1718, the Battle at Cape Passaro took place and the English fleet destroyed the Spanish fleet.

[William Brand]

August 2 -

On this day in 1610, Henry Hudson entered the bay later named after him, the Hudson Bay.

[William Brand]

August 3 -

On this day in 1678, Robert LaSalle built the first ship in America, the Griffon.

And on this day in 1704, the English/Dutch fleet under Rooke/Callenburgh occupied Gibraltar.

[William Brand]

August 4 -

On this day in 1666, a Hurricane hit Guadeloupe, Martinique & St Christopher. Thousands were killed.

Also on June 29, 1694, French Privateer, Jean Bart, captured a huge convoy of Dutch grain ships, saving Paris from starvation. Jean Bart was raised into the nobility on this day in 1694 with a peerage.

And on this day in 2011 archaeologists from Texas State University reported having found what they thought might be one of Morgan's ships off the coast of Panama. The dive was conducted off the Lajas Reef; thought some sources state it was at the mouth of Panama's Chagres River, where a 52-by-22-foot (16 by 7 m) section from the starboard side of a wooden ship's hull was found. The find could be Morgan's flagship, Satisfaction. Unopened cargo boxes and chests encrusted in coral were found, in addition to the section of hull.

The dives continue, and are being led by Texas State University underwater archaeologist Frederick Hanselmann and assisted by the U.S. National Park Service Submerged Resources Center and volunteer divers from Aquarius Reef Base, a joint operation of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and University of North Carolina Wilmington - and in cooperation with Panamanian authorities and colleagues. The finds will stay in Panama.

[GregF]

Very interesting about the search for one of Morgan's ships off the coast of Panama. I had not heard about Frederick Hanselmann or his efforts.

[GregF]

Very interesting about the search for one of Morgan's ships off the coast of Panama. I had not heard about Frederick Hanselmann or his efforts.

[William Brand]

August 5 -

On this day in 1666, the English fleet beat the Dutch under the command of Michiel the Ruyter.

[William Brand]

August 6 -

On this day in 1661, the Treaty of The Hague was signed whereby the Dutch Republic sold New Holland (Brazil) for 63 tonnes of gold.

And on this day in 1714, Russian galleys under Apraksin defeated Swedish forces.

[William Brand]

August 7 -

On this day in 1573, Francis Drake's fleet returned to Plymouth.

[William Brand]

August 8 -

Boarding a small ship out of Boston, Massachusetts with six other passengers on this day in 1689, Thomas Pound seized control of the ship shortly after picking up an additional five men off Lovell's Island. They soon encountered a fishing vessel and Pound, supposedly either out of generosity or because he was losing his courage, bought mackerel for eight pennies.

Also on this day in 1709, the first known ascent in hot-air balloon was conducted by Bartolomeu de Gusmao indoors.

And on this day in 1721, Bartholomew Roberts captured two large ships at Point Cestos, now River Cess in Liberia. One of these was the frigate Onslow, transporting soldiers bound for Cape Coast (Cabo Corso) Castle. A number of the soldiers wished to join the pirates and were eventually accepted, but as landlubbers were given only a quarter share. The Onslow was converted to become the fourth Royal Fortune.

[William Brand]

August 9 -

On this day in 1666, Rear Admiral Robert Holmes lead a raid on the Dutch island of Terschelling, destroying 150 merchant ships in the Vlie estuary, and pillaging the town of West-Terschelling, an act later known as "Holmes's Bonfire".

[William Brand]

August 10 -

On this day in 1500, Portuguese sea captain, Diego Diaz, was the first European to sight Madagascar.

And on this day in 1519, Magellan's five ships set sail to circumnavigate the Earth.

And on this day in 1628, the Swedish galleon, Vasa, foundered on her maiden voyage and sank in Stockholm.

And again on this day in 1653, the sea battle at Heijde took place where the English fleet beat the Dutch.

[William Brand]

August 11 -

On this day in 1695, the English and Dutch fleets captured Dunkerk.

And on this day in 1718, the battle at Cape Passaro took place. There, the English fleet destroyed the Spanish forces.

[William Brand]

August 12 -

On this day in 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived in the Canary Islands on his first voyage to the New World.

And on this day in 1508, Juan Ponce de Leon arrived in Puerto Rico.

Also on this day in 1659, Henry Every was born in England's West Country.

And finally on this day in 1714, Edward Low married Eliza Marble at the First Church of Boston.

[William Brand]

August 13 -

On this day in 1608, John Smith's story of Jamestown's first days was submitted for publication.

[William Brand]

August 14 -

On this day in 1498, Columbus landed at the mouth of the Orinoco River in Venezuela.

And on this day in 1559, Spanish explorer de Luna landed in Pensacola Bay, Florida.

[William Brand]

August 15 -

On this day in 1517, Seven Portuguese armed vessels led by Fernão Pires de Andrade met Chinese officials at the Pearl River estuary.

And on this day two years later in 1519, Panama City was founded.

Then in 1620 on this day the Mayflower set sail from Southampton with 102 Pilgrims

15 years later on this day in 1635 the first recorded US hurricane hit the Plymouth Colony.

And also on this day in 1653, the Dutch ship "Sperwer" was stranded at Tsjedzjoe Korea.

[William Brand]

August 16 -

On this day in 1691, Yorktown, Virginia was founded.

[William Brand]

August 18 -

On this day in 1590, John White returned to Roanoke, NC to find no trace of colonist's he had left there 3 years earlier. White landed on August 18, 1590, on his granddaughter's third birthday, but found the settlement deserted. His men could not find any trace of the 90 men, 17 women, and 11 children, nor was there any sign of a struggle or battle. The only clue was the word "Croatoan" carved into a post of the fence around the village and "Cro" carved into a nearby tree. All the houses and fortifications had been dismantled, which meant their departure had not been hurried. Before he left the colony, White instructed them that if anything happened to them, they should carve a Maltese cross on a tree nearby, indicating their disappearance had been forced. As there was no cross, White took this to mean they had moved to "Croatoan Island" (now known as Hatteras Island), but he was unable to conduct a search. A massive storm was forming and his men refused to go any farther; the next day they left

And on this day in 1740 while entering Topsail (now Beaufort) Inlet, El Salvador grounded on an offshore sandbar in the night. Her crew launched the ship’s boat, but it capsized and everyone aboard drowned. During that night of wind and violence, she was torn apart in the surf breaking over the bar. By dawn, parts of her rigging and upper deck had washed ashore, along with dozens of bodies. Her hull and its contents disappeared under the breakers and were quickly swallowed up in the sands that returned after the storm passed. Three weeks after she wrecked, El Salvador was reported to be buried under at least seven feet of sand. No part of her was seen for the next two and a half centuries.

[William Brand]

August 19 -

On this day in 1698, the Russian czar Peter the Great began his reign. Peter would go on to build the first great fleet of Russia.

And on this day in 1702, the Battle at Santa Marta Venz took place, where the English fleet beat the French.

[William Brand]

August 20 -

On this day in 1720, Adam, a boatswain that sailed Condent, received a share of 2,000 pounds sterling after robbing an Arabian bagala bound from Jeddah to Surat.

"The Pirates shared out their booty at St. Mary's [Madagascar] and then broke up the Company. After a time there came a Snow from Bristol the master of which they paid very liberally to convey a petition from them for pardon to the Governor of Mascarenhas, which he granted on condition they burnt their ship. They agreed to this, burnt the Flying Dragon and about 40 of them went to Mascarenhas."

[William Brand]

August 22 -

On this day in 1639, Madras (now Chennai), India, was founded by the British East India Company on a sliver of land bought from local Nayak rulers.

And on this day in 1721, George Shelvocke and John Clipperton reached Cape San Lucas to careen and clean their ships before attempting a voyage home.

[William Brand]

August 23 -

On this day in 1541, French explorer Jacques Cartier landed near Quebec City in his third voyage to Canada.

And on this day in 1711, Admiral Hovenden Walkers fleet reached St Lawrence.