On this day in history...

[William Brand]

December 15 -

On this day in history, Henry Morgan recaptured the island of Santa Catalina on his campaign through Panama.

Also on this day in 1716, Alonso Felipe de Andrade exited Campeche began bringing materials ashore at Laguna de Terminos to prevent access and to begin a fort there.

December 16 -

On this day in history, 1617, Spanish viceroy Hernando Arias de Saavedra founds provinces Rio de la Plata (Argentina)/Guaira (Paraguay)

Also on this day in history, some Boston colonists threw a tea party, which was neither about tea or throwing a party.

[William Brand]

December 17 -

On this day in 1718, Lieutenant Maynard wrote a letter to Lieutenant Symonds of HMS Phoenix about the battle and death of Edward Teach (Blackbeard). It was later abstracted and reprinted in The Weekly Journal or British Gazetteer in April of the following year.

[William Brand]

December 18 -

On this say in 1603, the first fleet of the Dutch East India Company under Admiral Steven van der Haghen departed for the East-Indies.

Also on this day in 1642, Abel Tasman's expedition sailed around Farewell Spit and into Golden Bay, first sighting the local Māori.

And on this day in 1670, Henry Morgan's fleet quit the Isle a Vache to Attack Panama, having swelled to 38 vessels and more than 2,000 English, French and Dutch freebooters.

[William Brand]

December 19 -

On this day in 1642, four of Abel Tasman's crew were killed at Wharewharangi (Murderers) Bay by Māori. Tasman's ships departed without landing.

And on this day in 1675, The Barbary corsair Admiral Canary entered the port of Algiers in his ship the Rose, in company with Recip who commanded The New Moon and had captured two fluiten (Dutch merchant vessels) and two Portuguese caravels. One fluit was taken while on her way from Cape of Good Hope to Holland. The second fluit, called Hope, a 14-gun ship with a 24-men crew on her way from Venice to Amsterdam, had a cargo of 1.000 bales of rice and chests with raisins. The ship had defended herself against Recip some days before she was taken by Canary.

And on this day in 1686, Daniel Defoe's fictional castaway, Robinson Crusoe left his island after 28 years.

Also on this day in 1716, Thomas Davis, a Shipwright out of Carmarthenshire, Wales, was forced into piracy by Bellamy from the Bristol ship St. Michael. Thomas was told he would be transferred to the next ship captured. When Bellamy took the London built Whydaw Thomas reminded him of his promise but was told that, as a carpenter, he was too valuable to release. He was one of the two out of the 146 on board who got ashore alive after Whydaw was shipwrecked one year later. Thomas swam ashore from the bar on which the ship was breaking up quickly. After reaching the beach he had to climb up the face of the cliffs to avoid being beaten by the heavy rollers at high water. As soon as it became light Thomas looked for signs of life. He found a house about two miles distant from the cliffs. He was taken to Barnstaple gaol and a few days later to Boston and put in the Stone Gaol in irons. He convinced the court that he was a forced man and was acquitted in October of 1717.

And on this day in 1739, the Dutch East Indiamen, Rooswijk, wrecked in a heavy storm with the loss of all hands at Goodwin Sands.

[William Brand]

December 20 -

On this day in 1606, Virginia Company settlers left London to establish Jamestown, Virginia.

And on this day in 1738, pirate James Buchanan was executed at Execution-Dock. It was a Wednesday.

[William Brand]

December 21 -

On this day in 1682, John 'Calico Jack' Rackham was born.

And on this day in 1718, Alexander Spotswood sent a letter to Governor Eden about Captain Brand and Blackbeard claiming to have "no news from Captain Brand since he went from here, nor do I know any thing of the success of the men of Warr sloops, further than the common report of their taking of Tache's sloop, and killing himself".

[William Brand]

December 22 -

On this day in1522, the Knights Hospitallers of Jersusalem and St. John, having commanded the line of commerce between Alexandria and Istanbul (and a brisk trade in piracy on passing vessels) were expelled from Rhodos.

Also on this day in 1609, the pirate John Downes and many other pirates were indicted for piracy. John Downes preyed from ports in Southern Cornwall, bribed local officials, and demonstrated the corruption that was symptomatic in the waters off Ireland, Wales and the Severn. For example: the conduct of H. Vivian and his son Francis in the vice-admiralty of South Cornwall left much to be desired. In 1606 Downes was allowed by Vivian’s deputy at Fowey to remain in harbor for several weeks, for which favor they were rewarded with a pipe of wine, a chest of sugar and several bolts of Holland cloth. On another occasion the deputy accepted a silver chain.

“Capt. Harris, Jennings, Longcastle, Downes, Hanlsey and their companies were severally indicted on St. Margrets Hill in Southwarke, on December 22, 1609 and executed the Fryday following”. However, the pirates’ examinations were forwarded to the King who granted the pirates a stay of execution “in hope of farther confessions from them”. The pirates’ revelations had shown how low the standards of admiralty and naval officers had sunk under his administration.

Downes is known to have tried to persuade the commander of the Scottish Royal of Leith to tell him the whereabouts of his money by whipping him and two young sailors. Downes also tied knotted chords around their heads, a way of torture called “wooling” that led to success in the shape of six bags full of reales of eight worth 400 pounds. Downes remained active till captured in 1631.

And on this day in 1675, the Barbary Corsair and renegade from Holland, Corali (aka Koralli), arrived with his command ship Olive and a Portuguese prize coming from Brazil with 236 chests with sugar, 400 chests Brazilian tobacco, 4 chests cacao, and some elephants teeth. Later in command of the ship Orangetree he captured a small barque from Oran, loaded with corn, and suffered a defeat by a Dutch frigate some 50 miles off Cape Vincent in the Atlantic. Corali was purchased for 12 hours but escaped.

[William Brand]

December 23 -

John Bannister, a pirate in command of the privateer Vlijt from the Netherlands during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, was accused of seizing the British Sally and was sentenced to death "at Justice Hall in the Old Bailey convicted of piracy". On December 23, 1782, Bannister received the pleasant news that he would be released at the next general pardon "for the poor convicts in Newgate". Bannister was released on the condition "of his entering and continueing to serve us in our Royal Navy".

Fontaine, Joseph de la – From France.

One of > Shelvocke’s men. When Speedwell was in need of provisions and wood, and repairs were necessary to the gale-battered vessel, De la Fontaine told Shelvocke that everything she wanted was to be found on the island of Chiloe off the Chilean coast. The soil of the island was very fertile, he said, producing fruits and grains, with fine pasturing for herds of sheep and cattle, there were plenty of fowl and geese. Some industry too, he said, carpets and clothes, and woodwork and furniture, expertly carved - the whole of Chili and Peru were supplied with hams and tongues, and lumber. What was more, the island and the main town Valdivia could be taken easily. On 30 November 1719 Speedwell entered the channel between Chiloe and the mainland, flying French colors. Shelcocke tried to barter rather than to plunder. The negotiations did not go well. On 5 December two piraguas full of armed men passed her to land the men on a small island commanding the harbor mouth (Isla Mancera) supported by two powerful castles at both sides of the entrance (Niebla and Amargos), built there after 1645 to repel Dutch invaders. (In fact there were ten to eleven batteries, each fort had to respond in a mathematical way.) A governor assumed Shelvocke was a pirate and asked him to leave immediately. Which was what Shelvocke did, after getting provisions from Indian plantations and farms. Had the decks packed with live cattle (including guanacos, or lama), poultry and plenty of wheat, barley, potatoes, maize – enough for four months rations. After setting sail, De la Fontaine was lauding the glories of the port of Concepción, a bit to the North. Claimed that in this roadstead “there were always five or six sail, and others coming and going, often with money and gold and silver plate.” If no treasure on board, he said, there would be cargoes of wine, brandy or jerked beef - rich ships, in short, to be ransomed at very great rates. Arrived in the bay on 23 December 1719. But the town (founded by Pedro Valvidia in 1550) had been destroyed twice and the Spaniards driven out by the Indians. One ship was taken there, “with nothing on board except a few cedar planks, and nobody minding the ship but an old black bosun and two Indians.”

After setting sail, Joseph De la Fontaine (one of Shelvocke's men) was lauding the glories of the port of Concepción, a bit to the North. Claimed that in this roadstead “there were always five or six sail, and others coming and going, often with money and gold and silver plate.” If no treasure on board, he said, there would be cargoes of wine, brandy or jerked beef - rich ships, in short, to be ransomed at very great rates. Arrived in the bay on 23 December 1719. But the town (founded by Pedro Valvidia in 1550) had been destroyed twice and the Spaniards driven out by the Indians. One ship was taken there, “with nothing on board except a few cedar planks, and nobody minding the ship but an old black bosun and two Indians.”

December 24 -

On this day in 1593, a storm hit Texel of the Netherlands. Some 40 ships were effected and some 500 sailors were killed.

Also on this day in 1651, John van Riebeeck departed to the Cape of Good Hope.

And years later, the board for the Lords of Trade received a letter from London, dated December 24, 1698, which listed charges against one Colonel Fletcher. The principal charges were that Fletcher had accepted from one Edward Coats the pirate ship Jacob in return for his protection, which ship he had sold for £800; that he had granted like protections to other notorious pirates for stated sums, generally about one hundred pounds per man; that he had granted commissions to Thomas Tew, John Hoare, and others as privateers formoney, when it was notorious that they were pirates; that his intimacy with Tew, a well-known pirate,was scandalous; that the security for the good conduct of the privateers thus commissioned taken by Colonel Fletcher was insufficient, and did not appear in the public records; that he had granted vast tracts of land without accurate survey and for inconsiderable quit-rents; that he had exacted of the soldiers one halfpenny per day out of each man's subsistence, and had sent home full muster-rolls on which pay was drawn, when they were not half full.

(from "The Memorial History of the City of New York")

And also on this day in 1777, Kiritimati, also called Christmas Island, was discovered by James Cook.

[William Brand]

December 25 -

On this day in 1676, Barlow and his men went ashore for Christmas.

“Having put all our goods on shore that we were to deliver [to Marseilles], we walked ashore being Christmas, to take our recreation and see all about the town, which is a place of very good buildings and a pretty large town or city, where all things are very plentiful, both for meat and drink. They have a very good wine of several sorts and very cheap, especially a red wine, which is a king of wine much like to claret, only a clearer red and better wine to drink.” (Edward Barlow, Barlow’s Journal of his Life at Sea in King’s Ships, East and West Indiamen & Other Merchantman From 1659 to 1703, p. 271)

Raphael Mission has gathered some amazing tidbits and citations from pirate history about "Christmas Holidays at Sea in the Golden Age of Piracy" at the following link…

http://www.piratesurgeon.com/pages/surgeon_pages/christmas1.html

Also on this day in 1717, the frigate HDMA Lossen wrecked off Hvaler in the Christmas flood of 1717.

[William Brand]

December 26 -

On this day in 1689, Sir Thomas Thornhill sailed from Nevis with 500 troops aboard ten vessels to subdue Saint Barthelemy by January 4, 1690.

[William Brand]

December 27 -

On this day in 1670, Henry Morgan gained possession of the fortress of San Lorenzo on the Caribbean coast of Panama, killing 300 men of the garrison and leaving 23 alive.

[William Brand]

December 28 -

On this day in history, 1814, the British began firing at the American lines at New Orleans, but were repulsed by an artillery crew manned by two of Jean Lafitte's former lieutenants, Renato Beluche and Dominique Youx.

[William Brand]

December 29 -

On this day in history, 1720, John Clipperton and his crew took on fish, wood and water at Cocos Island, located off the shore of Costa Rica. A shack was set up on the beach there to shelter a large number of scurvy invalids among the crew.

This is not pirate related, but some things should be remembered, for on this day in 1890 some 150 Lakota men, women and children were massacred by the US 7th Calvary Regiment near Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Some estimate the actual number was closer to 300.

[William Brand]

December 30 -

On this day in 1702, the Siege of St. Augustine was lifted.

[William Brand]

December 31 -

On this day in 1687, a community of Huguenots arrived at the Cape of Good Hope from the Netherlands. They had escaped to the Netherlands from France in order to flee religious persecution there; examples of these are Pierre Joubert who came from La Motte-d’Aigues for religious reasons.

And on this day in 1799, after nationalization had failed over the course of three years, and after being in existence for some 197 years, the VOC (or Dutch East India Company) was allowed to expire.

Statistically, the VOC eclipsed all of its rivals in the Asia trade. Between 1602 and 1796 the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted for their efforts more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods. By contrast, the rest of Europe combined sent only 882,412 people from 1500 to 1795, and the fleet of the English (later British) East India Company, the VOC's nearest competitor, was a distant second to its total traffic with 2,690 ships and a mere one-fifth the tonnage of goods carried by the VOC. The VOC enjoyed huge profits from its spice monopoly through most of the 17th century.

[William Brand]

January 1 -

On this day in 1700, Protestant Western Europe (except England) began using the Gregorian calendar.

From a citation at piratesurgeon.com

"This being New-Year’s Day [1708], every Officer was wish’d a merry New-Year by our Musick; and I had a large Tub of Punch hot upon the Quarter-Deck, where every Man in the Ship had above a Pint to his share, and drank our Owners and Friends Healths in Great Britain, to a happy new Year, a good Voyage, and a safe Return. We bore down to our Consort, gave them three Huzza’s, wishing them the like." - Woodes Rogers

For more about 'New Years" visit the following… http://www.piratesurgeon.com/pages/surgeon_pages/christmas5.html

Also on this day in 1720, French Lousianna distributes paper notes of three typeset emissions from the Banque Royale. The notes were hand numbered with written signatures (added by the deputies of the officers named on the notes) except for the 10 livres note which had printed signatures. The backs of this currency were blank. Denominations in this issue were: 10, 100, 1,000 and 10,000 livres Tournois notes.

Happy New Year!

[William Brand]

January 2 -

On this day in 1688, Raveneau de Lussan and a part of his followers, having come from the capture of Tehuantepec and returning from Acapulco to find themselves at Mapala, a port north of El Realejo, deliberated on the route they should take to reach the Antilles. It was agreed to march to Nueva Segovia, a town situated on the Coco River, which empties into the Atlantic. Of this expedition Voltaire said: "The retreat of the ten thousand will always be more celebrated, but is not to be compared to it." Lussan formed four companies, of seventy men each, and made them swear to observe the severest discipline. After praying together, and sinking their boats for fear they might fall into the power of the Spaniards, they began their march, and in ten days, during which they were almost constantly engaged in fighting superior numbers, they reached Nueva Segovia.

Also on this day in 1669, Morgan’s flagship Oxford blew herself up during a banquet off Ile-à-Vache, South of St. Domingue on the Southwest coast of Hispaniola. Morgan's surgeon, Richard Browne, wrote in his journal "I was eating my dinner with the rest when the mainmast blew out and fell upon Captains Aylett and Bigford and others and knocked them on the head. I saved myself by getting astride the mizzenmast." Those who sat on his side of the table, including Morgan and Collier, were thrown into the air and found themselves swimming amid shattered timbers and the broken and disjointed bodies of the crew. Browne splashed around until he managed to scramble on to part of the mizzen mast. Soon boats from the rest of the fleet were rowing through the wreckage. Apart from Morgan, Collier, Morris the elder, 2 semen and 4 cabin boys, everybody else, some 250 men in all, perished in this devastating blow.

Much to the chagrin of many, Edward Collier lived through the destruction of the Oxford and resumed his piracies in a prize ship he had called Satisfaction and was present at Morgan’s plundering of the town of Rio de la Hacha one year later, still as his vice-admiral. Considered by most to be a very cruel man, he captured the fort and garrison and tortured the prisoners. He led the port wing in the attack on Panama City, in the rank of colonel, in January of 1671, where he chased after and slaughtered the fleeing crowd and killed a chaplain personally, after quarter had been given. He was accused to have cheated, with Morgan, the sailors of their share of the loot, deserting them, sailing off in ships with supplies and plunderage. Despite his infamous lifestyle, Collier lived to a ripe age in Jamaica, leading preparations for defenses against a possible enemy invasion.

[William Brand]

January 3 -

On this day in 1703, an order was issued for the arrest of writer Daniel Defoe for his essays against the Church.

Also on this day in 1703, Thomas Owen reported the capture of William Snipp at Lydd, and John Burwash and George Fuller described in Mr. Baker’s letter of 6th of the same month as “part of the old gang of those who were ‘owlers’ in the late war" Owling is another word for coastal smuggling.

And on this day in 1749, Benning Wentworth issues the first of the New Hampshire Grants, leading to the establishment of Vermont.

[William Brand]

January 4 -

It is believed that on this day in 1721, William Fenton, one of Walter Kennedy’s men, was executed for piracy, having been sentenced to death at Edinburgh.

“There were four pirates hanged at Leith today (...) very hardened. They were a melancholy sight, and there is three to be hanged next Wednesday.”

[William Brand]

January 5 -

On this day in 1718, a proclamation was issued announcing clemency for all piratical offenses, provided that those seeking what became known as the "King's Pardon" surrendered not later than September 5, 1718. Colonial governors and deputy governors were authorized to grant the pardon.

[William Brand]

January 6 -

On this day in 1658, De Fontenay made an unsuccessful attack on Buenos Aires, with five minor vessels.

Also on this day in 1718, Rogers was officially appointed "Captain General and Governor in Chief" by George I. He did not leave immediately for his new bailiwick, but spent several months preparing the expedition, which included seven ships, 100 soldiers, 130 colonists, and supplies ranging from food for the expedition members and ships' crews to religious pamphlets to give to the pirates, whom Rogers believed would respond to spiritual teachings.

[William Brand]

January 7 -

Between this day and the 9th of January in 1675, William Collingwood, one of Cusack’s men, was condemned to hang after all the proceedings held in the Old-Bailey, London.

Also on this day in 1680, Cornelius Essex, with Allison, Row and Sharp joined an expedition under command of Captain Coxon in four barques and two sloops, sailing from Jamaica to Puerto Bello. Their passage was frustrated by violent storms but all ships arrived at the destination.

[William Brand]

January 8 -

On this day in 1676, there was an inconclusive naval battle between the French, under Abraham Duquesne, versus Dutch and Spanish forces under Michiel de Ruyter.

[William Brand]

January 9 -

On this day in 1675, Dixon (aka Smith), one of Cusack’s men was hanged “for taking, and robbing two ships, viz. the Robert, near the Fly: and the Anne on the Dogger-Sands.” It is believed that he died alongside William Collingswood.

And on this day in 1686, Grogniet briefly occupied Chiriquita, Panama.

Also on this day in 1690, The English rover Heweston arrived off of Marie-Galante with 400 Antiguan volunteers, plundering that tiny French outpost before returning to Nevis. Scottish-born captain William Kidd commanded the 20-gun Blessed William in this expedition.

January 10 -

On the morning of January 10, 1720, the sloop Philippa lay anchored in the Laquary Roads at Tobago, with her captain below suffering from gout. When the mate came on deck he immediately rushed back for pistols and other arms, because a canoe was approaching the sloop. The mate ordered shots fired and cried out warnings not to come any nearer. Someone from the canoe shouted back that they were going to board and if there was any more firing no quarter would be given, so Philippa's crew shut up and the pirates clambered on board. Their leader, Thomas Anstis, swaggeringly informed the captain his sloop was impounded. It was recorded later that Anstis was the worst type of pirate, attacking when peril was at its least, but in victory, vicious.

And on this day in 1722, One of Ned Low's forced men, named Christopher Atwell, was taken out of the ship Greyhound.

[William Brand]

January 11 -

John Evens of Wales began piracy with some chosen fellows, rowing out of Port Royal, Jamaica, in a canoe, September 1722. They landed at night and took to petty thieving from two houses. In Dun’s Hole they stepped aboard a Bermuda sloop lying at anchor and told the crew bluntly that from now on John Evans was master of this ship, “which was a Piece of News they knew not before.” As a treat for the crew, John Evans spent three pistols “of liquid refreshment” at the local inn. Everyone there like him so much that he was invited to call again. Which he readily did the same night. He then rifled the house, taking away all his men and he himself could carry. They set sail for Hispaniola in this sloop now called Scowerer with a crew of 30. The first prize of “extraordinary” value was a Spanish sloop which, after having sold the cargo, enabled each man to cash in a summa of 150 pounds. Beating up for the Windward Islands, they took a 120-ton ship from New England, plundered her and took out the mate and three other men.

Then, on this day in 1723, they seized the 200-ton Lucretia and Catherine and “began to take upon themselves the Distribution of Justice, examining the Men concerning their Master’s usage of them, according to the Custom of other Pyrates”. The cruise brought them to the island of Aruba where they met a Dutch sloop, “and so making her their prize, they plunder’d her of what came, when shar’d, to 50 Pounds a Man.”

Piracy was not bad at all for Evans, capturing prize after prize, but Lady Luck choose his boatswain, a noisy, surly character, always looking for trouble, even with his captain, to become his undoing. Evans responded with fervent glee so the boatswain challenged his superior to fight it out ashore with sword and pistol. The Boatswain refused to fight when the boat was near the shore. Evans took his cane and had him polished and scrubbed high and dry. Suddenly the boatswain drew his pistol and shot Evans through the head. Stone dead. The boatswain jumped overboard to swim frantically for his freedom but the Scowerer’s brought him back. Now the gentlemen of fortune, provoked by the death of their captain who had so much blessed them with good luck, should decide the man’s future. Tired of waiting so long, the chief gunner stepped forward and shot the boatswain. “But not killing him outright, the Delinquent in very moving Words, desired a Week of Repentance only.” Another pirate had not such a patience, without more ado shot him dead.

The plunder of close to 9,000 pounds sterling was divided among the crew, after this session the expedition broke up.