On this day in history...

[William Brand]

March 30 -

On this day in 1519, Hernán Cortés landed at Mexico.

In 1683 Governor Juan Marquez Cabrera formed a company of free mulatto and black militia in St. Augustine. It consisted of 42 men and six officers. Juan Merino, a free African blacksmith, was the unit's lieutenant. 300 pirates had landed near Matanzas Inlet on this day in 1683. They captured the Mantanzas Inlet watchtower but were turned back on Anastasia Island. The Pirates proceeded to sack San Juan del Puerto and Santa Maria.

[William Brand]

March 31 -

On this day in 1702, Colonel Quary received a copy of the petition sent to Lt. governor Markham relating to the inhabitants of New Castle. The petition was a plea for defense against pirates.

On this day in 1705 the following report was by John Brinckley. Spelling and grammar errors are from the original.

"In presence of Mr. James Graham, Judge Admiral, John Brnckley, cooper of the ship Worcester, being desirous to make a confession of the crimes whereupon he and the rest of the crew were pursued; declares, That some time after the ship the Worcester came upon the coast of Malabar, that she and the sloop gave chase to a country boat, which escaped by reason ofher oars. That afterwards the ship and sloop sailed in company to Cochin, where they were denied access to clean; and therefore they thereafter sailed to Callecut, where the sloop (which had been spoiled by the worms) was haled upon the shore, and cleaned, and thereafter was manned with about 10 men, and 2 guns, 2 patteraroes, with other small arms put aboard. From Callecut, the sloop was ordered to sail towards Tillicherry, but there was no goods sent along; and Ill ' about six or eight days thereafter,‘ the sloop came back in chase of another ship ; declares, that when the ship the Worcester saw the sloop in chase of the other ship, she slipt her anchors, and made out to sea to meet them; declares, that he saw the sloop board the said ship towards night; and that the long boat was after ordered to be manned, and captain Madder went along in the long boat ; declares, he does not know what became of the men who were on board the taken ship; but that the declarant did see_they were white men. And the reason why he knows not what became of the men, is, that the declarant was never on board the taken ship; and that the sloop which had boarded the shi , was ordered away next morning; and he onbts not but the men were alongst which were taken out of the prize-ship; declares, that the ship which was taken, was manned with some of the \Vorcester’s crew, and sailed along with the Worcester till they came to Callicoiloan, where they found the sloop ; declares, that whilst the Worcester, with the other ship, came in sight of the sloop, the sloop weighed anchor, and stood to the offing; so that the taken ship came into Callicoiloan betwixt the sloop and the Worcester; and all three came to an ‘anchor together; declares, that after they came to an anchor, the taken ship rode under the stern of the Worcester, and was thereafter sent into Callicoiloan river, and sold to Coge Commodo, as the declarant supposes; declares, that thereafter the declarant was sent ashore for water to the [beck of Callicoiloan, where he mot with doctor May ; and that he sent on board a pinguetta with water, accord ing to his orders; declares, that some time alter, the came to an anchor bcfore Callicoiloan ; an before the declarant was sent ashore for water, as above, they saw a ship at sea, coming from the southward; that the sloop was under sail at that time, being a cruising about: That she sailed towards the sea, and bore down the ship towards the Worcester. That the Worcester, when the ship came near, slipt from her anchors, and made towards the ship which thereafter was boarded, first by the sloop, and then by the VVorcester, about ten or eleven o'clock in the forenoon ; declares, that there was both whites and blacks on board that ship, and most art whites; but the declarant did not know w at became of them ; but that the sloop went off in a few hours after the engagement, and did not return till after two or three days. That the declarant does not know what became of that ship; but declares, that he was in a Moorish king’s house, with about six of the crew: and that that king was Co 0 Commodo’s master, who had bargained or one of the taken ships ; the declarant cannot be positive which: And that at the same time, the supercargo, who was along with them, presented the king with a small fowling piece; declares, that the declarant stayed ashore trimming the casks, for about six weeks thereafter: And does not remember at present any more of the aliair. And declares, he cannot sign but by this mark. + J antes Gnarun."

[William Brand]

April 1 -

Thomas Cocklyn was an 18th-century English pirate, known primarily for his association and partnership with Howell Davis and Oliver La Buze. He was reportedly elected captain "due to his brutality and ignorance" when first sailing from New Providence in 1717.

On this day in 1719, Cocklyn was a participant in the capture of the West African-bound English slave ship the Bird Galley at the mouth of the Sierra Leone River. The three pirate captains celebrated their victory on board the ship for nearly a month before releasing its captain, William Snelgrave, and giving him the Bristol Snow and the remaining cargo left from the pirates' week-long occupation of the ship.

[William Brand]

April 2 -

Mauritius, Hollandia and Amsterdam, these were the names of the three merchant ships that set sail from Texel for “the East”, together with the small ship the Duyfken, on this day in 1595. It proved to be an exciting adventure. Only three of the four vessels returned in August 1597 and only 87 of the 249 man crew. The revenues were modest. But still, this first Dutch sailing expedition to Asia was a success because it opened a trade route to the East.

And on this day in 1691, French nobleman Charles d'Angennes and buccaneer, died.

Charles d'Angennes became a buccaneer in the Caribbean and sold his castle and title to Madame de Maintenon. He was the son of Louis d’Angennes de Rochefort de Salvert, Marquis de Maintenon et de Meslay, and Marie Le Clerc du Tremblay, and as oldest son, he inherited the title of Marquis de Maintenon. In 1670, Charles d'Angennes sold his title to Françoise d'Aubigné, who later married King Louis XIV of France. He arrived in the same year in the Caribbean on La Sybille, of which he took command in 1672 after the death of its captain. He joined the expedition against Curaçao and attacked British ships near Saint-Domingue. He returned to France in 1673 but sailed again to the Caribbean in 1674.

In October 1675 he left Nantes as commander of the Fontaine d'Or, (24 cannons). In 1676, he gathered a fleet of 10 ships with 800 buccaneers and attacked Isla Margarita and Cumaná. He became Governor of the island of Marie-Galante (1679–1686). In 1681 he obtained the monopoly of the trade between Venezuela and France and hunted down his former buccaneer allies on the French Navy ship La Sorcière. After 1686 he lived in Martinique with his family where he died in 1691. He had married Catherine Girauld de Poincy and had 4 children.

[William Brand]

April 3 -

One this day in 1513, explorer Juan Ponce de Leon claimed Florida for Spain and became the first known European to reach Florida.

[William Brand]

April 4 -

On this day in 1581, Francis Drake was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind at Deptford. One of many knighted pirates down through the ages.

And on this day in 1655, the Battle at Postage Farina, Tunis took place, wherein the English fleet beat the Barbary pirates.

[William Brand]

April 5 -

On this day in 1621, the Mayflower set sail from Plymouth on a return trip to England.

And on this day in 1722, Jacob Roggeveen became the first European to discover Easter Island.

[William Brand]

April 6 -

The first European to reach the cape was the Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias in 1488, who named it the “Cape of Storms” (Cabo das Tormentas). It was later renamed by John II of Portugal as “Cape of Good Hope” (Cabo da Boa Esperança) because of the great optimism engendered by the opening of a sea route to India and the East. The land around the cape was home to the Khoikhoi people when the Dutch first settled there in 1652. The Khoikhoi had arrived in these parts about fifteen hundred years before. They were called Hottentots by the Dutch, a term that has now come to be regarded as pejorative. Dutch colonial administrator Jan van Riebeeck established a resupply camp for the Dutch East India Company some 50 km north of the cape in Table Bay on this day in 1652 and this eventually developed into Cape Town. Supplies of fresh food were vital on the long journey around Africa and Cape Town became known as “The Tavern of the Seas”.

Also on this day in 1688, Raveneau de Lussan and his followers arrive at Santo Domingo aboard an English lugger.

[William Brand]

April 7 -

On this day in 1521, Magelhaes' fleet reached Cebu.

Also on this day in 1541, Francis Xavier left Lisbon on a mission to the Portuguese East Indies.

[William Brand]

April 8 -

It is traditionally believed that Anne Bonny was born on this day in 1702, but it is unverified.

[William Brand]

April 9 -

On this day in 1682, Robert La Salle claimed lower Mississippi (Louisiana) for France.

And on this day in 1691, French troops occupied Mons.

Also on this day in 1731, British mariner Robert Jenkins' ear was cut off by Spanish Guarde Costa in the Caribbean, this was a later catalyst for war between Britain & Spain.

[William Brand]

April 10 -

On this day in 1700, the HMS Advice reached Downs bearing two sealed wooden boxes full of documents relating to the case of Captain William Kidd. Captain William Kidd would arrive at the same destination the following day aboard the HMS Katherine.

[William Brand]

April 11 -

On this day in 1700, the HMS Katherine arrived at Downs carrying the prisoner Captain William Kidd. Kidd, having acquired a sewing needle from a slave girl, spent the evening sewing documents into the lining of his clothes to protect them for his impending trial. He also wrote two pleading letters to Lord Orford of the Admiralty and Lord Romney.

[William Brand]

April 12 -

On this day in 1557, Cuenca was founded in Ecuador.

And on this day in 1606, England adopted the Union Flag, replaced again in 1801 by the current Union Flag/Union Jack.

[William Brand]

April 13 -

On this day in 1579, Francis Drake's two ships arrived at the tiny port of Guatulco. He put into port at ten of the morning on Monday of Holy Week.

[William Brand]

April 14 -

Lords Orford, Somers, Portland and Halifax were all impeached by the House of Commons on April 14, 1701 in connection with the guilty ruling against William Kidd, which soundly shifted power to the Whigs.

[William Brand]

April 15 -

On this night in 1579, Francis Drake was visited aboard the Golden Hind by a commission of Spaniards, including the encomendero of Guatulco, Bernardino Lopez. The visitors took care to arrive after dinner so hay would not violate their Lenten fast by eating heretical beef. They had a pleasant visit with Drake and went ashore for the night.

[William Brand]

April 16 -

On this day in 1579, Francis Drake sailed out of Guatulco with his two ships.

[William Brand]

April 17 -

On this day in 1622, Admiral Sir Richard Hawkins (or Hawkyns) died. He was a 17th-century English seaman, explorer and Elizabethan "Sea Dog", and the son of Admiral Sir John Hawkins.

He was from his earlier days familiar with ships and the sea, and in 1582 he accompanied his uncle, William Hawkins, to the West Indies. In 1585 he was captain of a galliot in Drake's expedition to the Spanish main, in 1588 he commanded a queen's ship against the Armada, and in 1590 he served with his father's expedition at the coast of Portugal.

In 1593 he purchased the discovery ship Dainty, a vessel originally built for his father and used by him in his expeditions, and sailed for the West Indies, the Spanish Main and the South Seas. It seems clear that his project was to prey on the oversea possessions of Spanish crown. Hawkins, however, in an account of the voyage written thirty years afterwards, maintained, and by that time perhaps had really persuaded himself, that his expedition was undertaken purely for the purpose of geographical discovery. After visiting the coast of Brazil, the Dainty passed through the Straits of Magellan, and in due course reached Valparaíso.

Having plundered the town, Hawkins pushed north, and in June 1594, a year after leaving Plymouth, he arrived in the Bay of San Mateo, at the mouth of the Esmeraldas river, nowadays Ecuador, at the position 1°1′2.6″N 79°36′30.5″W. Here the Dainty was attacked by two Spanish ships. Hawkins was hopelessly outmatched, but Dainty's crew defended her with gallantry. At last, when he himself had been severely wounded, 27 of his men killed, and the Dainty was nearly sinking, he surrendered on 1 July 1594 on the promise of a safe-conduct out of the country for himself and his crew.

Through no fault of the Spanish commander, this promise was not kept. In 1597 Hawkins was sent to Spain, and imprisoned first at Seville and subsequently at Madrid. He was released in 1602, and, returning to England, was knighted in 1603.

In 1604 he became Member of Parliament for Plymouth and Vice-Admiral of Devon, a post which, as the coast was swarming with pirates, was no sinecure. In 1620 to 1621 he was vice-admiral, under Sir Robert Mansell of the fleet sent into the Mediterranean to reduce the Algerian corsairs. He died in London on 17 April 1622.

Hawkins wrote the memories of his trip under the title Voiage into the South Sea (1622), which became the most famous Elizabethan adventure, re-published by the Hakluyt Society and reworked in Charles Kingsley's Westward Ho! (1855). He depicts the Spaniards in the Americas in a positive way, judging them as "temperate" and "gentle".

[William Brand]

April 18 -

During the night of April 18, 1721, Roberts' ships headed for Africa, but Thomas Anstis and his crew in the Good Fortune slipped away in the night and continued to operate in the Caribbean. Between Hispaniola and Jamaica, the Good Fortune plundered two vessels. Aboard one, the Irwin, Anstis's crew committed gang rape and murder against a female passenger. Afterwards they stopped to careen their vessel.

[William Brand]

April 19 -

On this day in 1706, a letter from John Graves was read at the Council of Trade and Plantations about his experience with pirates.

"John Graves to the Council of Trade and Plantations. I sailed from Portsmouth on the feast of St. Michael, 1703, in the Providence, Jos. Blagdon, master, for New Providence, having on board Edwd. Birch, the Governor of the Bahama Islands. We got into Providence Harbour Jan. 1st. Four brigantines driven off their course put in there. There is a Fort about the bigness of the Royal Exchange, having about 40 great guns, and 150 men fit to bear arms, besides about 250 other souls. When the enemy came they brought with them 4 or 500 men in severall vessels, and having taken some prisoners, forced them to pilot their ships into the Harbour, where landing they found no resistance, nor was any of the inhabitants destroyed at that time, except only one man, who was killed, and another had his hand cut off. However, before they attempted the Fort, they made a halt and by threatening their prisoners, found there would be no resistance, so proceeded and carryed all before them. The French Capt. and the Spaniards declared if anybody had appeared in the Fort, and fired but one gun, they would never have attempted it. Before they went off, they burn't the town and Church to ashes, except 2 or 3 sorry houses where the French and Spaniards kept their prisoners; they broke the carriages of the great guns and spiked up most of them, some they tossed over the walls and some they threw down into ye Fort, 2 or 3 were burst to peices. They plundered in gold, silver, slaves etc. to the value of 30,000l.; and in Sept. following they came and carryed off more plunder and 40 slaves. Besides said damages, I have had no particulars, only that the gates of the fort were broke down, and made a small breach in the walls of the eastermost part of the Fort, which by very great rains that fell some time before I came off were for about 40 ft. much damnifyed. And here desire to take notice of an accident, which contributed greatly to the enemy's success. Mr. Ellis Lightwood, a Gentleman of a considerable estate in that Island, having made great rejoycings and kept open house for the birth of a son, so that allmost all the defensible men being at his house on that occasion, were got drunk, and hardly in their beds when the enemy landed; this made their enterprise very easy, none being in a condition to oppose ym.… In June, 1704, I went in a small sloop a cruizing, being informed that 2 or 3 vessells from Curaçao was amongst the Islands trading with their dry goods for our commodities. I found at Exuma Islands about 90 souls, I crossed the Channel to Columbus alias Cat Island, found there at several places about 120 souls, upon Elutheria at least 160, upon Harbour Island 60, and return'd in July. On Aug. 3 the Spaniards came in a gally with 65 men, they lay to the eastward and took one of our small sloopes that was coming to Providence from Carolina, and made the prisoners pilot them in before day and took us in our beds; at which time there was not above 20 men on the Island, and some of those at 20 miles distance: their usage to me was very cruell, not leaving me a shoe to my foot or more cloathing than would cover my nakedness, and the next day most barbarously used me. Dec. 18 I went to Carolina, where I found our Governor, who had been there 2 months before I arrived. I left upon the Island 27 families, and amongst all the Islands at least 4 or 500 people that are scattered some 200 miles distance, so yt. in a little time they will be worse than the Wild Indians, and at the best they are very ready to succour and trade with Pirates; they have 12 or 14 small sloopes amongst them, that escaped the enemy, so that unless H.M. give immediate protection, it will become a second Madagascar. For my Lord Granville has declared that they cannot send strength sufficient to protect the people, or to support the Governor's power in putting the Laws in execution against offenders. What will be requisite to revive the Colony and make it a flourishing place of trade is as follows:—100 soldiers to be kept in garrison. One small man of war and a yatcht or sloop to cruise amongst the Islands in search of pirates and to prevent unlawfull trade. 200 spare arms, 2 mortars for 6 inch shell, 4 hand-mortars for hand granados, carriages and stores for 40 great gunns, which are already there unmounted. All manner of tools for procuring stone and timber for building fortifications and barracks, and some long oars for sloops. Provisions for a year. Please to note that only Providence was destroyed and plundered; that provisions have been for 20 years past at very high rates, vizt. mutton, veal, pork and goat at 9d. per pound, beef, fresh and salt, at 6d., eggs 1½d. each, butter 18d. per lb. milk 6d. per quart, and other things proportionable, excepting fish and turtle. But, in few years, with good management, and the use of means that are to be found out, provisions may be had cheap and in plenty, and H.M. eased of most if not all the charge wch. this place at present requires to resettle it, and will prove as good a place of trade as most in the Indies. Signed, Jno. Graves. Endorsed, Recd. Read April 19, 1706. 7½ pp. Enclosed".

Also on this day in 1770, British explorer Captain James Cook 1st sighted Australia.

April 20 -

On this day in 1700, the thirty-two-gun man-o-war named HMS Shoreham arrived at Virginia to serve as a protector to the colony against pirates.

[William Brand]

April 21 -

On this day in 1663, Swedish nobleman and pirate, Skyte, died. Skyte was born to noble Jacob Skytte of Duderhof and Anna Bielkenstjerna; he was the grandson of Johan Skytte and nephew of the famous Vendela Skytte. He was described as charming and made a good impression when he grew up. In 1657, Skytte hired a Dutch ship together with some of his friends. Out on the sea, the noblemen murdered the captain and took over the ship, which they used as a pirate ship, attacking ships in the Baltic Sea. They forced the crew to swore their legiance to them. One of his colleagues was his brother-in-law Gustaf Drake, the husband of his sister Anna Christina, who was also involved. When one of their accomplices wanted to stop, Drake and Anna had him killed. They pursued this secret business from a base in Blekinge, Sweden.

In 1663, their pirate activity was exposed. Gustaf Drake and Anna Christina left the country, but Gustav Skytte was arrested and put on trial. He was convicted of piracy and was executed in Jönköping, after which his mother was said to have "died of grief". He was said to have died regretting his crimes.

Also on this day in 1701, Captain William Kidd petitioned the Admiralty board asking if he might use some of his treasure effects to prepare for his trial costs. His request was sent on to the judge Admiralty and summarily denied.

[William Brand]

April 22 -

On this day in 1718, Rogers departed the Thames with his expedition of 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, to take up his appointment as "Captain General and Governor in Chief". The expedition was accompanied by three Royal Navy vessels.

Also on this day in 1782, Anne Bonny died at the respectable age of 80 in South Carolina.

[William Brand]

April 23 -

On this day in 1700, the English Admiralty board debated the legality of holding Captain William Kidd uncharged in solitary. The confinement of Kidd defied the laws of Habeus Corpus and bail. Even the Solicitor General was called on for his opinion on the matter.

[William Brand]

April 24 -

Bernard Desjean, Baron de Pointis, was a French admiral and privateer. He was born in Brittany. He took part in naval operations in the 1680s under Duquesne, like the bombardment of Algiers and the punitive action against Genoa. In the 1690s he fought under Tourville among others in the Battle of Beachy Head (1690). In 1693, he became chef d'escadre. In 1697, he undertook his greatest expedition: the Raid on Cartagena. This raid was so successful that it made him immensely rich and very appreciated by King Louis XIV. In 1702, after the death of Jean Bart, he was appointed head of the Dunkirkers, but he was soon replaced by Marc-Antoine de Saint-Pol Hécourt for lack of initiative. In 1705, he tried to attack Gibraltar by sea during the Twelfth Siege of Gibraltar, but was defeated by John Leake in the Battle of Cabrita Point. After this battle Pointis retired from active service. He published Relation de l'expédition de Carthègene faite par les François en 1697. He died in Paris on this day in 1707.