Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "privateers"

No Limits to Their Sway: Cartagena's Privateers and the Masterless Caribbean in the Age of Revolutions by Edgardo Pérez Morales

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The American Revolution gave rise to a new age, one that encompassed the years 1776 through 1830 and came to be known as the Age of Revolutions. Morales’s book examines this historical period, especially as it relates to Cartagena and its bid to gain independence from Spain during the second decade of the 19th century. Although few documents from Cartagena de Indias (modern-day Colombia) exist today, there are other contemporary documents from various archives that permit us to glimpse this often-mentioned, but little-studied, period of Latin American history and, in particular, the privateers who participated in this colony’s bid to break from Spain. One such man, his crew, and their ship helps Morales achieve this goal. The privateer’s name is Louis-Michel Aury.

No Limits to Their Sway opens with a list of key figures who appear within the narrative itself, as well as an introduction to set the stage and ground readers in the historical background that led to this facet of the Age of Revolutions. Divided into nine chapters and an epilogue, this book also includes a list of primary sources on “Cartagena-Flagged Privateers, 1812-1816,” end notes, and an index. (There is no separate bibliography; all source material is cited within the notes section.) To further assist readers are some maps, a graph, and images of documents and other privateer-related materials.

The first two chapters – “Slavery, Seamanship, Freedom” and “Heralds of Liberty and Disobedience” focus on slavery, seamanship, freedom, and revolution and how they interconnect. It is here that Morales explores the intricate intertwining of the wars for independence in the United States, France, and Haiti, as well as the privateers who aided in these bids. The inclusion of all this background material grounds the reader for what is to come and brings to light some interesting details about these men and where they came from.

“Cartagena de Indias and the Age of Revolutions” and “The American Connection” (chapters three and four) examine Cartagena’s bid for independence. Here, Morales specifically examines changes, social and political, that led to this country’s people rising up against Spain. Chapter five (“Detachment from the Land and Irreverence at Sea”), on the other hand, explores the privateers and how these men of the sea differed from people who remained on land, particularly those in authority.

Two outside influences that played differing roles in Cartagena’s struggle were Cuba, which remained loyal to Spain, and Haiti, a former French colony that had already gained its freedom from the motherland. This study, which unfolds in chapters six and seven (“Under the Walls of Havana” and “Haiti: The Beacon Republic”), compare and contrast how each impacted the privateering policies that Cartagena enacted.

The final two chapters and the epilogue – “‘Horrors of Carthagena’;” Robbery, Mutiny, Fire;” and “From Amelia Island to the Republic of Colombia,” respectively – highlight the devastating effects of failed bids for independence and the determination to continue the struggle until objectives were achieved. In discussing these topics, Morales also analyzes the discrimination Afro-Caribbean people faced after independence and why histories on Latin American autonomy have ignored Cartagena’s story and that of the privateers who participated in it.

No Limits to Their Sway is an enlightening and marvelous study that provides readers with a valuable and much-needed resource. Morales skillfully and logically presents the material and his conclusions, while reinforcing key points with archival data in different languages provide a well-rounded and unbiased examination of both the Age of Revolutions in general and the conflicts in the Spanish Main in particular. That he accomplishes this in a manner that allows laypersons and students of history alike to grasp the subject matter without falling asleep or skipping over text is a testament to the depth of his research and his thorough understanding of it.




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The Terran Privateer by Glynn Stewart

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The consensus among the captains and admirals of the United Earth Space Force (UESF) is that their weaponry is fine, money need not be spent on advanced systems. Admiral Jean Villeneuve, the Chief of Operations, disagrees. It’s 2185 and piracy is rising at an alarming pace, which is one reason he agrees to meet with the chief executive officer of Nova Industries, who has arranged demonstrations of their newest interface drive and other inventions that will make them contenders should aliens invade Earth.

Annette Bond captains the Tornado, Nova’s latest vessel with a hyperdrive system, interface missiles, special armor, and the newest generation of heavy lasers. After taking the ship through her paces, she arrives at the research facility to come face to face with Villeneuve, the judge at the trial that ousted her from UESF. She’s now in command of the single ship that could destroy UESF, and her demonstration just proved that to him. But the Dark Eye Interstellar Surveillance System has been picking up disturbing signals and he needs her to rejoin UESF as Tornado’s commander. She accepts on one condition: this time he must back her up no matter whose toes get stepped on in the process.

With a crew that is half UESF and half scientists, Annette no sooner takes command of the new UESF vessel than Dark Eye’s emergency alert system sounds and twenty ships from the A!Tol (! pronounced like “tuck”) Imperium emerge from hyperdrive. These squid-like aliens announce they have annexed Earth’s solar system and a new administration will soon be put in place. Any and all resistance will be quashed. UESF has seventy minutes to comply. Tornado is UESF’s only hyperdrive warship and the alien armament will crush the others like bugs, but the admiral must try. Annette joins Alpha Squadron to attack the enemy, but Villeneuve also gives her special orders. Should the worst occur, she is to take Tornado to the other solar systems and wage war against the enemy as privateers. She and her crew are Earth’s last hope.

Thus begins Book One in the new Duchy of Terra science fiction series. While this adventure takes place in outer space, Stewart craftily blends science with the ways in which privateers of yore waged war at sea. Even one port of call is reminiscent of the buccaneers’ Tortuga, although not quite as safe as one might expect and where it’s best to remember the adage to trust no one. Stewart’s use of description and emotion punctuates just how alone they are in a world where the rules don’t always apply, nothing is known, and danger lurks everywhere. Imagination and cunning abound and Annette has just the right qualifications to deal with the complications arising from their encounters with slavers, kidnappers, pirates, and raiders. This is science fiction at its best in a realm where greed and corruption are rife, and every entity out for itself confronts those sworn to aid and protect. And the twist at the end is one few will expect.




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SeaHorse by Michael Aye

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


An alert seaman hears the sound of gunfire. Out of the dense fog blanketing Carlisle Bay a fireship emerges. Those aboard HMS Prudent must deal with this threat before they can assist the anchored convoy. Only later is it revealed just how successful the ruse worked. It is but the latest of the daring raids by enemy privateers on British shipping in 1777.

Admiral Lord Gilbert Anthony savors his time ashore in England, getting to know his new daughter, Macayla, and renewing his acquaintance with his wife, Lady Deborah. While they enjoy their rare moments alone, his half brother Gabriel savors his recent promotion to Captain and eagerly awaits his upcoming nuptials with Faith Montique, whom he rescued from her nefarious uncle’s evil doings in South Carolina.

Such idyllic leisure ends much sooner than expected when both men receive new orders. Given a new flagship, Gil is to take up command of the Windward Islands and transport Lord Ragland to his new post as governor of Barbados. Gabe also receives a new, but unhappy, ship. Half of HMS Peregrine’s crew have deserted and the other half requested transfers. Refusing to be left ashore once again, both their wives declare that they will accompany their husbands on this voyage and then take up residence at Lady Deborah’s home on Antigua.

But before they depart, thugs posing as highwaymen attempt to assassinate Gil. A letter from Gabe’s uncle, Dagan, who stayed behind in the Colonies to visit with family and his new lady love, warns of approaching ill winds and that he will rendezvous with them in the Caribbean. Soon after the squadron departs Plymouth, escorting a convoy of merchant ships, the brothers discover just how cocky and daring the rebel privateers are after strange sails are sighted, vanish, and then launch a surprise attack. On their arrival in the West Indies, the news worsens as the war progresses. General Burgoyne surrenders, the British are preparing to evacuate Philadelphia, and the evidence confirms that soon after the New Year the French will join the Americans, which means the Spanish will as well.

The saga of The Fighting Anthonys continues in this fourth book in the series. As always, readers are treated to original poetry (such as “The Forgotten Salt”) from the author. These serve to introduce each of the three parts that make up the story. Unlike previous installments, this one is less even in the telling. What happens after the white flag is hoisted in chapter 15 is never clearly stated. Aside from Gabe’s first boarding of Peregrine, readers never see how he turns an unhappy ship into a happy one. While the scene depicting a lightning strike is astonishing, it lacks sufficient tension and Gil’s recovery is too quickly dispensed with. The ball scene flits from one character to another and Lord Ragland’s comment about not knowing what comes over a minor character’s behavior is one the reader will readily understand. There is no hint of this trait prior to its occurrence; nor does it surface anywhere else in the story. Some readers may also find the occasional interruptions in dialogue and narrative to explain nautical words – such as “sweeps (long oars)” – annoying. The book includes a glossary, where some of these words, but not others, are defined.

On the other hand, Seahorse is fraught with danger both on land and at sea. The assassination attempt on Gil is but the first “ill wind” they encounter; an enemy from the past carries out a vendetta against the brothers and anyone they love is fair game. Then there’s a perilous duel and a suspenseful sea battle. Not to mention a brief cameo by Captain Horatio Nelson. Fans of this series should enjoy this addition to The Fighting Anthonys.




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Peregrine by Michael Aye

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The arrival of the French fleet off Sandy Hook, New York in 1778 becomes a waiting game as the British face their new enemy across a sand bar during the American Revolution. When conditions finally permit the French to advance, however, they opt not to engage in a battle of broadsides and sail away. No one knows why, but their absence allows Lieutenant George “Jep” Jepson to head south for Barbados to deliver his passenger, Sir Victor MacNeil, who works for the Foreign Office.

Sir Victor needs the assistance of Vice Admiral Lord Gilbert Anthony and his squadron. They are to collect colonial prisoners of war from St. Augustine, Florida and deliver them to Norfolk, Virginia for a prisoner exchange. The mission has added importance for Sir Victor, for among those to be reclaimed are British spies and should their true identities be discovered, they will face dire consequences. Gil’s presence is needed because of his acquaintanceship with the rebels’ representative, whom he met earlier in St. Augustine.

No matter how much planning takes place, something always goes awry. Something is amiss with Bart, Gil’s coxswain and longtime friend, and when the truth is uncovered, his life is in grave jeopardy. Aside from keeping a wary eye out for French privateers, distant gunfire alerts men aboard Captain Gabriel Anthony’s Peregrine of danger. When he sends a boat to discover what the fog conceals, they discover a dead body minus its uniform. Later, they come upon an American brigantine that has taken a British frigate. When Gabe and his men draw close, one of the captured seamen is tossed over the side before the brigantine sails away. The rescued victim delivers a chilling message that resurrects haunting images from the past for Gabe, his uncle Dagan, and Lieutenant Davy.

This book is the fifth entry in The Fighting Anthonys series. It opens with a list of characters in the series and ends with a glossary. Poems by the author introduce each section of the story, which is divided into three parts. One caveat regarding the character list is that it doesn’t include all of them. This volume introduces Sir Victor’s servant, but his name is not mentioned in his first scene. When he reappears, it’s disconcerting for readers to meet him by name and not immediately know who he is.

The unfolding of this adventure is uneven in the telling. Readers expecting Gil and Gabe to take center stage, as has been the case in previous volumes, will find that this title is more a tale about men who serve with them, such as Bart, Jep, and Dagan. Gabe doesn’t become a truly integral character until late in the story. There are also occasions where misspellings and poor wording interfere with the flow of sentences.

On the other hand, Aye’s medical background and naval experience provide tense scenes, sometimes with unexpected twists. This is especially true in those involving Bart’s operation and Dagan’s handling of their new nemesis who has ties to the past. Fans of the series will enjoy Peregrine, but readers new to the series will probably prefer starting with earlier titles to get a better feel for the characters and their adventures.




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Pirates and Privateers in the 18th Century: The Final Flourish by Mike Rendell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Mention pirates and a romantic image pops into most readers’ minds. Mike Rendell’s goal is to remove those “rose-tinted spectacles” to show the true pirates of a period that is often referred to as the golden age of piracy. In reality, it was anything but and pirates were more than just thieves at sea. They also committed acts of “rape, murder, arson and torture.” (vi) Instead of looking at these men and women from our modern-day perspective, he strives to place them within the context of their own time periods. He separates this age into three segments: 1650-1680, 1680-1710, and 1710-1730. This allows him to highlight their differences and similarities, as well as to examine the history, rather than the myths, to show what effects pirates and privateers had on the British economy. He also attempts to explain why such criminals are now seen as honorable and romantic.

The first part of the book, “Background,” provides readers with an orientation into what piracy was and compares and contrasts it with privateering. He also provides three short case studies of early buccaneers – Henry Morgan, William Kidd, and Henry Avery – whose escapades sometimes crossed the murky line separating privateers from pirates. They chose careers that involved plundering, but the outcomes of their deeds differed greatly.

Part two examines “The Beginning of the End of the Golden Age.” While initially tolerating pirates and their ill-gotten booty, colonial governments and citizens shifted from such acceptance to seeing them as “enemies of all mankind.” This change did not occur overnight and many factors influenced it. To demonstrate how this occurs, Rendell discusses royal proclamations and pardons, as well as corruption in colonial government. He also spotlights two governors who played instrumental roles in fighting piracy: Alexander Spotswood of Virginia and Woodes Rogers of the Bahamas. The final chapter in this section explores pirate ships.

“The Final Phase of the Golden Age” surveys some of the pirates during the second and third decades of the eighteenth century. Here readers meet Henry Jennings, Benjamin Hornigold, Samuel Bellamy, Edward England, Charles Vane, Stede Bonnet, William Fly, Olivier Levasseur, John Rackham, Edward Teach, Howell Davis, and Bartholomew Roberts. The first four are linked together because of the storm that wrecked the Spanish treasure fleet off the coast of Florida in 1715. The next three are grouped together because they all danced the hempen jig. Rackham gets his own chapter because of his two female mates, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. The last three were killed in action.

The last two sections of this book investigate piracy’s portrayal in literature and pop culture and the lure of treasure hunting. In addition to an epilogue entitled “The Big ‘What If’?”, the author includes two appendices. The first is Governor Thomas Modyford’s Letter of Appointment to Henry Morgan. The second is an excerpt from Captain Charles Johnson’s A General History of the Pyrates detailing Blackbeard’s last days. Readers will also find a bibliography, an index, maps, and an assortment of woodcuts and other artwork pertaining to pirates.

The title of this book is somewhat misleading since Rendell includes men who lived in the seventeenth century and the first fifty years of this historical recap take place during that period. This was the time of the buccaneers, when pirates and privateers roved the seas. While privateers can be found in the first decade or so of the eighteenth century, the men and women who preyed on ships between 1713 and 1730 were only pirates.

The author identifies Johnson’s book as a work of fiction, because “many of the facts set out in it are uncorroborated and quite possibly heavily embellished.” (4) This is, in fact, true, and today might be classified as biographical fiction. What Rendell doesn’t explain is that many facts detailed in A General History can be corroborated. Since one of his goals is to go beyond the myth to extract the true history, why quote passages from a work of fiction instead of quoting from contemporary documents?

Particularly noteworthy is that this volume incorporates both well-known and lesser-known pirates. Rendell makes some valid points and includes information that can’t be found in other volumes on this topic. To some extent the author achieves his goal of separating myth from reality and examining piracy from an eighteenth-century perspective, but perhaps not as well as several other titles that have been published in recent years. Several that come to mind are Margarette Lincoln’s British Pirates and Society, 1680-1730; The Golden Age of Piracy edited by David Head; and Douglas R. Burgess, Jr.’s The Politics of Piracy.

What makes Rendell’s Pirates and Privateers in the 18th Century worth reading are the mini-case studies in which he presents each pirate. He’s also one of the few authors who gives John Rackham higher billing than Bonny and Read.




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The Trafalgar Chronicle: New Series 4: Dedicated to Naval History in the Nelson Era by Peter Hore

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The annual journal of The 1805 Club shares the latest research into Vice Admiral Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson and his era. Each issue has a central theme, and this, the twenty-ninth such offering, focuses on his friends and contemporaries. The majority of those depicted in this volume come from families that remained loyal to the British Crown, during and after the American Revolution, even though their members lived in the American colonies at the outbreak of hostilities. Others opted to follow the road toward independence. These twenty-one essays also cover a breadth of distance, extending from Honduran islands to Australian shores and several places in between.

John Lehman’s “The Decaturs, the Lehmans and the Privateers” examines the American privateers during the Revolutionary War with particular emphasis on Captain Stephen Decatur, Senior of the Fair American, and his ship’s surgeon, George Lehman.

“The Summer Before Trafalgar” is Susan K. Smith’s survey of Benjamin Silliman, a college professor from America, who visited England in 1805. He kept a journal of his travels and special events, such as his opportunity to see Admiral Nelson and what happened when news of his final victory and death reached London.

With numerous connections to Irish officers, some of whom were mentors and others who were friends and colleagues, one might almost claim “Nelson Was an Irishman,” as Des Grant explains in his essay.

Since seamen faced many perils, it is no wonder that religion played a role in the everyday lives of the crew. Not all naval chaplains adhered to the stereotypical preacher, as The Reverend Lynda Sebbage discusses in “Sin Bo’suns in Nelson’s Ships.” One of her atypical examples is a chaplain who often found himself one step ahead of the authorities.

While men fought the conflicts, women also played their parts. Derek Morris and Kenneth Cozens look at what women of this era could and did do in “The Role of Women in London’s Sailortown in the Eighteenth Century.”

Harold E. ‘Pete’ Stark discusses “North America’s Seafaring Cities” in his essay of ports and how they evolved in North America, the Atlantic, and the Caribbean. Not all served the same purpose. Nor were they equal in importance to the Royal Navy. But all played a role in Britain’s maritime economy.

“Loyalist Mariners during the American Revolution” is Thomas B. Allen’s offering. He covers the often-neglected Whaleboat War and includes the perspective of the common sailors – such as Jacob Nagle, one of the few sailors who shared their experiences – who fought.

Tom S. Iampietro shares the story of “Admiral George Augustus Westphal,” who lived longer than any other officer who served with Nelson at Trafalgar. Wounded himself in the battle, he was with the admiral when he died. T. Jeremy Waters, on the other hand, looks at Westphal’s brother, “Admiral Philip Westphal,” whose career was overshadowed by his younger sibling.

The man who holds the record for longest naval service is “Admiral of the Fleet Sir Provo William Parry Wallis.” Jeremy B. Utt outlines this man’s career from when Wallis’s name first appeared in a muster book when he was four years old to his time as Queen Victoria’s naval aide-de-camp.

Present at Nelson’s death, “Lieutenant Richard Bulkeley” was immortalized in Benjamin’s West’s depiction of the admiral’s death, as discussed in John R. Satterfield’s essay. He was a midshipman aboard Victory, where he spoke with Nelson before he died. His own life was cut short at the age of twenty-five.

Andrew A. Zellers-Frederick contributes two offerings in this volume. The first is about one of Nelson’s Canadian friends, “Admiral Sir Manley Dixon, KCB.” The second discusses “Rear-Admiral Thomas Tudor Tucker” of Bermuda, who survived the wreck of HMS Sceptre, participated in the navy’s experiment of adding citrus to grog rations, and was present when the Royal Navy captured the USS Essex, during the War of 1812.

Anna Kiefer reviews the career of “Captain William Gordon Rutherford, CB” of North Carolina, who enlisted in the Royal Navy more than once and also served with the Honourable East India Company. Barry Jolly reconsiders the career and life of “Rear-Admiral John Peyton” since he has often been confused with other family members. Rui Ribolhos Filipe’s “The Beach of the English Dead” considers the actions of Captain Conway Shipley, the first British officer to die in action during the Peninsular War. Rather than focus on a particular person, Mark West delves into the “Russians on the Tagus” and their connection to Portsmouth and the naval hospital at Haslar.

Anthony Cross analyzes the development of hot air balloons and their use during times of war in “Bringing Up Franklin’s Baby.” Anthony Bruce assesses another weapon in warfare, the navy’s use of “The Carronade.”

The final two essays return to the Caribbean. Rear-Admiral Michael Harris investigates the “Battle of St. George’s Cay, 10 September 1798,” which also has ties to British seafarers and buccaneers. Douglas Hamilton probes the extraordinary career of “Captain John Perkins,” a black officer and former slave assigned to protect British colonies involved in slavery.

In addition to these articles, black-and-white illustrations, tables, and maps are found throughout the book. There is also a section of color plates depicting ships, campaigns, and commentary involving the Royal Navy. While notes are included, no index is provided.

This latest offering of The Trafalgar Chronicles educates, clarifies, and demystifies the Nelson Era. Its focus is broader than some previous issues, but this serves to immerse readers in a wider swath of topics that might otherwise be missed. The fourth volume in the new series is a compelling review of the variety and depth of research being conducted and readers will meet people and visit places that are more often than not forgotten in history books.




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American Privateers of the Revolutionary War by Angus Konstam

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Any examination of the colonies’ war for independence usually focuses on the land battles. Although the naval war, at least as regards the Continental Navy, is negligible, it is an important aspect of the conflict that should not be overlooked. Konstam attempts to examine this aspect of the war since both sides were dependent on the sea for supplies and reinforcements, as well as maritime commerce. This vulnerability gave rise to privateers, privately armed ships that preyed on enemy shipping.

Since the Continental Congress lacked sufficient funds and vessels to create a full-fledged navy, especially one that could match the manpower and armament of the Royal Navy, individual colonies and the Congress relied on private citizens willing to risk their lives and fortunes to acquire, man, and arm a maritime fleet to strike at the enemy. In exchange for this private funding, both colonial governments and the Congress granted these vessels licenses called “letters of marque” to go out on legal “pirating” ventures. In return, the governments asked for a portion of the proceeds garnered from whatever prizes were brought back and declared legitimate. Nor was this solely an American practice. Loyalists in the colonies and Canada, as well as England itself, participated in such cruises.

The word “privateer” can refer to a ship, her captain, or her crew. In the case of this book, it is the first definition that is the principal concern here. This isn’t necessarily evident from the table of contents: Design and Development (design and shipbuilding, vessel types and rigs, and purpose-built privateer); Business of Privateering (owners and captains; letters of marque and instructions); Life on Board; and Privateers in Action. Only in reading the narrative and viewing the illustrations is this fact made abundantly clear.

In combination with an introduction, a background summary, a bibliography, and an index, volume #279 of Osprey’s New Vanguard series serves as an introduction to privateering ships of this period. The majority of illustrations pertain to the vessels and the original artwork depicts side views of a number of privateers: Tyrannicide, Hope, Rhodes, King George, Fair American, Washington, Mohawk, Berbice, and General Pickering. There is also a two-page spread showing a cutaway view of Rattlesnake, as well as one of Saucy Jack in action against HMS Observer. The artwork is a vital part of this work and, when combined with the captions, provides glimpses into the compelling world of privateering.

The narrative itself is a somewhat dry recitation of facts and figures that merely skim the surface of the Revolution’s privateering history. Individuals are mentioned, but the text doesn’t go into any great detail on the daring escapades of the more legendary men. One such example mentions Captain Jonathan Haraden who captures the Golden Eagle after threatening to deliver a broadside at night if she doesn’t surrender. There is more to the story than these simple facts, but rather than treat readers to the whole story, only a few facts are shared. Although some attempt is made to explain nautical vocabulary, readers with more than a rudimentary knowledge of ships and sailing will better comprehend what is discussed. For those seeking the adventure and dangers associated with privateering, you might want to look elsewhere. For readers seeking knowledge about privateering ships, this serves as a good introduction to the topic.




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Pirates of the Chesapeake Bay: From the Colonial Era to the Oyster Wars by Jamie L. H. Goodall

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Sometimes people turn to piracy strictly because they want easy money. Other times they are driven to piracy. The latter is what happened to the first documented pirate of the Chesapeake Bay, a man named William Claiborne. His felonious activities occurred during the 1630s and are discussed in the introduction to Pirates of the Chesapeake Bay. Contrary to what this title suggests, Goodall describes her book as “a collection of stories that follow some of the Chesapeake’s most notorious pirates and valiant privateers and the local residents, merchants and government officials who aided, abetted and sometimes captured them.” (23) Her goals in bringing these individuals together in a single volume are to (a) identify who took part in these piratical acts and what role did they play; (b) locate where the nefarious exploits occurred; (c) explain why the Chesapeake Bay was both a haven and a target of piracy; and (d) identify what caused the depredations in this 200-mile region that extends from Havre de Grace, Maryland to Virginia Beach, Virginia to be suppressed. Of course, this supposes that all the depredations described within are acts of piracy. In actuality, they are not.

To achieve these objectives, she divides the book into five time periods: colonial (1630-1750), the Revolutionary War (1754-1783), the War of 1812 (1805-1815), the Civil War (1860-1865), and the Oyster Wars (1865-1959). (The latter is really about poaching, rather than piracy, although contemporary newspapers referred to those involved as “pirates.”) The majority of people mentioned will be unknown to most readers: Richard Ingle, Joseph Wheland Jr., George Little, John Yates Beall, and William Frank Whitehouse, among many others. A few – Lionel Delawafer (better known as Lionel Wafer, the pirate surgeon), William Kidd, Sam Bellamy, and Thomas Boyle, for example – are often discussed in books about pirates and privateers. Readers will also find a timeline of major conflicts, maps, pictures, glossary, notes, bibliography, and index.

This is an interesting summary of piratical and privateering activity in a vital, but often overlooked, region that introduces readers to individuals rarely discussed in other maritime history books. That said, some missteps call into question this historian’s research. For example, on page 36, the vivid description of a body gibbeted in May 1699 in the Thames River is identified as being that of Captain Kidd. Four pages later, the text reads, “On May 23, 1701, Kidd ultimately met his fate at the end of the hangman’s noose.” (In 1699, Kidd was in American colonial waters trying to clear his name after sailing the Quedah Merchant to the West Indies.) On page 45, Sam Bellamy’s first victim is identified as the Whidah. He had already captured at least two vessels the previous year after going on the account. In fact, when he captured the Whidah, he was aboard the Sultana, which he had taken in December 1716. Nor did the pirates run Whidah aground, as stated on page 47. A severe nor’easter drove her ashore. The final paragraph states: “Sam Bellamy and his few surviving crewmembers were imprisoned, condemned and executed for piracy. They met their makers at the end of the hangman’s noose.” While several members of Bellamy’s crew were hanged, Bellamy was not one of them and they weren’t aboard Whidah at the time that she sank. He died in the shipwreck. Only two men survived Whidah’s sinking; Thomas Davis was acquitted while John Julian was sold into slavery.




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The Legal History of Pirates & Privateers by Thomas J Shaw Esq

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Time and again, history shows that pirates were useful to the State until they were not. When the hue and cry of law-abiding citizens, influential ministers, and angry foreign governments became too great to ignore, governments were forced to take action to suppress this illegal marauding. The primary means for achieving this was through enacting laws.

To some degree the same holds true for privateers. The outcry this time consisted of calls for retribution and recompense. When state-supported navies were in their infancy or non-existent, governments turned to privateers to protect their country’s interests. Those in power, however, instituted rules and regulations to make certain that this legal plundering did not devolve into outright piracy.

One of the earliest laws against piracy, lex de piratis persequendis, was passed in Ancient Rome. Rather than strike at the pirates at sea, it targeted their safe havens ashore. At the same time, the law provided Pompey the Great with the necessary legal means to eradicate these villains. Centuries later, Edward I issued an edict in 1296 that became the precursor to later British statutes regulating privateering. It pertained to the taking of prizes and established courts to decide whether the capture was legitimate or not. General histories of piracy and privateering mention such enactments, raising our curiosity, but fail to truly inform. The Legal History of Pirates & Privateers, which is written by a lawyer, changes this. It is neither a general history nor a legal textbook; instead, it explains the laws and provides illustrations of issues raised when actual cases were brought before various courts in Britain, her American colonies, and the United States.

The book is divided into five chapters and in each chapter, Shaw first discusses the statutes and what they entail, then he identifies and analyzes the legal issues contested during trials. The latter are highlighted in boxes before being delineated. In the case against Calico Jack Rackham and his crew, for example, the legal issues are: a) Charged with conspiracy to commit piracy; b) Special proofs needed for women pirates; and c) Charged with piracy for socializing with pirates. (35)

Laws pertaining to maritime piracy are the focus of the first two chapters. Chapter one deals with British statutes enacted between the reigns of King Henry VIII and Queen Victoria. The second chapter concerns American statutes from the time Samuel Huntington served as president of Congress to Abraham Lincoln’s presidency.

Chapter three ties the first two and last two chapters together by looking at legal documents pertinent to proving either the guilt or innocence of pirates, or whether a seized ship and its cargo was a legitimate prize of privateers. Examples of these documents are articles of agreement (including the differences between those of pirates and those under which privateers sailed) and ship’s papers, such as ship registrations and bills of lading.

The final chapters examine privateering. Chapter four concerns British laws from Edward III to Victoria, whereas chapter five focuses on the American statutes between John Hancock and Lincoln. As with previous chapters, court cases illustrate notable points. For example, one case involves the Lucretia, a vessel that was captured, recaptured, and recaptured again. The legal issues of import in this trial concern: a) Determining captor when same prize taken twice by British ships, and b) Allocating prize between captor and re-captor. (195)

The book includes an afterword that discusses the Paris Declaration of 1856, following the Crimean War. This maritime declaration attempted to bring about a global end to privateering, since most nations now had standing navies and no longer supported state-sponsored legal plundering. Mention is also made of modern-day piracy and how laws of the past define piracy today. Although there is no index, an appendix provides a quick reference to the more than 200 legal issues discussed in the book.

Shaw, who is himself a lawyer, delves into legal particulars in a way that lay readers easily understand, even though his target audience is other lawyers. In the foreword, he writes that his goal “is to have a single source to reinterpret often told tales of pirates and less often told tales of privateers, viewing them through the prism only of the governing legalities, while making the topics light enough to easily read for fun.” (xi) He adeptly achieves this objective. The Legal History of Pirates and Privateers fills the void between a plethora of general and academic treatises on privateering and the suppression of piracy. Equally compelling is the fact that Shaw selected trials not because of the defendants’ notoriety, but because of the legal consequences of their actions. This allows readers to meet the infamous and the forgotten, as well as to be introduced to judges and attorneys who participated in these endeavors to suppress piracy or adjudicate privateering lawsuits. This illumination of details often missing from other volumes enlightens the reader and provides a valuable resource for any library dealing with these aspects of maritime law.




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A Pirate's Life in the Golden Age of Piracy by Robert Jacob

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This hardback book resembles a chronological encyclopedia, of which the majority (forty-one of the sixty chapters) recounts the history of piracy during the golden age. The remainder focuses on aspects of pirate life. Three chapters introduce the subject before the author subdivides the most prolific period in pirate history into four time segments: The Buccaneers 1640-1670, The Buccaneer Pirates 1670-1702, Pirates and Privateers of the War of 1702-1713, and The Pyrates 1714-1722. He also focuses on three particular pirates, whom he identifies as classic representatives of the men who hunted during this time span: Henry Morgan, Blackbeard, and John “Bartholomew” Roberts.

Jacob correctly points out that during these eighty-two years, political support and society’s acceptance of these marauding men and women did not remain static. The same holds true for why they went on the account. This was a time of flux, where one year pirates might be deemed acceptable comrades, but the next they were seen as enemies to be eradicated.

Among the many people and topics discussed in the history section are Christopher Myngs, François L’Olonnais, Henry Morgan’s lawsuit pertaining to the English translation of Alexandre Exquemelin’s The Buccaneers of America, Port Royal, Petit Goave, Michel de Grammont Le Chevalier, Laurens Cornelius Boudewijn de Graaf, William Dampier, Thomas Tew, Governor Benjamin Fletcher, Robert Searle, Marcus Hook, William Snelgrave, Howell Davis, and many more. Some of these can be found in most pirate histories, but others are either merely mentioned or not included at all. The lifestyle section covers such aspects as tools of the trade (ships, weapons, navigation), treasure, food, captives, and textiles.

Scattered throughout this volume are seventy-three pictures and maps. Jacob also includes sidebar notes to point out important dates, key points, and specific people, or to define unfamiliar words. There are no footnotes or endnotes to identify source material quotations and statements. Nor is there an index, which makes it difficult for readers to locate specific information. He does, however, include a glossary and bibliography.

Lack of consistency and clarity are two aspects that readers will notice as they read this book. For example, sometimes ships’ names are italicized; sometimes they are not even in the same paragraph. Several times the text says that a particular subject will be discussed later in chapter; in actuality, the discussion takes part later in the book, which breaks the narrative’s flow and makes it difficult for readers to know where the particular subject matter continues.

There are a number of missing words and misspellings and “many” and “most” are overused. While newspaper articles are a great source of information for cultural aspects of the period, they must be taken with the same grain of salt in which the author objects to the use of Charles Johnson’s A General History of Pirates as a reliable resource. Newspaper editors embellished stories the same way Johnson did, yet Jacob seems to take the articles at face value. Another questionable source is The Pirates Own Book; in fact, Jacob states that “It appears to be accurate.” (125) In actuality, this resource is just as questionable in its historical accuracy as Johnson’s book is.

He believes that Edward Thache and Edward Beard are two acquaintances who went to sea, but that Thache died and Beard adopted his name as alias. If any evidence exists to support this highly speculative hypothesis, Jacob doesn’t provide it. There are a few factual errors. For example, two men who were aboard Whydah at the time of her demise did survive the wreck. Contrary to the author’s belief that “Black” as a name is related to the pirates’ black flags (229), (as in Black Sam Bellamy) the adjective actually refers to the person’s swarthy appearance. Jasper Seagar and Edward England were not the same person.

Jacob is an historical reenactor, whose pursuit of history and historical accuracy led him to write this book. This research shines through in the amount of material that he provides, although some readers may prefer a greater focus on pirate life than the history of these sea rovers, especially since that was a primary reason for his writing this volume. Aside from providing readers with a well-rounded picture of the time period, he also explores what may have motivated the pirates to do what they did. There are times when he inserts his own thoughts into the recounting; these appear in a different font from the main text so readers can easily separate fact from opinion.

Its value lies not in being a book for reading night after night, but in the abundance of information contained within nearly 500 pages. Overall, with the caveats in mind, this is a good resource for those in search of a comprehensive volume on pirate history during the buccaneering and golden piracy eras.

(This review originally appeared at Pirates & Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Jacob.html...)



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