Excerpt from "Blackbeard is Not My Name!"

 

Excerpt from Blackbeard is Not My Name!, The Private Journal of Edward Thache:

A draught of the Bay of Honduras and part of the Musquetto Shore

1764 draught by G. Robertson

 

Roatan Island, Bay of Honduras, 14^th of February, 1717/8

 

Approaching this place, two days hence, captured William Wade in William & Samuel who had loaded logwood from ye mainland shore. He watered here, as most do. As his vessel was needed to careen ours, ordered him to throw logwood into ye sea and accompany us to Truxillo.

Today, we made for Truxillo Bay to careen under ye guns of ye fort. William & Samuel under William Howard’s command.

Ye old Spanish Castillo fortification here fell to ye English decades hence and now, serves as protection against ye Spaniards.

Transferred twelve cannon from brig Marshall to ye shore batteries and burned ye worm-ridden hulk in ye bay. Command post in ye old offices while ye crew refresh themselves in ye Guard House.

Hands and Howard in Two Brothers and William & Samuel pulled QAR over to expose her hull. On ye shore beneath ye guns o’ye fort.

 

Portion of A draught of the Bay of Honduras and part of the Musquetto Shore, showing Trujillo Bay and anchorage. 1764 draught by G. Robertson

 

 

Truxillo Bay, Bay of Honduras, 28^th of February, 1717/8

 

Thru with caulking and cleaning QAR so refloated her. Then, hauled Revenge over and did ye same.

Ye company are fast eating through provisions.

 

 

On board Queen Anne’s Revenge, at Utilla, 7^th of April, 1718

 

After careening, set sayle for Turniff at northward end of Yakatan [Yucatan Peninsula], hoping for word of Veracruz and ye warships. Revenge remained at Truxillo to guard ye fort.

Found here 70-ton Land of Promise of Rhode Island, master Thomas Newton. Ye day after capturing Newton, David Herriot, in 80-ton Adventure came in, flying a red pavilion. His owner, Daniel Axtell of Port Royal seen my letter to Bernard asking for three sloops and sent Herriot to aid us.

Just before sunset, Richards in Revenge alerted us to a large vessel of Boston likely come to cut logwood. They traded fire, but ye ship bested ym and got away.

Herriot says that ye ship must be Protestant Caesar of Boston, Capt. William Wyer, who had left when he did from Port Royal with Jonathan Bernard’s sloops coming also to our aid. Herriot believed QAR to be Wyer when he spied our sayle.

I knew Wyer, but was disturbed by his firing upon Revenge and his being from Boston, that nest of traitors who hanged pirates! Wyer must not brag when he returns to New England that he had beat a Pirate! I have vowed to burn all vessels of Boston who cross my path.

Put prize crew aboard Land of Promise, ordered ym, Richards and Herriot to make sayle immediately for ye main in Honduras Bay. As it is late, it necessitated we put in at Utilla Island for ye night.

Here, we happened upon ye Dolphin, a Spanish sloop coming from ye north. Our courses drew together as we paralleled one another for many leagues.

Their tale was an odd one. Seems they were prisoners being sent from trial in Veracruz to ye Spanish presidio at Pensacola. En route, the prisoners mutinied against their commander James Burchett and ye Spanish passengers left ym on “Combahere Island,” near Pensacola. Afterward, they sayled southward to Utilla.

Ye Spanish watched closely ye Diamond Man-o-War at Vera Cruz and claimed she was weakly manned. No mention of ye other warship there; however Herriot tells us H.M.S. Adventure oft joins Diamond to cruize ye gulf.

In all eagerness, these prisoners joined us as pirates, excepting one passenger [Martin] Preston, who asked to be freed. Feeling pleased and generous I agreed.

I ordered Dolphin to sayle to Truxillo Bay upon ye morn and await me there.

 

 

On board Queen Anne’s Revenge, at ye main in Honduras Bay, 8^th of April, 1718

 

Departed Utilla at 8 of ye clock in morn. Set SWbS course with wind at our backs. Dolphin set out for Truxillo.

In an hour, we spied four sloops to our stern rapidly closing on us. In ye glass, I saw they flew red pavilions and guessed it might be Bernard. Herriot signaled “friends.”

We dropped sayle to await our “friends.”

Soon, Jonathan Bernard’s sloop, Dutchman, appeared with three others, all flying red banners.

Ordered salute fired.

Four came back.

Bernard came in his boat to QAR. Inquiring as to ye health of my family, he assured me all were well. I handed him a letter for them, to send by Bernard.

All slaves from below were brought on deck to be transferred to Bernard’s sloops. It took four boats to transfer ye cargo in a half hour. Some of Dutchman’s crew divided to ye others of Bernard’s sloops.

One of ye sloops come with Bernard from Jamaica was captained by Edward James, a former associate and pirate who had accepted of ye pardon, according to Bernard. I spoke with Bernard about him – to watch him close.

As Bernard’s sloops were mine to use as I please for now, I then ordered Adventure, and Land of Promise to return to Truxillo Bay with Edward James in Eagle sloop. Osbourne and Herriot might well handle whatever they meet at ye bay and fort. I gave them strict orders not to let James out of sight. Ye other two of Bernard’s sloops, and ye Dutchman, accompanied QAR and Revenge to ye shore to hunt for Protestant Caesar.

Raised sayles and made all speed for ye main.

Made ye main shore at 11 of ye clock.

Holding within half league of ye shore, we changed course directly west and followed ye coast.

At noon and a half, we spied sayle on ye main. A large three-masted vessel. Herriot signaled it be our prey.

Then, we drew together tightly and sayled SW into ye shore with our black and red pavilions flying. 

A boat came out to meet us. Wyer’s men easily recognized ye Revenge, and likely quaked in fear at ye chilling sight of 40-gun QAR with her “Devil” in command!

As my quartermaster [William] Howard had predicted, Wyer surrendered on ye spot. A man surprised is half-beaten. My Devil won ye day!

 

The Capture of "Rose Emelie" of Nantes

The Capture of *Rose Emelie* of Nantes

Dated the 1st of October, 1718

Appearing before us:

Pierre Boyer, Second Captain on the ship named *La Rose Emelye* of Nantes—of approximately 80 tons’ burden, armed with four cannons, and crewed by 17 men—owned by Mr. Jay, Captain of Gelle, and Mr. du Genyon, burghers and shipowners of the said vessel. The said Boyer, having sworn an oath by touching the Holy Gospels, promised and swore to tell the truth; and he stated and declared to us that the said ship, having been loaded with lawful merchandise for a voyage down this river, departed on the 18th of March last under the command of Jan Goupil, Master, Captain, and Chief Officer thereof. Having completed all necessary preparations for such a voyage, they departed—as stated—on the 18th of March to pursue their route, and arrived safely at Fort Royal on the 28th of April last, where they discharged and fully disposed of the cargo of their said ship. This was done in accordance with their aforementioned instructions, on behalf of their said owners, comprising approximately one hundred and eighty barrels of white sugar (more or less), about thirty thousand pounds of cocoa, and three bales of cotton. Of the said quantity of sugar and cocoa, a portion belonged to the said owners—specifically one hundred and five barrels of sugar and 13,000 pounds of cocoa—while the remainder belonged to others. ...received the account from various senior officers—specifically the aforementioned Bauhier—stating that the entire proceeds from the return cargo of the said ship had been fully realized. Following these proceedings, they departed from the said location on the 26th of last August to make their return voyage. They sailed in company with a ship named *La Toison d'Or* (The Golden Fleece)—a vessel hailing from Dunkirk, of approximately 130 tons burden, commanded by Esley Jans Babel of Dunkirk, and bound for Norway. These vessels maintained their course together until the 5th of last September. The deponent further states that, during the night of the 3rd leading into the 4th of September—while situated at approximately 32 degrees latitude and 373 degrees longitude, some 8 to 10 leagues south-southeast of Bermuda—between six and seven o'clock in the evening, they sighted a small vessel of about 35 tons, armed with six cannons (though the size of its crew was unknown). This vessel appeared on their south-southeast quarter, to leeward of the deponent's ship, at a distance of two and a half to three leagues; it appeared to them to be sailing out from the direction of Bermuda. Around ten o'clock that evening, having closed the distance to the deponent's ship, the vessel demanded to know the origin of the deponent's craft, ordering it to heave to; failing which, it threatened to open fire with its cannons. Receiving no reply, the vessel tacked about and bore down upon *La Toison d'Or*—which was sailing one league astern of the deponent's ship. *La Toison d'Or* was taken by surprise by the said pirate vessel, which ordered the crew to come aboard its own deck—a command executed at the behest of the said Captain. The pirate vessel then opened fire with its cannons, discharging several shots, while its commander ordered the said Captain to come aboard his own ship, bringing with him a party of his crew. They complied with this order, and the Captain-in-Chief, accompanied by five members of his crew, went aboard the said pirate vessel; the pirates detained the said five crewmen, but released the Captain. Subsequently, the pirates dispatched a longboat filled with men armed with muskets. ...pistols and sabers in hand, who boarded the said declarant’s vessel; they searched him and stripped him completely naked. Having examined the cargo of the said ship—and finding it heavily laden—they drove them off their vessel with orders to board *La Toison d'Or* and to make arrangements with the Captain of that ship. The said pirates then disarmed the said declarant, seizing his vessel to compensate for the damages and losses that the said ship—along with its cargo—had frequently caused them; they then ordered them to continue their course toward France, having placed both crews aboard the said ship *La Toison d'Or*, and warned them that if they attempted to take any other route, they would set fire to the said ship. One hour after having departed from the pirates' vessel, the declarant recognized the coast of Bermuda. As there were now two crews aboard the said ship and provisions were running low, they were obliged to put in at Cape Breton, where they took on supplies and fresh water. There, the declarant—seizing the opportunity to depart promptly from that port—embarked aboard the ship *Saint Jean*, commanded by Captain Georges Gofford, and arrived at Paimbœuf on the 17th of the current month. This constitutes his declaration, which was read back to him; he affirms that it is true and accurate, acknowledging that the pirates had indeed seized his ship—along with its cargo—and had utilized the said ship *La Toison d'Or* to send them back to France, having warned the declarants that they would leave them adrift at sea.

P. Bouyer

The *St. Michel* of Nantes Plundered and Captured by Pirates

 The *St. Michel* of Nantes Plundered and Captured by Pirates:

(Rapports des capitaines à l'Amirauté de Nantes, B4578, p. 32-34, Archives départementales de Loire-Atlantique)

Dated this 3rd of January

Appeared Jean Dubois, Sieur du Toucheray, Captain of the *St. Michel*—a vessel of 150 tons, armed with twelve cannons and manned by a crew of 40 men—belonging to Mr. René Montaudouin, in whose service the said Captain is currently engaged. Having promised and sworn to tell the truth, he declared that his said ship, having been loaded with authorized merchandise and being fully equipped with all necessary clearances for the coast of Saint-Domingue, departed from the lower reaches of this river on the 18th of August last. He sighted the island of Madeira on the 3rd of September following. On the 26th of the said month, they encountered a ship from Bordeaux—Captain Darboy—which, like his own, was bound for Saint-Domingue; they sailed in company with this vessel until the following day, proceeding at a much faster pace than the other ship. On the 18th of October, around 8 o'clock in the morning, he sighted Cape Samaná on the coast of Saint-Domingue. At that very moment, he perceived a ship offshore that was tacking toward the land—and consequently, toward his own vessel. Expecting it to be a pirate ship, he waited for it and prepared for battle; however, upon hailing the vessel, he discovered that it was a ship from this very river—Captain Guilland—returning from Guinea, whence it had departed nearly five months earlier. Observing that this encounter was causing him a significant delay in his voyage, he parted company with the vessel toward evening, but not before offering it anything it might require, given its long transatlantic crossing. He continued his course the following day toward the Cape and the Môle. On the 20th of the said month, around 10 o'clock in the morning—while positioned five or six leagues to the north of La Grange—his lookout alerted him that two vessels were visible offshore, which... They gave chase to him, and shortly thereafter he recognized them as pirates; he therefore had his crew—and his passengers, who numbered twenty-eight—prepare to defend themselves, as it appeared evident that the two approaching vessels were pirate ships. When the said two boats came within cannon range—specifically, the one that appeared to be the larger of the two—it hoisted an English flag and fired a shot with live ammunition. This compelled the deponent to hoist his own French flag. Immediately, the said boat—and its companion pirate vessel—struck their English flags and each hoisted a black flag featuring a skull holding a dart in one hand and a hourglass in the other; 

The purported flag of Blackbeard, a variant of the "Old Roger design", consisting of a horned skeleton holding an hourglass and using a spear to pierce a bleeding heart, is typically attributed to the pirate Edward Thache, better known as Blackbeard. This pirate may be but likely not Blackbeard, however, as he was engaged elsewhere (though nearby) and the vessels vaguely match, except for the smaller pirate of 4 guns. If it is Blackbeard, then these French depositions alone verify the use of this flag for Edward Thache.

However, contrary to popular belief, there is no accurate description of any specific flag used by Blackbeard during his piracy beyond using "bloody flags" or black flags with "deaths heads". Records from as early as 1723 report a flag of the same or very similar design to have been used by pirates, but not by Blackbeard in particular. A pirate named "Nicholas [prob. Thomas Nichols]" who used a similar design was reported near Hispaniola at about the time the St. Michael was taken in consort with a smaller vessel. This may be them.

... furthermore, at the top of their mainmasts, they flew another flag of the same color depicting a man standing upon another figure, with a weapon piercing the latter's throat [previously unknown flag]. As the large pirate vessel continued to approach, it sent volley after volley—some seven or eight rounds—at him. Upon finding himself within effective range, the deponent attempted to fire two shots from the stern of his ship in order to swing his vessel around and present his broadside to the enemy; to this end, he began to trim his topgallant sails and haul up his mainsail. At this juncture, the majority of his passengers—led by a certain Sieur de l'Isle Ribauld—intervened, telling him that he must not engage in battle with such dangerous men. They argued that if the deponent were to fire even a single cannon shot, his entire crew would be massacred, whereas the pirates were likely interested only in plundering some provisions and other supplies of that nature. The said Sieur de l'Isle had already wagered five crowns—and offered further incentives—on the proposition that if half the crew were to side with the passengers, the deponent would be rendered incapable of offering any defense; consequently, they advised the deponent to strike his flag and allow the pirate captain to come aboard his vessel—which he did, some seven minutes later. ...one pirate, named Daniel Bertrand, a native of Maijorine. Subsequently, the said Lamotte came aboard the declarant's ship with ten to twelve Englishmen, who ordered him to proceed to the said pirate vessel; he did so and observed that it was an English ship of ten or twelve guns, with Lamotte and thirteen other crew members aboard. The second pirate vessel was armed with four cannons and a crew of thirty-five men; they dispatched forty men to the declarant's ship and removed an equal number—both sailors and passengers—transferring them to the said pirate vessel. The pirates had already learned that the declarant had encountered a slave ship at Samaná; consequently, they blockaded the passage for the remainder of that day and the two following days in order to intercept it. On the 22nd, they proceeded to anchor near La Grange, where they detained two English vessels engaged in trade along the coast of Saint-Domingue. On the morning of Saturday, the 23rd of the said month of October, they were preparing to put him ashore; however, at that very moment, the said pirates sighted two sails out at sea. Deciding to give chase, they hastily loaded several sailors and passengers into the declarant's ship's canoe, which they then towed behind them, accompanied by twelve of their own men. During the chase, the declarant observed that one of the pirate vessels engaged the two sails they had sighted; upon closing with them, the pirates fired two cannon shots, compelling the vessels to strike their colors—specifically, a ship from Bordeaux named *Le Saint-Jacques*, Captain Bergero.

Plan du Mouillage de la Grange au Nord de St Domingue. A. La Grange ; B. Islet a l'abri duquel on mouille, C. Mouillage ; D. Riviere de Mont-Christ qui vient de la Ville Espagnole de St Yago et traine de l'Or dans son Sable, 1700

 

Another vessel captured at this time by the same pirates:

La Gratieuse de Nantes captured and taken by pirates:

(Rapports des capitaines à l'Amirauté de Nantes, B4578, p. 35-37, Archives départementales de Loire-Atlantique)

Dated this 4th of January 1718

Appearing before Messrs. the Lieutenant General and Vergs??

Appeared Mr. François Le Barbier, formerly Captain of the vessel named *La Gracieuse de Nantes*, of a burthen of approximately 140 tons, armed with six cannons, and manned by 26 men and five indentured servants—the said vessel belonging to Mr. Robin the Younger and his associates—regarding which Le Barbier, having sworn an oath to tell the truth, did state and declare the following: that his said vessel, having been laden with authorized merchandise bound for Léogâne on the coast of Saint-Domingue, and being furnished with all the necessary papers and clearances for such a voyage, departed from the lower reaches of this river on the 23rd of last August to carry out his intended voyage to Léogâne and conduct his trade; that en route, at a latitude of 19 degrees 50 minutes North and 318 degrees Longitude, he encountered a ship from Bordeaux commanded by Mr. Dubois—whom the deponent left behind, being a faster sailer—and continued his course until Thursday, the 21st day of October, when, at approximately 4 o'clock in the afternoon, he sighted land... ...[he reached] Cape Samaná and subsequently followed the coastline until Saturday, the 23rd of the said month. At approximately 3:00 AM, having rounded the Cape and headed out to sea in a northeasterly direction—setting a course for the aforementioned Léogâne—he sighted two ships and five boats to leeward. He stated that, upon observing their maneuvers, it became apparent to him that they were all converging on his vessel and that they were, in fact, hostile ships. This prompted him to hold his wind in order to track them until approximately 9:00 PM, at which point two of the largest boats overtook him. They fired some five cannon shots at him—without inflicting any damage—and hailed him repeatedly, in both French and English, ordering him to strike his colors and launch his longboat to come aboard their vessel. He was compelled to comply, as he was in no position to offer resistance to the said pirates. He proceeded aboard the largest of the pirate boats, which was armed with twelve cannons and crewed by approximately 70 men—almost all of whom were English. The smaller boat was armed with four cannons and manned by a crew of 30 to 35 men. While the said deponent was aboard the large pirate boat, the captain asked him—speaking in French—how many cannons he carried, the size of his crew, the nature of his cargo, and his port of origin. To this, the deponent replied that his vessel was laden with hides from Taïfa and Brazilwood.

...[they] seized from the said vessel four hundred planks, small barrels of flour, and other goods of considerable value. The said pirates detained the deponent and his crew aboard their own ship—the pirate sloop that had succeeded in boarding and capturing the said vessel *La Gratieuse*. Aboard the said pirate ship, the deponent encountered Mr. Duboys, commander of the vessel *St. Michel* of Nantes (owned by Mr. Montaudouian), who told him that he had been captured by the said pirates on the 20th of the said month, and that the ship he now saw—the largest and most prominent of the group—was his own vessel. Also aboard the said pirate ship were Mr. Bergexon, commander of the *St. Jacques* of La Rochelle (fitted out in Bordeaux), and Mr. Boanardel, the ship's owner; they pointed out their vessel to him in the dim light, stating that they had been captured by the said pirates around eleven o'clock or noon on that same day. Furthermore, he encountered Captain Arceberg of La Rochelle, who told him that he, too, had been captured that same day aboard the vessel *Charles* of La Rochelle, which he commanded. He explained that their captured fleet consisted of two pirate vessels, Captain Arceberg's ship, two small English vessels captured prior to their own, and the three aforementioned ships—including the deponent's own vessel—a fact which, by daylight, the deponent confirmed to be true. Finally, the pirates took them all together to the island of Inagua—a deserted and uninhabited island—where they anchored on the night of Sunday into Monday, the 2?th of the said month, around two o'clock in the afternoon. There, the deponent did his utmost to negotiate the purchase of his own vessel, but the said pirates informed him that they would not return any of the ships, save for Captain Arceberg's vessel—and even that one, they added, they would have kept as well, had it not been so heavily laden.

...but [the pirates] sent them ashore to land the captured friends with whom they were charged; and around 2:00 p.m., the said pirates ordered them to board the said boat; and around 4:00 p.m., they were brought there—the said pirates having stripped them of all their clothes and belongings—having entirely retained the said three ships with their full cargoes of merchandise, both bulk goods and personal effects, and having also pillaged various goods from the said boat, *Le Chaillet*. The deponent further states that they forcibly detained several men from the crew—specifically a man named Jullien Rondiemeau of Nantes, a sloop master—despite the supplications and entreaties the poor unfortunates made to them to avoid remaining with them; [the pirates] merely stated that they were 4,500 strong, all of one accord. Having then set sail in the said boat *Le Chaillet*, they charted a course for the roadstead, where they anchored on October 30th to take on fresh water; from there, they set sail for Cap-Français to seek passage back to Europe. He further states that he learned from the captain of the said pirates that they had a correspondent [Jean Martel at Petit Goave?] on the coast of Saint-Domingue who supplied them with all their necessities, and that they lacked for nothing. Upon having this declaration read back to him, he swore that it was sincere and true, and requested that the present declaration be verified by the officers and witnesses present.

Le Barbier

M. I. Guet on Pirates at Bourbon Island 1721

 LES ORIGINES DE L'ILE BOURBON ET DE LA COLONISATION FRANÇAISE A MADAGASCAR

or

THE ORIGINS OF BOURBON ISLAND AND FRENCH COLONIZATION IN MADAGASCAR

by M. I. GUET

---------------------

p. 218-219

A question arises here of itself. In what proportion of the Bourbonnais population came from the bandits established on the island at the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century?

The answer will show that if Mascarene maintained commercial relations with this type of sailors who were commonly called bandits [pirates], the number of these "repentants", later "amnestied", established and married on the Island, was very restricted for a long time.

The documents kept in the Colonial Archives indicate two in 1687 (and the time when the census of the island already shows 308 souls) nine, in 1695; three, in 1702; eleven, in 1705; (year when the census gives a total of 734 souls); seven, in 1706; and, coming from a single ship, one hundred and thirty-five, in 1720. This makes a total of one hundred and sixty-seven rogues introduced into Bourbon in the space of thirty-three years, and even then we cannot affirm, for the last one hundred and thirty-five, that all remained in the island and married there. There is no doubt, however, that there were a certain number of them. Because, as the brief extract below will prove, reproduced from an excellent memoir written in Bourbon, by the knight Sr. Banks, surveyor, the memory of the bandits was still very well preserved at that time on the island.

Several good families who knew that their first ancestor, having established roots in the colony, had this origin, did not consider it a stain to be concealed. It was the same in Saint-Domingue and in general in the French West Indies, where your buccaneers had more than once and successfully united their bravery and intrepidity with those of the colonial militias, for the defense of our possessions.

“A part of the bandits (said M. Banks), to whom the king had granted amnesty, withdrew there (to Bourbon). We welcomed them. There was no reason to repent of it. The gentleness of their morals, their probity, of which traces still remain, clearly prove that they were not fit for the state [piracy] they professed before, and into which they were only led by circumstances of the sequence of which we are not always the master.

The temporary stay or the establishment of the bandits in Bourbon therefore did not awaken any bloodthirsty or dramatic memories among the inhabitants.

There was, however, one exception. The fact is worth mentioning. He gave such good material to a thousand more or less true stories, among which we can include those of Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, during his trip to the Indo-African islands, that we would perhaps like to know exactly how the things had happened.

In 1721, a bandit named Olivier Le Vasseur, known as La Buse (true bird of prey), captain and owner of a well-armed ship called the Victorious, already famous for his exploits, surprised in the harbor of Saint-Denis, in front of the cannons of the fort, a Portuguese ship coming from Goa, bringing back to Lisbon the knight of Eryceira, viceroy of the Indies, and the Archbishop of Goa. Upon returning to his capture, the bandit was kind enough to disembark these two persons and their suite in a row, as well as the crew of the captured ship.

The governor received these Portuguese as best he could and consoled them, by his eager welcome, for having been thus dispossessed without a fight of their vessel carrying sixty cannons. Later, after having accommodated them in Saint-Denis, he provided them with the means to repatriate.1

...

A few months later, the same rascal seized himself, similarly in the waters of the island, from a Dutch [Ostend or Flemish] ship called the City of Ostend. That was not all, in May 1721, at the same time and still in sight of the island, the Duchess of Noailles, ship of the [French] East India Company, plundered and burned by this La Buse.

The first two acts of violence had greatly upset the Bourbon government, because they could make the navigators think that it was in the power of the bandits, or at least that the surroundings were not safe.

But your third act filled you with the anger of the agents of the Company & Bourbon. If Le Vasseur did not then hear your threats made against him from the beach of Saint-Denis, it is because he did not want to hear them. The inhabitants were able to smile while witnessing the spectacle of the first two captures, because your victims were foreign ships. But the loss of the Duchess of Noailles was deeply felt by them, and they promised to avenge this crime dearly, if the opportunity ever presented itself.

However, we had the weakness (at least it seemed so) to pass the sponge on the conduct of the pirate and to include him and forty of his people in an amnesty which was granted to Bourbon, by a deliberation of the Superior Council of the , dated January 26, 1723); but on the condition "that the said John Cleyton and his people, nor that the said Captain La Buse and his people, will not commit any act of hostility, on pain of nullity of this present deliberation, and of being punished as pirates, they were caught.”

Le Vasseur, suspicious, perhaps not without reason, preferred not to take advantage of the amnesty. He continued the fruitful profession in which he had acquired such a fine reputation.

But, to continue his exploits, he had counted without a French ship, la Meduse, which came stationed in these areas, in order to ensure navigation between Bourbon and the coasts of Madagascar, where the trade was then actively carried out. for the benefit of our colony.

1 It was Captain Garnier de Fougeray, commanding the Triton, who brought them back to Lisbon. He had just renewed his possession of the Ile de France, as we will see later.

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L’ILE BOURBON PENDANT LA RÉGENCE - DESFORGES BOUCHER - LES DÉBUTS DU CAFÉ (1956)

BOURBON ISLAND DURING THE REGENCE - DESFORGES BOUCHER - THE BEGINNINGS OF COFFEE (1956)

by Albert LOUGNON, Docteur ès-Lettres

p. 165:

They intended to reach Sainte Marie de Madagascar where they flattered themselves of being supplied by a mixed race from Jamaica married to the daughter of a king of Antongil Bay21.

21 Declaration, reported by the Council of Pondicherry, of four Englishmen who had been victims of bandits in Guinea and whom the Virgin of Grace had taken on board during her passage to Anjouan, in 1720 (the Council of Pondicherry to the directors of the Company , February 18, 1721. AOMN, C2 72, fos 79 et seq.). According to a memorandum submitted to the French consul in Lisbon, on March 26, 1720, by Borelly, officer of the Portuguese royal navy (AOMN, C5 A, box 1), the mixed race in question would have built, not in Sainte-Marie itself, but on the mainland, in a place called Tellenare - Baie de Tintingue or Baie d'Antongil, thinks GRANDIDIER - a fortress of 44 pieces of cannon with a garrison of 250 men. “As he is absolutely strong in the country,” the memoir continues, “he has, when he pleases, all the provisions he needs to embark on the bandits. » Was it the famous Plantain, also from Jamaica and married to the granddaughter of a Sakalave king?

Two Depositions Relating to the Capture of La Concorde by Edward Thache - the Vessel Renamed Queen Anne's Revenge

 

Presumed to resemble La Concorde or Queen Anne's Revenge

APPENDIX VI: April 27, 1718. The Concorde of Names taken and plundered by pirates. ADLA 5 4578 P 56v&s. (3 photocopied sheets).

Nantes Concorde. plundered and taken by the pirates.

From April 27 (1718). 

Appeared the sieur François Ernaud, former lieutenant on the ship named La Concorde de Nantes from this port of 200 tons or thereabouts. Said vessel commanded by Pierre Dosset, first captain and which had Charles Baudin as second captain. Said ship armed with 16 guns and 75 crew, belonging to Mr. René Montaudouin and others and of which says Mr. Ernaud the oath taken, he promised and swore to tell the truth.

He told us that his said ship had been loaded with the goods permitted for the coast of Guinea and other French ships and that his said captain took all the expeditions necessary to accomplish their said voyage.

Carte de l'Eveshe de Nantes, 1695

Location of Groix

He left from the bottom of this river [Loire] on March 24, 1717 and by bad weather they were forced to release under Groix [see map to left] on the 28th of the said month where they anchored around 8 o'clock in the evening and on the 29th following around 9 o'clock in the morning the heavy weather compelled them to slip out their cable at the end and abandon their second anchor weighing about 14 to 1500 pounds and the said cable 12 to 13 inches thick, brand new, never having wetted and 120 fathoms in length. They were thrown onto the Banc des Ecarts where the aforesaid vessel touched with three strokes of its heel. 

From there they headed out to sea and came to anchor on the island of Houëdic [Ile d'Hoëdic on map below], on the 29th, where they anchored their large anchor and their brand new 12 to 13 inch cable. On the 30th of the said month they were forced to return to anchor in Mindin. Then what by the diligence they did they covered the cable and anchor above that they had spun under Groix. At Mindin [map below] they repaired there a new cable of 12 to 13 inches from theirs which was damaged. They took food and refreshments to replace those they had consumed. Then they sailed from the said Mindin on the following April 12.

On the 24th of the said month, the named Jean Morel, Provençal sailor [died] without being able to save him...

On June 6, they arrived at Mesurade [Cape Mesurado, aka Cape Montserrado - a headland on the coast of Liberia] to get wood and water from where they left on the 18th of the said month to go to Judah [Whydah or Ouidah] where they anchored on July 8 and at which place they traded and loaded on the said ship the number of 516 heads of blacks of all sexes and ages and fourteen ounces of powdered gold.

Plan of Cape Mesurado on Coast of Modern Liberia

Ouidah, Whydah, or Judah on Gold Coast of Africa

After which they left the said place on the 9th day of October following to go to Martinique and the French islands of America.

Map by Baylus C. Brooks

The following November 28, finding themselves 30 or 40 leagues from Martinique, in the latitude of 14° 30' North, they encountered around 8 o'clock in the morning in foggy weather two pirate boats, one of which was armed with 12 guns and equipped with 120 men of crew and the other armed with 8 guns and equipped with 30 men. The declarant said he had at that time 16 men dead of disease including the one who had drowned and in addition 36 men of their said crew sick with scurvy and blood flow so that they were only 21 men to do the maneuver and steer said vessel. So much so that the said two pirate boats having fired two volleys of cannon and musketry at them and shouted at them to put their boat in the sea. The said captain and officers and members of the crew seeing themselves unable to defend themselves from the said pirates , there came on board the said pirates who took them to Bicoya, Grenadine Islands where the declarant and all the other members of his crew were searched and visited and pillaged and taken from them the elite of their cargo and put the remainder on said Island ashore.

And by the declaration of a servant of his crew who declared to the said pirates that his captain and his officers had gold dust. Seeing this, the said pirates threatened the declarant and his crew to cut off their necks if they did not return the said gold powder. However, as the said waiter belonging to Mr. Martin, clerk on the said ship had declared to them. Which said waiter was named Louis Arrot de Nantes aged 15 or so who voluntarily surrendered with them. This obliged the declarant jointly with the others to deliver to them the said gold powder which everyone had a little in his without understanding the one that was freight and seized all the clothes and clothes having stripped them as well as their said ship with all its guns and gear that said pirates have retained Declares further that the said pirates have retained by force ten men of their crew, namely:

Charles Duval, native of Port-Louis, pilot.

Jean Dubois, Gascon, major surgeon.

Marc Bourgneuf, second surgeon, from Rochelle.

Claude Deshaies, 3rd surgeon.

Esprit Perrin, Master Carpenter, native of Pellerin.

René Duval, 2nd carpenter, native of Nantes.

Jean Puloin, caulker.

Guillaume Creuzet, sailor, native of Brest.

Georges Bardeau, 2nd cook.

Jean Jacques, gunsmith

Moreover a negro who was a trumpet passenger and married at Saint-Malo whose name the declarant does not know further said that four of their said crew, including the waiter mentioned above, voluntarily surrendered to the pirates, to to know:

Nicolas Pommeraye, from Saint-Malo, skipper.

François Derouet from La Rochelle, sailor.

Joseph Mortepan known as La Mornaje, volunteer, from Saint-Père en Retz.

After which the said pirates gave the declarer and the rest of his crew, both sick and healthy, one of their boats to take them to Martinique with the blacks whom the pirates abandoned on the said Ile Bicoya where thirty-two whites and two hundred and forty-six blacks embarked in their boat to pass them to La Martinique where the declarant arrived the following October 7th. Having put the blacks on the ground and given orders for their subsistence and guard. He returned from Martinique on the tenth of this month to the said island of Bicoya to take back there the rest of the blacks that the pirates had abandoned there and where they arrived on the 13th of the said month and at which place they still unloaded in the said pirate boat twelve whites and fifty two blacks to return with the others to La Martinique where they arrived on ... the said month when the captain of the said ship La Concorde, by order of justice, dismissed and paid all his crew from the said blacks. Said more than the boat that the robbers had given them, the justice of Martinique seized it and had it sold at auction for the sum of three thousand nine hundred and fifty pounds or approximately, the justice of which seized until ownership of said boat is claimed by someone.

Said said boat was of Bermudian construction, port of 40 tons or thereabouts. 

After which the declarant entered as a passenger together with Pierre Sagory, second pilot, and Pierre Perré, cooper on the ship the Saint-Esprit de Canada which passed them to La Rochelle where they disembarked on the 5th of the present month and we has requested, wishing to have this declaration verified by the above-named gentlemen On the said vessel Concorde whom he has summoned and to whom, having read this declaration.

The number of 15 men, not including the drowned man above Pierre Fortier, 2nd lieutenant, native of Audierne, who died on the crossing[:] 

Joseph Dupuy, des Sables, ensign,

Louis Despiose. pilot,

Jean Coupard, cooper,

Pierre Perron, rooster,

François Nestier, baker,

Jacques Carré, sailor,

Pierre Lemoyne, cooper

Guillaume Guillonet, sailor.

Francois Lombard, bosun [bossman, a ship's officer in charge of equipment and the crew]

Jacques Gauthier, sailor.

Peter Lambert,

Jacques Bosseau

Fleury. ...

René Roulet, cook. 

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APPENDIX VII: April 27, 1718. Verification La Concorde. ADLA B 4578 f° 90v & s.. (2 photocopied sheets).

Verification and addition of the declaration of Ernaut lieutenant for La Concorde looted and taken by pirates.

Appeared the Sieur Pierre Dosset of Nantes, former master and commander of the ship named La Concorde de Nantes, of the port of 200 tons or approximately, armed with 14 guns and equipped with 72 men all included by the Sieur René Montaudouin, bourgeois and owner of that vessel.

From which said captain the oath taken with a raised hand he swore to tell the truth and to which after having read to him the declaration made by Mr. François Ernaud, his first lieutenant on his said ship La Concorde dated April 27, he recognized this sincere and true.

He only wishes to add that when he had the misfortune to be captured by the pirate ships mentioned in the above dated statement, the declarant said he had then on board the number of 455 heads of blacks of all sexes and ages, 61 blacks having died during the crossing Which together make 516 heads that he had in the said place of Judah.

Said to have ordered Charles Baudin, his second lieutenant on the said vessel, to take five pounds of gold powder from Mr. Turgot, lieutenant on the vessel Le Ruby de Saint-Malo, which the said Bardieu handed over to him declaring and that the said gold powder was taken and looted by the pirates together with thirteen pounds six ounces belonging half and half to the Dosset and Martin sirs and friends.

In addition fourteen ounces belonging to the cargo of the said ship and another eight ounces belonging to Pierre Sagory, 2nd pilot, plus three ounces belonging to Mr. Moret for 3 ounces of brandy he had entrusted to him, plus two ounces belonging to Pierre Fauquéres, first ensign on the said ship that he had found in his trunk after his death, while making the inventory and sale of his clothes, the said death preceding the said actions of the pirates.

Said further that the said pirates would have embarked sixty blacks in the boat of Henri St Amour which was found in La Grenade stranded on the quay. Which declaring to him declared to send fifteen blacks that he claimed in Martinique having recognized them by the mark of the ship. All of which blacks joined together have produced according to the account provided by the declarant to his citizens and shipowners the sum of one hundred and sixteen thousand nine hundred and sixty five pounds ten sols.

In addition said to have received only the sum of 3600 pounds for the sale of the pirate boat which was sold at auction by the Ministry of Justice whatever it is by the declaration of Mr. Ernaud. that it had been sold 3950 pounds having been reduced by judicial authority by the sum of 350 pounds for a cable purchased by court order from Mr. Estyefore, merchant in Saint-Pierre de La Martinique. In addition, he was found for the sum of 737 pounds of cocoa, and for 62 pounds of casks and a copper cauldron sold for 212 pounds, plus 600 pounds for two negroes who had been stolen from them by Spaniards and who declared her recovered. All the sums joined are that of one hundred and nineteen thousand and twenty-six livres ten sols. Out of which sum he was compelled to pay 8926 livres 17 sols for commission, and besides for wages of the crew eleven thousand three hundred and ninety eight livres, ten sols and for other expenses made by him declaring the sum of 7554 livres. Said furthermore to have left the net from the said boat in hard cash in the hands of Mr. Georges Prevost, merchant in Martinique, who granted a receipt to the declarant in the event of a claim from the said boat.

This is the declaration which he read to him, he swore to be sincere, persisted in it and signed

DOSSET

In margins:

The 61 negroes sold in Grenada produced 12,200 pounds, that of the number of blacks who were brought to Martinique, there are 56 exhausted (?) at 125 pounds each The total of blacks .... Claimed se rises to 376, of which six belong to the officers of the said vessel and 20 who died en route from Bicoya and to Martinique during the sale. 350 blacks remain which have been sold Deduct from 455 There is a loss of 105 blacks since the capture of the said vessel.

DOSSET 

La Buse: Mutiny on Le Postillon, 3 June 1715

Early events in the Golden Age of Piracy at Saint Domingue

Excerpt from Le capitaine La Buse: L'âge d'or de la piraterie (2018) by Jacques Gasser:

Olivier Le Vasseur, called "La Buse" and ten other mutineers left Fort Saint Louis on the south coast of Saint Domingue (French colony on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola from 1659 to 1804, or modern Haiti) aboard a large vessel under Capt. La Lande de Rochefort on June 3, 1715. They took it from that captain as they passed the Isle de la Vache that afternoon and became pirates. One official later stated that this vessel named Le Postillon is an "excellent sailor that was ideally suited to its black designs."

In a letter dated 14 June 1715, Mr. Barthomier, the king's lieutenant at Fort Saint Louis, recounts La Buse’s escape in great detail:

I have the honour to inform Your Lordship that Mr. Devaux, director for the affairs of the Royal Company of Santo Domingo in St. Louis, having purchased on behalf of the company about five months ago a large boat named Le Postillon, the said boat was kidnapped by the crew of eleven men who went pirates. This happened on the 3rd of June at three o'clock in the afternoon when the said boat having left the port of Saint Louis at about one o'clock in the afternoon where it had been loaded with three complete sugar crews consisting of a copper boiler and loot and some other effects.

Hardly then, Monseigneur, the said boat was out of sight of the fort that these eleven men revolted against their captain named La Lande de Rochefort having all taken the weapons they had hidden in the hold and deliberated strongly a long time if they would kill him and the pilot who refused to be with them. But they made up their minds to lock them both up with another male passenger in a room, and when they found themselves strong off Isle à Vache about eight leagues from here, they boarded them the next morning in a small canoe [periagua] that belonged to a poor man who was in the back of the boat; which man took advantage of this opportunity to return to the Isle à Vache from where he had come two days ago. These pirates also sent back along with the others this captain and this pilot, [and] instead of coming straight to the fort to warn, [they] went to the safety of Isle à Vache saying that the sea was too rough to go to the fort's side. So that I was not informed until June 5 at 9 a.m. [such] that these pirates must be far away and that Monsieur de La Rigaudière who arrived at this port on May 30 with two frigates of the Company and I did not feel that it was worth time to go after [them], both for the time that this vessel had in advance [a head start] and because it is one of the best sailing boats in the sea and furthermore we had not yet begun to unload the cargoes of these two [company] ships. Nevertheless, I sent people by land on the coves and at Cape Tiburon to see if this vessel [Le Postillon] would not go on these sides but we did not see or hear it and following all appearances it had taken off and set sail for the coast of Spain (Mainland America) and get to Bocator which is a place where pirates retreat. This pirate ship [Le Postillon] has four mounted guns and has about ten to twelve pounds of gunpowder. 

I have given notice of the theft of this vessel to Mr. [Archibald] Hamilton Governor of Jamaica and to the Governor of Curacao on occasions I found in those days.*

 

*A.N. Colonies C9 B2 . Lettre du sieur Barthomier, du fort Saint Louis le 14 juin 1715.