OUR NAVY AND THE WEST INDIAN PIRATES (Continued)
A DOCUMENTARY HISTORY
By Rear Admiral Caspar F. Goodrich, U. S. Navy
It is not to be expected that the story of West Indian pirates and our navy's dealings with them could long proceed without Lawrence Kearney's making himself felt. While others, under Porter's command, were operating along the north shore of Cuba, Kearney was cruising south of that island with the results herein recorded:
U. S. Schooner "Greyhound,"
Thompson's Island, August 10, 1823.
Sir:
I have the honor of transmitting, herewith, for your information, the enclosed report of the cruise of this vessel, commenced under circumstances of a vexatious nature, as the report will shew you; but, terminating in a manner, I trust, somewhat satisfactory to you, although the principal object pointed out in your letter (respecting the pirates at the Isle of Pines) has not met that success you may have anticipated; but I have the satisfaction to inform you, that, although I have not been so fortunate myself, it has been the fortune of others to apprehend those very villains who committed the outrage upon the American vessels Reuben and Eliza and Mechanic, as mentioned in your orders.
They are now in prison, at Trinidad de Cuba. Having had a communication with the governor of that place on the subject, I submit herewith my letter, with his answer, (together with some publications to be seen in Spanish newspapers) for your information. Although I was not successful in getting the pirates into my possession, by the application made through the enclosed letter, and which, indeed, I did not expect; yet you will perceive, it has drawn an official acknowledgment of these pirates being in possession of the authorities; making it a matter of public notoriety, it becomes more obligatory to pursue their prosecution to a just and proper issue.
I take this occasion to express to you the high sense I entertain of the governor of Trinidad, which his attentions demand. He tendered us every civility and aid in his power in the persecution (sic) of our duties; offering to procure us a pilot, and, altogether, evincing a disposition of friendly co-operation, seldom met with on the island of Cuba.
For your better information on the subject of our visit to Cape Cruz, I beg leave to subjoin the detail of events, in a more circumstantial and particular manner than given in the enclosed report, viz.
On the 20th ult. cruising in company with the Beagle, lieut. commandant Newton, Cape Cruz bearing S.E. about four leagues, brought too (sic) and examined a small armed schooner, of about 35 tons, having three prizes in company. She proved to be a Colombian, duly commissioned, commanded by a Frenchman, and manned by Frenchmen and some others, apparently natives of the country where she belonged. Her commission was dated at Carthagena, last December. Her prizes were examined by Capt. Newton, and found to be Spanish drogers, except one, a large canoe, calculated to carry about twenty men, which boat had been taken on shore, near the cape, where she had been abandoned by a party they supposed to be pirates, on being chased by said schooner.
On the following day, we stood in, with the Beagle in company, and anchored under the cape. Captain Newton and myself, as well for recreation as to examine the cape, landed with a small boat; but, finding the walking bad, we again embarked, and proceeded along shore in search of some settlement. Soon after getting out of sight of our schooners, (by doubling around the cape) a sudden and quick fire was opened upon us, from among a thicket of mangrove bushes and rocks, with which the cape was bordered.
The party was armed with muskets and blunderbusses, which were fired around us, alternately, without effect; at the same time, a firing upon us was opened from another quarter, from guns mounted on a high point of rocks a short distance ahead. Thus situated, with a cross fire upon us, enabled only occasionally to return the fire of the party in ambush, as some of them would dodge from bush to bush, or rock to rock; having for our arms but a fowling piece and one or two muskets, we were induced to return to our vessels, which we did. It being late, we waited till next day.
On the morning of the 22d, captain Newton and myself again set off, hoisting our colors upon the boat: as it was a fair presumption, that, in consequence of a Colombian vessel being on the coast, some mistake on the part of the people on shore, might have been made in regard to our character. But that proved to be groundless: for, having reached within the distance of their guns, they opened upon us with more apparent spirit and determination than before, from a position inaccessible, apparently in the rear, from the thickets of bushes and briars; and the same in front, from a precipice of rugged rocks; and so commanding altogether, that, to prevent the loss of lives, I directed both vessels to be warped round the cape, along an extensive reef, which almost encircles it, affording a smooth and shallow harbor. We did not succeed in getting within gun shot of the establishment, until we had reached five and six feet water, when we anchored.
Lieutenant Farragut, with the marines and some seamen, was ordered on shore, to endeavor to gain a position in their rear, to attack them, or cut off their retreat before the schooner moored, or their landing could be discovered by the pirates—as we had deemed the party we were about to attack. The officers of both schooners volunteered, and accompanied the party on shore, one being only reserved in each schooner, and a sufficiency of men for the guns, hoping to attract the attention of the pirates from Mr. Farragut's party. Several shot were fired from the schooners, which drove the pirates into places of security behind the jutting rocks, where they seemed to be in considerable force; the shot being seen to strike among the rocks behind which they sat; and not until the boats were despatched to land in front, and lieut. F's party was close upon them, did they abandon the advantageous position they occupied. They were pursued, but with so decided a disadvantage to the pursuers, from their want of knowledge of the passes, that none, unfortunately, were taken, except two old and decrepit beings, whose age and infirmities placed them beyond the merited chastisement their more active comrades, had they fallen into our power, would have received.
A four pounder, two swivels mounted on the heights, and some different articles of small arms, were found; they, however, escaped with their muskets and blunderbusses, or else hid them in some of the numerous deep and intricate caverns to be found on the cape: in one of which, various articles of plunder were stowed, but of no value; however, enough to show the character of the wretches who infest that place, human bones were found in the cave. We found eight boats, but not of a large size; their principal one was, no doubt, the one taken by the Colombian cruiser, as before stated; and those men armed with muskets and blunderbusses were, no doubt, of her crew.
From information derived from the prisoners, we learn that the captain of the gang was in prison in the interior of the island, for having burnt an English vessel off that cape. As a singular instance of the growing propensity of the present age for piracy, I have to inform you, that even a woman and children were of this gang, belonging to the captain of them—a second "Helen M'Gregor"; and the old men, too, who can do nothing else, light up the signal fire, which was done in the present instance, on our appearing on the coast.
In another case, a captain of a vessel informed me that he had been plundered by a gang of pirates, who took him by surprise, under the following stratagem, viz.
An old man, (his bald head and hoary locks exposed to view) and a little boy to steer the boat, pulled, or sailed along side of his vessel; when it was too late, discovered that a strong party lay concealed in the bottom of the boat, to whom he had to surrender."
The female just mentioned was removed to some place of safety before the attack was made, (said to be the wife of the captain).
Finding our pursuit of the pirates promised no success, I considered it unimportant to remain longer at the cape, having destroyed their means of doing further mischief for a time; and, taking into consideration the state of our officers and men, worn down by fatigue from a long pursuit over one of the roughest countries I have ever seen, their clothes nearly torn off, from bushes of impenetrable thickness, and their shoes cut off their feet by sharp pointed rocks, over which they passed, I abandoned the place, bringing off the arms, &c. of any consequence, and setting fire to every thing else that would burn.
One large and well thatched house, and three smaller ones, were consumed, and a quantity of fishing nets; and their furniture, which I have always observed to be a part of the outfits of a piratical establishment; they are merely used for their immediate wants, in procuring sustenance, when their real profession proves unfruitful, and obliges them to it.
I have written you a very long and full account of this affair, in order that you may be possessed of every information in my power to give, in the event of a question arising as to the propriety of landing and burning property on a foreign shore; and should this case be noticed by the supporters of "territorial jurisdiction," (over uninhabited parts of Cuba, notorious only for murder and piracy,) it will be seen that your officers and men's lives have been jeopardized, and the flag of their country made a target for the lawless villains to fire at, at their pleasure, and which will continue so to be, if any restrictions should be put upon our landing in similar places, where no authority exists than the will of the marauders themselves, who inhabit those places.
I took the liberty of releasing the two prisoners, as there was no proof to establish them pirates; and I furnished them a boat, with an express condition, that they should never appear again at the cape, and that I should take and treat as pirates, any persons found there hereafter, not furnished with a special license from the present captain-general of Cuba, setting forth their character and occupation.
This was taking upon myself, perhaps, too much; but it is now submitted to you, whether such a measure would not be proper, not only in regard to that place, but all others of a like position.
That there is a chain of intercourse with fishermen who live in such places, and pirates, I have no doubt; and it must be obvious from several cases of late.
As regards those at the Isle of Pines, they affect to know nothing of the robbery of the vessels your order mentions to me having taken place there; although the very articles of the cargoes of those vessels, I saw in their house.
At Cape Antonio, two years since, I found fishermen's huts, filled with piratical goods, papers, and letters, robbed from different vessels, strewed about their floors.
That fishermen, as well as pirates, should be moved from all the capes, or rather uninhabited parts of Cuba, where the proper authorities can have no control, I think necessary, and will I hope be the case.
Very respectfully, I have the honor to be
Your obedient servant,
Lawrence Kearney,
Lt. Com'dt U. S. Navy.
Com. David Porter, Commanding U. S.
Naval Forces in the W. Indies and Gulf of Mexico.
P. S. In my report of the affair at Cape Cruz, I forgot to mention, that we were not either hailed, or was there any colors displayed by the party that attacked us, by which we could ascertain their character.
As regards our character, they could have no great doubt: for they had seen us communicating with an English ship of war, close off the cape, on the same day of our arrival.
I was informed by the governor of Trinidad, of pirates infesting the coast to the eastward of that place, and was induced to proceed within the keys in pursuit.
On my way, boarded a small schooner, belonging to the Grand Cayman island, and the information before received was corroborated by her master.
Under these impressions, I reached Cape Cruz, and our reception there induced a belief that we had met the party complained of.
I am, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
L. Kearney.
Com. David Porter, Commanding U. S.
Naval Forces in the W. Indies and Gulf of Mexico.
Particulars are lacking of the "outrages" on the Reuben and Eliza and on the Mechanic, as well as any information as to the place where the following occurred:
July 30—The brig South Carolina, Johnson, was boarded by a piratical brig. After taking several articles from her, she was suffered to proceed.
Judging from the records of this time, deep sea piracy had almost entirely disappeared, but boats from the shore were lying in wait at many points for vessels becalmed. The cruising of our ships off the Cuban coast was peculiarly interesting, not to say irritating, to the Spanish officials. Lieutenant Gregory, in the U. S. schooner Grampus, lay for some time off Matanzas, watching and inspecting all vessels that went in or passed out, thus effectually preventing piracy in that quarter. This appears to have displeased some of the inhabitants there, and even the governor sent word to Lieutenant Gregory that he had remained in that vicinity too long, and that vessels of war could anchor for 48 hours only. However, Lieutenant Gregory frankly stated his object and said that he would remain where he was until compelled to retire.
The satisfaction expressed at home in May was, as already suggested, somewhat premature. "The history of the pirates seems as if brought to a close, for the present, by the efforts of Commodore Porter and the officers and crew of his squadron. We have not heard of the capture of any vessel since that of the Pilot, of Norfolk, and she was retaken by our squadron." Except the capture of the brig William Henry, off Porto Rico, toward the end of the year, there are no instances of piracy recorded after July 30, so the Secretary of the Navy, in his annual report, December, 1823, could truthfully claim that Porter's squadron had substantially achieved its purpose. A portion of this report here follows:
On the western side of the Atlantic ocean, and in the Gulf of Mexico, the operations of our naval force have been more active. Several vessels were in commission there at the close of last year. To these were added, under the authority of the law passed at the last session of Congress, "authorizing an additional naval force for the suppression of piracy," the steam galliot Sea Gull; eight small schooners…; and one transport ship Captain David Porter was appointed to the command of the squadron, and sailed from Norfolk about the 10th of February last. His station was at Thompson's Island, from which he despatched his vessels in such a way as he judged best suited to attain his objects The size of most of the vessels, the nature of the duties, and the exposure of the officers and men, called for a display of perseverance and fortitude seldom required of those engaged in our service. But the call was well answered; every thing was accomplished which was anticipated from the expedition. Piracy, as a system, has been repressed in the neighborhood of the island of Cuba, and now requires only to be watched by a proper force to be prevented from affecting commerce any further in that quarter. The public authorities of the island of Cuba manifested a friendly disposition towards the squadron, and rendered much assistance in the pursuit of its objects.
In speaking as he did of the assistance of the Cuban authorities, the Hon. Smith Thompson must have been moved by a diplomatic—or shall we call it a generous—impulse.
Certain passages in President Monroe's message to Congress of this year merit particular attention: That, commending Porter's zeal and enterprise, should be borne in mind when, in the ensuing year's story, we shall read of the treatment this splendid officer received at the hands of the Administration; and those relating to affairs in Porto Rico and the discourtesy, to use no harsher word, experienced by our minister in Madrid when seeking redress for notorious grievances.
The President says, in part:
In the West Indies and Gulf of Mexico our naval force has been augmented by the addition of several small vessels, provided for by the "act authorizing an additional naval force for the suppression of piracy," passed by Congress at their last session. That armament has been eminently successful in the accomplishment of its object. The piracies by which our commerce in the neighborhood of the Island of Cuba had been afflicted, have been repressed, and the confidence of our merchants in a great measure restored.
The patriotic zeal and enterprise of Commodore Porter, to whom the command of the expedition was confided, has been fully seconded by the officers and men under his command. And in reflecting with high satisfaction, on the honourable manner in which they have sustained the reputation of their country and its navy, the sentiment is alloyed only by a concern, that, in the fulfillment of that arduous service, the diseases incident to the season, and to the climate in which it was discharged, have deprived the nation of many useful lives, and among them of several officers of great promise.
Although our expedition co-operating with an invigorated administration of the government of the Island of Cuba, and with the corresponding active exertions of a British naval force in the same seas, have almost entirely destroyed the unlicensed piracies from that island, the success of our exertions has not been equally effectual to suppress the same crime, under other pretences and colours, in the neighbouring island of Porto Rico. They have been committed there under the abusive issue of Spanish commissions. At an early period of the present year, remonstrances were made to the governor of that island, by an agent, who was sent for the purpose, against those outrages on the peaceful commerce of the United States, of which many had occurred. That officer, professing his own want of authority to make satisfaction for our just complaints, answered only by a reference of them to the government of Spain. The minister of the United States to that court was specially instructed to urge the necessity of the immediate and effectual interposition of that government, directing restitution and indemnity for wrongs already committed and interdicting the repetition of them. The minister, as has been seen, was debarred access to the Spanish Government, and, in the meantime, several new cases of flagrant outrage have occurred, and citizens of the United States in the island of Porto Rico have suffered, and others been threatened with assassination for asserting their unquestionable rights, even before the lawful tribunals of the country.
1824
The naval force during 1824 in the West Indies consisted of the following, under the command of Commodore David Porter:
Sloop of war Hornet | Master Comd't Edmund P. Kennedy |
Corvette John Adams | Master Comd't Alex. J. Dallas |
Steam galliot Sea Gull | Lieutenant Isaac McKeever |
Brig Spark | Lieutenant John T. Newton |
Schooner Shark | Lieutenant John Gallagher |
Schooner Grampus | Lieutenant J.D. Sloat |
Schooner Porpoise | Lieutenant Charles W. Skinner |
Schooner Weasel | Lieutenant Charles Boarman |
Schooner Fox | Lieutenant John A. Cook |
Schooner Terrier | Lieutenant J. S. Paine |
Schooner Beagle | Lieutenant Charles T. Piatt |
Schooner Ferret | Lieutenant Charles H. Bell |
Schooner Jackall | Lieutenant James P. Oellers |
Schooner Greyhound | Lieutenant W. A. C. Farragut |
Schooner Wildcat | Lieutenant Legare (also Wolbert) |
Storeship Decoy | Lieutenant Mervin P. Mix |
As long as our cruisers remained active in the West Indies during this year, piracy was infrequent, weeks indeed passing with no instances recorded, but when they were driven north by a serious epidemic of yellow fever during that summer, it broke out again with its old vigor and with its accustomed accompaniment of cruelty.
The lull in its activity, which characterized the winter of 1824-5. was not misunderstood or misinterpreted, at least locally. A private letter from Matanzas, dated February 20, 1824, after reporting the Jackall, Ferret and Terrier in port, and the arrival, during the previous evening of the Shark which had come from the Windward Islands, says:
Piracies are completely restrained but the pirates still exist and whenever the restraining power disappears their depredations will be renewed.
Even at home our people were not wholly deceived into a false sense of security. On February 25, a resolution was introduced in Congress providing for supplying armaments to vessels in the West India trade. While nothing came of this resolution, if proves at least that the risks to our commerce were still present in the public mind.
As the spring advanced, the pirates, possibly wearied through long waiting, began to emerge from their lairs, thus offering to our eager commanders long hoped-for opportunities. On March 12, the crew of the U. S. schooner Grampus fitted out a decoy sloop, and succeeded in capturing a sloop with 11 men, including the captain. On March 19, Voorhees in the Sea Gull, recaptured off La Vecheo, on the southern coast of San Domingo, the American schooner Pacification, a prize to a Columbian privateer. Again, on March 26, the Sea Gull captured a piratical schooner, after killing eight or ten of the pirates and making 19 prisoners. The same day they captured another small schooner which was burnt, the crew escaping."
Porter now made a long voyage of inspection, of which the result is here reported:
U. States Ship "John Adams"
Off Havana, April 8, 1824.
Sir: I have the honour to inform you that, in my route to this place, I have touched at St. Bartholomews, St. Christophers. St. Thomas, examined the south coast of Porto Rico, looking in at the Dead Man's Chest, and Ponce, two noted places for Porto Rico privateers; touching at Mona's, St. Domingo, Beata, and Kingston, making diligent inquiries and examinations for piratical vessels, and offering convoy and protection to vessels of all nations from piratical aggressions.
In the course of this long route, although we have visited places formerly the rendezvous of pirates, and seen evidence of their having been recently there, we have not been so fortunate as to capture any, nor have we seen any vessels of a suspicious character, until two days since, when we pursued a small schooner, which took shelter among the Colorado Reefs, and from every circumstance there cannot be a doubt she is a pirate.
I shall, as soon as I can place the vessels now under convoy in safety, hasten to Thompson's Island, to despatch the barge and small vessels in pursuit, and hope, in a few days, to have her in possession.
It appears that an attempt has been made to revive, on the south side of Cuba, that system of piracy which had so long prevailed.
The British have lost some men in attempting to suppress it, and the fortunate assemblage of a large British force, at the Isle of Pines, has, I have been informed, caused a dispersion of the gang.
Nothing but the presence of a strong and active force can keep them in order.
I have the honour to be, your ob't servant.
D. Porter.
Hon. S. L. Southard, Sec'y of the Navy.
U. S. Ship "John Adams,"
Thompson's Island, April 12th, 1824.
Sir:—I have the honour to enclose the papers of the American brig William Henry, which was taken by the pirates.
The following extract from a letter from Lieut. Jno. T. Newton, will explain how he became possessed of them.
"On the 8th (February) we arrived at the Island of Mona, and gave it a strict examination, but could find no inhabitants. There was a hut and tent discovered, but, from appearances, had not been recently occupied. A medicine chest, full of medicine, some charts, books, sails, rigging, blocks, &c. and all the papers relating to the American brig William Henry, of Baltimore, were found, all of which I took on board, and have left some of the articles in charge of Mr. Thornton, for you, sir, I caused the hut and tent to be destroyed, together with a large canoe that we found in the vicinity."
I have the honour to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant.
D. PORTER.
To the Hon. Samuel L. Southard,
Secretary of the Navy.
It is difficult, even now, to weight the slight successes of Porter and his squadron against what was expected, or might have been done had he possessed a much larger number of appropriate vessels with which to search out every possible hiding place; yet he did not escape criticism for his comparative failure, as so regarded at home. A specimen of the strictures passed upon him, with his indignant reply, is worth reading to-day. No commander can expect to be free from such reflections which are, as a rule, ignored by their object, but Porter was not the man to refrain from speaking out in his own defence.
Yet, at this very time, the newspapers were publishing the glad news that acts of piracy in the West Indies were comparatively rare.
If the charts of Cuba be examined, it will be seen that a more thorough search of the coast from La Ortigosa, 40 miles west of Havana, to Cape Antonio, could hardly have been made than that described by Captain Wilkinson, going- over the same ground covered by Cassin during the previous year. Behind the outlying Colorados reef are innumerable places admirably adapted to shelter vessels of light draft. The absence of piratical craft proved that here, at least, and for the time being, the nefarious traffic had ceased:
U. S. Steam Galliot "Sea Gull,"
April 24, 1824.
Sir:
I have the honor to report to you my return with the steam-galliot Sea Gull and four barges, having given a thorough examination of the coast of Cuba, inside the Isabelle and Colorados, in search of pirates, agreeable to your orders of the 12th instant.
The Sea Gull and one barge entered at Cape Antonio, and progressed eastward; and with three barges I commenced at the river Ortigosa, and progressed westward, examining minutely every part of the coast until I met the Sea Gull, with the whole of the forces.
I then proceeded to the spot designated by you for the anchorage of the Greyhound, where I arrived on the 20th instant, took in a supply of water and provisions, and sailed the same evening for Thompson's Island, with the Greyhound and Fox in company. I despatched the Greyhound for Havana. It being calm at 7 o'clock yesterday morning, made signal for the Sea Gull to take the barges in tow, and also for the Fox to make the best of her way to Thompson's Island.
I ascertained, from several concurrent statements, that the celebrated pirate Diableto sailed from Cape Antonio about ten days previous to our arrival there; his destination unknown, but supposed to be for the coast of Yucatan, (from the coast he steered off,) to increase his armament, having at that time but eight men, and nothing but small arms. The schooner he commanded he had captured but a short time before on the coast of Cuba.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
J. WILKINSON.
Commodore David Porter,
Commander-in-chief of the U. S. naval forces in the West Indies, Gulf of Mexico, and coast of Africa.
Suppressed, however, at one point, piracy broke out at others—off Matanzas, east of Havana and near Porto Rico.
Piracies are pretty frequent off the coast of Porto Rico—those who commit them belong to the island and come off in open boats, often adding murder to piracy. They are sometimes detected and hung by seven or eight at a time.
Failing to discover pirates west of Havana, the Sea Hull moved to the east with better results.
May 10—The schooner Florian, of Warren, was captured off Matanzas. The schooner Alpha, Hammond, was brought to at the same time, but escaped and gave information to the U. S. steam galliot Sea Gull, which went in pursuit, recaptured the Florian, and took several of the pirates.