Captain Morgan was a privateer, militia leader, Admiral of the Breathern, Deputy Governor of Jamaica, and Knight of Charles II. He was one of the few privateers that met a reasonably peaceful retirement and death and moved from the lowest levels of society to that of the planter class aristocracy. But how did this former privateer move from a crew member aboard an exploratory vessel to the Spanish Main to the high position of Lt. Governor and Knighthood. How did he strike terror in the Spanish Dynasty, and make their troops so afraid they were willing to hide in the jungles of Central America to avoid fighting him?
Avery Scott explains.
A depiction of Sir Henry Morgan.
Captain Morgan was not a brilliant navigator, sailor, or soldier. He was lacking in many of the skills of those who came before him (Sir Francis Drake), and those who came after him (Blackbeard). But he was a brilliant leader and a brilliant thinker more than any of these men. Morgan was the greatest menace to the Spanish since Sir Francis Drake and enjoyed the nickname El Draque by the Spanish.
Early Life
Henry Morgan was born in January of 1635 in Wales. Typical of seafaring men of this time, little is known of his early life and childhood. He likely came to the New World on an expedition of Thomas Gage directed by Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell currently being the leader of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland. The expedition was captained by Admiral Penn and General Venables who were to travel to the Spanish Main and attempt to loosen the hold the Spanish had developed on trade and the New World. No one foresaw the difficult conditions, harsh landscapes, and bitter fighting that was awaiting them.
During this time, there was great tension between Protestant England and Catholic Spain, that resulted in letters of Marque being given to sailors to raid and pillage enemy ships. Letters of Marque or Commissions were an easy way for a country to maintain a nearly free Navy, and it allowed their military vessels to fight the enemy – not loot for treasure. Privateering commissions changed the world, and specifically the Caribbean. It was in November of 1663 that Morgan likely obtained his first command and a commission of his own. It was then that his privateering career truly began.
Maracaibo
The attack that shows the brilliance of Sir Henry Morgan more than any other is that of Maracaibo. Maracaibo is a town in Venezuela, that sits directly on a channel off the Caribbean Sea. This channel leads to Lake Maracaibo, where Morgan sets his sights for plunder. During the early stages of the attack on Maracaibo, Morgan easily moved into the town, ransacking and plundering all that was found. Few Spanish troops manned the fort, and those that did were afraid of what would happen if they were captured by the “English devils.” Morgan and his men captured prisoners and held them for ransom, and exploited others as guides. Prisoners were tortured and killed in an effort to extract any and all information about the location of valuables, and for information about the Spanish forces.
His attack was going perfectly, until a fleet of Spanish ships with the express order to end piracy in the Caribbean appeared, blocking his only exit point from Maracaibo. Remember, Maracaibo sits in a channel and leads to a land locked lake - there is one way in and one way out. Don Alonzo de Campos y Espinosa, the commander of the Spanish fleet, sent Morgan a letter instructing him to surrender, or his men would be killed in battle. Morgan read this and began discussions with his men (it is important to note that an early form of democracy was practiced onboard pirate and privateering vessels with the captain only retaining total control during battle) - it was decided they would fight their way out of Maracaibo.
Escape Plan
Morgan captured a merchant vessel earlier in his pillage, and now it was to be used as a fire ship. That is, a ship covered in flammable material and lit ablaze then sailed directly at an enemy target, the last sailors abandoning the ship in a canoe shortly before impact. Morgan knew that the Spanish Armada was manned by hardened, battle ready soldiers with superior firepower, so Morgan decided he had to win the battle with wit and courage. The merchant ship was outfitted with cannon and wooden cutouts of men on deck to appear that it was a privateering vessel ready for battle. It was not until Morgan’s decoy was running directly into the Magdalen, the Spanish Flagship, that Alonzo and crew realized what was happening. Soon the Magdalene was engulfed in flames, and soldiers were jumping ship to avoid burning alive. Another ship in Alonzo’s fleet, the Soledad, attempted to turn and run from the privateers, but had a malfunction that kept it from sailing. Soon Morgan’s men were boarding the ship as the Spanish jumped from her decks to escape, quickly fixing the ship, and making it seaworthy. It was with this brilliant maneuver, that Morgan almost secured his safe exit from Maracaibo.
Escaping the Fort
The last step to escape was getting past the Fort guarding passage into the Caribbean Sea. Once Alonzo's men had been defeated in the water, they quickly bolstered the fort's remaining soldiers. Cannon was manned and musketeers were at the ready to stop Morgan from sailing out of the bay. Morgan received a ransom payment from those in the town and agreed that if they should bring him Don Alonzo he would leave peacefully. Alonzo was unwilling to allow Morgan to pass and accepted another battle. In truly brilliant style, Morgan had his men board canoes and sail to the bank appearing to disembark. In reality his men were laying down in the bottom of the canoes, and rowing back to the unseen side of the ship and climbing aboard. Morgan has this done over the course of a day, all under the watchful eye of Don Alonzo who presumed an attack would come by land. Late in the evening, Morgan had his ships lift anchor and slowly maneuver toward the fort until suddenly they opened full sail and quickly moved out of range of the Spanish cannon. Morgan made his way back to Port Royal, and his men celebrated their victory with the traditional privateer celebration (rum, prostitutes, and gambling). After this, Morgan became a true hero to English Jamaicans and secured his place as the defender of Jamaica.
Morgan’s Brilliance
Morgan’s attacks became more and more daring and dangerous as time went on, but the most impressive showing of his brilliance of leadership was at Maracaibo. Many captains would have taken the offer of safe surrender or would have died in vain trying to fight the pride of the Spanish Navy. But Morgan was different - his men trusted him and he them. He planned for every situation and had men willing to execute his every command with military-like precision. Morgan retired to his sugar plantations in Jamaica and hoped to live a peaceful life. Eventually though, after a raid on Panama, Morgan was arrested and taken back to London. To his surprise, he was not punished but rather made a Knight, and appointed Lt. Governor of Jamaica. His charge – end piracy in the Caribbean. Morgan did just this, but the life of a politician was less appealing to Morgan, and he eventually died a wealthy alcoholic. Morgan made wise choices throughout his career. He knew when to push on, and he knew when to stop. He knew how to motivate men and how to make his enemies fear his name. It is in these qualities that Morgan became the most successful privateer since Sir Francis Drake and cemented his name to a short list of successful privateers.
What do you think of Captain Henry Morgan? Let us know below.
Now, read more tales at sea: the story of French female 14th century pirate Jeanne de Clisson is here.
Further reading: Empire of Blue Water by Stephan Talty published by Crown Publishers.
