Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period: Illustrative Documents
History
Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period: Illustrative Documents
Pirates; Privateering; United States -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -- Sources
hundred and fifty men, left the shipping with a sailing crew a borde
to follow after, wheir orders was given by capt. Coxon, chiefe
commander, to make what hast he could to lower Rainge of Keys in the
Samboles, to a Key call'd Springers carreening Key,[19] and to goe no
farther till farther Orders. the parting cannoes, goeing downe the
Samboles, sees a greate shipp rideing att an Anchor att the 2d Rainge
of Keyes, which coming neare they found her to be a French privateere,
One capt. Lessone, who carreen'd in the Samboles. The said capt.
understanding the designe wee weare about, Joyn'd his company with
ours, who weare about Eighty men out of him, so wee went with all our
parties on with corrage, and landed them about twenty leagues short of
Puerta Vella in an olde ruinated Port called Puerta Pee; the way was
very rocky and bad to march, they goeing near the sea side to Eschape
the look-out which thay saw plainely on a high Hill, butt as god would
have itt, the look-out did nott see them. this being Wensday they
begin to drawe neare Puerta Vella. The Satterday following, about ten
aclocke, came into an Indian Village. our peopple many of them were
weake, being three day with-out any foode, and their feete cutt with
the rocks for want of Shoose, soe an Indian man, crying out,
"ladroones",[20] runs and make what speede he could to Puerta Vella.
so Coxon our Generall cryed out, "good boyes, You that are able to
runn gett into towne before wee are descryed". wee had then about 3
miles to Puerta Vella. The Indian being too nimble for us, wee being
tired afore, He gott into Puerta Vella about half a hower before us,
and cried out, "Ladroones!" Imediately wee heard the Alarm gunn fier.
wee then certainly knew that wee weare discried. wee made what hast
wee could into the towne, the forloorne[21] being led by capt. Robert
Alliston, the rest of our party following upp so fast as they could.
before ---- of the clocke in the Afternoon wee had taken the towne,
the peopple of the Place takeing to their stronge castle call'd the
Glory, to secure themselves. the next day the Spaniards, being about
two hundred, made an Attempt to come out of the Glory. wee face't them
and made them to retreate back to their Castle to some of their
sorrowes, which fell to the ground. wee kept the towne 2 dayes,
plunder[ed] what wee could of itt, and putt the best of our Plunder
into cannoes which wee tooke their. some men marcht back by lands,
guarding the Prisonnars alonge with them, Hopeing wee should have had
ransome for them: wee carried our Plunder, Plate and prissonars downe
to a Key about 3 leauges and a half from Puerta Vella, The next Key's
to the Bastamentes,[22] and on Tuesday comes away Capt. Robert
Alleston to Springers carreeneing Key, to give notice to the Shipps
which was all their att anchor that wee should make what dispach wee
could to the Bastamentes, wheir our party lay. capt. Alliston
info[r]m'd us that thay had taken Puerta Vella and plundred the most
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