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Morgan's raid on Lake Maracaibo
Part of the Anglo-Spanish War (1654–1671)

Henry Morgan defeats the Spanish fleet on Lake Maracaibo 1669. From Alexandre Exquemelin's The Buccaneers of America
Date16 March - 21 May, 1669
Location
Lake Maracaibo
09°48′57″N 71°33′24″W / 9.81583°N 71.55667°W / 9.81583; -71.55667
Result English Privateer victory
Belligerents
 Spain England England
Commanders and leaders
Spain Alonso del Campo y Espinosa Kingdom of England Henry Morgan
Strength
Various on shore defences
Armada de Barlovento		 8 ships
500 men
Casualties and losses
1 Galleon burned
1 Galleon sunk
1 frigate captured
Six merchant vessels
2 towns plundered		 Unknown

Morgan's raid on Lake Maracaibo, also known as the Sack of Maracaibo and the Battle of Lake Maracaibo, was a military event that took place between 16 March and 21 May 1669 during the latter stage of the Anglo-Spanish War. English privateers commanded by notable Buccaneer Henry Morgan launched an attack with the purpose of raiding Spanish towns along the coastline inside of Lake Maracaibo in the Spanish Province of Venezuela.

After capturing and sacking the towns of Maracaibo and Gibraltar, Morgan was trapped by the Spanish Armada de Barlovento led by Don Alonso del Campo y Espinosa. After a successful ruse - Morgan's fleet defeated and wiped out the Spanish fleet in a pitched naval battle, and successfully escaped back to Jamaica with a significant amount of plunder.

Background edit

Further information: Anglo-Spanish War (1654–1660)

England and Spain had remained in a state of war in the Caribbean following the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. England's taking possession of Jamaica since 1657 had yet to be confirmed by Spain in a treaty.[1] As a result Buccaneers were invited, to base themselves at Port Royal, to help defend against Spanish attacks.

Henry Morgan, who had been in charge of the Port Royal militia and the defence of Jamaica, took over further privateering expeditions as Admiral in Chief of the Confederacy of Buccaneers.[2][3] Thomas Modyford the Governor of Jamaica gave Morgan a letter of marque, and the 26 gun HMS Oxford, who made it his flagship, as a gift from King Charles II of England in March 1667.[4] Morgan subsequently conducted successful and highly lucrative raids on Puerto Principe which yielded a satisfactory profit. Another larger raid took place on Porto Bello which was even more successful.

 
Henry Morgan

In October 1668 Morgan sailed with ten ships and 800 men for Île-à-Vache, a small island he used as a rendezvous point.[5] His plan was to attack the Spanish port of Cartagena de Indias, the richest and most important city on the Spanish Main.[6] On 2 January 1669 Morgan called a council of war for all his captains, which took place on Oxford. Anchored off the Île à Vache, a party took place onboard - somehow during the drunken excitement the powder magazine was ignited by a lose spark and subsequently the ship was blown up.[7] Over 200 were killed with the only survivors being six men and four boys of the crew. Morgan was lucky as he and the six other captains that sat on the same side survived, while those opposite him were killed.[8]

Recovering from the disaster, Morgan needed another ship. The French warship named Le Cerf Volant which had 36 cannons was captured and acquired. He accused the French of committing acts of piracy against English merchants. Morgan's crew searched their ship and came up with a Letter of Marque given by the Governor of Baracoa, the evidence they needed to cement their claims. The Letter of Marque stated the French were permitted to trade in Spanish ports, however they were also allowed to engage English pirates. Le Cerf Volant was renamed the Satisfaction

The loss of Oxford meant Morgan's flotilla was too small to attempt an attack on Cartagena. By the time they had reached Saona, at the eastern end of Santo Domingo, three more of his ships desert, leaving only eight with 500 men. With their much-reduced numbers Morgan decided to loot Trinidad, but the fleet broke up en route when other captains chose their own targets.[9] Instead he was persuaded by a French captain Pierre Le Picard under his command to repeat the actions of the Tortuga corsair Jean-David Nau, or better known as François l'Olonnais two years previously: an attack on Maracaibo and Gibraltar, both on Lake Maracaibo.[10] The lake was eighty six miles long, and up to sixty miles wide. In addition Morgan planned to sail right to the very far end and raid Gibraltar.[11]

Since l'Olonnais and Picard had visited Maracaibo, the Spanish had built the San Carlos de la Barra Fortress, 20 miles (32 km) outside the city, on the approach. The brand new fortress was placed in a strategic position to defend the town, nevertheless it was undermanned, leaving only nine men to load and fire the fortress's eleven guns.[12] Other well known privateers would take part including Edward Collier and John Morris.

Before heading to Maracaibo, they came to anchor at the Dutch island of Aruba and stocked up on food and supplies.[13]

 
A map of the city of Maracaibo and its surroundings; the ocean at left, Gibraltar at top right, Lake Maracaibo at centre right; illustration to page 95 of Alexandre Exquemelin's "De Americaensche Zee-roovers" (Amsterdam: 1678)

Raid edit

Morgan arrived off Lake Maracaibo on 9 March - Picard knew the approaches to the lagoon, and was able to guide the fleet through a narrow and shallow channel. Within the day they came across the San Carlos de la Barra Fortress and immediately bombarded the fort. Morgan's flagship, Lilly, then gave covering cannon fire whilst Morgan and his men landed on the beach. They waited till it was after dark and then stormed the fortification and breached its defences. The privateers were surprised to find the fort abandoned.They soon discovered that the fort had only been garrisoned by small number of men - an officer and eight men. Nevertheless they had left a slow-burning fuse leading to the fort's powder kegs as a trap for the buccaneers. Morgan's men however managed to extinguish all the of the fuses.[14] All sixteen of the fort's guns were spiked and then buried so they could not be used against the privateers when they returned from the rest of their mission.[15]

Morgan then ordered the rest of the ships through the channel and was able to victualled the fleet from the much needed fort's powder and firearms.Morgan proceeded South to Maracaibo navigating the shoals - some areas were too shallow to navigate and rather than risk grounding, the Privateers took to small boats and canoes.[16]

Maracaibo and Gibraltar edit

 
An illustration from the Outing magazine (1885) showing the Privateers wading through the swamp during the raid on Gibraltar

The privateers rowed steadily into Maracaibo and assaulted the fort first - only to find it deserted, and as they moved into the city itself it was clear its residents had been forewarned of their approach by the fortress's troops.[17] The privateers then searched the surrounding jungle upwards of some thirty miles to find the escapees. Some 100 prisoners were taken in addition to cattle, slaves and other valuables. The remaining occupants, were tortured in different ways to find where money or treasure had been hidden.[18] Over the course of three weeks the English held the twon with Morgan using the Church as his headquarters six merchant vessels were captured and some 500 pieces of eight was gathered, nevertheless many of the privateers were underwhelmed with the plunder.[19]

Satisfied he had stolen all he could, Morgan sailed south across Lake Maracaibo, to Gibraltar. The town's occupants refused to surrender, and the fort fired enough of a barrage to ensure Morgan kept his distance. He anchored a short distance away and his men landed by canoe and assaulted the town from the landward approach. He met scant resistance, as many of the occupants had fled into the surrounding jungle. He spent five weeks in Gibraltar, and there was again evidence that torture was used to force residents to reveal hidden money and valuables.[20] The privateers took a good haul - stray vessels, slaves and captive citizens. Morgan released the prisoners who had paid their ransoms but kept four prominent citizens of the town as collateral.[17]

Battle of Lake Maracaibo edit

Four days after he left Maracaibo, Morgan returned. He was told that a Spanish defence squadron, the Armada de Barlovento, was waiting for him at the narrow passage between the Caribbean and Lake Maracaibo.[21] The Armada consisted of three ships - the 412 ton flagship Galleon Magdalena of 48 guns, the 210 ton San Luis of 38 guns and the fifty ton frigate Soledad of fourteen guns. Another frigate Nuestra Senora del Carmen had been wrecked but the eighteen guns were retrieved and sent into the San Carlos de la Barra Fortress.[16] The forces, under the command of Don Alonso del Campo y Espinosa, had in all some 126 cannon and some 500 men with which to attack Morgan.[22][23] Having found the fortress devastated Alonso reequips it with what he can - some 40 arquebusiers and six guns were repaired or salvaged. He then dispatches a messengers inland calling for further assistance. While Alonso lightens his ships so that it can sail into the lake he also calls on Morgan to surrender.[24]

 
Morgan destroys the Spanish Armada de Barlovento at Lake Maracaibo 1669

Although Morgan had more ships, none were as powerful as any of the Spanish Galleons, even Morgans largest ship Lilly was barely a match with the smallest Spanish frigate Soledad. The Spaniards had orders to end piracy in the Caribbean, and negotiations between Morgan and Espinosa continued for a week. The final offer put by the Spanish commander was for Morgan to leave all their spoils and slaves and to return to Jamaica unmolested, but no agreement was reached that would allow Morgan and his men to pass the fleet with their spoils but without attack. Morgan put the Spaniards' offers to his men, who voted instead to fight their way out. As they were heavily outgunned, one privateer suggested that a fire ship aimed at Espinosa's flagship, Magdalen would work.[25]

To this end, a crew of twelve prepared a ship that had been seized in Gibraltar. They disguised vertical logs of wood with headwear, to make the Spaniards believe that the vessel was fully crewed. To make it look more heavily armed, additional portholes were cut in the hull and logs placed to resemble cannons. Barrels of powder were placed in the ship and grappling irons laced into the ships rigging, to catch the ropes and sails of Magdalen and ensure the vessels would become entangled.[26]

On 1 May 1669 Morgan and his flotilla attacked the Spanish squadron. The fire ship plan worked, and Magdalen was shortly aflame; Espinosa abandoned his flagship and made his way to the fort, where he continued to direct events.[27] The second-largest Spanish ship, Soledad led by sergeant of the fleet Diego de Varrio, tried to move away from the burning vessel, but a problem with the rigging meant they drifted aimlessly; privateers boarded the ship and forced the Spaniards overboard. Securing the galleon they then fixed the rigging and were able to steer the ship into safety. Finally the San Luis managed to escape and unloaded its cargo near the fort, but in panic the crew set fire to the ship burning her to the waterline in fear of the English seizing it.[28] Spanish survivors numbered 140 of whom all were captured by Morgans fleet, some clinging to burning wreckage.[16]

Negotiations edit

Flushed with victory the privateers rushed ashore and then attempted to besiege the San Carlos de la Barra Fortress. Led by Collier and Morris they spent the rest of the day firing their muskets at the garrison. An attempt to throw fireballs over and into the fort was seen off by heavy Spanish fire. Morgan meanwhile was taking possession of his new Flagship La Soledad and interrogating the prisoners. He realised he still needed to pass the Fortress, but was still out-gunned by the stronghold, which had the ability to destroy the privateer fleet if it tried to pass. Morgan learned from Spanish prisoners including the ships pilot what Don Alonso's intentions were, including that he had orders to give no quarter to the English.[16] Morgan had the advantage having trapped Don Alonso in the fort, so he decided to negotiate - he threatened to sack and burn Maracaibo if he was not allowed to sail past unscathed. Although Espinosa refused to negotiate, the citizens of Maracaibo entered into talks with Morgan, and agreed to pay him 20,000 pesos and 500 head of cattle if he agreed to leave the city intact.

During the course of the negotiations with the citizens, Morgan had undertaken salvage operations on the wreck of the Magdalen. Some of the coins had even melted and had joined together into lumps of bullion. Overall the divers secured between 15,000 - 20,000 pesos from the wreck.[29]

Escape edit

 
San Carlos de la Barra Fortress, which guarded the entrance to Maracaibo

Before taking any action, Morgan tallied his takings and divided it equally between his ships, to ensure that it was not all lost if one ship was sunk.

Morgan observed that Espinosa had set his cannon for a landward attack from the privateers – as they had done previously. The privateers faked a landing of their forces. The fort and its battlements were stripped of men as the Spanish prepared for a night assault from the English forces. That evening, with Spanish forces deployed to repel a landing, Morgan's fleet raised anchor without unfurling their sails; the fleet moved on the tide, raising sail only when it had moved level with the fortress. The Spanish on seeing this assumed the ships were being sailed by skeleton crews.[30]

By nightfall Don Alonso realised that there was no land attack and immediately ordered the guns to be dragged to the seaward side, and fired into the darkness. Morgan's ships however were well out of range. Before they headed back to Port Royal, Morgan released the hostages that had been ransomed under a flag of truce to Don Alonso. The only prisoners he kept were the seven from Gibraltar which were still awaiting a ransom. After this Morgan's fleet made their way back to Port Royal unscathed.[31]

Aftermath edit

On May 27, 1669, Morgan entered Port Royal in the lead ship, the captured galleon Soledad to a hero's welcome. Guns from Fort Charles fired a salute and hundreds of people flocked to the beaches to wave and cheer them in[32] The raid was a huge success militarily and financially; some £30,000 (£10,000,000 in today's money) had been acquired. Nevertheless, during Morgan's absence from Port Royal, a pro-Spanish faction had gained the ear of King Charles II, and English foreign policy had changed accordingly. Modyford admonished Morgan for his action, which had gone beyond his commission, and revoked the letters of marque; no official action was taken against any of the privateers.[33][34] Morgan invested a share of his prize money in an 836-acre (338 ha) plantation in Clarendon Parish; his second such investment.[35]

For his failure, Espinosa was arrested and sent back to Spain. He was acquitted of the charges against him in 1671 and, based on the excellence of his services, he was consulted for the captaincy general of Puerto Rico, on November 8 and 12, 1674, and the title was issued to him, for a term of five years.[36]

Historians have praised Morgan's escape as "characteristic cunning and audacity".[22] The naval battle was also compared to the defeat of the Spanish Armada of 1588 but in miniature.[37]

Spanish retaliation edit

Mariana, the Queen Regent of Spain on news of the defeat on Maracaibo was outraged. In revenge she ordered that all English shipping in the Caribbean was to be seized or sunk.[38] In March 1670 Spanish privateers, which included Manuel Ribeiro Pardal under a letter of marque, attacked English trade ships.[39] In response Modyford commissioned Morgan to counter the Spanish and preserve Jamaica.[40]

Morgan's Panama raid edit

Further information: Henry Morgan's Panama expedition

Morgan set off on what would be his largest expedition on 16 December 1670 - an army of 1,400 men set off with purpose of capturing the rich city of Panama off the Pacific coast, completely unaware of a Peace treaty signed between England and Spain. After capturing Old Providence island, Morgan's force then sailed to the Panama Isthmus and also captured Fort San Lorenzo on the mouth of the Río Chagres. The Privateers then set off across the Isthmus, and after a week's march, Morgan's privateer army routed a force of Spanish militia just outside Panama.[41] They subsequently swept in capturing the city, which then led to it being sacked, plundered and burned. News of the raid brought Spanish fury, and they accused Morgan and Modyford of having violated the treaty. To restore relations, both Modyford and Morgan were recalled and arrested by the English Crown. They went unpunished, however, and were released. Morgan was even knighted by Charles and made Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica.

See also edit

References edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Davenport & Paullin 2004, p. 187.
  2. ^ Talty 2007, pp. 78–79.
  3. ^ Allen 1976, p. 18.
  4. ^ Roberts, Walter Adolphe (1933). Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer and Governor. Covici, Friede. p. 66.
  5. ^ Pope 1978, p. 163.
  6. ^ Thomas 2014, 1171.
  7. ^ Allen 1976, p. 77.
  8. ^ Earle 2007, p. 97.
  9. ^ Marley 1998, p. 170.
  10. ^ Pope 1978, pp. 169–171.
  11. ^ Talty 2007, p. 101.
  12. ^ Talty 2007, p. 149.
  13. ^ Earle 2007, p. 100.
  14. ^ Thomas 2014, 1346.
  15. ^ Talty 2007, p. 150.
  16. ^ a b c d Pope 1978, p. 199.
  17. ^ a b Talty 2007, p. 151.
  18. ^ Breverton 2005, p. 54.
  19. ^ Earle 2007, p. 101.
  20. ^ Thomas 2014, 1410–1425.
  21. ^ Earle 2007, p. 106.
  22. ^ a b Zahedieh 2004a.
  23. ^ Thomas 2014, 1524–1534.
  24. ^ Marley 1998, p. 171.
  25. ^ Talty 2007, pp. 162–163.
  26. ^ Thomas 2014, 1573–1579, 1590, 1608–1613.
  27. ^ Thomas 2014, 1657.
  28. ^ Talty 2007, p. 165.
  29. ^ Earle 2007, p. 114.
  30. ^ Pope 1978, p. 204.
  31. ^ Talty 2007, pp. 171–172.
  32. ^ Pope 1978, p. 205.
  33. ^ Gosse 2007, p. 157.
  34. ^ Breverton 2005, p. 61.
  35. ^ Rogoziński 1995, p. 229.
  36. ^ Talty 2007, p. 172.
  37. ^ Talty 2007, p. 166.
  38. ^ Barbour, Violet (April 1911). "Privateers and Pirates of the West Indies". The American Historical Review. 16 (3): 559. doi:10.2307/1834836. JSTOR 1834836.
  39. ^ Barbour, Violet (April 1911). "Privateers and Pirates of the West Indies". The American Historical Review. 16 (3): 559. doi:10.2307/1834836. JSTOR 1834836.
  40. ^ Paxman 2011, pp. 19–20.
  41. ^ Marley 2010, p. 271.

Bibliography edit

Books
Articles
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