Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period: Illustrative Documents

Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period: Illustrative Documents

 edited by John Franklin Jameson

The National Society of Colonial Dames of America publish volumes of previously unprinted original historical material.  This volume is made up of documents illustrating the history of piracy and privateering during the colonial period. The importance of piracy and privateering during this period can not be understated.  Privateering was so important that it was even one of America's leading industries during short times during this period.

The documents are arranged in chronological order from 1638-1762.

Documents cover items from letters, journals, diaries, newspaper exerpts and trial transcripts.

Fanny Loviot

Fanny Loviot was a young, wealthy French girl who was kidnapped at sea.  A Lady's Captivity Among Chinese Pirates is her true story account about her venture from France to Rio to San Fransisco, and eventually Fanny's departure to find a job in Asia. 

Her ship was captured by Chinese pirates near Hong Kong, and this narrative details her observations, feelings of homesickness, fear, and glimpses of the places she saw.   Her personal account covers her time in captivity and subsequent rescue by British authorities.

Privateering in Nova Scotia

Privateers, defined by Oxford English Dictionary, are "armed vessels owned and crewed by private individuals and holding a government commission authorizing its use in war, especially in the capture of merchant shipping."  Many people consider privateering to be no better than legalized piracy, while others believe privateering is economically necessary.  Either way, privateering is a dangerous, risky enterprise.  Here you can find an introduction to privateering in Nova Scotia - a part of a a war-at-sea that started in the 1750s.  

War was a very important part of Nova Scotia's early history - from 1793 to 1815 considered its golden age.  Here is a list of primary sources on privateering in Nova Scotia, and here is a virtual exhibit with images from Halifax newspapers, court records, and government documents from the time period.

William Dampier

William Dampier was an English explorer and privateer, the first person to circumnavigate the world three times, and the first Englishman to explore Australia.  His book, "New Voyage Round the World," impressed the Admiralty.  Dampier went on to influence Charles Darwin and Alexander von Humboldt.  His observations in natural history and innovations in navigation technology also impacted future sailors and explorers.  He made contributions to the Oxford English Dictionary for the first English examples of words like "barbecue", "avocado", "chopsticks", and "sub-species" used in his writings.

Here is Dampier's A Voyage Round the World with an introduction by Sir Albert Gray and images of a page from Dampier's journal, the title page of the first edition of A Voyage Round the World, and relevant maps/tables.

Sir Francis Drake

Sir Francis Drake is an English explorer and naval strategist, most famous for his conquests, battles, and his voyages throughout the Spanish territory of the Americas.  From 1577 to 1580, Drake circumnavigated the earth, visiting the Caribbean and the Pacific.  He claimed upper California for England in Queen Elizabeth's name, and remains known as a brilliant English warrior.  

Here is a pictorial biography by Hans P. Kraus that includes general information about Drake from before his first success, to his most famous voyage, to his raids, expeditions, and last adventure.  A timeline of Drake's life shows his many accomplishments throughout his lifetime. 

To read more about Drake and his voyage of circumnavigation, New Light on Drake, by Nuttall, Sarmiento de Gamboa, and Silva offers a collection of documents that tells of this exciting period in Drake's life of exploration.

 

General History of Blackbeard the Pirate

Stories of Blackbeard the Pirate have become legends, making the man seem more myth than reality: a notorious sea robber with a fierce reputation for plaguing North American and Caribbean waters.  Not much is known about Blackbeard's early life - a great deal of information comes from outside sources and embellished descriptions of who he really was.

Queen Anne's Revenge provides a general overview, briefly describing Blackbeard's history, his often disputed origin, his real name.  The author explores Blackbeard's early piratical adventures, giving history to the folklore that has been built up over centuries.

The articles here provide exciting glimpses of Blackbeard's activities, overviews about his ship, Queen Anne's Revenge, and a record of 18th century shipwrecks.  Here you can also read about artifacts that were discovered in the shipwreck of Queen Anne's Revenge: things such as tools and instruments, personal possessions, and arms found at the site. 

Much of the generally accepted information about Blackbeard comes from the biography by Captain Charles Johnson, A General History of the Pyrates that includes the rise of piracy to present time, actions and adventures of infamous pirates, as well as statutes and laws in relation to piracy.

The Barbary Wars at the Clements

From: The Barbary Wars at the Clements

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Barbary States – Morocco, Tunis, Tripoli, and Algiers – terrorized the waters off the coast of Northern Africa. Their state-sanctioned pirates seized European merchant ships, plundered their cargoes, enslaved their crews, and extracted heavy ransoms from the victims' families and governments. Instead of confronting the piratical states militarily, many of the wealthy powers of Europe chose to pay “tributes” to the Barbary governments in exchange for the safe passage of their Mediterranean trading ships.

With the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the United States formally gained its independence from Great Britain. Americans hoped that they would now enter a new era of global free trade, but soon realized the many drawbacks of no longer being protected by Britain’s powerful navy and international agreements. American merchants found themselves defenseless against the Barbary pirates.

At a time when water was the most economically viable way to transport goods, the Mediterranean was vital to American prosperity. Presidents Washington and Adams chose to pay exorbitant tributes to the Barbary powers, though the bribes failed to ensure full protection from piracy and were subject to the whims of the Bashaw of Tripoli, the Bey of Tunis, the Sultan of Morocco, and the Dey of Algiers. With tribute prices escalating, the newly elected President Thomas Jefferson bypassed Congress and sent the nation’s fledgling navy to confront the Barbary powers. In 1815, President James Madison sent a naval force to the Mediterranean to finish what Jefferson started, and finally put an end to the Barbary piracy.

This online exhibit highlights the Clements Library’s best holdings related to the Barbary Wars. Featured items include manuscripts, books, maps, and engravings documenting the United States' first interactions with the Arab world and the early development of the U.S. Navy. The heart of this material comes from three manuscript collections: The Tobias Lear papers, the John Rodgers papers, and the Isaac Chauncey papers. Together, these collections document the highest level of naval and diplomatic decision-making during and after the wars. Additionally, the exhibit relies on several other manuscript collections that contain discussions of and references to early American activities in the Mediterranean. Also showcased is the Clements' collection of 19th-century Barbary captivity narratives, books that informed and inflamed the American public on the home front, as well as images of the naval conflict and maps of the region. We hope that the exhibit will draw attention to an often-neglected episode in American history, and inspire researchers and enthusiasts to pursue new discoveries at the Clements Library.