John Rackham was Quarter-Master to Vane's Company, till
Vane was turned out for not fighting the French Man-of-War, and
Rackham put in Captain in his place, which happened about the 24th
day of November, 1718. His first cruise was among the Caribbe
Islands, where he took and plundered several vessels. Afterwards, to
the windward of Jamaica, he fell in with a Madeira Man,
which he detained till he had made his market out of her, and then
restored her to her Master, suffering Hosea Tisdel, a
tavern-keeper at Jamaica, whom he had taken among his Prizes, to
go aboard her, she being bound for that Island.
Afterwards he sailed towards the Island Bermuda, where he
took a Ship bound to England from Carolina, and a small
Ship from New England, both which he carried to the Bahama
Islands, and there clean'd. But staying too long in that
Neighbourhood, Captain Rogers sent out a Sloop well mann'd,
which retook both the Prizes, the Pirate making his Escape.
From hence they proceeded to the Back of Cuba, where
Rackham staid a long Time with his Delilahs, till their Provision
was consumed, when he concluded it Time to look out for more. As he was
putting to Sea, a Garda del Costa came in with a small
English Sloop, which he had taken as an interloper on that coast.
The Spaniards seeing the Pirate, attacked her; but finding he
could not come to her that night, because she lay close behind a little
island, he warps into the channel, to make sure of her in the morning.
Upon this Rackham took his Crew into the Boat, with their
pistols and cutlasses, and falls aboard the Spaniards in the
night, without being discovered, telling them, if they spoke a word
they were dead men: And so shipping their cables, drove out to sea,
commanding them to take the Boat, and go aboard their Sloop
immediately, or else they were all dead men. Afterwards they waking the
Captain and his men in the Hammocks, who rose full of their expectation
of the Prizes, they sent them aboard their empty Sloop.
In the Beginning of September, they went off of the French
part of Hispaniola, where they took two or three Frenchmen
on board, that were looking after some cattle grazing near the
waterside. Then plundered two Sloops, they returned to Jamaica,
where they took a Schooner.
Rackham continuing about this Island longer than a Man of his
business ought to have done, gave time to a Canoe, which he had
surprised in Ocho Bay, to inform the Governor of Jamaica
of his civilities to all he met with going or coming from the Island.
Thereupon a Sloop was sent out in quest of him, well mann'd and arm'd,
under Captain Barnet, to repay him for all his good-natured
Actions, and, if possible, to bring him into the Island. In the mean
Time Rackham met, near the Negril Point, a small
Pettiauger, which, upon sight of him, ran ashore, and landed her Men;
but Rackham hailing them, desired the Pettiauger's men to come
aboard him, and drink a bowel of punch; swearing, They were all
Friends and would do no Harm. Hereupon they agreed to his Request,
and went aboard him, though it proved fatal to every one of them, they
being nine in all. For, they were no sooner got aboard, and had laid
down their muskets and cutlasses, in order to take up their pipes, and
make themselves merry with their new acquaintance over a can of Flip,
but Captain Barnet's Sloop was in sight, which soon put a damp
to all their merriment: Finding she stood directly towards them, they
immediately weighed their anchor and stood off. Barnet gave them
chase, and having the advantage of the wind, soon came up with her,
gave her a broadside or two, and, after a very small dispute, took her
and his nine new guests, and brought them all together into
Port-Royal in Jamaica, in about a fortnight's time.
November the 10th, 1720, a Court of Admiralty was held at
St. Jago de la Vega, where the following Persons were tried and
convicted of Piracy, and accordingly Sentence of Death was passed upon
them by the Governor, viz.: John Rackham, Captain; George
Fetherstone, Master; Richard Corner, Quarter-Master; John
Davis, John Howel, Patrick Carty, Thomas Earle, James Dobbin, and Noah Harwood; Five of whom was hang'd
the next day at Gallows-point, and the rest the day after. The
three first were taken and hanged in Chains; Rackham at
Plumb-point, Fetherstone at Bush-key, and Corner
at Gun-key.
But what was yet more strange was the conviction of the nine guests,
that knew nothing of the matter, or at least they pretended so; but the
People would not believe them, because it was proved that they came on
board with pistols and cutlasses: However, they were so much favoured
as to have the Court adjourned to the 24th of January following, to
give a better Account of themselves than at the time appeared to the
Court: Beside, the Jury also then wanted sufficient evidence to prove
the piratical intention of going aboard the said Sloops. The two
Frenchmen taken by Rackham from the Island of Hispaniola, deposed, That John Eaton, Edward Warner, Thomas Baker, Thomas Quick, John Cole, Benjamin Palmer,
Walter Rouse, John Hanson, and John Howard, came on
board the Pirate's Sloop at Negril Point in Jamaica.
Indeed they owned, That at first Sight of them, they run away from
Rackham's Sloop, but that he hailing them, they returned, and
Rackham sent his canoe ashore to fetch them aboard him, when they
saw them all armed with guns and cutlasses, which they brought with
them; and that when they were chased by Captain Barnet, they
were frank and free, some drinking and walking about the deck not at
all dispirited; during which time there was a great gun, and small
arms, fired by the Pirate Sloop at Captain Barnet's Sloop; but
that they could not say that the Prisoners were any way concerned in
it: However, they were certain that when Captain Barnet's Sloop
fired at Rackham's, the Prisoners at the Bar went under Deck,
for cowardice, as they supposed; not so much as once peeping up during
the time of the whole action: But when Captain Barnet drew nigh
to them to board them, all of them came up, and helped to row the
sloop, in order to escape from him: And that Rackham's Men and
they seemed to agree very well together, and that they did verily
believe they were all of a Party, having heard them say, when they came
on board, They liked them never the worse for being Pirates, since
they were all honest Boys, and loved their Bottles.
To which the Prisoners answered, in their own Defence; That they
were a great way off from friends and acquaintance, and, therefore it
was impossible to have any one to give an account of them. That they
were very honest pains-taking men, and came out to go a-turtling to
provide for their families; accordingly going ashore at Negril
Point they saw a Sloop, with a white pendant, making towards them,
whereupon they took up their arms, which were no other but what all
people carry upon such occasions, and ran into the woods, to hide
themselves among the bushes, not knowing what she might be. But when
they hailed them and told them they were Englishmen, they
ventured out, and came aboard them, as they desired, to drink a bowl of
punch, they being poor men, who get their livelihood very hardily, and
such a thing was very acceptable to them. But when they came on board
the Sloop, to their very great surprise, they found they were Pirates;
upon which they begged to be released; but Rackham swore, That
if they did not stay and assist them against that Sloop that was coming
down against them, he would cut all their throats. So being compelled
thereunto by Rackham and his men, to save their Lives, they did
assist him, and with no other design but to prevent their being cut in
pieces, but as soon as Captain Barnet came up with them, they
all very readily and willingly submitted.
This being all they had to say in their own Defence, the Prisoners
were ordered from the Bar: The Court were divided in their Judgments;
but the majority were of opinion, that they were all guilty of the
Piracy and Felony they were charged with; thereupon they all received
Sentence of Death, as usual in such cases, the Judge making a very
pathetic Speech to them, exhorting them to bear their Sufferings
patiently, assuring them, that if they were innocent, which he very
much doubted, then their reward would be greater in the Other World:
But everybody must own their case was very hard in this.
February the 17th, John Eaton, Thomas Quick, and
Thomas Baker, were accordingly executed at Gallows-Point;
and the next Day, John Cole, John Howard, and Benjamin
Palmer, underwent the same fate at Kingston. The other three
got a Reprieve, they being against going aboard the Pirate's Sloop, and
are now living.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]