Henry Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Irish |
| Occupation | Pirate |
| Years active | 1730 |
| Known for | An autobiography written by a sailor he captured and marooned |
| Piratical career | |
| Nickname | Henriques the Englishman |
| Base of operations | Caribbean |
| Commands | Two Brothers |
Henry Johnson (fl. 1730) was an Irish pirate active in the Caribbean. He shared captaincy with a Spaniard, Pedro Poleas. [1] Johnson was best known thanks to an autobiography written by a sailor he captured and marooned.
Johnson and Poleas jointly commanded the Rhode Island-built 18-gun, 90-man sloop Two Brothers. [2] He was known as a ruthless and bloodthirsty pirate, said to be an excellent shot despite missing a hand: [3] “though he has but one hand, he fires a piece very dexterously, laying the barrel upon his stump, and drawing the trigger with his right hand.” [4] He was also said to keep loaded pistols with him, even when he slept, in case of surprise attack or to take his own life if capture was imminent. [4] Johnson was Irish but was called “Henriques the Englishman” [lower-alpha 1] by his majority-Spanish crew. [5]
In early 1730 he attacked the 18-gun, 25-man John and Anne [lower-alpha 2] near Jamaica. The two vessels fought a five-hour running battle before the John and Anne surrendered. [6] Johnson's pirates boarded and looted the John and Anne, threatening to hang its crew for daring to resist. [4] Johnson forced his crew to stand down, and they agreed to maroon several of the prisoners instead. Johnson also intervened when Poleas tried to rape the pregnant wife of the ship's doctor, who had been killed in the fighting. [4] Despite his fearsome reputation, he gave her back her clothes and belongings and promised her protection. [1]
The incident was recorded by John Cockburn, a passenger on the John and Anne who was marooned by Johnson's pirates. The pirates’ gunner was marooned along with them for arguing over spoils; together he and Cockburn swam to a pirate camp on the mainland to ask for help. Cockburn did not know what became of Johnson, Poleas, the John and Anne, the woman, or the rest of the crew, [4] though he records that Johnson was a wanted man throughout the American colonies. [1] Cockburn's autobiography "The Unfortunate Englishmen" told the story of his marooning, escape, and two-year-long overland journey starting with his capture by Johnson. [4]
Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, was an English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of Britain's North American colonies. Little is known about his early life, but he may have been a sailor on privateer ships during Queen Anne's War before he settled on the Bahamian island of New Providence, a base for Captain Benjamin Hornigold, whose crew Teach joined around 1716. Hornigold placed him in command of a sloop that he had captured, and the two engaged in numerous acts of piracy. Their numbers were boosted by the addition to their fleet of two more ships, one of which was commanded by Stede Bonnet, but Hornigold retired from piracy toward the end of 1717, taking two vessels with him.
Bartholomew Roberts, born John Roberts, was a Welsh pirate who was, measured by vessels captured, the most successful pirate of the Golden Age of Piracy. During his piratical career, he took over 400 prize ships, although most were mere fishing boats. Roberts raided ships off the Americas and the West African coast between 1719 and 1722; he is also noted for creating his own pirate code, and adopting an early variant of the Skull and Crossbones flag.
Captain Samuel Bellamy, later known as "Black Sam" Bellamy, was an English sailor turned pirate during the early 18th century. He is best known as the wealthiest pirate in recorded history, and one of the faces of the Golden Age of Piracy. Though his known career as a pirate captain lasted little more than a year, he and his crew captured at least 53 ships.
Stede Bonnet was a Barbadian-born pirate and military officer, known as the Gentleman Pirate because he was a moderately wealthy landowner before turning to a life of crime. Bonnet was born into a wealthy English family on the island of Barbados, and inherited the family estate after his father's death in 1694. Despite his lack of sailing experience, Bonnet decided he should turn to piracy in the spring of 1717. He bought a sailing vessel, the Revenge, and travelled with his paid crew along the Eastern Seaboard of what is now the United States, capturing other vessels and burning other Barbadian ships.
John Taylor, born Richard Taylor, was an English pirate active in the Indian Ocean, best known for participating in two of the richest pirate captures of all time.
Edward England was an Irish pirate. The ships he sailed on included the Pearl and later the Fancy, for which England exchanged the Pearl in 1720. His flag was the classic Jolly Roger — almost exactly as the one "Black Sam" Bellamy used — with a human skull above two crossed bones on a black background. Like Bellamy, England was known for his kindness and compassion as a leader, unlike many other pirates of the time.
The Golden Age of Piracy is a common designation for the period between the 1650s and the 1730s, when maritime piracy was a significant factor in the histories of the North Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Jeremiah Cocklyn, better known by the name Thomas Cocklyn, was an English pirate known primarily for his association with Howell Davis, Olivier Levasseur, Richard Taylor, and William Moody.
Charles Bellamy was an English pirate who raided colonial American shipping in New England and later off the coast of Canada. He is often confused with the more well-known Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy, as they operated in the same areas at the same time.
John Evans was a Welsh pirate who had a short but successful career in the Caribbean.
George Booth was an English pirate who was active in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. Counted among his crew were several pirates who would later become prominent captains including Nathaniel North, Thomas Howard and Booth's eventual successor, John Bowen.
Thomas Pound was an English Royal Navy officer who turned pirate and was briefly active in the coastal waters of New England during 1689. Caught and convicted of piracy, his crimes were forgiven and he later rejoined the Royal Navy.
See also 1717 in piracy, 1719 in piracy, and Timeline of piracy.
John Auger was a pirate active in the Bahamas around 1718. He is primarily remembered for being captured by pirate turned pirate-hunter Benjamin Hornigold.
The Flying Gang was an 18th-century group of pirates who established themselves in Nassau, New Providence in the Bahamas after the destruction of Port Royal in Jamaica. The gang consisted of the most notorious and cunning pirates of the time, and they terrorized and pillaged the Caribbean until the Royal Navy and infighting brought them to justice. They achieved great fame and wealth by raiding salvagers attempting to recover gold from the sunken Spanish treasure fleet. They established their own codes and governed themselves independent from any of the colonial powers of the time. Nassau was deemed the Republic of Pirates as it attracted many former privateers looking for work to its shores. The Governor of Bermuda stated that there were over 1,000 pirates in Nassau at that time and that they outnumbered the mere hundred inhabitants in the town.
Richard Noland was an Irish pirate active in the Caribbean. He was best known for sailing with Samuel Bellamy before working for the Spanish.
John Cole was a pirate active off the American eastern seaboard. His brief career is associated with Richard Worley and William Moody. He is known more for the unusual cargo of his pirate ship than for his piracy.
Don Benito was a Spanish pirate and guarda costa privateer active in the Caribbean.
William Lewis was a pirate supposedly active in the Caribbean, off the American east coast, and off the west coast of Africa in the 18th century. He was known for sparing his victims and for being killed after announcing he had made a pact with the Devil. He is likely the fictional creation of "Captain Charles Johnson" who presented his story among those of real historical pirates.
John Leadstone was a pirate and slaver active off the west coast of Africa. Often called “Captain Crackers” or “Old Captain Cracker,” he is best known for his actions against the English Royal African Company and for his brief involvement with Bartholomew Roberts.
