CHINESE PIRATES OF LATE 18TH

CENTURY

Chinese divided the water world into

‘Outer sea’ and ‘inner sea’

Inner sea: Network of canals

and channels connecting streams and rivers

Between mountains of interior and outer sea

On land were two groups People of the plains

Rice farmers and merchants Hill people

Moved into settled land therefore lived in hills

Both groups had lived there for generations Buried ancestors in family plots

Despised water people as an inferior race of humans

Water people or Tanka Earned living exclusively on the

water

Lived in single ship units Along coast of Kwangtung province in inner sea Among water ways and more than 700 islands

Expert boatmen Had practiced piracy seasonally

Summer headed north for small scale piracy/smuggling

Winter headed south for fishing Imperial court looked inwards not outwards Tanka as a whole little or no contact with

land people Poor No land person could be trusted

Until end of 1700s

1790ish Kwangtung region

outgrown ability to feed itself

Everyone needed additional means of support

1760 Qing authorities Made canton made only

port through which foreign goods could enter

Barred Iron trade to Vietnam

Tankas one legitimate possibility of expansion

Last part of the shift to grand scale piracy Conflict in Vietnam Three different groups

One supported by China Qing backed faction captured Tanka with wife

and children Ch’en T’ien-pao

Persuaded them to act as pirate and fight for them

Very successful Totally Virtuous Marquis

Continued success General Pao, Virtuous Marquis Eventually his faction recognized as

emperor of Vietnam by China Chief responsibility organize pirates

100s of ships Pirates got safe harbor and access for

merchant in exchange for 20 – 40% to Government

Emperor died Eventually son succeeded to throne But factions had developed all with

own pirates Great Governor General who controls

Each Branch of the Naval Force Destroy or incorporate all pirates

Pirates who didn’t join left and headed to China

Qing distracted by rebellions on land Eventually had to respond Ships stationed to attack pirates as soon as

they entered Chinese waters Chinese sailors afraid and didn’t attack

Pacification next step Amnesty and reward to pirates who turned

themselves in Return to home village Join army Settle inland with a start up subsidy

1,700 turned themselves in

Either 1,700 was just a small part or they all returned to sea

Problems got worse Emperor overthrown in Vietnam General Pao

Surrended to Quing Fleet dissolved

Followers either captured and killed or returned to inner sea

But….

While they had been away Tanka in Inner sea had grown more powerful

Multiple ‘families’ grew attacking and competing

Eventually they gathered themselves into seven ‘families’ One soon surrendered to authorities

Different colors red, black, white, green, blue, and yellow

Anyone operating outside attacked and killed

Red flag fleet leader died wife took over

“Dragon Lady” Cheng I Sao (wife of Cheng I)

Ching Shih Married husbands

adopted son – Chang Pao 300 ships 20,000-40,000

men All together

1,800 ship 70,000 men by 1809

Eventually the Chinese authorities turned to the problem of the pirates

After several major battles and failed attempts to destroy the pirates

Or encourage them to come in Leader of Black Fleet asked

Portuguese in Macao to broker a deal with Qing

Dragon lady cut a deal with British Leave them alone if they left her alone

She then went to talk to Qing authorities Meanwhile her fleet

continued to attack mainland

Authorities in China gave her everything she asked for

Red and Black Fleet worked with navy

Within a year organized piracy over

main leaders retired

WAR OF 1812

PIRATES AND PRIVATEERS?

FIRST THE PIRATE Jean Laffite first appeared in

New Orleans in 1803

Born in  Marseilles,

Bordeaux, St. Domingue 

1803 New Orleans became part of the United States

Americans, including new governor William C. C. Claiborne

Upset at Creoles' toleration of smuggling

Governor issued a $500 reward for the Laffite’s arrest 

Within a week new posters appeared

offering $1500 to anyone who delivered Governor Claiborne to Barataria signed, Jean Laffite.

Barataria home to buccaneers and fishermen Laffite organized them into a company of privateers

and smugglers 

Men numbered one thousand, came from many countries included navigators, gunners, carpenters, cooks,

sailmakers, and riggers  Devised laws to protect the men and their women from

lawless rampages  Prohibited his men from attacking American ships Death penalty for violation of this rule. 

Ships sailed under letters of marque from Cartagena republic of Columbia fighting for its independence

from Spain Plundered cargoes of Spanish and English ships Two years after the United States declared war

on England in 1812 dingy from the Sophia and sailed into Barataria under a white flag  British officers Lockyer and McWilliams

Offered Lafitte land, gold, and a commission in the Royal Navy 

Laffite told them he would give them his answer in two weeks

Went to offer his help to New Orleans

Governor rejected Laffite's offer.  Laffite sought out Andrew Jackson

Initially against any offer from the "hellish banditti," Reassessed after Laffite offered him two things he

desperately needed: 7,500 flints with powder and 1,000 fighting men 

President Madison pardoned Laffite and his men for their bravery

New Orleanians became less accepting of smugglers

1817, established a new colony on Galveston Island 1821, American Navy delivered an ultimatum:

leave or be blown to bits. Under cover of darkness, Laffite slipped away after

setting fire to his stronghold.

AND NOW THE NAVAL OFFICER ?

PRIVATEER ?PIRATE ?

OF THE PACIFIC

COMMODORE DAVID PORTER

Porters father American Privateer in revolutionary war

196 age 16 Porter joined his father on Merchant ships to Caribbean

Joined Early American navy On board Philadelphia when ran

aground in Tripoli Taken prisoner More of this later

After being freed remained in the region

Had command of two ships Returned to America Married 1808 Commander of naval station in New

Orleans Not enough excitement Headed North to New York

USS ESSEX

Made through public subscription in 1799 in Salem Porter took control 1811

Along came war of 1812 Few small prizes, modicum of fame First American ship to take British warship

Alert Only 8 minutes

Porter wanted more than easy victory he wanted grand prizes

So far so good a loyal trusted naval officer

Begins to blur the lines October 28 1812 left Delaware Orders: Rendezvous with other ships in

south Atlantic Never able to do so

“It became absolutely necessary to depart from the letter on my instructions”

Decided to go around cape into Pacific

Kept it secret from his men

When they realize wrote note for men

SAILORS AND MARINES A large increase of the enemy’s forces compels us to abandon a coast, that will neither afford us security nor supplies; nor are there any inducements for a longer continuance there . . .

The Pacific ocean affords us many friendly ports. The unprotected British commerce, on the coast of Chili, Peru, and Mexico, will give you an abundant supply of wealth; and the girls of he Sandwich Islands, shall reward you for your sufferings during the passage around Cape Horn

Initially trip went well

But Cape attacked, as it attacked many before including Drake

Eventually Became first American warship in the pacific

Met with American Whale ship – Charles

Learned British and Spanish ships captured two American whale ships

Porter spotted Spanish ship Raised British Flag and

approached (?) Removed all arms and ammunition and

sent it to Lima Do no more harm to American Shipping

Learned from American captains that there were at least 20 British whale Ships in the region

Cargo fetch $200,000 each New plan capture whale ships

and sell them at profit (?) Painted Essex to look like

Spanish Merchant vessel (?) Headed off in pursuit

Several weeks no look

April 29th saw sail Raised British

Flag (?) Took the Montezuma British whale ship Big prize New note to men

SAILORS AND MARINES Fortune has a length smiled on us, because we deserved her smiles, and the first time she enabled us to display free trade and sailor’s rights, assisted by your good conduct, she put in our possession nearly half a million of the enemy’s property

Continued to take British whale men

Burned three ships Sold a couple kept the rest Took 12 in all Eventually British warships caught

up with him Tried to run

Strong wind snapped mainmast British caught him and he

surrendered

So was Porter

Naval officer ?

Privateer ? Pirate?