A Caribbean Broker: Exploring the Depths of the Social Network of Buccaneer Extraordinaire Sir Henry Morgan, Admiral of the Brethren of the Coast
However, where Drake had simply attacked a heavily loaded treasure-train, Morgan attacked the city of Panama itself. In what would be the largest-scale privateer action the Caribbean would ever see, Morgan marched with his men through miles of thick, overgrown jungle, as the low tide of the river Chagres made it impossible to follow the river down to the city in the canoes that the buccaneers had brought. During their trek through the forest they were not only harassed by Indians in service of the Spanish crown, and hunger due to the scorched earth tactics utilized by the Spanish governor of Panama, but also by menial things as wood-ticks and by swarms of mosquitoes.
Luckily for the buccaneers, Henry Morgan’s reputation, or perhaps notoriety would be the better word, was already having an effect on the Spanish soldiers. The Governor of Panama had sent a well-armed force of 250 to confront the, by comparison, poorly equipped buccaneers. However, the force had scattered and fled into the jungles as soon as they had laid eyes upon Morgan’s large force. Perhaps surprisingly, the eventual battle for Panama was pretty one-sided. Morgan’s troops slaughtered the Spanish force that outnumbered them severely, thanks to the experience of the troops and the genius of their leader. Even outlandish tactics devised by the Spanish commander did not work to save his city from being sacked; the 600 bulls that he had planned to rampage over the buccaneers were simply shooed away. However, the commander of the Spanish forces had a contingency plan in place in case things would go wrong during the battle: as Morgan’s troops moved into the city, the commander had the main power magazine lit. The explosion shook the earth and spewed fire across all the neighbouring buildings. It was not long before the entire city was ablaze, hindering Morgan and his men from obtaining the maximum potential of booty to be found. In the end, after all their labour and risking their lives in such a great manner, the average buccaneer only walked away with a mere 200 pieces of eight, which led to much chagrin amongst the ranks.
Morgan’s legacy, however, was immortalized. Under his command, a force consisting of multiple nationalities, including English, French, and Dutch men, attacked and sacked one of the largest cities in all of the colonies of the Spanish Empire. The attack was premeditated and was devised long before it actually took place. In order to arrange it, Morgan had to have had a lot of influence, not only among his fellow freebooters, but also with the upper echelons of British society. Therefore, it is interesting to look at what the extent of the social network of people associated to the privateer Henry Morgan was. By applying a social networks approach, it becomes clear how Henry Morgan served as a broker between the ruffians that served on his ships, and the gentlemen that commissioned his services.
Luckily for the buccaneers, Henry Morgan’s reputation, or perhaps notoriety would be the better word, was already having an effect on the Spanish soldiers. The Governor of Panama had sent a well-armed force of 250 to confront the, by comparison, poorly equipped buccaneers. However, the force had scattered and fled into the jungles as soon as they had laid eyes upon Morgan’s large force. Perhaps surprisingly, the eventual battle for Panama was pretty one-sided. Morgan’s troops slaughtered the Spanish force that outnumbered them severely, thanks to the experience of the troops and the genius of their leader. Even outlandish tactics devised by the Spanish commander did not work to save his city from being sacked; the 600 bulls that he had planned to rampage over the buccaneers were simply shooed away. However, the commander of the Spanish forces had a contingency plan in place in case things would go wrong during the battle: as Morgan’s troops moved into the city, the commander had the main power magazine lit. The explosion shook the earth and spewed fire across all the neighbouring buildings. It was not long before the entire city was ablaze, hindering Morgan and his men from obtaining the maximum potential of booty to be found. In the end, after all their labour and risking their lives in such a great manner, the average buccaneer only walked away with a mere 200 pieces of eight, which led to much chagrin amongst the ranks.
Morgan’s legacy, however, was immortalized. Under his command, a force consisting of multiple nationalities, including English, French, and Dutch men, attacked and sacked one of the largest cities in all of the colonies of the Spanish Empire. The attack was premeditated and was devised long before it actually took place. In order to arrange it, Morgan had to have had a lot of influence, not only among his fellow freebooters, but also with the upper echelons of British society. Therefore, it is interesting to look at what the extent of the social network of people associated to the privateer Henry Morgan was. By applying a social networks approach, it becomes clear how Henry Morgan served as a broker between the ruffians that served on his ships, and the gentlemen that commissioned his services.
Sir Henry Morgan was a unique individual in the history of buccaneering. He started out life as an indentured servant on a plantation in Barbados, but worked himself up to become one of the most notorious buccaneers there ever was, receiving not only praise from his uncouth brethren of the coast, but also from his king, who rewarded him with the a knighthood and a lofty position. Morgan had connections running in all levels of society, from the lowest dregs, his mutinous crewmen, to the highest echelons of nobility. Together with his loyal friend and crony, Sir Thomas Modyford, he rampaged the Spanish territories in the Caribbean, his name inspiring fear along the vast coastline of New Spain and its dependencies. Through his network he was able to operate as a broker between criminals from various countries and a nation state, culminating in the biggest amphibious buccaneering raid ever in the Caribbean and the destruction of the once proud city of Panama, of which the ruins can still be visited today. The expected end for a man of his making would be at the gallows, or swinging from the gibbet in some port or another. But not for Sir Henry Morgan. His networking skills protected him, set him up with a respectable position after his career as a buccaneer, and provided him with the luxury of drinking himself to death in the comfort of his own home at the ripe age of 53; a fate most other pirates must have surely envied him for.
CFS (05/06/15)
CFS (05/06/15)
Further Reading & Sources
Allen, Hubert Raymond. Buccaneer: Admiral Sir Henry Morgan. London: Barker, 1976.
Andrews, Kenneth R. The Spanish Caribbean: Trade and Plunder, 1530-1630. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1978.
Barbour, Violet. "Privateers and Pirates of the West Indies." The American Historical Review 16, no. 3 (1911): 529-66.
Burney, James. History of the Buccaneers of America. London: George Allen & Company, 1912.
Cordingly, David. Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates. New York: Random House, 1996.
Exquemelin, A. O., and Alonso de Maison. Bucaniers of America, Or, A True Account of the Most Remarkable Assaults Committed of Late Years upon the Coasts of the West Indies by the Bucaniers of Jamaica and Tortuga, Both English and French Wherein Are Contained More Especially, the Unparallel'd Ex. London: Printed for W. Crooke, 1684.
Haring, C. H. The Buccaneers in the West Indies in the XVII Century. Hamden, Conn.: Archon Books, 1966.
Marley, David. Pirates of the Americas. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 2010.
Mattingly, Garrett. "No Peace beyond What Line?" Transactions of the Royal Historical Society 13 (1963): 145-62.
Pyle, Howard. Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates. New York: Harper & Bros., 1921.
Sarson, Steven. British America, 1500-1800: Creating Colonies, Imagining an Empire. London: Hodder Arnold, 2005.
Allen, Hubert Raymond. Buccaneer: Admiral Sir Henry Morgan. London: Barker, 1976.
Andrews, Kenneth R. The Spanish Caribbean: Trade and Plunder, 1530-1630. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1978.
Barbour, Violet. "Privateers and Pirates of the West Indies." The American Historical Review 16, no. 3 (1911): 529-66.
Burney, James. History of the Buccaneers of America. London: George Allen & Company, 1912.
Cordingly, David. Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates. New York: Random House, 1996.
Exquemelin, A. O., and Alonso de Maison. Bucaniers of America, Or, A True Account of the Most Remarkable Assaults Committed of Late Years upon the Coasts of the West Indies by the Bucaniers of Jamaica and Tortuga, Both English and French Wherein Are Contained More Especially, the Unparallel'd Ex. London: Printed for W. Crooke, 1684.
Haring, C. H. The Buccaneers in the West Indies in the XVII Century. Hamden, Conn.: Archon Books, 1966.
Marley, David. Pirates of the Americas. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 2010.
Mattingly, Garrett. "No Peace beyond What Line?" Transactions of the Royal Historical Society 13 (1963): 145-62.
Pyle, Howard. Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates. New York: Harper & Bros., 1921.
Sarson, Steven. British America, 1500-1800: Creating Colonies, Imagining an Empire. London: Hodder Arnold, 2005.