Flying Gang

"Republic of Pirates" redirects here. For the "corsair republic", see Republic of Salé.

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.^[3] The gang consisted of many famous pirates of the time, and they terrorized and pillaged the Caribbean until the Royal Navy and infighting lead to the their disestablishment. 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.^[4]

Flying Gang Republic of Pirates
1713–1718
A Death's Head flag of the sort used by the Flying Gang [1]
The islands of modern-day Bahamas
Capital	Nassau
Common languages	English, French
Government	Confederated republic under "Code of Conduct"
Legislature	None (de jure)
Historical era	Golden Age of Piracy
• Established	1706
• Disestablished	12 December 1718
Preceded by Succeeded by Colony of the Bahama Islands Crown Colony of the Bahamas
Today part of	The Bahamas[1] Turks and Caicos Islands[2]

While it was not a republic in a formal sense, it was governed by an informal pirate code, which dictated that the crews of the Republic would vote on the leadership of their ships and treat other pirate crews with civility. The term comes from Colin Woodard's book of the same name.

The activities of the pirates caused havoc with trade and shipping in the West Indies until newly-appointed Royal Governor of the Bahama Islands Woodes Rogers reached Nassau in 1718 and restored British control. Rogers, a former privateer himself, offered clemency to the pirates of the Bahamas, known as the "King's Pardon", an offer many pirates took advantage of. Though a few returned to piracy in the following years, British control of the Bahamas had been secured.

History

See also: Piracy in the Caribbean and Golden Age of Piracy

The era of piracy in the Bahamas began in 1696, when the privateer Henry Avery brought his ship, the Fancy, loaded with loot from plundering Indian trade ships into Nassau harbour. Avery bribed the governor Nicholas Trott with gold and silver, and with the Fancy itself, still loaded with 50 tons of elephant tusks and 100 barrels of gunpowder.^[1] This established Nassau as a base where pirates could operate safely, although various governors regularly made a show of suppressing piracy.^[5] Although the governors were still legally in charge, the pirates became increasingly powerful.^[1]

The era of true pirate control occurred when a combined Franco-Spanish fleet attacked Nassau in 1703 and again in 1706; the island was effectively abandoned by many of its settlers and left without any English government presence.^[1] Nassau was then taken over by English privateers, who became completely lawless pirates over time. The pirates attacked French and Spanish ships, while the French and Spanish forces burned Nassau several more times. Pirates established themselves in Nassau, and essentially established their own republic with its own governors. By 1713, the War of the Spanish Succession was over, but many British privateers were slow to get the news, or reluctant to accept it, and so slipped into piracy. This led to large numbers of unemployed privateers making their way to New Providence to join the republic and swell its numbers. The republic was dominated by two famous pirates who were bitter rivals – Benjamin Hornigold and Henry Jennings. Hornigold was mentor to pirates such as the famous Edward Teach, known as "Blackbeard", along with Samuel Bellamy and Stede Bonnet. Despite their rivalries, the pirates formed themselves into the Flying Gang and quickly became infamous for their exploits. The Governor of Bermuda stated that there were over 1000 pirates in Nassau at that time and that they outnumbered the mere hundred inhabitants in the town. Blackbeard was later voted by the pirates of Nassau to be their magistrate, to be in command of their republic and enforce law and order as he saw fit.^{[citation needed]}

Pirate Thomas Barrow declared "that he is Governor of Providence and will make it a second Madagascar, and expects 5 or 600 men more from Jamaica sloops to join in the settling of Providence, and to make war on the French and Spaniards, but for the English, they don't intend to meddle with them, unless they are first attack'd by them."^[6] The amount of havoc caused by the pirates led to an outcry for their destruction, and finally King George I appointed Woodes Rogers as royal governor of the Bahamas to bring the piracy to an end,^{[7][8][9][10]} and offered a pardon to all pirates who turned themselves in.^[11]

End of the Gang

Further information: 1717–1718 Acts of Grace § New Providence

News of the King's Pardon was brought first from Bermuda,^[12] then by Captain Vincent Pearse of HMS Phoenix,^[13] and received a mixed reception,^[12] some of those rejecting the pardon being Jacobites.^[14] Pearse made a list of 209 pirates on New Providence – fewer than half the pirates on the island – who stated their intention to take the pardon.^[14]

In 1718, Rogers arrived in Nassau with a fleet of several ships, bringing with him the authority to grant the King's Pardon. Among those who accepted was Benjamin Hornigold, and, in a shrewd move, Rogers commissioned Hornigold to hunt down and capture those pirates who refused to surrender and accept the royal pardon. As a former privateer himself, Hornigold was well placed to understand what needed to be done, and he pursued his former comrades with zeal. Although pirates such as Charles Vane and Blackbeard evaded capture, Hornigold did take ten pirates prisoner and on the morning of 12 December 1718, nine of them were executed. This act re-established British control and ended the pirates' republic in the Bahamas. Those pirates who had fled successfully continued their piratical activities elsewhere in the Caribbean in what has become known as the Golden Age of Piracy.

Code of conduct

Main article: Pirate code

The pirates ran their affairs using what was called the pirate code, which was the basis of their claim that their rule of New Providence constituted a kind of republic.^[15] According to the code, the pirates ran their ships democratically, sharing plunder equally and selecting and deposing their captains by popular vote.^[16] Many of the pirates were privateers out of work since the end of the Queen Anne's War and ex-sailors who had revolted against the conditions on merchant and naval ships. Africans could be equal members of the crew, and several people of mixed European and African descent became pirate captains. Some of the pirates were also Jacobites, who had become pirates to help restore the recently deposed Stuart line to the throne. A few female pirates like Anne Bonny and Mary Read were also present.^[17]

Pirates of Nassau

Benjamin Hornigold

Main article: Benjamin Hornigold

Benjamin Hornigold turned to piracy in the aftermath of the War of the Spanish Succession, seeing great opportunity in the Bahamas to intercept Spanish and French shipping; an appealing idea to earn his way after the Royal Navy was financially drained and the Admiralty mothballed its fleet, releasing over half of its labour force. Hornigold's career in piracy began with dividing his men into three different parties to raid Spanish plantations spotted along the Caribbean coast, to further launch a year-long reign of terror over the Caribbean, capturing an estimated 60,000 pounds. In November 1715, Hornigold seized the English ship Mary, a sloop with capacity for 140 men and six guns, and in this, he sailed into Nassau harbour along with a captured Spanish vessel. He then proclaimed that every pirate in the area would fall under his protection. Hornigold called this group of ruffians the Flying Gang and took over Nassau, making it a pirate haven. Hornigold remained reluctant to attack English ships, though he would encourage his allies, such as Samuel Bellamy, to do so. Hornigold's patriotism was infuriating for his crew members and they mutinied and cast Hornigold aside as captain. When in September 1717 King George I issued a proclamation granting royal pardon for all piracies committed, Hornigold, who regularly regarded himself as more a privateer than a pirate, saw an opportunity to invest his booty into legal trade. In 1719, Hornigold resumed full-time work as a privateer under the operations of Woodes Rogers, Governor of The Bahamas. Hornigold spent the remainder of his life hunting his old prodigies.

Henry Jennings

Main article: Henry Jennings

The Flying Gang's co-founder, Henry Jennings, started his infamous pirating career after the War of the Spanish Succession and his fearsome reputation developed after one venturous raid in July, 1715. A hurricane sunk a Spanish treasure fleet just off of Florida and King Philip V of Spain declared the treasure to be rightful property of Spain. Spanish crews were immediately dispatched to salvage the wreck. Jennings outnumbered the Spanish, who had built a fort at St Augustine to protect the treasure, and Jennings took the treasure for himself. Jennings mentored other well-known pirates such as Charles Vane. Jennings was also known for a botched attack on a French merchant vessel, causing great diplomatic unrest. Driven by greed, Jennings' friend, Sam Bellamy, double-crossed Jennings, leading Jennings to brutally kill a group of captured British and French prisoners in retaliation. When Jennings returned to Jamaica following his latest raid, he found himself officially declared a pirate by King George I. Forced to flee, he headed for the Bahamas, setting up a new life in the New Providence. He became the unofficial governor of Nassau and received a formal pardon from Governor of Bahamas, Woodes Rogers. Henry Jennings was an unusual pirate because he lived to enjoy old age.

Josiah Burgess

Main article: Josiah Burgess

Alongside Benjamin Hornigold and Henry Jennings, Burgess was among the most influential pirates in Nassau in early 1717.^[18] That September King George offered a pardon to all pirates who surrendered within a year. Captain Vincent Pearse of HMS Phoenix sailed to the Caribbean in March 1718 to deliver the news. The "commanders and ringleaders"^[19] of the pirates - Burgess, Hornigold, Francis Leslie, and Thomas Nichols - implored Pearse to release Charles Vane and other prisoners as an enticement to the other gathered pirates.^[18] Pearse relented, and over 200 pirates surrendered, including Burgess.^[20]

Edward Teach

Flag of Edward Teach

Main article: Blackbeard

Edward Teach, more famously known as Blackbeard, may be the most legendary and terrifying pirate from the Golden Age of Piracy. Teach met and joined the crew of Benjamin Hornigold in the New Providence after Teach had concluded his time as a privateer in the War of the Spanish Succession. The two became a dynamic duo, successfully raiding ships and pirating throughout the West Indies. When Hornigold retired in 1717 and gave his head title to Teach, Stede Bonnet joined Teach's crew. In November 1717, Teach attacked a French merchant vessel La Concorde off the coast of Saint Vincent. He took the ship for his own and renamed it Queen Anne's Revenge, equipping it with 40 guns. Teach would wear three pistols across his chest and put lit matches under his hat to create a terrifying mist, creating a notorious and fearsome look about him. There are no verified accounts of Teach murdering or harming his captives, despite his reputation. In June 1718, Teach ventured to the Governor of North Carolina for a pardon after having stripped the Revenge of its provisions and marooned its crew. He settled in Bath with a wife and found work as a privateer in 1718. While on an expedition, Teach encountered Charles Vane and a group of other infamous individuals including John Rackham, Robert Deal, and Israel Hands. They spent several drunken nights loitering together until Lieutenant Robert Maynard was ordered to capture Teach. This led to a bloody battle upon Maynard's ship and Teach was eventually killed after being stabbed 20 times and shot at least 5 times. His head was later hung from the bow of Maynard's ship. There is also documentation that his name was "Thatch" instead of "Teach", since "Thatch" is a recognized name in the British Navy during his training years but "Teach" is not.

Charles Vane

Flag of Charles Vane

Main article: Charles Vane

Charles Vane was a pirate renowned for his sadistic and cruel ways. He ignored the Pirate code and showed little respect for his fellow crew members, despite his wittiness and skillfulness when it came to sailing. He was merciless towards his prisoners, turning to torture and murder when given the opportunity. Yet, Vane was admired for his great navigating and fighting skills. He made his first appearance in piracy history when he became a sailor of Captain Henry Jennings' crew. After Jennings' crew raided Spanish camps that had salvaged sunken treasure from a Spanish Treasure Fleet in 1715, Vane used his share to outfit his own ship, renaming it Ranger. For two years, Vane used Nassau as a base for plundering merchant ships, along with many other notorious pirates collectively known as the Flying Gang. Vane declined a pardon from the Governor of The Bahamas, Woodes Rogers, and was later pursued by Benjamin Hornigold, who was under Rogers employ. Vane escaped to the Carolinas and on one occasion, conducted a blockade of Charleston Port. It is said that Vane's piracy almost stopped the slave trade at one point because of so few ships entering port. Vane later faced mutiny by his crew members, who disapproved of his wicked ways and selfishness. Eventually, Vane was ditched as captain and left on a small ship and in his place, his quartermaster was named captain. Vane was imprisoned in Port Royal by Captain Holford in 1719. Vane's former accomplices spoke out against him during trial and Vane gave no defense. Vane's piracy career was the most lucrative of any pirate, but it was his ego that eventually cost him his life. Vane was hanged on 29 March 1721 and his body was hung at Gun Bay as a warning to others who defied the law.

John Rackham

Flag of John Rackham

Main article: John Rackham

John Rackham started his pirate career during the mutiny against Charles Vane after he refused to attack a French ship. He is most known for his flag, the Jolly Roger, and that his crew consisted of both men and women. When Rackham went to Nassau he met Anne Bonny and started an affair with her. The two of them went out on the seas and recruited people from the ships they attacked. Rackham was captured after a drunken battle and he was sent to Port Royal to be hanged. His body was later gibbeted and put on display on a very small islet at a main entrance to Port Royal, now known as Rackham's Cay.

Stede Bonnet

Main article: Stede Bonnet

Flag of Stede Bonnet

Stede Bonnet was a plantation owner on Barbados before he became a pirate. He became known as the "Gentleman Pirate". He plundered ships on the east coast of America before meeting up with Blackbeard in Nassau. During his battles he was wounded and could not lead, instead he followed Blackbeard and his crew during many successful raids. Bonnet lost almost everything when his crew left him to serve aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge.

Mary Read

Main article: Mary Read

Engraving of Mary Read from A General History of the Pyrates

Mary Read started her career in the Royal Navy disguised as a man. She became one of the pirates in Nassau after her ship was captured. In 1720, she joined Jack Rackham's crew. It is said that she only revealed that she was a woman to Anne Bonny. When she and Bonny were captured she said that they were pregnant to avoid hanging. She became sick and died in prison.

Anne Bonny

Main article: Anne Bonny

1724 engraving of Anne Bonny from A General History of the Pyrates

Anne Bonny was a woman who moved to Nassau sometime between 1715 and 1718. According to the unreliable book A General History of the Pyrates, Bonny met John Rackham and fell in love with him. She joined Rackham and Mary Read to become a pirate. British authorities captured Bonny and other members of Rackham's crew off Jamaica on October 22nd 1720. Rackham, Bonny, Read and the others were tried at Spanish Town, Jamaica.^[21] Bonny and Read were found guilty on November 28th, and sentenced to death. Upon sentencing, Bonny and Read claimed that they were pregnant. Governor Nicholas Lawes temporarily postponed the execution. There is no definitive record of Anne Bonny after 1720 which has led to much speculation about what happened to her.^[22]

Samuel Bellamy

Main article: Sam Bellamy

Flag of Sam Bellamy

After a mutiny to Benjamin Hornigold in 1716, Samuel Bellamy became one of the richest pirates ever. New investigations of his flagship Whydah show that when he died in 1717, he had over five tons of cargo.

Olivier "La Buse" Levasseur

Flag of Olivier Levasseur

Main article: Olivier Levasseur

Like so many other Pirates, Olivier Levasseur did not want to stop being a pirate after the end of the War of Spanish Succession. He was called the "Buzzard" for his bold attacks and raids. Levasseur had an enormous treasure that is worth an estimated £1 billion. When he was about to be hanged in 1730, he threw away a cryptogram that he said would lead to his treasure. Many adventurers and treasure hunters have searched for the treasure, but none have found it.

Paulsgrave Williams

Main article: Paulsgrave Williams

Paulsgrave Williams was Bellamy's companion and with him looted the remains of the Spanish Treasure Fleet in 1716. But when he arrived much of the treasure had already been taken. Williams decided to "relieve" other ships of their treasure instead and started his career as a pirate. Unlike his partner Williams always wore a white wig. Many people commented on the big contrast between his white hair and sunburned skin.

Edward England

Flag of Edward England

Main article: Edward England

Edward England was captured by the pirate captain Christopher Winter and forced to join the crew. He took part in Henry Jennings' expedition for the sunken 1715 Treasure Fleet off the coast of Florida, and then began sailing with Charles Vane in 1718. Other prominent pirates accepting the King's Pardon, England and some of his men sailed for Africa. Along his way he spawned the career of Bartholomew Roberts, among others.

Captain Pearse's list of pirates intending to take the King's Pardon

List of pirates on New Providence who surrendered to Captain Pearse[23]

Parker Adams Arthur Allen James Coates John Dalrymple Benjamin Hornigold Josiah Burgess Francis Leslie Thomas Nichols Paulsgrave Williams John Lewis Richard Noland John Martin William Connor Thomas Grahame Thomas Terrell John Ealling Robert Wishort James Gratrick Edward Stacey John Fennet John Hunt John Pearse James Bryan Henry Berry Thomas Lamb John Allen Martin Carroll Thomas Clies John Kipperson John Charlton Francis Charnock David Merredith Edward Nowland James Goodson Dennis McCarthy Rowld Barton George Gador George Mann Richard Richards Anthony Jacobs Nabel Clarke Henry Hawkins Daniel White Edward Savory Peter Marshall Archibald Murry Daniel Hill William Davey Richard Taylor Martin Townsend Michl. Scrimshaw Samuel Richardson Robert Brown Henry Cheek Robert Hunter James Moodey Richard Kaine Thomas Birdsale Robert Dryker Daniel Carman John Dunkin Geo Feversham John Barker Thomas Codd William Roberts John Waters William Austin Francis Roper Griffith Williams Edward German John Clarke Richard Bishop Henry Barnes Daniel Champeon John [B/R]owell William Willis Tristram Wilson Daniel Jones Phillip Calvorley James Brown John Sutton George Raddon Adam Forbes Cornelius Mahon Thomas Pearse David Ross Jacob Johnson William Bridges Robert Brown Rt. Moggridge Henry Shipton John Cullomore Peter Johnson Charles Morgan John Auger William South Marmaduke Gee James Morvat Benjamin Turner John Mutlow John Stout Thomas Reynolds James Wheeler Alexander Lyell William Rouse Joseph Clapp Peter Goudet Mark Holmes Daniel Stillwell John Edwards Charles Garrison Joseph Pearse William Grahame Alexander Campbell James Nevill James Fasset Edward Berry John Andrews David Nearne Garrt. Peterson Richard Divelly Charles Vane Roger Houghton Richard Valentine Samuel Bryce Richard Legatt Richard Rawlings Darby Connelly Arthur Van Pelt John Richards Samuel Beach William Peters John Smith George Sinclair William Hasselton William Harris William Chow Abraham Adams Joseph Thompson James Peterson Peter Mallet William Titso John Arterile John Mounsey John Johnson John Poley John Farrow Samuel Addy John Magness Thomas Trouton Edward Miller Daniel Swoord Richard Earle Anthony Kemp John Carye Robert Shear John Mitchele Edward Rogers Michl. Rogers John Kemp John Sipkins Othenius Davis William Pinfold Pearse Wright Jacob Roberts William Williams Edward Wells John Cockram Joseph Fryers George Rounsivell John Creigh William Roberts Matthew Reveire Joseph Michelbro Robert Bass James Kerr Edward Kerr Thomas Williamson Thomas Chandler Samuel Moodey William Spencer William Hunt Nathaniel Hudson William Smith Adonijah Stanbury Edward Bead Edward Parmyter Thomas Stoneham John Crew William Edmundson Richard Hawks Andrew Daws Thomas Pearse Richard Ward Henry Glinn Leigh Ashworth Dominic Dwoouby George Chissom David Turner Clois Derickson Thomas Bradley Thomas Emly Nicholas Woodall Edward Hays Christopher Peters John Jackson Charles Whitehead Edward Arrowsmith John Perrin

Bold names indicate 19 pirates who resumed piracy while Pearse was present.

In popular culture

In Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, fictional character Edward Kenway helps to seize control of Nassau and establish the pirate republic with other major pirates of the Golden Age of Piracy.^[24][25]

The TV series Black Sails is largely based on the history and famous historical pirate inhabitants of Nassau. Several characters' motivations are rooted in the idea of establishing a true "Republic of Pirates" in Nassau.^[26]

The Netflix limited series The Lost Pirate Kingdom (2021) is also based on the exploits and rivalries of the Flying Gang and its members, including Benjamin Hornigold, Samuel Bellamy, Henry Jennings, and Blackbeard.

The 2022 HBO Max series Our Flag Means Death features the Republic of Pirates in multiple episodes, as the location of supporting character Spanish Jackie's tavern.

See also

• 1715 Treasure Fleet
• Brethren of the Coast
• Distribution of justice
• Governance in 18th-century piracy – Organization of the pirates of the 18th century
• Jolly Roger
• Libertatia
• Republic of Salé
• Thalassocracy
• Victual Brothers