Charles Vane
Encyclopedia
Charles Vane was an English pirate who preyed upon English and French shipping. His pirate career lasted from 1716 - 1719. His flagship was a brigantine
named the Ranger.
Vane was among the pirate captains who operated out of the notorious base at New Providence
in the Bahamas after the British abandoned the colony during the War of Spanish Succession. After a relatively long and violent career in piracy he was captured and in 1721 was executed by hanging at Gallows Point
, Port Royal, Jamaica.
's privateers. He turned to piracy in 1716 while raiding Spanish salvage ships, sent to retrieve silver from the sunken Spanish treasure fleet off the coast of Florida. Vane successfully raided the Spanish ships and landed crews, stealing a great deal of goods and riches.
Vane was infamous for his cruelty toward the crews of captured vessels. After his first act as a pirate he was reported to the governor of Bermuda for torturing men on rival vessels while on a salvage mission. He also showed scant respect for the pirate code
, cheating his own crews out of their fair share of plunder and killing surrendered sailors after promising them mercy.
Vane subsequently traded up ships by capturing first a Barbados sloop and then a large 12-gun brigantine, which he renamed the Ranger. His brutal attacks became well known, and Captain Vane was cornered in February of 1718 by Vincent Pearse, commander of the HMS Phoenix. Word had recently spread of the Royal Pardon offered to pirates in exchange for a guarantee they would quit plundering, so Vane claimed he'd actually been en route to surrender to Pearse and accepted the pardon on the spot, gaining his freedom though losing his captured ship "the Lark". As soon as he was free of Pearse he ignored the pardon and resumed his depredations.
In August 1718, the new Governor of New Providence, Woodes Rogers
, and two men-of-war arrived in Nassau to oversee the pardon, and more importantly for Vane, capture those who violated it. While most pirates accepted the enforced pardon, Vane resisted it and any who attempted to honestly reform, driving Woodes' men-of-war back with a captured French fireship. Vane then escaped in his fast six-gun sloop, the Ranger, defiantly firing at the governor as he passed and threatening to return. He evaded the few Royal Navy
vessels in the area and sailed north.
Vane continued practising piracy on the open seas, amassing a large crew and three ships. He was so successful, in fact, that Governor Rogers decided to send out Colonel William Rhett to hunt Vane down. Meanwhile, he had given command of one of his ships to a fellow pirate by the name of Yeats, and the two pillaged and looted vessels that were entering and leaving the port at Charleston
, looking to emulate Blackbeard
's success. However, Vane created division among his crew by refusing to capture several promising vessels, leading Yeats to abscond in the night with a large portion of treasure and one of the captured brigs.
In October 1718 Vane met up with Edward Thatch and enjoyed a week-long celebration at Ocracoke Island, North Carolina
, with their crews. Vane then turned north toward New York, only for his crew to vote him out of his captaincy for cowardice after failing to engage a larger French warship in the Windward Passage
. Replaced by his quartermaster
Calico Jack
Rackham, he was cast adrift in a small sloop with Robert Deal and 15 other men. Sailing south again, he set about clawing his way back up the pirate ranks by seizing ever larger ships.
Before departing, Holford stated that he would be back on the island in a month, and threatened that if he found Vane still there, he would take him back to Jamaica and hang him. Another ship soon arrived and as none of the crew recognized Vane he was allowed on board. Unluckily, Captain Holford's ship met with this ship at sea, and the captain of Vane's ship invited Holford, a friend of his, to dine with him. While there, Holford saw Vane working aboard and informed the captain who Vane truly was. The captain quickly relinquished Vane to Captain Holford who locked him in his hold and promptly turned him over to the authorities in Jamaica. It is unclear why Vane seems to have been imprisoned for over a year before the trial. Vane may have been marooned longer than the few weeks recorded, or there may have been distant witnesses to gather once he was captured. Most likely his reputation had earned the disdain of pirates, royal mariners and the public at large and they wanted him to rot in gaol before being executed. During his trial, numerous merchant He was found guilty and sentenced to death on March 22, 1720. At his trial, numerous witnesses from merchant vessels captured by Vane testified against him, as did Vincent Pearse, Captain of the HMS Phoenix
, who related how Vane had made a mockery of the King's pardon. When it was Vane's turn to present his defense, he called no witnesses and asked no questions. On March 29, 1721, Vane was hanged at Gallows Point in Port Royal. He died without expressing the least remorse for his crimes. After death, his body was hung from a gibbet
on Gun Cay, at the mouth of harbor at Port Royal, as a warning against piracy.
Brigantine
In sailing, a brigantine or hermaphrodite brig is a vessel with two masts, only the forward of which is square rigged.-Origins of the term:...
named the Ranger.
Vane was among the pirate captains who operated out of the notorious base at New Providence
New Providence
New Providence is the most populous island in the Bahamas, containing more than 70% of the total population. It also houses the national capital city, Nassau.The island was originally under Spanish control following Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, but the Spanish government showed...
in the Bahamas after the British abandoned the colony during the War of Spanish Succession. After a relatively long and violent career in piracy he was captured and in 1721 was executed by hanging at Gallows Point
Gallows Point
Gallows Point is the northernmost of two low, parallel points which mark the extremity of Gamma Island in the Melchior Islands, Palmer Archipelago. The name was probably given by DI personnel who roughly surveyed the point in 1927. The point was resurveyed by Argentine expeditions in 1942, 1943...
, Port Royal, Jamaica.
Pirate career
Charles Vane's history is not well documented, but he most likely started his career aboard one of Lord Archibald HamiltonLord Archibald Hamilton
Lord Archibald Hamilton was a British politician.Hamilton was the youngest son of William Douglas-Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton and Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton. He became a Captain in the Royal Navy and in 1708, was elected as MP for Lanarkshire...
's privateers. He turned to piracy in 1716 while raiding Spanish salvage ships, sent to retrieve silver from the sunken Spanish treasure fleet off the coast of Florida. Vane successfully raided the Spanish ships and landed crews, stealing a great deal of goods and riches.
Vane was infamous for his cruelty toward the crews of captured vessels. After his first act as a pirate he was reported to the governor of Bermuda for torturing men on rival vessels while on a salvage mission. He also showed scant respect for the pirate code
Pirate code of the Brethren
A pirate code was a code of conduct invented for governing pirates, and first introduced by the Portuguese buccaneer, Bartolomeu Português. Generally each pirate crew had its own code or articles, which provided rules for discipline, division of stolen goods, and compensation for injured...
, cheating his own crews out of their fair share of plunder and killing surrendered sailors after promising them mercy.
Vane subsequently traded up ships by capturing first a Barbados sloop and then a large 12-gun brigantine, which he renamed the Ranger. His brutal attacks became well known, and Captain Vane was cornered in February of 1718 by Vincent Pearse, commander of the HMS Phoenix. Word had recently spread of the Royal Pardon offered to pirates in exchange for a guarantee they would quit plundering, so Vane claimed he'd actually been en route to surrender to Pearse and accepted the pardon on the spot, gaining his freedom though losing his captured ship "the Lark". As soon as he was free of Pearse he ignored the pardon and resumed his depredations.
In August 1718, the new Governor of New Providence, Woodes Rogers
Woodes Rogers
Woodes Rogers was an English sea captain, privateer, and, later, the first Royal Governor of the Bahamas. He is known as the captain of the vessel that rescued the marooned Alexander Selkirk, whose plight is generally believed to have inspired Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.Rogers came from an...
, and two men-of-war arrived in Nassau to oversee the pardon, and more importantly for Vane, capture those who violated it. While most pirates accepted the enforced pardon, Vane resisted it and any who attempted to honestly reform, driving Woodes' men-of-war back with a captured French fireship. Vane then escaped in his fast six-gun sloop, the Ranger, defiantly firing at the governor as he passed and threatening to return. He evaded the few Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
vessels in the area and sailed north.
Vane continued practising piracy on the open seas, amassing a large crew and three ships. He was so successful, in fact, that Governor Rogers decided to send out Colonel William Rhett to hunt Vane down. Meanwhile, he had given command of one of his ships to a fellow pirate by the name of Yeats, and the two pillaged and looted vessels that were entering and leaving the port at Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, looking to emulate Blackbeard
Blackbeard
Edward Teach , better known as Blackbeard, was a notorious English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of the American colonies....
's success. However, Vane created division among his crew by refusing to capture several promising vessels, leading Yeats to abscond in the night with a large portion of treasure and one of the captured brigs.
In October 1718 Vane met up with Edward Thatch and enjoyed a week-long celebration at Ocracoke Island, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, with their crews. Vane then turned north toward New York, only for his crew to vote him out of his captaincy for cowardice after failing to engage a larger French warship in the Windward Passage
Windward Passage
The Windward Passage is a strait in the Caribbean Sea, between the islands of Cuba and Hispaniola. The strait specifically lies between the easternmost region of Cuba and the northwest of Haiti.80km wide, the Windward Passage has a threshold depth of 1,700m...
. Replaced by his quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
Calico Jack
Calico Jack
John Rackham , commonly known as Calico Jack, was an English pirate captain operating in the Bahamas during the early 18th century...
Rackham, he was cast adrift in a small sloop with Robert Deal and 15 other men. Sailing south again, he set about clawing his way back up the pirate ranks by seizing ever larger ships.
Capture and Execution
Vane's final blow came after his ship was wrecked in a storm in February 1719, separating him from his consort, Robert Deal. One of the only survivors, Vane was washed up on an uninhabited island in the Bay of Honduras. Eventually a ship arrived, but unfortunately for Vane it was commanded by an old acquaintance and former buccaneer Captain Holford. Holford would not rescue Vane from the island stating:
"Charles, I shan't trust you aboard my ship, unless I carry you a prisoner; for I shall have you plotting with my men, knock me on the head and run away with my ship a pirating."
Before departing, Holford stated that he would be back on the island in a month, and threatened that if he found Vane still there, he would take him back to Jamaica and hang him. Another ship soon arrived and as none of the crew recognized Vane he was allowed on board. Unluckily, Captain Holford's ship met with this ship at sea, and the captain of Vane's ship invited Holford, a friend of his, to dine with him. While there, Holford saw Vane working aboard and informed the captain who Vane truly was. The captain quickly relinquished Vane to Captain Holford who locked him in his hold and promptly turned him over to the authorities in Jamaica. It is unclear why Vane seems to have been imprisoned for over a year before the trial. Vane may have been marooned longer than the few weeks recorded, or there may have been distant witnesses to gather once he was captured. Most likely his reputation had earned the disdain of pirates, royal mariners and the public at large and they wanted him to rot in gaol before being executed. During his trial, numerous merchant He was found guilty and sentenced to death on March 22, 1720. At his trial, numerous witnesses from merchant vessels captured by Vane testified against him, as did Vincent Pearse, Captain of the HMS Phoenix
HMS Phoenix (1694)
HMS Phoenix was originally built as a fireship. In 1707, she belonged to Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell's fleet. She saw action during the unsuccessful Battle of Toulon and was present during the great naval disaster off the Isles of Scilly when Shovell and four of his ships were lost, claiming...
, who related how Vane had made a mockery of the King's pardon. When it was Vane's turn to present his defense, he called no witnesses and asked no questions. On March 29, 1721, Vane was hanged at Gallows Point in Port Royal. He died without expressing the least remorse for his crimes. After death, his body was hung from a gibbet
Gibbet
A gibbet is a gallows-type structure from which the dead bodies of executed criminals were hung on public display to deter other existing or potential criminals. In earlier times, up to the late 17th century, live gibbeting also took place, in which the criminal was placed alive in a metal cage...
on Gun Cay, at the mouth of harbor at Port Royal, as a warning against piracy.
External links
- http://www.kipar.org/piratical-resources/pirate-fame.html