Action of 2 March 1825
Encyclopedia
The Capture of the El Mosquito refers to the defeat of Roberto Cofresí
and his pirate ship off the port town of Boca Del Infierno
, Puerto Rico
by American
and Spanish
forces in March of 1825. United States Navy
ships of the West Indies Squadron
, with help from the Spanish Military, heavily damaged Cofresi's vessel and forced him to abandon her and escape to shore where he was later captured by Puerto Rican authorities and executed.
and after his death piracy in the region once again declined. He commanded at least three different vessels during his career, most famous was the fast six gun schooner
El Mosquito which was crewed by sixteen men in all. Late in 1824 Cofresi made his most successful attack on a fleet of eight merchant ships, one of which was American flagged. In response the United States Navy
ordered the USS Grampus under Captain
John D. Sloat
to search the pirates out and destroy them. Two small sloops from Puerto Rico accompanied Grampus during the battle. They were the San Jose and Las Animas, San Jose held six guns and twenty-three officers and marines under the command of Captain Francis Storer. The Las Animas carried one gun and twenty-seven officers and men under Captain Garrett. Grampus was specifically designed for fighting piracy, she was armed with two 12-pounders (5.4 kg) and sixteen 24-pounder (11 kg) carronade
s and had a crew of 142 officers and enlisted. She was already a veteran ship that defeated a pirate brig
from Puerto Rico in 1822.
The American and Spanish flotilla searched several Puerto Rican ports before finding the pirates on March 2, cruising off Boca del Infierno near Ponce
, on the island's southern coast. Cofresi, on deck of the El Mosquito, first thought USS Grampus was a merchantman so he ordered an attack and when his schooner closed the range, the Americans raised the Navy Jack and fired a broadside at the incoming pirates. The broadside was followed by additional shots from the sloops and the pirates took to evasive maneuvers and returned fire at the Grampus. After forty-five minutes of dueling, resisting the attack proved to be pointless so Captain Cofresi decided to disengage and try to flee along the coast. The Americans, and Spanish troops on land, closely pursued the El Mosquito until the schooner was too heavily damaged. Her masts, sails and rigging were all torn to pieces by cannon fire. Cofresi then chose to abandon ship and swim to shore, all while under fire from the chasing squadron. Eventually the El Mosquito was seized and at least three pirates were killed and six others were wounded, including the captain. USS Grampus sustained only slight damage and a couple wounded.
The remaining thirteen pirates escaped to shore and headed for the jungle, American sailors landed to search for the pirates and inform the Puerto Ricans of the matter. Six pirates were captured by American forces that same night and later at about 10:30 pm, Cofresi and a few more pirates were taken by Spanish forces after a skirmish along a road leading away from the area. The Americans handed their prisoners over to the Spanish garrison
of El Morro Castle and they were executed by firing squad on March 29, 1825. John Sloat later became a commodore in the United States Navy and served during the California
and Pacific Coast Campaign
s of the Mexican-American War.
Spanish Navy:
Cofresi's Pirates
Roberto Cofresí
Roberto Cofresí , better known as "El Pirata Cofresí", was the most renowned pirate in Puerto Rico. He became interested in sailing at a young age. By the time he reached adulthood there were some political and economic difficulties in Puerto Rico, which at the time was a colony of Spain...
and his pirate ship off the port town of Boca Del Infierno
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
forces in March of 1825. United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
ships of the West Indies Squadron
West Indies Squadron (United States)
The West Indies Squadron, or the West Indies Station, was a United States Navy squadron that operated in the West Indies in the early nineteenth century. It was formed due to the need to suppress piracy in the Caribbean Sea, the Antilles and the Gulf of Mexico region of the Atlantic Ocean...
, with help from the Spanish Military, heavily damaged Cofresi's vessel and forced him to abandon her and escape to shore where he was later captured by Puerto Rican authorities and executed.
Background
Confresi was one of the last pirates to be successful in Caribbean SeaCaribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
and after his death piracy in the region once again declined. He commanded at least three different vessels during his career, most famous was the fast six gun schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
El Mosquito which was crewed by sixteen men in all. Late in 1824 Cofresi made his most successful attack on a fleet of eight merchant ships, one of which was American flagged. In response the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
ordered the USS Grampus under Captain
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
John D. Sloat
John D. Sloat
John Drake Sloat was a commodore in the United States Navy who, in 1846, claimed California for the United States.-Life:...
to search the pirates out and destroy them. Two small sloops from Puerto Rico accompanied Grampus during the battle. They were the San Jose and Las Animas, San Jose held six guns and twenty-three officers and marines under the command of Captain Francis Storer. The Las Animas carried one gun and twenty-seven officers and men under Captain Garrett. Grampus was specifically designed for fighting piracy, she was armed with two 12-pounders (5.4 kg) and sixteen 24-pounder (11 kg) carronade
Carronade
The carronade was a short smoothbore, cast iron cannon, developed for the Royal Navy by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Scotland, UK. It was used from the 1770s to the 1850s. Its main function was to serve as a powerful, short-range anti-ship and anti-crew weapon...
s and had a crew of 142 officers and enlisted. She was already a veteran ship that defeated a pirate brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
from Puerto Rico in 1822.
Capture
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, on the island's southern coast. Cofresi, on deck of the El Mosquito, first thought USS Grampus was a merchantman so he ordered an attack and when his schooner closed the range, the Americans raised the Navy Jack and fired a broadside at the incoming pirates. The broadside was followed by additional shots from the sloops and the pirates took to evasive maneuvers and returned fire at the Grampus. After forty-five minutes of dueling, resisting the attack proved to be pointless so Captain Cofresi decided to disengage and try to flee along the coast. The Americans, and Spanish troops on land, closely pursued the El Mosquito until the schooner was too heavily damaged. Her masts, sails and rigging were all torn to pieces by cannon fire. Cofresi then chose to abandon ship and swim to shore, all while under fire from the chasing squadron. Eventually the El Mosquito was seized and at least three pirates were killed and six others were wounded, including the captain. USS Grampus sustained only slight damage and a couple wounded.
Aftermath
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
of El Morro Castle and they were executed by firing squad on March 29, 1825. John Sloat later became a commodore in the United States Navy and served during the California
California Republic
The California Republic, also called the Bear Flag Republic, is the name used for a period of revolt against Mexico initially proclaimed by a handful of American settlers in Mexican California on June 14, 1846, in Sonoma. This was shortly before news of the Mexican–American War had reached the area...
and Pacific Coast Campaign
Pacific Coast Campaign
The Pacific Coast Campaign refers to United States naval operations against targets along Mexico's Pacific Coast during the Mexican-American War. It excludes engagements of the California Campaign in Alta California. The objective of the campaign was to capture Mazatlan, a major Mexican seaport...
s of the Mexican-American War.
Order of Battle
United States Navy:- USS GrampusUSS Grampus (1820)USS Grampus was a schooner in the United States Navy. She was the first U.S. Navy ship to be named for the Grampus griseus, also known as Risso's Dolphin....
, schooner, flagshipFlagshipA flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
Spanish Navy:
- San Jose, sloop-of-war
- Las Animas, sloop-of-war
Cofresi's Pirates
- El Mosquito, schooner