John Morris (pirate)
Encyclopedia
John Morris was a British within the Caribbean during early-1660s until the early-1670s. His son, John Morris the Younger, held a command of his own ship during his father's later expeditions against Portobello
and Maracaibo
. He was one of the commanders in an explosion during a party on-board Henry Morgan
's flagship in 1670.
Serving with Admiral Christopher Myngs
during his campaign against Spain the West Indies during the early- 1660s, he would become associated with many future prominent privateers of the era and later bought four captured prizes from Myngs.
One of the early buccaneer
s participating in the expeditions against Spanish strongholds in Mexico
and Nicaragua
in late-1663 and early-1664, Morris sailed with Henry Morgan
, David Marteen
, Captain Jackman and Captain Freeman against Spanish strongholds in the Caribbean under privateering commissions granted by then governor Thomas Modyford
.
Arriving off the coast of Mexico, Morris and the others anchored their ships at the mouth of the Grijalva River
and proceeded to march 50 miles inland to the capital of the Tabasco
Province, Villahermosa
, taking the Spanish stronghold completely by surprise. Returning to the coast, the fleet had been captured by a Spanish patrol and, stealing two barque
s and four Indian canoes, Morris and the other sailed south looting a village before their arrival at present day Trujillo, Honduras. Sailing off with a ship anchored in the town harbor, they eventually hid the captured vessel at the mouth of the San Juan river
and travelled nearly 100 miles upriver to Lake Nicaragua
where they raided the city of Granada
before returning to Port Royal, Jamaica in November 1665.
In 1670, he and Morgan encountered Portuguese pirate Manuel Rivero Pardel, who had long been raiding shipping under a letter of marque from Spain, and boarded his ship, San Pedro y La Fama, while sailing off the northern coast of Cuba. Although many of his crew were killed by Morris's crew after jumping overboard in panic, Rivero managed to escape during the confusion but was soon killed by Morgan http://www.privateerdragons.com/pirates_famous6.html.
Morris would later serve under Morgan in his later raids against Portobelo, Maracaibo
and Panama
in January 1671, with himself and Lawrence Prince
leading the assault. Upon their return to Port Royal following the Panama raid, newly appointed governor Sir Thomas Lynch arrested Morgan whose attack, although commissioned by former governor Thomas Modyford, had taken place following the recently signed peace treaty between England and Spain. Apparently not subject to arrest, Morris was given command of the frigate Lilly and commissioned as a pirate hunter with explicit instructions to arrest pirivateers who continued acts of piracy against Spain.
In January 1672, he left Port Royal with HMS Assistance
under Major William Beeston
and sailed towards Havana
in search of privateers. During the voyage, as described in Beeston's logbook, Morris was a skilled pilot who greatly assisted Beeston and other British Captain's unfamiliar with Caribbean waters. During the six-week voyage, the expedition successfully captured the sloop Charity under Captain Francis Weatherbourn and the Mary under Captain Du Mangles bringing back a total of forty three prisoners.
Portobello
-Places:England* Portobello, West Midlands* Portobello Road, London* Portobellow, an estate in Wakefield, West YorkshireIreland* Portobello, Dublin, IrelandNew Zealand* Portobello, New ZealandPanama* Portobelo, PanamaScotland* Portobello, Edinburgh...
and Maracaibo
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
. He was one of the commanders in an explosion during a party on-board Henry Morgan
Henry Morgan
Admiral Sir Henry Morgan was an Admiral of the Royal Navy, a privateer, and a pirate who made a name for himself during activities in the Caribbean, primarily raiding Spanish settlements...
's flagship in 1670.
Serving with Admiral Christopher Myngs
Christopher Myngs
Sir Christopher Myngs , English admiral and pirate, came of a Norfolk family and was a relative of another admiral, Sir Cloudesley Shovell. Pepys' story of his humble birth, in explanation of his popularity, is said to be erroneous. His name is often given as Mings.The date of Myngs's birth is...
during his campaign against Spain the West Indies during the early- 1660s, he would become associated with many future prominent privateers of the era and later bought four captured prizes from Myngs.
One of the early buccaneer
Buccaneer
The buccaneers were privateers who attacked Spanish shipping in the Caribbean Sea during the late 17th century.The term buccaneer is now used generally as a synonym for pirate...
s participating in the expeditions against Spanish strongholds in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
in late-1663 and early-1664, Morris sailed with Henry Morgan
Henry Morgan
Admiral Sir Henry Morgan was an Admiral of the Royal Navy, a privateer, and a pirate who made a name for himself during activities in the Caribbean, primarily raiding Spanish settlements...
, David Marteen
David Marteen
David Marteen was a Dutch privateer based in Tortuga during the mid-17th century, known primarily as the sole non-English Captain who participated in the raids against Spanish strongholds in present-day Mexico and Nicaragua during 1663 until 1665...
, Captain Jackman and Captain Freeman against Spanish strongholds in the Caribbean under privateering commissions granted by then governor Thomas Modyford
Thomas Modyford
Colonel Sir Thomas Modyford, 1st Baronet was a planter of Barbados and Governor of Jamaica, 1664-70.Modyford was the son of a mayor of Exeter with family connections to the Duke of Albemarle, who emigrated to Barbados as a young man with other family members in 1647, in the opening stages of the...
.
Arriving off the coast of Mexico, Morris and the others anchored their ships at the mouth of the Grijalva River
Grijalva River
Grijalva River, formerly known as Tabasco River. is a 480 km long river in southeastern Mexico. It is named after Juan de Grijalva who visited the area in 1518. The river rises in Chiapas highlands and flows from Chiapas to the state of Tabasco through the Sumidero Canyon into the Bay of...
and proceeded to march 50 miles inland to the capital of the Tabasco
Tabasco
Tabasco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tabasco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa....
Province, Villahermosa
Villahermosa
Like most of the Tabasco, Villahermosa has a tropical climate. The city specifically features a tropical monsoon climate. Temperatures during spring and summer seasons reach upwards of 40°C , with humidity levels hovering around 30% during the same period...
, taking the Spanish stronghold completely by surprise. Returning to the coast, the fleet had been captured by a Spanish patrol and, stealing two barque
Barque
A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts.- History of the term :The word barque appears to have come from the Greek word baris, a term for an Egyptian boat. This entered Latin as barca, which gave rise to the Italian barca, Spanish barco, and the French barge and...
s and four Indian canoes, Morris and the other sailed south looting a village before their arrival at present day Trujillo, Honduras. Sailing off with a ship anchored in the town harbor, they eventually hid the captured vessel at the mouth of the San Juan river
San Juan River (Nicaragua)
The San Juan River , also known as El Desaguadero , is a 192.06 km river that flows east out of Lake Nicaragua into the Caribbean Sea. A large section of the border between Nicaragua and Costa Rica runs on the right bank of the river...
and travelled nearly 100 miles upriver to Lake Nicaragua
Lake Nicaragua
Lake Nicaragua or Cocibolca or Granada or is a vast freshwater lake in Nicaragua of tectonic origin. With an area of , it is the largest lake in Central America, the 19th largest lake in the world and the 9th largest in the Americas. It is slightly smaller than Lake Titicaca. With an elevation...
where they raided the city of Granada
Granada, Nicaragua
Granada is a city in western Nicaragua and the capital of the Granada Department. With an estimated population of 110,326 , it is Nicaragua's fourth most populous city. Granada is historically one of Nicaragua's most important cities, economically and politically...
before returning to Port Royal, Jamaica in November 1665.
In 1670, he and Morgan encountered Portuguese pirate Manuel Rivero Pardel, who had long been raiding shipping under a letter of marque from Spain, and boarded his ship, San Pedro y La Fama, while sailing off the northern coast of Cuba. Although many of his crew were killed by Morris's crew after jumping overboard in panic, Rivero managed to escape during the confusion but was soon killed by Morgan http://www.privateerdragons.com/pirates_famous6.html.
Morris would later serve under Morgan in his later raids against Portobelo, Maracaibo
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
and Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
in January 1671, with himself and Lawrence Prince
Lawrence Prince
Laurens Prins known in English as Lawrence Prince was a 17th century Dutch buccaneer and an officer under Captain Sir Henry Morgan...
leading the assault. Upon their return to Port Royal following the Panama raid, newly appointed governor Sir Thomas Lynch arrested Morgan whose attack, although commissioned by former governor Thomas Modyford, had taken place following the recently signed peace treaty between England and Spain. Apparently not subject to arrest, Morris was given command of the frigate Lilly and commissioned as a pirate hunter with explicit instructions to arrest pirivateers who continued acts of piracy against Spain.
In January 1672, he left Port Royal with HMS Assistance
HMS Assistance (1650)
HMS Assistance was a 40-gun fourth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England at Deptford, and launched in 1650. By 1677 her armament had been increased to 48 guns....
under Major William Beeston
William Beeston
William Beeston was a 17th century actor and theatre manager, the son and successor to the more famous Christopher Beeston.-Early phase:...
and sailed towards Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
in search of privateers. During the voyage, as described in Beeston's logbook, Morris was a skilled pilot who greatly assisted Beeston and other British Captain's unfamiliar with Caribbean waters. During the six-week voyage, the expedition successfully captured the sloop Charity under Captain Francis Weatherbourn and the Mary under Captain Du Mangles bringing back a total of forty three prisoners.
Other Material
- Age of Pirates 2: City of Abandoned ShipsAge of Pirates 2: City of Abandoned ShipsAge of Pirates 2: City of Abandoned Ships is a computer game developed by Akella, which was released on May 26, 2009. It is the sequel to Sea Dogs , Pirates of the Caribbean , and Age of Pirates: Caribbean Tales...
(2009 video game) consist a figure of John Morris whom lived in Port of SpainPort of SpainPort of Spain, also written as Port-of-Spain, is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 , a metropolitan population of 128,026 and a transient daily population...
.