Chinese pirates of late 18 th Century

1. Chinese pirates of late 18th Century

2. Chinese divided the water world into • ‘Outer sea’ and ‘inner sea’ • Inner sea: • Network of canals and channels connecting streams and rivers • Between mountains of interior and outer sea

3. On land were two groups • People of the plains • Rice farmers and merchants • Hill people • Moved into settled land therefore lived in hills • Both groups had lived there for generations • Buried ancestors in family plots • Despised water people as an inferior race of humans

4. Water people or Tanka • Earned living exclusively on the water • Lived in single ship units • Along coast of Kwangtung province in inner sea • Among water ways and more than 700 islands

5. Expert boatmen • Had practiced piracy seasonally • Summer headed north for small scale piracy/smuggling • Winter headed south for fishing • Imperial court looked inwards not outwards • Tanka as a whole little or no contact with land people • Poor • No land person could be trusted • Until end of 1700s

6. 1790ish • Kwangtung region outgrown ability to feed itself • Everyone needed additional means of support • 1760 Qing authorities • Made canton made only port through which foreign goods could enter • Barred Iron trade to Vietnam • Tankas one legitimate possibility of expansion

7. Last part of the shift to grand scale piracy • Conflict in Vietnam • Three different groups • One supported by China • Qing backed faction captured Tanka with wife and children • Ch’enT’ien-pao • Persuaded them to act as pirate and fight for them • Very successful • Totally Virtuous Marquis

8. Continued success • General Pao, Virtuous Marquis • Eventually his faction recognized as emperor of Vietnam by China • Chief responsibility organize pirates • 100s of ships • Pirates got safe harbor and access for merchant in exchange for 20 – 40% to Government

9. Emperor died • Eventually son succeeded to throne • But factions had developed all with own pirates • Great Governor General who controls Each Branch of the Naval Force • Destroy or incorporate all pirates • Pirates who didn’t join left and headed to China

10. Qing distracted by rebellions on land • Eventually had to respond • Ships stationed to attack pirates as soon as they entered Chinese waters • Chinese sailors afraid and didn’t attack • Pacification next step • Amnesty and reward to pirates who turned themselves in • Return to home village • Join army • Settle inland with a start up subsidy • 1,700 turned themselves in

11. Either 1,700 was just a small part or they all returned to sea • Problems got worse • Emperor overthrown in Vietnam • General Pao • Surrended to Quing • Fleet dissolved • Followers either • captured and killed or returned to inner sea • But….

12. While they had been away Tanka in Inner sea had grown more powerful • Multiple ‘families’ grew attacking and competing • Eventually they gathered themselves into seven ‘families’ • One soon surrendered to authorities • Different colors • red, black, white, green, blue, and yellow • Anyone operating outside attacked and killed

13. Red flag fleet leader died wife took over • “Dragon Lady” • Cheng I Sao (wife of Cheng I) • Ching Shih • Married husbands adopted son – Chang Pao • 300 ships 20,000-40,000 men • All together • 1,800 ship 70,000 men by 1809

14. Eventually the Chinese authorities turned to the problem of the pirates • After several major battles and failed attempts to destroy the pirates • Or encourage them to come in • Leader of Black Fleet asked Portuguese in Macao to broker a deal with Qing • Dragon lady cut a deal with British • Leave them alone if they left her alone

15. She then went to talk to Qing authorities • Meanwhile her fleet continued to attack mainland • Authorities in China gave her everything she asked for • Red and Black Fleet worked with navy • Within a year organized piracy over • main leaders retired

16. War of 1812pirates and privateers?

17. First the pirate • Jean Laffite • first appeared in New Orleans in 1803 • Born in  • Marseilles, Bordeaux, St. Domingue • 1803 New Orleans became part of the United States

18. Americans, including new governor • William C. C. Claiborne • Upset at Creoles' toleration of smuggling • Governor issued a $500 reward for the Laffite’s arrest  • Within a week new posters appeared • offering $1500 to anyone who delivered Governor Claiborne to Barataria • signed, Jean Laffite.

19. Barataria home to buccaneers and fishermen • Laffite organized them into a company of privateers and smugglers  • Men numbered one thousand, came from many countries • included navigators, gunners, carpenters, cooks, sailmakers, and riggers  • Devised laws to protect the men and their women from lawless rampages  • Prohibited his men from attacking American ships • Death penalty for violation of this rule. 

20. Ships sailed under letters of marque from Cartagena • republic of Columbia fighting for its independence from Spain • Plundered cargoes of Spanish and English ships • Two years after the United States declared war on England in 1812 dingy from the Sophia and sailed into Barataria under a white flag  • British officers Lockyer and McWilliams • Offered Lafitte land, gold, and a commission in the Royal Navy  • Laffite told them he would give them his answer in two weeks • Went to offer his help to New Orleans

21. Governor rejected Laffite's offer.  • Laffite sought out Andrew Jackson • Initially against any offer from the "hellish banditti," • Reassessed after Laffite offered him two things he desperately needed: • 7,500 flints with powder and 1,000 fighting men  • President Madison pardoned Laffite and his men for their bravery • New Orleanians became less accepting of smugglers • 1817, established a new colony on Galveston Island • 1821, American Navy delivered an ultimatum: leave or be blown to bits. • Under cover of darkness, Laffite slipped away after setting fire to his stronghold.

22. And now the naval officer ?Privateer ?Pirate ?of the pacific

23. Commodore David Porter

24. Porters father American Privateer in revolutionary war • 196 age 16 Porter joined his father on Merchant ships to Caribbean • Joined Early American navy • On board Philadelphia when ran aground in Tripoli • Taken prisoner • More of this later

25. After being freed remained in the region Had command of two ships Returned to America Married 1808 Commander of naval station in New Orleans Not enough excitement Headed North to New York

26. USS Essex

27. Made through public subscription in 1799 in Salem • Porter took control 1811 • Along came war of 1812 • Few small prizes, modicum of fame • First American ship to take British warship Alert • Only 8 minutes • Porter wanted more than easy victory he wanted grand prizes

28. So far so good a loyal trusted naval officer Begins to blur the lines October 28 1812 left Delaware Orders: Rendezvous with other ships in south Atlantic Never able to do so

29. “It became absolutely necessary to depart from the letter on my instructions” • Decided to go around cape into Pacific • Kept it secret from his men • When they realize wrote note for men

30. A large increase of the enemy’s forces compels us to abandon a coast, that will neither afford us security nor supplies; nor are there any inducements for a longer continuance there . . . The Pacific ocean affords us many friendly ports. The unprotected British commerce, on the coast of Chili, Peru, and Mexico, will give you an abundant supply of wealth; and the girls of he Sandwich Islands, shall reward you for your sufferings during the passage around Cape Horn Sailors and Marines

31. Initially trip went well • But Cape attacked, as it attacked many before • including Drake • Eventually Became first American warship in the pacific

32. Met with American Whale ship – Charles Learned British and Spanish ships captured two American whale ships Porter spotted Spanish ship Raised British Flag and approached (?) Removed all arms and ammunition and sent it to Lima Do no more harm to American Shipping

33. Learned from American captains that there were at least 20 British whale Ships in the region Cargo fetch $200,000 each New plan capture whale ships and sell them at profit (?) Painted Essex to look like Spanish Merchant vessel (?) Headed off in pursuit

34. Several weeks no look • April 29th saw sail • Raised British Flag (?) • Took the Montezuma • British whale ship • Big prize • New note to men

35. Fortune has a length smiled on us, because we deserved her smiles, and the first time she enabled us to display free trade and sailor’s rights, assisted by your good conduct, she put in our possession nearly half a million of the enemy’s property Sailors and Marines

36. Continued to take British whale men • Burned three ships • Sold a couple kept the rest • Took 12 in all • Eventually British warships caught up with him • Tried to run • Strong wind snapped mainmast • British caught him and he surrendered

37. So was Porter • Naval officer ? • Privateer ? • Pirate?