The Battle of Cape Lopez was fought in early 1722 during the
Golden Age of Piracy
The Golden Age of Piracy is a common designation for the period between the 1650s and the 1730s, when maritime piracy was a significant factor in the histories of the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, the Indian Ocean, North America, and West Africa ...
. A
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
man-of-war
The man-of-war (also man-o'-war, or simply man) was a Royal Navy expression for a powerful warship or frigate from the 16th to the 19th century. Although the term never acquired a specific meaning, it was usually reserved for a ship armed wi ...
under
Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
Chaloner Ogle
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Chaloner Ogle KB (1681 – 11 April 1750) was a Royal Navy officer and politician. After serving as a junior officer during the Nine Years' War, a ship he was commanding was captured by three French ships off Ostend in ...
defeated the pirate ship of
Bartholomew Roberts
)
, type=Pirate
, birth_place = Casnewydd Bach, near Puncheston, Pembrokeshire, Wales, Kingdom of England
, death_place = At sea off of Cape Lopez, Gabon
, allegiance=
, serviceyears=1719–1722
, base of operations= Off the coast of the Americ ...
off the coast of
Gabon
Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north ...
,
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Maurit ...
.
Background
Roberts was the most successful pirate of the Golden Age; he captured well over 400 vessels ranging from small
fishing boat
A fishing vessel is a boat or ship used to catch fish in the sea, or on a lake or river. Many different kinds of vessels are used in commercial, artisanal and recreational fishing.
The total number of fishing vessels in the world in 2016 was es ...
s to large
frigate
A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat.
The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...
s. In April 1721, Roberts, also known as "Black Bart", was sailing the coast of
Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...
when he came across a French frigate of fifty-two guns and captured her. Aboard the vessel was the governor of the French colony who was hanged by Roberts from the
yardarm
A yard is a spar on a mast from which sails are set. It may be constructed of timber or steel or from more modern materials such as aluminium or carbon fibre. Although some types of fore and aft rigs have yards, the term is usually used to desc ...
of his ship. This act proved to be his downfall as it was apparently the final straw. In retaliation for Black Bart's repeated attacks on fleets of merchant ships and his killing of the governor, the
French Navy
The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in t ...
and the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
dispatched several warships to hunt the pirates. Roberts and his men captured the two French warships off the
Senegal River
,french: Fleuve Sénégal)
, name_etymology =
, image = Senegal River Saint Louis.jpg
, image_size =
, image_caption = Fishermen on the bank of the Senegal River estuary at the outskirts of Saint-Louis, Senegal ...
s mouth, the sixteen-gun
sloop-of-war
In the 18th century and most of the 19th, a sloop-of-war in the Royal Navy was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. The rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above; thus, the term ''sloop-of-war'' enc ...
''
Comte de Toulouse
The count of Toulouse ( oc, comte de Tolosa, french: comte de Toulouse) was the ruler of Toulouse during the 8th to 13th centuries. Originating as vassals of the Frankish kings,
the hereditary counts ruled the city of Toulouse and its surroundin ...
'' and a ten-gun
brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...
. ''Comte de Toulouse'' was renamed the ''Ranger'' and the brig ''Little Ranger''. After taking the two Frenchmen, the pirates sailed southeast for the present day
Gabon
Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north ...
.
While on the way, off the
Pepper Coast Roberts sighted and captured the
Royal Africa Company
The Royal African Company (RAC) was an English mercantile (trading) company set up in 1660 by the royal Stuart family and City of London merchants to trade along the west coast of Africa. It was led by the Duke of York, who was the brother o ...
frigate ''Onslow'' which he renamed the ''Royal Fortune''. The frigate mounted over forty guns and the crew consisted of about 250 men, black and white. Black Bart's luck was soon to run out though, as two Royal Navy men-of-war began patrolling the waters of West Africa, at about the same time, Roberts anchored in Cape Lopez for
careening. The Royal Navy vessels on patrol were the
fourth-rate
In 1603 all English warships with a compliment of fewer than 160 men were known as 'small ships'. In 1625/26 to establish pay rates for officers a six tier naval ship rating system was introduced.Winfield 2009 These small ships were divided i ...
s
HMS ''Swallow'' and
HMS ''Weymouth'', both mounting fifty guns or more but only the ''Swallow'' under
Captain Chaloner Ogle encountered Black Bart. When Captain Ogle sailed around the cape he sighted four vessels, three of them pirates and one a merchant ship the ''Neptune'' belonging to a Captain Hill, which was illegally trading with the brigands. Ogle spotted a
sandbar
In oceanography, geomorphology, and Earth science, geoscience, a shoal is a natural submerged ridge, bank (geography), bank, or bar that consists of, or is covered by, sand or other unconsolidated material and rises from the bed of a body o ...
and quickly ordered his ship to turn out of the way, at the same time raising a Portuguese flag. By this time the pirates had spotted the ''Swallow'' so Roberts allowed Captain
James Skyrme
James Skyrme (died 1722, last name occasionally Skyrm) was a Welsh pirate best known for Captaining two of Bartholomew Roberts’ prize ships.
History
In the summer of 1720 James Skyrme sailed from Bristol as first mate of ''Greyhound''. That ...
in the ''Ranger'' to capture what he thought was a fleeing merchant ship.
Sensing an opportunity, Captain Ogle chose to let the pirate chase him for several hours until they were far away from the cape and land was no longer in sight. Ogle then turned about, raised the
White Ensign
The White Ensign, at one time called the St George's Ensign due to the simultaneous existence of a cross-less version of the flag, is an ensign worn on British Royal Navy ships and shore establishments. It consists of a red St George's Cross on ...
and engaged Captain Skyrme, who still did not realize the ''Swallow'' was a Royal Navy frigate. After a relatively short action, the sloop was captured, made a
prize
A prize is an award to be given to a person or a group of people (such as sporting teams and organizations) to recognize and reward their actions and achievements. , and ten pirates were killed. Ogle then patiently sailed back to Cape Lopez where he arrived five days later on February 10, 1722.
Battle
![Bartholomew Roberts](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Bartholomew_Roberts.jpg)
According to legend, at this time Black Bart Roberts was eating breakfast of
salmagundi
Salmagundi (or salmagundy or sallid magundi) is a cold dish or salad made from different ingredients which may include meat, seafood, eggs, cooked vegetables, raw vegetables, fruits or pickles. In English culture, the term does not refer to a s ...
with Captain Hill of the captured ship ''Neptune'' aboard the ''Royal Fortune'' when one of his crew shouted that the ''Ranger'' was returning from her chase with the merchant ship. A few moments later they discovered the incoming vessel was not their sloop but the ''Swallow''. One of the pirates, a man named Armstrong who had absconded from the ''Swallow's'' sister ship ''Weymouth'' at Madeira, recognized the Royal Navy frigate and told Captain Roberts. Without fear Roberts boarded the ''Royal Fortune'' and as he did before all of his battles, he dressed in his finest clothing, a red damask waistcoat and a red feather in his hat, and began organizing his escape. Most of the crew from the ''Little Ranger'' was ordered to join the crew of the ''Royal Fortune'' so as to keep as many pirates as possible aboard the
flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...
for defense. The ''Little Ranger'' which was hauled on her side being cleaned at the time, was abandoned. When the pirates left, Captain Hill's crew went aboard the ''Little Ranger'' and looted gold and other valuables, and sailed off for
Prince's Island (São Tomé and Príncipe).
Roberts' plan called for him to sail directly for the ''Swallow'' in order to quickly pass her and then escape. By doing this the ''Swallow'' would have to turn about to engage or chase the ''Royal Fortune'' which would give Roberts valuable time to flee. The plan however had one default, by sailing right past the Royal Navy frigate, the ''Royal Fortune'' would be exposed to one of ''Swallow''s deadly broadsides. Captain Roberts set out for his escape and issued the command for ''Little Ranger'' and the merchantman to leave. The following action ended badly for the pirates. When ''Royal Fortune'' was off ''Swallow''s beam, she released a massive broadside which raked the ship. The pirates opened fire and then an additional broadside from the ''Swallow'' raked the deck where Black Bart was commanding. The pirates got clear and ran ahead of the wind, leaving the ''Swallow'' behind. The action took place during a fierce tropical storm, and just as the ''Royal Fortune'' seemed to have escaped the ship hit the 'eye' of the storm, and were suddenly becalmed for half an hour. This gave the unaffected ''Swallow'' time to catch up, and when they were in range, they fired their
swivel
A swivel is a connection that allows the connected object, such as a gun, chair, swivel caster, or an anchor rode to rotate horizontally or vertically.
Swivel designs
A common design for a swivel is a cylindrical rod that can turn freely wi ...
s (guns mounted on the bow which fired
grapeshot
Grapeshot is a type of artillery round invented by a British Officer during the Napoleonic Wars. It was used mainly as an anti infantry round, but had other uses in naval combat.
In artillery, a grapeshot is a type of ammunition that consists of ...
) at the ''Royal Fortune''. Three men died, one of them being Bartholomew Roberts. A piece of shot no bigger than a penny, hit him in the throat, severed his spinal column, and he died instantly. He settled down onto a gun, to initial observers that he was taking a rest but when the smoke had cleared away Black Bart was dead and Captain Ogle later allowed his crew to bury him at sea, which they did in all his finery, including a diamond studded six inch cross on a chain which he wore around his neck.
The pirates, determined to avenge their captain, slowed down their vessel and turned around to continue the engagement. According to some accounts the action lasted for around three hours before cannon fire from the ship of the line dismasted the pirate frigate and allowed boarding. ''Royal Fortune''s
colors were struck by force and the remaining pirates were arrested.
Aftermath
![Chaloner Ogle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Chaloner_Ogle.JPG)
Bartholomew Roberts was killed at the very beginning of the battle during the second broadside unleashed by the ship of the line. Several men were killed or wounded on both sides and 272 pirates taken prisoner in all. Many were wounded and died in captivity on their way to the prison of
Cape Coast Castle
Cape Coast Castle ( sv, Carolusborg) is one of about forty "slave castles", or large commercial forts, built on the Gold Coast of West Africa (now Ghana) by European traders. It was originally a Portuguese "feitoria" or trading post, established ...
. Fifty-four pirates were hanged for their deeds and thirty-seven were punished less severely. Of the 272 captured pirates, 65 were former African slaves that Roberts had emancipated, and they were sold back into slavery.
[Burl, Aubrey (2006) ''Black Barty: Bartholomew Roberts and his pirate crew 1718–1723''. Sutton Publishing. ] Seventeen went to
Marshalsea prison
The Marshalsea (1373–1842) was a notorious prison in Southwark, just south of the River Thames. Although it housed a variety of prisoners, including men accused of crimes at sea and political figures charged with sedition, it became known, in ...
in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
and twenty became indentured servants for the Royal African Company. Dozens of pirates escaped punishment as they were forced into a life with Roberts' pirates to begin with. Captain Chaloner Ogle benefitted from the battle significantly, besides being
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
ed and becoming an
admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
he took off several ounces of gold dust from the ''Ranger'' and the ''Royal Fortune''. After defeating Roberts, Captain Ogle intended to sail back and take the ''Little Ranger'' which was also carrying gold but she and the merchantman escaped and it is said that Captain Hill received most of the remaining gold. With the death of "Black Bart", piracy in the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
died off and the Golden Age ended by 1730.
References
*Roberts, V'leOnica, The True & Complete Memoirs of Pirate Captain Bartholomew Roberts aka Black Bart (2004)
*Cordingly, David, Under the Black Flag: The Romance and Reality of Life Among the Pirates Harcourt Brace: New York (1995)
*Rich, Jeremy, A Workman Is Worthy of His Meat: Food and Colonialism in the Gabon Estuary. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press (2007)
*Reader, John, Africa: A Biography of the Continent. Hamish Hamilton (1997)
*
A General History of the Pyrates
''A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates'' is a 1724 book published in Britain containing biographies of contemporary pirates, by
Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
Charles Johnson (1724)
{{Pirates
Piracy in the Atlantic Ocean
Cape Lopez
Cape Lopez () is a headland on the coast of Gabon, west central Africa. The westernmost point of Gabon, it separates the Gulf of Guinea from the South Atlantic Ocean. Cape Lopez is the northernmost point of a low, wooded island between two mouths ...
Cape Lopez
Cape Lopez () is a headland on the coast of Gabon, west central Africa. The westernmost point of Gabon, it separates the Gulf of Guinea from the South Atlantic Ocean. Cape Lopez is the northernmost point of a low, wooded island between two mouths ...
Cape Lopez
Cape Lopez () is a headland on the coast of Gabon, west central Africa. The westernmost point of Gabon, it separates the Gulf of Guinea from the South Atlantic Ocean. Cape Lopez is the northernmost point of a low, wooded island between two mouths ...
Cape Lopez
Cape Lopez () is a headland on the coast of Gabon, west central Africa. The westernmost point of Gabon, it separates the Gulf of Guinea from the South Atlantic Ocean. Cape Lopez is the northernmost point of a low, wooded island between two mouths ...
1722 in Africa