Francis Drake's expedition of 1572–1573

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Francis Drake's expedition of 1572‍–‍1573 was an uncommissioned profiteering voyage by Sir Francis Drake in the western and southern quarters of the Caribbean Sea.

Prelude

Drake's 1571 cruise of the West Indies had proved quite successful, earning him and his crew over £100,000. Consquently, upon his return to Plymouth that year, Drake determined to repeat his feat, assembling, with his brothers John and Joseph, a fleet of two light ships and three small pinnaces.[1][2][Note 1]

Expedition

File:Insvlæ Americanæ in Oceano Septentrionali cum terris adjacentibus. LOC 2003630536.jpg
Insvlæ Americanæ / 1634 map by Willem Janszoon Bleau / via LC
File:Map and views illustrating Sir Francis Drake's West Indian voyage, 1585-6 LOC 2007626708-5.jpg
Cartagena / 1589 lithograph by Boazio Baptista / via LC

Departure

Drake and company departed Plymouth (aboard the Pascha and Swan) in May 1572, landing in southern Dominica on 29 June. Here, the crew refreshed their provisions, and set (on 1 July) set for Port Pheasant (Zapzurro Cove, 35 leagues west of Tolú), which they reached in 11 days (on 12 July). The following day, Drake is joined by James Raunse and his 30 men.[3][2][4][Note 2]

Cruise

1572

Nombre de Dios

At Port Pheasant, Drake and Raunse's men built a log fort, so as to allow the carpenters time to assemble Drake's pinnaces.[3]

On 20 July, the pinnaces having been assembled, the Drake‍–‍Raunce fleet sail for Isla de Pinos (not Cuban isle), where they surprise two Spanish frigates out of Nombre de Dios. The frigates' (enslaved) sailors furnish the party with fresh intelligence regarding the said port, whereupon Drake (with 53 of his men aboard Drake's three pinnaces) and Raunce (with 20 of his men aboard a Spanish prize shallop) set sail for Nombre de Dios, making landfall in the evening of 29 July.[2][3][5]

At 3:00 am that night, the men steal into the port aboard rowboats, but are nonetheless espied by a 60-tonne Spanish merchantman in the harbour. Drake and company managed to land, however, whereupon they took the town's six-gun battery without opposition. They now began dismounting its ordinance, which endeavour stirred the vecinos out of slumber. Upon hearing the warning bells and war drums, Drake and Raunce split their company‍–‍ a dozen men guard the shore, John Oxenham and 16 others circle behind the plaza, while Drake leads the rest (46 men, with Raunce) noisily up the town's main thoroughfare. In the plaza, the Drake detachment are greeted by 'a jolly hot volley of shot,' but they nevertheless eventually scatter the impromptu milita, and thereby secure the city for themselves. Before the crew could loot the treasury, however, a sudden rainstorm drenched the men's match and gunpowder, and (coincidentally), Drake fainted from loss of blood (having sustained a gunshot during the volley). The fleet hastily retreated to Bastimentos (at dawn, on 30 July).[2][6][7][8][Note 3]

Spanish Main

While recuperating at Bastimentos, Paunce takes his leave (on 6 August). Drake (now with only his 73 men) now sets upon the Spanish Main, sighting Carthagena by the evening of 13 August. That night, the men seize the Pasha, a 240-tonne merchantman. This is followed by the seizure of two frigates the next day. As his crew was now stretched thin across two ships, three pinnaces, and three Spanish prizes, Drake burns one of the prizes, and scuttles the Swan.[9][10][11][12]

Shortly thereafter, the crew set up a camp, christened Port Plenty, in the Gulf of San Blas (ie Darien). From this base, (Francis) Drake and company spend the next five or six weeks raiding settlements along the Main (as far east as the Magdalena River), while John Drake endeavours to befriend the Panamanian cimarrones.[9][10][13][Note 4]

John having cemented an alliance with the cimarrones (by 24 September), the company relocate Port Plenty, and spend the next two weeks fortifying it. On 7 October they are once more cruising off Cartagena. On 17 October, Oxenham and the Swan seize a 50-tonne barque, marooning its 10 men and 5 slaves. On 20 October, the fleet intercept a 58-tonne and a 12-tonne frigate, likewise stranding their crews. Having noticed the fleet, on 22 October (at dawn), two frigates from Carthagena engage Drake. They have a difficult time of it, however, the bay proving too vast to corner the Englishmen. The fleet finally quit Carthagena (for the Magdalena River) on 3 November, their provisions running dangerously low.[14][Note 5][Note 6][Note 7]

The fleet reach Magdalena on 5 November, but find the settlements deserted and the herds withdrawn inland (Spanish authorities having forwarded the vecinos). They continue on to Santa Marta, reaching that town within a week. Here they also find the Spanish prepared, as they are prevented from watering by hidden snipers on shore. (Seize 90 tonne vessels w victuals here on 12 nov, detain crew for a day) They next set for Curaçao, landing there on 13 November. (A couple of days later, Drake de- taches Oxenham’s pinnace Minion to sail directly back and advise his Panamanian base of his immi- nent return, while he scours the Main with his own pinnace and prize.) Upon refreshing for a few days, Drake renewed his raids towards the Main, while Oxenham (aboard the Minion) was despatched to the recently-relocated Port Plenty, for advise the crew there of Drake's upcoming return.[14][Note 8]

Drake followed Oxenham to Port Plenty within the fortnight. Upon his 27 November arrival, he discovered his brother John had died. Drake now decided to postpone further raids, so as to renew his efforts upon the Panamanian treasure train the coming year. His remaining brother, Joseph, succumbed to a fatal fever that December.[9][14][15][Note 9]

1573

Venta Cruces

On 30 January, upon cimarron allies' intelligence, the Lion reconnoitred Nombre de Dios, intercepting a Spanish frigate there, which confirmed (the cimarrones' information) that the Spanish plate fleet had arrived. Consequently, on 3 February, Drake and Oxenham, with 16 Englishmen and 30 cimarrones, trudged through the jungle and over the Cordilleras to intercept the treasure train. On 14 February, the party approached Panama City, whereupon a cimarron in disguise stole into the settlement, returning that evening with news of an upcoming 14-mule treasure train (from Lima, to Nombre de Dios, via Venta de Cruces). The rovers set up an ambush near Venta Cruces (on Chagres River). Robert Pike, a drunken crew-mate, was discovered by a Spanish traveller en route to Venta Cruces, whereupon the treasure train was forestalled. They nonetheless managed to seize a few silver-loaded mules, and make a hasty retreat to Venta Cruces, which they easily occupied for some time, reaching base camp on 22 February.[9][14][16][17][Note 10]

Veragua

Undaunted, Drake determined to cruise off Veragua (aboard the Minion), finally desisting on 19 March, having gained a frigate and its Genoese pilot. In the meantime, Oxenham cruise eastwards (aboard the Bear), where he seized a well-provisioned frigate out of Tolú, heading back to camp by 21 March.[18][Note 11][Note 12]

The men celebrated Easter at Port Plenty, on 22 March. The next day, Drake ventured out (aboard his Spanish prize and the Bear). On 25 March, they chanced upon Guillaume Le Testu (and his 70 men aboard an 80-tonne ship), who agrees to join Drake and the cimarrones in an attempt against the treasure train.[19][20][21][22][Note 13]

Nombre De Dios

On 31 March, Drake (with 20 men), Le Testu (with some 20 men), and a number of cimarrones, rendezvous at the mouth of the San Francisco River, from where they advance (this time towards Nombre de Dios) to intercept the treasure train. On the morning of 1 April, the rovers (successfully) ambushed a treasure train of some 160 mules and 45 armed guards. The Spaniards guards engaged the rovers, mortally wounding Le Testu in the process. As their treasure summed nearly 30 tonnes of silver and gold, the surviving crew hid half of the booty before hastily making their escape, planning to recuperate the loot later on. They arrive at the rendezvous point on 3 April, only to find seven Spanish pinnaces at the river's mouth, and none of their own vessels (one prize and two pinnaces, which had been blown off-course some 12 miles by a strong westerly wind). Drake and three 'brave companions' venture out, in a shoddy raft, to retrieve their craft, which they do by nightfall, returning with the Bear and the Minion. The rovers hastily returned to base camp, where the loot was divided and the each contingent parted ways, their enterprise having proved a success.[23][24][25][Note 14][Note 15]

Return

In late April, Drake departed Port Plenty, now with a 30-man crew. The crew provisioned themselves at the Magdalena River (with 250 turtles and a Spanish merchantman). The crew set anchor at Plymouth on 9 August, bringing the expedition to an end.[26][27][Note 16]

Timeline

Timeline of the 1572‍–‍1573 expedition.[28][29][30][31][Note 17]
Flr. Clg. Place Event Parties Notes
24 May 1572 (1572-05-24) 24 May 1572 (1572-05-24) Plymouth Departure
  • Pascha
  • Swan
/ Drake 73 men		 –
29 June 1572 (1572-06-29) 29 June 1572 (1572-06-29) Dominica Arrival
  • Pascha
  • Swan
/ Drake 73 men		 Provisioned
1 July 1572 (1572-07-01) 1 July 1572 (1572-07-01) Dominica Departure
  • Pascha
  • Swan
/ Drake 73 men		 –
12 July 1572 (1572-07-12) 12 July 1572 (1572-07-12) Port Pheasant Arrival
  • Pascha
  • Swan
/ Drake 73 men		 Pinnaces Lion, Bear, Minion assembled
13 July 1572 (1572-07-13) 13 July 1572 (1572-07-13) Port Pheasant Arrival
  • barque
  • Sp. shallop
/ Raunce 30 men		 –
14 July 1572 (1572-07-14) 14 July 1572 (1572-07-14) Port Pheasant Cruise ? / Drake ? men
Santa Catalina / Couto ? men		 Santa Catalina seized /crew detained 40 days
20 July 1572 (1572-07-20) 28 July 1572 (1572-07-28) Isle of Pinos Cruise
  • Lion
  • Bear
  • Minion
/ Drake 53 men
Sp. shallop / Raunce 20 men		 2 Sp. frig. seized
29 July 1572 (1572-07-29) 30 July 1572 (1572-07-30) Nombre de Dios Sack
  • Lion
  • Bear
  • Minion
/ Drake 53 men
Sp. shallop / Raunce 20 men		 Sp. residents engage / 7 or 8 Sp. killed / 32 Sp. wounded / some Eng. killed / Sp. merchandise seized
6 August 1572 (1572-08-06) 6 August 1572 (1572-08-06) Port Pheasant Departure
  • barque
  • Sp. shallop
/ Raunce 30 men		 –
13 August 1572 (1572-08-13) 13 August 1572 (1572-08-13) Spanish Main Cruise
  • Pascha
  • Swan
  • Lion
  • Bear
  • Minion
/ Drake ? men		 Sp. ship seized / 240 t.
14 August 1572 (1572-08-14) 14 August 1572 (1572-08-14) Spanish Main Cruise ? / Drake ? men 2 Sp. frig. seized / 1 burnt / Swan scuttled
15 August 1572 (1572-08-15) 15 August 1572 (1572-08-15) Port Plenty Arrival
  • Pascha
  • Lion
  • Bear
  • Minion
  • Sp. ship
  • Sp. frig.
/ Drake ? men		 –
16 August 1572 (1572-08-16) 23 September 1572 (1572-09-23) Spanish Main Cruise ? / Drake ? men –
15 August 1572 (1572-08-15) 23 September 1572 (1572-09-23) Port Plenty Arrival ? / Pedro ? men Alliance est. by John Drake
24 September 1572 (1572-09-24) 24 September 1572 (1572-09-24) Port Plenty Arrival ? / Drake ? men Camp relocated
17 October 1572 (1572-10-17) 19 October 1572 (1572-10-19) Spanish Main Cruise ? / Drake ? men Sp. barque seized / 50 t. 10 Sp. 5 slaves / all marooned
20 October 1572 (1572-10-20) 21 October 1572 (1572-10-21) Spanish Main Cruise ? / Drake ? men Sp. ship seized / 58 t. / all marooned / Sp. frig. seized / 12 t. / all marooned
22 October 1572 (1572-10-22) 2 November 1572 (1572-11-02) Carthagena Cruise ? / Drake ? men
  • 2 frig.
  • 1 shallop
/ Mendoza ? Sp. men		 Sp. engage
3 November 1572 (1572-11-03) 3 November 1572 (1572-11-03) Carthagena Departure ? / Drake ? men –
5 November 1572 (1572-11-05) 5 November 1572 (1572-11-05) Magdalena Arrival ? / Drake ? men Sp. residents fled / herds withdrawn / Sp. frig. seized / no cargo
12 November 1572 (1572-11-12) 12 November 1572 (1572-11-12) Santa Marta Arrival ? / Drake ? men Sp. snipers engage / Sp. ship seized / 90 t. ? men / well provisioned / crew detained
13 November 1572 (1572-11-13) 13 November 1572 (1572-11-13) Curaçao Arrival ? / Drake ? men –
15 November 1572 (1572-11-15) 18 November 1572 (1572-11-18) Curaçao Departure Minion / Oxenham ? men –
15 November 1572 (1572-11-15) 26 November 1572 (1572-11-26) Spanish Main Cruise ? / Drake ? men –
27 November 1572 (1572-11-27) 27 November 1572 (1572-11-27) Port Plenty Arrival ? / Drake ? men And rest / John, Joseph die
30 January 1573 (1573-01-30) 30 January 1573 (1573-01-30) Nombre de Dios Cruise Lion / ? ? men Sp. frig. seized / crew interrogated
3 February 1573 (1573-02-03) 3 February 1573 (1573-02-03) Port Plenty Departure ? / Drake 17 men
? / Pedro 30 men		 Jungle march
14 February 1573 (1573-02-14) 14 February 1573 (1573-02-14) Panama Arrival ? / Drake 17 men
? / Pedro 30 men		 Ambush set up, but discovered / couple Sp. treasure mules seized 4 to 6 Sp. killed, inc. 1 friar / 1 Sp. settlement burnt
22 February 1573 (1573-02-22) 22 February 1573 (1573-02-22) Port Plenty Arrival ? / Drake 17 men
? / Pedro 30 men		 –
23 February 1573 (1573-02-23) 19 March 1573 (1573-03-19) Veragua Cruise ? / Drake 17 men Sp. frig. seized / Genoese pilot impressed
23 February 1573 (1573-02-23) 21 March 1573 (1573-03-21) ? Cruise Bear / Oxenham ? men
? / Pedro 30 men		 Due east of Veragua / Sp. frig seized / well-provisioned
23 March 1573 (1573-03-23) 30 March 1573 (1573-03-30) ? Cruise
  • Bear
  • Sp. frig.
/ Drake ? men		 –
25 March 1573 (1573-03-25) 25 March 1573 (1573-03-25) ? Meeting
  • Bear
  • Sp. frig.
/ Drake ? men
Havre / Testu 70 men		 Testu joins Drake
31 March 1573 (1573-03-31) 3 April 1573 (1573-04-03) Nombre de Dios Sack
  • Bear
  • Minion
  • Sp. frig.
/ Drake 20 men
? / Testu 20 men
? / Pedro ? men
mules / 45 Sp. men		 1 Eng. 1 cimarron 2 French killed / 1 cimarron captured / 1 French stranded / 3 Sp. mule trains seized {{{1}}}
7 April 1573 (1573-04-07) 22 April 1573 (1573-04-22) Nombre de Dios Rescue ? / Oxenham 11 men
? / Pedro 16 men		 Testu + guard presumed dead / remaining guard rescued / 13 silver bars + few quoits gold recovered
15 April 1573 (1573-04-15) 30 April 1573 (1573-04-30) Port Plenty Departure ? / Drake 30 men 1 Sp. vessel seized
9 August 1573 (1573-08-09) 9 August 1573 (1573-08-09) Plymouth Arrival ? / Drake 30 men –

Aftermath

Drake and company are thought to have profited at least £20,000 altogether. Some of this may have been forwarded to member of the Privy Council, who reportedly secured Drake a pre-emptive pardon for his unauthorised expedition. Drake himself may have use some of his share to buy a property on Notte Street, Plymouth, where he was listed as a merchant in 1576.[32][33]

In the first half of 1573, the Real Audiencia of Panama stationed 60 soldiers at the Nombre de Dios garrison, to bolster its defence, and further petitioned the Crown 'promptly to take measures necessary to the defence of this coast and kingdom, for it is considered certain that the corsairs who have now left will return in greater force, and it is even said that they announce that they will settle.' Later that year, Spanish authorities in Panama retaliated against Drake's cimarron allies.[34][35]

The Real Audiencia of Guatemala likewise took steps to better defend its realm, planning 'to settle some Indians in a location [in Golfo Dulce] such that they can send warning if any [pirate] vessels seek to enter.'[36]

Legacy

This voyage has been considered Drake's first independent expedition, with its final raid on the treasure train deemed 'the most daring attack ever made upon Spanish-American treasure [up to 1573]'.[37]

Drake (or Oxenham) is further reputed as the first Englishman to have sighted the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans from Pedro Mandingo's lookout point, (as Vasco Nuñez de Balboa had done in 1513, purportedly from the same lookout), and the first Englishman to have cruised the Bay of Honduras (and possibly the waters of present-day Belize).[38][17][39]

An artisanal rum distillery, named after Pedro Mandinga, was established in Panama City in the late 2010s.[40]

Notes

Citations

  1. ↑ Kelsey 2004, sec. 'Raids on the Spanish main' para. 2-3.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Marley 1998, p. 101.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Kelsey 2004, sec. 'Raids on the Spanish main' para. 3.
  4. ↑ Best 2021, pp. 48-49.
  5. ↑ Wright 1932, p. xxxviii.
  6. ↑ De la O Torres 2020, pp. 268, 281.
  7. ↑ Wright 1932, pp. xxxvii-xxxviii.
  8. ↑ Best 2021, p. 49.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Kelsey 2004, sec. 'Raids on the Spanish main' para. 4.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Marley 1998, pp. 101-102.
  11. ↑ Wright 1932, p. xxxiv.
  12. ↑ Best 2021, pp. 49-50.
  13. ↑ Best 2021, p. 50.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Marley 1998, p. 102.
  15. ↑ Wright 1932, p. xl.
  16. ↑ Wright 1932, pp. xli-xliii.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Best 2021, pp. 50-51.
  18. ↑ Marley 1998, pp. 102-103.
  19. ↑ Marley 1998, p. 103.
  20. ↑ De la O Torres 2020, pp. 281-282.
  21. ↑ Wright 1932, pp. xliii-xliv.
  22. ↑ Green 2021, pp. 51-52.
  23. ↑ Marley 1998, pp. 103-104.
  24. ↑ Wright 1932, pp. liv.
  25. ↑ Best 2021, p. 52.
  26. ↑ Marley 1998, p. 104.
  27. ↑ Green 2021, pp. 52-53.
  28. ↑ Marley 1998, pp. 101-104.
  29. ↑ Wright 1932, pt. 1 docs. nos. 17-35.
  30. ↑ Wright 1932, pp. ????????.
  31. ↑ Best 2021, pp. 48-53.
  32. ↑ Kelsey 2004, sec. 'Raids on the Spanish main' paras. 5-6.
  33. ↑ Wright 1932, p. xlv.
  34. ↑ Wright 1932, pt. 1 doc. no. 25.
  35. ↑ Wright 1932, p. xlv, footnote no. 3.
  36. ↑ Wright 1932, p. 75, pt. 1 doc. no. 29.
  37. ↑ Wright 1932, pp. xxxvii, xlii.
  38. ↑ Wright 1932, pp. xli-xlii.
  39. ↑ Winzerling 1946, pp. 19-22.
  40. ↑ Arjona 2022, para. 1.

References

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