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Another Jack Rackham story
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Salty Dog
Sailing Master
Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 3:03 pm    Post subject: Another Jack Rackham story Reply with quote

Born John Rackham December 26 1682. His place of birth is unknown but he was English. The name Calico Jack come from the calico clothing he was fond of wearing. Calico or muslin is a type of unfinished and undyed cotton. Slightly softer than canvas and very cheap due to its unfinished nature. There is no account of when he began using the name but it was early in his career.

The first known accounts of Calico Jack are in 1718 When he was serving as Quarter Master on board the Ranger, Captained by Charles Vane. At that time they were taking ships off the United States eastern seaboard. They would mostly target smaller fishing vessels and other ships that were less likely to put up a fight. In Nov of 1718 a French Man-o-war was spotted and Vane gave the order to leave the area. The rest of the crew argued that it would be a fine prize as it would surely have more loot than the smaller ships they had been taking, and would provide a bigger ship to enhance there operations. It was put to a vote and Vane lost 75 to 15. He ignored the vote and ordered the Ranger to flee anyway. A few days later, on November 24th 1718 the crew voted Vane out due to cowardice. He was given a small sloop, some men and provisions and sent on his way. Calico Jack was voted captain. It was here that Calico Jack designed his battle flag, A white skull and crossed swords on a black field that became the symbol for piracy that we recognize today.
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Salty Dog
Sailing Master
Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jack returned to the West Indies but was still finding only smaller ships. Then in December of 1718 he came upon an English merchant ship called the Kingston. Jack took the vessel swiftly. It was a big prize and the crew was very happy. There was only one small problem. The ship had been taken within sight of Port Royal. The local merchants were understandably upset and formed a hunting party to go after the pirates. They caught up to him in February 1719 in a small island off of Cuba. Jack and his men were ashore when they arrived so the hunting party simply boarded the Kingston and the Ranger and took both back with them. Unable to fight so many men Jack and his men hid along the tree line and watched as there ships and treasure were taken.

In May of 1719 Jack arrived in Nassau and requested a pardon from Governor Woodes Rogers. It was granted and Jack decided to settle down and leave his life of piracy behind. It was here that he met Anne Bonny. Anne was married to a sailor named James Bonny. Soon Bonny became pregnant and Jack sent her to Cuba to have the child. He had friends there who took the child in and Anne returned to Nassau. Her husband was upset and demanded she be punished according to the law, which at the time was the lash. Jack tried to buy Anne's divorce from James Bonny but Anne had a better idea.
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Salty Dog
Sailing Master
Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

On August 22 1720 Jack, Anne and ten others strolled out to the dock of Nassau climbed aboard a 12 ton sloop called the William and made sail. They were gone before the Williams owner, Captain John Ham heard the news. One of the crew was Mary Read and like Anne Bonny she dressed as a male to conceal her sex from the rest of the crew.

On September 2nd 1720 Governor Woodes Rogers signed a proclamation accusing Calico Jack of the theft of the William and sent out two ships to bring him back.

Over the next two months Jack took several small fishing boats and two merchant ships. He was doing well and slipping ever further away from Nassau eventually finding his way to Negril Point, Jamaica. While anchored just off shore and giving the crew some rest, they were enjoying the rum they had pulled from a recent prize. One of his crew fired his gun at a bird that flew by. Meanwhile just within ear shot was another ship, This one commanded by Captain Jonathan Barnet. Barnet had left Nassau two months earlier looking for a thief who had stolen a ship from the harbor named The William. He had tracked Jack to the vicinity and hearing the gunshot decided to investigate.
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Salty Dog
Sailing Master
Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 3:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When Calico Jack Saw the much larger ship approaching he quickly set sail. Barnet gave chase but Jack slipped into a deep fog bank. Barnet followed and hunted Jack blindly. Sometime in the night he got within shouting distance of Jack. Unable to spot the ship in the dark and fog, Barnet called out for the ship to identify itself hoping a reply would give away the ships position. To which Jack replied "Jack Rackham, New Providence". Barnet had found his man and had Jack not been so drunk he may not have fallen for the trick. But it was too late, Barnet ordered his guns to fire on the spot where the sound had come from. His ship let loose with all guns and The William was hit with a full broadside, lost its rudder and was adrift. Barnet soon boarded her and took all hands. On November 17th 1720 Calico Jack was tried for piracy and found guilty. He was hanged on November 18th 1720.
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