# Francis Drake's expedition of 1572–1573

Sir Francis Drake's expedition of 1572‍–‍1573 was an uncommissioned privateer profiteering sea voyage by Sir Francis Drake (c. 1540–1596), of the beginnings of the Royal Navy of the Kingdom of England (island of Great Britain), (under its monarch Queen Elizabeth I (the Great) (1533–1603, reigned 1558–1603). It was a precursor to the continuing long-term hostilities in the subsequent Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604), in the western and southern quarters of the Caribbean Sea, east of Mexico and Central America of the Kingdom of Spain and their Spanish Empire's larger colonial Viceroyalty (province) of New Spain, and adjacent to the West Indies chain of islands further east in the Americas.

## Prelude

Drake's 1571 cruise of the West Indies islands and the Caribbean Sea had proved quite successful, earning him and his crew immense profits of over £100,000 (100 thousand) English pounds sterling. Consequently, upon his return to the English Channel port of Plymouth that year, Drake determined to repeat his feat, assembling, with his brothers John and Joseph Drake (privateer), a larger privateering English fleet of two light ships and three pinnaces-style smaller ships (carried in disassembled kit form as cargo).

## Expedition
### Departure

Drake and company departed the port city of Plymouth in England on the English Channel (aboard the ships Pascha and Swan of their small English fleet) on 24 May 1572, crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a southwestward direction of slightly over a month long voyage. Landing in the Americas of the Western Hemisphere on the southern coast of the island of Dominica on 29 June 1572. Here, the crew refreshed their provisions and fresh water, and on 1 July set out for Port Pheasant (Zapzurro Cove, 35 leagues west of the island Tolú), which they reached in 11 days sailing (on 12 July). The following day, Drake was joined by James Raunse and his additional 30 men in the other vessel.

### Nombre de Dios, 1572

At Port Pheasant, Drake and Raunse's men built a log palisaded fort and sheds for protection, so as to allow the ships' carpenters time to assemble Drake's stored cargo of three smaller pinnace boats
On 20 July, the pinnaces having been assembled and rigged for sailing, the little Drake‍–‍Raunce English fleet set sail for Isla de Pinos (not the Cuban isle), where they surprised, attacked and captured two Royal Spanish naval warships frigates out of the port town of Nombre de Dios, (on the north & east / Caribbean Sea coast of Colon Province of modern Panama).The frigates' (enslaved) crews of foreign sailors were freed and furnished the English Drake party with fresh intelligence and additional manpower regarding the said Spanish port, whereupon Capt. Drake (with 53 of his men aboard Drake's threesome pinnaces) and master's mate Raunce (with 20 of his men aboard a Spanish captured prize shallop boat) set sail for Nombre de Dios, making landfall near there in the evening of 29 July.
At 3:00 am that night, the Englishmen stole into the port aboard rowboats, but were nonetheless espied by a 60-tonne Spanish merchantman vessel in the harbour. Drake and company still managed to land, however, and they surprised and took the town's small six-gun artillery battery without opposition. They now began dismounting its ordinance and ammunition, which endeavour however unfortunately still stirred the vecinos out of slumber. Upon hearing the warning bells and war drums, Drake and Raunce split their company‍–‍ a dozen men to guard the shore, John Oxenham and 16 others to circle around behind the plaza, while Drake led the rest (46 men, with Raunce) noisily up the town's main thoroughfare. In the plaza, the Drake detachment were greeted by the amues, fuses sing descriptive 'a jolly hot volley of shot,' from the remaining Spaniards but they nevertheless eventually scattered the impromptu local defending militia, and thereby secured the city for themselves. Before the crew could loot the treasury, however, a sudden rainstorm drenched the men's matches, fuses and gunpowder, and (coincidentally), Drake fainted from loss of blood, having sustained a minor gunshot wound earlier during the militia volley. The English and their small armada hastily retreated to nearby Bastimentos (at dawn, on 30 July).

### Spanish Main, 1572

While Drake was recuperating at Bastimentos, Paunce took his leave (on 6 August). Drake (now with only his 73 men) set out upon the Spanish Main, sighting Carthagena by the evening of 13 August. That night, the men seized the Pasha, a 240-tonne merchantman. This was followed by the seizure of two merchant ships the next day. As his crew was now stretched thin across two ships, three pinnaces, and three Spanish prizes, Drake burned one of the prizes, and scuttled the Swan.
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 endeavoured to befriend the Panamanian cimarrones.
John having cemented an alliance with the cimarrones (by 24 September), the company relocated Port Plenty, and spend the next two weeks fortifying it. On 7 October they were once more cruising off Cartagena. On 17 October, Oxenham and the Swan seized a 50-tonne barque, marooning its 10 men and 5 slaves. On 20 October, the fleet intercepted a 58-tonne and a 12-tonne merchant, likewise stranding their crews. Having noticed the fleet, on 22 October (at dawn), two frigates from Carthagena engaged Drake. They had a difficult time of it, however, the bay proved too vast to corner the Englishmen. Drake's fleet finally quit Carthagena for the Magdalena River on 3 November, their provisions running dangerously low.
The fleet reached Magdalena on 5 November, but found the settlements deserted and the herds withdrawn inland (Spanish authorities having forwarded the vecinos). They continued on to Santa Marta, reaching that town within a week. Here they also found the Spanish prepared, as they were prevented from watering by hidden snipers on shore. They seized a 90 tonne vessel w victuals here on 12 Nov, and detained crew for a day. They next set for Curaçao, landing there on 13 November. A couple of days later, Drake detached Oxenham's pinnace "Minion" to sail directly back and advise his Panamanian base of his imminent return, while he scoured 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 dispatched to the recently-relocated Port Plenty, to advise the crew there of Drake's upcoming return.
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.

### Venta Cruces, 1573

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.

### Veragua, 1573

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.
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.

### Nombre De Dios, 1573

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.

### 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.

### Timeline

Timeline of the 1572‍–‍1573 expedition. :
| Flr. | Clg. | Place | Event | Parties | Notes |
| 24 May 1572 (1572-05-24) | 24 May 1572 (1572-05-24) | Plymouth | Departure | PaschaSwan / Drake 73 men | – |
| 29 June 1572 (1572-06-29) | 29 June 1572 (1572-06-29) | Dominica | Arrival | PaschaSwan / Drake 73 men | Provisioned |
| 1 July 1572 (1572-07-01) | 1 July 1572 (1572-07-01) | Dominica | Departure | PaschaSwan / Drake 73 men | – |
| 12 July 1572 (1572-07-12) | 12 July 1572 (1572-07-12) | Port Pheasant | Arrival | PaschaSwan / Drake 73 men | Pinnaces Lion, Bear, Minion assembled |
| 13 July 1572 (1572-07-13) | 13 July 1572 (1572-07-13) | Port Pheasant | Arrival | barqueSp. 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 | LionBearMinion / 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 | LionBearMinion / 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 | barqueSp. shallop / Raunce 30 men | – |
| 13 August 1572 (1572-08-13) | 13 August 1572 (1572-08-13) | Spanish Main | Cruise | PaschaSwanLionBearMinion / 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 | PaschaLionBearMinionSp. shipSp. 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 | BearSp. frig. / Drake ? men | – |
| 25 March 1573 (1573-03-25) | 25 March 1573 (1573-03-25) | ? | Meeting | BearSp. 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 | BearMinionSp. 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 sea-faring company are thought to have profited at least £20,000 English pounds altogether in 1574 when they returned home to the British Isles (worth about £7.73 million British pounds sterling of current money 450 years later today in 2023). (However only one-fifth the amount of ill-gotten loot and much less than the previous £100,000 English pounds estimated to have been raked in from an earlier expedition a few years before). Some of this windfall treasure of gold and silver bullion, jewels and sold-off miscellaneous cargo, may have been forwarded to members of the English Royal government Privy Council, (close to the Crown and Queen Elizabeth I), who reportedly secured Captain Drake a pre-emptive pardon for his unauthorised naval mercantile expedition. Sir Francis himself may have used some of his share of Spanish treasure to later be known to have bought a piece of property on Notte Street, in Plymouth, where he was listed two years later in documents as a merchant in 1576.
In the first half of 1573, the Real Audiencia of Panama stationed 60 Spanish soldiers at the Nombre de Dios garrison, to bolster its defence, and further petitioned the Crown in Madrid to '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, Royal Spanish colonial authorities in Panama unfortunately retaliated with reprisals against Drake's cimarron native allies.
The neighboring Real Audiencia of Guatemala likewise took steps to better defend its realm and eastern coast on the Caribbean Sea, planning – 'to settle some Indians in a location [in Golfo Dulce] such that they can send warning if any [pirate] vessels seek to enter.'
Drake followed this with another even bolder raiding expedtion starting in 1577. This expedition was even more successful eventually becoming the first Englishman to circumnavigate the world, and returned in 1580.

## 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]'.
Captain / Sir Francis Drake (or his crew member Oxenham) is further reputed as the first Englishman / men to have sighted both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans together (simultaneously) at the same time from Pedro Mandingo's mountain-top vista lookout point, (as did famous explorer Vasco Nuñez de Balboa (c.1475–1519), had done for the first time, sixty years before in 1513, purportedly from the same lookout point), and they were the first Englishmen to have cruised the Bay of Honduras along the western coast of the Caribbean Sea, (and possibly the eastern waters off-shore of the present-day Republic of Belize – former colony of British Honduras in Central America).
An artisanal rum distillery, named after Pedro Mandinga, was established in Panama City in Panama in the late 2010s.