The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-07-22
were at nee headed for the Central

be relied upon, the pirates Ia good
reason to doubt their success in taking
Puerto Velo. Next to Havana and Car
thagena it was the strongest fortified
place in the West Indies under the
Spanish dominion. 1t was under the
supervision of the then governor of
Panama, and a thriving business was
conducted in the handling of various
kinds OF merchandise. 1t was also a
slave amrket of considerable import
ance, and these several industries con-
tributed in no small degree to the
wealth of the people. A fortified cas-
tie, situate nea to the city, was the
first point attacked by Morgan's men,
and after a strong resistance was ia
ken. To inspire the inhabitants with
a wholesome fear of the assailants, the
castle and it's defenders, living and
dead, were blow up by the pirates,
who fired the magazine. Then they
rapidly advanced to the city, as yet I'M
prepared to meet them, owing to the
sudden attack, and first captured the
priests and nuns in the cloisters. These
were forced to march in front of the
attacking forces and behind this living
barricade a deadly fire was maintained
against the resisting Spaniards.
The governor of the city, unable to
rally the ~disorganized citizens, retired
to the strongest castle with his troops
dllu IouSHl ullh III was SoP~
tured.
He made a stubborn and gallant re-
%Sistance and to the pirates demand to
surrender refused with the remark that
hepreferred "tO die as a valiant soldier
than be hanged for a coward
He was finally killed and the city
captured. The booty and ransom Sc
cured from this freebooting expedition
amounted to 250, 900 pieces of eight in
money and a great quantity of mer-
chandise. While Morgan occupied the
city an epistolary exchange of arms
occurred between him and the gov
ernor of Panama, which is piquant in
its Spartan brevity and Attic pun
gency.
The letters followed an attempt of the
governor to dislodge the pirates from
the city. His entire force was almost
cut off by Morgan's men, who decoyed
the troops into an ambush, where they
We're simply slaughtered. Following
this abortive attempt word was sent
Morgan that if he did not Immediately
depart from Puerto Velo that he and
his men would receive no quarter when
they We're captured, as he (the govern
orr hoped to do. To which Morgan
replied that he would deliver the castles
and city when the ransom he had set
on it was paid, and, if not paid within
the time named, castles n city would
be demolished and the prisoners he held
shot.
The taking of Puerto Velc by so in
significant a force greatly surprised the
governor of Panama, who sent another
messenger desiring a small pattern Of
the kind of arms used in making so
important a capture.
Morgan received the messenger with
elaborate courtesy and ave him a pis-
toll and a few small bullets, with word
+- &l~ tho sc 10 ,-,ll -
cept the slender pattern of arms Incl
dentally used to take Puerto Velo
and keep it a year, he (Morgan) would
call and carry it away again. 1t is
but fair to add hat Morgan kept his
word with a t~horoughness that has
lived to the present day, and forms one
Of the most dastardly and wonderful
achievements known in the history Of
this Infamous freebooter.
His vessels, equipped with the best
guns the garrisons afforded, and rich
with stolen treasure, Morgan triumph
antly sailed to Jamaica. Arrived there.
his men, each with his allotted share
of plumber, repaired shoreward to the
boozing e and stews, where, with
the arrogance Of nabobs, the ~lavishness
of princes and their own unbridled,
british passions to drive them on, they
INDUCED in orgy n debauchery that
within a few weeks left them as pen
niless as before their cruise.
Following the sacking of Puerto VelO,
the city of Maracaibo, Venezuela, was
captured, this being the second time
the place had suffered from successful
piratical attacks. Other d~epredatiOns
occurred prior to the expedition against
the city of Panama. This last was
Morgan's most noted exploit. With a
vastly inferior force he captured Pan
anna, looting it first and burning it
afterward.
Here he secured the greatest amount
of booty ever taken by a similar at
tack. A great quantity Of jewels, an
immense amount of money ard much
valuable merchandise was collected,
but just what it amounted to has never
been learned.
Whether Moragn had grown tired OF
the dangerous life and desired to Sc
cure sufficient wealth as would enable
him to live in comfort in England, the
chronicler does not state. He does say,
however, that of all the treasure the
pirates individually received but 5000 as
their hare Morgan took the best ship
> of the fleet, which also carried the
heaviest guns, and suddenly departed
from the rendezvous, leaving the re-
l mainder of the society of free com
panions to shift for themselves. They
never saw him again.
: Some novelist might construct a very
\ readable tale showing how this arch
= villain, more bloodthirsty than the
! Turk, and who had committed more
crimes than was ever dreamed OF plac-
ing in the decalogue ban, peacefully
spent the remainder Of his days in some
} quiet English shire, where, in the guise
of a round-bellied squire, he parodiec
Y justice by dispensing judgment against
men who were angels of purity In com
J parison to him.
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