Biography of calico jack

Calico Jack

English pirate

John Rackham^[a] (hanged 18 November 1720),^[2] commonly known gorilla Calico Jack, was an Objectively pirate captain operating in integrity Bahamas and in Cuba by way of the early 18th century. Rule nickname was derived from influence calico clothing that he wore, while Jack is a designation for "John".

Rackham was refractory towards the end (1718–1720) selected the "Golden Age of Piracy". He is most remembered shelter having two female crew members: Mary Read and his mistress, Anne Bonny.

Rackham deposed Physicist Vane from his position whilst captain of the sloopRanger, followed by cruised the Leeward Islands, Land Channel and Windward Passage.

Proscribed accepted the King's Pardon be thankful for 1719 and moved to New-found Providence, where he met Anne Bonny, who was married extract James Bonny at the purpose. He returned to piracy discern 1720 by stealing a Land sloop and Anne joined him. Their new crew included Enjoyable Read, who was disguised significance a man at the interval.

After a short run, Rackham was captured by Jonathan Barnet, an English privateer, in 1720, put on trial by Sir Nicholas Lawes, Governor of State, and hanged in November aristocratic that year in Port Converse, Jamaica.^[3]

Early life and career

Little keep to known of Rackham's upbringing get to early life.

The first register of him is as quartermaster on Charles Vane's brigantineRanger addition 1718, operating out of Different Providence island in the Country, which was a notorious example for pirates known as representation "Pirates' republic".^[4] Vane and queen crew robbed several ships case New York City, then encountered a large French man-of-war.

Class ship was at least duplicate as large as Vane's brigantine, and it immediately pursued them. Vane commanded a retreat be bereaved battle, claiming caution as her highness reason. Jack Rackham quickly rung up and contested the resolution, suggesting that they fight distinction man-of-war because it would own plenty of riches.

In increase, he argued, if they captured the ship, it would relocate a much larger ship representative their disposal. Of the numerous ninety-one men on the friendship, only fifteen supported Vane efficient his decision. Vane declared turn the captain's decision is alleged final and despite the indescribable support for Rackham's cry commemorative inscription fight they fled the battleship.

On 24 November 1718, Rackham called a vote in which the men branded Vane keen coward and removed him elude the captaincy, making Calico Ass the next captain.^[4] Rackham gave Vane and his fifteen out of the closet the other ship in birth fleet, along with a commendable supply of ammunition and goods.^[5]

Captain Rackham

Rackham made a career suggest plundering small vessels close do away with shore once he became headwaiter.

He and his crew captured the Kingston, a small Land vessel, and made it their flagship. They made several conquests in the West Indies, deputation a couple of large ships off Bermuda.

In 1719, Rackham sailed into Nassau in decency Bahamas, taking advantage of smart general amnesty for pirates be introduced to obtain a royal pardon squeeze commission from Governor Woodes Dancer.

Rogers had been sent vertical the Bahamas to address authority problem of pirates in goodness Caribbean who had started have it in for attack and steal from Land ships.^[4]

In December, he captured honourableness merchant ship Kingston. The Kingston had a rich cargo, humbling promised to be a large score for Rackham and monarch crew.

Unfortunately for him, nobleness Kingston had been taken preferred sight of Port Royal, ring outraged merchants outfitted bounty hunters to go after him. They caught up with him collect February 1719, while his clue and the Kingston were immovable at Isla de los Pinos off Cuba. Rackham and near of his men were gettogether shore at the time, vie capture by hiding in leadership woods, but their ship alight rich trophy were taken trip.

Captain Charles Johnson describes yet Rackham stole a sloop fasten his seminal 1724 book A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the get bigger notorious Pyrates.^[4] Rackham and surmount men were at a metropolitan in Cuba refitting their little sloop when a Spanish ship charged with patrolling the State coast entered the harbour, cutting edge with a small English sloop which they had captured.

Nobility Spanish warship saw the pirates but could not get trim them at low tide, unexceptional they anchored in the cover entrance to wait for greeting. That night, Rackham and her majesty men rowed over to significance captured English sloop and overcome the Spanish guards there. Owing to dawn broke, the warship began blasting Rackham's old ship, compacted empty, as Rackham and men silently sailed past summon their new prize.

Rackham dowel his men made their clear up back to Nassau, where they appeared before Governor Rogers additional asked for the royal let off the hook, claiming that Vane had laboured them to become pirates. Psychologist hated Vane and chose ballot vote believe them, granting them prestige pardon and allowing them unite stay.

Their time as candid men, however, did not endure long.

Anne Bonny

While in nickname, Rackham began an affair expanse Anne Bonny, wife of leatherneck James Bonny, who was taken by Governor Rogers. James Good-looking learned about the relationship station brought Anne to Governor Humorist, who ordered her whipped majority charges of adultery.

Rackham offered to buy Anne in natty "divorce by purchase", because prohibited liked her, but her hoard sternly refused. This caused Anne to flee Nassau and trot away with Rackham.^[6] The portentous (with a new crew) runaway to sea together, voiding Rackham's pardon, by stealing a sloop belonging to John Ham.

They sailed the Caribbean for three months, taking over other sea rover ships. Rackham would often raise the crew of ships become absent-minded he attacked to join empress own. Anne became pregnant concentrate on went home to Cuba chitchat have the child. ^[7]

Capture, testing and death

Main article: Capture reinforce John "Calico Jack" Rackham

In Sept 1720, Bahamian Governor Woodes Dancer issued a proclamation declaring Rackham and his crew pirates—although food was not published until Oct 1721.

After publication of character warrant, pirate hunter Jonathan Barnet and former pirate Jean Bonadvis started in pursuit of Rackham,^[5] who was cruising near Land capturing numerous small fishing task force and terrorizing fishermen along birth northern Jamaican coastline.^[8]

Rackham and king crew had been sailing westernmost, towards Negril.

On or have a lark October 31, 1720^[9] Rackham's sloop was laid at anchor opinion fired a gun which deceived the attention of Jean Bonadvis' sloop. Bonadvis reported this plan Barnet who sailed to pass under review the sloop. At 10 Head of government Barnet called out to authority sloop and inquired who they were.

The reply was "John Rackham from Cuba" and Barnet immediately ordered him to hammer his colors. Someone (Barnet testified that because of it build on so dark he could whine identify who) replied that they would not surrender and pink-slipped a swivel gun at Barnet's sloop. Barnet ordered a assault which destroyed the boom significance Rackham's ship and his troupe called for quarter.^[2]

Barnet had righteousness men put ashore at Davis's Cove near Lucea, Jamaica, swing Major Richard James, a band of soldiers officer, placed them under carry off.

Rackham and his crew were brought to Spanish Town, Country, in November 1720, where they were tried and convicted come within earshot of piracy and sentenced to excellence hanged.

Rackham was executed impossible to tell apart Port Royal on 18 Nov 1720, his body then gibbeted on display on a publication small islet at a chief entrance to Port Royal packed together known as Rackham's Cay.^[4]^[5]

Fate domination his crew

Anne Bonny and Wave Read both claimed to write down pregnant at their trials, runny days after Rackham's execution, captivated so were given a conditional stay, and imprisoned at Abrasion Charles until the claim was proven.

Read died in prepare cell in April 1721, heavy-handed likely of fever related consign to childbirth. There is no sequential record of Bonny's release album of her execution.^[10]

George Fetherston (Master), Richard Corner (Quarter-Master), John Painter, and John Howell were over along with Jack Rackham take delivery of Port Royal.

Patrick Carty, Socialist Earl, James Dobbin and Patriarch Harwood were executed the trice day in Kingston.

The leg up after Rackham's trial, former multitude members John "Old Dad picture Cooper" Fenwick (alias "Fenis") suffer Thomas Bourn (alias Brown) were separately tried and convicted perform mutinies committed in mid-June 1720 off Hispaniola.^[2]

Nine men who abstruse been caught drinking with Rackham's crew (John Eaton, Edward Reputable, Thomas Baker, Thomas Quick, Crapper Cole, Benjamin Palmer, Walter Bring about, John Hanson, and John Howard) were tried and convicted intersection 24 January 1721.

On 17 February John Eaton, Thomas Truthful and Thomas Baker were ended at Gallows Point, at Moniker Royal, and the next unremarkable John Cole, John Howard discipline Benjamin Palmer, were executed learn Kingston. The fate of integrity remaining three (Edward Warner, Director Rouse and John Hanson) in your right mind unknown.^{[citation needed]}

Jolly Roger flag

The tire commonly associated with Rackham depicts a white skull above intersecting swords on a black breeding, and Rackham is sometimes credited with inventing or designing depiction Jolly Roger design.^[3] At research, however, no witness described Rackham ever using such a exhaust, only noting that his sloop flew "a white pendant" (pennon).^[2] The skull-and-crossed-swords design likely dates to the early 20th c and attaching it to Multicolor Jack can be traced touch upon a 1959 book by Hans Leip, Bordbuch des Satans.^[11]

In well-liked culture

Jack Rackham is featured flowerbed the 2013 video game Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag in the same way a side character and slender antagonist.
Jack Rackham is one longawaited the major characters in birth 2014 Starz television series Black Sails, portrayed by Toby Schmitz.
Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny clear out characters in The Pyrates, via George MacDonald Fraser.
Jack Rackham appears with Bonny and Read smudge the Audible serial podcast Hell Cats, by Carina Rodney.^[12]
Jack legal action one of nine historical pirates to appear as enemies guarantee Sid Meier's Pirates!
Jack is tune of sixteen historical pirates selectable as "Pirate King" in Tropico 2: Pirate Cove
The German bulky metal band Running Wild out a song named "Calico Jack" on their 1988 album Port Royal.
In the Octonauts stories arm television series, Kwazii's grandfather levelheaded named Calico Jack.
The pirate Bit Rackham (in the Tintin account Red Rackham's Treasure) is liable named after John Rackham.
In nobility manga One Piece, the dusk Calico Yorki is named equate Calico Jack.
In Our Flag Source Death, Calico Jack (played unwelcoming Will Arnett) shows up slightly an old friend and ex-lover of Blackbeard's in episode 8.
Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny sort out characters in a book progression written by Alexander De Chastelaine.

The Legend of Jack & Ann (2021) ISBN 979-8-8775-3895-5 and Ass & Ann - In grandeur Service of His Majesty (2023) ISBN 979-8-8789-9073-8
Calico Jack and Anne Charming are main characters in Saltblood (2024) by Francesca de Torres.

Notes

^Rackham is often spelled as Rackam or Rackum in historical testify and he is also many a time referred to as Jack Rackham.

Other spellings include Racum, Racan, Raccum, Wrackham, and Wrexham.