Gilbert Horseley

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Captain
Gilbert Horseley
Other namesGilbert Horsley
EraElizabethan
Known forraids in Veraguas and Honduras
Opponents
  • Diego de Herrera / Gov.
  • Diego López / Lt.
PartnerSylvester / French corsair
Piratical career
TypePrivateer
AllegianceEngland
Years active1574‍–‍1575
RankCaptain
Base of operations
CommandsJohn

Gilbert Horseley (fl. 1574‍–‍1575) was an Elizabethan privateer who lead raids in Veragua and colonial Honduras.

Career[edit]

Departure[edit]

Sylvester, a French corsair, is thought to have cleared from Havre in September 1574, aboard a ship 'carrying a hundred fighting men.' They set upon Veragua that December, where it is thought that African slaves informed them of Spanish merchant-ships off the northern coast of the province. Consequently, in the first quarter of 1575, 'the said corsairs [...] divided their forces [...] endeavouring to join with the cimarrones [and so went] to the Desaguadero (San Juan River) [...] to take the frigates come from there [...].'[1]

Horseley is thought to have cleared from Plymouth in November 1574, with a crew of 25, aboard the John, a 25-tonne pinnace, and to have come upon Sylvester just before that captain's northward journey to Desaguadero.[2][3][4][5][note 1][note 2]

Expedition[edit]

Southern leg[edit]

Upon arriving at Veragua, the English crew (like the French) 'got into touch with the "Sem Rownes." ' Now in consort, and with a Portuguese pilot (Luis Marquês), Horseley and Sylvester ascended the San Juan River, intending to sack Granada. Before reaching said city, however, the crew came upon certain Spanish frigates, in which vecinos from Olancho were transporting African slaves to Veragua. This treasure having satisfied both parties, Horseley and Sylvester desisted from their enterprise and returned to open sea.[6][7][8][note 3]

Their treasure secured in the Desaguadero, Horseley and Sylvester sailed back to Veragua, where 'acts of exceptional and cowardly cruelty were committed.' The crews are thought to have killed 'many people, cutting their throats,' and to further have 'committed great robberies and insults.' Thereafter, the parties parted ways, with Horseley sailing back to the Bay of Honduras.[9]

Northern leg[edit]

A view of Truxillo Bay and city on the coast of Honduras / 1796 lithograph by Thomas Bowen / via LC

Horseley entered the Bay of Honduras on 2 April 1575, making landfall at Cape Honduras (near Puerto Castilla under cover of night. At the break of midnight, the crew, packed into a launch, surreptitiously stole towards Trujillo (three leguas distant), but were immediately sighted by a keen-eyed sentinel at the Fortress of Santa Barbara. The city's military and vecinos rushed to organise a defence, which proved formidable enough to convince Horseley to desist. The crew were fired upon by the Fort, to ensure their retreat, but this did was not sufficient to stop Horseley from seizing a Spanish frigate at port.[10][8]

At the break of day, on 3 April 1575, Fort sentinels spotted Horseley (now in their frigate) making for Puerto Caballos, likely 'to pillage the port and the ships which were there.' A warning shallop was forthwith despatched from the Fort, but being spotted by the English, was seized some 20 leagues into its trip (off present-day Atlantida). That afternoon, Horseley seized another Spanish prize (Juan Antonio owner), laden with treasure worth over 3,000 ducats. These latter are thought to have been cruelly treated, being tortured by Horseley's crew for gold and sailing directions.[11][note 4][note 5]

This accomplished, Hershey continued towards Puerto Caballos (aboard his ship and the launch). Upon reaching El Triunfo de la Cruz, they met two Spanish merchant-ships (Martín Monte and Vicencio Garullo captains). These the English attempted to board, but were heavily bombarded with artillery, the merchants forcing the former to desist.

Horseley now made for Cape Camaron (20 leagues due east of Trujillo), reaching it the night of 5 April 1575. The crew watered at this cape, during which time two of their Spanish prisoners made their escape. They reported that Horseley had warned he 'would return another year with a greater force.'[12][8]

Return[edit]

Horseley 'now passably rich [...] arrived at Plymouth with fifteen of this men in June 1575,' from where he immediately continued to Arundel to unload his treasure 'without causing unwelcome interest.'[13][7][14][note 6]

Aftermath[edit]

Diego López reported the degradation to the Spanish Crown, writing‍–‍

This city has felt these robberies keenly, and is cast down because it lacked means to offend any enemy. [...] since your majesty has ordered me to serve in this port and to guard and defend it, I humbly entreat your majesty to order me to be provided with the means, and forces for the task [...] This miserable city [...] so afflicted, and frequently attacked by enemies, is now without resources, and what is accomplished, is done by main strength [...].

— Truxillo, 20 May 1575, López to Crown, trans. Wright.[12]

The Crown thanked López for his service, and gave instructions to the presiding officer of the Real Audiencia of Guatemala 'concerning money,' and to authorities at Seville 'concerning artillery' for Trujillo's defence.[12]

Legacy[edit]

Horseley and Sylvester's ascent of the San Juan River has been described as 'daring' and 'comparable to Drake's most daring exploits,' given that said river, 'unlike the sea, kept no safe retreat open for [the captains],' and that the expedition was completed with a small crew and pinnace.[15][16]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Horseley's zabra would later be described as 'a fast vessel [of] medium size [...] with 22 harquebuses, and seven pieces of artillery, large and small; an immense supply of arrows, much war material, and all in very good order' (Wright 1932, p. 98, footnotes nos. 4, 7).
  2. ^ Eight of Horseley's men died while the John engaged a 50-tonne Spanish vessel off the Barbary coast (Bradley 1999, pp. 75–76).
  3. ^ The vecinos and slaves made their escape, ostensibly unharmed (Wright 1932, p. 96).
  4. ^ The Fort's messenger to Puerto Caballos was dealt 'two arrow-wounds' upon his shallops seizure. (Wright 1932, p. 98).
  5. ^ Spanish prisoners later reported that Horseley 'charted the whole of this [Honduras] coast from Point Manavique to Golfo Dulce [...]' (Wright 1932, p. 98, footnote no. 7). The escapees further reported that Horseley had been piloted by a Portuguese sailor, 'a man not known here [Trujillo]' (Wright 1932, p. 98).
  6. ^ Horseley reached Veragua with 17 men (Bradley 1999, p. 76). However, Honduran prisoners, who had been detained by Horseley from 3‍–‍5 April, reported that his crew numbered 32 (Wright 1932, p. 98, footnote no. 7).

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ Wright 1932, pp. xlvi–xlvii.
  2. ^ Wright 1932, pp. xlvii, 98.
  3. ^ Bradley 1999, p. 9, footnote no. 6.
  4. ^ Bradley 1999, p. 75.
  5. ^ Williamson 1938, pp. 129–130.
  6. ^ Wright 1932, p. xlvii, 96.
  7. ^ a b Bradley 1999, p. 76.
  8. ^ a b c Marley 1998, pp. 104.
  9. ^ Wright 1932, pp. xlviii, 99.
  10. ^ Wright 1932, p. 97.
  11. ^ Wright 1932, pp. 97–98.
  12. ^ a b c Wright 1932, p. 99.
  13. ^ Wright 1932, p. xlviii.
  14. ^ Williamson 1938, pp. 131.
  15. ^ Wright 1932, p. xlvii.
  16. ^ Bradley 1999, p. 79.

References[edit]

  1. Andrews, Kenneth R., ed. (1958). English privateering voyages to the West Indies, 1588-1595 : documents relating to English voyages to the West Indies from the defeat of the armada to the last voyage of Sir Francis Drake. Works issued by the Hakluyt Society ; 2nd ser., no. 111 (1st ed.). Cambridge: Published for the Hakluyt Society at the University Press. hdl:2027/mdp.39015026881832. OCLC 504851.
  2. Bradley, Peter T. (1999). British maritime enterprise in the New World : from the late fifteenth to the mid-eighteenth century. Studies in British history ; v. 57 (1st ed.). Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press. hdl:2027/mdp.39015054149409. ISBN 9780773478664. OCLC 42290563.
  3. De la O Torres, Rodrigo Alejandro (November 2014). DE CORSARIOS, MARES Y COSTAS: EL CORSO EN LA CONSTRUCCIÓN DEL ESPACIO GOLFO-CARIBE. 1527-1620 (PhD). Mérida, Yuc.: Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social.
  4. De la O Torres, Rodrigo Alejandro (January–June 2016). "La presencia de corsarios franceses en el Golfo-Caribe entre 1536-1566 : una propuesta de análisis espacial". Historia 2.0: Conocimiento Histórico en Clave Digital. 6 (11): 36–56. ISSN 2027-9035.
  5. De la O Torres, Rodrigo Alejandro (July–December 2019). "Miedos y fenómeno de la piratería en el Golfo-Caribe durante el siglo XVI. Un ensayo de aproximación". Historelo revista de historia regional y local. 11 (2): 267–300. doi:10.15446/historelo.v11n22.73263. ISSN 2145-132X. S2CID 198778698.
  6. De la O Torres, Rodrigo Alejandro (2020). DE CORSARIOS, MARES Y COSTAS : El corso en la construcción del espacio y experiencias marítimas en el Golfo-Caribe, 1527-1620 (1st ed.). Ciudad Universitaria, Aguascalientes: Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes. OCLC 1280054563.
  7. Gasteazoro, Carlos Manuel; Araúz, Calestino Andrés; Muñoz Pinzón, Armando (1980). Tabla cronológica : (de hechos históricos, políticos, sociales, económicos, culturales y científicos) (1st ed.). Panamá: Lotería Nacional de Beneficencia. OCLC 12830207.
  8. Figueroa, Alejandro J.; Johnson, Erlend; Goodwin, Whitney A., eds. (2021). Southeastern Mesoamerica : indigenous interaction, resilience, and change (1st ed.). Louisville, Colorado: University Press of Colorado. OCLC 1226797442.
  9. Hakluyt, Richard, ed. (1600). The principal nauigations, voiages, traffiques and discoueries of the English nation made by sea or ouer-land, to the remote and farthest distant quarters of the earth, at any time within the compasse of these 1500. yeeres: deuided into three seuerall volumes, according to the positions of the regions, whereunto they were directed. Vol. 3 (2nd expanded ed.). London: George Bishop, Ralfe Newberie, & Robert Barker. OCLC 252871354. ProQuest 2248550788.
  10. Howgego, Raymond John (1958). To 1800: a comprehensive reference guide to the history and literature of exploration, travel, and colonization from the earliest times to the year 1800. Encyclopedia of exploration to 1800 : a comprehensive reference guide to the history and literature of exploration, travel, and colonization from the earliest times to the year 1800 (1st ed.). Potts Point, N.S.W.: Hordern House. hdl:2027/mdp.49015002827245. ISBN 9781875567362. OCLC 52377840.
  11. Marley, David F. (1998). Wars of the Americas : a chronology of armed conflict in the New World, 1492 to the present (1st ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. hdl:2027/mdp.49015002845379. ISBN 9780874368376. OCLC 39024726.
  12. Marley, David F. (2010). 1650-1685. Pirates of the Americas. Vol. 1 (1st ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. OCLC 436030697.
  13. Marley, David F. (2010). 1686-1725. Pirates of the Americas. Vol. 2 (1st ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. OCLC 436030697.
  14. Williamson, James A. (1927). Sir John Hawkins : the time and the man (1st ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. hdl:2027/mdp.39015027905218. OCLC 3075296.
  15. Williamson, James A. (1938). The age of Drake. Pioneer histories, edited by V. T. Harlow ... And J. A. Williamson (1st ed.). London: Adam and Charles Black. hdl:2027/mdp.39015014588183. OCLC 1421005.
  16. Winzerling, E. O. (1946). Beginning of British Honduras, 1506-1765 (1st ed.). New York: North River Press. OCLC 1892890.
  17. Wright, Irene A., ed. (1929). Spanish documents concerning English voyages to the Caribbean, 1527-1568. Works issued by the Hakluyt Society ; 2nd ser., no. 62 (1st ed.). London: Printed for the Hakluyt Society. OCLC 2092435.
  18. Wright, Irene A., ed. (1932). Documents concerning English voyages to the Spanish main, 1569-1580. Works issued by the Hakluyt Society ; 2nd ser., no. 71 (1st ed.). London: Printed for the Hakluyt Society. hdl:2027/mdp.39015012306133. OCLC 1476408.
  19. Wright, Irene A., ed. (1951). Further English voyages to Spanish America, 1583-1594 : documents from the Archives of the Indies at Seville illustrating English voyages to the Caribbean, the Spanish Main, Florida, and Virginia. Works issued by the Hakluyt Society ; 2nd ser., no. 99 (1st ed.). London: Printed for the Hakluyt Society. hdl:2027/mdp.39015026881790. OCLC 1476734.
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