Captain Kidd, the Pirate

He was involved in politics and knew Colonel Benjamen Fletcher the Governor of New York, who was notorious for dealings with pirates. The king appointed the Earl of Bellomont as governor of New York to end piracy on the coast. Captain Kidd was in London in 1695 with his sloop the "Antegoa". He was presented a deal by a New Yorker, Robert Livingston, to make a profit off the pirates by capturing them and their goods. Lord Bellmont, governor of New York, was at his London home and when presented with the idea put them in touch with influencial men to put money into the venture. He introduced them to close friends of the King, Sir John Sommers, Lord Chancellor the Duke of Shresbury, Secretary of State Sir Edward Russell, Lord Orford, and the Earl of Romney. The bounty was to be split 10% for the Crown, 60% for Bellmonts backers, and 15% for Livingston and Kidd.

Captain Kidd was issued a letter of Marque which empowered him to capture any ships and goods belonging to Britains ememy France. He was also issued by the Crown of England a commission to seize pirates and their ships and merchandise with a warning not to molest any friends or allies. William Kidd tried to back out of the deal at the start but was pressured by his influencial backers who promised to stand behind him.

Captain Kidd had to sell his ship to raise his part of the expenses so he started the venture on the vessel "the Adventure Galley". He took men with families as crew as a precaution that they would not turn to the life of pirates. His first bad luck came when he failed to salute a Navy yaught who then fired a shot to make them show respect and his crew showed their backsides instead. Shortly after he was boarded and the Navy carried off his crew for Navy service and replaced them with Navy rejects. He returned to New York and recruited the rest of his crew mostly from men who were desperate.

After a year at sea Kidd and his crew had not earned a penney and his crew began to advocate piracy. In April 1697 he set anchor in the red sea to await a French or pirate vessel. The Vessels were difficult to identify and sometimes did not fly their allegiance. After a three week wait they became desperate and attacked a Moorish merchant ship. Escourting the Moorish fleet was Captain Barlow in the vessel Sceptre. He raised his English colors and fired on the Adventure Galley who retreated. When Edward Barlow reached Karwar on October 14, the talk was of the Pirate chaser who had become a pirate.

In November they came upon a cargo ship and when Captian Kidd saw she was flying Engish colors he let her go, but his crew wanted to plunder the ship. Kidd had to threaten his crew to stop a mutiny. Shortly after Captain Kidd and Moore, who had wanted to attack the British ship, had a confrontation which ended with Kidd hitting him on the side of the head with a bucket. His shipmates carried him below where he died the next day of a fractured skull.

The first bounty taken in two years by the crew was from the Moor ship "Maiden" which they caputured and took as their own renaming it "November". Kidd thought he was within the law because the Dutch captain showed a French pass. After Christmas 1967 Kidd seized a Moorish ship off Malabar, and a Portuguese vessel with East India goods. On Jan. 30 1698 he took the "Quedah Merchant" captained by an Englishman named Wright. He captured the ships by runnning up a French flag and they showed French passes but this did not make them French ships. When he learned the true identity of the "Quedah Merchant" ship he tried to return the ship to Captain Wright but his crew refused.

Thirteen of his men deserted at Culliford, including Robert Bradinham, and Joseph Palmer, who testified against Kidd at his trial. His crew revolted and burned the "November" and locked Kidd in his cabin where he later surrendered. By surrendering he was spared his life and that of his brother-in law. Captian Kidd stripped the "Adventure Galley" which was half full of water and left in the "Quedah Merchant". He recruited a new crew and headed home with his share of the bounty.

The Lord and Justices sent a Naval squad to capture Captain Kidd after hearing the rumors of his piracy. A pardon was offered to all pirates except Kidd and two other captains. On June 10 after three years at sea Captain kid returned home to his wife and daughters. Governor Bellmount had him arrested and put in irons at Stone prison. In March 1701 he was called before the House of Commons who recommended he be brought to trial on May 8th. Captian Kidd and his men were not allowed to testify in their own defense and could only cross examine. This was not to be done by his council, but by Kidd himself. The first indictment was not for piracy but murder of William Moore and he was found guilty so the following counts of piracy did not matter evnen though he claimed himself innocent. He was sentenced to be hanged and his body later hung as warning to pirates sailing in and out on the Thames.

Return to World History Selection Page.