The Rescue of Jack Rackham was an important battle in the Pirate-Maroon war. The battle served as a turning point, forcing Governor Woodes Rogers to fight the pirates on their terms from then on. However, it came at the cost of Charles Vane's capture
History[]
Background[]
After learning from Spanish intelligence reports that the Spanish will burn Nassau to the ground if Governor Woodes Rogers fails to return to the entirety of the Urca de Lima gold, including the two caches of gems, Flint and Charles Vane plot with Anne Bonny to yield the cache of gems to the British, so they can attack them and make off with both Jack and the cache in one fell swoop. They hope that by taking the cache, they could lure Rogers to a battlefield where the pirates and Maroons would have the advantage: the Maroon Island. They enlist Featherstone and Idelle to find out the location of the route of Rogers' caravan. Idelle is able to learn the location from Major Andrews after seducing him.
Meanwhile, Rogers took extra special care to make sure that no one would find out the route, by leaking a number of different routes. He then departed Fort Nassau in a carriage with an escort of eight dragoons for a ship waiting on the southern coast.
Ambush on the West Trail Road[]
While Rogers' caravan makes its way south, the pirate vanguard attacks on horseback, all dressed in black and masked. Rogers orders the dragoons to fall back and engage, before Jack comes up behind him and tries to strangle the governor with his chains. Rogers is able to get free and repeatedly punches Jack in the face until he's unconscious, he then joins one of the carriage guards on the back of the coach.
Meanwhile, most of the dragoons on horseback have been killed by the pirates. The pirates and British continue to exchange fire, and the remaining dragoons are killed. The two carriage guards are then shot. One pirate manages to jump onto the carriage and tries to fight with Rogers, who clubs him with a pistol until he falls off. Vane then rides alongside the front wheel and shoots it with a blunderbuss, causing the entire carriage to topple over.
While Vane and Anne work on freeing Jack from his chains, Flint and Billy ride back to their meeting point at the beach. After finally freeing Jack, Anne rides away with him on horseback. As Vane prepares to follow them, a bruised and bloodied Rogers shoots him in the leg. Spotting the New Providence Militia in the distance on horseback, Vane urges Jack and Anne to flee. Rogers then attacks Vane with a spoke, and the two fistfight until the militia arrive on the scene and drag Vane away in chains.
Chase at Sea[]
Meanwhile, the Walrus was waiting off the coast below the horizon under bare poles, waiting for a signal to meet the shore party. However, they were spotted by Captain Benjamin Hornigold, who pursued them aboard the Orion. John Silver ordered the Walrus to flee and pick up the shore party. They then allowed Hornigold to follow them to the Maroon Island. There, they performed a risky maneuver Silver suggested in order to convince Hornigold to retreat. They sail the Walrus into shallow water and drop the anchors while turning hard to starboard. This brings the pirates directly perpendicular to the Orion's approach. Hornigold breaks off his approach to avoid sailing into the pirates' broadside, and plans on deploying his men on the shore. However, he sees an army of hundreds of Maroons emerge from the forest, and he decides to retreat to Nassau to inform Rogers.
Aftermath[]
As expected, Hornigold reported his findings to Rogers, who committed 7 ships of his fleet, the bulk of his 700 men from the British Army, and the New Providence Militia to the island to fight the pirates and Maroons and reclaim the cache. Meanwhile, Charles Vane's capture leads Billy to stay behind and begin drumming up public resentment against Eleanor Guthrie, who is publicly known to be close to Rogers.