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Utley

Vital statistics
Title Lieutenant
Gender Male
Status Unknown (yet to be confirmed whether deceased or captured)/Deceased
Ships Eurydice
Gloucestershire
Relationships Woodes Rogers (superior)
Eleanor Guthrie (superior; deceased)
Captain Berringer (superior; deceased)
Appearances First: XXIX.

Last: XXXVIII.

Portrayed by Dale Jackson

Lieutenant Utley was a dragoon officer of the British Army  under the command of Governor Woodes Rogers and Captain Berringer. He was one of the most trusted officers under their command.

Biography[]

Background[]

Utley was one of the hundreds of redcoats that mutinied after they were ordered to return home to England. Like his superior Captain Berringer, he wanted revenge for their defeat at the hands of the pirates and Maroons at their island[1].

Season Four[]

Utley fetches Eleanor Guthrie from the vaults beneath the fort after the pirate invasion is turned back. He is among the escort of Woodes Rogers as he secures the town after the defeat of the pirates in the bay. Lieutenant Kendrick's patrol soon returns with 9 prisoners, including De Groot, Dr. Howell and Colin. After being informed that De Groot is Flint's ship's master, Rogers offers him clemency for information, but is rebuffed. Captain Berringer proceeds to to remove De Groot's ear as revenge for the mutilations of the dead redcoats on the Maroon Island. That night, Utley leads the civilians from the fort back into town[1].

The next day, Lieutenants Utley and Burrell accompany Captain Berringer to the Governor's Mansion, where they fetch Governor Woodes Rogers and his wife Eleanor and bring them to the beach to show them the sloop they had sent after Blackbeard has been sent drifting back into the harbor festooned with the corpses of British soldiers and sailors. Furthermore, Teach has blockaded the harbor, and will only leave if Eleanor is given to him[2].

Utley is left behind at the fort while Woodes Rogers draws out Edward Teach and the Revenge from their position blockading the bay. He was to command Eleanor's escort of soldiers to Philadelphia aboard the Gloucestershirebut Berringer believes the soldiers more needed in Nassau and forbids them from leaving.  When Eleanor realizes that Captain Berringer's actions are inviting a large scale pirate attack, she tells Mrs. Hudson to get Utley to get as many soldiers and provisions into the fort and to specifically get certain people in the fort, chief among them Max[3].

Utley succeeds in most of his tasks and is able to gather Rogers' allies and supplies in the fort. However he informs Eleanor that he was unable to retrieve Max, despite sending two of his best men to get her. As the highest ranking Redcoat left after the demise of Berringer, Utley becomes Eleanor's second in command as she takes charge. Eleanor sends word to the pirates, offering 20 prisoners captured during the Invasion of Nassau for Max. The pirates agree, and Utley helps Eleanor oversee the exchange later that day. Soon, a Man O' War approaches Nassau from Edward Teach's last position, flying no banner. As the residents of the fort wait anxiously to see which banner is raised, Utley happily announces that she is flying Rogers' banner and using his signals. Utley then checks with Eleanor before moving the fort's guns towards the beach. As they prepare for the upcoming fight, Eleanor sends word to Flint for a parley, and she and Utley meet Flint and Silver in one of the fort's tunnels. Eleanor declares herself tired of fighting, and offers to vacate the fort and hand it over to the pirates in exchange for the Cache of Gems, warning that the offer goes away as soon as her husband's ship is in range of the beach. Silver refuses, but Flint agrees, and hands himself over as collateral to ensure the deal goes through.[4]

Utley Max s4e6

Lieutenant Utley showing Max the incoming Spanish fleet.

Eleanor sends Mrs. Hudson to inform her husband of the deal and tell him to retire to Port Royal in the meantime. However, Rogers refuses to heed her. Eleanor has Flint brought to the ramparts and asks him about firing a warning shot. Flint asks Utley about the distance, and advises Eleanor to lead her by two ship lengths. Utley watches uncomfortably but complies with the order to fire a warning shot. It takes several shots, but eventually Rogers breaks off, heading seemingly for Port Royal. Later, the pirates send word to the fort requesting that Eleanor and Flint meet them at the northwest tunnel, where they will be escorted overland to the southern coast. Eleanor is concerned about being crossed, but Flint assures her that it is out of fear that sailing the chest into Nassau would ignite tensions. Eleanor then orders Utley to select six men to escort them, and appoints Soames in charge while she is away. After they leave, Utley summons Max to the ramparts, and points out the massive Spanish Fleet heading their way.[5]

Utley continues to keep an eye on them with his spyglass, while Max, Soames and Frasier try to come up with a plan. After the flagship signals the fort to stand down, Utley informs them that the Governor is leading them, assuring them that they are his signals. Soames realizes that Rogers has enlisted the Spanish to drive away the pirates, and orders them to stand down. Max points out that Eleanor is still out there, and leaves to warn her. After the barrage of cannon fire is over and the invasion force has landed, Utley, along with Mr. Soames and Frasier make their way into Nassau town to find the Governor. He then witnesses Governor Rogers strike Soames after hearing that they allowed Eleanor to leave. He and Rogers then leave on horseback in an attempt to find Eleanor before she is harmed. However, they only find her dead body at the burning Barlow estate, he looks on in sadness while Rogers holds the body of his dead wife.[6]

Utley continues to serve as Rogers' second in command as the highest ranking officer remaining. When Billy Bones surrenders himself, Utley guards him after he is brought to the Governor's Mansion. Billy advises driving a wedge between Flint and Silver, and the way to do so is to demand that they demand the Cache of Gems as ransom for Madi, who was captured during the Spanish invasion and thought dead by the pirates.[7] 

After catching the pirates' reconnaissance team sent to find Madi, Utley joins Rogers aboard the Eurydice and they slip behind the Walrus during the night. Rogers then displays the captives on deck for the pirates to see, and begins executing them one by one. However, before Rogers can kill Madi, the pirates signal that they have the cache to ransom her. The Eurydice then turns and sets sail for Skeleton Island. After they arrive at the island, Flint absconds with the cache. Silver goes to the Eurydice and informs Rogers and Utley of the situation, explaining that he has sent his best men to kill Flint and retrieve the cache.[8]

Rogers asks Billy who he thinks will prevail, Flint or Silver, and Billy tells him to assume the worst and act accordingly. Utley agrees and advises Governor Rogers that they should strike at the pirates sooner rather than later, while the heavy fog provides good cover, giving them an opportunity to attack with minimal casualties. Rogers then goes to his cabin to speak to Madi. After she rebuffs his offer to spare John Silver if she brings his treaty offer to the Maroons, Rogers summons Utley and orders him to prepare the men to attack. Utley leads several men in swimming over a cask of pitch that is used to set the stern of the Walrus on fire. As the pirates are forced to flee the ship and swim for shore, Governor Rogers leads the Eurydice's Redcoats in longboats to attack them, and begin picking off the pirates as they struggle in the water[9].

Utley is picked up by Rogers' longboat, and the Governor tells him that when they land to give instruction to his men that Flint is needed alive to find the cache. Utley asks about the other pirates and Rogers responds that no one else is to be left alive. However they are forced to return by the arrival of Jack Rackham aboard the Lion. They then sail the Eurydice out to open water for more room to fight the upcoming battle. It is unknown what happens to Utley after the battle, but as he is not shown with the survivors, he is assumed killed in the final battle[10].

Quotes[]

By Utley[]

"My Lord, the mist is heavy. It may be our best chance to move with minimal casualties."

- Lieutenant Utley to Woodes Rogers in XXXVII.

"When we make our landing, pass word to the men I need Flint alive. If he departed with the money, he's the one who knows its whereabouts."

"What of the others, my Lord?" 

"There are no others. No quarter, Mr. Utley."

- Woodes Rogers and Lieutenant Utley in XXXVIII.

About Utley[]

"You know Lieutenant Utley from the captain's staff?" 

"Yes." 

"Find him, tell him I ask that he gather as much food and supplies as he can move into the fort within the next hour."

Eleanor Guthrie to Mrs. Hudson in XXXI.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Lieutenant Utley appears to be a dragoon, as he is seen wearing the same vest they do in XXVI.
  • Utley was the longest surviving of Woodes Rogers's lieutenants as he survives all the season three offscreen, then he appears in the first episode of season four, follows Berringer in his mutiny and remains loyal to Woodes Rogers and finally dies offscreen in the final battle.

Appearances[]

Season Four
XXIX. XXX. XXXI. XXXII. XXXIII.
XXXIV. XXXV. XXXVI. XXXVII. XXXVIII.

References[]

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