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Woodes Rogers' First Fleet

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Woodes Rogers First Fleet was used in his effort to reclaim New Providence Island for the British Empire.

History[]

Background[]

In his endeavor to civilize Nassau and bring it back into the fold of the British Empire, he secured loans from various creditors and used the money to purchase a variety of ships. This included merchant vessels as well as ships and soldiers from the Royal Navy, who provided him with a military escort. The fleet consisted of eight vessels of varying size and armament, further complemented by 700 Redcoats. The fleet also carries a number of colonists, in order to help further settle New Providence Island. 

Season Three[]

The fleet sails from London. En route to Nassau, Rogers summons Eleanor Guthrie to the quarterdeck of his flagship, the Delicia. He names the ships for her and explains to her that he is responsible for all of it, and as soon as he thinks her unessential, she will be sent back to London to be executed.

The fleet docks in Saint Kitts, where they rendezvous with Captain Benjamin Hornigold and the Orion. There, Hornigold tells them that Flint is dead, having been driven into a storm where his ship sunk. 

Saint Kitts

Rogers' fleet in St. Kitts

Max hears about the approaching British fleet from a wealthy merchant from Saint Kitts, with whom she had been exchanging gold from the Urca de Lima for more transportable commodities such as gems and pearls. She brings this news to Jack Rackham, who assembles the other pirate captains of Nassau. They formulate a plan to have their fleet assume a hostile position at the mouth of the harbor in a massive, united show of force to deter Rogers from even attempting to invade. Edward Teach is to command the fleet, Charles Vane the militia on the beach. If they have to, they are to fight for the island. The plan is on shaky footing, as some, like Captain Throckmorton, believe the odds to greatly against them. 

The fleet then travels to Nassau, but they find the harbor defended by a fleet of ships led by Edward Teach. Upon Eleanor's suggestion, Rogers sends Hornigold, formerly a respected pirate, to read Rogers' address to the pirates on the beach. With the promise of a universal pardon and a ten thousand pound bounty on the head of Charles Vane the pirates, led by Captain Throckmorton, surrender. 

Teach's fleet continues to resist, despite being blockaded by both land and sea. To escape, he and Vane use aschooner as a fireship. Rogers orders the fleet to cut their anchor cables so they can escape, but the schooner hits the Willing Mind, engulfing it in flames and severely damaging it.

After Fort Nassau is secured, the gold from the Urca and the gems Max traded her share for are stored in the fleet, which Commodore Peter Chamberlain then sails to Havana, so it can be returned to Spain. 

Charles Vane is captured attacking Rogers' caravan, although the pirates were able to make off with Jack Rackham and his cache of gems. Vane is to be transported aboard the HMS Shark back to England for trial and execution. Billy Bones and Jacob Garrett are able to stir up enough resentment in the street to make that move impossible without causing massive protests. With Governor Rogers incapacitated due to injuries and illness, Eleanor decides to have an accelerated trial for Vane in the middle of the night. The next morning, the crew of the Shark stands down. 

The Orion pursues Flint and the Walrus to the Maroon Island.  Flint quickly maneuvers his ship to point his broadsides at the approaching ship. Hornigold tries to land men ashore, but sees a massive Maroon army emerge from the jungle, and retreats to Nassau. 

Seven ships carrying hundreds of soldiers sail for the Maroon Island. After bombarding the pirates' defenses, they land the Redcoats on the beach in longboats. Hornigold and Major Rollins lead the ground forces, while Commodore Chamberlain remains on his flagship, the HMS Milford, to command the fleet. A lookout spots a fleet of seven ships flying British colors sailing towards them, but when signalled, they raise the black. The two fleets open fire on each other, and Teach, who is in command of the fleet, begins sailing his flagship, the Revenge, straight towards the Milford. 

Anne Bonny swims with the pirate vanguard aboard the Orion, killing the remaining crew. They take control of the stern chasers and fire directly into the bow of Chamberlain's ship, killing or maiming the gun crews. Chamberlain, seeing that he cannot hope to repel the approaching boarders, has the fleet cut their anchor cables and sail away. They possibly leave behind hundreds of Redcoats ashore, who had been routed in a brutal ambush, resulting in the deaths of Hornigold and Rollins. 

Season Four[]

After their defeat at the Battle of the Maroon Island, Chamberlain leads the fleet and soldiers home to England, due to a war breaking out with Spain. However, his subordinate, Captain Berringer, leads a mutiny and remains in Nassau with several hundred soldiers to avenge their defeat at the Maroon Island. The only ship of the original fleet to stay behind in Nassau is the Gloucestershire. 

The pirates attempt to invade Nassau, but three of their four ships are grounded on hulks scuttled in the bay. Teach leads the Revege away to draw Rogers' sloops away from Nassau to allow the pirates on the other ships time to escape to the fallback position on the eastern shore. The Lion and the Gloucestershire remain behind to harass the pirates escaping in longboats, while three other sloops sail after Teach.

Teach returns and blockades Nassau's harbor, refusing to leave unless given Eleanor Guthrie, who he holds responsible for the death of Charles Vane. Rogers sails away in the Lion to lure Teach out of his position, and allow for Eleanor to sail to her grandparents in Philadelphia to ask for aid in the form of money, ships and soldiers. Before Eleanor can leave, Berringer denies her permission to do so, saying the soldiers that would form her escort are more needed in Nassau for the upcoming battle with the Pirate Resistance. The pirates successfully take over Nassau and kill Captain Berringer, forcing Eleanor to flee to the fort and leaving the Gloucestershire in the harbor. 

Ships[]

  • The Delicia, Rogers’ personal flagship, a frigate of 60 guns
  • HMS Milford, Commodore Chamberlain’s flagship, the lead naval escort of the fleet, a frigate of 60 guns that also carried 150 soldiers
  • HMS Rose, a frigate of 48 guns
  • HMS Shark, a three masted vessel of 30 guns
  • The Willing Mind, a three masted merchant vessel of 20 guns. Carrying two thirds of the fleet’s farming implements and most of their foodstuffs
  • The Buck, a brig of 18 guns
  • The Gloucestershire, a sloop of roughly ten guns, the least essential ship in the fleet.
  • The Orion, a three masted privateer vessel of roughly 30 guns captained by former pirate Benjamin Hornigold, now a pirate hunter in the service of the Crown.

Personnel[]

The fleet of eight ships was manned by hundreds of English sailors, in addition to carrying 700 British Regulars on loan from the British Army, as well as a number of colonists.

​​​​​​​Quotes[]

"The amount of energy it took to persuade my investors to fund this, it's hard to properly convey. This fleet, every ship at sea, every penny lent, I am personally answerable for all of it." Woodes Rogers to Eleanor Guthrie in XX.

"A fleet. Eight ships, soldiers, 700. All led by a man claiming to have been appointed governor of this place and empowered to take it back by force if necesary." Max to Jack Rackham in XXI.



Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Rogers’ fleet in real life was similarly composed as follows:
    • the Delicia was Rogers’ personal flagship, a warship of 30 guns and 90 men
    • The Willing Mind was a large transport ship with 20 guns and 22 crewmen
    • The Buck, a sloop of war of 6 guns and 12 men.
    • The Samuel, another sloop of 6 guns with 26 crewmen.
    • The HMS Milford, a fifth rate frigate of 30 guns, Chamberlain’s flagship
    • The HMS Rose, a sixth rate of 20 guns
    • The HMS Shark, a sloop of war of 10 guns
    • Every Royal Navy vessel carried 100 men, while an Independent Company of 100 British soldiers was split up among the four civilian vessels. Furthermore, there were 130 male colonists, many with wives and children. All totaling, the expedition was manned by 550 soldiers and sailors.  
  • The Gloucestershire is a fictional replacement for the Samuel, while the Orion is entirely fictional.
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