Introduction
En 1683, une petite bande de flibustiers avait fait descente dans les environs de San Agustín, la capitale de la Floride et, suite à l'échec de cette entreprise, étaient allés piller, plus au nord, les missions espagnoles de la province de Guale (concernant cette affaire, voir la lettre du gouverneur des Bahamas écrite à la fin de cette année-là). Cependant cette partie la plus septentrionale de la Floride n'est pas uniquement la cible des flibustiers. En effet, les plus aventuriers des colons anglais de la Caroline, située au nord de Guale, y sèment des troubles parmi les tribus indiennes, s'alliant avec celles hostiles aux Espagnols et réduisant en esclavage celles qui sont tributaires de ces derniers. En août 1686, les Espagnols de la Floride décident de se venger tant des agressions des flibustiers que de celles des Anglais de la Caroline qui s'allient volontiers avec les premiers (voir les documents relatifs à la présence de flibustiers dans cette colonie en 1685). Une centaine d'Espagnols, de mulâtres et de noirs vont ainsi descente dans les environs de Charlestown, le principal port de la Caroline, et pillent et incendient les plantations. Mais le 26 août 1686 un violent ouragan frappe la colonie et oblige les attaquants à rentrer en Floride. Le gouverneur de la Caroline, Joseph Moreton, et son conseil appellent alors les habitants sous les armes et profitent de l'arrivée de deux flibustiers portant commission française pour mettre sur pied une expédition de représailles contre la Floride. Mais, entre-temps, un nouveau gouverneur, James Colleton, arrive d'Angleterre et interdit cet armement, comme le rapporte les documents suivent. Les deux bâtiments flibustiers avaient fait auparavant parti de la flotte de sieur de Granmont, avec lequel ils avaient participé à la prise de Campêche et avaient séjourné aux Honduras avant de relâcher en Caroline (voir le mémoire du sieur de Cussy, gouverneur de Saint-Domingue, du 13 août 1686). Ce deux bâtiments pourraient être ceux des capitaines Yankey et Evertsen, qui allèrent en Caroline et se retirèrent ensuite à la Jamaïque (voir leur correspondance avec le colonel Molesworth, gouverneur de cette colonie en 1687). Mais comme on peut le voir ici, l'un des deux flibustiers pourrait être Granmont lui-même, qui, d'ailleurs, connaissait la colonie anglaise pour y avoir fait escale en 1683 au retour de la prise de la Vera Cruz et qui, à la fin de 1686, devait périr lors d'une tempête au large des Açores (voir la déposition de l'un de ses hommes faite en janvier 1687). Ces flibustiers avaient aussi leurs raison de s'en prendre aux Espagnols de la Floride, qui quelques mois plus tôt avaient massacré une trentaine de leurs camarades (sur cet incident, voir le mémoire de Cussy, du 27 août 1687).
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Edward Randolph to the Lords of Trade and Plantations [extrait] Boston, 23 August, 1686 [2 septembre 1686]. (...) A pirate of fourteen guns and a hundred men has been lately on the coast. Captain St. Loe was ordered out, but came too late, the pirate having robbed two sloops laden with provisions, and sailed to the West Indies. Not long since, Grammont, a Frenchman, with a ship of fifty guns, lay off Carolina, and wished to trade, which was refused him. Ed. Randolph. source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no 824. Lieutenant-Governor Molesworth to William Blathwayt [extrait] Jamaica, October 5, 1686 [15 octobre 1686]. (...) Yankey, the privateer, has taken a Spanish vessel with fifty thousand dollars off Havana. If we could meet with him, this would be a good time to call him to account for the English sloop that was condemned at Petit Guavos, he is said to be bound northward. The Governor of Havana told me that the Governor of Florida had been much alarmed by Grammont, whom some of the people of Carolina were said to have joined. He begged that measures might be taken to restrain English settlements from joining with pirates. source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no 897. Governor Richard Cony to the Earl of Sunderland [extrait] December 2, 1686 [Bermudes, 12 décembre 1686]. (...) I learn that in September last the Spaniards came to Carolina about one hundred and forty strong, plundered the Governor's house and carried off twelve of the slaves, doing much damage. The inhabitants are now sending two French privateers with two hundred of the privateers' crews and three hundred of their own to take the forts and burn the town of St. Augustine. (...) Richard Cony. source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no 1029. Lords Proprietors of Carolina to Governor James Colleton March 3, 1687 [13 mars 1687]. We learn that a hundred and fifty-three Spaniards, Indians and Mulattos have fallen upon the outskirts of our settlement, and burnt and plundered seven houses. We hear that the reason of that, nothwithstanding the King's commands and our repeated orders, the people of Carolina have received the pirates who have unjustly burned and robbed the houses of Spaniards. Could any rational man doubt that the Spaniards would seek revenge, and would be justified in seeking it, if this be true? We have also been informed that a design was on foot in Carolina to take St. Augustine, which our Government was ready to countenance, being persuaded that they were justified by our clause permitting invaders to be pursued beyond the bounds of our province. But that clause means only a pursuit in heat of victory, not granting of commissions and a deliberate invasion of the King of Spain's dominions. You will cause this explanation to be recorded. If the Spaniards invade you, defend yourselves, and by a brisk pursuit of them in the present heat of victory, give them cause to repent their attack. If they or any other Christian nation injure you, let the proofs be transmitted to us, and we will apply to the King for reparation for damage done. But no rational man can suppose that the subjects of any prince can be permitted to make war upon any of his allies for the reparation of their private injuries, or for any other cause whatever, or that any such power was granted by our patent. We have received copy of an Act oct levy and impress men and arms for the defence of the Government in the preamble of which it is said that the Spaniards who invaded you were commissioned by the King of Spain. The name of so a great prince is thus mentioned on the information of a single mulatto and without your having seen any such commission, or sent to St. Augustine or Havana to ascertain if the Government knew anything of the invasion. We have reason to believe that the King of Spain knew nothing of it, and we dissent to the Act and to all Acts and Orders made with a view to war with Spain. We see by the Minutes of Council that there was evidence that Mr. John Boone had not only helped the pirates Chapman and Holloway with victuals, but had taken and concealed part of their stolen goods, for which he was rightly expelled from the Grand Council. But we hear since that he is again chosen, and is sitting in the Grand Council. This must not be chosen again and restored. You will put him out, and see that another is chosen in his place. We are sorry to see the proneness of the Parliament of Carolina to such proceedings, and hope that they will not occur again. Craven.
source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no 1161. Instructions to James Colleton, Governor of the Province of Carolina, South and West of Cape Fear [résumé] March 3, 1687 [13 mars 1687]. These include orders to arrest Governor James Moreton to answer the complaint against him of encouraging privateers (3); to arrest Robert Quarry if one Browne, whom he entertained, prove to be not a trader but a pirate (4); and several other more relating to the harbouring and abetting of pirates. Craven.
source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no 1165. Lords Proprietors of Carolina to [Governor James Colleton] [extrait] October 10 1687 [20 octobre 1687]. ...we have received yours of 23 December and 26 February, and approve of your having stopped the invasion of St. Augustine. We are pleased with your care for the defence of the province from any future attack of the Spaniards... You do well in your resolution to seize all privateers, and you must not fail to enforce the law against those that correspond with them or supply them with arms and ammunition, for we have hints that such things are done by some in Carolina. (...) source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no 1457. a letter to Seth Sothell [extrait] [sans date, mais probablement écrite en 1688]. (...) In 1686 again the Spaniards from St. Augustine invaded us, did great destruction, burned one of our people alive, and carried off several more. The whole county resolved upon vengeance, but the late Governor here forbade it, and when a new Governor at St. Augustine sent envoys here to treat about all difference, Governor Colleton did not consult the Commons of the Council... source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no 1962. |
| LES ARCHIVES DE LA FLIBUSTE |
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| Le Diable Volant |