Piracy
The word "privateer" conjures a romantic image in the minds of most Americans. Tales of battle andbounty pervade the folklore of privateering, which has become a cherished, if often overlooked part ofour shared heritage. Legends were forged during the battle for American independence, and these men wereunderstandably glorified as part of the formation of our national identity. The fact of the matter isthat the vast majority of these men were common opportunists, if noteworthy naval warriors. The profitmotive was the driving force behind almost all of their expeditions, and a successful privateer couldeasily become quite wealthy. In times of peace, these men would be common pirates, pariahs of themaritime community. Commissioned in times of war, they were respected entrepreneurs, serving theirpurses and their country, if only incidentally the latter. However vulgar their motivation, the systemof privateering arose because it provided a valuable service to the! country, and indeed the American Revolution might not have been won without their involvement. Manyscholars agree that all war begins for economic reasons, and the privateers of the war for independencecontributed by attacking the commercial
Thelogic behind this outfitting was that the privateer would hopefully capture ships. Bold captains would sail for the English coast, capture ships, and escort them to French portsfor the sale of their goods. No ship flying an English flag was safe. The privateer vessel would commandeer themajority of the English ship's provisions, with the logic that the captured vessel was headed for thenearest port and would not need them. The logic was that first, an end of hostilitieswould enable Britain to resume normal commercial relations with the rest of her colonial possessions. Althoughthey were not laden with commercial goods suitable for sale they were often troop transports, or evenbetter, supply ships bringing necessities to British troops in America. The mutiny of prisoners was a very real and common danger. Many privateers who took too manyprisoners or under-staffed a capture were the victims of viscous mutinies. Additionally, talented officers on a privateer owned ship faced great prospectsfor their own advancement. In fact, that accomplishment was considered thepinnacle of success for a privateer voyage. The lossinflicted by American privateers led to the formation of these armed convoys, often consisting of up tofifty ships. For years Great Britain had reigned supreme on the seas, and a band ofprofiteering rebels was not only destroying their trade, but humiliating their Royal Navy. He began his adventures as anemployee of the investors who furnished him with his original ship and crew. In 1781 four hundred and forty-nine vessels had been commissioned asprivateers, the highest number of any year of the revolution. These captured vessels were the primary reason upward mobility was so possible.
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Acceptance Essays
