Death of LT Cocke
6 MARCH 1823
DEATH OF LT COCKE
Piracy was rampant in the Caribbean of the early 19th century. Independence movements in several Spanish New World colonies created the problem, as these new nations often sanctioned privateering against their former Spanish overlords. In turn, the Spanish of Puerto Rico and Cuba commissioned privateering against the former colonies of Venezuela, Colombia and Mexico. Extending their official sanction, privateering captains often crossed into frank piracy, indiscriminately taking prizes of all ships, even American. Spanish pirates operated from the many remote coves and bays of the Cuban and Puerto Rican coasts under this quasi-legitimacy–ironically, taking Spanish vessels as well! So bad had the problem become, that on 26 March 1822 the US Navy established the West India Squadron to convoy American merchantmen and police the seas. Surely, US officials thought, the Spanish authorities would be supportive of our actions against Caribbean piracy, as the Spanish would unavoidably benefit. But enthusiasm for American operations in and around Cuba and Puerto Rico was never better than chilly, to say the least.
When the new commander of our West India Squadron, Commodore David Porter, arrived at St. Thomas (then Danish) on 3 March 1823, he sent a message to the Spanish governor, Don Miguel de la Torres, asking for a list of vessels legally commissioned to operate against the enemies of Spain. Thus, Porter might know, “how and when to respect them.” As the US was in the awkward position of having recognized the new governments in Colombia and Mexico, Porter further asked for details about actions the Puerto Ricans had sanctioned against Colombian and Mexican vessels trading with the United States. Porter sent the 3-gun schooner USS GREYHOUND on March 4th to deliver the note to San Juan.
Nothing was heard from GREYHOUND for two days. On this day, LT W.H. Cocke, in the schooner FOX, 3, was sent into San Juan to inquire after GREYHOUND. As Cocke approached the harbor entrance, a battery in the fortification of St. John opened fire. Usually such warning shots passed harmlessly across the bows, but this time a groan was heard from the quarterdeck. Blood streamed to the scuppers; the one-in-a-million shot had mortally cut down LT Cocke.
The commander of the garrison claimed he had been ordered to allow no American vessel into San Juan. Calm did prevail, and an official apology was forthcoming. This despite the Spanish authorities’ knowledge that at the same time Porter was combating true piracy, mercenary American civilians had sought privateering commissions from Venezuela and Colombia–and were legitimately plundering Spanish shipping!
Watch for more “Today in Naval History” 11 MAR 23
CAPT James Bloom, Ret.
Allen, Gardner W., Our Navy and the West Indian Pirates. Salem, MA: Essex Institute, 1929, pp. 42-44.
Department of the Navy, Naval History Division. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol 2 “C-F”. Washington, DC: GPO, 1977, p. 437.
“Naval Register for the Year 1822.” AT: http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/USN/1822/NavReg1822.html, retrieved 1 April 2013.
Sweetman, Jack. American Naval History: An Illustrated Chronology of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, 1775-Present, 3rd ed. Annapolis, MD: USNI Press, 2002, p. 37.
ADDITIONAL NOTES: The skipper of GREYHOUND was Master Commandant John Porter, brother of the Commodore. Nothing ill had befallen GREYHOUND. She had simply been detained awaiting a Puerto Rican response.