Sir Henry Morgan's cannons recovered.
Archaeologists have recovered six cannons from the wreck remains of the ships of the Welsh adventurer and buccaneer, Sir Henry Morgan. In 1670, Morgan had sent three ships and a crew of 470 men to capture the Castillo de San Lorenzo el Real de Charges, a fort that garded the approaches to the then capitol of Panama City. As the small fleet was sailing up the Chagres River, Morgan's flagship the SATISFACTION and his two other escorts ran into the Lajas Reef, sinking in shallow water. Manning the ship's boats, Morgan and his force rowed up river, disinbarked from their boats, walked over land, surprising the small garrison of Panama City, overcame the defnders and sacked the city.
A joint Panamanian-American team has been exploring the mouth of the Chagres River since 2008 to document the rich history of the region, which started when Christopher Columbus discovered the area on his fourth voyage in 1502. At the edge of the Lajos Reef, the dive team found six cannons covered with layers of sedementary rock The cannons were identified as 17th century French origin. Morgan's flagship was the captured French vessel, CERF VOLANT, which he renamed SATISFACTION. At least two more cannons are buried in sand along with an anchor, ceramics, wine bottles and other artifacts. Magnetometers indicate other metal objects buried nearby in deeper areas. Archaeologists do not intend to bring up other remaining cannons to the surface, even though treasure hunters have looted the site in years past.
Born in a well-to-do family near Cardiff, Wales in 1634, Morgan had a talent for adventure and leadership. In his youth, he had a desire to go to sea, where he made his way to the Island of Jamaica in the West Indies. Joining a gang of buccaneers led by Edward Mansfield, Morgan fought the Spanish in the Caribbean until Mansfield was captured and executed. Morgan was then chosen to lead the raiders. They captured Porto Bello, slaughted the Spanish garrison and ransacked the town, carrying away much loot. Turning attention to Cartagena, Columbia, Morgan almost defeated its defenders, but by a clever ruse, managed to escape defeat when the defenders put up a stiff resistance. Turning his attention to Cuba, Morgan along with some French accomplices did much looting on the island.
It was in Panama that Morgan was at his most brilliant and most cruel in his atrocities against the local population. Brilliant in his leadership leading his men through jungle infested trails and surprising the numerous defenders with his outnumbered force and capturing Spanish ships anchored in the harbor to make his escape. Cruel in using torture on the helpless population in an attempt to wring more treasure when they were not satisfied what had been looted.
Eventually tired of advernture, his exploits reached King Charles II of England , who was pleased with Morgan's assalt again the Spanish. Gaining favor from the king, Morgan was made Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica in 1674, where he spent his last years in comfort at his plantation after marrying his cousin, Mary Elizabeth Morgan. He died on August 28, 1688 from liver disease, probably from too much alcoholic consumption. He was buried in Palisadoes Cemetery, which sank along with Port Royal underwater after the 1692 Jamaican earthquake. Morgan lived at a time for buccaneers when they were able to use the conflict between England and Spain to enrich themselves at the expense of others.
Story by Thomas H. Maugh II, for the Los Angeles Times, as presented by Lost Treasures of the Seven Seas. Courtesy of Crackers Nautical News
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