Pierre le Picard
Encyclopedia
Pierre le Picard was a 17th century French buccaneer. He was both an officer to l'Ollonais as well as Sir Henry Morgan
, most notably taking part in his raids at Maracaibo
and Panama
, and may have been one of the first buccaneers to raid shipping on both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts.
with 40 men and was present at the later raids against Maracaibo
and Gibraltar in 1666 and Puerto de Cavallo and San Pedro
in 1667. The fleet then stopped to regroup sometime after this point, capturing a Spanish ship off the coast of the Yucatan, before l'Ollonais called a council of his officers. Although proposing to sail to Guatemala
, he and Moise Vauquelin
opposed l'Ollonais' plan and, it is alleged, they encouraged the rest of the officers to leave their commander. The fleet did disband after this meeting, with Picard and Vauquelin leaving together to raid the coast of Costa Rica
. The two successfully occupied and looted Veraguas that same year, however they parted ways after failing to capture the nearby town of Nata
. This attack was included in Alexander Esquemeling's The Buccaneers of America years later.
In 1669, he returned to Maracaibo once more as a guide for Sir Henry Morgan
expedition and, two years later, joined him at Panama
in command of the 10-gun Saint-Pierre. Although his activities are unknown during the next few years, at least one published source reporting his death in 1679, he is mentioned by then acting Governor of Jamaica Sir Henry Morgab as being active against English and Spanish shipping near Port Royal
in 1682.
He may have also been the Captain le Picard who, in early 1685, sailed with the French buccaneering expedition including Francis Grognet and a Captain Townley that crossed the Isthmus of Panama
to raid unprotected Spanish settlements in the South Seas. They later joined with English buccaneers Edward Davis, Charles Swan
and Peter Harris
, although Picard apparently did not get along with their English partners. He returned to the Caribbean after the raid on Guayaquil in May 1687 and, while en route to Hispaniola
, looted the city of Segovia
before eventually retired to Acadie
in southeastern Canada. During King William's War
, he may have also commanded a small squadron during King William's War
and attacked the English colony at Rhode Island
in 1690 although was forced to withdraw due to heavy casualties.
Henry Morgan
Admiral Sir Henry Morgan was an Admiral of the Royal Navy, a privateer, and a pirate who made a name for himself during activities in the Caribbean, primarily raiding Spanish settlements...
, most notably taking part in his raids at Maracaibo
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
and Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, and may have been one of the first buccaneers to raid shipping on both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts.
Biography
Pierre le Picard is first referred to as an officer with l'Ollonais in his buccaneering expedition from Tortuga. Leaving with the fleet, he commanded a brigantineBrigantine
In sailing, a brigantine or hermaphrodite brig is a vessel with two masts, only the forward of which is square rigged.-Origins of the term:...
with 40 men and was present at the later raids against Maracaibo
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
and Gibraltar in 1666 and Puerto de Cavallo and San Pedro
San Pedro
- Places :Argentina:* San Pedro, Buenos Aires Province* San Pedro Partido* San Pedro Department, Jujuy* San Pedro Department, MisionesBelize:*San Pedro Town, a town on the island of Ambergris Caye Chile:...
in 1667. The fleet then stopped to regroup sometime after this point, capturing a Spanish ship off the coast of the Yucatan, before l'Ollonais called a council of his officers. Although proposing to sail to Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, he and Moise Vauquelin
Moise Vauquelin
Moise Vauquelin or Moses Vanclein was a 17th century French buccaneer. During his four-year career as a privateer, he served as an officer under l'Ollonais and formed a brief partnership with Pierre Le Picard...
opposed l'Ollonais' plan and, it is alleged, they encouraged the rest of the officers to leave their commander. The fleet did disband after this meeting, with Picard and Vauquelin leaving together to raid the coast of Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. The two successfully occupied and looted Veraguas that same year, however they parted ways after failing to capture the nearby town of Nata
Nata
Nata is a small village in the Paphos area of southwest Cyprus. It is a small relatively unspoilt traditional village situated on the south-eastern hillside of the Xeros River Valley with approximately 300 residents that is slowly growing due to the number of foreigners wanting to live there. The...
. This attack was included in Alexander Esquemeling's The Buccaneers of America years later.
In 1669, he returned to Maracaibo once more as a guide for Sir Henry Morgan
Henry Morgan
Admiral Sir Henry Morgan was an Admiral of the Royal Navy, a privateer, and a pirate who made a name for himself during activities in the Caribbean, primarily raiding Spanish settlements...
expedition and, two years later, joined him at Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
in command of the 10-gun Saint-Pierre. Although his activities are unknown during the next few years, at least one published source reporting his death in 1679, he is mentioned by then acting Governor of Jamaica Sir Henry Morgab as being active against English and Spanish shipping near Port Royal
Port Royal
Port Royal was a city located at the end of the Palisadoes at the mouth of the Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1518, it was the centre of shipping commerce in the Caribbean Sea during the latter half of the 17th century...
in 1682.
He may have also been the Captain le Picard who, in early 1685, sailed with the French buccaneering expedition including Francis Grognet and a Captain Townley that crossed the Isthmus of Panama
Isthmus of Panama
The Isthmus of Panama, also historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North and South America. It contains the country of Panama and the Panama Canal...
to raid unprotected Spanish settlements in the South Seas. They later joined with English buccaneers Edward Davis, Charles Swan
Charles Swan
Charles Swan was a reluctant buccaneer, killed 1690.Captain Swan was forced into piracy by his crew in the 1680s, and proceeded to write letters to the owners of his ship Cygnet in London, begging them to intercede with James II of England for his pardon - even as he looted his way up and down the...
and Peter Harris
Peter Harris
Peter Harris , popularly known as Blu Peter, is an electronic dance music record producer and disc jockey from South Wales who pioneered the Nu-NRG music genre in the late 1990s...
, although Picard apparently did not get along with their English partners. He returned to the Caribbean after the raid on Guayaquil in May 1687 and, while en route to Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
, looted the city of Segovia
Segovia
Segovia is a city in Spain, the capital of Segovia Province in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is situated north of Madrid, 30 minutes by high speed train. The municipality counts some 55,500 inhabitants.-Etymology:...
before eventually retired to Acadie
Acadie
Acadie may refer to:* the French word for Acadia* Acadie , the debut album by record producer and singer-songwriter Daniel Lanois* Acadie—Bathurst, a federal electoral district in New Brunswick, Canada...
in southeastern Canada. During King William's War
King William's War
The first of the French and Indian Wars, King William's War was the name used in the English colonies in America to refer to the North American theater of the Nine Years' War...
, he may have also commanded a small squadron during King William's War
King William's War
The first of the French and Indian Wars, King William's War was the name used in the English colonies in America to refer to the North American theater of the Nine Years' War...
and attacked the English colony at Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
in 1690 although was forced to withdraw due to heavy casualties.