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George LowtherEnglish pirate of the 18th century
Country:
 Great Britain |
Content:
- Biography of George Lauter
- Becoming a Pirate
- Adventures in the Caribbean
- Wintering
- Change of Location
- Return to the Caribbean
Biography of George Lauter
George Lauter was a notorious English pirate who operated in the Caribbean Sea and along the coasts of North America during the 18th century. He was known for his daring exploits and his involvement in several famous pirate crews.
Becoming a Pirate
In 1721, Lauter joined the crew of the Gambia Castle, a ship sailing from London to an English fort on the Gambia River. The ship was supposed to deliver a group of soldiers under the command of John Massey. However, upon arrival, they discovered a lack of provisions, forcing the soldiers to endure hunger. At the same time, Lauter had a conflict with the captain. In order to help each other, Lauter captured the ship and sailed Massey and his soldiers out of the port. Massey, in turn, took the governor's son as a hostage, allowing Lauter to escape freely. They renamed the ship the Happy Deliverance and set sail for the Caribbean.
Adventures in the Caribbean
Not far from Barbados, Lauter and his fellow pirates seized two ships. However, conflicts between them constantly arose, involving their subordinates. Eventually, Massey transferred to one of the prizes with his soldiers and sailed straight to Jamaica. From there, they managed to reach England, where Massey voluntarily surrendered to the authorities and was executed. Near the island of Puerto Rico, Lauter captured two ships, one belonging to the Spanish and the other an English vessel seized by the Spanish. After freeing the captured Englishmen, Lauter offered them to join his crew, while burning the ships and leaving the Spanish on a small boat. On Christmas, the pirates stopped at one of the islands and peacefully celebrated.
Wintering
During this time, a small group of pirates under the command of Edward Lowe joined Lauter's crew. Together, they seized several small vessels, burning some of them and keeping others to expand their fleet. When Lauter's fleet consisted of three ships and a tender, they decided to careen one of the ships. They entered a secluded harbor, unloaded the ship, leaving the loot in tents on the shore, and began their work. However, they were suddenly attacked by a large number of indigenous people. The pirates had to retreat to small boats while the flagship was ransacked by the natives.
Change of Location
The crew was on the verge of mutiny, running out of provisions, and the boats needed cleaning and repairs. So, after capturing another prize, Lauter transferred part of his crew to Edward Lowe and his ship. However, Lowe took the opportunity to escape on the first night. After Lowe's departure, the pirates decided to change their operating area and set sail for the waters of North America. Along the way, they plundered several ships. In the Chesapeake Bay, the buccaneers captured a small sloop and anchored it within sight of a town, celebrating their victory loudly. For the next three weeks, the pirate ship terrorized the town, sailing nearby.
Return to the Caribbean
After moving to the coast of North Carolina, the pirates attempted to capture a passing ship named Amy. However, the brave Captain Gowtkins put up a worthy defense against the maritime raiders. The pirates had to winter on one of the islands in North Carolina. In the early spring, they raided the fishing grounds of Newfoundland, robbing several fishing vessels.
In the summer, as provisions began to run low, the buccaneers decided to return to the Caribbean Sea. In September, they were fortunate to capture a large slave ship after a short pursuit. Some of the officers, unable to withstand torture, revealed the location of hidden gold.
Finally, the pirates found a secluded place near the coast of Venezuela to careen their ship. While they were cleaning the hull and removing the rigging, an English military sloop named Eagle, commanded by Captain Moore, passed by. After warning shots and silence in response, the sloop approached the suspicious ship.
The pirates scattered in panic. Lauter attempted to deter the soldiers by firing from the shore, but Eagle suppressed them with its firepower. Taking advantage of the tide, Captain Moore refloated the pirate sloop and sent a military landing party to the shore. The troops searched the forest and captured 16 of the pirates.
Upon learning of the pirate ship's capture, the governor of the Spanish port of Cumaná organized an expedition to the island to search for the escaped pirates. The expedition found an additional 40 men. However, neither the English nor the Spanish were able to find Captain Lauter, as he had managed to hide himself securely.
Some of the arrested pirates were hanged, while others, who were forced to become pirates against their will, were acquitted. Several weeks later, sailors from a trading ship landed on the island. They found a pistol and a pirate with a disfigured face on the shore. It seemed that George Lauter had taken his own life, successfully evading capture.
