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John Rackham, better known as Calico Jack, was a notorious English pirate who operated in the Caribbean during the early 18th century. He was best known for having two female pirates in his crew, Anne Bonny and Mary Read.

Biography[]

Early career[]

John Rackham started his career as quartermaster on the ship of Charles Vane, a pirate who was operating out of New Providence, Bahamas. At the end of 1718, Vane fired on a French vessel that he then discovered was a warship. Although he felt discretion and retreat was the better part of valor, his crew disagreed, and the next day he was sent off after Rackham was elected captain.

Calico Jack[]

John Rackham

The illustration of Calico Jack.

Rackham spent several months cruising the Caribbean, having as much success in attacking smaller vessels that his little sloop would allow. He earned the nickname Calico Jack,[1] after the colorful calico cotton attire he wore.[2] In December he captured a richly-laden merchant ship the Kingston within sight of Port Royal, provoking the merchants there to outfit several privateers to apprehend him. Three months later, they found Rackham at Isla de los Pinos, south of Cuba, still in his ship with the Kingston anchored alongside; Rackham and most of his crew were dozing ashore in a camp of tents made from old sails, and hid in the woods while their ships were captured. In late spring of 1719, Rackham returned to New Providence and received a Royal Pardon from Governor Woodes Rogers.

When Rackham began an affair with Anne Bonny, the pardon was soon forgotten. They had a baby that was eventually left in the care of some pirate families in Cuba, and Rackham returned to his former ways, stealing the sloop William and taking Bonny along, dressed as a man.

Return to piracy[]

Calico Jack flag

Rackham's Jolly Roger.

Rackham and Bonny spent over a year attacking small vessels around the West Indies and took on a sailor that would later prove to be a woman named Mary Reade.[3] Rackham at first confronted the 'man' who was spending too much time around Anne, but later relented upon discovering her identity and realizing the benefit of friendship for the pair.[4]

Calico Jack Rackham's run came to an end around October 1720, after Woodes Rogers found out about his return to piracy. A British sloop led by the pirate hunter Captain Jonathan Barnet caught up with him at the west end of Jamaica while the crew was drunk and unable to fight. The women tried to sail the ship away, but it was soon overtaken. Reade, Bonny, and one man were said to be the only fighters, shooting into the hold to try and rouse the others from their hiding spot. Their shots wounded one and killed another.

Death[]

Dead pirates

The corpses of Calico Jack and other pirates.

The entire crew was soon arrested and taken to Jamaica to be tried for piracy. The proceedings caused quite a stir because of the women pirates, but the women themselves escaped the noose because of pregnancy. The rest of them were hanged on November 27, 1720.[4] Calico Jack's body was gibbeted and hung as a deterrent on Deadman's Cay near Port Royal. At some point after Rackham's death one islet off the coast of Port Royal was named Rackhams Kay.[5]

Personality and traits[]

Unlike his contemporary Blackbeard, Calico Jack Rackham seemed to go out of his way to refrain from the typical barbarism of a pirate. His most noteworthy exploit involved returning a ship, intact and unharmed, to the unfortunate captain he had just robbed blind.[3] Rackham also didn't share the superstition of many sailors of his time - that women bring bad luck on ships, because the most famous members of his crew were female pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read.

Behind the scenes[]

"Over there I see Gentleman Jocard, the slave who took over his ship and took on his Captain's name. And Ann Bonny, and the infamous Captain Rackham."
Hector Barbossa[src] (original screenplay)

Appearances[]

Sources[]

External links[]

Notes and references[]

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