Satisfaction

Henry Morgan's flagship on the Panama expedition, wrecked with other vessels at the entrance to the Chagres River.

LaunchedMorgan's flagship by 1670Towrecked January 1671, Chagres River

Henry Morgan's flagship on the Panama expedition, wrecked with other vessels at the entrance to the Chagres River.

What the record establishes

Morgan's expedition fleet numbered about thirty-seven ships and two thousand fighting men at the muster before Panama; it had sailed from Port Royal on 14 August 1670 with 11 vessels and 600 men and gathered strength thereafter¹

The castle of San Lorenzo at Chagre (Exquemelin's 'Chagre') was stormed and taken by an advance party under Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Bradley before Morgan arrived with the main fleet; Bradley was mortally wounded and died about ten days later²

On Morgan's arrival at Chagre the flagship and other ships of the fleet were driven onto the rock or reef at the entrance of the Chagres river and wrecked³

The loss of life in the wreck was light, not heavy: Fogg's relation says '10 men drowned' while Exquemelin says they 'saved all the men and goods'⁴

Exquemelin attributes the wreck to a strong northerly wind driving the ships onto the rock, the crews having 'minded not their way into the river' out of joy at seeing the English colours flying on the captured castle; Fogg notes the Admiral had been 'retarded by contrary winds'⁵

The reef is called 'Lajas Reef' (also 'Laja' or Exquemelin-era 'the rock at the entry of the river', and 'Leja' in one secondary account) in modern and archaeological accounts; the primaries name only 'the rock at the entry of the river' (Exquemelin) and 'the bar' (Fogg)⁶

The wreck took place in early January 1671; Morgan reached Chagre about eight days after leaving Old Providence (Santa Catalina); his own relation dates the start of the up-river march to 9 January 1671, so the wreck preceded that; Panama was taken on 28 January 1671⁷

Despite the loss of the ships, the men and much of the goods and guns were saved (Exquemelin); after the wreck Morgan was brought into the castle and pressed on, leaving 300 men under Major Richard Norman to guard the castle and the surviving ships⁸

The vessel was Henry Morgan's flagship (his 'Admiral') on the 1670 to 1671 expedition against Panama⁹

What the evidence does not settle

No primary source read here calls the ship Satisfaction; its name and tonnage rest on later works, while the number of ships lost varies between accounts.

What the evidence does not settle

Name and tonnage

Primary evidence for the name Satisfaction and her burden

Losses

How many of Morgan's ships were lost

Each line is one question with its own grade, taken from the register where a claim carries it. Nothing here is graded as a whole.

Sources for this record

Every statement above that rests on a checked claim carries a small number; the numbers lead here. Each entry gives what is claimed, how far the record supports it, and where it comes from.

Morgan's expedition fleet numbered about thirty-seven ships and two thousand fighting men at the muster before Panama; it had sailed from Port Royal on 14 August 1670 with 11 vessels and 600 men and gathered strength thereafter Very likely Strong evidence, short of proof. Period narrative; Statute: The Buccaneers of America (this reprint titled The Pirates of Panama), English translation first printed 1684; Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies, Vol 7 (1669-1674), entry no. 504: Henry Morgan's relation of the expedition
The castle of San Lorenzo at Chagre (Exquemelin's 'Chagre') was stormed and taken by an advance party under Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Bradley before Morgan arrived with the main fleet; Bradley was mortally wounded and died about ten days later Very likely Strong evidence, short of proof. Statute: Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies, Vol 7 (1669-1674), entry no. 483: relation of William Fogg; Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies, Vol 7 (1669-1674), entry no. 504: Henry Morgan's relation of the expedition
On Morgan's arrival at Chagre the flagship and other ships of the fleet were driven onto the rock or reef at the entrance of the Chagres river and wrecked Very likely Strong evidence, short of proof. Period narrative; Statute: The Buccaneers of America (this reprint titled The Pirates of Panama), English translation first printed 1684; Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies, Vol 7 (1669-1674), entry no. 483: relation of William Fogg
The loss of life in the wreck was light, not heavy: Fogg's relation says '10 men drowned' while Exquemelin says they 'saved all the men and goods' Very likely Strong evidence, short of proof. Period narrative; Statute: The Buccaneers of America (this reprint titled The Pirates of Panama), English translation first printed 1684; Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies, Vol 7 (1669-1674), entry no. 483: relation of William Fogg
Exquemelin attributes the wreck to a strong northerly wind driving the ships onto the rock, the crews having 'minded not their way into the river' out of joy at seeing the English colours flying on the captured castle; Fogg notes the Admiral had been 'retarded by contrary winds' Very likely Strong evidence, short of proof. Period narrative; Statute: The Buccaneers of America (this reprint titled The Pirates of Panama), English translation first printed 1684; Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies, Vol 7 (1669-1674), entry no. 483: relation of William Fogg
The reef is called 'Lajas Reef' (also 'Laja' or Exquemelin-era 'the rock at the entry of the river', and 'Leja' in one secondary account) in modern and archaeological accounts; the primaries name only 'the rock at the entry of the river' (Exquemelin) and 'the bar' (Fogg) Likely More likely than not on the evidence we have. Period narrative; Statute; Registered source: The Buccaneers of America (this reprint titled The Pirates of Panama), English translation first printed 1684; Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies, Vol 7 (1669-1674), entry no. 483: relation of William Fogg; Lost Ships of Henry Morgan (research project page)
The wreck took place in early January 1671; Morgan reached Chagre about eight days after leaving Old Providence (Santa Catalina); his own relation dates the start of the up-river march to 9 January 1671, so the wreck preceded that; Panama was taken on 28 January 1671 Very likely Strong evidence, short of proof. Period narrative; Statute: The Buccaneers of America (this reprint titled The Pirates of Panama), English translation first printed 1684; Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies, Vol 7 (1669-1674), entry no. 504: Henry Morgan's relation of the expedition
Despite the loss of the ships, the men and much of the goods and guns were saved (Exquemelin); after the wreck Morgan was brought into the castle and pressed on, leaving 300 men under Major Richard Norman to guard the castle and the surviving ships Very likely Strong evidence, short of proof. Period narrative; Statute: The Buccaneers of America (this reprint titled The Pirates of Panama), English translation first printed 1684; Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies, Vol 7 (1669-1674), entry no. 504: Henry Morgan's relation of the expedition
The vessel was Henry Morgan's flagship (his 'Admiral') on the 1670 to 1671 expedition against Panama Very likely Strong evidence, short of proof. Period narrative; Statute: The Buccaneers of America (this reprint titled The Pirates of Panama), English translation first printed 1684; Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies, Vol 7 (1669-1674), entry no. 483: relation of William Fogg