TheRaid on Cartagena was the successful counter-attack against vessels sent to defend the city ofCartagena de Indias (modern-dayColombia) and the subsequent blockade of the city byLaurens de Graaf and hispirate compatriots.
In May 1683, de Graaf hadsuccessfully attacked Veracruz with the assistance ofNicholas van Hoorn. The two subsequently had a falling-out and de Graaf wounded van Hoorn on theIsla de Sacrificios.[1] Van Hoorn later died when the wound became infected. De Graaf and his fleet sailed south, arriving off the coast of modern-day Colombia in November 1683 where they held for almost a month, preparing to infiltrate Cartagena in the same way as they had Veracruz.[2]
To prevent an attack, governor Juan de Pando Estradacommandeered three privateslave ships - the 40-gunSan Francisco, the 34-gunPaz and a smaller 28-gungalliot.[3] 800 Spanish, led by a 26-year-old commander, set out to meet the pirates onChristmas Eve but immediately struggled against De Graaf's more experienced men. 90 Spaniards were killed compared to only 20 pirates. TheSan Francisco was grounded and the other two ships were captured. De Graafre-floated theSan Francisco as his new flagship and renamed it theFortune, later theNeptune.Michiel Andrieszoon took thePaz and renamed it theMutine ("Rascal") andYankey Willems was given command of theFrancesca.[4] The group released a large number of Spanish prisoners on Christmas Day and sent them ashore with a note for Governor Estrada thanking him for the Christmas presents.[4] The pirates then proceeded to blockade the town and ransom their remaining hostages.[3]
In January 1684 anEnglish convoy, led by the 48-gunHMS Ruby, arrived carrying a note for de Graaf from his wife offering a Spanishpardon andletter of marque. De Graaf ignored the note, not trusting the Spanish to keep their promises, and instead invited English officers to board his vessels and trade with his men. The English were then allowed to continue to Cartagena's port without incident and soon after, de Graaf and his compatriots left forPetit-Goâve.
