Merchant Ship Lost off Florida in 1832. And pirates ?!

[Pol Bones]

Hi everyone,


I’m posting here because I recently acquired the archives of an old school that was liquidated after its closure. Among the papers were several books and letters, some dating back to the 17th century. Most of it was routine material—until I came across one remarkable 19th-century letter that sent me down a rabbit hole.


The letter was written by a French emigrant who had moved to the United States around 1830. It describes a dramatic shipwreck during his journey from New York to New Orleans. I’m trying to determine whether this event can be historically verified, and I’m hoping the experts here might recognize something.

Summary of the account (from the letter):​

During the winter of 1831–1832, this man boarded a merchant ship that departed from New York on January 18th, bound for New Orleans, where he planned to buy a plantation. After seven days, they were sailing along the coast of Florida. The following night—January 26th, 1832—while crossing the Bahamas, the ship struck an underwater rock while most of the drunken crew was asleep. The vessel began to sink. They were near a few small inhabited islands they could see in the distance. Because the water was shallow, the ship only sank about six feet and became wedged between two large rocks, slowly breaking apart.


Their wreck must have been spotted from afar, because at daybreak they saw a small flotilla of tiny boats heading toward them. Pirates!


Long story short, the pirates stripped the ship of everything and eventually transported the crew and the few passengers to what they considered the nearest safe settlement: New Providence. Today it is part of the Bahamas, but at the time it was described as “a small village that the English had almost abandoned.”

Why I’m Here​

I’ve located some modern-day descendants of this man and hope to return the letter to them. Before that, I would love to provide them with some historical context—ideally even confirm whether this wreck was documented. Or if their ancestor was just a liar and a theft. Also possible.

What I’m Hoping to Learn​

• Does this story sound plausible for the Bahamas/Florida region in early 1832?
• Are there known records of merchant ships lost between New York → New Orleans around January 1832?
• Would pirate activity still have been common in that area during that period?
• Where should I search for logs, newspapers, or maritime records that might match this event?

I’m new to researching shipwrecks, so any guidance—archives, databases, search strategies, or even educated guesses—would be greatly appreciated.


No treasure involved, unfortunately! But if this letter’s account is real, it could be an interesting snapshot of late-era piracy in the region.


Thanks in advance for any help! I can post pictures and translation of the letter if some of you are interested by this story.

 

[Darren in NC]

Pirates sailed the open seas, and stole ships, cargo, treasure, etc, from other sovereign vessels. They were all but stamped out by world gov'ts by the late 1700s. What appears to be in the letter is known as "wreckers." Wreckers were local people who made part of their living by salvaging wrecks when they foundered nearby. They were often viewed as terrible as pirates, though. But people who lived in remote areas had to survive as best as they could. At least they showed mercy to the passengers by rescuing them, and bringing them to shore.

 

[Mackaydon]

In 1995, we found, salvaged and ID-ed a merchant vessel lost in the Bahamas in 1866. As we salvaged the vessel, a plank floated in the water column that read: "Brig Baltic Galveston". Searching the newspaper archives of the day (in Nassau) I confirmed the loss as being the Brig Baltic, bound from New York to Galveston Tx.
Check out the public library in Nassau for newspaper records of 1832. Another source is a record of hurricanes during that year that may disclose your target as being one of the vessels lost.
Good hunting,
Don in SoCal

 

[Red-Coat]

Fascinating letter!

There was certainly pirate activity off the coast of Florida in those times. Most famously, the Spanish pirate Pedro Gilbert began raiding American merchant vessels off the eastern coast of Florida early that year using the schooner Panda. He likely wasn’t the only raider. Not the vessel mentioned in your letter, but on 21 September 1832 Gilbert chased and then boarded the brig Mexican bound from Salem to Rio de Janeiro, ransacked it for stores and $20,000 in silver, locked the crew in the forecastle, and set the ship afire. Fortunately the crew managed to break out and made it back to Salem six weeks later.

There were a number of ships wrecked off the Florida coast that year, notably during a major storm on 8 October, including the William Neilson (a.k.a. the Grecian) which was bound for New Orleans, but I couldn’t find any record of a loss that fits with the details from your letter.

 

[Darren in NC]

Interesting Red-Coat. Wikipedia says he was one of the last remaining pirates. I've never heard of him, so thanks for bringing him to our attention. I looked him up. For the 1715 enthusiasts here, he is the one that Gilbert's Bar near Stuart, Fl is named for. Many believe this is close to where the Urca de Lima sank.

 

[Crow]

Between 1815 and 1830 there brief resurgence of piracy. Some historians say the second golden age of piracy. It was created after the war of 1812 and Napoleonic wars. Thousands of seamen had become unemployed American and British, French and other other nations Spanish and Portuguese. The Spanish colonies of the America rebelled against a weakened Spanish empire from the Napoleonic wars. Many ex fight sailors was recruited into various newly establish insurrectionist governments in south America to fight the Spanish in their wars of independence.

Most was involved as Privateers with a letter of marque from these newly independent states, Venezuela, Argentina and Chile. There seaman was only paid if they captured Spanish prizes. But what they found was very little pickings. Thus in desperation crews revolted and strayed into outright piracy in the power vacuum left by the collapse of the Spanish empire in South and Central America.Attacking ships of all nations. In the end the United States and Britain was forced crackdown on piracy. A whole lot of pirates operated around Cuba. Bahamas and gulf of Mexico that turn their attention to American shipping forcing the US navy to act. Many drifted into slaving. and various other nefarious professions. Wreckers that lured ships to get wreck murder and plunder the crews. Bahamas was notorious for shore pirates awaiting to plunder.

By about 1839 piracy was all but dead in the Atlantic and Caribbean and Pacific. Even so there was still the odd cases of mutiny and murder plundering of passengers and crew after that date.

Crow

 

[Crow]

Question" Does this story sound plausible for the Bahamas/Florida region in early 1832? Answer Yes.

Question: Are there known records of merchant ships lost between New York → New Orleans around January 1832? Answer No there is no list. There are how list of ships in the British and American Lloyd's register. Some times there in mention of ship losses in each year.

Question: Would pirate activity still have been common in that area during that period? Answer Yes but slowly declining to about 1839

Question: Where should I search for logs, newspapers, or maritime records that might match this event? Answer British and American Lloyd's register. 1832 and 1833 Newspapers. Under Shipping intelligence. If you have a name of ship or person involved it would help.


Try list below for starters. But please be aware it is not a comprehensive list.


Shipwrecks for 1832


Crow

 

[ARC]

Piracy was not really stamped out realistically until later... the real COMPLETE stamping was under way in the early 1800's... and not considered stamped completely out officially until 1850... here in Florida.

• "Golden Age of Piracy" (c. 1650-1730): This era, particularly from the 1710s-1720s, was the peak of pirate activity in Florida. The end of this period, a result of increased government suppression and pardons, significantly reduced the number of pirates, but some activity continued.
• U.S. Acquisition (1821): After the United States acquired Florida from Spain, the new government made a concerted effort to suppress piracy in the region.
• Later 19th Century: Some piracy continued into the 19th century, with records indicating that the early 1800s still saw pirate activity in the Gulf and Caribbean. However, this was less widespread than during the Golden Age.

I will also add...
Some last famous / prolific / successful pirates were still operating in the 1800-1821 in our areas.
Including the "legend"... often said to not exist... and "made up" pirate (which he was not) pirate Gaspar.
Along with Black Caesar and others.

 

[Rum Tide]

The packet ship De Witt Clinton sailed from New York on 18 January 1832 bound for New Orleans but wrecked on a Bahamian reef on 29 January. The ship was a total loss, though all passengers and crew survived.

 

[Pol Bones]

The packet ship De Witt Clinton sailed from New York on 18 January 1832 bound for New Orleans but wrecked on a Bahamian reef on 29 January. The ship was a total loss, though all passengers and crew survived.

Well, that can be this one then ! Whaouh ! Thanks a lot.
Arcording to this research article, it is the first packet boat to have wrecked in the US. No luck for this frenchman, if it's this one.

The wreck has been reported in the Charleston Mercury, 28 February 1832, I will try to access it to check if the details matches. The date is already a good sign. In the letter, the passenger says it has finally arrived back in the US on Feb 26.

Thank you all for the answers. I could not have found so many details by myself ! I will try to post the photo and translation of the whole letter, since it seems now more plausible, and not just a made up story. There is plenty of details and the writing is really good and entertaining.

 

[ArfieBoy]

And don't forget jean Lafitte who was operating in the gulf from New Orleans and to theGalaveston Island of Texas in the early 1800's!