Eoin Purcell

A daring feat & cruel
339 years ago today Henry Morgan captured and sacked Panama City which he had discovered was but lightly defended and whose defenders he succeeded in defeating by using their lack of experience against them and sending half his force around their flank.

However his actions in sacking the city and in torturing the inhabitants sullied his reputation and because of the timing (a treaty had just been negotiated between Spain & England) he was arrested and sent back to England under a dark cloud.

The History of Jamaica Or, General Survey of the Antient and Modern State of the Island: with Reflections on Its Situation Settlements, Inhabitants, Climate, Products, Commerce, Laws, and Government … By Edward Long

All told it was at once a daring and impressive act of piracy marred by the indiscriminate violence and the unfortunate timing. It effectively quashed his rise if only for a time and he was later knighted and made Lieutenant Govenror of Jamaica.

You will find quite a but of material on Morgan and the early history of the English Caribbean and Central American enterprises on Google Book Search and they are worth delving into.

It’s the city dwellers I think of!
Eoin