Published by The History Press
Charleston, SC
www.historypress.com
Copyright 2019 by Todd Cook
All rights reserved
First published 2019
e-book edition 2019
ISBN 978.1.43966.847.4
Library of Congress Control Number: 2019947289
Print edition ISBN 978.1.46714.363.9
Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Acknowledgements
Were it not for the many excellent books by Randall Reinstedt on the history of Monterey Bay, Monterey County and the state of California, this book would not exist. Reinstedts works were undoubtedly what piqued my interest in the fascinating history of Monterey Bay in the first place.
I would also like to give a special thanks to Mr. Don Vanderpluym, who gave the OK to share the Spanish coin of his late father, Garland Vanderpluym, and to Tom Tanner, who facilitated communication and provided some key historical information that can be found herein.
Picturesque Mission Ranch Meadows, beyond which Carmel River Beach, the possible scene of early 1700s pirate-related activity, can be seen. From authors photo collection.
Introduction
The Monterey Peninsula, a misty, pine treecovered stretch of Californias Central Coast, is known for several things: incredibly beautiful scenery along its shores, golf courses that are world-class caliber and world-class picturesque, a federally designated marine preserve, one of the nations most celebrated aquariums, enchanting seaside hamlets like Pacific Grove and Carmel-by-the-Sea and for being the former stomping grounds of prize-winning author John Steinbeck and the setting of some of his most famous works, such as Cannery Row and Tortilla Flat.
The Monterey Peninsula is also known for its history, of which it has a lot, and that is putting it mildly. In fact, one writer said that virtually every major event in the first sixty years of Californias existence either began or ended on the Monterey Peninsula. That assertion is hard to counterafter all, prior to its annexation by the United States, the Monterey Peninsula was the Spanish and Mexican capital of Alta (Upper) California. In fact, Monterey Bay was not only the secular capital of the California Territory for most of the preUnited States period from 1770 to 1846, but it was the religious capital as well (the Carmel Mission was usually the headquarters from which the padre-president would oversee the missions of Alta California). There is much more to Monterey Bays fascinating history than what can be seen today, preserved above ground: the weathered Spanish missions and churches, the quaint white-walled and red tileroofed adobes of the Spanish and early Mexican periods and the two-story-tall, balconied New England style government buildings of the late Mexican and early United States periods (these aged structures are favorite stops along Montereys Path of History Walking Tour). Not as evident are remnants of Californias Native history, though there are several sites that exist on the Monterey Peninsula. Historians have identified village sites that date back several centuries, to a time before the first Spanish explorers had arrived. Jumping ahead several centuries in Montereys history, the area witnessed significant history during the Gold Rush period: the creation and signing of Californias first constitution in 1850, the era of bustling Chinatowns and Chinese fishing villages from the mid-1800s through the early 1900s, the history of the Gilded Age coming of the luxurious Hotel Del Monte in 1880, a flourishing early twentieth-century artists and writers colony in Carmel and the gritty Monterey fishing industry period that was made famous by Steinbecks novel Cannery Row. Be assured, this is only a short list of the history that can be found on the Monterey Peninsula.
Amid all this history, however, a certain chapter of the story of the Monterey Peninsula tends to be overlooked. Perhaps this is because, with one notable exception, traces of this particular chapter have all but vanished. Yet, it did happen, right here on the shores of Monterey Bay. Im talking about Monterey Bays pirate history!
Now, many locals will tell you, Of course Monterey Bay has pirate history. They will then proceed to tell you about the 1818 Hippolyte Bouchard attack on Monterey. Well, they are correct to bring up this attack, and, indeed, this event constitutes a major section in this book. In fact, here is a tiny preview of that chapter: To begin with, if you have ever had the pleasure of stepping on board the Pirates of the Caribbean boat ride at either Disneyland or Disney World, you will remember the part where your boat passes between a coastal fort and a pirate ship in the harbor. The fort and the pirate ship trade cannon volleys while you watch, without the slightest thought to your safety! There are loud bursts of cannon fire, the whistles of cannon balls fly over your head and the water around you splashes startlingly as errant artillery falls short of its target. Well, something a lot like that actually happened in Monterey during the attack of 1818. And the part of the ride where the pirates run amok as they pillage the burning Spanish town they have sacked? That also happened during that 1818 attack on Monterey! Im starting to get a bit ahead of my story, so I will stop there for now.
Getting back to the generalities of Monterey Bay pirate history, what many local Monterey area historians may not even realize is that there is a good deal more to Monterey Bay pirate history than just that one traumatic event. In fact, from my years of studying the history of Monterey Bay, it has occurred to me that when the pirate-related history of the peninsula is tallied up, Monterey Bay clearly deserves the title of Pirate Central for not only the California coast but for the entire Pacific Coast of the United States! Granted, the Santa Barbara area can put up a respectable challenge, but the scope of pirate history on that stretch of the California coast simply does not match that of Monterey Bay. It is my hope that after reading this guidebook, you will see why that is.
Now there are multiple ways to organize a guidebook on Monterey Peninsulas pirate history. One way would be to discuss each site in road order. In other words, one could lay out a general Monterey Peninsula pirate history tour road route and discuss each site as if the reader were visiting them. The disadvantage of writing a book in this way would be that the pirate historyas you read about itwould be jumping all over the place. It would be kind of like a movie with annoying flashbacks and flash-forwards interrupting the flow of the story. And thats not good, is it?
