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November
17th, 1635.
Now fellow
Cap'ns, me men were in good spirits as we approached Campeche.
We'd recently took the small port 'o Sisal without losing a single
man. But I knew this 'ere Spanish stronghold would no doubt
offer a much more formidable challenge. Fer tha place had nay
less than six blimmy turrets guarding her and probably a garrison 'o
fifty 'r more redcoats milling about the town itself.
If'n we was
gonna win the day, we'd surely have ta be on fine form.
From the moment
the Spaniards saw our approach we could hear the church bells
ringing no doubt warning the rest 'o miserable populace 'o our
intentions. And it wasn't long 'afore the blimmy lubbers
opened up wit a few blasts 'o cannon shot from them turrets I
mentioned. Lost seven good men in dat brief encounter.
Within minutes,
a bunch 'o bleedin' grenadiers approaches from the local fort and
begin showering me hapless buggers wit thar deadly bombs. I
friggin' hate grenadiers. They be bastids an' can cause ye
much grief as they blow yer poor men ta bits.
Anyhow, as luck
would have it, the Spanish buggers 'appened to be in range 'o one 'o
me ships, so without hesitation, I orders it ta open up wit a 50-gun
blast 'o grape shot. Sure enough, the shot found its target
an' them silly grenadiers were cut down where they stood. The
few unfortunate ones that didn't die in tha initial blast soon met a
miserable demise when me rallied Cutthroats stormed the outer
fortifications 'n shot 'em dead where they stood.
As me men made
fer the treasury 'n mansions, the battle intensified. Musket
'n pistol shots echoed across the entire town 'n the sounds 'o
numerous sword fights could be heard back aboard me ships. The
place was a sprawling mass 'o fightin' men from both sides as the
defiant militia put up strong resistance.
Numerous fires
soon spread from building ta building, and as thick plumes 'o grey
smoke drifted over the town, several large explosions rocked its
very foundations.
Tha battle
seemed ta rage on fer hours 'afore tha blimmy Gov'nor offers me men
a few measly tons 'o livestock an' three thousand pesos ta leave 'em
be. Needless ta say, I informed me murderous buggers to
gut that friggin' Gov'nor if'n he ever showed his pox-ridden face
with another insultin' offer like that!
Anyhow it
weren't long after this than, sure enough, the Spanish bastid turns
up again with another offer but this one was more to our
desires, cause the swine simply asked fer quarter from me rampaging
psychos an' in return he'd gladly flee wit the rest 'o his miserable
citizens. We 'appily agreed and me victorious swines were left
in peace ta loot, pillage, 'n plunder the town to thar black 'earts
content.
Again we made
merry that evening 'afore loadin' the entire riches 'o tha once
proud town' o Campeche onto me ships.
I decided
against installing one 'o me mates as the new Gov'nor this time.
Instead we simply wiped out tha whole friggin' cesspool, burned the
joint to the ground, hung any foolish buggers that never made good
thar escape, then upped anchor at first light 'afore headin' to the
next port on our lil' Gulf tour.
However, this
time we wouldn't be going in wit all guns a blazing. We had
three ships full 'o loot ta sell back to the dons, so we decided ta
fly Spanish colours fer a while 'n hoped me murderous reputation
would refrain fer preceding me. We planned ta sail inta the
next town, Vera Cruz, to do some good old-fashioned trading
before I decided whether 'r not ta let loose me dogs 'o war on tha
joint 'n hold it ta ransom...
Cap'n Cognito,
17th day 'o November, 1635.
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