34. A Spectacular Start
De Grammont’s career as a privateering captain got off to a spectacular start, when he captured a Dutch fleet that included a ship known as The Purse of Amsterdam for the precious cargo it carried. It netted him 400,000 livres, the equivalent of about U$4 million today. News of that success spread, and before long, de Grammont was commanding his own pirate fleet. He kept his men busy, attacking Dutch and Spanish shipping and possessions.
One of his most daring exploits was a successful raid on Cumana in Venezuela in 1680, despite great odds: he had only 50 men, while the defenders had 2000 soldiers and 17 ships with 328 cannons. In 1683, he sacked Veracruz, Mexico, and took 4000 prisoners for ransom. De Grammont’s depredations finally ended in 1686, when his ship was caught in a storm, and went down with all hands.