Diabolito facts for kids

Diabolito or Little Devil (died July 1823) was a well-known pirate from Cuba in the early 1800s. He was active in the Caribbean Sea and often clashed with ships from the United States Navy and the Revenue Marine Service. Diabolito became one of the main pirates that American naval forces tried to capture during their missions to stop piracy in the 1820s. His crew was quite diverse, including people from different backgrounds like English, French, Spanish, and African heritage.

Who Was Diabolito?

Diabolito was a pirate who operated from his home island of Cuba in the early 19th century. He became known as a particularly daring and dangerous pirate. At this time, piracy was a big problem in the Caribbean, especially for ships sailing near the coast of Florida.

The Fight Against Pirates

To stop these attacks, President James Monroe of the United States decided to create a special group of ships. This group was called the "Mosquito Fleet". It was based in Key West, Florida, and led by Commodore David Porter. Commodore Porter was an experienced naval officer who had fought in earlier wars.

The Mosquito Fleet began patrolling the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Their main goal was to catch pirates like Diabolito, Charles Gibbs, and Roberto Cofresí.

Chasing the Pirates

Catching pirates like Diabolito was not easy. They were very good at escaping. When American ships chased them, pirates could often hide in the shallow waters of the Florida Keys. They could also retreat to Cuba, where American forces were not allowed to follow them.

Over time, people in Cuba, including ship owners and business leaders, wanted the piracy to stop. They asked their own government to work with the United States. Spanish officials in Cuba realized they could no longer ignore the pirate attacks, which often targeted small merchant ships and fishing boats. So, they agreed to help the Americans hunt down Diabolito and other pirates.

The End of Diabolito's Piracy

In April 1823, Diabolito was cornered by Commodore Porter's forces off the northern coast of Cuba. After a short fight, Diabolito and his crew left their ships and ran inland. About 30 of his 70 crew members were either killed or drowned trying to reach land.

Diabolito managed to escape and soon found another ship. He sailed towards the Yucatan Peninsula. However, he soon met the Mosquito Fleet again. Two American ships, the USS Gallinipper and the USS Mosquito, found him back in Cuba.

Even though the pirates had more men (70 or 80 pirates compared to 31 Americans), the American commanders decided to attack. They sailed straight towards the pirates, forcing them into the sea. The pirates began to abandon their ship, a schooner named Catalina. The American ships quickly moved among the pirates in the water.

In the end, all of Diabolito's men were either killed or captured by local authorities. Diabolito himself was killed in the water during the fight when he refused to give up. This marked the end of his time as a pirate.