Jacque Alexander Tardy facts for kids

Jacque Alexander Tardy (1767 – June 15, 1827), also known as "Tardy the Pirate," was a unique figure in pirate history. He was known for his unusual methods and was not always successful in his plans. He was often called John Tardy or John Late.

Tardy was most remembered for his final act of piracy involving the ship Crawford. People described him as small with fine features and a dark complexion. He often wore a blue velvet coat and carried a cane. By the time he died, he had gray hair and wore false teeth.

The Early Life of Alexander Tardy

Alexander Tardy was born in France in 1767. His family was wealthy and had to leave France during the French Revolution. They moved to Saint-Domingue (now Haiti). They lived on a plantation there until the Haitian Revolution forced them to move again.

Tardy and his father (or uncle) then went to Philadelphia, PA. By 1797, Tardy had opened a tin shop in Philadelphia. He later moved to Charleston, SC, where he continued to work as a tinsmith by 1806. In 1809, his tin shop burned down. He received insurance money and soon opened a new shop in Augusta, GA.

Tardy's Time in the Navy

In 1812, Tardy's family helped him get a job as a captain's steward on the USS Congress (1799). However, Tardy was accused of stealing from the captain. He was punished and sent back to shore in Norfolk, VA. He was officially dismissed from the U.S. Navy in 1814. Some people suspected he might have caused the captain's illness, but this was never proven.

Trouble in Boston

In 1814, Tardy tried to pretend to be someone else to get property from a ship. His lawyer, William Hunter, found out he was lying, and Tardy quickly left town.

That same year, he moved to Boston. He started training to be a dentist, but his teacher dismissed him. Tardy was more interested in the medicines used than in dentistry itself. While in Boston, Tardy was caught stealing a pocketbook. He was sentenced to a short time in solitary confinement and then three years of hard work in Charlestown State Prison.

The Brig Maria Incident

After being released from prison, Tardy boarded a ship called the Maria in December. This ship was headed for Charleston, SC. During the voyage, Captain Latham and seven other people on board became very ill.

Tardy claimed to be a doctor and suggested remedies like castor oil. One person, John Benjamin, died. Tardy blamed the ship's cook, John Gibson, for causing the illness. John Gibson was later found guilty and executed in Charleston, SC, in 1817, even though he said he was innocent.

The Regulator Incident

On June 17, 1817, Tardy boarded another ship called the Regulator, traveling from Boston, MA to Philadelphia, PA. Again, people on board became sick after consuming sugar that had been given a harmful substance. Tardy offered a "sweet oil" as a remedy.

One person, Godfrey Daniel Lehman, a 35-year-old German man, died. Tardy again tried to blame the ship's cook. However, Captain Presbury Norton knew the cook well and cleared him of any suspicion. Tardy tried to claim Mr. Lehman's belongings, but the Captain refused. Tardy was later arrested and tried for planning to harm the crew. He was found guilty of conspiracy and sentenced to seven years of hard work in Walnut Street Prison. He was released in 1824.

The Cora Incident

By October 1824, Tardy was in Charleston, SC, working as a dentist. On November 18, 1825, Tardy tried to steal a pilot boat named Cora from the dock in Charleston. He had help from two of the boat's crew members.

However, the boat's owners, William, Copes, and Delany, surprised him during the attempt. Tardy fired two pistols to try and escape. In March 1825, he was found guilty of planning to steal the boat. He was sentenced to two years in the Old Charleston Jail.

The Crawford Incident

After his release from jail, Tardy traveled to Cuba. In January 1827, he received permission to practice dentistry there. Tardy then joined with three other men: Jose Murando, Jose Hilario Casares, and Felix Barbieto. Their plan was to take over a ship and its cargo.

Tardy met Captain Henry Brightman of Troy, Massachusetts, in port. Tardy introduced himself as a doctor. Captain Brightman asked Tardy for advice about his asthma. Tardy sent three small bottles of "asthma medication" to Captain Brightman before the ship sailed. Tardy's plan was to make most people on board sick once they were at sea. He wanted to keep a few people well to help with sailing and talking to others.

Tardy and his partners boarded the brig Crawford at the port of Mantanzas, Cuba. Felix brought a large trunk, claiming it held a lot of gold.

The Voyage and Attack

The Crawford sailed on May 28 with several crew members and passengers. On May 31, Captain Brightman became ill, likely from his "asthma medicine." Soon after, most of the other passengers and crew also became sick after eating breakfast prepared by Tardy.

The violence started at 1:40 AM on June 1. The men Tardy was working with were positioned around the ship. Many people were sleeping in their cabins or on deck. Tardy approached Joseph Doliver, who was steering the ship. Tardy wounded Doliver twice. Doliver, though hurt, managed to escape up the ship's rigging.

Tardy then gave a signal, and his partners began shouting to wake everyone. The American carpenter was the first to come out of his cabin and was immediately injured. Captain Brightman rushed on deck next and was killed. The Irish carpenter was also killed. Mr. Robinson saw what was happening and jumped from a cabin window into the ocean. Meanwhile, in another part of the ship, three other crew members were wounded. Nathaniel P. Deane managed to escape overboard into the sea without injury.

Edmund Dobson, who had woken up, ran to the front of the ship. He saw one of Tardy's partners. As Dobson moved towards the main rigging, he saw Potter, who was holding onto the railing. Potter asked Dobson if they could find anything to defend themselves. Dobson grabbed a handspike, which Potter took. They climbed up the main ropes where Doliver had already found refuge. When they reached the cross-trees, Potter fainted. Dobson and Doliver held him to stop him from falling. At this time, they heard Mr. Robinson and Mr. Deane in the water, asking for something to help them float.

After the Attack

Tardy called out to Dobson, asking where he was. Dobson replied he was in the maintop. Tardy asked if he was wounded, and Dobson said yes. Tardy asked Dobson to come down, promising he would be safe. Dobson came down and was immediately surrounded by the Spanish-speaking men.

Tardy asked where the trunk Felix had brought was. Dobson said he had put it in a stateroom but didn't know what happened to it. Tardy explained that the Captain had refused them access to the trunk, making them think it had been taken off the ship. Because of this, they decided to take control of the ship. They decided to sail to Europe instead of the United States. They promised Dobson he would be paid well if he helped them. Dobson agreed and was allowed to rest.

Tardy then asked where Doliver and Potter were. Dobson said they were in the maintop. The two men were asked to come down, with Tardy repeatedly promising they would not be harmed. Doliver came down and was immediately wounded and pushed overboard. In the water, Doliver told Potter to stay where he was or he would surely be killed. His last words were to the attackers, calling them "barbarous and bloodthirsty wretches." Soon after, Potter fell from the rigging into the water.

As dawn arrived, two of Tardy's partners came on deck with muskets. They intended to shoot Stephen Gibbs, the cook, who had fled to the fore topmast. They called an injured Asa Bicknell up from below. Bicknell, who was bandaged, threw himself overboard and was shot at while falling. Gibbs was called for again. With repeated promises of safety, the cook came down to the deck and was told to make breakfast. The deck and rigging were then cleaned. Tardy treated Dobson's wounds from his medicine chest and promised him safety.

Escape and Capture

They decided to go to Norfolk to get more supplies. When they arrived, three different pilot boat captains spoke to them. Tardy told them he was on a Spanish ship from Matanzas, going to Hamburg. He refused to take a pilot, saying he knew the bay. Tardy asked Dobson if he could trust him to keep quiet. Dobson assured him he could.

Another pilot boat hailed them. Tardy refused them, but the boat came alongside anyway. Dobson convinced Tardy that refusing a pilot again would look suspicious, so Tardy agreed. At 6:00 PM on June 12, they anchored near shore. Dobson asked Tardy to lower a boat so he could bring it alongside. Tardy and another man lowered the boat. Dobson quickly rowed toward shore. Tardy called after him, "Mr. Dobson, are you going to betray me?" Dobson answered, "No."

When Dobson reached shore, he told the officers at Fort Monroe what had happened on the Crawford. The officers then took control of the vessel.

Edmund Dobson, Ferdinand Ginoulhiac, and Stephen Gibbs were the only survivors of the attack. Felix, Cuorro, and Pepe were later tried by Justice John Marshall in Richmond, VA, and were executed for piracy.

The Death of Tardy

Tardy was found dead in the Captains' quarters of the ship. He was buried at the low tide mark, face down, at Old Point Comfort in front of Fort Monroe.

Studying Tardy's Skull

On August 1, 1827, Dr. Brereton of the Washington Phrenological Society asked to study Tardy's skull. Phrenology was a popular idea at the time that suggested a person's character could be understood by the shape of their skull.

Tardy's body was dug up, and his skull was prepared by a surgeon. The skull was sent to Washington, D.C.. Dr. Brereton made three copies (casts) of Tardy's skull. These casts were sent to different phrenological societies in Liverpool, London, and Edinburgh. The cast sent to Dr. George Combe, who started the Edinburgh Phrenological Society, is now in a museum at the University of Edinburgh.

The University of Edinburgh later had a laser scan made of Tardy's skull. From this scan, a 3D model was printed. Then, a facial reconstruction was created by Amy Thornton of Dundee University. This model of Tardy is planned to be shown at the Anatomical Museum in Edinburgh.

Stories About Tardy

• The Eulogy of Captain Henry Brightman (a play)
• Alexander Tardy: The Poisoner, Or Pirate Chief of St. Domingo by M. M. Huet (a book)