Captain Crapo

Captain Crapo (fl. 1704–1708) was a French privateer active in the Caribbean and off the American east coast during the War of Spanish Succession. He was highly successful, capturing a large number of English vessels which he sent back to his home ports in Martinique and Port Royal.

Name and Identity

Crapo's real name is not known. He is referred to in various accounts as Clapo, Crepo, Crappo, Crapeau, or Crapo. This is an alias; “Crapaud” (“toad” in French) was a nickname given by English, Dutch and others to French sailors and eventually to the French people in general, evolving into “Jean Crapaud” or “Johnny Croppo.”

History

Crapo appeared off New England in 1704 in his 10-gun, 150-ton, 120-man ship, capturing several vessels which he sent back to Martinique. Captured by the English, he was sent to Martinique with 63 other French sailors as part of an exchange for 75 English prisoners. The moment he was released in Martinique, he was given a new ship and immediately returned to privateering in the waters off New England.

He menaced the coast again in early June 1705, taking prize ships near Sandy Hook. A captured English sailor joined Crapo's French crew and offered to pilot them along the coast, giving them news of sailing schedules and potential targets. They put some prisoners ashore and ventured inland near Neversink where they burned two houses. Local officials fitted out a four-ship 350-man flotilla to hunt him down but Crapo escaped. In July a ship appeared off Boston with prisoners Crapo had released; some of their ships he'd sent back to Martinique, though he warned the prisoners he'd given them no quarter if he met them again. When the wind died the man-of-war was becalmed; Crapo's ship was equipped with oars and was again able to escape. The immobile man-of-war send a pinnace to Crapo's ship but - despite not being fired on by Crapo's ship - “they durst not venture to board her” and so returned empty-handed. They also noted that the “Privateer Sloop was built at Rhode-Island, and was call’d the Elizabeth.” There are no further records of his activities, but local officials lamented his success and expected his return: “The knowledge this privateer hath gain'd of our coasts, and the success he has had, will in probability encourage him and others to visit us too often.”