Captain Thompson

Joseph Thompson (died 1719) was a pirate from Trinidad, Cuba, (then part of New Spain) and was active in the Caribbean. He is primarily known for a single incident involving grenades.

History

Thompson was among 209 pirates on New Providence who declared to Captain Vincent Pearse their intention to accept a 1718 offer of amnesty and pardon. Along with Charles Vane and a few others, he soon returned to piracy. After picking up additional crew for his sloop Eagle (some of whom had served with William Moody), he captured and looted several ships in the vicinity.

Instead Lawson issued commissions to two sloops in the harbor, promising them a share of the pirates' treasure in addition to the rewards guaranteed by King George's September 1717 proclamation to combat piracy. and after refitting another in Port Royal plus the arrival of the fifth-rate frigate HMS Ludlow Castle, divided his forces to protect incoming merchants and hunt down Thompson. Four of the sloops soon cornered Thompson's ship, killing him and recovering the Kingston.