In the year 1655, England seized the weakly guarded Spanish Island of Jamaica, and converted it
                                      into an English colony. The guards defending the Island were generally taken from the
                                      streets, and represented the worst criminal elements. They were thieves, murderers, and
                                      cheats. From this band of criminals formed many groups of buccaneers who terrorized the
                                      region. At this time, Henry Morgan began his overwhelming pirate career.

                                      Due to good fortune, the pirate career of Henry Morgan was well in place. After the death of Henry
                                      Morgan’s uncle (Edward Morgan), the governor of Jamaica chose Henry Morgan to
                                      become the commander of the militia in Port Royal. By 1668 Henry Morgan was already an
                                      English vice admiral of a fleet of 15 ships. At the same time, pirates elected Henry Morgan to
                                      become the successor to Edward Mansfield (leader of all pirate activities in Jamaica). As an
                                      English officer and pirate general, Henry Morgan became the terror of all Spaniards in the
                                      West Indies.

                                      In 1668 Morgan made two pirating ventures. Morgan’s attack on the inland city of Puerto
                                      Principe (pwert-o PREEN-the-pay), Cuba, was considered his first Major attack.
                                      Unfortunately for Morgan, his crew of pirates were ambushed along the way, and only took
                                      the city with bitter struggle and great loss. Things got worse for Morgan when word came
                                      that the city’s treasure had been hidden. Morgan and his crew were forced to settle for
                                      50,000 pieces of eight in return for sparing their captives. Half of Morgan’s crew quit after
                                      the attack on Puerto Principle. Morgan was not discouraged, and announced plans for
                                      attacking the great treasure city of Porto Bello, Panama. Experienced sea pirates scoffed at
                                      the plan: Porto Bello was larger, better fortified, and had an army troop when compared to
                                      Puerto Principle. Morgan, however, had a plan. When he attacked Porto Bello, he arrived by
                                      way of canoes, silently, and under the cover of darkness. Morgan’s men slipped into the harbor
                                      before anyone knew they were there. The first two forts of Porto Bello both fell quickly, but
                                      the third withstood each attack the pirates implemented. At long last, however, the city fell into
                                      the hands of Henry Morgan, along with 250,000 pieces of eight, and 300 slaves. When word
                                      of this attack spread, Morgan’s force swelled to 15 ships and 900 men. Henry Morgan was
                                      quickly known by the nickname: Morgan "the terrible".