Capture of the Anne and defeat of Roberto Cofresí

Background. Roberto Cofresí began his piracy career in early 1823, filling a role vacant in the Spanish Main since Jean Lafitte's death, and became the last major target of West Indies anti-piracy operations. By late 1823, pursuit on land probably forced him to move his main base to Mona, where he was often present the following year. In December 1823, other nations joined the effort against him, sending warships to the Mona Passage. The powers pursued his flotilla in March 1825 because of economic losses suffered by the pirates' victims and diplomatic concerns caused by the pirates' use of the flags of Spain and Gran Colombia, which menaced the fragile peace between the naval powers.

Pirate Operations. Cofresí led an assault on the schooner San José y Las Animas off Tallaboa in Peñuelas on June 9, 1824, and the Danish sloop Jordenxiold was intercepted off Isla Palominos on September 3, 1824, with goods and cash stolen from passengers. By October 1824, piracy in the region was dramatically reduced, leaving Cofresí as the remaining target of concern. On February 10, 1825, he boarded the sloop Neptune at Jobos Bay, and on February 15, 1825, he led an attack on the Danish sloop Anne at Quebrada de Palmas port in Naguabo. By spring 1825, his Anne-led flotilla was the last substantial pirate threat in the Caribbean.

Trial and Execution. Following the capture, a military trial began on March 17, 1825. On March 27, the court determined the sentence was death, marking the first purely local process for piracy without West Indies Council consent. On March 29, Cofresí and most of his crew were executed by firing squad after attending mass at El Morro's chapel.