Til Orlogsmuseets udstilling "I piraternes kølvand" har jeg dramatiseret en historisk begivenhed i tegneserieform.
Efter billederne følger et engelsk resumé.
Go' fornøjelse!
Ingo Milton

ADOLPHO-episoden
I 1823 udnævnes den sydamerikanske oprørsleder, Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), til præsident for den nyoprettede republik Colombia.
Colombia omfatter på dette tidspunkt store dele af det nordlige Sydamerika – det nuværende Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador og Panama.
I 1825 ligger Colombia i krig med Spanien, og colombianske kapere jagter spanske handelsfartøjer i de vestindiske farvande.
Den livlige handel mellem danske Skt. Thomas og spanske Puerto Rico gør, at danske handelsskibe bliver opbragt af colombianske kapere.
I 1825 er det især den colombianske kaperskonnert ADOLPHO, der huserer i farvandet omkring Skt. Thomas, hvor den opbringer tre danske handelsskibe.
For at komme ADOLPHO til livs hyres skonnerten VIGILANT, og sammen med orlogsskibet NAJADEN står hun ud fra Skt. Thomas den 10. juli 1825.
VIGILANT er under kommando af den kun 23-årige løjtnant, Carl Ludvig Christian Irminger...

The ADOLPHO-incident
In 1823 the South American rebel leader, Simon Bolivar (1783-1830), is appointed president of the newly established Republic of Gran Colombia;
which at that time covered most of northern South America, including present day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.
In 1825, Gran Colombia is at war with Spain, and Colombian privateers are hunting for Spanish merchant vessels in the West Indies.
The extensive trade between the Danish island of St. Thomas and the Spanish island of Puerto Rico creates opportunities for Colombian privateers to seize Danish merchant vessels.
In 1825, the Colombian privateer ADOLPHO haunts the waters near St. Thomas, seizing three Danish merchant vessels.
To settle matters with the ADOLPHO the schooner VIGILANT is hired, and together with the naval vessel NAJADEN she sets out from St. Thomas on 10 July 1825.
The VIGILANT is commanded by the 23-year-old lieutenant, Carl Ludvig Christian Irminger...

English Summary
Shortly before the incident, four members of the ADOLPHO crew were sent to St. Thomas to extract ransom for Spanish prisoners seized by the privateer.
The four crewmembers were arrested by the Danish authorities, and before departing, Lieutenant Irminger forces one of the crewmembers to join in the hunt for the ADOLPHO.
In the evening of the July 10 the ADOLPHO is spotted off the island of Culebra near Puerto Rico, and the ship’s identity is confirmed by its former crewmember.
Due to the shallow waters in the area, only the VIGILANT is able to give chase, but at sunrise Irminger spots the ADOLPHO bearing down on the VIGILANT.
Closing on the VIGILANT the privateer fires a warning shot and hoists the Colombian flag.
By hoisting the Danish merchant flag and ordering the 30 soldiers to hide, Irminger tricks the crew of the ADOLPHO into thinking the VIGILANT a Danish merchant vessel.
With the two ships at close quarters the Danish soldiers are ordered to rise and fire their muskets.
The volley kills Captain Laforcada and one crew member of the ADOLPHO, and the remaining privateers quickly surrender.
Below deck Irminger finds 13 Spanish prisoners, and the ADOLPHO is subsequently brought to St. Thomas under Danish flag.