Millard Fillmore

Lore & Background

He had little formal schooling but studied to become a lawyer, becoming prominent in the Buffalo area as an attorney and politician. Seward. Throughout his career, Fillmore declared slavery evil but said it was beyond the federal government's power to end it.

Reader's Guide

Fillmore's presidency was brief and consequential. In foreign policy, he supported U.S. Navy expeditions to open trade in Japan, opposed French designs on Hawaii, and was embarrassed by Narciso López's filibuster expeditions to Cuba. Historians usually rank Fillmore among the worst presidents, largely for his policies regarding slavery, as well as among the least memorable.

Did You Know?

• Fillmore was the last president to be a member of the Whig Party while in the White House.
• He was born into poverty in a log cabin in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York.
• He supported U.S. Navy expeditions to open trade in Japan.

From Carpenter to Compelled Pirate

Phillips began as a skilled ship's carpenter. In April 1721, while voyaging from England to Newfoundland, his ship was captured by Thomas Anstis's pirates. Phillips was forced to join, as skilled artisans often were, and 'was soon reconciled to the life of a Pirate,' serving Anstis as carpenter for a year. In April 1722, Anstis sent Phillips and others ashore on Tobago to careen a captured frigate. A British warship arrived, forcing Anstis to flee and abandon them. Phillips avoided capture by hiding in the woods and later returned to Bristol with other abandoned shipmates, giving up piracy for a time.

Seizing the Revenge

After some pirate comrades were arrested in Bristol, Phillips took ship for Newfoundland and conspired to steal a vessel. On August 29, 1723, with four companions—John Nutt (sailing master), James Sparks (gunner), Thomas Fern (carpenter), and William White (tailor)—he seized a schooner belonging to William Minott from Petty Harbour, renamed her Revenge, and agreed to a set of articles. The articles forbade rape under penalty of death, contrasting with Anstis's crew's gang rape and murder. Phillips sailed for the West Indies, capturing fishing vessels. Aboard one prize was John Rose Archer, reputed former crewman of Blackbeard, who became quartermaster. On September 5, Phillips captured John Fillmore aboard the sloop Dolphin and forced him into service, increasing crew to 11. After three months without captures near Barbados, they took French and English vessels. At Tobago, Phillips found only one survivor from Anstis's crew, a black man named Pedro. Carpenter Fern attempted to escape with a prize vessel; Phillips recaptured him, killing one crewman and wounding another. Fern tried again later that winter, and Phillips killed both Fern and a crewmate. Charles Johnson says this was 'pursuant to their Articles,' though Article II specifies marooning for running away. North of Tobago in March 1723, Phillips captured two ships, killing master Robert Mortimer when he attacked. At Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, on April 1, 1723, Phillips robbed 13 vessels in a few days, sparing one belonging to William Minott, saying 'We have done him enough injury.'

The Mutiny at Nova Scotia

Phillips' final capture near Nova Scotia was a sloop commanded by Andrew Harradine. Harradine conspired with other forced prisoners to mutiny and kill Phillips. On April 18, 1724, John Fillmore and allies attacked, killing Phillips, his sailing master, boatswain, and gunner. Archer was temporarily spared but hanged at Boston on June 2, 1724, with three other pirates. The pirates gave widely reprinted speeches before execution; Archer blamed drinking and brutal merchant captains who drove sailors to piracy. Phillips had survived less than eight months as captain but captured 34 ships.

A Small Pirate's Enduring Footprint

Phillips was a small-time criminal compared to pirates like Roberts, commanding only a small schooner with 11 men at his death, versus Roberts' 276 men or Blackbeard's four-ship flotilla. Facing manpower shortages, Phillips threatened prisoners to sign articles, refused to honor release promises, and savagely punished escape attempts. However, his articles survived through Charles Johnson's General History of the Pyrates, one of only a few complete sets (along with Roberts, Gow, and Low/Lowther). These articles underpin much scholarly insight into pirate life. John Fillmore's written account of life aboard Revenge is one of the best surviving primary sources by an eyewitness to Golden Age piracy. Phillips exemplifies short-lived but destructive bands branching from larger crews like Anstis's and Blackbeard's. He ended a line of pirate captains who were captured, joined captors, and ascended to command: Phillips was captured by Anstis, who was captured by Bartholomew Roberts, who was captured by Howell Davis, who turned pirate after falling into Edward England's hands, a line springing from the pirate den on Nassau. Quartermaster Archer had served with Blackbeard, continuing that crew's influence after its defeat in 1718.

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