There was once a man who fought in battles, survived the unthinkable, married into two of the most illustrious and wealthy families in the 18th century, and was even considered a war hero. This man, on the other hand, grew to be one of the most devious and persuasive liars in history. He was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people through a never-before-seen con and a con that could never be repeated.
This is the story of Gregor MacGregor, the world's most terrible conman.
01.Married for Money to Buy Military Rank.
During the Napoleonic Wars, MacGregor enlisted in the British military at the age of 16 and was assigned to Guernsey to guard against a French invasion. The French attack, on the other hand, did not go over well because, well, it never happened. As MacGregor awaited an enemy assault he would never see, he was confronted with something altogether different.
Maria Bowater, a young woman, had captured his attention. To a common soldier stationed there for the war, she was a one-in-a-million capture. Maria was young and attractive, but most importantly for MacGregor, she came from a wealthy family with a father who was an admiral.
To young troops, she was a far-fetched fantasy that could only be admired but never claimed. MacGregor, on the other hand, proved that "you may resist beauty, but you cannot resist charm," and he had plenty of that. Despite his social standing and Maria's parents' vehement opposition, MacGregor and Maria married.
Once the ring was on Maria's finger, MacGregor jumped at the chance to use his wife's money to purchase the rank of captain. He transferred to Gibraltar as captain, where he spent the next four years enjoying Spain's magnificent weather away from hostile dangers.
02.Lied About Being Knighted.
MacGregor returned to Scotland in 1810, claiming that he was no longer the same boy who had fled all those years before. He served in the British and Portuguese forces, and he married into a very rich family. He wanted to show that he was a respected and admirable man now.
So, upon his return, he began boasting to his fellow countrymen that he had been called "Sir MacGregor," saying that he had gotten a royal decree to become knighted as a result of his exploits and gains in rank. This was a simple and convincing deception that MacGregor felt he could get away with in order to win even more merit—and perhaps even some social advantage. Regardless, it was unjustifiable. It was a petty lie aimed solely at appeasing MacGregor's severely inflated ego.
His wife Maria died in 1811, and MacGregor was cut off from her relatives. He traveled to Venezuela, which was in the midst of an independence war, in search of another opportune marriage. His fictitious knighthood served him well in his new homeland, attracting Francisco de Miranda's attention. Miranda promoted MacGregor to the rank of cavalry officer, and he became well-known among the upper crust.
He married Doa Josefa Antonia Andrea Aristeguieta y Lovera, a member of Venezuelan high society who was also a cousin of the famous revolutionary Simón Bolvar, not long after. He rose up the ranks for the following many years, eventually becoming a Brigadier-General.
03.Found Some Success as a Military Leader.
In 1816, MacGregor was tasked with leading a force of over 600 men. It was his responsibility as their leader to guarantee that they were effective in assisting in the retaking of Venezuela from Royalist rule. When MacGregor and his troops arrived at Ocumare, however, their entire campaign came crashing down. Their leader had no choice but to depart, dragging the ships after him. Thanks to their "smart and valiant captain," MacGregor and his men were now surrounded by the enemy. To avoid fighting with the Royalists, they were left with no boats or ships to go along the coast.
They were running out of ammunition and supplies, and that wasn't even the worst of it. To make matters worse, the only way they could return to secure ground was to traverse 300 kilometers (186 miles) across a tough swamp entirely under Royalist control. This march was widely regarded as suicide, but MacGregor and his 600 men had no choice. They bravely embarked on their long journey across the swamp's ravaging waters, constantly confronted by the enemy.
MacGregor had been thrown in with the sharks and was forced to run a gauntlet that would shape him into a true leader. He employed innovative tactics to mislead the enemy into wetlands and bogs, allowing him to outmaneuver them. He even went head-to-head with Royalist troops, having his men bravely crash with blockades on foot before piercing through on horseback and continuing on across the swampy terrain.
They had been traveling for weeks and were hungry, beaten, and exhausted. But, because to an incredible show of leadership, their deaths were averted, and their lengthy trip came to an end. They'd arrived at safety. Stories of MacGregor's exploits had almost permeated all Republican camps and strongholds in a single night after MacGregor and his men were re-established in a secure Republican town.
04.Ever on the Lookout for His Next Adventure.
During this time, MacGregor was recognized as a Scottish guy who married into the Bolivar family, as well as a knight and Ocumare military hero. His notoriety had risen, and MacGregor took advantage of it, knowing that men would jump at the chance to join him. He realized it was time to go on when it became clear that the Spanish were largely vanquished. MacGregor was then enlisted to begin capturing some feasible ports in Spanish Florida—I assume that's what the boys did on weekends back then.He began hiring mercenaries by the hundreds in the United States, eventually amassing a force of roughly 200 men. (Unfortunately, the United States frowned on its nationals fighting in foreign battles, so MacGregor was quickly detained.)
These folks, on the other hand, were not brash young men eager to create a name for themselves or partake in some major adventure. No, these were seasoned mercenaries, hired assassins, and wanderers. They were aware of MacGregor's achievements and recognized him as a capable leader, but war hero or not, they would not fight for anyone unless they were paid. Of course, MacGregor was aware of this, and he was also aware that he lacked the financial means to pay two hundred soldiers.
Even if he had, the rest of the story demonstrates that he would not part with a single cent. So MacGregor did what he does best: he devised a strategy. He assured all of his troops that he would give them titles to large Florida estates that MacGregor clearly didn't own and would never own. He also generated funds by "selling" land in the soon-to-be-conquered state of Florida to individuals.
It may come as a surprise, but it wasn't because his foes overpowered him or outsmarted the revered hero of Ocumare that he never claimed any territory in Florida. In reality, it was owing to his selfish indifference to simply not care. It may have become clear to MacGregor's troops that he was not the great guy he was made out to be; soon after conquering a town, he would start drinking and lying around, effectively doing nothing. MacGregor didn't even prepare for the expected counter-offensive.
His troops believed they were conquering a continent and potentially making history, or at the the least, receiving a bounty that would set them up for the rest of their lives. MacGregor, on the other hand, was simply pillaging cities and sailing away with their gold. When these hopeful mercenaries awoke one day, all they could see was the back of MacGregor's ship sailing away.
05.Left His Men to Face Certain Death…Twice.
IMacGregor attempted to take control of another country, Panama, in 1818. He brought roughly 500 guys with him this time. With 200 soldiers, he arrived at Porto Bello's harbour and gained control of the city. Then MacGregor ascended to the throne and established one of the most livable towns in the world...
(I'm kidding, there's no way!) He returned to his old habits of drinking and unwinding. Of course, he made no attempt to construct city fortifications.
A Spanish counter-offensive to recover the city had begun, and MacGregor (who was most likely still inebriated during the siege) had no method of defending the town he had just taken. As a result, he escaped by jumping out of a window, abandoning his troops. MacGregor and his soldiers proceeded on one last siege a year later. Despite the fact that he was able to engage a large number of guys, many of them departed when they were not paid. Despite the fact that he had failed two efforts at conquering territory, it appears that some of these soldiers still held a great deal of respect for him.
This time it was in Venezuela, at a royalist stronghold. MacGregor recaptured the stronghold and then proceeded to get drunk and do nothing to make up for his misdeeds. Of course, the Spaniards retaliated with a full-scale assault. MacGregor was forced to flee, leaving the Spanish to capture all of his remaining soldiers. Following that, these men were lined up and shot along the coast.
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