Letters of marque and reprisal are commissions or warrants issued to someone to commit what would otherwise be acts of piracy. They will normally contain the following first three elements, unless they imply or refer to a declaration of war to define the enemies, and may optionally contain the remainder:
Names person, authorizes him to pass beyond borders with forces under his command.
Specifies nationality of targets for action.
Authorizes seizure or destruction of assets or personnel of target nationality.
Describes offense for which commission is issued as reprisal.
Restriction on time, manner, place, or amount of reprisal.
Many of these documents were taken, with permission, from the Isle of Tortuga site, which is about piracy and letters of marque. Here is a link to our local copy of their Letters of Marque page.
The Congress shall have Power ... To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
The following are some examples of letters of marque and reprisal, with the attributes above indicated for each:
Links
Year
Issuing Authority
Target Nation
1
2
3
4
5
Comment
1205
England
Any enemies
X
X
Implied against nations in a declared state of war.
1325
Holland
England, Scotland
X
X
X
1400
England
Scotland
X
X
X
1404
England
Any enemies
X
X
Implied against nations in a declared state of war.
1405
England
Any enemies
X
X
Implied against nations in a declared state of war.
1411
England
France
X
X
X
X
X
Value not to exceed 5250 marks.
1413
England
Genoa
X
X
X
X
X
Value not to exceed 10,000 £.
1543
England
Any enemies (Scotland, France)
X
X
Implied against nations in a declared state of war. Granted to all citizens.
1606
Belgium
?
X
X
1625
England
Spain
X
X
Issued to all merchants and some others granted letters of reprisal.
1626
Scotland
Spain
X
X
X
1626
Dutch West India Company
?
X
X
The Dutch West India Company acted as an instrument of the sovereign.
1629
Holland
?
X
X
1652
Holland
England
X
X
X
1653
Dutch West India Company
?
X
X
1669
France
Spain
X
X
X
1670
England
Spain
X
X
X
X
1675
Dutch West India Company
?
X
X
1688
Holland
?
X
X
1693
France
England, Scotland
X
X
X
1695
France
England, Holland
X
X
X
1695
England
France
X
X
X
To William Kidd.
1702
Holland
?
X
X
1703
England
France, Spain
X
X
X
X
For 6 months.
1709
Holland
?
X
X
1729
Spain
X
X
Against pirates, smugglers.
1738
Holland
?
X
X
1799
British Colonial authority
Any enemies (France, Spain)
X
X
Implied against nations in a declared state of war.
1812
United States
Britain
X
X
X
Issued by President under Act of Congress.
1812
United States
Britain
X
X
X
Issued by President under Act of Congress.
In December 1941 and the first months of 1942, the Goodyear blimp Resolute was operated as an anti-submarine privateer based out of Los Angeles. As the only US craft to operate under a Letter of Marque since the War of 1812, the Resolute, armed with a rifle and flown by its civilian crew, patrolled the seas for submarines. See Shock, James R., Smith, David R., The Goodyear Airships, Bloomington, Illinois, Airship International Press, 2002, pg. 43, ISBN 0-9711637-0-7