As a city on the ocean and along the Atlantic seaway, St. Augustine’s location led naturally to a mixture of people. Sailing ships unloaded cargo and crew made up of sailors both willing and unwilling to be part of the crew. Pirates spent little time in St. Augustine, but fear of their arrival and raiding consumed energy and funds in the Florida capital Piratesmade a major attack on St. Augustine in 1668 and continued to be a threat for the next two decades ...during the 1700s St. Augustine worried less about pirates attacking the town and more about privateers capturing cargo, especially food supplies, headed for St. Augustine. British privateers captured Spanish ships and St. Augustine felt the blow. But Spanish privateers reciprocated with their own captures. When a Spanish privateer brought his captured prize vessel into St. Augustine, there was excitement about what food and other cargo would be available to the townspeople. (Parker RR)