Francis Drake (1540 - January 27, 1596) was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, explorer and politician of the Elizabethan era. In 1585 he was ordered by Queen Elizabeth to lead an expedition to attack the Spanish colonies. An expedition left Plymouth in September 1585 with Drake in command of 21 ships with 1,800 soldiers under Christopher Carleill. He attacked Vigo in Spain and held the place for two weeks ransoming supplies. He plundered Santiago in the Cape Verde islands after which the fleet then sailed across the Atlantic, sacked the port of Santo Domingo and captured the city of Cartagena de Indias. During the return leg of the voyage, he raided the Spanish fort of San August穩n in Spanish Florida. After the raids he then went on to find Raleigh's settlement at Roanoke which he replenished and took back with him all of the original colonists before Greynvile arrived with supplies and more colonists. He reached England in July, 1586 and recieved a hero's welcome.