300th Anniversary of the Demise of Blackbeard
Thanksgiving Day will just happen to mark the 300th anniversary of one of the most historical “battles” to have ever occurred in North Carolina. While certainly not of the same magnitude of Guilford Courthouse or Bentonville, the ultimate demise of Blackbeard the Pirate came to pass in Ocracoke Inlet on November 22nd of 1718.
Given the perpetual interest regarding pirates in general (and Blackbeard in particular), the Richmond Observer offers a series of articles chronicling the life and times of arguably the most recognized (if not indeed the most nefarious) pirate of all time. This is Part III of the saga.
Blackbeard Part III: Perception is Reality and Appearance Makes the Man
Blackbeard’s reputation was now worthy of the attention of seafarers at all levels. Just the fact that he dared to face off against a Royal Navy vessel was sufficient to elevate him to “star status” in the lexicon of early 18th century maritime operations, but given that he was also victorious in this confrontation against the “Scarborough” was simply unfathomable to most. Subsequently, Blackbeard endeavored to fully capitalize on his newfound reputation.
It was at this time that he began the practice of “enhancing, augmenting, and accentuating” his already maniacal appearance. Whenever he anticipated a battle, Blackbeard would roll his scraggly hair into individual strands, bind them with brightly colored ribbons, and then insert slow-burning smoldering cannon matches throughout his hair and beard. The result was a ghostly apparition-like image of a huge man, overladen with pistols and cutlasses, literally smoking from under his hat and about his head and shoulders. Intimidating to say the least, and the effect was that Blackbeard became the most feared pirate on the high seas, even for the other pirates.
One such contemporary ocean-going outlaw who learned of the power of Blackbeard was Major Stede Bonnet. Often referred to as “the gentleman pirate,” Bonnet had been born into wealth and respectability, received a good education, rose through the ranks of the British Army to become a major, and owned a lucrative sugar plantation in Barbados. For reasons unknown (although it has been postulated that a “nagging wife” was a predominant factor), Bonnet cast aside the comfortable trappings of legitimate success and, though having never sailed, purchased a ship, hired a crew, and put to sea as a pirate captain. Unfortunately for the major, he shortly encountered a “real” pirate captain in the likes of Blackbeard.
Having anchored in the Bay of Honduras, Bonnet was introduced to Blackbeard and an alliance of strange bedfellows manifested itself. Initially somewhat bemused with the ways of the naive and innocent landlubber-turned-seaman Bonnet, Blackbeard invited the major to join forces with his group. Perhaps sensing such an offer to be one of the type that he ‘could not refuse,’ Bonnet agreed and off they sailed. However, once out at sea, the true intentions of Blackbeard were revealed. Bonnet was soon taken off of his ship and “given quarter” upon the “Queen Anne’s Revenge” as a virtual prisoner, albeit a very comfortable one. Meanwhile, Blackbeard appointed his favorite lieutenant, a man named Richards, to command Bonnet’s ship, thus ending any hope on the part of Bonnet to be restored to his former post, or at least for the moment.
A series of fortunate events soon came Bonnet’s way, however. Sailing into North Carolina’s Topsail Inlet in June of 1718, two of Blackbeard’s ships – Teach was by now “admiral” over a flotilla of four ships – abruptly ran aground. The pirates commenced to arguing among themselves, casting blame back and forth as to whom should be blamed for this mishap, and Bonnet stood to benefit from this newly-developed state of discord.
