The Notorious Pirate Blackbeard

Depiction of Blackbeard

 Blackbeard is a name that invokes fear from all. Children grow up hearing the stories and watching the films of his overall greatness. However, Blackbeard's early life is still shrouded in a vast amount of mystery. As he continued to grow older, he took part in a vast number of sea adventures

Legally named Edward Teach, many say Blackbeard was a sailor from the English port of Bristol who fought in the War of Spanish Succession. Around this time, he became unemployed in the Caribbean. He then headed to Nassau’s forbidden harbor and looked to become a pirate. In the spring of 1717, he sailed as second-in-command to the pirate captain Ben Hornigold. They cruised America's East Coast, seizing, and plundering 8 merchant ships. Of his famous encounters, his interaction with Stede Bonnet, also known as the “Gentleman Pirate”, was incredibly important, since he was able to take control of Bonnet’s ship, “The Revenge”. After this encounter, he then continued to terrorize the American Colonies, seizing fifteen ships in a matter of three weeks.

Blackbeard was known for using terror as a tool, scaring his opponents into a swift retreat. Although many were terrified of him, there has been minimal evidence of him ever torturing or murdering any of his victims. As his prominence in the community began to rise, Blackbeard navigated out to the Windward Islands in the fall. This led to him seizing La Concorde, a French vessel transporting five-hundred slaves bound for sugar plantations. Some of the slaves joined his crew while others were put ashore. Blackbeard reconstructed the ship with 40 cannons and renamed her “Queen Anne's Revenge”. As commander, he led one of the most powerful warships in the Caribbean. Blackbeard pillaged through the West Indies with four ships and 250 men. He captured and burned ships along the French Colony Guadeloupe as well. Then, he sailed west into the Gulf of Mexico where he caused mayhem among Spanish ships. This would cause him to acquire a new nickname: “El Gran Diablo”, or the Great Devil.

Even though they stockpiled various treasures, Blackbeard’s crew were in a huge morale deficit. The men were engulfed by their desire for gold, but they had not had a major haul in months. Captain Blackbeard decided to sail to the coast of Florida, where the Spanish Treasure Fleet was lost three years earlier. His crew hunted for gold and silver in the wrecks, but scavengers had already taken the easy spoils, leaving them with next to nothing.

Blackbeard continued north to Charleston, South Carolina, where he would make the boldest move of his career. He blockaded the port from all ships entering or exiting the harbor, whilst also capturing supplies and hostages. Continuing along the peninsula, Blackbeard headed through Topsail Inlet in search of a hideaway. Unfortunately, his ship the “Queen Anne’s Revenge” went aground and sank. Parting ways with Blackbeard, Gentlemen was dead four months later in Charleston for his crimes as a pirate. Blackbeard marooned some of his crew, then fled to North Carolina with his closest companions where he gained a governor’s royal pardon as part of a pirate amnesty.

Blackbeard and his crew set up headquarters on Ocracoke Island but quickly reverted to their old ways, pillaging two French ships at sea. Blackbeard claimed that his loot came from an abandoned ship - but few were fooled. Alexander Spotswood, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia's neighboring territory, now decided to deal once and for all with Blackbeard. Going against colonial rule, he sent a naval task force to North Carolina with instructions to capture Blackbeard dead or alive. Royal Navy Lieutenant Maynard and sixty men caught the pirates off-guard at Ocracoke Island. Blackbeard was outnumbered 3 to 1 but fought with bravery till the very end. Unfortunately, luck was not on his side, as one of Maynard’s men cut him down. His body was shredded by twenty deep cuts and five bullet wounds. The head of Blackbeard was cut off, and attached to the navy and attached to the navy sloop’s bowsprit. The reign of terror by Blackbeard lasted less than two years and he was able to plunder around forty ships. His use of terror among his enemies was able to forge a reputation that would last for centuries.

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