1700s |

Blackbeard Killed Off North Carolina – 11/22/1718

Have you ever wanted to have a nickname that people would seem meaningful and that it would go down in the history books? What about what does a person have to do in order to achieve such notoriety? Good or bad, people throughout history have been remembered for their deeds as well as the nickname he/she had earned while alive. One such person who has been remembered for almost three hundred years was not because of his good deeds but quite the opposite. Edward Teach, known to the world of the past and present as Blackbeard, is killed around North Carolina’s Outer Banks on November 22nd, 1718 while engaged in a bloody conflict with a British navy force originating from Virginia.

Edward Teach was thought of as hailing from England and it was assumed in 1713 that he began his career as a pirate by joining a pirate ship commanded by Benjamin Hornigold of the Caribbean Sloop. Hornigold would soon retire from being a pirate as well as accepting an offer from the British crown of a general amnesty in 1717. Now that Hornigold was retired, Teach decided to take command of a seized twenty-six-gun French merchantman in which he renamed the ship the “Queen Anne’s Revenge” as well as taking its’ armament and increasing it to forty guns.

The Queen Anne’s Revenge became the flagship of a fleet of pirates over the next six months that had over 200 men on four vessels. Being the most notorious pirate of his time, he eventually became known as Blackbeard for his obvious long, dark beard but also was said to be able to scare his enemies by setting his beard on fire during battle. His pirate fleet spread terror through the coast of North America as well as the Caribbean while their cruelty towards others was well-known.

Despite his reputation, the infamous Blackbeard finally saw his Queen Anne’s Revenge shipwrecked with another vessel. This event forced him to abandon a third vessel and a large number of his force due to lack of supplies. Blackbeard took his last vessel and sent sail to meet with Governor Charles Eden in Bath in North Carolina. The governor made an agreement that Blackbeard must give a part of his sizable treasure to Eden in order to secure a pardon; Blackbeard agreed to the terms.

However, the North Carolina planters had other ideas as per their request; Governor Alexander Spotswood of Virginia sent a British naval force to North Carolina in order to confront Blackbeard under the command of Lieutenant Robert Maynard. What followed was a bloody battle at Ocracoke Island and Blackbeard’s forces were defeated on November 22nd; Blackbeard was also killed during the conflict. Meanwhile, those who believe in Blackbeard’s legend say that the man responsible for seizing over thirty vessels during his short pirating career; it is said that before dying Blackbeard had received twenty sword lacerations and five musket-ball wounds.

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Kelly Sutherland

Writer

Hi! I'm Kelly. My favorite time period was the 70s. I had a boatloads of fun traveling around with my close friends spreading love and just living my life to the fullest... if you know what I mean ;) Now I enjoy sitting in my cozy nook writing and learning about history.