The pyrates Blackbeard, Charles Vane, George Lowther, and Edward “Ned” Low all terrorized Charles Town, the “Port Royal”. Blackbeard blockaded the harbor in May 1718 and Vane did the same the following August. Lowery, Harris, and Low came several years later in 1722. It’s fair to say, I think, that after all of the pyrate attention, Charles Town was eager for peace and maybe, just maybe, a wee bit of revenge.
And, you can be assured, the revenge was BIG.
Sidenote: Pun intended – Revenge being the name of one of Bonnet’s former pyrating ships.
Stede Bonnet was and is often referred to as “The Gentlemen Pyrate”. Why? Well, it’s a long tale, but just know (if ‘n ye don’t already) that Bonnet was a very wealthy plantation owner who (allegedly) got tired of his nagging wife, built his own pyrate ship, gathered his own pyrate crew, and began a pyrating career.
Bonnet sailed with Blackbeard into Charles Town harbor in May 1718. Bonnet wasn’t (yet) the captain of (his own) ship, (another long story), but instead was sort of apprenticing under Blackbeard’s tutelage in preparation for becoming captain. (Yes, that is an odd arrangement on a pyrate ship, but there it is.)
Bonnet was rather unceremoniously (translation: rudely) dumped by Blackbeard just a few months later near Bath, North Carolina. Lots of stories here, too, but if’n we are gonna get through this plunder, just suffice it to say that by August 1718, Bonnet was captaining his own ship, the Royal James, and going full pyrate with an alias, Captain Thomas.
Near Cape Fear, North Carolina, Bonnet anchored and prepared to careen the Royal James. While there, he was discovered by the pyrate hunter, Colonel William Rhett, and his pyrate hunting fleet .
Bonnet put up a very respectable pyrate fight that lasted for hours. Alas, though, the pyrates were outnumbered and outgunned. Bonnet decided to surrender and by October, he was back in Charles Town. This time, in shackles.
Up next, Pyrates and Charles Town: The Mass Executions of 1718 – Part II
Until then, fair winds!
Virginia Chandler 
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