Blackbeard

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His name sent chills down sailors’ and land lovers’ spines. He was tall and ferocious; flaming wicks burned around his head in times of battle. The devil himself was no match for this man’s brutal thirst for blood, power, and treasure. There were no laws that could deter him, no army’s that could defeat him, and no women that could refuse him. He would be remembered for centuries as the beloved and eventually beheaded historical villain and Pirate King: Blackbeard.

This wiki page presents the story of Blackbeard along with the legends, a summary of historical portrayals of the pirate, and descriptions of the impact of piracy on the North Carolina colony.

Early Life of Blackbeard

The Blockade of Charleston

Death of Blackbeard

A New Kind of Piracy

The Legend of Blackbeard

The story of Blackbeard is quite irresistible mostly because of the exaggerations and ranging details that historians face when researching the life of Blackbeard. According to Susan DiCiriello, the life of the pirate known as Blackbeard comes primarily from a book published shortly after Blackbeard’s death, entitled A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates by Captain Charles Johnson. The mere existence of this Captain Johnson cannot be verified, however, leading many scholars to believe that Johnson was simply a pen name used by the journalist and novelist Daniel Defoe (whose contributions to literature include Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders). Unfortunately, like the identity of its author, much of the information asserted as fact in the book cannot be confirmed through other sources. Where facts can be corroborated, historical records generally support, creating a man more mythical and legendary than factual. ^[1]

The legend begins with a name and an image. According to Lindley Butler, author of Pirates, privateers and rebel raiders, “a high percentage of the primary documents record Blackbeard’s name as Edward ‘Thatch’ or some phonetic derivation thereof (Thatch, Teach, Tatch)”.^[2] In fact, there is skepticism that the names Thatch and Teach are aliases themselves, with some sources indicating Blackbeard was the former Edward Drummond. Regardless of the exact spelling behind Blackbeard’s birth name, the creation of the monstrous character dubbed ‘Blackbeard’ can largely be credited to Captain Charles Johnson’s description of Teach’s appearance. In his 1724 book, Johnson wrote of Blackbeard that “his Beard was black, which he suffered to grow of an extravagant Length; as to Breadth, it came up to his Eyes; he was accustomed to twist it with Ribbons, in small Tails, after the manner of our Ramillies Wiggs, and turn them about his Ears: In Time of Action, he wore a Sling over his Shoulders, with three Brace of Pistols, hanging in Holsters like Bandaliers; and stuck lighted Matches under his Hat, which appearing on each Side of his Face, his Eyes naturally looking fierce and wild, made him altogether such a Figure, that Imagination cannot form an Idea of Fury, from Hell, to look more frightful.” <refCaptain Charles Johnson,. A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates. 1724. Reprint, with introduction by David Cordingly (New York: Lyons Press, 1998).</ref>

While an eyewitness account describing Blackbeard’s long, black beard and tall stature does exist; the slow-burning fuses were probably added by Blackbeard to fuel the respectful fear his adversaries experienced upon sight of him. Rumors of Blackbeard’s likeness to Satan earned him the reputation as a ‘Black-faced Devil’ and the ‘Fury from Hell’. In fact, Johnson’s tale states that Blackbeard tried to create a hell aboard ship to further the stories of his unpredictable and terrifying behavior. According to Johnson, he locked himself and a number of his men in a room with suffocating smoke to prove he was as wretched as the Devil, able to withstand the burning pots of brimstone. ^[3]

Another one of the stories that recount Blackbeard’s atrocities takes place near Ocracoke Inlet and resulted in the permanent crippling of Israel Hands, first mate of the pirate band. According to what may be part folk tale, part actual events, Blackbeard and several of his crewmembers were sitting below deck in their ship when Thatch decided to shoot any man who did not run, in a test of courage. He then blew out the lone candle that illuminated the room and started counting. “The crewman broke and ran, but Israel Hands remained sitting and continued to drink from his goblet. With no compunction whatsoever, Blackbeard pulled the trigger and blasted away in the direction of the chair in which he had last seen his trusted mate before blowing out the candle. The slug hit the unlucky Israel in the knee and ranged upward into his thigh. Israel Hands remained crippled from that wound as long as he lived.”^[4] Other stories claim that the crippling of Hands was meant to serve as a lesson to anyone that tried to betray him, stating that Blackbeard professed, “If I don’t kill somebody now and then, you’ll forget who I am!” ^[5] While the details of the story are stretched and decorated, Zepke indicates that we do know that Israel Hands testified against his fellow crewmates to avoid the gallows after Blackbeard died.

As colorful as these stories about Blackbeard’s brutalities are, legends regarding Blackbeard’s romantic life are equally as rich. Johnson states, “Before he sailed upon his Adventures, he marry'd a young Creature of about sixteen Years of Age, the Governor performing the Ceremony. As it is a Custom to marry here by a Priest, so it is there by a Magistrate; and this, I have been informed, made Teach's fourteenth Wife, whereof, about a dozen might be still living. His Behaviour in this State, was something extraordinary; for while his Sloop lay in Okerecock Inlet, and he ashore at a Plantation, where his Wife lived, with whom after he had lain all Night, it was his Custom to invite five or six of his brutal Companions to come ashore, and he would force her to prostitute her self to them all, one after another, before his Face.” ^[6] While historical evidence about Blackbeard’s many wives does not exist, the child-bride Mary Ormond is said to have tried valiantly to turn Blackbeard into a true gentleman. In accordance, some stories portray a far gentler Blackbeard, claiming he loved Mary Ormond, and vowed to give up piracy to win her affection. However, “eventually tired of her nagging, he takes her to a local tavern and ruthlessly offers her up to the pleasures of his crew.” ^[7]

Of course, a woman’s pleas were of no match to Blackbeard’s love of piracy. Stories of Blackbeard’s pirating adventures recount brilliantly strategized sacks and cunning mutinous acts led by Thatch, which resulted in larger amounts of treasure that Blackbeard would keep for himself, and bury, to protect from greedy less favored crewmen. While stories of a larger-than-life almost non-human character abound, Blackbeard’s life would eventually be cut short providing perhaps the most electrifying legend of them all.

Blackbeard’s harassments and plunderings were becoming tiresome to some of the locals. Fearing Blackbeard’s economically fraudulent relationship with the governor of North Carolina, a group of sea captains appealed to the governor of Virginia to destroy Blackbeard. A reward was then issued for any pirate’s capture or death within the year 1717. Lieutenant Maynard sought to retrieve that reward. Meanwhile, Blackbeard had received notice of the governor’s proclamation, and Maynard’s covert operation was exposed with little concern to Blackbeard. While Thatch had only a few crewmen under his employment, he arrogantly plowed ahead, believing he could safely board and conquer Maynard’s ship. Maynard, however, had tricked the cunning pirate, having concealed the number of men on board below deck and lured Blackbeard aboard. Once Thatch and his men entered, Maynard signaled his men to rush up in an instant, and shot the notorious Pirate King.

A savage sword fight ensued. The wounded Blackbeard fought with everything he had left, and broke Maynard’s sword in half. Fortunately for Maynard, one of the lieutenant’s men saw the broken sword and instantly stabbed Thatch in the neck. A series of shots and sword wounds followed, eventually ending in Edward Thatch’s death.

Charles Harry Whedbee author of Legends of the Outer Banks and Tar Heel Tidewater describes the death of Blackbeard with some of the more consistent elements of the legend of his death. “When Blackbeard had been killed, his head was cut off and affixed to the bowsprit of the Ranger. There it remained until the ship returned to Virginia. What was finally done with the grisly trophy is not recorded, but there is one family in Massachusetts which claims that the skull was made into a giant cup, was then silver-plated, and is now in their possession. The great, mutilated body of Blackbeard was tossed unceremoniously overboard where, legend claims, it swam three times around the entangled Ranger and Adventure before it sank from sight beneath the water.” ^[8]

With all these tales of Blackbeard’s maliciousness, carousing, and adventurous death; there is no wonder as to how Blackbeard became a legendary villain of the seas. Apart from his final battle at Ocracoke, however, there is no evidence that Blackbeard ever killed anyone. Even while blockading the entire city of Charleston, Blackbeard used his fierce reputation and some unlucky hostages as leverage to receive a chest full of medical supplies. Surely the captives must have felt death drawing near; but Blackbeard never fired a single shot. “Blackbeard may not have been the evil cutthroat of popular imagination. The reality is far more complex. He was a master of psychological warfare and intimidation, a charismatic and dramatic personality, a savvy outlaw and, until the very end, perhaps not even a murderer at all. It appears that coastal North Carolinians may have known this all along, celebrating him as a folk hero who stuck a hot poker in the eye of their imperious British overlord.” ^[9]

Regardless of the historical details behind Blackbeard the man; his life and image have been immortalized as a demonic yet romanticized figure for generations past and generations yet to come. The legend of the Pirate King lives on in spooky ghost stories and silly Disney movies; but the truth lies silently underwater.

Public perception of Blackbeard

Villain or Gentry: Public Perception of Blackbeard during the 1700s

When the name Blackbeard is spoken it usually evokes images of theft, greed, piracy, and perhaps even the idea of innocent merchants at sea walking the plank. No one can deny that while at sea Blackbeard would strike fear into anyone that saw the Queen Anne’s Revenge heading in their direction. But, when on land in short residence at Bath, North Carolina a different story was unfolded- one of heroism, respect, wealth, and the celebrity status that is not typically associated with the name Blackbeard.^[10] Encountering Blackbeard on land was a completely different experience than when at sea. Among the small population of the coastal community of Bath along coast of North Carolina, Blackbeard to maintained a high political and social status. He was well liked and even depended on by many of the elites inhabiting Bath in the early eighteenth century.

In his book, Blackbeard the pirate: A reappraisal of his life and times, Robert E. Lee reported that people from great distances would come to see Blackbeard in hopes of purchasing exotic items from foreign lands in the merchant shops of Bath after Captain Teach would return from pirating the seas.^[11] When Blackbeard would return to Bath from the pirating at sea, his return would bring an economic jackpot to the area. The bars and hotels were always full upon Blackbeard’s return with passersby and merchants looking for new treasures that were unavailable otherwise. It is said that Blackbeard and his men “gave and spent lavishly with hands as open as they took.”^[12] This was a time for merchants to buy foreign spices, gold, silks, diamonds, rum and gunpowder then sell it for ten or more times than the price they purchased from Blackbeard, thus creating mass profits for the small town of Bath and its residence.

When Blackbeard and his pirates briefly settled on the North Carolina coast, men from neighboring towns flocked to hear them brag and boast of their exploits at sea. It was not unusual for highly regarded political figures and churchmen to ask Blackbeard if they could join him and his crew at sea. Blackbeard brought a certain aura to Bath reminiscent of a chaotic flea market and carnival all rolled into one event. The pirates and Blackbeard were admired for their primitive qualities and strength. Being able to rough it for months at a time was heroic and there was no doubt the other men wanted to be near the pirates not only on the sea, but on land in Bath as well. ^[13] Perhaps because Blackbeard was viewed as a threat on the high seas, the folks of Bath were not fearful of the swaggering Captain Teach on land. In fact there is no record of Blackbeard ever committing a crime on land. ^[14]

Blackbeard was a celebrity in Bath and once boasted “there was not a home in North Carolina where I would not be welcome for dinner."^[15] Sure, one might think, no one in their right mind would deny Blackbeard dinner for fear of the consequences, but that’s just it, the community of Bath had no fear or ill will toward Captain Edward Teach. Likewise Blackbeard entertained lavishly in his own home offering up his latest rum or rare wine to his visitors. Blackbeard’s status was definitely influenced by his timing in the pirating profession. Blackbeard stepped into the pirating line of work just as it was reaching its peak and with it he took on staring role in this age of piracy.^[16]

Bath was not the only city that depended on Blackbeard for his exotic goods. The bourgeoisie of Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City bought precious goods from Blackbeard when he would dock in their respective ports. It is thought that some of the very wealthy families in these cities made their fortunes by purchasing Blackbeard’s loot at well below market value then investing or exchanging the treasures for currency.^[17] No one ever really questioned were Blackbeard got his treasures, most people felt it was best if they did not know and what they didn’t know couldn’t hurt them. But, these actions were not without controversy and intrigue. Governor Benjamin Fletcher of New York was arrested and dismissed from office along with five members of his council for accepting gold from Blackbeard as a bribe for granting him immunity form arrest.^[18] The second oldest college in the United States, William and Mary, was founded with revenue from pirate loot.^[19] It was also not unusual for families of high status to marry their daughters to pirates once they retired from raiding the seas.

Blackbeard was able to make himself comfortable in Bath, North Carolina and gain his high status because he was generous to the community and respectful of the residence. His legacy was also prolonged by the fact that North Carolina was the last colony to make piracy illegal allowing, this in some ways enabling Blackbeard to became the de facto leader of his profession.^[20] Bath also had no formal jail, courthouse or church during the early eighteenth century- making it more inviting for Blackbeard. On many occasions Blackbeard would return to his home in Bath and never plan on going back to the sea and pirating life. It was his crew that had not amassed quite the fortune of their captain that perhaps convinced Blackbeard to return to the sea to find more treasure. Blackbeard was certainly influenced by his crew, maybe as much as he influenced them, and probably realized that if they were getting anxious on land that they should return to the sea in order to keep any mishaps or pirating activities from occurring on land. Blackbeard was no doubt at his best in handing his crew when he was at sea.

It is pretty clear that the town of Bath and other coastal cities were positively influenced by Blackbeard and his pirating. Blackbeard’s swagger enabled him to transition smoothly from a pirating life at sea to the life of a highly regarded man on land. Blackbeard knew when to bring his pirate companions along and when to leave them at home in order to maintain his status. Governor Charles Eden who lived in Bath issued a pardon for any outstanding crimes that Blackbeard had committed.^[21] On land Blackbeard was not the feared man that he was at sea, and he could create a persona of nobility thus making his pirating life a success on sea and land.

Blackbeard's impact on North Carolina

Blackbeard's ship: The Queen Anne's Revenge

NCDCR archaeological excavation of the QAR

Blackbeard historiography

The first book written with dedicated segment to the life of Blackbeard was written in 1724 by Captain Charles Johnson. There is much speculation as to Johnson’s actual identity since most records do not include him until he had written and published his book. Many believe that Captain Johnson was a pen name, in an attempt to keep an identity unknown. At any rate, Johnson’s book was a tremendous success when it was published in 1724. Reports claim that the book was so popular; bookstores could barely keep it on the shelves.^[22] The popularity was most likely associated with the short time span between the death of Blackbeard and the year of the book’s publication. Less than a ten year gap separated the two events, allowing people who had personal memory of Blackbeard to purchase the book.

Upon examination of the account of Blackbeard by Johnson, a modern day reader would note his style of writing to be confusing. The book, A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates makes reference to events, places, materials, and people in an assuming way. There is little explanation in the book; rather it is comprised of a more linear account of Blackbeard’s actions and encounters during his life. A reader of Johnsons time could have understood the book because the events and characters in his writing would have been familiar. However, the book lacks longevity as a reader today would be thoroughly confused and unfamiliar with the elements included in Johnsons work. Johnson discusses Blackbeard as a menacing pirate who wanted nothing but treasure and to cause mayhem. The book describes Blackbeard as looking “devilish” and states that “It was his custom to invite five or six of his brutal companions to come ashore, and he would force her (his new wife, one of fourteen) to prostitute herself to them all, one after another, before his face.” No account since Johnsons has included this, and thus it can be assumed that it was either exaggerated or did not happen. Furthermore, accounts following Johnson’s describe Blackbeard as being easily drawn to women, and being somewhat of a romantic.

Researching the historiography of notable historic figures is a common task for historians. Their method usually requires them to read several secondary sources on the figure, and then conclude if any changes can be seen in the depiction of the character or their life. The history of Blackbeard (supposed legal name was Edward Teach) however is more difficult than this method usually allows for. The difficulty lies in the need for historians not only to decipher the changes in the way in which historians have presented Blackbeard, but they also must separate the historic accounts of Blackbeard from the legends and stories created for entertainment. The historic accounts of Blackbeard are subject to include remnants of fiction, thought to be fact, and must be separated in order to offer an objective and complete account of his life.

Johnson's work included very little of the early life of Blackbeard. This is not surprising. When people bought Johnsons book, it can be assumed that they were interested in his life as a pirate, not his life as a child. This pattern of negligence to Teach’s pre-pirate life followed in the books to come after. Few books (even today) discuss his childhood and this could be due to several reasons. First, few records were kept of “ordinary” people at the time of Blackbeard’s childhood. If records were kept, it would be difficult to find those related to Edward Teach because both were common names at the time, and there is still a dispute as to whether “Teach” was his last name. Other authors suggest that his name could have been” Thatch, Teache, Thathe, or a multitude of other names derived from the same root.

Johnson’s book neglected to demonstrate the lack of certainty of Blackbeard’s actual identity. However, as books continued to be written and research conducted, more emphasis was placed upon the mystery of Blackbeard’s legal name. R. Lee’s work in 1974 was one of the first major, modern, works devoted to the actual history of Blackbeard. Lee discusses the issue of the legal name of Blackbeard, and concludes that most research suggests that his name was “Teach”. However, as time passed and more books published, Blackbeard’s assumed legal name shifted to “Thatch”. A book published by the National Maritime Museum in London refers to Blackbeard as “Thatch” instead of “Teach”. The book was published in 2006, making it one of the most recent books dedicated entirely to Blackbeard and thus there is no way to know yet if the shift will become popular in works from here forward.

On the same token, one will discover that through the writings on Blackbeard not only is his name challenged, but his place of birth is challenged as well. It still has yet to be decided as to where Blackbeard was supposedly born, however Bristol, England is the most popular area claimed by historians, however Philadelphia, Virginia, South Africa, Jamaica, and the Carolinas have all been claimed as well. Some historians do not believe that Teach was born in Bristol because they feel that there would be records of his existence. It has been proven that Teach could both read and write as an adult, and thus many historians believe that he must have been educated formally as a child. If this was the case, records would exist because of his enrollment in a school, and there are no records of him studying in Bristol.

The amount written in dedication only to Blackbeard rises and falls with the pressure applied to it from outside sources. In 1974 Lee’s book was somewhat of an anomaly, because it was alone in its choice of topic for its time. However, in the 1990’s books began to be written discussing Blackbeard at a much higher volume than before. This could be attributed to the Queen Anne’s Revenge (Blackbeard’s Flag Ship) being reportedly found off the coast of North Carolina in the 1990’s. At this time, many more articles and books were written about Blackbeard, as media sources were certainly reminding Americans of the possibly forgotten pirate. After the initial excitement of the Queen Anne’s Revenge discovery faded, books dedicated to Blackbeard began to fade as well. The last resurgence came with the release of a Walt Disney movie called “Pirates of the Caribbean”. The success of the movie reinstalled interest that had since been forgotten about pirates. Furthermore, it is obvious that the pirate portrayed in the film was representative of Blackbeard. Books began to be written to feed the public curiosity of pirate life, but these books were not dedicated to Blackbeard alone, but rather to the life of pirates in general. Today, most books include information on Blackbeard, other pirates, ships, the way of life for pirates, etc.

Perhaps the most important theme to consider when examining the historiography of Blackbeard is the way his character is presented. Early works (such as Johnson’s book and newspaper printings at the time) describe Blackbeard as evil and devilish, while books written recently claim that the legend of Blackbeard is exaggerated and claim that the actual man was not brutal as once thought. It has been written that there is an irony in the perception of Blackbeard’s cruel nature because Blackbeard was actually one of the least “dangerous” pirates of his time. Blackbeard most likely became popular due to his easily recognizable appearance. While most men did not wear beards at this time, Teach had a long black beard which he often braided at the bottom. While his physical appearance was intimidating, he rarely killed anyone who was not posing an immediate threat to his life. It also has been claimed that while he did capture and loot many ships, he normally allowed those aboard to go after he had taken their cargo and anything else he desired.

Johnson claims Blackbeard to be a menacing pirate who wanted nothing but treasure and to cause mayhem. The book describes Blackbeard as looking “devilish” and states that “It was his custom to invite five or six of his brutal companions to come ashore, and he would force her [his new wife, one of fourteen] to prostitute herself to them all, one after another, before his face.” No account since Johnsons has included this, and thus it can be assumed that it was either exaggerated or did not happen. Furthermore, accounts following Johnson’s describe Blackbeard as being easily drawn to women, and being somewhat of a romantic.

The portrayal of Blackbeard ranges from hero to villain consistently throughout the books written about him. Most books that describe Blackbeard as the villain seem to be aligning themselves with the popular myths discussed earlier because there is usually a lack of reliable documentation for these brutal claims. One example lies in Johnsons book, where Johnson suggests that the townspeople of Bath went to Virginia to beg Governor Spotswood to capture and kill Blackbeard because of the problems he was making in the town. There is no reference to documentation for this occurrence, and in literature following Johnson’s the event has not been mentioned. Instead it is claimed that Spotswood decided to find and kill Teach due to his own lack of popularity at the time. Spotswood decided that if he could capture and bring Teach to an end, his popularity would rise and his career in government could be saved. In this light, the reader almost feels sympathy for Teach, as he is being hunted for Spotswood’s political gain.

To understand Blackbeard, one must understand the way he has been portrayed for the past three centuries. Most view Teach as a merciless, womanizing monster who would take any and all value from those who he encountered. Obviously, the people who subscribe to this interpretation of Blackbeard have not separated legend from history. Modern researchers are increasingly focused on proving theories that had been accepted for hundreds of years to be false, such as the idea that Teach was born in Bristol, England or his attitudes regarding women. However, the most important movement in the past twenty years is the clarification of the literature regarding Blackbeard. When examining the trends in this research, one will notice that works regarding his life have become focused on destroying these misrepresentations of his life, and attempting to declare a new identity for Blackbeard.

References

Bibliography

A general history of the pyrates. Eastern North Carolina Digital Library. http://digital.lib.ecu.edu/historyfiction/fullview.asp... (accessed Nov. 22, 2008).

Bond, Constance. “A Fury from Hell or Was He?.” Smithsonian 30, no. 11 (2000): 62.

Butler, Lindley S. Pirates, Privateers, and Rebel Raiders. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 2000.

Ciriello, Susan D. “Blackbeard the Pirate” versus History. 16 June 2006. [2] (accessed Nov. 22, 2008).

Johnson, Captain Charles. A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates. 1724. Reprint, with introduction by David Cordingly. New York: Lyons Press, 1998.

Johnson, Pyrates, 84,96.

“One Ruthless Pirate.” Blackbeard Terror at Sea. National Geographic Channel. n.d. http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/blackbea... (accessed Nov. 22, 2008).

Whedbee, Charles Harry. Legends of the Outer Banks and Tar Heel Tidewater. Winston-Salem: John F. Blair, 1966.

Zepke, Terrance. Pirates of the Carolinas. Sarasota, FL: Pineapple Press, Inc., 2000.

Note: This article was developed by students in ECI 525, Fall semester 2008. Below are credits according to specific areas of focus.

1. Blackbeard's impact on North Carolina - Tammy Young
2. The legend of Blackbeard - Sarah Lindsey
3. NCDCR archaeological excavation - Adam Faulkner
4. The Blockade of Charleston - Nick Miller
5. Death of Blackbeard - Kamii Harris
6. Blackbeard historiography - Meghan Petrie
7. Public perception of Blackbeard - Bobby Mack
8. Early life of Blackbeard - Rebecca Gwynne
9. The Queen Anne's Revenge - Allen McNeil