Blackbeard met his ‘bloody end’ 305 years ago off NC. What we know about final battle
Blackbeard met his “bloody end” off the North Carolina coast 305 years ago — marking the infamous pirate’s final battle.
During his exploits on the water, Blackbeard took over ships in the Caribbean and blockaded a South Carolina port. But eventually, two ships caught him off guard on Nov. 22, 1718, according to the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
Crew members, led by Lt. Robert Maynard, came face to face with Blackbeard for a fight in Ocracoke Inlet, off the Outer Banks barrier islands. The two used swords and fired pistols before another sailor cut Blackbeard’s throat, according to state historians.
“Legend says Blackbeard fought on, in spite of bullet wounds and gashed neck, as other British seamen joined in for the kill,” historians wrote in a blog post. “Even while being stabbed, he yet cocked a pistol to continue the fight as he fell dead.”
Maynard reportedly decapitated Blackbeard before returning “to Virginia with the surviving pirates and the grim trophy of Blackbeard’s severed head.”
What else to know about Blackbeard the pirate
Blackbeard was born Edward Teach, though historians also have spelled his name Thatch, Thach and Thache. The pirate, whose nickname comes from his facial hair, is believed to have been born in England or Jamaica around 1680, officials said.
In 1717, Blackbeard captured a French ship used in the slave trade and renamed the vessel Queen Anne’s Revenge. He is believed to have targeted ships from the “Caribbean to New England,” and Ocracoke Inlet was likely a favorite hideout, according to legend.
“Pirate raids would be beneficial for both the captain and his crew — the crew would get shares of the loot, while the captain would add captured sailors to his numbers, enabling him to successfully raid more ships,” the National Park Service wrote.
Believing North Carolina Gov. Charles Eden hadn’t done enough to stop the pillaging, concerned residents turned to Alexander Spotswood, a ruler in Virginia. He put a bounty on Blackbeard and sent Maynard to North Carolina in his attempt to capture the pirate “dead or alive,” the Queen Anne’s Revenge Conservation Lab wrote on its website.
Blackbeard was one of several pirates operating off North Carolina in the early 1700s, dubbed the “Golden Age of Piracy.”
This story was originally published November 22, 2023 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Blackbeard met his ‘bloody end’ 305 years ago off NC. What we know about final battle."
