Battle of Ocracoke

Battle of Ocracoke
Part of piracy in the Caribbean

Capture of the Pirate, Blackbeard, 1718
Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, 1920
DateNovember 21–22, 1718[1]
Location
Off Ocracoke Island, Atlantic Ocean
Result British victory
Belligerents
Great Britain Pirates
Commanders and leaders
Robert Maynard Blackbeard †[2]
Units involved
Royal Navy Blackbeard's crew
Strength
2 sloops 1 sloop
Casualties and losses
Unknown[3]

12 killed

  • Blackbeard
1 sloop captured[4]

The Battle at Ocracoke Inlet, also referred to as Blackbeard's last stand at Ocracoke Inlet[5] or Battle of Ocracoke[6] was the final confrontation of the infamous pirate Blackbeard (Edward Teach) on November 22, 1718.[6][7] It took place off the coast of Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, where Blackbeard and his crew were ambushed by British naval forces led by Lieutenant Robert Maynard of the Royal Navy.[8]

Background

Blackbeard had been terrorizing the American colonies and had recently been granted a pardon by North Carolina's governor, Charles Eden. However, Virginia's governor, Alexander Spotswood, sent a naval force under Maynard to hunt him down as he saw him as a future threat to Virginia's Shipping and trade, and because he sought to boost his own political career and reputation, despite acting outside his jurisdiction and potentially violating pardons granted to pirates.[9]

Battle

Blackbeard fought ferociously but was shot five times and slashed more than twenty times before finally dying.[10][11]

His head was severed and hung from Maynard's ship as proof of his death. His body was reportedly thrown into the water, where legend says it swam around the ship three times before sinking.[2][12]

References

  1. ^ John, Alexander (2000). Ribbon of Sand. UNC Press Books. p. 73. ISBN 978-0-8078-4874-6.
  2. ^ a b J. C., Judah (2007). The Legends of Brunswick County - Ghosts, Pirates, Indians and Colonial North Carolina. Lulu.com. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-615-17586-7.
  3. ^ Nerds, History. Blackbeard.
  4. ^ Michael C., Hardy (2022). A History Lover's Guide to North Carolina. History Press. ISBN 978-1-4396-7521-2.
  5. ^ Cordingly, David (1995). Under the Black Flag: The Romance and Reality of Life Among the Pirates. Random House. ISBN 978-0-67942-560-1.
  6. ^ a b Cabell, Craig; Thomas, Graham A.; Richards, Allan (2013-01-19). Blackbeard: The Hunt for the World's Most Notorious Pirate. Casemate Publishers. ISBN 978-1-78346-914-7.
  7. ^ Temple, Bob (2016). The Golden Age of Pirates. Capstone. p. 107. ISBN 978-1-5157-4296-8.
  8. ^ Capace, Nancy (1999-01-01). Encyclopedia of North Carolina. Somerset Publishers, Inc. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-403-09732-6.
  9. ^ "Historian: Blackbeard's death as result of unlawful act". The Associated Press.
  10. ^ Rosen, Fred (2005). The Historical Atlas of American Crime. Infobase Publishing. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-4381-2985-3.
  11. ^ Moore, David D. (April 2018). "Captain Edward Thatch: A Brief Analysis of the Primary Source Documents Concerning the Notorious Blackbeard". The North Carolina Historical Review. XCV (2): 147–187.
  12. ^ Travers, Tim (2012-05-30). Pirates: A History: A History. The History Press. p. 169. ISBN 978-0-7524-8827-1.

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