Article on Black Beard From The Mirror,
August 11, 1827
There are few persons who reside on the Atlantic ocean
and rivers of North America who are not familiar with the
name of Black Beard, whom traditionary history represents as
a pirate, who acquired immense wealth in his predatory
voyages, and was accustomed to bury his treasures in the
banks of creeks and rivers. For a period as low down as the
American revolution, it was common for the ignorant and
credulous to dig along these banks in search of hidden
treasures; and impostors found an ample basis in these
current rumours for schemes of delusion. Black Beard, though
tradition says a great deal more of him than is true, was
yet a real person, who acquired no small fame by his
maritime exploits during the first part of the eighteenth
century. Among many authentic and recorded particulars
concerning him, the following account of his death may
gratify curiosity:—
From the nature of Black Beard's position in a sloop of
little draught of water, on a coast abounding with creeks,
and remarkable for the number and intricacy of its shoals,
with which he had made himself intimately acquainted, it was
deemed impossible to approach him in vessels of any force.
Two hired sloops were therefore manned from the Pearl and
Lime frigates, in the Chesapeake, and put under the command
of Lieutenant Maynard, with instructions to hunt down and
destroy this pirate wherever he should be found.
On the 17th
of November, in the year 1718, this force sailed from James
River, and in the evening of the 21st came to an inlet in
North Carolina, where Black Beard was discovered at a
distance, lying in wait for his prey.
The sudden appearance
of an enemy, preparing to attack him, occasioned some
surprise; but his sloop mounting several guns, and being
manned with twenty-five of his desperate followers, he
determined to make a resolute defence; and, having prepared
his vessel over night for action, sat down to his bottle,
stimulating his spirits to that pitch of frenzy by which
only he could rescue himself in a contest for his life.
The
navigation of the inlet was so difficult, that Maynard's
sloops were repeatedly grounded in their approach, and the
pirate, with his experience of the soundings, possessed
considerable advantage in manoeuvring, which enabled him for
some time to maintain a running fight.
His vessel, however,
in her turn, having at length grounded, and the close
engagement becoming now inevitable, he reserved her guns to
pour in a destructive fire on the sloops as they advanced to
board him. This he so successfully executed, that
twenty-nine men of Maynard's small number were either killed
or wounded by the first broadside, and one of the sloops for
a time disabled. But notwithstanding this severe loss, the
lieutenant persevered in his resolution to grapple with his
enemy, or perish in the attempt.
Observing that his own
sloop, which was still fit for action, drew more water than
the pirate's, he ordered all her ballast to be thrown out,
and, directing his men to conceal themselves between decks,
took the helm in person, and steered directly aboard of his
antagonist, who continued inextricably fixed on the shoal.
This desperate wretch, previously aware of his danger, and
determined never to expiate his crimes in the hands of
justice, had posted one of his banditti, with a lighted
match, over his powder-magazine, to blow up his vessel in
the last extremity. Luckily in this design he was
disappointed by his own ardour and want of circumspection;
for, as Maynard approached, having begun the encounter at
close quarters, by throwing upon his antagonist a number of
hand-grenadoes of his own composition, which produced only a
thick smoke, and conceiving that, from their destructive
agency, the sloop's deck had, been completely cleared, he
leaped over her bows, followed by twelve of his men, and
advanced upon the lieutenant, who was the only person then
in view; but the men instantly springing up to the relief of
their commander, who was now furiously beset, and in
imminent danger of his life, a violent contest ensued.
Black
Beard, after seeing the greater part of his men destroyed at
his side, and receiving himself repeated wounds, at length,
stepping back to cock, a pistol, fainted with the loss of
blood, and expired on the spot. Maynard completed his
victory, by securing the remainder of these desperate
wretches, who were compelled to sue for mercy, and a short
respite from a less honourable death at the hands of the
executioner.
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