Captain Edward Teach

Captain Charles Johnson has delivered a great biography of the notorious pirate, Edward Teach... more commonly known as Blackbeard.

• Edward Teach, like any good sailor, was born un a sea town: Bristol.
• Like many pirates, he began as a privateer. He was part of Captain Benjamin Hornigold's crew.
• Teach began his piratical career in 1717. He took command of a French Guineaman that he captured as a privateer.
• He outfitted the guineaman with 40 guns and named her the Queen Anne's Revenge.
• When he met up with Major Bonnet and learning that Bonnet knew nothing of maritime life, Teach appointed a different pirate as captain of Bonnet's 10 gun sloop. And technically held Bonnet hostage (even though Bonnet was not imprisoned/locked up/tied up/at gun point).
• The governor of the territory of North Carolina was corrupt; he allowed Blackbeard to roam the sea and in return he gained a share of the plunders.
• Teach had many wives, possibly as many 14 where 12 were living at once.
• Due to the ineptitude of the North Carolina governor, merchants, etc. petioned the governor of Virginia to do something about Blackbeard.
• Lt. Robert Maynard of the Pearl was placed in command of two sloops to hunt down Blackbeard with. The sloops had no guns mounted but were well manned and had plenty of small arms and ammunition. Luckily by this time in Blackbeard's career, he no longer sailed the Queen Anne's Revenge but a smaller vessel more suited to the shallows along the Virginia and Carolina coasts, inlets, and rivers.
• A brief "conversation" between Maynard and Blackbeard as Maynard's sloops apporached Blackbeard's:
• Blackbeard: Damn you for villains, who are you? And from whence came you?
• Maynard: You may see by our colors that we are no pirates
• Blackbeard bid him to send his boat on board, that he (Blackbeard) might see who he was.
• Maynard: I cannot spare my boat, but I will come on board of you, as soon as I can, with my sloop.
• Upon this, Blackbeard took a glass of liquor and drank to him (Maynard)
• Blackbeard: Damnation seize my soul if I give you quarters, or take any from you.
• After defeating Blackbeard, Maynard severed his head and hung it from the bowspirit.
• Interesting note, a member of Blackbeard's crew was named Israel Hands! And we all know where this name was made famous... if you don't, then you need to scour your pirate literature. This will be on the next major test you take ;)
• When asked if his wife knew where he buried his treasure, Blackbeard replied that nobody but himself and the Devil knew where it was and the longest liver shoul;d take it all.
• One incredible story from members of Blackbeard's crew was that once upon a cruise, they found out that they had a man on board more than their crew. Such a one was seen several days amongst them, sometimes below, and sometimes upon deck, yet no man in the ship could give an account of who he was or from whence he came. But it seems they verily believed it was he devil.
  

For more information, read Captain Johnson's book, A General History Of Robberies & Murders Of The Most Notorious Pirates.