On November 22, 1718, Edward Teach met his fate in Ocracoke, North Carolina, during a bloody battle with Lieutenant Robert Maynard, 307 years ago, today. Some of you may know him better by his infamous nickname, Blackbeard. Teach had a long relationship with the Outer Banks, as it served as a base for his operations. It has even been suggested that the pirate, who had turned from his evil ways for a while, became friendly with the local political players in that area and even married a woman or two while living in Bath, North Carolina.
During his days sailing the open waters on the Queen Anne’s Revenge, Teach captured over 40 ships and blockaded Charleston Harbor.
Many debates have arisen over the years about whether Blackbeard’s death marked the end of the golden age of piracy, but that was not the case. Less than a month later, pirate Stede Bonnet and his crew were hanged in the area of White Point Gardens in Charleston, South Carolina. The actual truth is that piracy ended sometime around 1726, when William Fly was executed in Boston. However, it is often considered to have ended around 1730.
Many places along the coastlines of North and South Carolina are forever tied to piracy and Blackbeard. Many ghostly tales are still told about the infamous pirate.
Written By John G. Clark Jr.