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.