Here was an end of that courageous brute, who might have pass’d in the world for a hero, had he been employ’d in a good cause; his destruction, which was of such consequence to the plantations, was entirely owing to the conduct and bravery of Lieutenant Maynard and his men, who might have destroy’d him with much less loss, had they had a vessel with great guns; but they were obliged to use small vessels, because the holes and places he lurk’d in, would not admit of others of greater draught; and it was no small difficulty for this gentleman to get to him, having grounded his vessel, at least, a hundred times, in getting up the river, besides other discouragements, enough to have turn’d back any gentleman without dishonour, who was less resolute and bold than this lieutenant. The broadside that did so much mischief before they boarded, in all probability saved the rest from destruction; for before that Teach had little or no hopes of escaping, and therefore had posted a resolute fellow, a Negro whom he had bred up, with a lighted match, in the powder-room, with commands to blow up when he should give him orders, which was as soon as the lieutenant and his men could have entered, that so he might have destroy’d his conquerors: and when the Negro found how it went with Blackbeard, he could hardly be persuaded from the rash action, by two prisoners that were then in the hold of the sloop.
What seems a little odd, is, that some of these men, who behaved so bravely against Blackbeard, went afterwards a-pirating themselves, and one of them was taken along with Roberts; but I do not find that any of them were provided for, except one that was hanged; but this is a digression.
The lieutenant caused Blackbeard’s head to be severed from his body, and hung up at the bowsprit end, then he sailed to Bath Town, to get relief for his wounded men.
It must be observed, that in rummaging the pirate’s sloop, they found several letters and written papers, which discovered the correspondence betwixt Governor Eden, the secretary and collector, and also some traders at New York, and Blackbeard. It is likely he had regard enough for his friends, to have destroyed these papers before the action, in order to hinder them from falling into such hands, where the discovery would be of no use, either to the interest or reputation of these fine gentlemen, if it had not been his fixed resolution to have blown up together, when he found no possibility of escaping.
When the lieutenant came to Bath Town, he made bold to seize in the Governor’s storehouse, the sixty hogsheads of sugar, and from honest Mr. Knight, twenty; which it seems was their dividend of the plunder taken in the French ship; the latter did not long survive this shameful discovery, for being apprehensive that he might be called to an account for these trifles, fell sick with the fright, and died in a few days.
After the wounded men were pretty well recover’d, the lieutenant sailed back to the men-of-war in James River, in Virginia, with Blackbeard’s head still hanging at the bowsprit end, and fifteen prisoners, thirteen of whom were hanged. It appearing upon trial, that one of them, viz. Samuel Odell, was taken out of the trading sloop, but the night before the engagement. This poor fellow was a little unlucky at his first entering upon his new trade, there appearing no less than 70 wounds upon him after the action, notwithstanding which, he lived, and was cured of them all. The other person that escaped the gallows, was one Israel Hands, the master of Blackbeard’s sloop, and formerly captain of the same, before the Queen Ann’s Revenge was lost in Topsail Inlet.
The aforesaid Hands happened not to be in the fight, but was taken afterwards ashore at Bath Town, having been sometime before disabled by Blackbeard, in one of his savage humours, after the following manner.—One night drinking in his cabin with Hands, the pilot, and another man; Blackbeard without any provocation privately draws out a small pair of pistols, and cocks them under the table, which being perceived by the man, he withdrew and went upon deck, leaving Hands, the pilot, and the captain together. When the pistols were ready, he blew out the candle, and crossing his hands, discharged them at his company; Hands, the master, was shot thro’ the knee, and lam’d for life; the other pistol did no execution.—Being asked the meaning of this, he only answered, by damning them, that if he did not now and then kill one of them, they would forget who he was.
Hands being taken, was try’d and condemned, but just as he was about to be executed, a ship arrives at Virginia with a proclamation for prolonging the time of His Majesty’s pardon, to such of the pirates as should surrender by a limited time therein expressed: notwithstanding the sentence, Hands pleaded the pardon, and was allowed the benefit of it, and is alive at this time in London, begging his bread.
Now that we have given
