CAPTAIN JOHN PHILLIPS, AND HIS CREW
John Phillips was bred a carpenter, but sailing in a West Country ship to Newfoundland, was taken by Anstis, who soon persuaded him to join with him, making him Carpenter of the Vessel, in which station he continued till they broke up at Tobago, when he came Home in a Sloop that was sunk in Bristol Channel. But he did not stay long in England; for hearing of some of his companions being taken in Bristol Gaol, he moved off to Topsham, and there shipped himself with one Captain Wadham for Newfoundland, where when the ship came he ran away, and hired himself a splitter in the Fishery for the season: but he soon combined with others in the Fishery, to go off with one of the vessels that lay in the Harbour, and turn Pirate, and accordingly fixed upon the 29th of August, 1713, at Night; but of 16 Men that promised five only were as good as their Word. Notwithstanding, Phillips was for pushing on, assuring them that they should soon increase their company. Hereupon they seized a vessel, and went out to sea, when they soon began to settle their Officers to prevent dispute, appointing, John Phillips, Captain; John Nutt, Navigator of the Vessel; James Sparks, Gunner; Thomas Fern, Carpenter; and William White was only a private man among them.
Before they left the Banks, they took several small fishing vessels, out of which they took some more Hands, and then sailed to the West-Indies: Among those that were taken, was one John Rose Archer who having been a pirate under Blackbeard was made Quarter-Master to the company: They came off Barbadoes in October, and cruised about the Islands about three Months, without meeting with a vessel, so that they were almost starved for want of provisions, when at length they fell in with a Martinico Man of 12 guns and 35 hands, upon which they hoisted the Black Flag and ran up along side of the Sloop, with piratical Colours flying, swearing, If they did not strike immediately, they must expect no quarters; which so frightened the Frenchman, that he never fired a gun. Having got this supply, they took her provisions, and four of her men.
Having occasion to clean their vessel, Phillips proposed Tobago; and just as they had done, a Man-of-War’s boat came into the Harbour, the ship cruising to the Leeward of the Island; which was no sooner gone, but they warped out, and plied to the Windward for safety.
In a few days they took a Snow with a few Hands in it, on board of which they sent Fern the Carpenter, William Smith, Philips Wood, and Taylor; but Fern being dissatisfied at Archer’s being preferred before him to be Quarter-Master, persuaded the rest to go off with the prize; but Phillips gave them Chase, and coming up with them, shot Wood, and wounded Taylor in the leg; upon which the other two surrendered.
From Tobago they stood away to the Northward, and took a Portugueze bound for Brazil, and two or three Sloops for Jamaica, in one of which Fern endeavouring to go off, was killed by Phillips, as was also another man for the like attempt, which made all the others more fearful of discovering their Minds, dreading the villany of a few hardened wretches, who feared neither God nor Devil, as Phillips was often used blasphemously to say.
On the 25th of March, they took two ships from Virginia, the Master’s name of one was John Phillips, the Pirate’s Name-sake; of the other, Robert Mortimer, a stout young man. Phillips staid on board Mortimer’s Ship, while they transported the crew to the Sloop, when Mortimer took up a hand-spike and struck Phillips over the Head; but not knocking him down, he recovered and wounded Mortimer with his sword; and the other two Pirates who were on board, coming to Phillip’s assistance they cut Mortimer to pieces, while his own two men stood and looked on. Out of the other Virginia Man, they took Edward Cheesman, a carpenter, to supply the Place of Fern, who being averse to that way of life, proposed to J. Philamore, who was ordered to row Cheesman on board Mortimer’s ship, to overthrow their Piratical government; which from time to time, as occasion offered, they consulted how to do. The Pirates, in the mean time, robbed and plundered several ships and vessels, bending their course towards Newfoundland, where they designed to raise more men, and do all the mischief they could on the Banks, and in the harbours. Towards which country, Phillips making his way, took one Salter in a Sloop on the Isle of Sables, which he kept, and gave Mortimer’s Ship to the Mate and crew; also a Schooner, one Chadwell Master, which they scuttled in order to sink: But Phillips understanding that she belonged to Mr. Menors of Newfoundland, with whose Vessel they first went off a-Pirating, said, We have done him injury enough already, and so ordering his Vessel to be repaired, returned her to the Master.
In the Afternoon, they chased another vessel, whose Master was an Inward Light Man, named Dependence Ellery, who told Phillips he took him for a Pirate as soon as he saw him, otherwise he would not have given him the Trouble of chasing him so long. This so provoked Phillips and his Crew, that they made poor Dependence, for his Integrity, dance about the Ship till he was weary. After which they took 10 other ships and vessels; and on the 14th of April, they took a Sloop belonging to Cape Anne, Andrew Harradine Master; which looking upon to be more fit for their purpose, they came on board, keeping only the Master of her Prisoner, and sending the crew away in Salter’s vessel. Cheesman broke his mind to Harradine, to destroy the crew. Upon this, it was concluded to be 12 a Clock at Noon, when Cheesman leaves his working-tools on the deck, as if he had been going to use them, walks off. But perceiving some signs of fear in Harradine, he fetches his brandy bottle, and gives him and the rest a dram, saying, Here’s to our next Meeting; then he talks to Nutt, in the mean while Philamore takes up an axe, while Cheesman and Harradine seize Nutt by the Collar, and toss him over the Side of the Vessel.
By this Time the Boatswain was dead; for as soon as Philamore saw the Master laid hold on, he up with the axe, and cut off the Boatswain’s head, which Noise soon brought the Captain upon Deck, whom Cheesman saluted with the blow of a mallet, which broke his jaw-bone, but did not knock him down; upon which Harradine came to the Carpenter’s aid, when Sparks the Gunner interposing, Cheesman trips up his Heels, and flung him into the arms of Charles Ivemay, who at that moment threw him into the Sea; and at the same Time Harradine throws Captain Phillips after him, bidding the Devil take them both. This done, Cheesman jumps from the deck into the Hold, to knock Archer on the Head, when Harry Gyles came down after him, desired his Life might be spared; which being agreed to, he was made a Prisoner, and secured.
All being over, they altered their course from Newfoundland to Boston, where they arrived the 3rd of May, to the great joy of the Province, and on the 12th of May, a special Court of Admiralty was held for the Trial of these Pirates, when John Philamore, Edward Cheesman, John Cobs, Henry Gyles, Charles Joymay, John Bootman, and Henry Payne, were honourably acquitted; as also three French Men, John Baptis, Peter Taffery, and Isaac Lassen, as also three Negroes, Pedro, Francisco, and Pierro. John Rose Archer, the Quarter-Master, William White, William Taylor, and William Phillips were condemned; altho’ the two latter got a Reprieve, and the two former, Archer and White, were executed the 2nd of June following.
CAPTAIN TEACH
CAPTAIN TEACH, ALIAS BLACKBEARD
Edward Teach was a Bristol Man, and had served many years in the late wars, in a Privateer fitted out from Jamaica, in which he had often distinguished himself for his boldness. He was never thought fit to be entrusted with any Command, till he went a-pirating in the Year 1716, when Captain Benjamin Hornigold put him into a Prize Sloop, with whom he kept company till Hornigold surrendered.
In 1727, Teach and Hornigold sailed from Providence for America, where, in their way, they took a vessel with above 100 Barrels of Flour, as also a Sloop from Bermudas, and a Ship bound to Carolina; from which they had a good plunder. After cleaning at Virginia, they returned to the West-Indies, and made Prize of a French Guinea Man bound to Martinico, which Teach was made Captain of; but Hornigold with his Sloop returned to Providence, and surrendered to mercy. Aboard the French Guinea Ship, Teach mounted 46 guns, and called her Queen Anne’s Revenge. Not long after he fell in with the Scarborough Man-of-War, who, after a long fight finding she could do no good with Teach, left him, and returned to Barbadoes, while Teach sailed to Spanish America. In his way, he met with Major Bonnet a Gentleman, formerly of a good estate in Barbadoes, in a small Sloop with which he had turned Pirate: But Teach finding Bonnet knew nothing of the matter, took him into his own Ship, and put one Richards Captain in his room, telling the Major, That he had not been us’d to the Fatigues of the Sea, he had better decline it, and take his pleasure aboard his Ship. At Turnissi they took in fresh water; but seeing a Sloop coming in, they ran to meet her, which struck her sail, upon the sight of the Black Flag, to Teach, who took the Captain and his men aboard, and put Israel Hands to mann the Sloop: From thence they sailed to the Bay, where they found a ship and four Sloops. Teach hoisted his Black Colours, at the Sight of which, the Captain and his men left the Ship, and ran into the woods. Teach’s Quarter-Master, with some of his Men, took possession of her, and Richards secured the Sloops: One of which they burnt, because she belonged to Boston, where some of his Men had been hanged; but the others they let go after plundering them.
From hence they sailed to the Grand Canaries, then to the Bahama Wrecks, and then to Carolina, where they took a Brigantine and two Sloops, lying off the Bar of Charles Town; as also a Ship bound for London, with some passengers aboard. The next Day they took another Vessel coming out, and two Pinks going in, and a Brigantine with negroes, in the Face of the Town; which put the Inhabitants into a sad fright, being in no condition to help themselves.
Teach, alias Blackbeard, sent Richards along with Mr. Mark, one of the Prisoners, to demand a chest of medicines of the Governor, several of his Men being sick aboard; threatening otherwise to burn the Ships, and destroy all the prisoners, among whom was Mr. Samuel Wrag, one of his Council. Altho’ this went very much against the inhabitants, yet they were forced to comply with it to save the lives of the many souls had in his custody. So sending him a chest worth about 3 or 4 hundred Pounds, Richards went back safe to the ships with his booty; which as soon as Blackbeard had received, (for so I shall call him for the future) he let the ships and the prisoners go, having first taken 1500l. Sterling, and some provisions out of her. From thence they sailed to North Carolina, where he had thoughts of breaking up the company, and securing the money and the best of the effects for himself and friends. Accordingly he ran a-ground, as if it had been by accident, and calling Israel Hands to his assistance, he ran the Sloop ashore near the other, and so they were both lost. This done Blackbeard goes into the Revenge and maroons 17 men upon a desert island; where they must inevitably have perished, if Bonnet had not after taken them up.
Blackbeard goes straight to the Governor of North Carolina, with Twenty of his Men, and pleads his Majesty’s Pardon, and receives Certificates thereupon. He went to his Sloop which lay at Okere-Cock Inlet, and set out for Sea upon another expedition, steering his Ship towards Bermudas. Meeting with one or two English Vessels in his way, he robb’d them only of provisions for his present occasion; but meeting with a French Ship laden with sugar and cocoa, he brought her home with her cargoe to North Carolina, where the Governor and the Pirates shared the plunder. He had no sooner arrived there, but he and four of his Men made affidavit, That they found the French Ship at Sea, without ever a Man on board; upon which she was condemned. The Governor had sixty hogheads of sugar for his dividend, his Secretary twenty, and the rest were shared amongst the other Pirates. And for fear the ship might be discovered by some that might come into the River, Blackbeard, under pretence that she was leaky, and might sink, obtained an order from the Governor to bring her out into the River, and burn her; which they did, and sunk her bottom.
The Sloops trading in the River, being so often pillaged by Blackbeard, consulted with the traders what course to take, knowing it was in vain to make any application to the Governor; therefore they sent a deputation to the Governor of Virginia, to sollicit a force from the Men-of-War to destroy this Pirate. Accordingly the Governor consulted with the Captains of the Pearl and Lime Men-of-War, which lay in St. James’s River; whereupon it was agreed, That the Governor should have a couple of small Sloops, and they should be mann’d out of the Men of War, the Command of which was given to Mr. Robert Maynard, first Lieutenant of the Pearl. But before they sailed, it was agreed in Council, to offer a reward of 100l. for any one that should take Edward Teach, commonly called Blackbeard; for every Lieutenant, Master, Quarter-Master, Boatswain, or Carpenter Twenty Pounds; For every inferior Officer, Fifteen Pounds; And for every Man taken on Board each Sloop, Ten Pounds.
Upon this, the Lieutenant sailed from James’s River in Virginia, the 17th of November, 1718, and the 21st in the evening came to Okere-cock Inlet, where he had fight of the Pirate: And altho’ this Expedition was made with all the Secrecy imaginable, yet Blackbeard had notice of it from the Governor of North Carolina and his Secretary: But having heard several false reports before, he gave the less credit to this, till he saw the Sloops; and then he put himself in a Posture of defence, with his 25 Men.
Lieutenant Maynard came to an anchor that night, because the Channel was so intricate that there was no getting in, in the dark. In the Morning, coming within gun-shot of the Pirate, he received his fire: whereupon the Maynard stood directly towards him, endeavouring to make a running fight. Maynard’s men being most expos’d, he lost twenty at one broadside; upon which he ordered his men under deck, and bid them get ready for close fighting upon the first signal. Then Blackbeard’s men pour’d in grenadoes; after which, seeing no Hands aboard, he told his men they were all kill’d; Let’s jump in, and fall to Plunder: Which they had no sooner done, but the Lieutenant and his men gave them as unwelcome a reception as ever they met with before. The Lieutenant and Blackbeard fired first at each other, and then they went to it sword in hand, whilst the men on each side were as warmly engaged as their Captains, until the vessel was all over blood. Blackbeard stood it till he had received above twenty wounds, five of them being shots, before he fell down dead. Eight of his fourteen men being kill’d, and the other six being much wounded, they call’d for quarters; which was granted, and then the Lieutenant attacked with equal bravery the men that remained in the Sloop and took them.
The Lieutenant caused Blackbeard’s head to be cut off, and hung at the bowsprit end; with which he sailed to Bath Town to get his wounded men cured, and then began to rummage the Pirate Sloop, aboard which they found several Letters of Correspondence betwixt the Governor of North Carolina, his Secretary, and some Traders of New York and Blackbeard. Thereupon going to Bath Town in North Carolina, he seized in the Governors Store-house, the Sixty Hogsheads of Sugar, and Mr. Knight his Secretary’s 20, which was their dividend of the plunder taken in the French Ship before-mentioned.
After his Men were a little recovered, he returned to the Men-of-War in James’s River in Virginia, with Blackbeard’s head hanging at his bowsprit, and 15 prisoners, 13 of whom were hanged, one of them being taken but the night before out of a trading Sloop: The other, not being in the fight, was taken at Bath Town, being just before disabled by Blackbeard in one of his drunken humours.
The night before he was killed, being ask’d if he should chance to be killed, whether his wife knew where his money was; he answered, That no-body but himself and the Devil, knew where it was, and the longest Liver should take all.
The Names of the Pirates killed in the engagement were Edward Blackbeard, Commander; Philip Morton, Gunner; Garnet Gibbons, Boatswain; Owen Roberts, Carpenter; Thomas Miller, Quarter-Master; John Husk, Joseph Curtice, Joseph Brooks, Nath. Jackson.
The following, except the two last, were hanged, viz.: John Carnes, Jo. Brookes, jun., James Blake, John Gibbs, Thomas Gates, James White, Richard Styles, Cesar, Joseph Philip, James Robbins, John Martyn, Edward Salter, Stephen Daniel, Richard Greensarl, Israel Hands, and Samuel Odel.
MAJOR STEDE BONNET
