Blackbeard's Ghost
A North Carolina Ghost Story
retold by
S. E. Schlosser
The nefarious pirate Blackbeard (who's real name was Edward Teach) was a tall man with a very long black
beard
beard
that covered most of his face and extended down to his waist. He tied his beard up in pigtails adorned
with black ribbons. He wore a bandolier over his shoulders with three braces of pistols and sometimes
he would hang two slow-burning cannon fuses from his fur cap that wreathed his head in black smoke.
Occasionally, he would set fire to his rum using gunpowder, and he would drink it, flames and all.
Many people thought he was the Devil incarnate.
For twenty-seven months, Blackbeard terrorized the sailors of the Atlantic and the Caribbean, ambushing
ships and stealing their cargo, killing those who opposed him, often attacking in the dim light of dawn or
dusk when his pirate ship was most difficult to see. He would sail under the flag of a country friendly
to the nationality of the ship he was attacking, and then hoist his pirate flag at the last moment.
When prisoners surrendered willingly, he spared them. When they did not, his magnanimity failed.
One man refused to give up a diamond ring he was wearing and the pirate cut the ring off, finger and all.
Once Blackbeard blockaded Charleston, South Carolina with his ships, taking many wealthy citizens
hostage until the townspeople met his ransom. Later, Blackbeard ran one of his ships - the Queen Anne's
Revenge - aground. Some say he did it on purposebecause he wanted to break up the pirate fleet and
steal the booty for himself.
ships and stealing their cargo, killing those who opposed him, often attacking in the dim light of dawn or
dusk when his pirate ship was most difficult to see. He would sail under the flag of a country friendly
to the nationality of the ship he was attacking, and then hoist his pirate flag at the last moment.
When prisoners surrendered willingly, he spared them. When they did not, his magnanimity failed.
One man refused to give up a diamond ring he was wearing and the pirate cut the ring off, finger and all.
Once Blackbeard blockaded Charleston, South Carolina with his ships, taking many wealthy citizens
hostage until the townspeople met his ransom. Later, Blackbeard ran one of his ships - the Queen Anne's
Revenge - aground. Some say he did it on purposebecause he wanted to break up the pirate fleet and
steal the booty for himself.
In November of 1718, Blackbeard retreated to his favorite hideaway -- called Teach's Hole -- off Ocracoke
Island. There, he hosted a wild pirate party with drinking, dancing and large bonfires. The party lasted for
days, and several North Carolina citizens sent word to Governor Alexander Spotswood of Virginia
. Governor Spotswood immediately ordered two sloops, commanded by Lieutenant Robert Maynard
of the Royal Navy, to go to Ocracoke and capture the pirate.
days, and several North Carolina citizens sent word to Governor Alexander Spotswood of Virginia
. Governor Spotswood immediately ordered two sloops, commanded by Lieutenant Robert Maynard
of the Royal Navy, to go to Ocracoke and capture the pirate.
On November 21, 1718, Maynard engaged Blackbeard in a terrible battle. One of Maynard's ships were between
Blackbeard and freedom. Blackbeard sailed his ship - the Adventure - in towards shore. It looked like the pirate
was going to crash his ship, but at the last second the ship eased through a narrow channel. One of the pursuing
Navy ships went aground on a sand bar when they tried to pursue the Adventure. Blackbeard fired his cannons at
the remaining ship and many of Maynard's men were killed. The rest he ordered below the deck under cover
of the gun smoke, hoping to fool the pirates into thinking they had won. When the pirates boarded the ship,
Maynard and his men attacked the pirates.
of the gun smoke, hoping to fool the pirates into thinking they had won. When the pirates boarded the ship,
Maynard and his men attacked the pirates.
Outnumbered, the pirates put up a bloody fight. Blackbeard and Maynard came face to face. They both shot at
each other. Blackbeard's shot missed Maynard, but Maynard's bullet hit the pirate. Blackbeard swung his cutlass
and managed to snap off Maynard's sword blade near the hilt. As Blackbeard prepared to deliver the death-blow,
one of Maynard's men cut Blackbeard's throat from behind. Blackbeard's blow missed its mark, barely skinning
Maynard's knuckles. Infuriated, Blackbeard fought on as the blood spouted from his neck. Maynard and his men
rushed the pirate. It took a total of five gunshots and about twenty cuts before Blackbeard fell down dead.
Maynard seemed to think that the only way to ensure that Blackbeard was dead was to remove his head. They
hung the head from the bowsprit and threw the pirate's body overboard. As the body hit the water, the head
hanging
hanging
from the bowsprit shouted: "Come on Edward" and the headless body swam three times around the ship before
sinking to the bottom.
From that day to this, Blackbeard's ghost has haunted Teach's Hole, forever searching for his missing head.
Sometimes, the headless ghost floats on the surface of the water, or swims around and around and around
Teach's Hole, glowing just underneath the water. Sometimes, folks see a strange light coming from the shore on
the Pamlico Sound side of Ocracoke Island and know that it is "Teach's light". On night's that the ghost light
appears, if the wind is blowing inland, you can still hear Blackbeard's ghost tramping up and down and roaring: '
Where's my head?
'
You can read more North Carolina ghost stories in Spooky South by S.E. Schlosser.
Artwork by: http://www.deviantart.com/art/Blackbeard-83323260 genozman
