|
|
STEDE BONNET
THE LONGEST LIST OF THE LONGEST
STUFF AT THE LONGEST DOMAIN NAME AT LONG LAST
Who was Stede Bonnet?
Probably the most unusual pirate of all times was Stede
Bonnet, not because of his treatment of this crew, or his looks, but because of
his upbringing and stature in society. Stede Bonnet was known all around the
Virginia coast as Major Stede Bonnet. He was very educated and by the time he
was middle aged had everything a man could desire. He had a wife, a successful
sugar plantation, and was considered an upstanding member of the society in
Bridgetown on the island of Barbados.
Today, everyone would say that Bonnet was going
through a middle-aged crisis if with what he did next. In 1717, Bonnet went out
and purchased a fast ship with 10 pieces of artillery secured to her single gun
deck. He gave her the name of Revenge. He then went around to the taverns and
grogshops of Bridgetown and hired as seamen, using money from his own pocket to
pay the soon to be pirates to join his crew. For this reason alone, his crew
honored him, it was not for his sea legs.
For the first few months, his ship sat quietly in
the Bridgetown harbor. Then one night without notice of any kind even to his
wife, Bonnet set sail for the Virginia Capes. Here he and his crew captured a
few ships in which they only plundered; the last ship in the area was set on
fire. After this, every ship that was captured was set ablaze.
Bonnet dropped anchor in the Bay of Honduras. His
crew was growing tired of his inexperience but as luck would have it, Bonnet met
up with Blackbeard. They became friends and set off on adventures together.
However, Blackbeard also soon learned of the Bonnet inexperience and convinced
him to come aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge, Blackbeard’s ship. Once there,
Bonnet was held prisoner and his ship was given to Richard’s, one of
Blackbeard’s lieutenants. Bonnet after his stay on the Queen Anne’s Revenge
convinced Blackbeard to return his command to his ship, in which he did. Once
aboard the Revenge again the two parted company. Bonnet headed off to the town
of Bath where he surrendered. However, he still kept up with his piracy.
Finally, he was captured by Colonel William Rhett. He escaped this time only to
be recaptured. He was brought to trail in Charles Town, South Carolina and was
sentenced to death.
On December 10, 1718, Stede Bonnet was hung for
piracy.
Stede Bonnet
Page Sponsored By:
PAL to NTSC
|
|
|
