The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1909-06-11
A DARING BUCCANEER
Edward ThatCh, Who Was Known
as the Blackboard Pirate.
HIS BATTLE WITH MAYNARD.

After the Hand to Hand Conflict the
Desperado's Head Hung at the Bow
spirit End of the Lieutenant's Sloop
as She Sailed Back to Virginia.
1t is almost 200 years since Edward
Thatch, better known as the pirate
Blackboard, was a name with which
to terrorize the Atlantic coast Of the
then new country Of America As a
buccaneer whose deeds of desperate
daring made him feared wherever his
name was known he stands a close
rival of the famous Captain Kidd, If
indeed In some respects he did not sur
pass that notorious freebooter.
The date Of Thatch's birth Is lost in
history, and his native place is vari-
ously given as Bristol and Jamaica
He first appears as a foremost hand to
Major Stede Bonnet, a gentleman Of
Barbados, who, although a man Of
property and having small knowledge
of the sea, thought proper to fit out
sloop and take to life of piracy, the
explanation of his being "a little dis
tracted' being charitably given by one
biographer. However that may be,
his crew missed in the major the quail
tiles of successful commander. They
deposed him and elected Thatch in his
place. Bonnet was tried and executed
In 1711.
Thatch's first independent exploit of
which we have a detailed account took
place in June, 171S, when he captured
two French ships near the Bermudas,
one laden with sugar, the other empty.
Transferring to the latter the crew of
the laden vessel and letting them go
their way, he sailed with his prize Of
vessel and sugar for Bathtown, n. c.,
with the governor Of which place
Charles Eden, he had previously ar
rived at a pleasant understanding.
Thatch gave out that he had found
the French ship deserted. Governor
Eden received sixty hogsheads of sugar
as his share. Tobias Knight, his sec
der fell to Thatch and his crew.
Thatch fingered there for some
months, plundering and insulting the
merchants of the place. These, under
standing at length the futility of ex-
pecting redress from Eden, applied to
the governor Of Virginia to rid them
Of the pest.
The governor. after consultation
with the captains Of the Pearl and
Lime then lying in the James river
agreed to provide two sloops, the war
ships to furnish a complement OF |
men. Lieutenant Maynard Of the /
Pearl was placed in command. and |
the punitive expedition sailed on Nov.
II, 1T1S. On the DIST the pirates were /
sighted in an inlet about sixty miles /
from Bathtown, and Maynard anchor /
ed for the night.
On the following morning Thatch. 4
to elude attack. ran his /
vessel aground, but Maynard's sloop,
drawing more water. though she had
no guns on board. failed to get to
close quarters. The lieutenant. how
ever, threw out his ballast and I'm an
swer to truculent defiance from
Thatch promised to be soon aboard
him with his sloop." Coming at last
within close range, a broadside from
the pirate killed or wounded twenty
Of Maynard's crew and nine on board
his consort.
Maynard now ran alongside the pi-
rate. when. under cover of a discharge
" grenades, Thatch and fourteen fol
DIVERS boarded the kings ship May
1ard and Thatch. pistol and sword in
hand. engaged In a desperate personal
encounter. The lieutenant's sword
broke. and more than once he narrow
Y escaped a fatal injury. But AT
asst Thatch. having received sixteen
wounds, fell dead in the act Of cock
ne a pistol His followers jumped
,verboard and cried for quarter. May
lard hung Thatch's head at the bow
prit end. sailed for Bathtown. where
lie seized the governors storehouse.
nd then. stiT with his grisly sign
4 triumph swinging In the wind. re
oined his ship in Virginia. where thir
cen Of the captured pirates were
anged.
One Of the Blackbeard's crew who
btained pardon was Israel Hands.
rho makes his appearance In Treas
re Island" Shortly before Thatch
ret his death Hands had been famed
or life by a pistol shot in the knee
red by Thatch from under the cabin
lble. at which be. with Hands and
Tiers, was carousing. Just TO remind
Is crew In general "whO be was
uch an act was only one Of the many
ccentric brutalities Of Thatch's ca
ser.
When he felt himself I'm the vafn or