THE STORY OF STEDE BONNET

As if current events did not offer thousands of lessons in how a man's baser self could be his undoing, history supplies such a splendid tale in the life of Stede Bonnet. Unlike most pirates of his day, who were uneducated and came to steal through the greed born of privation, Bonnet was both educated and privileged and driven to his gruesome deeds more by the thrill of adventure than of want. Born of English parents and raised in an upright home, Stede was considered to be "a man of letters", as they said in those days. Having retired from the King's Army with the rank of Major, he found life as wealthy sugar plantation owner in Barbados too comfortable. The decision he made in the Spring of 1717 would end forever the reputation he gained as a successful businessman and father of four and scribe his placard in the halls of infamy. In less than a year and a half, Stede Bonnet, the "gentleman pirate" would hang in Charles Town. His dead body would be left to swing on the gallows for four days - an object of derision; the fame he sought would be turned to mockery and scorn.

Barbados in 1717 had only recently become a British colony. Only a decade before privateer captains were still selling their booty on the small island. Their swashbuckling manner and flamboyant dress must have made a impact on Major Stede. Now, at 28, successful and pampered, he longed to trade in his life for the life of a marauder. His secret desire was well hidden from his wife, four children, and friends; though, it could be argued that his attire of fitted black trousers and a loose white shirt with full sleeves was perhaps too flamboyant, betraying his private longing to join the ranks of his wicked heroes. Some accounts claim that he frequented the taverns complaining of his wife's weight [women take note - perhaps you should think twice before you "Biggie Size" those fries!]. But most accounts claim his transition to a pirate took his friends and family by absolute surprise.

As Stede watched the ships come and go from his tiny island, he began to formulate his plan, and when presented with the opportunity to purchase a vessel at auction, Stede snatched it, telling friends he was to go into the shipping business. Even in this, his first act, Stede proved himself a naive amateur in the art of piracy. No self respecting pirate buys a ship... they steal it! Major Bonnet christened his ship the Revenge, perhaps after Blackbeard's Queen Ann's Revenge, or perhaps for reasons of his own. With only one gun deck and a mere 10 guns, his small vessel was at least fast.

Now sailors have never been the highest ranking members of society, but during this time period, many a sailor found themselves conscripted into the King's Navy when they found themselves on the wrong side of the law. To say the the royal armada was in no small way comprised of thieves and debtors would not be too great a stretch. Then there were those drawn to the sea by the desire to run from unpleasant domestic situations, or those bedazzled by the allure of wealth or romance on exotic shores. In most any port, one need only troll the taverns and grogshops to find disgruntled sailors, ready to join any man with a ship and a dream. And so it was in 1717 in Bridgetown, where Major Bonnet enlisted 70 seamen to set sail with him aboard his newly acquired ship. His knowledge of seamanship was evidently lacking and had Bonnet not paid them from his own purse, it is likely the men would have quickly mutanied, taking the ship from him. In addition, Bonnet made the wise decision to hire Israel Morton as his quartermaster. Israel commanded the respect of the men and shielded Bonnet from their derision.

In the pre-dawn hours of late June, 1917 a horse-drawn carriage stopped at the Bridgetown dock and a black driver opened the door for the dandy pirate Stede Bonnet, attired in his rakish black felt hat, full-sleved shirt, a brace of pistols, and cape. He loaded the two small trunks into the waiting boat and silently Stede Bonnet departed for his new life aboard the Revenge.

Determined to command the respect of his crew, he did what most incompetent managers do, he overcompensated with harsh measures. Threatening extreme punishment for minor offenses he sought to rule with an iron hand and succeeded in quickly establishing a reputation for cruelty. For minor offenses men were often made "Governors of the next deserted island" (marooned). Others were forced to walk the plank.

From Barbados, Bonnet set sail to Virginia. There he seized the Anne from Scotland and the Turbet from Barbados. The latter was burned. In fact, every boat from Barbados which Bonnet captured, he burned. It was as if he sought to protect his reputation back home. Did he think he could return home, wealthier and more respected than before?

After capturing several other boats in the Carolinas, the Revenge headed for the gold-rich coast of Colombia and Venezuela. It was there that fate would bring together two Brethren of the Coast and from that alliance would come one of the most daring acts of piracy ever recorded. It was none other than the feared Edward Teach - Captain Blackbeard - that fate would join to Bonnet and in doing so, not only seal his fame, but his demise, as well.

If Teach was a successful fighter, he was first a keen judge of men. Inviting Bonnet over to his ship, he quickly sized him up, plied him with drink, stroked his ego with praise and convinced him to combine forces to form an invincible armada. Bonnet, convinced that Teach's acceptance was undoubtedly the result of Bonnet's formidable reputation, quickly agreed. Liquor still flowing, Teach then convinced Bonnet that such a gentleman as he should remain aboard the flag ship, while one of Teach's men took command of the Revenge. Stede Bonnet, intoxicated by pride as much as by liquor, consented to relinquish command of his vessel. It was too late, the next day, when his sobriety returned, to take back what he had given up. The shame of his folly quickly spread and soon it became obvious to all that Blackbeard was not about to give Bonnet any real authority or command.

But the armada formed by combination of the original and pirated vessels was formidable. After capturing several gold laden vessels off the Spanish main, they return to the Carolina Coast. It was this flotilla that staged the infamous blockade of Charles Town, capturing any vessel daring to venture into or out of Charles Town. It was reportedly for drugs to cure the crew's STD's that Blackbeard staged his bold move.

Shortly after, whether at Blackbeard's suggestion, or of his own volition, Stede reclaimed command of the Revenge and sailed to Bath Town to accept the King's pardon, believing that at some point he would rejoin Blackbeard and the two men would split their loot. Absolved of his criminal deeds, Bonnet waited in vain for Blackbeard to join him. Finally, he grew tired of waiting and reclaimed his old ship. To preserve his identity, he changed his name to Captain Edwards, then to Captain Thomas. Later, he changed the name of his vessel to Royal James.

After capturing two vessels off Cape Henlopen, Delaware, he sailed to Cape Fear River to undertake repairs of his vessel. Crew members searching for parts in Charles Town had tipped their hand and word went out to Colonel William Rhett who mistook them for the crew of another pirate - Captain Charles Vane. Colonel set out to find his quarry and instead found the beached Major Bonnet. After a brief small arms battle, Bonnet surrendered to Rhett, who only then learned the true identity of the pirate he had captured.

Even in his capture, Bonnet revealed his tremendous lack of good judgement. Considered a gentleman pirate, the towns people of Charles Town treated Stede with uncommon laxity. They confined him at the marshal's home rather than prison and his trial would carry no threat of the death penalty. Bonnet, again not knowing a good thing when he had it, decided to escape. Donning women's clothing, he and one other crew member set out in a small boat, only to be turned back by rough seas. They were recaptured by Rhett and this time Bonnet forfeited any political capitol he may previously have held. Major Stede Bonnet was tried and convicted and sentenced to be hanged. Despite pleas to the Governor sitting his conversion to Christianity and his offer to become the "menial servant to his Honor", even asking to be spared for the reputation of his family, Governor Johnson was unmoved and Bonnet's sentence was not commuted.

On the day of his execution, Stede waited for the executioner's cart to approach. He could hear the crowd gathering and the hawkers selling food. The cries from the impatient rabble went out, "Get him. Bring him out!" Two men grabbed him and threw him onto the cart. Instead of the direct route, they paraded him through town past the mocking and jeering of young and old, alike. The gentleman pirate had at last found the recompense he was due. When the horse and cart approached the gallows, the crowd grew silent waiting for the last words of the mighty pirate. Bonnet opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Instead, he shook all over. The crowd mocked him all the more, but Bonnet was capable of nothing but convulsive shaking. Pulled to the gallows, his finally utterance was simply, "Oh, my God", which he shuttered over and over again.

The contempt of the people of Charles Town, who had been held victim by the dandy pirate was no more evident than in the way he was treated after his death. His body was left to sway on the gallows for four days; as if to signal to all pirates every where that their behavior would no longer be accepted by the people who had once looked the other way.