True Pirate Tales: Stede Bonnet

Born into a wealthy British family, by the time he reached middle age Maj. Stede Bonnet had nearly everything a man could want. He was married, well educated and cultured. He also owned a large sugar plantation in the Barbados that made him a wealthy and respected member of the island's society. Then, for some obscure reason, he decided to abandon his genteel life to become a pirate.

A Good Man Goes Bad

Though he knew absolutely nothing about sailing or navigation, Bonnet secretly bought a sloop, naming it "Revenge," and fitted it with ten cannon. He hired a crew, paying them with his own money rather than writing up a contract for shares of any booty they took. Most self-respecting pirates, of course, stole a ship and recruited their crews with promises of shares in the wealth. Bonnet may not have known this.

One night in the spring of 1717, Bonnet, dressed in gentlemen's clothes and with his collection of books safely stowed on board, sailed away on the Revenge. Almost in spite of himself, Bonnet and his crew captured several ships off the coast of Virginia and the Carolinas. He made a habit of burning any ship from Barbados in order to keep the news of his activities away from his family and friends.

Sailing with Blackbeard

Bonnet sold his loot in New York, bought new provisions and returned south. But during the next few weeks his crew had grown uneasy at their captain's obvious lack of skill and knowledge, though they did blunder into a few prizes as they sailed south. The crew might have mutinied, but in a rare bit of good fortune, Bonnet met and was befriended by the legendary pirate Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, sometime in 1717 or 1718.

Initially, Blackbeard seemed amused by the amateurish Bonnet. But as they sailed off together from the Bahamas toward the Carolinas, Blackbeard became aware of the near-mutinous situation aboard Bonnet's ship. He convinced Bonnet to come aboard his own ship, "Queen Anne's Revenge," and replaced Bonnet with one of his own lieutenants, who soon restored order and confidence among Bonnet's crew. Meanwhile Bonnet became a virtual prisoner on board Blackbeard's ship, consoling himself by reading his books.

The cruise was successful under Blackbeard's command, and the pirates captured a dozen or more ships. Then in May of 1718, Blackbeard laid siege to Charles Town (modern day Charleston, North Carolina). By most accounts, Bonnet was with him, either on board Queen Anne's Revenge or in command of his own ship, and accompanied Blackbeard back to Ocracoke, North Carolina. In June of 1718, Blackbeard convinced Bonnet to go to Bath Town and receive a pardon from Governor Eden, then sailed away from Ocracoke with all the loot, including Bonnet's share.

Bonnet Goes Bad Again

After receiving his pardon, Bonnet changed his name, first to Captain Edwards, later to Captain Thomas, and renamed his sloop the "Royal James." He managed to stay out of trouble for a few weeks before returning to his pirate ways. His second attempt proved more successful as he captured as many as ten ships off the coast of Virginia before putting into the Cape Fear Inlet for repairs in September of 1718.
While Bonnet's ship was laid up for repairs, Charles Town's Governor Johnson sent out Col. William Rhett to capture the pirate Charles Vane and others of his kind. Rhett sailed into Cape Fear Inlet and accidentally came across Bonnet, who surrendered on September 27, 1718 after a prolonged battle.

Bonnet's crew was placed under guard at Charles Town, but as a gentleman, Bonnet was quartered in the town marshal's home. He immediately sent letters to Governor Johnson begging for another pardon. Then he escaped, only to be recaptured two weeks later. By then, the governor was in no mood to issue a pardon. His crew were hanged on November 8, 1718. Their luckless Captain Bonnet was hanged on December 10, 1718. In accordance with Admiralty tradition, he and his crew were buried at the low water mark outside Charles Town. His career as a pirate had lasted little more than a year.

Why Did He Do It?

No one will ever know for certain why Stede Bonnet became a pirate. He certainly had little talent for the life of a buccaneer. To the people of Barbados, especially his friends and family, his behavior was shocking and they sought various explanations to account for his sudden turn from his life of wealthy respectability. Some said he sailed away to escape his shrewish wife, or that he had somehow simply lost his mind. Others thought he was simply bored with his life on Barbados.

While Stede Bonnet left his comfortable life behind when he sailed away from Barbados, he never tried to shed his persona as a wealthy patrician. Even though he was one of the most inept pirates ever to sail, he was known as the "Gentleman Pirate" for his obvious education and manners, and his books were so important to him that he even risked them by taking them aboard his ship. His reasons for becoming a pirate remain, and doubtless always will be, a mystery.

Selected Sources:

http://www.thepiratesrealm.com/Stede%20Bonnet.html
http://www.cosmosmith.com/bonnet.html
http://www.piratesinfo.com/cpi_A_Biography_of_Stede_Bonnet_521.asp