Stede Bonnet: A Gentleman on Deck
While piracy and the idea of pirates has always dominated the popular conscious of our society. It is somehow still quite removed from the region in which they chiefly operated. Despite the successful franchise Pirates of the Caribbean, it could be argued that piracy is not commonly associated with Caribbean history, especially when weighed against the global recognition of the topic. The sunken Port Royale in Jamaica and Nassau in the Bahamas were hubs of pirate life and pirates such as Henry Morgan terrorised the seas and in the case of Sam Lorde, the land. However, this article will focus on Stede Bonnet, the gentleman pirate.
Stede Bonnet in Charles Johnson's A General History of the Pyrates. Print Engraving. Circa 1725
The Golden Age of Piracy (1650-1730) falls neatly during the early days of European colonialism. European powers scrambled to monopolize land in South America and the Caribbean in the pursuit of gold and other precious metals and later sugar in an attempt to increase their coffers and reputation. In order to ensure their wealth, these countries would enact a series of laws, passed in Europe which would then apply to their corresponding territory. This of course is a form of authoritarianism, English rulings served only to further English wealth and development while leaving the Caribbean underdeveloped. Colonialism and the sugar trade also introduced the idea that it was possible to rise the social ladder through economic gains. The colonists quickly realised that the British government was curtailing their own personal wealth, forming a quiet resentment against the crown. These factors caused some colonists to turn to piracy, unable to make money on land, and for others to revere pirates, almost as folk heroes. Colonists were not the only pirates however, as with most movements that exist outside of the establishment, pirates were far more progressive than their sailor counterparts, escaped Africans and indentured servants numbered many in pirate crews, seizing their chance to deny the fate presented by the British government (Crawford 2007). Stede Bonnet was absolutely none of these things.
Stede Bonnet was born in 1688 into a wealthy family, as such he was afforded an education and an inheritance of the 400 acre plantation his father possessed, in addition he had become a major in the colonial militia (B. Cowse 1719). Indeed, it would seem he had the perfect colonial life, one without the discomfitures of being black, or poor or a woman. Why would he throw it away? Perhaps it was the early death of his parents, perhaps it was his unhappiness in his marriage and the death of his child, perhaps it was his £1700 debt, (Crawford 2007). Whatever the reason, Bonnet in secret made legal provisions to allow his wife and their children to run his affairs in his absence and in 1716 commissioned the construction of his sloop the Revenge. This was already a departure from conventional piracy as most pirates seized their ships whether through mutiny such as George Lowther (Gibson 2022) or by capturing a better ship such as Calico Jack (Minster 2019). Bonnet outfitted his ship with 10 cannons and 70 crew and set sail in 1717, he was only 29 years old.
Despite the fervour with which Bonnet launched himself into his new career, he was particularly inept at seafaring. Despite this, the skill of his crew found him early success as he captured several vessels under the name Captain Edward. This early success was to his detriment however, against the wishes of his crew he attacked a well equipped Spanish warship costing either lives or health of half his crew. They managed a retreat haggard retreat to Nassau, the pirate capital (Woodard 2007). It was here he met Edward Teach aka Blackbeard who quickly recognized the greenness of Stede Bonnet and seized command of the Revenge. Blackbeard explained that Bonnet was far more suited to relaxing aboard Blackbeard’s ship than suffer the trouble of commanding his own, this was a thinly veiled threat and Bonnet had no choice but to succumb as his crew supported Blackbeard’s assessment and elected Lieutenant Richards of Blackbeard’s crew to assume command (Crawford 2007). He would not gain command of his ship until two months later when Blackbeard captured a French slaver that would become Queen Anne’s Revenge.
Bonnet accompanied Teach to South Carolina where Blackbeard blockaded the port of Charles Town. They they managed to procure a fortune by attacking ships that tried to leave, taking prisoners and then ransoming them. Bonnet, using his education and connections even managed to procure pardons for him and Blackbeard from Governor Charles Eden under King George's Act of Grace, putatively on condition of their renouncing piracy forever (Crawford 2007). Though unbeknownst to him, Blackbeard snuck back to his other ship the Adventure, stealing the treasure and supplies of the other ships that had aided in the blockade and marooning Stede Bonnet’s crew. When Bonnet returned, he rescued his crew and attempted to chase after Blackbeard to no avail. Though Bonnet had initially intended to use his clean state to become a privateer, the lack of supplies incurred by Teach’s betrayal left him with no avenue but piracy in order to survive. In a short lived attempt preserve his pardon, he sailed under the alias Captain Thomas before outright returning to piracy (Crawford 2007). He became ruthless and efficient, killing prisoners and abusing his crew until he garnered some of the notoriety of his colleagues (Moss 2020). This however would spell the end for Stede Bonnet.
Stede Bonnet, Surrender of Bonnet, from the Pirates of the Spanish Main series (N19) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. Commercial Colour Lithograph circa 1888
This new found infamy gained the attention of the governor of South Carolina Robert Johnson who enlisted the services of Colonel William Rhett to capture him. So said, so done. Rhett and his accompaniment of 3 ships and 130 militia men cornered Bonnet on the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. Stede Bonnet and his own fleet of 3 sloops and 46 men engaged in a gruelling 6 hour battle at which they were eventually defeated due to the waning tide that stranded his ship. Furious at this defeat, he ordered his gunner to blow up the ship, however once more he was overruled by his crew. On October 3rd 1718, Rhett returned to Charles Town with Stede Bonnet and his crew in chains (Moss 2020).
On the 10th of November 1718, Stede Bonnet was tried on only two counts of piracy to which he defended himself…poorly. His own boatswain Ignatius Pell testified against him, his cross examination of the witnesses did not go well and his character witness did little to sway the mind of Sir William Trott the vice-admiralty judge who sentenced him to death (B. Cowse 1719). Stede Bonnet was still a connected and educated man and with the influence of his contacts, knowledge of the law and the sympathy of the Charles Town residents managed to have his execution delayed 7 times. However, on the 10th of December 1718, Stede Bonnet was hanged at White Point Garden in Charleston. He had only been a pirate for less than 2 years (Moss 2020).
Stede Bonnet lived a short, interesting life. While we may never know what truly called him to the sea, he was indeed a pirate, and for a few months, he was a good one. Perhaps he had not understood in the beginning that a pirates life is one that almost always ends in death, whether it be by the law or fellow outlaw. His final words though were those of repentance, acknowledgement and regret of the decisions that led him to the gallows.
“I can’t but confess my crimes and sins have been too many, for which, I thank my gracious God for the blessing, I have the utmost abhorrence and aversion; and although I am become as it were a monster unto many, yet I intreat your charitable opinion of my great contrition and godly sorrow for the errors of my past life, and am so far from entertaining the least thoughts of being, by any inducement in nature, drawn into the like evil and wicked courses, if I had the happiness of a longer life granted me in this world, that I shall always retain in mind, and endeavor to follow those excellent precepts of our holy Savior—to love my neighbor as myself; and do unto all men whatsoever I would they should do unto me, living in perfect holy friendship and charity with all mankind.”
Bibliography
Crawford, Amy. “The Gentleman Pirate.” Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian Institution, July 31, 2007. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-gentleman-pirate-159418520/.
Gibson, Tobias. “George Lowther.” Captain George Lowther - Pirate's biography and Facts, 2022. https://pirates.hegewisch.net/whoslowther.html.
Minster, Christopher. “Biography of John 'Calico Jack' Rackham, Famed Pirate.” ThoughtCo. ThoughtCo, May 15, 2019. https://www.thoughtco.com/biography-of-john-calico-jack-rackham-2136377.
Moss, Jeremy R.. The Life and Tryals of the Gentleman Pirate, Major Stede Bonnet. La Vergne, Tennessee: Koehler Books, 2020.
The Tryals of Major Stede Bonnet, and Other Pirates: Who Were All Condemn'd for Piracy: To Which Is Prefix'd, an Account of the Taking of the Said Major Bonnet, and the Rest of the Pirates. London: Printed for B. Cowse, 1719.