Blackbeard’s Last Stand
Washington, DC(RushPRnews)11/26/08-The Somali pirates who are holding a cargo ship and its crew for ransom off the coast of East Africa should pay heed to the fate of one of the world’s most notorious pirates — Edward Teach, also known as Blackbeard.
On March 2, 1719, The Boston News-Letter, the first successful newspaper in the British Colonies, printed a dramatic account of Blackbeard’s bloody death on a sloop off the coast of North Carolina.
[Lieutenant Robert Maynard] and Teach themselves two begun the Fight with their Swords. Maynard making a thrust, the point of his Sword went against Teach’s Cartridge-Box, and bended it to the Hilt. Teach broke the Guard of it, and wounded Maynard’s Fingers but did not disable him, where upon he Jumpt back, threw away his Sword, and fired his Pistol, which wounded Teach. [Abraham] Demelt struck in between them with his Sword and cut Teach’s Face pretty much; in the Interim both Companies ingaged in Maynard’s Sloop. One of Maynard’s Men being a Highlander, ingaged Teach with his broad Sword, who gave Teach a cut on the Neck. Teach saying, well done Lad, the Highlander reply’d, if it be not well done, I’ll do it better. With that he gave him a second stroke, which cut off his Head, laying it flat on his Shoulder. … Teach’s body was thrown overboard, and his Head put on the top of the Bowsprit.
This edition of The Boston News-Letter is currently on display in the News Corporation News History Gallery.
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