In the autumn of 1718, Bald Head Island became the site of a dramatic and final chapter in the life of one of the most infamous pirates of the Golden Age of Piracy: Stede Bonnet, known as “The Gentleman Pirate.” A former British major and Barbados planter, Bonnet turned to piracy in 1716, abandoning his home and family to outfit a sloop named The Revenge. With his newfound fortune, Bonnet set sail along the North American coast, plundering merchant ships and eventually joining forces with the notorious pirate Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard.

 

The Chase to the Cape Fear River

By September 1718, Bonnet’s pirating days were numbered. After a series of successful raids, he found himself pursued by a force of pirate hunters sent from Charleston, South Carolina. The hunters were led by British Colonel William Rhett, determined to put an end to Bonnet's reign of terror. The pursuit brought both ships to the mouth of the Cape Fear River, near Bald Head Island, where a dramatic confrontation was about to unfold.

 

The Battle of the Sandbars

On September 26, 1718, Bonnet and Rhett’s ships met in what would become known as the “Battle of the Sandbars.” As the ships exchanged gunfire, both vessels accidentally ran aground in the shifting sandbars of the river during low tide. With neither ship able to maneuver, the battle became a tense standoff. For five long hours, the pirate and British forces fought desperately, but the odds were stacked against Bonnet.

Eventually, Rhett’s ship floated free of the sandbar first, and his forces quickly turned the tide of the battle. Bonnet, realizing his defeat was inevitable, surrendered. He was captured and taken back to Charleston, where he would face a swift and grim punishment.

 

The End of the Gentleman Pirate

Stede Bonnet was hanged on December 10, 1718, in Charleston, bringing an end to the life of one of piracy’s most peculiar and short-lived figures. His capture and execution marked the end of his pirating career, but his story remains one of the most fascinating from the era of pirates.

 

Today, Bald Head Island stands as the backdrop to the final moments of Stede Bonnet's ill-fated adventure, a reminder of the dramatic history and maritime conflicts that have shaped the island’s legacy.

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To learn more about the history of Bald Head Island and its role in piracy and American maritime history, visit the Old Baldy Lighthouse and the Smith Island Museum of History. Discover the fascinating tales of the pirates and privateers who once sailed these waters.