Pirates

entrusted with any Command, till he went a-pirating in the Year 1716, when Captain Benjamin Hornigold put him into a Prize Sloop, with whom he kept company till Hornigold surrendered.

In 1727, Teach and Hornigold sailed from Providence for America, where, in their way, they took a vessel with above 100 Barrels of Flour, as also a Sloop from Bermudas, and a Ship bound to Carolina; from which they had a good plunder. After cleaning at Virginia, they returned to the West-Indies, and made Prize of a French Guinea Man bound to Martinico, which Teach was made Captain of; but Hornigold with his Sloop returned to Providence, and surrendered to mercy. Aboard the French Guinea Ship, Teach mounted 46 guns, and called her Queen Anne's Revenge. Not long after he fell in with the Scarborough Man-of-War, who, after a long fight finding she could do no good with Teach, left him, and returned to Barbadoes, while Teach sailed to Spanish America. In his way, he met with Major Bonnet a Gentleman, formerly of a good estate in Barbadoes, in a small Sloop with which he had turned Pirate: But Teach finding Bonnet knew nothing of the matter, took him into his own Ship, and put one Richards Captain in his room, telling the Major, That he had not been us'd to the Fatigues of the Sea, he had better decline it, and take his pleasure aboard his Ship. At Turnissi they took in fresh water; but seeing a Sloop coming in, they ran to meet her, which struck her sail, upon the sight of the Black Flag, to Teach, who took the Captain and his men aboard, and put Israel Hands to mann the Sloop: From thence they sailed to the Bay, where they found a ship and four Sloops. Teach hoisted his Black Colours, at the Sight of which, the Captain and his men left the Ship, and ran into the woods. Teach's Quarter-Master, with some of his Men, took possession of her, and Richards secured the Sloops: One of which they burnt, because she belonged to Boston, where some of his Men had been hanged; but the others they let go after plundering them.

From hence they sailed to the Grand Canaries, then to the Bahama Wrecks, and then to Carolina, where they took a Brigantine and two Sloops, lying off the Bar of Charles Town; as also a Ship bound for London, with some passengers aboard. The next Day they took another Vessel coming out, and two Pinks going in, and a Brigantine with negroes, in the Face of the Town; which put the Inhabitants into a sad fright, being in no condition to help themselves.