Beaufort Inlet, Blackbeard, and the story of Treasure Island

Written By Maggie

Piracy has existed almost as long as seafaring itself, being first defined by the Roman historian Polybius in 140 BC as the act of attacking without just cause, ships at sea or maritime towns and cities without the authority of a country (with the authority of a country it is called privateering) (Jenkins, 2025). Piracy has been a constant threat since its unknown conception and has plagued the world over, from the Vikings of the frozen waters of the North Sea, the pirates of the South China Coast, and the Barbary pirates in the Mediterranean, all the way to the pirates currently found off the coast of Somalia. None of these pirates, however violent, hold a candle to the infamy of the pirates found in the Caribbean during the late 1600s and early 1700s, encompassing the time historians now call the Golden Age of Piracy (Jenkins, 2025).

Map of the Caribbean, circa 1705

Many pirates from this time are household names, such as Anne Bonny and Mary Read (the feminine faces of the Golden Age of Piracy who were known for being particularly brutal), Charles Vane, Benjamin Hornigold, and most notoriously Edward Teach, also known as Blackbeard.

But what of this history can we connect to now? Surprisingly, quite a lot. We can read books—books written in the time of the Golden Age, such as A General History of the Pyrates, published in 1724, to books about the Golden Age, such as Captain Blood, published in 1922—as well as visit places and see artifacts that can bring us all closer to the history of such a long-ago time.

Please join us today as we dive deeper into the locations around the United States of America that have been influenced by the deeds of pirates, and have witnessed the acts of Blackbeard himself. 

Setting the Stage

To start off our tour of the Golden Age of Piracy, let us talk about the history of it all and where and how it connects to the United States of America (USA). At the time, the USA was still under British, French, Spanish, and native rule; however, we will primarily be talking about the British-held colonies of Virginia and North Carolina (the territory was known as Carolina for a portion of the Golden Age of Piracy, only being split into North and South Carolina in 1712) and, more specifically, the towns of Williamsburg, VA, and Beaufort Inlet, NC (near and around), as well as the Caribbean Islands in general (at the time owned by multiple political powers, but we will focus on Spain and England).

Why was the Caribbean such a haven for thieves? This is a very simple question with a simple political and mercantile answer. The Caribbean was first settled by Spain in the 1490s when Christopher Columbus landed on its shores (Altmam, 2018). It was rich with many natural resources and treasures, such as pearls and gold, that the Spanish were quick to start harvesting. Another thing that the islands were rich in was people, whom the Spanish quickly subdued and used as slave labor for the fishing and mining that was required in the harvesting of pearls and gold (Altmam, 2018). However, when death and flight lessened the numbers of Spanish-held natives, the importation of purchased African slaves became the popular replacement (Altmam, 2018). Spain held the islands singlehandedly for some time, until other European countries began to see the wealth coming out of the Caribbean. England, the rising powerhouse of the sea at the time, was by far the most successful at creating colonies in the Caribbean. Eventually these industries also began to include the harvesting of certain crops such as sugarcane and tobacco, as well as the production of rum (Brereton & Clarke, 2025).

It is unsurprising to hear that with the production and transport of such rich goods that individuals with ill intentions would be more inclined to vulture around these areas, hoping to pick off what they could and steal away by force. Pirates had already existed in the Caribbean before England began its somewhat successful endeavors at colonizing the islands. But once ships full of such rich treasures like silks, rum, and tobacco, started being transported up and down the Caribbean and the East Coast of what is now the USA, more and more pirates began to emerge, willing to risk their lives for the items held in the heavy-laden ships. The allure of money mixed with the endless labyrinth of islands where a ship could hide and the difficulty posed in defending merchant ships and sea-exposed plantations laid the perfect ground for bloodthirsty thieves to act (Brereton & Clarke, 2025).

 

Edward Teach: Life, Death, and the Queen Anne’s Revenge

Little is known about Edward Teach before his life of crime began. It is assumed that he was born in the 1680s somewhere in England, with the most repeated speculation being Bristol, a port city at the tip of the Bristol Channel. A General History of the Pyrates was first published in 1724 by Captain Charles Johnsons only six years after the death of Teach. This book states that Teach was an English privateer in his younger years, however, it should be noted that it is somewhat disputed how trustworthy this account of history is. This is emphasized by the fact that Captain Charles Johnson does not seem to have actually existed and was a synonym for an unknown author, presumably from England (Royal Collection Trust). Regardless of the potential accuracy of the statement of Blackbeard’s original employment, it makes sense that he was a privateer during Queen Anne’s War. This would mean that he had knowledge in not only seafaring but also sea combat, which more easily allowed him to slip into the role of pirate.

The final battle of Blackbeard, swinging a sword while grappling Lieutenant Robert Maynard.

It is also suspected that Benjamin Hornigold (a successful pirate since 1713) had a hand in bringing Teach into the criminal career of piracy, seeing as Teach served as a crew member under Hornigold until he was promoted to captain of his own ship sometime in 1716. He may also have had some dealings with the pirate Stead Bonnet during this time, perhaps even taking command of The Revenge (Stead Bonnet's ship) by force or otherwise.

The ship Teach is most famous for captaining, however, was the Queen Ann’s Revenge. Having been obtained when Teach captured the French slave ship La Concorde in 1717, he rechristened the vessel soon after. Blackbeard only captained this ship for approximately a year before its purposeful or accidental demise. The Queen Anne’s Revenge was supplied with 40 guns, carried over 300 men, and was the flagship of his fleet of five ships. With such a large fleet and the rumors (true or otherwise) that were spread about him and his ferocity, it is not hard to imagine why he is now considered one of the most fearsome pirates to have sailed the Caribbean.

Despite the fact that, so far, we have only talked about piracy taking place in the Caribbean, ships easily and frequently traveled up the East Coast of the now United States and blockaded harbors as well as attacked port towns. Blackbeard did just this in May of 1718 when he blockaded the Port of Charleston in South Carolina, taking multiple prisoners’ captive and demanding a ransom. Eventually this ransom was paid, and the prisoners returned relatively unharmed. This may have been one reason why in June of 1718 Teach ran the Queen Ann’s Revenge aground. One theory suggests that this was in an effort to evade the detection of British ships attempting to hunt him down. Teach abandoned The Queen Anne’s Revenge; purposely sinking her to eliminate the most recognizable ship in his fleet would make it harder to locate them and most likely faster, with The Queen Anne’s Revenge being the largest of the five. Other theories include that he ran the ship aground in an attempt to reduce the size of his crew, with which the bounty would have to be shared, another that there had been a storm, forcing the ship further inland than Teach had any control over, resulting in her accidental sinking.

Regardless of why or how, this marked the end of Queen Anne’s Revenge. Teach went on to continue pirating for another six months until November 22 of 1718 when Royal Navy First Lieutenant Robert Maynard (having been hired by the governor of Virginia, Alexander Spotswood) found Teach in Ocracoke Inlet, NC. Blocking the exit, Lieutenant Maynard attempted a surprise attack against Teach and his crew. It was a bloody and confusing battle; however, Lieutenant Maynard came out victorious. Teach was dead, reportedly with 20 stab wounds and 5 pistol wounds. Teach was then beheaded and his body thrown overboard. Folklore says that his body swam around Lieutenant Maynard's ship, Jane, three times before finally sinking. His disembodied head was then hung from the bowsprit of Jane to show off the victory and to demonstrate to other pirates what happens even to the most vicious among them and to show to people in port that they had been victorious and that Teach was in fact dead, unable to do them any more harm. It is reported that 12 of Teach’s crew were also killed in the confrontation and 15 apprehended and held in the Williamsburg jail for three months (Aron, 2024). Of those 15, 13 were later hanged in the City of Williamsburg, Virginia. One of the two surviving members of the crew was one Israel Hands, who had previously been reportedly shot by Teach in the knee to help paint him as violent and bloodthirsty (Aron, 2024). After all, if he was willing to do such a thing to one of his own, what would he do to an enemy? Again, it is hard to say how true this event was. Hands was found guilty of piracy, but was pardoned in payment for testifying against his ship mates (Aron, 2024).

Beaufort Inlet


            The places we talk about in history can feel hard to connect to. However, there is quite a lot remaining to us of the golden age of piracy that we can interact with in a very real way. The first place I would like to speak about is Beaufort Inlet, the place where the Queen Anne’s Revenge currently rests. Just about a mile off the shore of Beaufort Inlet and about 30 feet down, one will find the carcass of a wooden ship, believed by researchers, to be the Queen Anne’s Revenge. In November of 1996, researchers found anchors and cannons in the inlet, leading them to probe the area further. From that time up to now, over 400,000 artifacts have been brought to the surface, and most of them now lie in the Queen Anne’s Revenge Conservation Lab. You cannot see the ship from land, and as of 2025 there are no glass-bottom boat tours to showcase the wreck to the public. Despite this, you can still see parts of the ship in multiple locations in NC.

A view from Beaufort Inlet.

If you really wish to go in-depth into the study of the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the Queen Anne’s Revenge Conservation Lab offers free tours (though they do require advanced requests for tours and are not open for walk-in tours). There are also 300 artifacts kept at the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, however, when the team and I were traveling in the area, the museum was closed for renovations.

 

The Queen Anne's Revenge Project

Maritime Museum in Beaufort

 

Artistic representation of the Williamsburg gaol with stockades out front.

Colonial Williamsburg

           

Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the world, spreading over 301 acres. Although most of the buildings are recreations built in the 1930s under President FDR's New Deal, there are still a handful of preserved homes in the town dating from the 1700s. Most, however, are rebuilt upon the location or foundation of the original house or building. Two buildings that you can visit (though they are not original) are the old jail (spelled in the time as “gaol”) and the courthouse, both of which hold much history in regard to pirates of Blackbeard’s crew. Now you may freely walk about the jailhouse and even participate in a mock trial of the infamous Israel Hands in Colonial Williamsburg’s production of To Hang a Pirate, where guests have the opportunity to witness the trial and betrayal of Israel Hands and vote to determine his guilt. This is a very interesting program and is one of the most popular held by Colonial Williamsburg today. There is an advisory on the website when registering that this program is not appropriate for young children. It has been many years since I have witnessed the trial myself, but from what I remember, I would agree that it is rather too intense for some children under the age of 10-12.

When you walk the streets of Colonial Williamsburg, it is hard not to feel the history all around you, but if you walk in the town at night, with the braziers burning on the main street and the interpreters still walking about giving ghost tours, it is hard to not feel as though you are really in living history and that pirates are being jailed just around the block.

 

To Hang a Pirate

Treasure Island

 

Now that we have a general history and some real-life locations mapped out, let us talk about our literary choice for this adventure. Our story starts in October 1881 when Robert Louis Stevenson's famous work, Treasure Island, started being published serially in a magazine called Young Folk, ending in January of 1882. In 1883, Treasure Island was published in novel format for the first time and has never been out of publication since, boasting over 8 million copies sold during its 142 years of publication, and countless screen and stage adaptations.

Treasure Island follows the adventure of a young boy named Jim Hawkins, who finds himself in the possession of an old treasure map leading to the last known whereabouts of the hoarded plunder of the notorious pirate, Captain Flint. On his journey Jim is faced with threats from all sides as he is hounded by the bloodthirsty crew of the deceased Flint who wish to find the treasure for themselves.

I first read the story some years ago, and I remember just how thrilling of an adventure it was. Treasure Island, though written in the 1880s, does not have overly difficult language to understand and is very accessible to modern audiences. The story is compelling, and it is quite clear how this tale became an instant classic. 


Jim Hawkins is a 14-year-old boy and is an incredibly smart character. He’s discerning when it comes to the people he interacts with throughout the book, he’s fast on his feet, he’s witty, and he’s clever, but he is also very much at the whim of those much stronger and older than he. Treasure Island is a classic Victorian boy coming of age story where a young boy is put in an impossible situation and is somehow able to manage it better than most of the adults around him. This is a classic trope of the genre of children’s literature where the child seems to be more competent than many of the adults around them, with the exception of three characters: Captain Smollett, Dr. Lindsey, and Long John Silver.

Long John Silver

The one pirate that is shown to not be quite as bloodthirsty as the rest is Long John Silver, though he is no less treasure hungry and manipulative, constantly changing sides in hopes of getting out with his life. He is a classic example of a morally grey character doing whatever it takes to serve his own purposes but unwilling to cross some moral lines, such as allowing Jim to die by the hands of his pirate crew. Silver is a complicated character and often considered a favorite of readers. Silver is charming, witty, and even on occasion can be considered gallant when it comes to the protection of Jim against the crew he is struggling for control over.     

One connecting thread that we have between Teach and the novel Treasure Island (other than the Golden Age of Piracy) is the character of Teach himself. Though he does not appear in this book, he is talked about at least in passing, having one character say that “Blackbeard was a child of Flint.” This is not a literal interpretation, meaning that he was a blood related child of Flints, more likely it means that he was schooled by Flint in the barbarous art of piracy, or that in comparison Blackbeard’s deeds were almost childlike to Flint’s evil. Another much bigger connector is the character of Israel Hands. If you recall from earlier, Israel Hands was one of Blackbeard’s officers, and was spared hanging in Williamsburg after testifying against his crewmates. Israel Hands in Treasure Island, though I don’t believe he is specifically stated to be the same as the man who was formerly part of Blackbeard’s crew, is a character and major antagonist of Jim Hawkins. With his actions throughout the book, it is not at all hard to imagine this as the same man who served under Teach.

Rating

This book contains graphic imagery, to include the death and wounding of multiple characters, severe medical events (specifically intense strokes), the threat of life or bodily harm, and the violent acts of piracy, kidnapping, murder, self-defense, robbery, and marooning. Unlike a lot of children’s literature that discusses piracy as fun and “cool,” it is very clear in this novel that the pirates are not good people. They are criminals, bloodthirsty and savage, and willing to do just about anything for a good amount of money.

I would rate this book PG-13, as it may be a little violent for children younger than 13. Please check the listing under the title "rating" for more details that may contain spoilers for specific plot points or character moments.

  • This book contains a handful of graphic elements that may be considered too violent or disturbing for a younger audience. Reader discretion is advised.

    -        Billy Bones is witnessed to have a handful of strokes in the presence of Jim Hawkins and the reader.

    -        Jim Hawkins's father becomes very ill and dies early in the book.

    -        Jim Hawkins is accosted by a pirate who holds him hostage and twists his arm painfully as he waits for Billy Bones.

    -        Billy Bones died of a stroke rather violently early in the book.

    -        Jim Hawkins and his mother are set upon by pirates who hunt them down in the dark of the night.

    -        Blind Pew (a pirate) is trampled by horses.

    -        There are some disparaging remarks about Long John Silver’s wife, a Black woman, as well as referring to her as a “negress,” a common descriptive in the day and not then seen as a slur.

    -        Multiple instances of attack that result in wounding, maiming, or death. These include an attack by the Pirates once Treasure Island is reached, killing multiple men, some of whom have a long, drawn-out death, though it is not particularly described, and wounding Captain Smollett. Jim Hawkins is stabbed by Israel Hands in the shoulder. Israel Hands is stabbed by Jim Hawkins, and he plummets from the rigging to his death on the deck of the ship. Multiple pirates are shot and killed.

 
Maggie