Colonial Pirates

From the golden age of piracy to Confederate privateers and oyster pirates, the maritime communities of the Chesapeake Bay are intimately tied to a fascinating history of intrigue, plunder and illicit commerce raiding. Author Jamie L.H. Goodall introduces infamous men like Edward "Blackbeard" Teach and "Black Sam" Bellamy, as well as lesser-known local figures like Gus Price and Berkeley Muse, whose tales of piracy are legendary from the harbor of Baltimore to the shores of Cape Charles.

Over the years, thousands of tales both true and fantastic have been told about the dastardly thievery of pirates. Their rum-drunk exploits and high-seas violence never fail to delight. Now in a brand new series collection, The Best Pirate Stories Ever Told includes many of the very best pirate yarns ever created on history’s most debaucherous scalawags. Anyone who loves a good story full of excitement, adventure, thrills, and laughs will find this collection irresistible.

Set against the backdrop of the Age of Exploration, Black Flags, Blue Waters reveals the dramatic and surprising history of American piracy's "Golden Age" when lawless pirates plied the coastal waters of North America and beyond. Best-selling author Eric Jay Dolin illustrates how American colonists at first supported these outrageous pirates in an early display of solidarity against the Crown, and then violently opposed them. Upending popular misconceptions and cartoonish stereotypes, Dolin provides this wholly original account of these seafaring outlaws.

Discover the Extraordinary True Story of America's First Free Black Community In 1738, decades before the American Revolution, a former slave named Francisco Menéndez achieved something historians once thought impossible: he founded and commanded North America's first legally sanctioned free Black settlement. Through groundbreaking archaeological discoveries and meticulous historical detective work, this remarkable biography brings to light one of America's most inspiring yet forgotten freedom fighters. From Chains to Command: An Epic Journey Across Empires Born in West Africa around 1700,...

The Most Wounded Warrior in British Military History Shot in the face, head, stomach, ankle, leg, hip, and ear. Survived two plane crashes. Tunneled out of a prisoner-of-war camp. Lost an eye and a hand, then pulled off his own mangled fingers when a doctor refused to amputate them. His response to it all? "Frankly, I enjoyed the war." A True Story That Defies Belief Lieutenant-General Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart, VC lived through what should have killed him a dozen times over. This meticulously researched biography unveils the astounding true story of Britain's most decorated and wounded ...

Captain Kidd has gone down in history as America's most ruthless buccaneer. However, Captain William Kidd was no career cut-throat; he was a tough, successful New York sea captain who was hired to chase pirates. Across the oceans of the world, the pirate hunter, Kidd, pursued the pirate, Culliford. One man would hang in the harbor; the other would walk away with the treasure. The Pirate Hunter is both a masterpiece of historical detective work and a page-turner.

The Pirate Raiders, with the villainous Captain Bardoso in command, are employed by the vicious Captain Ramon to kidnap the daughter of a wealthy caballero, hoping to use her to trap Zorro. Battles on land and sea, flashing swords and booming cannon explode before your very ears in this exciting audio production.

She’s fleeing the secrets of her dangerous past. A swashbuckling privateer is her last hope. And the Inquisition is closing in… Captain Ethan Becket, a former Charles Town minister, sails the seas as a privateer, leaving behind the God who took everything from him. When his sister is taken by his enemies, he sets off to Cartagena in pursuit. Little does he expect his new Spanish governess to stow away on his ship. Yet her offer of help to free his sister is too tempting to pass up. And her beauty, both inside and out, is too attractive for his embittered heart to protect itself against....

Of all the colorful cutthroats who scoured the seas in search of plunder during the Golden Age of Piracy in the early 18th century, none was more ferocious or notorious than Blackbeard. As unforgettable as his savage career was, much of Blackbeard's life has been shrouded in mystery - until now. Drawing on vivid descriptions of Blackbeard's attacks from his rare surviving victims, pirate expert Angus Konstam traces Blackbeard's career from its beginnings to his final defeat in a tremendous sea battle near his base at Ocracoke Island

This photo-based tour includes over 115 pictures from historical locations from several countries in the Caribbean with short background histories. Featured locations include: the Puerto Rico Capitol, Castillo San Cristóbal, Castillo San Felipe del Morro, El Yunque National Forest, statues and pictures from around St. Maarten, Bloody River massacre site (St. Kitts), the remains of a sugar plantation (St. Kitts), Betty's Hope plantation and windmills (Antigua), Nelson's Dockyard (Antigua), Fort James (Antigua), St. John's Cathedral (Antigua), the Devil's Bridge (Antigua), a governor's ...

After freeing himself from his former slave masters, Riel becomes a pirate after striking a deal with the infamous Captain Glass. In exchange for learning English, how to sail, and how to be a fearsome pirate, Riel will give Captain Glass seventy percent of his bounty for five years. Five years later, Captain Glass is unwilling to release Riel from his debt. Under threat of being resold as a slave, Riel feels trapped in a life he doesn’t want. Darlene Smith has always been a tomboy. She favors trousers and swords over dresses and knitting. Wanting her to act like the high class lady she ...

He left home as a boy, Now, he is becoming a man. Forced from his home after the tragic death of his parents, Jack Horner is now a pressed man in the service of the Royal Navy. While captain and crew are focused on hunting an elusive rogue privateer, Jack is forced to learn the ropes and navigate life aboard a king's ship. Though he grows accustomed to the hardships of sea life, he never forgets the cold night in Boston that robbed him of everything he held dear. Hard winds and high seas shape the boy into a man of the sea. From the drudgery and toil of the gun decks, to the dangerous glory...

In the tense days leading up to the American Revolution, Jack Horner faces his most harrowing challenge yet. When a trusted shipmate is captured by the British Navy, Jack must navigate a treacherous path through enemy-infested waters and shadowy smugglers' coves. With his loyal friend Matsumoko at his side, Jack embarks on a daring quest to rescue a shipmate and outwit the ruthless Lieutenant Brusby. As secrets unravel and alliances are tested, the high seas become a battleground for courage and cunning. Jack must confront his own demons and rely on his wits to outmaneuver foes both old and...

War is coming. The first blood has been spilled. Jack Horner has always dreamed of an adventure filled life. He spends his afternoons in the Boston Harbor watching ships as they come into port from far flung origins. A life at sea holds the promise of adventure, but Jack is doomed to the constricts of being the son of a lower-class blacksmith. The forge and anvil loom large over his future like an impending wave destined to crash down and topple his dreams of seeing distant shores. But, there is a foul wind blowing over Boston in the spring of 1770. Clashes between local townsfolk and the ...

Can childhood sweethearts find their way back together with pirates, intrigue, and an ocean between them? Samuel Vargas has been in love with Georgia Ann Cooper since their youth. But so has his brother, who already has the means and stature in society to support her. While Samuel can’t compete with his brother’s elegance, he can do what he does best—sailing and sword-fighting. He’s determined to make his fortune as a privateer and prove he can provide a secure future for Georgia Ann…if only she’ll wait for him. Georgia Ann Cooper’s heart races when she thinks of Samuel Vargas...

Foul winds and raging waves. Jack Horner has faced the trials of the sea and the turmoil of battle, but his greatest challenge lies ahead. With the British tightening their grip on the colonies, Jack and his crew must navigate treacherous waters and outwit a cunning adversary. The stakes have never been higher, and every decision could mean the difference between victory and defeat. A hero’s journey continues, and the winds of destiny lead him home. From the blood-soaked decks of battle to the warm bonds of brotherhood, Jack’s journey is fraught with peril and discovery. As he grapples ...

She needs a new start...He knows a reckoning is coming. Banished from Charleston for his misdeeds years earlier, Joshua Becket built a new life on both sides of the law in Jamaica. But he guards a secret identity. As a sugar plantation owner and member of the governing British Assembly, he's known and respected on the island. As swashbuckling Captain Jay, he leads daredevil privateering exploits on his ship, the Eagle, when the mood suits him. Currently, he needs a governess for his young daughter. Widowed gentlewoman Abigail Welch accepted the governess position, leaving behind her ...

During his life and even after his death, Captain William Kidd’s name was known around England and the American colonies. He was infamous for the very crime for which he was hanged, piracy. This book by Rebecca Simon dives into the details of the two-year manhunt for Captain Kidd and the events that ensued afterward. Captain Kidd was hanged in 1701, and from that sprung a massive hunt for all pirates led by the British during a period known as the Golden Age of Piracy. Ironically, public executions only led to pirates’ growth in popularity and interest.

In this book fourteen leading scholars and intellectual-activists provide a collective treatment of the theme of colonialism in the Malay Archipelago from the as yet little explored perspective of civilisational encounters. The centuries-long Western colonial presence in the Archipelago had generated both peaceful and violent encounters that were to prove consequential on the civilisational history of the region. The book’s chapters attempt to present new insights into the nature and multidimensional character of these civilisational encounters and their significance for the life and ...

Young Bethlyn Talbot, daughter of the Earl of Dunsmoor, is forced into an arranged marriage with brash colonial Ian Briston, who abandons her after the wedding ceremony. Seven years later, Bethlyn has blossomed into a beautiful and alluring young woman, with a husband in name only. Wishing for the marriage to be annulled or force her errant husband to make her his wife in all ways, Bethlyn leaves England for America on one of her father's ships. But when the ship is captured by the infamous American privateer, Captain Hawk, he mistakes her for a prostitute. Fighting her attraction for the ...