David Herriot (died 1718, occasionally Herriott) was a ship’s master and pirate best known for serving under

Blackbeard Edward Teach (alternatively spelled Edward Thatch, – 22 November 1718), better known as Blackbeard, was an English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of Britain's North American colonies. Little is known abou ...

and

Stede Bonnet Stede Bonnet (1688 – 10 December 1718) was an early 18th-century English/Barbadian pirate, also known as the Gentleman Pirate for the reason that he was a moderately wealthy landowner before turning to a life of crime. Bonnet was born in ...

History

Herriot was master of the 80-ton 8-gun Jamaican logwood hauler ''Adventure'' when it was captured by Edward “Blackbeard” Teach in early 1718 near the Turneffe Islands. Herriot joined Blackbeard’s crew, while Teach placed his associate

Israel Hands Israel Hands, also known as Basilica Hands, was an 18th-century pirate best known for being second in command to Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard. His name serves as the basis for the name of the villainous sidekick in Robert Louis Stev ...

in command of the ''Adventure''. Captain Stede Bonnet of the ''Revenge'' had also joined Blackbeard recently, recuperating after being wounded fleeing a Spanish warship. During his later trial Herriot would testify that Blackbeard intentionally grounded his flagship ''Queen Anne’s Revenge'' at Topsail Inlet in order to break up his growing fleet and escape with all its collected loot. The ''Adventure'' was also grounded and lost while trying to reach the ''Queen Anne's Revenge''. Bonnet’s boatswain

Ignatius Pell Ignatius Pell was a pirate who served as the boatswain to Captain Stede Bonnet aboard the ''Royal James'', a ship previously named ''Revenge''. He was arrested in October 1718 and testified against his crew and captain. Battle of Cape Fear Rive ...

confirmed his testimony, though historians still debate the matter. During the incident Herriot and a number of others were put ashore while Teach sailed away in a captured sloop with all their treasure. Bonnet resumed his command of the ship ''Revenge'' (renamed ''Royal James''), rescuing Teach’s stranded crew and taking Herriot with him as his new sailing master. Bonnet tried to chase down the fleeing Teach but missed him and plundered merchant vessels throughout July instead. Merchants of

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

had armed two sloops under Colonel

William Rhett Colonel William Rhett (4 September 1666 – 12 January 1723) was a British-born plantation owner in the Province of Carolina in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He arrived in America in 1694, accompanied by his wife Sarah. Rhett quickly b ...

to hunt down pirate

Charles Vane Charles Vane (c. 1680 – 29 March 1721) was an English pirate who operated in the Bahamas during the end of the Golden Age of Piracy. Vane was likely born in the Kingdom of England around 1680. One of his first pirate ventures was under the ...

. Rhett missed capturing Vane and engaged Bonnet instead, capturing him and the ''Royal James''’ crew in September 1718 at Cape Fear. Back in Charleston in late October, Herriot testified against Bonnet in exchange for clemency, along with Pell. Despite his pardon, Herriot escaped from jail alongside Stede Bonnet with the help of corrupt local merchant Richard Tookerman. That November in the marshes of Sullivan’s Island, Bonnet was recaptured by Rhett while Herriot and two others were shot and killed. Bonnet was hanged in Charleston in December 1718.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Herriot, David 18th-century pirates South Carolina colonial people People executed for piracy 1718 deaths Year of birth missing Caribbean pirates Pardoned pirates

History

Further reading

See also

References