The Golden Age of Piracy, encompassing roughly the first quarter of the eighteenth century, produced some of the most outrageous characters in maritime history. From its earliest days, Charleston was a vital port of call and center of trade, which left it vulnerable to seafaring criminals. The daring exploits of these infamous plunderers made thievery widespread along Charleston’s waterfront, but determined citizens would meet the pirate threat head-on. From the “Gentleman Pirate”, Stede Bonnet, to Edward “Blackbeard” Teach and famed pirate hunter and statesman William Rhett, the waters surrounding the Holy City have a history as rocky and wild as the high seas.
(The History Press, 2013. ISBN 9781609499235)