Robert Maynard | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Capture of the Pirate, Blackbeard, 1718,Jean Leon Gerome Ferris | |
| Born | (1684-09-19)19 September 1684 |
| Died | 1 January 1750(1750-01-01) (aged 65) Great Mongeham, Kent |
| Buried | St Martin's Church, Kent |
| Allegiance | England Great Britain |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | c. 1707–1750 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands | HMSCumberland HMSSheerness HMSAntelope HMSRussell HMSIpswich |
| Battles / wars | |
| Spouse | Ann Johnson Maynard |
| Relations | Margaret Mitchell (sister) Thomas Maynard (brother) |
CaptainRobert Maynard (19 September 1684 – 4 January 1750) was aRoyal Navy officer. Little is known about Maynard's early life, other than that he was born in England in 1684 and eventually joined the English navy. He was made a lieutenant in January 1707, and by 1709 was the third lieutenant onHMS Bedford.
In November 1718, Maynard was tasked with hunting down and capturing the notoriouspirateBlackbeard. While leadingHMS Pearl, Maynard lured Blackbeard into attacking his ship off the coast ofNorth Carolina, and in the ensuing struggle Maynard and his crew killed Blackbeard. Expecting to be rewarded for his actions, Maynard was never fully compensated or paid for the expedition. He was eventually promoted tomaster and commander in 1739, and tocaptain in 1740, before dying at the age of 65 in his home county ofKent.
Robert Maynard was born inDartford,Kent on 19 September 1684.[1]
Alexander Spotswood,Governor of theColony of Virginia, gave Maynard the command of twosloops,Ranger andJane. They departed the docks ofHampton, Virginia on 19 November 1718. Maynard caught up withBlackbeard atOcracoke Inlet off the coast ofNorth Carolina on 22 November 1718. Most of Blackbeard's men were ashore. While Maynard's party out-numbered the pirates three to one,Jane had no cannons and only small-arms to Blackbeard's ship up to eight cannons. Initially, Blackbeard maneuvered into shallower water. Maynard's heavier ship hit a sand-bar and was stuck. Blackbeard then leashed abroadside atJane. Meanwhile, Maynard ordered everything inessential to combat to be thrown overboard to make the ship lighter, and eventually freed his keel. Blackbeard's ship fired at least two more broadsides atJane, killing several of Maynard's men. After the last attack it appeared only Maynard and another crew member were left alive.
When Blackbeard and some of his men boardedJane they were ambushed by a force much larger than he had expected. During the battle, Maynard and Blackbeard ended up in hand-to-hand combat. In a point blank exchange of pistol fire, Maynard hit Blackbeard and Blackbeard missed. However the shot barely slowed Blackbeard down. Both men drew theircutlasses and a melee ensued, with Blackbeard managing to break Maynard's weapon. When Blackbeard was about to deliver a killing blow, another sailor, aHighlander, jumped on his back and inflicted a deep wound. Blackbeard's cutlass landed on Maynard's knuckles. Maynard and his crew were then able to kill Blackbeard.[2][3]
Lieutenant Maynard remained at Ocracoke for several days, making repairs and burying the dead.[4] He examined Teach's body, noting that it had been shot no fewer than five times and cut about twenty. He also found several items of correspondence, including a letter to Teach from Tobias Knight, the Royal Secretary for theColony of North Carolina.[5] Blackbeard wasdecapitated and his head was tied to the bowsprit of his ship for the trip back to theColony of Virginia. Upon returning toJane's home port ofHampton, Virginia, the head was displayedon a spike near the mouth of theHampton River as a warning to other pirates.
Teach's loot – sugar, cocoa,indigo and cotton – found "in pirate sloops and ashore in a tent where the sloops lay", was sold at auction along with sugar and cotton found in Tobias Knight's barn, for £2,238. Governor Spotswood used a portion of this to pay for the entire operation. The prize money for capturing Teach was to have been about £400, but it was split between the crews of HMSLyme and HMSPearl. As Captain Brand and his troops had not been the ones fighting for their lives, Maynard thought this extremely unfair. It was later discovered that he and his crew had helped themselves to about £90 of Teach's bounty. The two companies did not receive their prize money for another four years,[6][7] and despite his bravery, Maynard was not promoted, rather, he faded into obscurity.[8]
Maynard's final resting place is in the churchyard ofSt Martin's Church atGreat Mongeham inKent, southeast England, near thecinque port ofDeal.[9] He left an estate in excess of £2,000.[10]
Maynard's success is still celebrated by the crew ofHMSRanger – who commemorate Blackbeard's defeat at the annualSussexUniversity Royal Naval Unit Blackbeard Night mess dinner, at a date as close as possible to 22 November.[11]
The city ofHampton, Virginia also celebrates its historic ties to Maynard by recreating the final sea battle ontall ships in the Hampton Harbour during the city's annual Blackbeard Festival in June.[citation needed]
