Hampton, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Blackbeard

The Most Feared Pirate of His Time

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

1. Blackbeard Marker

Inscription.

Blackbeard. The Most Feared Pirate of His Time. , A grisly sight met mariners navigating the Hampton River in the late 1710s. The severed head of the notorious pirate called Blackbeard hung from a pole to warn potential pirates of their likely fate. In May 1717, Blackbeard and other buccaneers had blocked the entrance to the Virginia Capes, taking prizes and extorting payments from ships on the way to Hampton. The town was Virginia's leading port at the time, and this threatened the colony's livelihood. , Whether his real name was Edward Teach or Edward Thatch, it is certain that he was the most feared pirate of his time. During his short reign of terror, he was credited with seizing more than 50 ships. In legend he was bigger than life, wearing a full black beard that he braided with ribbons. A tall man, he would strike terror into victims by sporting "three brace of pistols hanging in holsters like bandoliers and stuck lighted matches under his hat, which appearing on each side of his face, his eyes looking naturally fierce and wild, made him altogether ... frightful.", Upon learning that Teach was hosting a pirate conclave near Okracoke Island, Gov. Alexander Spotswood commissioned two Royal Navy ships under Lt. Robert Maynard. They sailed from Hampton on Nov. 17, 1718, with orders to find and destroy that "nest of pyrates." Four days later, Maynard spotted Blackbeard's ship in Okracoke Inlet. The pirate leader reportedly broke out a bowl of liquor and "drank damnation to anyone that should give or ask quarter," then staged a ferocious battle. The pirates jumped aboard the British sloop, and Blackbeard and Maynard fought, hand-to-hand with sabers and pistols. Finally, after a reported 20 sword lacerations and five musketball wounds, Blackbeard fell. When Maynard returned to Hampton, he ordered that the pirate's severed head be placed on a tall pole at the entrance to the river as a warning to all who would interfere with British shipping., (captions) , Blackbeard the Pirate, created by Benjamin Cole. This engraving appeared in A General History of the Pyrates (1724), by Daniel Defoe and Charles Johnson. - Courtesy of the Hampton History Museum, Capture of the Pirate, Blackbeard, 1718, an artist's conception of the dramatic battle. This depiction was painted by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris in 1920.

A grisly sight met mariners navigating the Hampton River in the late 1710s. The severed head of the notorious pirate called Blackbeard hung from a pole to warn potential pirates of their likely fate. In May 1717, Blackbeard and other buccaneers had blocked the entrance to the Virginia Capes, taking prizes and extorting payments from ships on the way to Hampton. The town was Virginia's leading port at the time, and this threatened the colony's livelihood.

Whether his real name was Edward Teach or Edward Thatch, it is certain that he was the most feared pirate of his time. During his short reign of terror, he was credited with seizing more than 50 ships. In legend he was bigger than life, wearing a full black beard that he braided with ribbons. A tall man, he would strike terror into victims by sporting "three brace of pistols hanging in holsters like bandoliers and stuck lighted matches under his hat, which appearing on each side of his face, his eyes looking naturally fierce and wild, made him altogether ... frightful."

Upon learning that Teach was hosting a pirate conclave near Okracoke Island, Gov. Alexander

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Spotswood commissioned two Royal Navy ships under Lt. Robert Maynard. They sailed from Hampton on Nov. 17, 1718, with orders to find and destroy that "nest of pyrates." Four days later, Maynard spotted Blackbeard's ship in Okracoke Inlet. The pirate leader reportedly broke out a bowl of liquor and "drank damnation to anyone that should give or ask quarter," then staged a ferocious battle. The pirates jumped aboard the British sloop, and Blackbeard and Maynard fought, hand-to-hand with sabers and pistols. Finally, after a reported 20 sword lacerations and five musketball wounds, Blackbeard fell. When Maynard returned to Hampton, he ordered that the pirate's severed head be placed on a tall pole at the entrance to the river as a warning to all who would interfere with British shipping.

(captions)
Blackbeard the Pirate, created by Benjamin Cole. This engraving appeared in A General History of the Pyrates (1724), by Daniel Defoe and Charles Johnson. - Courtesy of the Hampton History Museum

Capture of the Pirate, Blackbeard, 1718, an artist's conception of the dramatic battle. This depiction was painted by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris in 1920.

Erected by Explore

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

2. Blackbeard Marker

Hampton 2010.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is November 17, 1718.

Location. 37° 0.998′ N, 76° 20.567′ W. Marker is in Hampton, Virginia. It is on Marina Road north of Capps Quarters, on the right when traveling north. The marker is located across the road from Bluewater Yachting Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 15 Marina Road, Hampton VA 23669, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Virginia’s Peninsula

and in Coastal Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Tidewater.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Herbert House (within

Photographed by Evan Dwyer, June 13, 2026

3. Blackbeard Marker

The Hampton River is beyond

shouting distance of this marker); The Academy (approx. ¼ mile away); Edward Braddock (approx. ¼ mile away); Robert C. Ogden Auditorium (approx. 0.3 miles away); Wigwam (approx. 0.4 miles away); Hampton University Museum (approx. 0.4 miles away); Cemetery (approx. 0.4 miles away); Sunset Creek (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hampton.

Also see . . . How Blackbeard Lost His Head in a Bloody, Sword-Swinging Battle. (Submitted on July 30, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

Hampton River image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Evan Dwyer, June 13, 2026

4. Hampton River

Viewed from Blackbeard Point. The breakwater at right would not have existed in 1718, so Blackbeard's head would have been displayed on the point behind the photographer.

Blackbeard Point image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Evan Dwyer, June 13, 2026

5. Blackbeard Point

From the marina's southernmost dock. How much of the original topography survives is unclear; the area appears to have been heavily backfilled to create the marina, the adjacent condos behind Herbert House have had their impact, and the breakwater out of view to the left has assisted in reshaping the point.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 9, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 30, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 781 times since then and 183 times this year. Last updated on September 3, 2025, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 30, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 13, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.