Blackbeard Shuts Down Charleston Harbor: Story and Facts

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Blackbeard Shuts Down Charleston Harbor is a story from Charleston Harbor, Charleston County. This one is documented.

WhereCharleston HarborCharleston County, Lowcountry
KindHistorynot a ranking
Sources2named, linked below
CheckedOct 262026

Collected 0 of 21All legends

A story with a documented core.

No. 5 of 21

Blackbeard Shuts Down Charleston Harbor

The tale is that the most feared pirate in the world once parked his ships outside Charleston and held the whole town hostage until it paid up.

What The Record Shows

This one is documented. The South Carolina Encyclopedia says Blackbeard arrived off Charleston in mid-May 1718 with a four-ship fleet, blockaded the port for a week, took eight or nine ships and held hostages including a councilman, Samuel Wragg. The governor agreed to a ransom of a chest of medicine. Blackbeard then sailed north, two of his ships wrecked at Beaufort Inlet (North Carolina) in June, and he was killed at Ocracoke on November 22, 1718.

Sources: South Carolina Encyclopedia – Blackbeard; South Carolina Encyclopedia – Bonnet, Stede.

A note: Entry uses both Teach and Thatch for his name; the Encyclopedia says his real name is uncertain.

FAQ

Is the story of Blackbeard Shuts Down Charleston Harbor true?

This one is documented.

Is this a legend?

It is a story with a documented core. The facts are listed on this page with their sources.

Where do these facts come from?

From the named sources listed on this page: South Carolina Encyclopedia – Blackbeard; South Carolina Encyclopedia – Bonnet, Stede.

Sources

Read on October 26, 2026. Stories are for fun; the facts come from these sources. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.

Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “Blackbeard Shuts Down Charleston Harbor”, itssouthcarolina.com/things-to-do/south-carolina-legends/blackbeard-blockade-charleston-1718/ (updated 2026-10-26). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.