Blackbeard, whose real name was thought to be Edward Teach or Thatch, was a notorious English pirate who terrorized the American colonies and the West Indies during the early 18th century, known for his fearsome appearance and ruthless tactics.
Category: United States Shipwrecks
The SS Arctic
The SS Arctic sank off the coast of Newfoundland in 1854 after colliding with the SS Vesta. Hundreds lost their lives and the crew became notorious for their behavior.
The Sinking of the SS Pacific
The SS Pacific was a sidewheel paddle steamer, which by 1875 had 25 years of service up and down the west coast of the US and Canada. In November of 1875, she collided with the sailing vessel Orpheus, and was fatally damaged. Only two aboard the Pacific survived, and an estimate of 325 perished. It is the greatest loss of life in the history of the waters nicknamed The Graveyard of the Pacific.
The Lost Lady: The Lady Elgin
The paddlewheel steamer Lady Elgin went down after being rammed by the schooner Augusta in 1860. It remains the greatest disaster in Great Lakes history.
The USS Cyclops on Archive Unknown
I had the pleasure of being a guest on this episode of Archive Unknown, hosted by Lara Zielin. We discuss the curious disappearance of the USS Cyclops in 1918.
Black Sam Bellamy & The Whydah Gally
Samuel Bellamy, or “Black Sam” Bellamy, was an extraordinarily successful pirate, albeit for a very short time. Called the “Robin Hood of the Seas,” he abhorred violence, treated his victims humanely, and was very generous to his men. When he and his fleet captured the slave ship Whydah Gally, he scored a huge payday, but it all wound up lost for almost 300 years when the Whydah was wrecked in a storm off Cape Cod in 1717. This is the story of the Gentleman Pirate, a ship laden with riches, and the discovery of its treasure.
The Wrecks of the U-53
The German U-Boat U-53 and Captain Hans Rose wreaked havoc on Allied shipping in October of 1916, after having a friendly visit to Newport Harbor, Rhode Island.
The USCGC Blackthorn
On January 28th, 1980 the United States Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn collided with the freighter SS Capricorn. 23 of its 50 crew died in the accident.
Christmas Eve Wreck of the Annie C. Maguire
On a cold Christmas Eve in 1886, the British three-masted barque Annie C. Maguire wrecked on the rocks in Portland Harbour, Maine. How the ship wrecked is a mystery and the subsequent behavior of the ship’s crew remains a fascinating and legendary tale.
Rescue of the Ephraim Williams
On December 22nd, 1884, one of the most miraculous rescues in history saved the crew of the Emphraim Williams off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. In treacherous seas, during a violent storm, the members of the Unites States Life Saving Service performed a brave and daring rescue of the battered, sinking ship.