Samuel Bellamy, often called “Black Sam,” was one of the most notorious pirates of the early 18th century. His career was short-lived but extraordinarily successful, earning him a formidable reputation across the Atlantic. Unlike many of his brutal contemporaries, Bellamy cultivated the image of a gentleman pirate, reportedly favouring mercy over cruelty and amassing a vast fortune in the process.
Early Life and Turn to Piracy
Samuel Bellamy was born around 1689 in Hittisleigh, Devon, England. Details of his early years remain sparse, but records suggest he served in the Royal Navy during the War of the Spanish Succession. Seeking his fortune in the New World, Bellamy eventually found himself in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where he is said to have fallen in love with a local woman named Maria Hallett.
Unable to provide for her as a poor sailor, Bellamy joined a treasure-hunting expedition to Florida. When that failed, he turned to piracy in 1716, sailing with the infamous Captain Benjamin Hornigold and his apprentice Edward Teach, later known as Blackbeard.
Rise to Power and Command
Bellamy quickly made a name for himself through bold leadership and democratic command. When Hornigold was deposed for refusing to attack British ships, Bellamy was elected captain. He took command of the Mary Anne and later the Sultana, establishing a reputation for fairness and chivalry. His crews often referred to him as “Robin Hood of the Sea.”
His most significant capture came in February 1717, when he seized the Whydah Gally, a heavily armed former slave ship loaded with gold, silver, and indigo. Bellamy refitted the Whydah as his flagship and continued his campaign of piracy with remarkable success.
Ships
Whydah Gally
- Originally a 300-ton slave ship
- Carried up to 18 guns
- Captured off the Bahamas in 1717
- Used by Bellamy as a flagship until its wreck
Sultana
- Smaller sloop used prior to the Whydah
- Used for speed and agility
- Often employed in raids alongside larger ships
Bellamy was known for sailing with a small fleet, often in cooperation with captains like Paulsgrave Williams, who commanded his own vessel during their raiding campaigns.
Weapons and Tactics
Bellamy and his men used a mixture of naval artillery and personal arms common among pirates of the period:
- Naval Cannons: Typically 6 to 12-pounders
- Flintlock Pistols: Often carried in pairs or more
- Cutlasses and Boarding Axes: Used in close combat
- Grenades: Handmade explosive charges filled with shot or powder
Bellamy preferred swift, decisive strikes and often offered surrender terms to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. His charisma and rhetoric were said to disarm foes before a single shot was fired.
Battles and Raids
Bellamy’s operations spanned the eastern seaboard of North America and the Caribbean. He captured over 50 ships in under a year, targeting merchant vessels with valuable cargo. Some of the better-documented raids include:
- Capture of the Whydah Gally: Taken near the Windward Passage while returning from Jamaica
- Plundering off the Virginia Capes: Targeted tobacco and sugar traders
- Engagements around the Leeward Islands: Key stopovers for trading ships crossing the Atlantic
Although Bellamy avoided large naval confrontations, his hit-and-run tactics made him difficult to catch and feared by colonial merchants.
Notable Contemporary Quotes
Captain Charles Johnson, in A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates (1724), includes a quote attributed to Bellamy:
“Damn my blood, I am a free prince, and I have as much authority to make war on the whole world as he who has a hundred sail of ships at sea.”
Another surviving statement from Bellamy to a captive:
“You are a devilish conscience rascal, I am a free man, and I have made a better fortune than you with all your concern for conscience.”
These lines reflect his disdain for hypocritical merchants and his romanticised view of piracy as a rebellion against inequality.
Treasure and Bounty
When the Whydah sank, it was said to be carrying:
- Over 4.5 tonnes of gold, silver, and precious items
- Cargo plundered from over 50 vessels
- West African trade goods, including ivory and indigo
Bellamy had become one of the wealthiest pirates of the Golden Age, with some estimates placing his treasure’s worth at over £100,000 in contemporary currency.
The British authorities placed a bounty of £500 on his head, a high price for the time.
Wreck and Fate
On 26 April 1717, the Whydah Gally was caught in a violent nor’easter off the coast of Cape Cod. The ship struck a sandbar and broke apart, killing Bellamy and all but two of the 146 crew.
Bellamy’s body was never recovered, but the wreck of the Whydah was discovered in 1984 by Barry Clifford. It remains the only authenticated pirate shipwreck ever found, yielding thousands of artefacts.
Legacy
Samuel Bellamy’s brief but dazzling career left a lasting imprint on pirate lore. He is remembered not just for his wealth and naval prowess but for the code of conduct he imposed and the respect he earned among his crew. In popular memory, he stands as a contrast to the cruelty of pirates like Edward Low or Charles Vane.
His story continues to be explored through museums, books, and documentaries. The Whydah Pirate Museum in West Yarmouth, Massachusetts, displays many artefacts recovered from the wreck, offering the most tangible link to Bellamy’s legend.
The Seven Swords Takeaway
Bellamy lived fast and died young, but his reputation has only grown over time. While the man himself was swept away by a storm, the myth of the gentleman pirate who stood against empire and greed endures. His life, weapons, ships, and words remain a powerful snapshot of piracy during its golden age.
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