William Rhett captured pirate captain Stede Bonnet after fighting near the Cape Fear River in 1718.
Rhett was a South Carolina planter and militia commander who was sent to pursue Bonnet. Bonnet had returned to piracy after receiving a pardon and was operating along the Carolina coast. Rhett found Bonnet’s vessels near the Cape Fear River in September 1718, beginning a confused battle in shallow water.
The engagement lasted for hours as the tide changed and the ships grounded and refloated. Rhett eventually captured Bonnet and his crew and brought them to Charleston. Bonnet was tried and executed later that year, while some of his crew members also received capital sentences.