Anne Bonney
© MIchelle Munro
Born Anne Cormac in 1698 in Cork County, Ireland, to a married attorney and his unmarried maid, Anne Bonney and her family left Ireland amongst scandal and settled near Charleston, North Carolina. There her father made a fortune running a plantation.
Anne had a wicked temper that matched the most ruthless of men. When she was 16, she married pirate James Bonney, whose only motive for the marriage was to obtain her father's assets. Anne's father was furious at the union and immediately disowned her.
Anne Bonney Meets Calico Jack and Mary Read
Anne moved with James to New Providence in the Bahamas. Soon after their arrival, James turned informer to Governor Woodes Rogers.
Anne met "Calico Jack" Rackman (also known as Jack Rackham) and the two soon fell in love. Jack offered to buy Anne from her husband; he refused and took the matter before Governor Rogers, who ordered Anne flogged. The two stole away on Jack's pirate ship, the Revenge, and began a life of piracy together, Anne concealing her gender from the crew.
Several months later, Anne became pregnant with Jack's child. Jack took Anne to stay with friends he had in Cuba. Once the child was born, Anne immediately returned to sea without the baby.
Anne became smitten with another sailor. To her surprise, the sailor was another woman, Mary Read. The two women became good friends.
The Revenge is Defeated
In October, 1720, the Revenge was caught by surprise by a government ship run by Captain Burnet. Calico Jack and his crew hid below decks. Anne and Mary, however, stood their ground. The ship was easily overtaken and the crew was returned to port in irons.
Seeking leniency, Anne and a pregnant Mary revealed their identities to the magistrate and begged to be tried separately from the men. On November 28, 1720, the women were tried in St. Jago de la Vega in Jamaica. Anne and Mary were sentenced to hang along with nine other men, including Jack Rackman.
The day he was to hang, Jack was granted a special request to see Anne on his way to the gallows. Anne said famously, "Had you fought like a man, you need not have been hanged like a dog."
Mary and her baby died of fever while in jail. Anne received many stays of execution before vanishing from record. Some believe that her father forgave her and purchased her freedom.
Anne had a wicked temper that matched the most ruthless of men. When she was 16, she married pirate James Bonney, whose only motive for the marriage was to obtain her father's assets. Anne's father was furious at the union and immediately disowned her.
Anne Bonney Meets Calico Jack and Mary Read
Anne moved with James to New Providence in the Bahamas. Soon after their arrival, James turned informer to Governor Woodes Rogers.
Anne met "Calico Jack" Rackman (also known as Jack Rackham) and the two soon fell in love. Jack offered to buy Anne from her husband; he refused and took the matter before Governor Rogers, who ordered Anne flogged. The two stole away on Jack's pirate ship, the Revenge, and began a life of piracy together, Anne concealing her gender from the crew.
Several months later, Anne became pregnant with Jack's child. Jack took Anne to stay with friends he had in Cuba. Once the child was born, Anne immediately returned to sea without the baby.
Anne became smitten with another sailor. To her surprise, the sailor was another woman, Mary Read. The two women became good friends.
The Revenge is Defeated
In October, 1720, the Revenge was caught by surprise by a government ship run by Captain Burnet. Calico Jack and his crew hid below decks. Anne and Mary, however, stood their ground. The ship was easily overtaken and the crew was returned to port in irons.
Seeking leniency, Anne and a pregnant Mary revealed their identities to the magistrate and begged to be tried separately from the men. On November 28, 1720, the women were tried in St. Jago de la Vega in Jamaica. Anne and Mary were sentenced to hang along with nine other men, including Jack Rackman.
The day he was to hang, Jack was granted a special request to see Anne on his way to the gallows. Anne said famously, "Had you fought like a man, you need not have been hanged like a dog."
Mary and her baby died of fever while in jail. Anne received many stays of execution before vanishing from record. Some believe that her father forgave her and purchased her freedom.
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