North Carolina possesses one of the longest, most treacherous coastlines in the United States, and the waters off its shores have been the scene of some of the most dramatic episodes of piracy and sea warfare in the nation's history. Now, Lindley Butler brings this fascinating aspect of the state's maritime heritage vividly to life. He offers engaging biographical portraits of some of the most famous pirates, privateers, and naval raiders to ply the Carolina waters. Covering 150 years, from the golden age of piracy in the 1700s to the extraordinary transformation of naval warfare ushered in by the Civil War, Butler sketches the lives of eight intriguing characters: the pirate Blackbeard and his contemporary Stede Bonnet; privateer Otway Burns and naval raider Johnston Blakeley; and Confederate raiders James Cooke, John Maffitt, John Taylor Wood, and James Waddell. Penetrating the myths that have surrounded these legendary figures, he uncovers the compelling true stories of their lives and adventures.

Provides general information about pirates and discusses the activities of notorious seafaring outlaws, such as Stede Bonnet and Blackbeard, in and around North Carolina during colonial times.

North Carolina played a pivotal role in the struggle for American independence, and the Cape Fear region was ground zero in the rebellion against British rule. Historians say the famous battles of the Revolutionary War were fought in the North, but the decisive battles were fought in the South. The Cape Fear region was a central theater of that fight for American independence. A vicious civil war was fought between neighbors, families, Continentals, and Redcoats in southeastern North Carolina, from Fayetteville to Wilmington, and everywhere in between. This is the story of that fight.

21 tales of pirates and ghosts from along the North Carolina coast Haunted houses, graveyards, and other favorite places are are featured Some stories told for the first time and involving people who really lived

Follows the exploits of one of the most feared pirates of the eighteenth century, the legends associated with him and the probable discovery of his ship off the coast of North Carolina in 1996.

Thirteen of the most intriguing buccaneers in the history of piracy, all connected somehow to the Carolinas. New edition has an all-new chapter on Blackbeard, as well as updated information on some of the other pirates, and new sections such as: The Truth About Piracy, How To Talk Like a Pirate, a list of pirate movies, a pirate quiz, and more.