Lieutenant Richards

Lieutenant Richards (fl. 1718, first name unknown, possibly Thomas) was a pirate active in the Caribbean and off the Carolinas. He is best known for sailing alongside Blackbeard (Edward Teach / Thatch).

History

Richards was part of Edward Teach's crew while they sailed with Benjamin Hornigold and later aboard the Queen Anne%27s Revenge. Near the Carolinas in early 1717 Teach met up with pirate Stede Bonnet in his 10-gun 60-ton sloop Revenge. Richards hoisted a black flag and sailed to meet the Adventure, capturing it. Herriott and his crew joined the pirates and Teach placed Israel Hands aboard the Adventure as captain. The town council agreed and sent the medicines to Teach, who looted the ships but released them and the prisoners.

Richards’ first name is not known. In depositions given at Stede Bonnet's trial, two different ship captains testified that they had been approached by boats, and hailing them to ask their names, were told “Thomas Richards” before the boat crews announced that they were pirates. “Thomas” may have been Lieutenant Richards’ real name, or an alias, or may have been another of Teach's crew entirely; in official documents he is referred to only as “Richards.” In popular culture

Richards, going by Thomas, is the first boss in the video game Windrose.