The White Hill Gardens of Charleston, South Carolina, palatial host to various Civil War memorials and monuments, is renowned for its once blood-soaked grassy knolls and paths. According to legend, a walk beneath the oaks caressed in Spanish lace will lead only into the menacing shadows of war, and the spirits of Civil War soldiers remain at the ready to greet you with their battle cries of yesteryear. According to legend, so too do the souls of 29 pirates, as led by the infamous Stede Bonnet. He and his crew were put to death in 1718 by hanging for the crime of piracy and remained in waiting for their spectral ship.
Why is White Hill Gardens haunted?
It’s believed that the Garden’s horrific past left a stain on the area, cursing the sorrowful spirits of war and tragedy to roam for eternity. Keep reading to discover the gruesome events that took place at the White Hill Gardens and uncover which spirits continue to call it home.
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Painting the White Hill Gardens Red
This park, in the South Battery Park district, was a hanging ground for over 200 victims from 1718- 1849. These public executions functioned for a dual purpose: a demonstration of justice and a form of regular recreational viewing for law-abiding citizens with a taste for carnal retribution.
The English practice of “gibbeting” was enacted for public viewing. Gibbetting involved the public displaying a dying or dead criminal placed within a cage conforming to the human form. According to the National Archive of Death Records, two individuals charged with murder would face a torturous and very public gibbeting by virtue of South Carolina law.
The spectral image of iconic pirate Stede Bonnet is claimed to appear, forever awaiting the return of his phantom ship. Hung for the crime of Piracy, according to local legend, Stede Bonnet is also hypothesized to be among the spirits seen swaying in trees, one of 30 pirates sentenced to death by hanging starting in 1718 after repeated violations of the Proclamation of the Suppression of Pirates by King George the 1st.
The king granted Stede and his crew a year to cease pirating. According to local legend, his continuation in this lucrative criminal enterprise ground his spirit to the gallows of White Gardens.
Contrary to the perception that all pirates were born rugged, conniving thieves, Bonnet reshapes our image of the traditional “pirate” archetype. Bonnet, born in 1688 into affluence, was a wealthy, well-educated, and successful landowner carrying a title of high regard in proper society in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Oddly, Bonnet did not know how to sail or properly navigate a ship, possessed limited, at best, fighting skills, and had yet to experience maritime warfare. While appearing comical, he would give up his life of luxury, with rumors ranging from allegedly borrowing £1700 after his sugar crop was destroyed by a natural disaster in 1717 to living unhappily married despite receiving a sizeable dowry to an affluent bride.
World’s Collide: Meeting The Iconic “Blackbeard”
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Stede would join forces with the iconic “Blackbeard,” Edward Teach. Unlike most pirates, Stede did not steal his ship; he purchased it, naming it “The Revenge.” He would hire a crew of 70-80 men, all paid directly by Stede, not in goods plundered through Piracy, arguably to maintain patience and boost morale as his skills as a Captain could prove lacking.
He, alongside his crew, would successfully plunder cargo ships of Virginia and New York. In August of 1717, Stede would capture two more ships and head to the coast of South Carolina. Bonnet, now teamed alongside Blackbeard’s “Queen Anne’s Revenge,” and his crew would further overtake a dozen ships, burning and pillaging all but four ships that would travel to Charlestown, North Carolina.
After acquiring an assembly of 300-400 men, Bonnet proved to rely heavily on Blackbeard after repeated failings to lead a larger fleet. In May of 1718, tensions mounted, and Bonnet relinquished all control to Blackbeard. Blackbeard would form a blockade for a prominent shipping port, infuriating local reputable traders and government officials. Stede, after being taken prisoner repeatedly by Blackbeard for general incompetence, would have all final ties severed to Blackbeard.
The Queen Anne’s ran aground, disabling it, and Stede’s ship would be plundered and robbed of all goods. Stede, however, while free from a life of piracy, would not be free of its legal consequences, and his well-established criminal affiliation with Blackbeard would lead him to the gallows. Stede Bonnet would face a gruesome death for his crimes of piracy by hanging on December 10th, 1718.
Honoring The Spirit of Civil War Fallen Heroes
Home to a rich military history, a collection of monuments, mortars, and canons bears homage to our Civil War servicemen. White Point Garden served as a defensive seawall station, and along its perimeter exist a multitude of historical military artifacts. On the park’s eastern perimeter sits several pieces of Naval artillery from the 1863 Battle of Fort Sumpter, boasting two large Confederate canons and several more Union artillery pieces.
A variety of military monuments are dispersed throughout the park, celebrating our men in uniform from the Revolutionary War to WWII. Even in daylight, parkgoers are cited to see the spirits of Civil War soldiers and civilians, having perished in the Second Battle of Charleston Harbor, America’s bloodiest battle carrying the most civilian fatalities.
Visiting Charleston? A monument stands to Bonnet, honoring the legacy of the infamous pirate and his crew of 29 men, along the northeast corner of the gardens. Their burial grounds remain in the swampy graves of the marshes of White Hill, and, according to lore, each specter remains, just waiting to avenge those onlookers seen celebrating the crews of Stede Bonnet’s public execution and defeat.
Check out our blog for more about the haunted history of Charleston. When you’re ready to see some of these sites in person, book a ghost tour with Charleston Terrors!
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