Women were forbidden on most pirate ships, so the mere existence
of a female pirate was remarkable. But, by all accounts, Anne Bonny
not only succeeded in the world of pirates, she was braver and more
ferocious than most of the men.
Born in North Carolina, Anne Bonny ran off with a seaman, James
Bonny, after her father disapproved of their marriage. She met
Calico Jack in the Bahamas and subsequently disguised herself as a
man to become part of his crew.
Bonny was joined by a second female pirate when Mary Read came
on board. Anne Bonny and Mary Read distinguished themselves as two
of the fiercest pirates, striking fear not only in captured seamen
but also in the pirate crew itself! On the day of their capture in
1720, Anne Bonny and Mary Read put up a ferocious fight while the
men surrendered. In prison during their trial, Calico Jack asked to
see Anne Bonny one last time. She refused, saying "If he had fought
like a man he need not have been hanged like a dog."
Both Anne Bonny and Mary Read were sentenced to be hanged along
with Calico Jack. They jointly entered an unusual plea: "Milord, we
plead our bellies." Thus, due to the fact that they were pregnant,
both were saved from Calico Jack's fate. It is not known what
became of Bonny after that.