John Russell (pirate)

John Russell was an 18th-century pirate known primarily for his association with Captain Edward "Blackbeard" Teach. While not as widely documented as Blackbeard himself, Russell's name appears in connection with Blackbeard's activities, particularly in the period leading up to Blackbeard's death in 1718.

Historical records concerning Russell are scarce and often interwoven with the more prominent narrative of Blackbeard. He is believed to have been a member of Blackbeard's crew aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge and participated in the blockade of Charles Town (modern Charleston, South Carolina) in May 1718. This blockade involved the capture of ships entering and leaving the port, and the ransom of prominent citizens.

After the Charles Town incident, Blackbeard sailed north and grounded the Queen Anne's Revenge near Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina. It is speculated that this was a deliberate act to reduce the size of his crew and retain a larger share of the plunder. Russell is believed to have been among the pirates left behind with Captain Robert Deal, under Blackbeard's orders.

Following Blackbeard's death in a battle with Lieutenant Robert Maynard in November 1718, many of Blackbeard's surviving crew members were captured. What became of John Russell after the grounding of the Queen Anne's Revenge and the subsequent breakup of Blackbeard's crew is not definitively known, but it is likely he either rejoined another pirate crew, attempted to integrate back into civilian life, or was captured and faced the consequences of his piratical activities. Due to the limited historical documentation, further details of his life remain largely unknown.