William Rhett
| |
|---|---|
 | |
| Vital statistics | |
| Title | Colonel |
| Gender | Male |
| Status | Deceased |
| Ships | None |
| Relationships | Peter Ashe (Employer; deceased) |
| Appearances | First: XVI. Last: XVIII. |
| Portrayed by | Lars Arentz-Hansen |
Colonel William Rhett was a subordinate of Peter Ashe at Charles Town and commander of the Charles Town Militia.
Biography[]
Season Two[]
When James Flint arrived at Charles Town to return Abigail Ashe, Rhett and his men meet him at the docks. They begin escorting Flint, Abigail and Miranda Barlow through the city to Governor Ashe. Rhett explains that before Lord Ashe arrived, the city's shipping was routinely assaulted by raiders, all up and down the coast. It took Ashe a while to learn how to deal with it, but things changed once he committed himself to fixing the problem. Lord Ashe made the people of Charles Town unafraid, and once they stopped fearing the raiders, they lost all their power. Rhett's men begin assaulting Flint and beat him until Abigail intervened, telling Rhett that Flint was actually an old friend of her father's. Rhett leads them to the Governor's Mansion, where Lord Ashe tells Flint and Barlow "welcome to Charles Town"[1].
Colonel Rhett stands guard while Captain Flint and Miranda Barlow meet with Peter Ashe discussing Flint's proposal to move forward with his plans for reconciliation between England and the pirates of Nassau. Ashe makes it clear the only reason they are sitting down together is because Flint brought Abigail back unharmed. He then says although they knew each other in the past, he does not recognize the two people that sit before him. Flint encourages him to ask any questions and promises he will be truthful in answering. When the subject of Alfred Hamilton is brought up, Miranda admits she is the one who arranged his execution. As she stands to admit her guilt, Rhett points his pistol at her. He says while Ashe may know them, he does not, and if they get any closer to the Governor, he will shoot them where they stand. Flint then asks that Ashe not judge him for his past deeds and instead offer him redemption. Flint then outlines his plan, stating most of the pirates will agree to stop pirating and work legally as merchant sailors. Ashe eventually agrees to consider the plan.
Their talks continue well into the night, and Rhett remains at his post. Ashe has various misgivings about the plan. When it was first proposed by Thomas Hamilton, there were half as many pirates on the island and it was still a failing colony, not a failed one. Flint counters by pointing out that he proposed reconciliation to his crew of 100 men, and over 70 of them are with him in support of it. Furthermore, the trade boss in Nassau is actively working to reform Nassau with them. Most importantly, if Ashe endorses the plan, the New World's most committed pirate hunter advocating for a plan to reform the pirates of Nassau would give it enormous clout in Parliament. Ashe says that Parliament will need a candidate for the governor, and asks Flint if he wants that role. Flint says he can do much to help the newborn colony, but after that, it would be time for him to retire into the interior with Miranda. Abigail then arrives and tells them that Mrs. Tyler says it is time to turn the room over for supper. Lord Ashe then instructs Abigail to tell Mrs. Tyler to find rooms for Flint and Barlow while they wait.
While Flint, Miranda, and Ashe are having dinner, Ashe orders Rhett and everyone else to clear the room. Ashe states that he has given it much thought and the only way for Flint's plan to work is that they both return to London together where Flint will confess his crimes and ask forgiveness from Parliament. He states that Flint must tell the whole truth including the relationship with Thomas Hamilton. Ashe believes that this will work because Parliament will see that the most feared pirate in the New World is not a monster, but a very flawed man. Flint agrees. Just then, Miranda realizes why the clock is so familiar to her: it belonged to Thomas and was in their home in London. Ashe admits that it was a gift from Alfred Hamilton. It is then revealed that Ashe was the reason behind all of their misfortune. Miranda realizes that James McGraw was well liked and had a good reputation among the Navy and that there must have been another reason why everyone believed the affair between him and Hamilton was true. She stands to confront Ashe with the accusations and states that he sold them out to become governor of the Carolina colony. Ashe says that he was forced to betray them because Lord Hamilton was threatening his family. Miranda becomes increasingly aggravated and says she would like Ashe to take responsibility for ruining her life and that he should be swinging from the end of a rope. Suddenly, she is shot through the head and killed by Colonel Rhett. Flint then attacks Rhett but is subdued and knocked out by Ashe's men[2].
The next day, Rhett stands with two of his men on the steps of the apothecary, behind where the jury and Governor Ashe are sitting during Flint's trial in the square. Rhett listens to Kensington bring his case against Flint, and is surprised when one of his men brings Charles Vane, who is in possession of Abigail Ashe's Journal. Vane is seated alongside Flint while a Clerk reads the pages aloud. Vane interrupts the proceedings by telling the people of Charles Town that they allowed themselves to be convinced that the power Governor Ashe and his men wield over them is used in their interests, and that the pirates are their enemies. Vane warns them that if they live to see the next day, that they had a choice, and let themselves be convinced otherwise. Vane then gives a signal, and his men who have taken over the Charles Town walls open fire on the square. In the chaos that ensues, Flint and Vane escape to the jetty after Flint kills Lord Ashe. Rhett follows Vane and Flint with a squad of men as they escape on a launch. Rhett has his men fire their muskets at them to no avail, and has his men load a cannon and prepare to fire at them. However, right before they fire, Rhett and his men are shot by a cannonfire from the Spanish Man O' War, as Flint and Vane escape[3].
Quotes[]
"This was a different place before the governor arrived. Raiders routinely hit our shipping. All up and down the coast as far north as Mt. Pleasant, as far south as the Cumberland Sound. It took him a short while to learn how to deal with it. But once he committed to fighting the problem, things changed. You see, he made these people unafraid. Everyone realized, like just about anything else in this life... the moment you stop fearing it, it loses all its power." - William Rhett to Flint and Miranda Barlow in XVI.
"The governor may know who you are. I only know what you are. Let us agree that if either one of you gets any closer to the governor than you just did, I will be forced to consider that a threat to his person and I will shoot you where you stand." - Rhett to Miranda Barlow in XVII.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Colonel William Rhett was a real life pirate hunter operating near Charles Town in the early eighteenth century. He commanded the colonial militia, and died in 1722 of natural causes rather than by the death of a pirate.
- He is most well known as the pirate-hunter who captured the infamous pirate Stede Bonnet.
Appearances[]
| IX. | X. | XI. | XII. | XIII. |
| XIV. | XV. | XVI. | XVII. | XVIII. |
