# William Rhet — A General History of the Pirates character guide

> William Rhet in A General History of the Pirates by Captain Charles Johnson.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Colonel William Rhet, the aforesaid Colonel Rhet, Colonel Rhet, the Colonel

**First appearance:** 0006-iv-of-major-stede-bonnet-and-his-crew

## Snapshot

A colonial colonel whose hunt for pirates is undone by a chance encounter and a wrong turn of the sea.

## Who they are

Rhet sails out of Carolina with a commission to hunt Stede Bonnet, only to have his pursuit thrown off course by speaking a ship that sends him the wrong way. The narrator calls this the most unlucky thing that could have happened, since it cost him a meeting with Vane as well. He matters because his expedition shows how piracy was fought not only with cannon but with guesswork, weather, and the sheer contingency of the sea.

## Relationships

### [John Rackam](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/john_rackam)

_rivalry_

Rhet was a pirate hunter who captured Rackam and his crew, leading to Rackam's execution.

### [John Rackam](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/john_rackam)

_rivalry_

Rhet was a pirate hunter who captured Rackam and his crew, leading to Rackam's execution.

## In the story

### [Of Major Stede Bonnet and His Crew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/chapters/iv-of-major-stede-bonnet-and-his-crew)

Colonel who commanded the two sloops that engaged and captured Bonnet; later recaptured Bonnet after his escape.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/william_rhet
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters