Captain Twill
Academic Fight Circle, Research, Share, Discuss & Debate Maritime History.
1,545 topics in this forum
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- 11 replies
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The pirates’ view of slaves has been debated before and the answer is probably as usual, that it differed from person to person and time to time. We know that some ships had free Africans among their crew and we also know that some pirates had slaves when they settled down / retired at land. But what about slaves in the crew? Do we know if any commercial ships had slave crews? My thought goes like this: if the commercial ships didn’t have slaves, the pirates probably didn’t either. Perhaps it was a too big risk to use slaves for such jobs? Sailors weren’t paid very much anyway, but still had some sort of motivation of the payment. And pirate ships easily found new recru…
Last reply by Mission, -
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Well, we know which kind of competitions are now at public fairs of all kind. But which kind of competitions were spicing a harbour town's holidays? I know there were cockfights, dog fights someplaces, there were men brawling and the winner took a part of the bets (ancestor of nowadays boxing)... I had heard that in Scotland there were big logs to be lifted and thrown away by strong men. Which kind of sport competitions (ie showing the men's strength) were in the 1700s? Perhaps archery, I guess, but what more?
Last reply by Capt. Bo of the WTF co., -
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I'm more curious than anything, but I thought I'd ask the history side of the sight. Would they just toss the corpse in a burlap sack overboard with a prayer or two, Or was it fancier for someone like the first mate or captain? Or would they go so far as to come to land with the body (which seems pretty unlikely due to decomposition rate) to give them a proper burial?
Last reply by Mission, -
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- 456 views
I just finished a fictional pirate book where Taylor is described with weak or disabled hands. The author claimed that this particular fact was true, but did not give any sources. Does anyone know where this comes from?
Last reply by RoyalJames, -
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Does anyone know where the image showing all those buccaneers in one group is? The ones I find are just partials showing onesies and twosies, (the three with the "greasy hair", the two with the ball-caps on, etc.). There is one fellow kind of in the back tending a fire and possibly stirring a kettle and this guy has his long hair down, a few days' growth of beard.... anyhow, is there a good view of the entire assemblage anywhere around? Thanks for any guidance in the search. Bo
Last reply by Capt. Bo of the WTF co., -
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Who was hanging around the Virgin Islands in early 1719 with a 30 gun ship and two 8-10 gun consort vessels? (Accepting that the ships were seen from a distance so the tally of guns might not be exactly accurate)
Last reply by Mission, -
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I've written a new post for my blog about what life was like in New Providence. It's called "The Strongest Man Carries the Day," Life in New Providence, 1716-1717. http://csphistorical.com/2015/07/26/the-strongest-man-carries-the-day-life-in-new-providence-1716-1717/ Find out all kinds of interesting information about life in this pirate stronghold during it's peak years. Learn about the geography of the port, where the pirates came from, what structures they lived in, what women did in the settlement, and more. The beginning of the article includes a convenient click-to-jump-to table of contents.
Last reply by 'Beer Belly' Bellamy, -
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I didn't found a real thread to this topic (did I miss it somehow?), so as I am researching this for a while, I thought I would like to contribute my little work of diligence here. A pirate should know his business and in my oppinion knowing all kinds of flags might be important to his trade. After the sight of a ship recognizing the flown flag should be the first desire. This might help to decide an attack, a sail by or starting a getaway. I haven't decided yet an logical order of the flags, so I will start with what I have already made. Maybe a moderator could order the postings somehow later (if it makes sense at all?). I did some flag charts they are true to what I…
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700, -
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I wrote on my blog about sailors' possessions during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. I cast the post around analyzing one of the most stereotypical depictions of a sea chest, Billy Bone's from Treasure Island. Figured that would draw the attention of people who are more interested in the pirate aspect of that period's history. http://csphistorical.com/2015/07/07/a-sailors-possessions/
Last reply by Jas. Hook, -
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I've started a new blog, "Colonies, Ships, and Pirates." For the first post, I decided to put together one of the most frequent questions I get online, what books do you recommend? http://csphistorical.com/2015/06/28/recommend-books-on-pirate-history/
Last reply by Elena, -
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This is astounding. This is Kevin Duffus giving a presentation on March 19 to the Virginia Historical Society, "What's Wrong with Black Beard?" I saw a version of this talk about two years ago in Washington, North Carolina. This version is even better. Even if you disagree with some of his points, the evidence he has found relating to Blackbeard's history I think demonstrates how highly worth discussion and debate his position is. The sheer amount of evidence here has to make you at least think "there are too many coincidences for at least some of it to not be correct. Surely all these names matching all can't just be coincidence (at least some of the "coincidences" must …
Last reply by Brit.Privateer, -
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Just finished "Everyday Life in Early America" by David Freeman Hawke. Covered some interesting things I never new about colonial life. I never knew that the main farming technique was to cut a ring around a tree to kill it, thus the following year it will produce no leaves and create no canopy allowing light to reach the floor. Planting was then done around the dead tree. Little effort was made to remove the trees since the task was labor intensive and oxen a rare beast. The book also describes the labor that went into the creation of a saw mill and later a grist mill. Well written and an easy read.
Last reply by Jas. Hook, -
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Yes, as usual, I need help. I know how the pirates attack in open sea, taking the wind gauge if British, the French were taking the leeward gauge... But there were pirates also in Barataria, in the Mississippi Delta, among marshes and floating islands, and their tactics had to be different. Also those who hit in Bahamas among the many cays and islets. I would need some different attack techniques... I also imagine (up to you to tell me if I am right or not) that these pirates in the Mississippi Delta would be men who know well the area and are well armed, but who have pirogues and fishing boats, waiting for a ship to get aground on a floating island or to get stuck some…
Last reply by The Scarborough, -
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I've recently started a new project, creating pirate themed bartending book. We try to keep as much of the drinks as historically accurate as we can. I came to halt trying research what we know as sangria, Sangaree, is original made from. Most recipes I came across were absurd. Does anyone have a good reference to a period correct version?
Last reply by Madame_Mayhem, -
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I am thinking at a fair as a public holiday on a feast day... let's say Mardi Gras, May Day, or the town's patron saint. What kind of attractions were there then, besides eating and drinking and dancing? I assume fortune telling, the games specific to the area... and what else? A bit later than our story there were shooting stalls - hit all marks and you'll get a trophy. What could have preceded this in our times? Archery, darts... or what?
Last reply by Elena, -
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Hi everyone, Not that I am the fondest of the 'Hollywoodiztion' that the Pirates of the Caribbean did to pirate history, I've come across a few resources that stipulate the skeleton of the real Jack Rackham is visible in one of the movies (not sure which one). Apparently, when Jack Sparrow enters Port Royal, Rackham's skeleton is the one on the right: I think I remember reading somewhere else that after he was hung, he was gibbeted and put on display. Could there be any truth to the above? Warm regards to you all J
Last reply by Tar Bucket Bill, -
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Hi there everyone, I hope you are well and having a wonderful week so far. I am interested to know what kind of information we've got on drug usage among pirates of the 1700's - does anyone have any insights? In taverns, on board etc. Warm regards J
Last reply by JS1990, -
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I would like to know how a pirate town would look like in the Caribbean, of which buildings such a settlement would be composed, what architectural style would have been common? Why would? Because I am dreaming of layout, even planning a pirate town, because such a project would drive me to learn more about this topic. Maybe someday there will be a studying model of such a pirate town. I am comming from the Wilhelminic reenactment (the era around 1900) and there are tons of books, pictures and photographs, there are even still lots of buildings to find nowadays. But I was very unskilled in digging out pictures or drawings of such stuff from the Caribbean from around 171…
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700, -
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Hi there team Pyracy Pub, I've been stalking this forum for years, chiming in when I joined and only recently again. I am trying to wade through the multitude of 'facts' about Anne Bonny's life. I'd love to have a discussion on what can be true (in our opinions!) and what can't be - especially when it comes to dates! BORN: 8th March 1702? 1698? 1700? In Bullens Cove? Cork? ALIAS: Bonn? Fulforn? MARRIED JAMES BONNY: 1718 (which would make her either 16, 20 or 18)? MET RACKHAM: 1720 (Rackham arriving in 1719)? CAPTURED: ?? 1720: Governer Woodes Rodgers issues notice in Boston Gazette about Rackham and 12 others (incl. Mary and Anne) stealing a 12 ton sloop and en…
Last reply by Mission, -
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Hi I need help with info about The Pirate Republic in Nassau, the islands that were near the Pirate Republic that helped out as well like Harbor Island. Before anyone mentions it yes I have the book on the Republic of Pirates, BTW how much can a 21th century man screw up early 18th Century?. LW
Last reply by Mission, -
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Hi I was watching Black Sails a supported Pirate TV show unlike Crossbones, and it's a good show but I was wondering how did they speak back then in the early 18th Century?, the talk on the show is 21th Century a lot of salt in it. Example 81th Century swears, I don't believe that they were as complete as we know them today. Also we must count in Pigin that talk of those trying to get there point across do to the fact that Pirate crews were made up of different nations, and they didn't all speak them same words. LW
Last reply by William Brand, -
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Hi all, haven't posted in a while. I was wondering if any documented acts of piracy happened in the LI Sound during the GAOP? The only thing I seem to be able to find about the LI Sound is that Kidd may have sailed through there and somebody named Thomas Veal? He predates the GAOP though. LI Sound doesn't seem like it was an ideal place to go pirating anyway, with LI blocking an easy escape. But, I am from CT, so I was just wondering if there is any other info out there. As far as NYC, do we have names of any pirates that Gov. Benjamin Fletcher dealt with? Was NYC really a booming "pirate town" at the end of the 17th century or has that been exaggerated? Was it more so d…
Last reply by Red Sea Trade, -
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Wasn't there a good description of these in Pere Labat's memoirs? I couldn't find it in my research folders, I thought I had made a copy some time past but it is missing. Anyone remember the discussion thread on this? I tried the buccaneer project and period descriptions but not having any luck so far. (Maybe I just can't see?) Bo
Last reply by michaelsbagley, -
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References to Greek gods or other creatures of the Greek mythology often pops up when reading old texts from the period. Especially when it comes to the naming of ships (and perhaps French in particular?). One image that many here probably are familiar with is the cover to the Dutch General History of the Pirates, which Rediker makes an interesting comparison to the painting “La Liberté guidant le people”. But what is the painter’s message? And who are the gods? I guess we see one of the wind gods, perhaps Zephyrus. Justitia is pretty clear with the scale. Beside her one male god is almost strangled by the lady, perhaps Deimos for terror? To the left there is a creatur…
Last reply by RoyalJames, -
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In the republic of pirates Woodard states that: ”..Royal Navy rations gave each man a half pint of rum and a gallon of beer every day..” What about water? Did they drink water, or was the beer of such low alcohol strength that it served as the common drink aboard? In that case, how did they provide those quantities, were they able to brew beer along the way?
Last reply by Coastie04,