Some Question Discovery Of Blackbeard's Flagship Off N.C. Coast

WRAL.com ^ | 4/8/05 | Scott Mason

[wagglebee]

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Nine years ago, researchers believe they found Queen Anne's Revenge, Blackbeard the pirate's flagship. Now, some Archaeologists at East Carolina University are not so sure.

Researchers found a major shipwreck at Beaufort Inlet nearly a decade ago. They later located 23 cannons resting on the ocean floor. Archaeologists have recovered some of them, along with other 18th century artifacts, which they say all point to the famous vessel.

"I am, from my point of view, personally 1,000 percent sure it is Queen Anne's Revenge. I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever," researcher Phil Masters said.

[wagglebee]

GGG Ping

[supercat]

I visited the Blackbeard museum on Cape Hattaras a few years ago. Seems amazing that anybody would survive the close-quarters melee of a boarding raid. Someone like Teach (Blackbeard) would get to fire eight pistol shots during the course of a raid and that would be it, since there would be no time to reload. Just grab pistol, fire it, drop it, grab next one, fire, drop, etc. If you survive and win, you can pick up all the pistols afterward; if not, your pistols will be the least of your worries.

[1FASTGLOCK45]

AAAAAARGH MATEY!!!
Hehehe, Couldn't help myself.

[wagglebee]

LOL!

[Covenantor]

pistols->cutlasses->dirks->marlinspike->fists & teeth

Winner takes all

[supercat]

Winner takes all

I simply find it amazing that most of the "winners" wouldn't be mortally wounded.

[Covenantor]

Whose to say they weren't. Remember most of the crews of the target vessels were impressed and likely to join with the depleted pirate crew and sail as freemen under the old Jolly Roger. And some were forced to come along as non-share holders. No looty, no booty.

[Chewbacca]

What? North Carolina?

I thought everybody knew that Blackbeards ship sank near Tok, Alaska?

/s/

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Waggs.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[rdl6989]

Ye Pirate Keyboard.

[SunkenCiv]

This calls for some temporally appropriate music!
http://members.aol.com/kitchiegal/kmmusic4.html

[Constitution Day]

'Pirate' On Ballot For Student Body President At N.C. State

ARRR!!!

[SunkenCiv]

"...all puffy and devil-may-care..."

[1FASTGLOCK45]

Hey cool pirate k.b. Thanks for sharing! hehehe

[Alia]

NC *Ping*

Please FRmail Constitution Day OR TaxRelief if you want to be added to or removed from this North Carolina ping list.

[Ciexyz]

GGG bump.

[Little Ray]

Boarding actions always had very high levels of casualties (assuming your opponents weren't drunk out of their skulls, very common for pirates, or well "prepped" by grapeshot). Read an account of the Bonhomme Richard vs. the Serapis.

However, pirates seldom had to actually fight their way aboard. Most ships surrendered to the pirates when called up to do so. If they did not, the pirates would give them no quarter and kill everyone aboard. Since pirates might cram 120 men and a dozen cannon into a relatively small sloop and the average merchant crew ran about 15-25 men, resistance would be suicidal. (Machine guns have made things a lot more "equal" these days!)

The Queen Anne's Revenge was a fully rigged ship, and carried an armament more appropriate for a frigate and a large crew. The only thing that could survive a fight with it was a naval vessel... Fortunately, Blackbeard scuttled it.

[Ciexyz]

Most interesting.

[Ciexyz]

I'm pinging everyone who replied to this thread. What are your favorite pirate/buccaneer sites on the web? Sites on the 17th and 18th century pirates? I'd like to check 'em out. Thanks!