The Ferocious Blackbeard
Benjamin Franklin, Colonial Williamsburg PressHistorians consider Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, to be the most ruthless pirate of all time. He gained this reputation in part because of his physical appearance, his treatment of women, his crew, and his captives, and his notoriously brutal death. First of all, Blackbeard's appearance was enough to frighten the bravest of men. His beard was grizzly and black in a time that most men did not have beards. His hair was long and braided into pigtails, some of which were swept behind his ears, while others were tied with brightly colored ribbons (Day 18). Captain Johnson, who sailed with Blackbeard, stated that, "Captain Teach assumed cognomen of Blackbeard, from that large quantity of hair, which, like a frightful meteor, covered his whole face and frightened America more than any comet that has appeared there along time" (Cordingly 13). Blackbeard's size greatly added to his frightful appearance. He stood six feet four
Finally, when the men were almost suffocated, he opened the hatches to allow fresh air to come in. Flintlock weapons were unreliable at sea, so if one misfired, the extra ones could end up saving his life (Cordingly 14). Sherry also stated that, "Many who knew him thought him insane. To the surprise and displeasure of his companions, he set the pots on fire. Blackbeard was very intimidating because of his size, especially in a time when few men stood even six feet tall (Feder 44). Flushed with drink, Blackbeard said, "Come let's make a hell of our own and see how long we can bear it. Blackbeard often scared his enemies solely from his appearance. One of the most infamous parties took place in October 1718, when Blackbeard and his crew met up with the pirate captain Charles Vane and his crew on Ocracoke Island and enjoyed a seven-day orgy with local whores (Sherry 134). Bonnet was immaculately dressed in his blue uniform when Blackbeard greeted him. It was a popular custom among his crew to have huge parties with drinking and sex with captive women and prostitutes. All of these stories and facts contribute to the fierceness and ruthlessness of Blackbeard. inches tall and weighed nearly two hundred-fifty pounds. Alexander Spotswood, the governor of Virginia, paid Lieutenant Maynard of the Royal Navy ship, the HMS Pearl, to hunt down Blackbeard and kill him. Legend has it that after Maynard tossed Blackbeard's headless corpse into the water, it swam around the ship several times as if searching for its head.
Common topics in this essay:
Captain Johnson,
Israel Hands,
Ocracoke Island,
Captain Teach,
Teach Blackbeard,
Royal Navy,
Bonnet Surely,
Legend Maynard,
Maynard Blackbeard,
Ferocious Blackbeard,
captain johnson,
blackbeard crew,
royal navy,
stood six feet,
blackbeard's appearance,
sherry 235,
slow burning,
treatment women,
captain teach,
man's finger,
blackbeard ruthless,
|
Acceptance Essays
