Queen Anne Pistol by John Harman, London

M ELEY · 29th June 2019, 08:18 AM

Jim, I think you have done an amazing job of noting the characteristics of Blackbeard as noted by his peers and other contemporary accounts. Your sheer amount of knowledge on the subject and keen interest is exceptional. The arguments you put forward are the same ones many scholars argue over to this day and I don't know if we will ever have a clear answer. it would seem from all accounts that Teach did indeed carry a brace of pistols. Why would't he? In an era where you only got one shot per pistol, it wasn't an uncommon practice. That the pistols were "Queen Anne" types is still a reasonable (but perhaps not provable, without more facts being presented over time) suggestion. Sea captains did take the screw-off barrel pistols to sea, often carrying them in their 'great pockets' as protection when going to shore. As you mention, it has been theorized that Blackbeard might very well have been a Jacobite and a 'fan' of Queen Anne, thus naming his ship (his choice, BTW) the Queen Anne's Revenge. So...if he liked the queen, named his ship after her, why not carry the pistol type also named in her honor? They were very popular and their screw barrels were supposedly an improvement or at least faster to load than other types of the era.

As far as your mention of possible Jacobite symbolism in his dress, who knows! I know you're read Kevin Duffus' fine treatise on the pirate and saw all of the varied theories, possibilities and hypothesis of everything from his real name, place of origin and why he did the things he did (spoilers- lighting his beard on fire to detract mosquitoes, real last name perhaps actually being 'Beard', possibly being of African heritage, etc). In any case, a fascinating character who lived right in Bath, NC not far from my home!!

Corrado, you are a very lucky man to possess such a fine armament!!
Mark

29th June 2019, 08:18 AM	#5
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,159	Jim, I think you have done an amazing job of noting the characteristics of Blackbeard as noted by his peers and other contemporary accounts. Your sheer amount of knowledge on the subject and keen interest is exceptional. The arguments you put forward are the same ones many scholars argue over to this day and I don't know if we will ever have a clear answer. it would seem from all accounts that Teach did indeed carry a brace of pistols. Why would't he? In an era where you only got one shot per pistol, it wasn't an uncommon practice. That the pistols were "Queen Anne" types is still a reasonable (but perhaps not provable, without more facts being presented over time) suggestion. Sea captains did take the screw-off barrel pistols to sea, often carrying them in their 'great pockets' as protection when going to shore. As you mention, it has been theorized that Blackbeard might very well have been a Jacobite and a 'fan' of Queen Anne, thus naming his ship (his choice, BTW) the Queen Anne's Revenge. So...if he liked the queen, named his ship after her, why not carry the pistol type also named in her honor? They were very popular and their screw barrels were supposedly an improvement or at least faster to load than other types of the era. As far as your mention of possible Jacobite symbolism in his dress, who knows! I know you're read Kevin Duffus' fine treatise on the pirate and saw all of the varied theories, possibilities and hypothesis of everything from his real name, place of origin and why he did the things he did (spoilers- lighting his beard on fire to detract mosquitoes, real last name perhaps actually being 'Beard', possibly being of African heritage, etc). In any case, a fascinating character who lived right in Bath, NC not far from my home!! Corrado, you are a very lucky man to possess such a fine armament!! Mark