shoehead
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![]() Posted: Post subject: Off the coast of Ocracoke, 1705 |
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One morning, Blackbeard was on the bridge of the Queen Anne's Revenge, headed back to his hideout in Ocracoke. His hold loaded with pillaged treasure, he and his crew were looking forward to splitting up the loot, and drinking grog at the harbor tavern. Suddenly, a call came from the crow's nest--"Royal Navy on the horizon!" Blackbeard looked through his spyglass, and spotted two of His Majesty's frigates headed toward him. He said to his first mate, "Fetch me my red shirt!" The mate returns with the red shirt; Blackbeard puts it on and orders his crew to their battle stations. They engage the royal vessels, and promptly sink both of them. A round of cheers erupts from the crew. One of the newer pirates asks, "Why did you wear your red shirt, Captain?" Blackbeard responded, "So that when we engage in battle, if I get hit, the crew won't see my blood and lose their nerve to fight on!"
Later that afternoon, as they approached the island of Ocracoke, another alarm from the crow's nest--"Royal Navy on the horizon!" Blackbeard looked through his spyglass and sees twenty-five frigates, and five man-o-wars flying the Union Jack and the Royal Navy standard. He says to his first mate, "Fetch me my brown pants!"
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