Tag: pirate
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The True Tale of Mitchell, the Zombie Pirate
When notorious Gulf Coast pirate William Mitchell came back from the dead in 1835, he looked like a zombie from Hell. One-eyed, the man was covered with horrible scars, evidence of many deep and dangerous wounds he had suffered in his life. The worst of these the grey-haired 56-year-old bore in the front of his…
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The Bizarre Case of the Wannabe Pirate
Methodist missionary Daniel F. De Putron sought more adventure in his life, so in late spring of 1841 he bought a small schooner in New Orleans, got a sidekick of an affable Irishman with the nickname of “Happy Jack,” and kept a skull and crossbones flag ready for the moment when he planned to partner…
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Paddy Scott: The Irish Pirate Who Plagued Mobile
Irish pirate Paddy Scott terrorized residents and visitors of the Mobile Bay area for some ten years over the 1820s and 1830s, earning himself national notoriety as that “vile pirate.” Oddly, no one now seems to know his story at all, and his legend lies dormant, buried with his bones. Only the old contemporary newspapers are…
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Frugal Use of Resources in Privateering: How Dominique You Got His Start
Letters of marque were granted by governments to successful privateers, because this was an economical way to engage in war without a heavy outlay — and without burdening the populace with either taxation or conscription. In privateering, the profit motive required that every expenditure on equipment should ultimately result in a return on investment that…