Mark your Calender for 2016’s and 2017’s Events
GREAT LAKES PIRATES
November2016
G L P
T LAKES A E R G
p IR ATES es
20 t.
15
Timber Gray Wolf
Editor Chief, Designer, photographer
Star~Dust
Editor, Motivator
Issue #17 Great Lake Pirates is published monthly freelying through ISSUU. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted into any form by any means without written consent from the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs will be returned only if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All letters sent to Great Lake Pirates will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication, copyright purposes and use are subject to Great Lake Pirates unrestricted right to edit and comment.
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Contents
04) Captain Henry Morgan 11) Berry me in the Sand 12) Pirate of the Month 16) 2016-2017 Events
18) Small but Mighty, The Gunboats 20) Clash of the Ages 24) Shanties
Captain Henry Morgan
Sir Henry Morgan was a Welsh privateer who fought for the English against the Spanish in the Caribbean throughout most of the 1660’s and 1670’s. He is remembered as the greatest of the privateers for; amassing huge fleets, attacking prominent targets, and being the worst enemy of the Spanish since Sir Francis Drake. Although he made many raids all along the Spanish Main, his three most famous exploits were; The sack of Portobello in 1668, The raid on Maracaibo in 1669, and The attack on Panama in 1671. In the end he was knighted by King Charles II of England and died
a rich man in in Jamaica as a governor. Morgan’s exact date of birth is unknown, but it is suggested to be around 1635 in Monmouth County, Wales. He had two uncles who had distinguished themselves in the English military, and Henry decided as a young man to follow in their footsteps. He was with General Venables and Admiral Penn in 1654 when they captured Jamaica from the Spanish. He soon took up the life of a privateer, launching attacks up and down the Spanish Main and Central America.
The Privateers of the Spanish Caribbean: Privateers were very much like pirates, but only legal. They were mercenaries who were allowed to attack enemy shipping and ports. In exchange, they would give share the prize loot with crown as a form of paying taxes, while they kept most of the loot for themselves. Morgan was one of many privateers who had a “license” to attack the Spanish, as long as England and Spain were at war (they fought off and on during most of Morgan’s life). In times of peace, the privateers either took to outright piracy or more respectable trades such as fishing or logging. The English colony on Jamaica, a foothold in the Caribbean, was weak, so it behooved the English to have a large privateer force ready for times of war. Henry Morgan excelled at privateering. His attacks were well-planned, he was a fearless leader, and he was very clever. By 1668 he was the leader of the Brethren of the Coast, a group of pirates, buccaneers, corsairs and privateers.
Attack on Portobello
The Raid on Maracaibo
In 1667, Morgan had been sent to sea to search for some Spanish prisoners to confirm rumors of an attack on Jamaica. His fame grown legendary, soon found that he had a force of at least 500 men in several ships. After capturing some prisoners on Cuba, he and his captains decided to attack the rich town of Portobello. In July of 1668 Morgan attacked, taking Portobello by surprise and quickly overrunning the meager defenses. Not only did they loot the town, but they essentially held it for ransom, demanding and receiving 100,000 pesos in exchange for not burning the city to the ground. He left after about a month: the sack of Portobello resulted in huge shares of loot for everyone involved and Morgan’s fame grew even greater.
By October of 1668 Morgan was restless and decided to head once again to the Spanish Main. He sent out word that he was organizing another expedition. He went to Isla Vaca and waited while hundreds of corsairs and buccaneers rallied to his side. On March 9, 1669 he and his men attacked the La Barra fort, the main defense of Lake Maracaibo, and took it easily. They entered the lake and sacked the towns of Maracaibo and Gibraltar, but they lingered too long and some Spanish warships trapped them by blocking off of the narrow entrance to the lake. Morgan cleverly sent a fireship against the Spanish, and of the three Spanish ships, one was sunk, one captured and one abandoned. After that, he tricked the commanders of the fort (which had been re-armed by the Spanish) to turn their guns inland and he sailed past them at night. It was Morgan at his most devious.
The Sack of Panama
Aftermath of Panama
By 1671, Morgan was ready for one last assault on the Spanish Main. Again he gathered an army of pirates and they decided on the rich city of Panama. With about 1,000 men, Morgan captured the San Lorenzo fort and began the march overland to Panama City in January of 1671. The Spanish defenders were in terror of Morgan and abandoned their defenses until the last moment. On January 28, 1671, the privateers and the defenders met in battle on the plains outside the city. It was an utter rout, and the city defenders were scattered in short order by the wellarmed invaders. Morgan and his men sacked the city and were gone before any help could arrive. Although it was a successful raid, much of Panama’s loot was shipped away before the pirates arrived, so it was the least profitable of his three major ventures.
Attacking Panama would not come with a cost for being Morgan’s last great raid. By then, he was very rich and influential in Jamaica and had a great deal of land. He retired from privateering, but the world did not forget him. Spain and England had signed a peace treaty before the Panama raid (whether or not Morgan knew of the treaty before he attacked is a matter of some debate) and Spain was furious. Sir Thomas Modyford, the Governor of Jamaica who had authorized Morgan to sail, was relieved of his post and sent to England, where he would eventually receive a slap on the wrist. Morgan had received the same when England as well. He spent a couple of years as a celebrity, dining in the fancy homes of Lords who were fans of his exploits. He was even asked his opinion on how to improve Jamaica’s defenses. Not only was he never punished, but he was knighted and sent back to Jamaica as Lieutenant Governor.
The Passing of the Morgan Morgan returned to Jamaica, where he spent his days drinking with his men, running his estates and fondly telling war stories. He helped organize and improve the defenses of Jamaica and administered the colony while the governor was absent, but he never again went to sea and eventually his bad habits caught up with him. He died on August 25, 1688 and was given a royal send-off. His resting place is at the King’s House in Port Royal, ships anchored in the harbor fired their guns in salute and his body was taken through town on a gun carriage to St. Peters church, which he had helped fund.
Sources: • •
Cordingly, David. Under the Black Flag New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 1996 Earle, Peter. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1981.
Timber Gray Wolf
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This month’s contest had a wide cast of pirates that entered. If you would want to get in on December’s Pirate of the month, Follow and Like us at
• 1 oz. Orange Juice • 1/2 oz. Triple Sec • Ice • 1 oz. Vodka (Red Tassel Triple Berry) Pour ingredients over ice in a small highball glass, and serve.
Q
How long have you been into the pirate life and what made you want to be a pirate?
I have been a pirate for about 2 years now. I started as a pirate when my eager captain decided to make a crew and recruited me and my then girlfriend.
Q
Does your pirate prosoma have a back story?
Bowmen upon the Silver Moon Interviewed by: Timber Gray Wolf
Yes, he is a French merchant who turned pirate when his ship and crew was sunk by the Spanish navy. He attacked back and was eventually captured. The night before the execution, he was freed in a jailbreak by another pirate, and to repay the debt of freedom and friendship, has pledged himself to his crew.
Q
Outside of going to events, are there days that you just Garb up and go out on the town. If so what type of place do you happen to go and do?
Not really, sorry to say but working second shift does not go well with walking down streets crowded with people
Q
What is some the inspiration behind your garb?
The inspiration is really just piecework, I make or buy items one at a time to see how they mesh together. Very little rhyme or reason besides cohesion and comfort.
Q
What do you like the most about going to the events and what is one of your favorite so far?
I most like the sense of family. Most people say that, but these events are small enough that most of the people from vendors to weekend hobbyists are known to some degree by others. My favorite event to date would have to be Frankenfest; it was my first event as a pirate, and every year I look forward to returning to see how far I have come from previous years.
Q
Is there anything you would like to share with our readers?
That this hobby takes time, but the time spent is well worth it. Not only do you get the garb, you learn skills such as sewing, leatherwork, and knot-tying to name a few. Also the friendships and contacts you make at the events can be useful in day to day life. So if you are the fence about joining a crew, or starting your own, just remember it is an investment. But with some dedication, this investment is sure to pay off.
Q
From the great list of out there, what is one of your favorite pirate movies or books?
It’s not solely pirates and it isn’t historic or from earth at all, but I really enjoy R.A. Salvatore’s take on pirates in the Legend of Drizzt series. He is an action packed writer and even though the pirates are vilified, these pirates are not two dimensional characters. For a fantasy writer, his rendition of pirates seems all too real, and somewhat familiar to the feelings I get when I go to these events.
Pirate Directory is a Web Site Log of and For Pirates! Pirate vendors, Pirate Festivals and Events, Pirate Art and Pirate Talent. If you are a Pirate at heart, wear garb at any event, offer merchandise to supply and help pirates sail the seven seas, or make beautiful art and crafts in the pirate way.... Then you will want to be listed in the Pirate Directory!
Mark your Calendar, and get ready for the Event season to kick off for 2016. As the year goes on, we shall add more events and update any dates that may change.
2016 November
5th A Victorian Salon
• 8 PM - 12 AM • Holiday Inn Detroit Livonia Conference Center, 17123 N Laurel Park Dr, Livonia, Michigan 48152
19th- Mid-Michigan Renaissance Festival Presents The Autumn Gala • 1630 West Mill Street, Birch Run, Michigan 48415
19th - Van Helsteam’s Monster Hunter Bash 2 • Kelly’s Downtown, Lansing, Michigan 48933 (@ 8PM)
Early 2017 January
5th - Renaissance Masqued Dinner and Ball
• Saturday, January 7, 2017 at 3 PM - 12 AM • Sullivan’s Black Forest - 281 Heinlein, Frankenmuth, Michigan 48734
27th~29th - Clash of Ages Renaissance Faire
• Birch Run Expo - 11600 N. Beyer Rd., Birch Run, Michigan 48734
Feburary
3rd~5th - Mid Winter Pleasure Faire
• Gibraltar Trade Center - 237 N River Rd, Mount Clemens, Michigan 48043
18th - Shiver Me Timbers
• Woodshire Place Banquet Facility • 6520 W Grand River Rd, Fowlerville, Michigan 48836
During the pirating age, nothing is more iconic than the ships. What screams pirate more than a large ship with several cannons and a black flag flying proud? Well, there were several vastly different ships in use at the time in terms of size, firepower, sails, and maneuverability. For this issue, we will focus on the smallest of the boats in service, the gunboat. Gunboats were designed with speed in mind. They were small, being a single-masted ship that could use oars as well. This makes the gunboat the quickest and most maneuverable of the ships in service. Though they were standard members of fleets, more could be built quickly if a battle plan called for it. Sometimes these ships were built just days before the scene of battle.
With being so quick to assemble, firepower was not in the design. Gunboats, contrary to their name, usually only had one or two large guns mounted on them. These guns were larger than what was usually found on larger ships. Since they were small, they could sail into shallower and more restricted waters than bigger ships could reach. They were used for sea to land strikes. There were some variations of gunboats. The more common variant were equipped with several swivel guns instead of the larger cannons. This version used swarm tactics to outnumber and overwhelm larger ships. One on one a gunboat would be decimated by a larger ship like a frigate. However when
masts, left virtually no room for a crew! Alterations to the design changed the two masts to one, saving space for the cannons and crew. Changing out the larger 24 pound guns for 18 pounders also saved space and made up for the speed lost by losing a mast.
several gunboats attack one ship, the large ship would take extensive damage before sinking any of the small boats. A lesser known version did not have guns at all. These boats would be manned by one person, whose only job was to row the flaming (as in on fire) boat into an enemy ship.As simple as the gunboat was it had a few hiccups in early development. Early gunboat design had two masts, each with a marked rake with the foremast tipping forward and the main mast tipping back. This allowed for a large single sail to maximize wind propulsion. This design didn’t last because the sailors disagreed with the look, comparing it to “laundry on a line”. Original designs also called for two twenty-fourpound guns facing forward. This, coupled with the double
For being such a small and unassuming vessel, the gunboat was not a welcome sight to ships or forts alike. At best they were an annoyance and at worst they were a devastating first wave of an assault. From their small size, high speeds, and quick maneuvering to their heavy firepower and swarm tactics, these little vessels had large repercussion to enemies on land and sea.
Anies W’nstorm & Dueien D’mont
HEAR YE...HEAR YE…As order of the Honorable Queen, your presence is demanded at the 2017 CLASH OF AGES RENAISSANCE FAIRE. She is calling all Renaissance, Vikings, Pirates, and those from the Steam Punk culture to assemble at the Birch Run Expo Center on January 27th, 28th, & 29th!!! Activities and attractions will include multiple entertainment stages, a unique marketplace, live steel competition, roaming street performers, games to bring out the kid in everyone, lunch and dinner with the queen, daily competitive competitions between the cultures, a pub crawl, and an opportunity
to feast on your favorite foods and spirits…Did I mention that we have spirits!!! If you have questions about tickets, vending, or entertaining, please direct all messages through our Facebook page at www. FACEBOOK.COM/ClashofAges or call 219-575-2690. Don’t miss out on this weekend of FUN, FROLIC, FEAST, and FIGHTING FESTIVAL…And if you don’t show up you will be tried for treason and beheaded by order of the Honorable Queen AND THE OTHER OVERLORDS FROM THEIR CLANS…They are tough!!!
(Minor Sponsor) $100 • Logo on the Schedule of activities
Minor Activity Sponsor) $250 (Queen Tea & Pub Crawl) • Banner Display in the sponsor event area • Logo on the schedule of activities • 2 General Admission tickets to the event
(Stage/Activity Sponsor) $500 (Performance Stage, Queens Ball, Clan Competition, Ticket with offer) • Logo on all printed advertising material • Stage or event named after the sponsor • Logo on the schedule of activities • 5 General Admission tickets to the event
Kings Sponsor
$5000 (Main Sponsor) • Sponsorship displayed on I-75 and Birch Run Road Sign • Logo Displayed in all television commercial • Mentioned in all radio advertising • Banner display in the foyer • Logo on all printed advertising material • Stage or event named after the sponsor • Logo on the schedule of activities • 10 VIP tickets to the event Email Jennifer Kuhl at jennifer@birchrunexpos.com if you are interested or want more inforation
Shanties Upon the Silver Moon The Drunken Scotsmen Well a Scotsman clad in kilt left a bar one evening fair And one could tell by how he walked that he’d drunk more than his share He fumbled round until he could no longer keep his feet Then he stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street Ring ding diddle iddle I de oh ring di diddly I oh He stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street About that time two young and lovely girls just happened by And one says to the other with a twinkle in her eye See yon sleeping Scotsman so strong and handsome built I wonder if it’s true what they don’t wear beneath the kilt Ring ding diddle iddle I de oh ring di diddly I oh I wonder if it’s true what they don’t wear beneath the kilt They crept up on that sleeping Scotsman quiet as could be Lifted up his kilt about an inch so they could see And there behold, for them to view, beneath his Scottish skirt Was nothing more than God had graced him with upon his birth Ring ding diddle iddle I de oh ring di diddly I oh Was nothing more than God had graced him with upon his birth They marveled for a moment, then one said we must be gone Let’s leave a present for our friend, before we move along As a gift they left a blue silk ribbon, tied into a bow Around the bonnie star, the Scot’s kilt did lift and show Ring ding diddle iddle I de oh ring di diddly I oh Around the bonnie star, the Scots kilt did lift and show Now the Scotsman woke to nature’s call and stumbled toward the trees Behind a bush, he lifts his kilt and gawks at what he sees And in a startled voice he says to what’s before his eyes. O lad I don’t know where you been but I see you won first prize Ring ding diddle iddle I de oh ring di diddly I oh O lad I don’t know where you been but I see you won first prize