Fact or Fiction?

Buccaneers and Pirates is a tale about pirates told by Frank R. Stockman. Where a lot of what he has written about is undoubtably true, other parts are questionable. The way he words a lot of his stories makes what he says seem factual even if it seems to be a bit more fantasy like or even dramatized, for lack of a better word. In the beginning alone, Stockman painted a picture of a cute baby boy born to a farmer in Wales. However, according to Data and Wales and even Under the Black flag, it is told to us that little was known about his parents, but he insists he was a gentleman's son and apparently came from 6 generations of Morgan's. Stockman also says he was determined to study piracy, but "The Way of Pirates" clearly states "a pirate way of life was not in his interest." A few more important details that border on the line of fact or fiction deals with the voyages themselves. The majority of what is told Stockman is confirmed in not only online sources, but also Under The Black Flag by David Cordingly. Even though the major details and timelines are indeed facts, Stockman has a way about telling stories that makes you wonder if everything said is truth or exaggerated for the purpose of capturing the attention of his audience. For instance, he tells the story about how the frenchmen did not like the englishmen so they refused to aid him. Therefore he tricked the frenchmen onto his ship and imprisoned them. Throughout the dinner, gunpowder caught fire and only a few survived the explosion (Stockman, pg. 150-152). My other sources do confirm the explosion, however the exact trick on the frenchmen and the reason for the cause of the gunpowder catching fire has not been confirmed through my research. It is hard to tell whether every little detail is truly what happened in Henry Morgan's life.


Sources Consulted:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Morgan

http://www.thewayofthepirates.com/famous-buccaneers/henry-morgan/

http://www.data-wales.co.uk/morgan.htm

Cordingly, David.  Under The Black Flag. New York: Random House Trades Paperbacks, 2006. Print.

Stockman, Frank. Buccaneers and Pirates. New York: Dover Publications, Inc, 2007. Print.