by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XIV
AN EASY VICTORY
The shot from the Dornoch, which had evidently been intended to hitthe Chateaugay, sufficiently indicated the purpose of her commander.On board of either steamer there could be no doubt in regard to thecharacter of the other. Captain Chantor gave the order to beat toquarters, and in a few moments every officer and seaman was at hisstation.
Christy Passford went to his stateroom, buckled on his sword belt, andprepared his revolvers for use; for though he held no position on boardof the Chateaugay, he did not intend to remain idle during the action,and was ready to serve as a volunteer. Mr. Gilfleur came to the opendoor of his room, and seemed to be somewhat astonished to observe hispreparations.
"You appear to be ready for duty, Mr. Passford, though you are notattached to this ship," said he.
"I have no position on board of the Chateaugay; but it would be quiteimpossible for me to remain inactive while my country needs my services,even as a supernumerary," replied Christy.
"But what am I to do?" asked the detective, with a puzzled expression onhis face.
"Nothing at all, Mr. Gilfleur; I regard you as a non-combatant, and Ithink you had better remain in your stateroom," replied Christy. "But Imust go on deck."
The Frenchman followed him to the quarter-deck, and seemed to beinclined to take a hand in the conflict. He desired to be an Americancitizen, and possibly he believed he could win his title to thisdistinction in a battle better than by any other means. But he had nonaval training, could be of no service at the guns, and was more likelyto be in the way of others than to accomplish anything of value. It wasa needless risk, and the captain suggested that his life was toovaluable to his adopted country for him to expose himself before hismission had been accomplished. He stepped aside, but he was not willingto go below.
"I desire to offer my services as a volunteer, Captain Chanter," saidChristy, saluting the commander. "If you will assign me to any positionon deck, though it be nothing more than a station at one of the guns,I will endeavor to do my duty."
"I have no doubt you would do your whole duty, Mr. Passford," repliedthe captain, taking him by the hand. "You can be of more service to meas an adviser than as a hand at a gun. It is plain enough that thecommander of the Dornoch intends to fight as long as there is anythingleft of him or his ship. Your report of him gives me that assurance."
"I suppose by this time, Captain Chantor, you have arranged your planfor the action," added Christy, looking curiously into the face of thecommander, though he had resolved to give no advice and to make nosuggestions unless directly requested to do so.
"I suppose the only way is to pound the enemy till he has had enough ofit, using such strategy as the occasion may require. According to yourreport we outweigh her in metal, and we have proved that we can outdoher in speed," replied Captain Chantor.
"But the Dornoch will have the privilege of pounding the Chateaugay atthe same time," said Christy in a very low tone, so that no one couldhear him.
"That is very true; of course we must expect to take as good as wesend."
"But then what use shall you make of your advantage in speed and weightof metal?" asked the passenger very quietly. "We both believe that thereis humanity in war as well as in peace."
At that moment a shot passed under the counter of the ship, and burieditself in the water a cable's length beyond her.
"That is good practice, Captain Chantor," said Christy. "That shot wasaimed at your rudder; and I have no doubt Captain Rombold is seeking tocripple you by shooting it away."
"I believe in humanity in war; but I do not see where it comes in justnow, except in a very general way," replied the captain.
"If the Dornoch cripples you, and then takes her own time to knock theChateaugay to pieces, it will amount to the sacrifice of many lives,"suggested the unattached officer.
"I should be very glad to have your opinion, Mr. Passford," added thecommander.
"I certainly do not desire to thrust my opinion upon you, CaptainChantor; but as you have asked for it, I will express myself freely."
"Thank you, Mr. Passford."
"I should adopt the tactics of Commodore Dupont at Port Royal."
"In other words, you would keep sailing around the Dornoch."
"Precisely so. I would not give him a shot till I was out of the reachof his broadside guns."
"And then pound her with the midship gun. That is my idea exactly.Quartermaster, strike one bell."
"One bell, sir."
"Strike four bells, quartermaster," added the captain.
"Four bells, sir."
The Chateaugay was soon going ahead at her best speed, headed directlyaway from the Dornoch, and it would have looked to an observer as thoughshe was running away from her. At any rate, the enemy made thisinterpretation of her movement, and immediately gave chase, opening fireupon the ship with her bow guns. Presently she fired her heavy midshipgun, the shot from which would have made havoc if it had hit the mark.It was soon evident that the enemy's speed had been overrated, for theChateaugay gained rapidly upon her. A shot from her heavy gun knockedoff the upper works on one side of the Eleuthera, but did no otherdamage.
At the end of two hours even the heavy gun of the enemy could not carryits shot to the chase. It would have been easy enough to run away fromthe Dornoch; but this was by no means the intention of Captain Chantor.He was very cool and self-possessed, and he did not ask his passengerfor any further suggestions. He understood his business thoroughly,though he had at first been disposed to make shorter work of the actionthan he had now adopted. As soon as he had obtained his distance, hegave the order to bring the ship about. Thus far he had not fired a gun,and the enemy had apparently had it all his own way.
The midship was in readiness to initiate the work of the Chateaugay. Atthe proper moment, the gunner himself sighted the piece, the lock stringwas operated, and the hull of the ship shook under the discharge.Christy had a spy-glass to his eye, levelled at the Dornoch. She hadjust begun to change her course to conform to that of the Chateaugay,and the observer on the quarter-deck discovered the splinters flyingabout her forecastle. The shot appeared to have struck at the heel ofthe bowsprit.
"That was well done, Captain Chantor," said Christy.
"Excellently well done; but Mr. Turreton will improve when he gets hisrange a little better," replied the captain.
At this moment the report of the Dornoch's great gun was heard again;but the shot fell considerably short of the Chateaugay. At the same timeshe was crowding on all the steam she could make, and Captain Chantorwas manoeuvring his ship so as to maintain his distance. The midshipgun was kept as busy as possible, and Mr. Turreton improved his practicevery materially. Fought in this manner, the action was not veryexciting. The ship followed her circular course, varying it only tomaintain the distance. For several hours the unequal battle continued.The mainmast of the Dornoch had been shot away, and Christy, with hisglass, saw several of the huge shots crash into her bow.
It was evident, after pounding her a good part of the day, that theenemy could not stand much more of this punishment. At eight bells inthe afternoon watch she hauled down her flag. Christy had done nothingbut watch the Dornoch, and report to Captain Chantor. As her flag camedown, he discovered that her condition, after the last shot, wasbecoming desperate.
"She has settled considerably in the water, Captain Chantor, and that isevidently the reason why she hauled down her flag," said Christy, justas the ship's company were cheering at the disappearance of theConfederate flag from the peak of the enemy.
"I was confident she could not endure much more such hulling as Mr.Turreton has been bestowing upon her," replied the commander, after hehad given the order to make the course directly towards the Dornoch.
Christy continued to watch the enemy's vessel. The ship's company wereemployed in stretching a sail over the bow, evidently for the purpose ofstopping in whole or partially a dangerous leak in that part of thevessel; and s
he seemed to be in immediate peril of going to the bottom.They were also getting their boats ready, and the situation must havebeen critical. In a short time the Chateaugay was within hailingdistance of her prize.
"Dornoch, ahoy!" shouted Captain Chantor, mounted on the port rail. "Doyou surrender?"
"I do," replied Captain Rombold; for Christy recognized his voice. "Ourship is sinking!"
By this time the havoc made by the big gun of the Chateaugay could beseen and estimated. The bow of the steamer had been nearly all shotaway. Her bowsprit and her mainmast had gone by the board. Her bulwarkswere stove in, and most of her boats appeared to have been knocked topieces. In spite of the efforts to keep her afloat, it was plain thatshe was sinking; and Christy could see her settling in the water. Theboats of the victor were promptly lowered, and crews sent away in themto the relief of the imperilled enemy. There were not more than sixtymen on board of her, including the officers; and they were soontransferred to the deck of the Chateaugay.
Christy watched the boats with the most intense interest as they camealongside the ship; for he knew that his Uncle Homer was on board of theDornoch, if the plans arranged at the hotel had been fully carried out.Captain Rombold came in the last boat, and Colonel Passford was withhim. His nephew did not care to meet him just then. The Confederatecommissioner came on deck; and Christy looked at him with interest frombehind the mizzenmast. His expression testified to his grief and sorrowat the early failure of his mission. The young lieutenant could pity theman, while he rejoiced at his ill success in building up the navy of theConfederacy.
His attention was drawn off from his uncle by the sudden sinking of theDornoch; and the vortex that followed her disappearance extended to theChateaugay. Most of the officers and seamen had brought off the whole ora part of their clothing and other articles.
When Captain Rombold came on deck, Captain Chantor politely saluted him,and returned the sword he surrendered to him. Colonel Passford keptclose to him; and Christy thought he looked dazed and vacant.
"While I must rejoice in my own good fortune, Captain Rombold, I cansympathize personally with a brave commander who has lost his ship,"said Captain Chantor, taking the hand of the late commander of theDornoch.
"I thank you for your consideration, Captain. I am sorry to have been soeasy a victim to your strategy; and I can reciprocate by congratulatingyou on your victory, though your better guns enabled you to knock myship to pieces at your leisure," replied Captain Rombold.
He then introduced Colonel Passford, and both of them were invited tothe captain's cabin. The wounded were turned over to the surgeon, andthe crew were sent below. It was clearly impossible for the ship tocontinue on her voyage with such an addition to her numbers; and theChateaugay was at once headed back to New York.