The first days were put to sail and gunnery drill, the crew doing well with these activities. Then, sailing down the French coast, on a following wind, the winds and seas began to increase. Soon, the helmsmen had to take care lest the ship be pooped by a wave coming up her stern.
Mullins had not expected to be put in a position to gather prizes, since Centaur, while very seaworthy, was not the swiftest two-decker in the fleet. The morning after the worst part of the gale struck, Centaur was flying along under close-reefed tops’ls. When a line of rain showers ahead, briefly cleared, a small convoy was sighted ahead riding out the storm. Only two craft could be seen clearly for even a minute. Brief glimpses were seen of some other coastal type craft, but they soon scattered. A brig of about 10 guns seemed to be the escort, while a small tartane with its lateen rig seemed out of place in this Atlantic storm.
The tartane immediately began scudding before the wind in her effort to escape. Mullins thought he could easily run her down, since whenever she dropped into a trough, most of her sail area was becalmed by the tall waves. Of course, Centaur with her taller masts could keep the wind much better and could maintain her speed.
The brig, who probably had not had a clear view of Centaur, at first seemed inclined to investigate more closely, but then she too began running. With the pair separating, Centaur concentrated on the brig, since it appeared to be the more profitable prize. The brig had shaken out some reefs in her tops’ls, but soon the main tops’l blew out and the brig did not bother to set another, since Centaur was overtaking her, hand over fist.
Centaur came alongside on her weather beam to make a lee for the boarding party. Mister Murphy, the third officer went over with his party and took command. With some effort, his people were able to replace the torn canvas and the brig hove to, to ride oaut the remainder of the gale. Centaur continued on, to hopefully locate the tartane, but she was never seen again. Mister Murphy took the brig into Gibraltar where Centaur entered several weeks later. Besides her letter of marque, the brig carried some little four-pounder guns, which she had never bothered to clear away. The brig was laden with leather goods, mainly shoes and saddlery which were purchased at auction for issue to the embattled Spanish fighters.
Chapter Three
Centaur met the rest of her squadron members in Gibraltar. HMS Mars, Captain Granger, and HMS Bulwark, Captain Fitzroy, were both 74-gun line-of-battleships, commanded by officers of reputation. As the junior ship, Centaur moored in the designated spot and Mullins went aboard Mars, after his invitation. Captain Fitzroy joined them later and together, the pair of senior officers briefed Captain Mullins on the situation, as it applied to them.
Captain Granger, as senior officer, was the chief spokesman. His first question, after welcoming Mullins to the squadron, was to inquire about Captain Hodges, Centaur’s former commander.
Mullins replied, “Sir, little do I know about his condition. I was called from a party my wife was giving and summoned to the Admiralty. There I learned of Captain Hodges’s accident and was ordered to assume command of Centaur and take her to sea. I was told his horse declined to take a fence on a fox hunt and the captain had a bad fall, suffering some broken bones. I was told my commission aboard Centaur would likely last only a few months, so I think he is expected to mend promptly.
Granger nodded and said, “I am sure you will be able to hold up your end and be a credit to our little squadron. Now, what is the condition of your ship and crew?”
“Sir, I have a pretty complete crew, with most of them rated able. The ship was replenished in Plymouth while they waited for me to come down from London. I believe we are ready to do our duty.”
“Very well, Captain Mullins. This squadron has been tasked to proceed to the town of Rosas and its Trinity Castle. This area is threatened by a French corps under the command of Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr. Once in the vicinity, we will investigate the situation at that time, and I will determine the means we will undertake to defend the town and castle.”
“We will not be the only defenders. The Spaniards have a strong garrison of about 3500 militia with a small unit of regular soldiers. In addition, Captain Hollowell has some warships to assist with their gunnery and it is believed that Captain Cochrane of the Imperieuse frigate will also take part in the defense.”
While Centaur was ready to sail, it soon developed that Mars and Bulwark were not, both ships having been at sea much longer than Centaur. Both had to wait until the next convoy arrived so they could receive critical stores. Mullins offered to take his ship to Rosas immediately and begin the assistance, but Captain Granger thought it better for all the ships to appear on the scene together.
The trio remained in Gibraltar’s harbor for another week until the ships were replenished. The seamen on Centaur were becoming restive at their enforced idleness. Mullins would not allow liberty parties to go ashore. He knew well that many men would fail to return, or come back injured or infected. Bumboats were plentiful, and their crews strove to keep the warships’ crews supplied with wine and were rather successful, despite the efforts of his officers. To insure proper respect for those same officers, he had ordered them to carry sidearm when on duty.
His officers did their best to find tasks for the people to keep them busy. On the whole, Mullins was feeling positive about their stay in harbor and felt when it was time to sail, the fleet would be able to do its job.
As he was pondering the situation, his ears alerted him to a disturbance below deck. The muffled voices of several persons could be heard haranguing each other. The most strident voice was female, and when the parties involved erupted on deck, it was seen that woman was Mrs. Nelson.
The crew of Mars, moored alongside, were manning the side, clearly interested in the dispute. Captain Mullins indignantly ordered the master at arms to quiet the people down and to bring the offenders before him.
As the petty officer approached the unruly group, a young man stepped out from his place behind the others. Mullins saw this was their fourth lieutenant, Mister Laurence, an officer who had just gained his commission shortly before sailing. He had had little occasion to interact with the young officer, save for having him for lunch several times. Mister Laurence was a pleasant enough fellow, but had little to say in social occasions.
Mullins was not sure just how he was concerned with this disturbance, perhaps he was merely attempting to control the situation.
As he observed, he saw an animated Mrs. Nelson deliver some indiscernible words to Lawrence, then the officer pulled a pistol from his sash and struck the woman’s head with the heavy weapon.
The master of arms, already at the scene, reacted swiftly and wrapped his arms around the fourth officer, while Mister Larson, the third officer, who had just appeared on scene, attended to the unconscious woman.
Moments later, Lieutenant Brewer, their Marine lieutenant, marched Mister Laurence back to the quarterdeck. Mister Larson accompanied, followed by a party of seamen shepherded by the master at arms.
Laurence had nothing to say, despite being ordered to explain and Mrs. Nelson was in the hands of the surgeon. However, some of the seamen had heard the argument and this was recounted to Mullins. It seemed that Mrs. Nelson and Lieutenant Lawrence had been having a very close relationship with each other. When Lawrence learned Mrs. Nelson’s husband was planning to retire, he found he would no longer be able to see Mrs. Nelson. Lawrence offered to resign his Royal Navy commission here in Gibraltar and suggested the pair go ashore together and begin a new life.
Mrs. Nelson indignantly refused, telling him she was not about to leave a secure life as spouse of a retired warrant gunner to live with an impoverished youth in a place like Gibraltar. At that moment, Laurence had pulled out his weapon and struck her.
Lawrence was pulled ashore in the launch and secured in a small room guarded by garrison soldiers. Sometime that night, an unknown person passed a weapon through the bars in his cell and the young naval officer blew out his own brains. A ra
ucous party was in progress in the guard room and the shot went unnoticed. It was not until the next morning that the body was discovered.
Mrs. Nelson, her skull fractured and her wits seriously affected, was sent ashore to go under the care of the garrison surgeon. Mister Nelson, unable to comprehend the events that had just taken place, followed her ashore. His shipmates doubted he would ever be able to go back to sea again.
It was soon decided that a court of inquiry must be held. The need being urgent, Mars and Bulwark were detached and sent on their way to see what could be done at Rosas. Centaur swung around her anchor for days, while various officials interviewed anyone that might have anything to say about the cause of the matter.
At length, it was determined that Mrs. Nelson had been having frequent trysts with various members of the crew, including Mister Laurence. It was hinted by several that their former captain, Hodges had been one of her admirers, also. Since Hodges was not in the ship when the incident occurred, no official mention was made of this, but Mullins heard from another senior captain in the harbor that Hodges would not likely be returning.
By the same token, there could be some doubt whether Mullins himself might remain in command of Centaur for any lengthy period. After all, he had been in command of what one ranking officer termed a ‘one woman bordello’ for several weeks without taking any action. Finally, he was ordered to report to the acting governor. There, he also met the garrison commander and two other Royal Navy post captains.
Nothing was said to Mullins about the recent events, but he quickly understood that he and his ship were regarded as undependable tools for the coming mission. The acting governor related the fortress at Rosas was reportedly nearly ready to fall to the besieging enemy forces.
Never having visited the port of Rosas, Mullins decided to keep his silence until he knew more about the situation. The garrison commander offered to send troops in case they might be needed to assist the evacuation of the people presently manning the defenses.
By necessity, Mullins would have to transport the bulk of those troops in Centaur, since the other post captains present commanded smaller frigates. He took back to the ship a captain of foot, who would command those troops being taken with the rescue force.
By morning, the troops were aboard and the fleet sailed. It was a long trip up the eastern coast of Spain, almost to the French border. Mullins desperately wished he had captains under him whom he could trust, but sadly, this this was not to be. Both frigate captains rebuffed any attempt to maintain cordial relation. Each captain was junior to Mullins but not significantly so. Off Rosas, they found most of the British troops ashore had been rescued, but many of the Spanish troops had either fallen or gone into captivity. Rosas had fallen and enemy troops were in command of the remains of the fortifications. Enemy field guns made their presence known, with accurately aimed fire at the British warships.
Centaur and the pair of frigates remained off-shore that evening, sending broadsides into the shattered remains of the fortress. Late that night, a small boat hooked onto their beam and a Spanish major of miquelets came aboard.
Mullins invited the militia officer to his cabin and the events of the conquest were discussed. Major Ramos reported his men, all local farmers and tradesmen, had mostly died at their posts while covering the escape of the British troops.
Ramos reported he had ordered some of his men, unable to reach the rescue ships, to escape and evade to a small fishing harbor a dozen miles down the coast. He begged Mullins to sail there and rescue any of his men that had survived the risky trip.
Meeting with the captains of the frigates, Mullins learned that both men believed that it was he who was to blame for the delayed rescue, one of whom, Captain Godfrey, of the Artemis frigate, assured him he intended to file charges upon reaching Gibraltar. This officer, certain Mullins was about to be stripped of his commission for his part in the events, felt it unnecessary to obey orders from his nominal superior. Neither man was willing to continue on to rescue the remaining Spaniards, regarding this battle as being lost.
Thinking they were probably correct about the uselessness of the rescue attempt, he decided the only thing he had to lose was his career, and that seemed to be rather worthless now. Using the very last remnants of his authority, he ordered the few survivors who had reached Centaur to transfer to the frigates, then set sail alone to the tiny port of Santiago. He considered giving each of the frigate captains written orders to accompany him, but he doubted either would give him respectful obedience. He had no reason to hope for any positive outcome over this action. Godfrey was of the same substantive rank as himself, and was only a few months’ junior to him in date of rank. Mullins knew Godfrey had an excellent chance to have him dismissed from the service upon return to Britain. This dismissal would allow those captains junior to Mullins to advance up the captain’s list.
The only possibility for this mission to come out well, as Mullins saw it, was for it be to seen by his superiors in Gibraltar, as an unqualified success. Mullins realized he had no idea of how to make that work.
The pair of frigates had dropped below the horizon before Centaur reached her destination. The little port appeared to be much fought over and in poor condition, but there was a Bourbon banner flying from a masonry gun tower on a headland jutting out from land. Sending her own colors aloft, Centaur gingerly entered the little bay, preceded by the longboat with a leadsman calling out the depths.
A flurry of activity resulted on shore, and a small boat began pulling toward them. While awaiting the visitors, Mullins sent for Captain Drew, his captain of foot passenger, his first officer and Major Ramos, the Spanish militia officer. They reported to the quarterdeck almost immediately, and were available when the boat came alongside.
Major Ramos spoke excellent English and offered his services as interpreter. Mullins had intended to immediately begin the evacuation of the Spanish troops ashore, but the officer boarding from the boat had another idea. Upon learning of the presence of a number of British troops aboard, he suggested these men be sent ashore to strengthen the garrison there and await the initial enemy advance.
Mullins was initially troubled by the bold suggestion, but discussions with both Drew as well as Major Ramos caused him to change his mind. As his own Marine officer reminded him, the ship was in a secure anchorage in a safe harbor. While their own troops controlled the batteries ashore, there was little the enemy could do to harm them.
Of course, when they decided to remove these British pests, the enemy would doubtless send a column marching down the coast road toward their little outpost. But, what would they do upon reaching Santiago?
HMS Centaur could take this enemy column under fire from her batteries when it came into range. In addition, the gun tower on the point was reported to have a pair of eighteen-pounder long guns that could place effective fire on an approaching enemy. To take the town, the enemy must first reduce the gun tower, while facing the fire of the ship offshore. Given time and enough men, the enemy guns could be pushed forward using proper siege methods to drive the ship away, but in the meantime, Santiago would remain Spanish.
The seasick British soldiers, were glad to leave the ship after the long voyage to reach this place. In addition to the Army redcoats, Mullins also sent ashore his own Marines. The enemy gave his people a full two days to recover from their voyage before making their appearance.
The launch and cutter had been armed with boat carronades and sent cruising, under sail, along the coast, to give early warning of French troops approaching.
The first sighting was made at mid-morning on the third day. The launch ran the signal, ‘Enemy in sight’ up her mast, and soon the column was seen from the deck of the liner. The first portion of the column consisted of a few hundred foot troops, then came a battery of horse-drawn guns, probably four-pounders. Behind these were more foot troops, followed by supply wagons, and a final rear guard.
The enemy was soon in easy range of the guns i
n both ship and boats, but the enemy guns posed a special threat to the boats. Accordingly, flag signals were sent to the boats to engage the enemy guns first.
The first boat carronade barked, sending its charge of grape toward the approaching gun section. This first shot missed, as did the second, but the third and succeeding shots did not. The hurtling hatfuls of deadly little iron balls did fearsome execution to the gun crews as well as any infantry troops finding themselves in the path of the missiles.
The marching troops halted and formed line, sending volleys of musket balls toward the intrusive boats. These boats were well out of effective musket range though and none of the boat crewmen were struck. When all four guns of the battery were left beside the road with their dead crews and draft animals, the boats shifted fire to the foot troops.
Closer now, it was the turn of the ships’ guns to open on the marching troops, using first round-shot at longer ranges, then shifting to grape when the range closed. The grape was especially effective, often knocking swathes of soldiers from their feet. Soon the enemy formations were broken and scattered and it was the time for the remaining Spanish troops and their British allies to take control of the field. The fleeing enemy tried running to the brush-covered slopes along the road, but Spanish villagers awaited them with their knives. Since many of the enemy had abandoned their heavy muskets during their flight, they were helpless.
When the few remaining enemy had been neutralized, villagers came up with yokes of oxen to drag away the captured spoils strewn upon the road. Two of the captured guns were mostly intact and these were drawn off to a site that would command the enemy’s approach to the town. Wheels had been broken on the other pair, but replacements were found among the shattered supply train and soon mounted. One limber had been solidly struck by a ball and ruined. A village cart was produced which would serve as an adequate replacement
HMS Centaur: A Charles Mullins novel, Sea Command 8 Page 2