HMS Centaur: A Charles Mullins novel, Sea Command 8

by Richard Testrake

  Captain Welch said they could withstand the present force provided his men were reinforced. He said his people had faced the enemy for days now and needed some relief. “However, you must understand that we are in the enemy’s own country. It may well be inconvenient for him to increase his force to a level that will force us out. But, we must face the fact that sooner or later, he will do this. We must match his every move until the time comes when we can no longer do this and must pull our forces out. This may be tomorrow, or it may be much longer.”

  Commodore Haskins asked Mister Harrow what he had to add.

  The official said, “It was never Whitehall’s intent to remain here permanently. The country is straining to support Wellesley on the Peninsula, where we have the assistance of the Spaniards and Portuguese. Here we are forced to rely on ourselves only. I believe we are doing the task requested, relieving the pressure on Wellesley. We must however, avoid a defeat here that would discourage our people back home. While we can prevail over our enemy, we should stay. Should he begin to prevail, then it will be time to leave.”

  The third rate gingerly entered the port, where she anchored fore and aft. The frigates unloaded the men and supplies with which they were laden, then put out to sea, where they would begin to patrol for unwelcome visitors. HMS Centaur shifted to a position where she could cover the approaches to the port with her guns. The transports also came into the port, unloading their troops, then departing as soon as possible.

  Earlier, the enemy sappers had begun excavating approach trenches to the coastal shoreline. These trenches approached the shore at an angle, so that British fire could not sweep the trench. Captain Hollister thought the enemy commander planned to use the approach trenches to funnel troops through the trenches to the shore, using the trenches to protect them from fire. Then, at low tide, a rush could be made through the shallow water to the islands’ defenses. Now though, under continuous fire from the heavy guns of the battleships, there was great difficulty for the sappers to continue their work of extending the trenches.

  After experiencing the overwhelming fire of the two line-of-battle ships, the forward elements of the enemy fell back. One evening they were there, the next morning they were gone, retreating to a line far enough from the shore to be safe from the heavy fire.

  The transports had delivered a battalion of foot, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Hardesty. This officer saw an opportunity to expand the beachhead and pushed his troops out to face the enemy line, taking and occupying the trenches.

  A week of constant skirmishing began, with troops from both sides attempting to drive into their opponent’s territory. Hardesty was able to maintain the present beachhead, but admitted to Mullins he could not expand it farther without more troops. Both knew Whitehall would never consent to deliver more men and equipment, so the colonel advised Mullins they must be prepared to evacuate when the French brought up more forces.

  One morning a fresh gale moved in and Commodore Haskins was forced to move his ships well offshore. The storm lasted two full days before it was safe for them to return. With no means of communication between the landing force and the ships, a heavy enemy column was able to approach on the coast road without any interdiction. By the time the ships returned, the enemy was in force all along the perimeter.

  Colonel Hardesty had already begun preparations to withdraw his forces. As soon as the fleet came within signaling distance, a pre-arranged message was sent to the flagship, and soon the transports and their escorts were approaching the port. As they entered, boats were put in the water and the difficult task of embarking troops under fire began. The enemy could have given the landing force a difficult time as troops were being withdrawn, but this enemy commander saw no need to incur casualties while the enemy was retreating to their ships.

  Carefully, as a British unit pulled back, a French one advanced. As the embarkation continued, one French commander thought the retreat was too deliberate. He decided to attack a retreating unit and the guns of the fleet answered his efforts with a devastating bombardment. That evening, the guns fired all through the night. It was difficult to keep the guns on target in the dark, but there were many guns and many targets. When morning came, the British forces were all aboard their ships and preparing to sail out to sea, leaving the carnage of the enemy assault on the beach.

  Few enemy guns disputed their departure, those few venturing to fire often left wrecked after the fleets’ guns replied.

  Chapter Thirteen

  As the fleet made out to sea, a ketch-rigged fishing smack appeared in the east. Hull-down when first sighted, it continued its approach and made directly for the convoy. One of the frigates left her covering position and intercepted the smack. Shortly after she was boarded, a signal from the frigate to the commodore revealed a passenger on the fishing boat wished to speak to Commodore Hasker.

  After transferring her passenger, the smack sheared off and left. Later, the flag signaled Centaur that Captain Mullins should report aboard.

  The seas were heavy, and despite his boat-cloak, Mullins was soaked when he went through the entry port. The flag lieutenant provided an overly-large coat to wear while a steward saw to his wet clothing. Entering the great cabin, he saw a familiar figure at the commodore’s table. Dressed in a similar manner as himself, the bedraggled figure of Ron Dooley rose to greet him.

  Dooley was an Irish patriot who had decided the proper service he could do for his native soil was to do his best to defeat Bonaparte. He did this by posing as an itinerant Prussian merchant peddling horse fodder to French Army quartermasters on the continent where he attempted to obtain information of French movements. Conversations with farrier sergeants and supply officers often unearthed nuggets of information, which pieced together with data gather from others, often served to reveal plans of important officials, military and civilian. This information was then forwarded by various means to first the Admiralty and then Whitehall, often weeks or months later.

  On occasion, he was forced to return to Britain to deliver his information directly. Several times Captain Mullins had transported Dooley to his desired destination. Although operating in constant danger, Dooley had thus far escaped from being discovered by the French security services. Now, here he was again, this time in the relative security of a commodore’s great cabin in a British battleship.

  As usual when meeting in these circumstances, Dooley had information to relate. He had left a small fishing port in a small boat, meeting up with the fishing smack out of Brixam in the channel. Transferring to the larger boat, he paid its captain enough silver to persuade him to search out a British naval vessel.

  He related to Commodore Hasker his news. The French army was transferring ammunition in quantity to one of Napoleon’s Legions down the coast, where it would soon move to Spain. With roads as they were, it was difficult to move large quantities of war materials by road, so small coasters were employed for the move. It was thought by using small vessels, less loss would be incurred should one or a few coasters be intercepted by blockading warships.

  Unfortunately for the plan, so many ships of Britain’s blockading force were enforcing the blockade that it was soon realized few ships would get through. At the moment, a dozen of these coasters were trapped in a small cove near LeHavre, waiting until it was safe to proceed. A pair of Royal Navy brigs were keeping the coasters at bay there, but were not aware of the coasters’ contents, nor did they have the means to force entrance to the defended cove and cut out or destroy the vessels. What was needed was a naval force capable of forcing entrance to the cove, which was defended by a battery of guns.

  No one could complain of Commodore Hasker’s lack of initiative. As a mere commodore, he was outranked by several admirals of the Channel Fleet, whose jurisdiction this was. He was presently operating on Admiralty orders which allowed him to operate freely, so long as he was conforming to at least the spirit of these orders. Under the present conditions, he felt safe enough to improvise.


  As Dooley explained, there was something of a hurry to destroy this ammunition supply since the next easterly gale could drive the present blockaders out to sea and allow the coasters to escape. Hasker admitted he could very well be slapped over the wrist should this endeavor fail, but he said he was rather high on the captain’s list and could be almost sure of a promotion to rear admiral once a few of his superiors died or were retired.

  The fleet set course for their new destination. The frigates took turns scouting ahead while the two liners remained with the transports. Even allowing for the losses incurred at Ile St. Pierre, there were sufficient redcoats and Marines to cause some damage to the typical French battery that might be found defending a small port.

  Dooley had long since bid the captain of the fishing boat farewell and transferred to Centaur’s wardroom. Commodore Hasker would command the fleet, but Captain Mullins would go ashore with the Marine and Army troops and assist with matters there.

  Colonel Hardesty would command the ground troops with the assistance of Captain Hollister of the Marines.

  The plan was to boldly sail into the harbor, with both the flagship and Centaur taking the battery under fire. The first boats would make for the battery and attempt to storm it from the rear. After that, plans would likely have to be changed to suit the new circumstances. The coasters would need to be cut out or destroyed before leaving, but it would have to be determined where the ammunition they were to take or destroy might be located.

  Hopefully, it was still on the coasters, but Dooley reported there were warehouses on shore where the explosive might possibly be stored.

  As the fleet approached the targeted port, they met with HMS Vixen, an eighteen-gun brig-sloop commanded by Captain Hardy, operating off the port. Commander Hardy informed the commodore that his consort, HMS Charon, Captain Drake, had gone home to secure provisions and water. Vixen herself would also need to replenish herself soon. While these discussions continued, Centaur and the pair of frigates closed the enemy shore battery, where they began taking fire.

  The three warships began pounding the shore defenses, while their boats began their task of delivering Marines ashore, landing well away from the little fortress. Now Commodore Hasker brought his third-rate and the transports up. Under the fire of the battleships and frigates, the Army troops were sent toward the shore, landing on the beach head taken by the Marines.

  Aboard Centaur, heavy fire impacted the ship, a heavy ball taking out the helm, while the rigging was badly damaged. HMS Indominable, farther out in the harbor, was less severely damaged, and her gunfire helped eliminate much of the return fire from the battery.

  The landing forces had secured their beachhead and were now advancing on the battery. The enemy garrison had a barricade across the entrance to the battery, that was defended by a few eight-pounder guns, which did slow the advancing ground troops. Two ships’ launches, armed with boat carronades, could just reach those gun positions with their loads of grape shot. The enemy replied immediately, but they had trouble reaching the boats and did no damage. While the French guns were answering the fire from the boats, Marines and Army troops stormed the defenses and took the guns. Those of the garrison unable to flee raised their arms in surrender.

  Meanwhile, there was a flurry of activity among a cluster of coasters, some moored in the harbor, others tied up along shore. Some, presumably with sufficient crew aboard, seemed to be preparing to sail. The frigates immediately cut off the only escape route and ended that attempt.

  Vixen sailed right up to the cluster of coasters at anchor and showed her guns. Some coasters surrendered at once, while the crews of several just abandoned their vessels and pulled frantically to shore.

  With the battle about finished, Mullins went ashore to oversee the situation there, while Mister Hoover remained to command the ship and make good the repairs. Captain Hollister and Colonel Hardesty had already taken the surrender of the French garrison and were now seeing to the disposition of the wounded and prisoners.

  With Captain Hollister and the Marines from Centaur, Mullins made his way down the beach road to the village at the head of the cove. On the outskirts of town, a few dozen formed troops and a single gun awaited them. Of course, fire from the ships could quickly eliminate this problem, but for now, Mullins could see no way to get past this obstacle without serious casualties.

  He had just briefed a midshipman he was using as a messenger on what he was to report to Mister Hoover, when he saw a disturbance in the enemy troops barring his way into the village. A short, prosperous-looking man was having a dispute with the troop commander. Watching the proceedings carefully, he saw the individual break free and scurry down the road toward him. Warning his men not to fire at him, he waited to hear what he had to say.

  The little man, when he reached the landing party, spoke little English, but Mullins gathered he was some sort of village official. Excitedly, the fellow managed to convey there was an enormous amount of gunpowder in the town and they would all be in danger if it were to take fire.

  He implored the party to leave, but of course, this was impossible. Captain Hollister spoke a bit of French and questioned the man more carefully. It seemed a large amount of powder had been stored in warehouses along the waterfront. If this was fired, the whole town would be leveled.

  Captain Hollister pointed to the warships in the harbor and informed the official their mission was to either take that ammunition or destroy it. The official was ordered that he must return to the village and advise all inhabitants to flee. There would be serious danger to anyone in town when the attack came.

  Taking the advice, the official almost ran back to the roadblock. After some gesticulating, the troops there left and scattered, some running back into town. After that, a mass exodus resulted, with dozens of people scrambling out of town in various directions. Only one instance of resistance occurred. A single fellow took a shot at the advancing column with an old musket, injuring no one. Captain Hollister had just ordered a file of his Marines to prepare to fire at the gunman, but Mullins interrupted. The sniper’s weapon was empty now and it made no sense to fire a volley into a village loaded with explosive. The file was sent in to secure the gunman and he was taken and brought back to Mullins. The fellow was an ancient man, crippled from age and once deprived of his musket, helpless enough. His weapon was smashed over a stone fence and the old man sent back to his people.

  The village was occupied peacefully after this excitement and once sufficient reinforcements arrived, a cursory inventory was made. Some of the coasters in the harbor had unloaded their vessels, fearing a cutting-out attack from British naval forces. Other captains decided to risk another leg of the long voyage down the coast and kept their cargo on board.

  Mullins would have preferred to capture the entire ammunition supply and take it home, but time and the limited amount of men present did not permit this. Instead, all available men were put to work rolling the individual kegs of explosives from the warehouses down to the harbor, where each keg of gunpowder was breached and rolled into the water. While this was being done, boarding parties searched each coaster, separating out the ones with military supplies aboard. Most of these were given prize crews and set out for a British port, where the materiel could be surveyed and possibly used against the former owner. A few of the coasters were in no condition to sail, and these were sunk in place, after scuttling any intact powder kegs aboard.

  One coaster, laden with food provisions as well as casks of powder, was in a shallow part of the harbor where it was impractical to sink her. Before abandoning her, her former crew had cut all of her standing and running rigging, making it impossible to sail her without time-consuming repair. She was left until all other tasks ashore were completed, then a final message was shouted in the town square in the French language. Inhabitants were told a ship would be exploded and all were ordered to leave at once. A few buildings on shore still holding military supplies were fired and slow match set to several powder
casks in the moored coaster.

  HMS Centaur was the last ship to leave the harbor, just as the slow match reached the powder. A powerful explosion destroyed the coaster in a cloud of smoke and fire. With no one in town to fight the fires, half of the buildings burned from the fires ignited from the explosions.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The warships and transports took up their moorings in Portsmouth Harbor, while the prizes went to the custody of the prize court. Mister Dooley had returned to Britain as a guest of Centaur’s wardroom. French authorities were becoming suspicious of this alleged Prussian fodder merchant who seemed to be present whenever British raiding parties came ashore. A low-ranking member of the Gendarmerie Impériale believed there was reason to investigate this lead further, and made himself obnoxious to his captain with his constant requests for further inspection.

  As the investigation continued, the trail led to several other of Dooley’s escapades and the gendarme had begun to gather a good description of Dooley.

  Unfortunately, his superior, under pressure to locate the culprit, was pleased when other gendarmes had arrested a man in the process of looting a military supply depot. The prisoner, not an intelligent man, was badly beaten by his captors, and was brought back with fractures to his head.

  Caught in the act of stealing military supplies and unable to reply to any questioning, he was convicted in a military court and executed. When Dooley’s exploits continued, the gendarmerie officials, unwilling to admit to the arrest and conviction of the wrong man, refused to listen to any evidence to the contrary.