The seaman introduced himself as Seth Wilkins, captain of a schooner-rigged fishing vessel sailing out of Boston. Wilkins recounted the adventures of a fellow fishing captain who had found himself with a hold full of freshly caught cod on the Grand Banks, earlier in the year.
“While he was congratulating himself on his luck, a British sloop-of-war ghosted up beside him in the fog and wondered what he was about. Well, Mister Orrins was right afraid he might be taken and lose both his schooner and his catch, so thinking fast, he said he was about to square away for Halifax to sell his cod.”
“The sloop bought a few for the captain and wardroom, and he was on his way. He sold his catch for a good price in Halifax, and while here, learned the outrageous prices the British were paying for shipbuilding material.”
Wilkins went on. “Right now, fishing is not what it was earlier, and I was wondering if I could make some money bringing lumber up from New England. Some men in my town have whipsaws and sawpits and can slice up a log in no time. I am wondering if I could bring up a cargo without it being taken by the blockade.”
Phillips gave the man a copy of the license and spent the next hour going over the requirements of the shipbuilding business.
Almost daily, one or more people came into his office with similar ideas and Phillips gave them his standard speech, never expecting to get much return from the endeavor. One day though, the duty midshipman came into the office and reported his presence was requested at the landing. He found two fishing schooners up from New England had made port, their decks loaded down with stacks of sawn lumber. Enlisting the assistance of the dockyard supervisor, he learned this timber did meet the necessary specifications and should find ready use in any shipyard.
The dockyard supervisor used funds from his own budget to purchase some of the wood, while the remainder went into the hands of a local chandler who would make provisions to ship it back to England. From then on, almost daily there was a steady stream of material coming in from ports south. In one instance, with no other buyers present, Phillips used his own funds to purchase a recently captured ship at prize court, loaded it with timber he had purchased from the importers and took on a crew to sail it to Britain.
Busy with his new enterprises, he still looked into the repairs to Amazon frequently. It was not a surprise when he got word from Admiral Warren to report. Expecting orders to sail, he was dismayed to find the reason for his summons.
Warren was complimentary regarding the success of his operation. “I just received a note from Lord Melville on the last packet to arrive from England. He was most pleased with the success of your work and expects more such from your efforts. Obviously I was wrong in my assessment of the importance of your mission.”
“Now, I find myself in a quandary. You arrived here in a badly needed frigate. We need her for blockade duty and she served you well in your earlier efforts to obtain badly needed shipbuilding materials. Now though, you have almost become too successful. Working from your office in Government House you have obtained much more material than anyone expected.”
“Amazon is about done in the shipyard and I will send her back to sea soon. You, however, I need here. The last convoy came in with a useful sloop-of-war commanded by Captain Rogers. HMS Shark needs some repair work which is being handled right now. I intend to give command of Amazon to Commander Rogers, who will of course, be made post. Your first officer, in light of his able assistance to you, I will promote to Commander and send to Shark. You, unfortunately, will remain in this office, although at full pay, of course.”
Phillips told himself his situation could be worse, although it was hard to imagine such an occurrence. He busied himself encouraging the import of the naval stores needed back home. Some shipping began coming up from southern US ports, with products different from what he could obtain in the north. Live oak, compass timber and pitch were the most desired products. With the office almost running itself, he drafted a senior midshipman to handle the routine chores and began to spend more time out in the field.
He began to spend more time away from Halifax. Following the profitable purchase of an earlier vessel, he bought another good brig at prize court, manned her temporarily with naval seamen ashore awaiting their ship to be repaired and began making voyages over to the mainland. On one trip, he found a village able to produce sawn timber in quantity. A man had dammed a stream and built a sawmill. Waterpower ran a reciprocating saw blade which sliced through a log quickly.
Phillips entered into a contract with the owner to purchase all of the sawn timber the man could produce. Phillip’s privately owned brig could transport the product back to the port. He was able to sign on some of the local seamen by offering them press protections which would prevent them from being impressed by naval ship captains, and could then return his naval crewmen to their ships.
Returning to Halifax, Phillips learned Admiral Warren had left in conjunction with his duties as commander of the North America station. An elderly captain, suffering with gout, was named commodore and assumed command of the station temporarily. Commodore Halen, with little knowledge of Phillips’ duties, was exasperated that a productive frigate captain was laboring to increase trade, while he needed experienced captains at sea making captures of enemy shipping. At this time, a new convoy had arrived, one of its escorts being a twelve-pounder, 32-gun fifth rate ship, HMS Active. Its captain was an elderly fellow who had not distinguished himself in the war, and Commodore Halen was at odds with the man.
Upon reporting to the new commodore, Phillips found himself handed new orders, assigning him to Active, while its former captain assumed the task Phillips had been performing. A quick interview with Halen brought his apology for handing him this elderly, under-gunned frigate. Halen went on to say a man of Phillips’ lights would undoubtedly overcome her deficiencies and make a success of the command. He went on to say, such a frigate would be at a grave disadvantage against some of the American frigates in these waters so she would accompany the next homeward convoy. It was hoped she would remain in European waters this time.
Phillips was in a frenzy to take command and sail with the convoy. He knew well Admiral Warren, should he return before the convoy sailed, would cancel these orders in a heartbeat. After getting his affairs with the timber imports in order, he handed over much of the work to his midshipman and began spending his time with the individual shipmasters of the convoy. The replacement captain scheduled to take over Phillips’ duties had not yet put in an appearance.
At last, all was in order, and Phillips announced the convoy would sail when the tide and winds permitted. The cutter Hornet and gun brig Asp took their positions at flank and aft and Active led them out. The tide and winds did permit, and the convoy slowly edged itself out of Halifax harbor. Nearly out of sight of land, the lookout reported sails forward. The sails proved to be Admiral Warren’s squadron, returning to Halifax for a needed refit. Phillips and the other members of the escort hung up their numbers and fired off the salute. He was afraid the admiral might summon the convoy’s escort commander to his ship to confer. In this case, he knew all would be lost and he could find himself back in Halifax drumming up more timber trade.
The flagship paid HMS Active no notice however, and the convoy continued on its way. Phillips was now able to give his new command the attention it was due. He had earlier been given a cursory introduction to his ship’s commissioned and standing officers. Now, he made time to meet with each individually, and gain more detail. He found Mister Reynolds, his first officer, had recently lost his wife and was agonizing over what should be done with his ten-year old boy. Learning from the officer the boy was an intelligent, normally active sort, Phillips suggested taking the boy on board the ship, first as a servant, then perhaps when he had gained a little knowledge, an appointment as a midshipman.
Mister Handley, his second officer, was a drunk, although in his sober moments, a capable enough officer. His third, Lieutenant Wilcox, was an intelligent man, well
educated in his profession, but with a serious weight problem.
Having solved his first officer’s difficulty, Phillips decided to see what he could do with his other officers. Meeting Handley on deck after holding down the midnight watch, Phillips asked him to his quarters when his relief had taken over. Handley was sober at the time, having not had a chance to get into his store of wine. Phillips had learned from his own steward that Handley had purchased kegs of rough Spanish wine before coming on this voyage. This apparently, was sufficient to keep his alcoholic intake at a proper point.
With the officer standing in front of his desk, Phillips wondered aloud what the man wished of the Navy.
Nonplussed, Handley failed to answer. Phillips went on. “Sir, it seems to me this is the first time I have seen you sober since we left port. I do not understand how the Navy has permitted you to come to this point, but it must stop. As I see it, you have a choice. If you can stop your drinking and do your duty, I am prepared to forget this conversation ever happened. “
“Should this continue however, then upon reaching Portsmouth, I intend to send you ashore as unsuitable, with your records marked giving my reasons. Which option would you wish me to follow?”
Handley did not look at all surprised. “Sir, I do not choose to be a drunk. I know I am often incapable of performing my duty and others must do it instead. The difficulty is, I just cannot stay away from drink. No matter what my wishes are, its call is irresistible. I cannot stay away from it.”
Phillips wondered, “What if there were no drink available to you? I understand you have a quantity of Spanish wine aboard. The thought occurs to me you could voluntarily donate this wine to the ship’s crew, who I am sure would much rather drink that than the spruce beer we were furnished in port. I could forbid any officer or man to share any wine or spirits with you.”
“Sir, you do not know how badly I need this wine.”
“Mister Handley, you are right, I do not. I do know your career in the Royal Navy will be over when we make port should you not somehow moderate your intake of alcohol. If you are determined upon this course, I will relieve you of duty and you can remain in your cabin sopping up all the wine you can drink. Once we make port, you will go ashore and will no longer be my concern.”
Thinking the matter over, Handley said, “Sir, I do not know how I will stand it, but I will tell my steward to turn my wine over to the purser, to issue to the crew. I will then have nothing to drink on the way home.”
With this problem out of the way, Phillips then moved on to the next. Asking the Marine sentry outside his cabin to pass the word for Mister Wilcox, Phillips wondered what he really had to say to the man. Unlike Handley, Wilcox was a capable officer, well trained and attentive to his duties. The only problem was the man was so obscenely obese that he could barely make it up the ladder to the quarterdeck.
Wilcox appeared at the door, announced by the sentry. His captain spent some time informing the officer of his satisfaction with the way he performed his duties. “Now then Mister Wilcox, I wonder if you can guess why I have called you here?”
Wilcox’s face grew red and he reluctantly answered, “My weight sir?”
“Exactly, Mister Wilcox. As I have informed you, I am satisfied with you concerning your performance. I could wish you were a healthier-appearing officer, though. Tell me, what led to this weight increase?”
“Sir, it was on my last commission, aboard HMS Bellerophon. I was fourth lieutenant, and our captain wished our midshipmen to be more active about the ship, so I found our young gentlemen performing many of my duties. In addition, I received a bequest from a family member so had the funds to contribute liberally to the wardroom mess fund. Since I began contributing more than my share, our first officer permitted me to avoid many of the tasks I should normally have been doing myself.”
“After I began gaining weight, the captain, a bit portly himself, wished me to stay on deck and let the younger lads do the work in the tops.”
“Mister Wilcox, it is my wish you lose some of your weight. You will start by walking the deck for an hour every day. At the same time, I want you to decrease the amount of food you eat. By the time we reach home, I will expect you to find work to do on your watch every day in the tops. Are we clear?”
CHAPTER TEN
The crew of HMS Active had been well worked up by the previous captain, except in regard to gunnery. He called in his master gunner to see how they stood with powder and ball for the guns. Gunner McTavish was an older gentleman who probably should have been assigned to at least a third rate, but Phillips was glad to have him. He would have absolutely nothing to say that reflected badly upon the former captain but did venture to remark the old captain believed the proper strategy in combat was to lay one’s ship alongside the enemy and fire into her until she struck. That said however, the log showed Active had not taken a prize on this cruise.
The Admiralty allowed for only minimal firing of the guns in practice in the beginning of a commission, but even this practice had not been performed. McTavish affirmed none of his guns had been fired except in salute since leaving home.
Judging he could afford two live shots with each gun before getting his hands slapped, Phillips told the gunner to make certain the guns would be ready to fire that afternoon. Calling in his bosun, Mister Radford, he ordered some suitable targets be constructed and boat crews told off to man the boats that would deploy them. Signaling to the other escorts to take charge of the convoy for the time being, Active dropped away from her position.
Observing his men from the quarterdeck, Phillips was satisfied with their spirit. There had been a cheerful buzz about the ship when the men learned they would be firing the guns. A few men in the crew had sailed with Phillips on previous cruises and related to their mates the limitless wealth this captain had allowed them to make in prize money. Of course, a few hours on shore had been sufficient for them to lose their money to the doxies and crimps, but that was beside the point. With this captain, a man could soon be flush again.
After the gunner and his mates had gone about the ship, inspecting each gun and checking the breeching cables, the gunner retreated to his lair in the magazine, where he would dole out powder charges to the boys coming for them. One of the mates reported to Phillips the guns were now ready to fire.
Wishing to make this practice as realistic as possible, he quietly told Mister Reynolds beside him, “Clear for Action, if you please.”
The hands went to work with a will, striking down all the temporary partitions in the ship, and removing any article that might produce splinters if struck by a shot into the hold.
A word to Mister Handley, sober now after two days without drink, sent the boats away with their makeshift targets. While waiting for the boats to place their targets, Mister Wilcox began exercising the guns in dumb show. On his word, the guns would be run out, firing simulated, then the guns pulled back in mock recoil. Then, the men would simulate loading and the process repeated.
After an hour of this, the targets were in position astern, with the men becoming jaded. Active had no carronades on this commission, only twelve-pounders for broadside guns, with a few nine-pounders both forward and on the quarterdeck. Phillips had decided earlier to start the ball by firing the forward starboard nine-pounder, and had seen that it had a crew he judged to be well trained.
As soon as the boat deploying the target had removed itself to a safer area, Philips told Mister Wilcox he was free to fire when ready. The gun crew began levering the gun around to the instructions of the gun captain who was standing behind the weapon, sighting down the barrel. When ready, the gun captain stepped to the rear, behind a mark he had chalked on the deck, this deck marking the farthest point to which the gun could recoil when fired. Pulling the lanyard caused a satisfying crash to ensue. A cloud of smoke redolent of burnt sulfur swept across the deck, as the gun recoiled viciously, stopping inches short of the gun captain who stood fearlessly behind it. The ball struck the s
urface of the sea before reaching the target and then skipped right over it.
The ship continued on its course past the targets, and now it was the turn of the starboard nine-pounder on the quarterdeck
This too had an experienced crew. The shot from this gun struck well to the side. Had the target been an enemy ship, the first ball would undoubtedly struck on the second ricochet, but this last one would surely have missed.
With the ship now past the targets, it was time to put the ship about and try the port broadside guns. Mister Fitzwilliam, the sailing master, handled that task and the ship came about. Since Active did not have enough hands to man the guns of both sides simultaneously, many of the men of the portside guns ran across deck to take positions on the guns opposite. This time all guns would fire as they bore, the most forward guns first, then the others as the ship sailed past the targets.
All gun crews had now been given instructions to fire as their guns bore on the targets. The different levels of experience and training was apparent as the ship again came sailing by the first target. The first gun fired with the ball striking close to the empty barrel. Then, the next three guns went off, almost at once, with no impacts anywhere near the aiming point. The gun captains had apparently just jerked their lanyards, hoping that sheer will would send the ball to the target. A few more guns came close, while the rest were also disasters.
Phillips had Mister Fitzwilliam put the ship around again to make another pass. While doing this, he went by each gun with Mister Wilcox, talking to the gun captains and discussing possible changes with the third officer. With some of the men changed around, the ship made another run at the targets, from close range this time. The first broadside saw the first empty kegs shattered into its component pieces. The second too was struck, although not as dramatically.
Ships of Oak, Men of Iron: A Tim Phillips Novel (War at Sea Book 10) Page 7