Ships of Oak, Men of Iron: A Tim Phillips Novel (War at Sea Book 10)

by Richard Testrake

  The wheels of the gun carriages were smashed, and the guns dropped in the road to be lashed to the logs, with the cannon muzzles pointed right down the road. Now, a reel of quick match was laid from the site of the guns down to the shore. This quick match would burn at a rate of one hundred feet in a second or faster, almost instantaneously. At the guns, a shorter length of quick match was thrust down the vent of each loaded gun and each was connected together and to the match coming up from the boat landing. The guns themselves were loaded with a double charge of powder and several bags of musket balls.

  With the advancing troops nearing, all the Actives people ashore loaded into the boats. Phillips, remained behind with the jolly boat as the enemy neared. They had been alerted by townspeople and were coming down the road at a run. At the last moment, as they neared the hidden guns, Phillips thrust the end of the quick match into the flame of his lantern and a second later both guns fired.

  Screams and shouts filled the air as the front rank of the enemy column fell, dropped by the hundreds of musket balls hurtling at them. His crew took the jolly boat out, but the launch and cutter, armed with carronades turned and faced the surviving members of the enemy column as they came to the shore. The troops, exhausted from their run, fired a ragged volley, but they were just too far away to be effective. Not so, the carronades loaded with grape.

  Those heavy iron balls carried much farther than the smaller French musket balls, and another dozen or more troops lay on the shore. The members of the landing party were somber as they were pulled out to the ship. They had been the victors of an important conflict but all had seen the horrible consequence of their actions.

  HMS Active resumed her patrol long the enemy coast. Shipping had vanished, so she occupied her crew with incessant drill with both her guns and sails. The sailing master had occasion to report to his captain one morning that one of the huge water tuns in the lowest tier had somehow leaked, losing a full half of the contents, and what water remained was badly contaminated with bilge. This was not an immediate catastrophe, but some thought needed to be made about replacing the water.

  Another difficulty was the loss of men on the various prizes. The commodore at Portsmouth on their last visit had not thought it necessary to replace their missing crewmen. Now, the matter was becoming critical.

  When the sloop-of-war Atropos appeared in their patrol sector, Phillips ordered its young commander to come aboard. Finding the officer was charged with patrolling this same sector of coast, he ordered him to take over his duties, while Active sailed to Portsmouth to water and hopefully take aboard some seamen. He asked Captain Rawlins to inform Commodore Malcom of his reasons for leaving station and departed.

  Lieutenant Reynolds was awaiting him when Active picked up her mooring in Portsmouth Harbor. He reported aboard just as Phillips was descending into his gig to answer the summons from Admiral Bickerton, now back at his command. After telling the first officer to resume his duties, Phillip’s boat crew pulled away, not wishing their captain to be late for his appointment with the admiral.

  Bickerton was initially terse with Phillips, concerned with the reason why he had left his post in Halifax, knowing how important the duty there was. Phillips had to explain again how he had left on the orders of a senior captain while Admiral Warren was away. He explained how he had trained a senior midshipman to the duty and felt him competent to arrange the timber shipments.

  Mollified, Bickerton related how that senior captain at Halifax had shut down the whole operation, deeming it a waste of the Royal Navy’s funds, and sent the midshipman and his men to sea. That captain was now on the beach, awaiting transport back to Britain with an interview by Lord Melville likely, but what was to become of the operation was not yet decided. Lumber was still coming into British ports in American bottoms, so perhaps matters were not at a complete loss. Peace talks were in progress with the Americans, so perhaps the matter would simply die a respectful death.

  Phillips related to the admiral his need for water and men. The water was easily remedied, additional men would be more difficult.

  It had been the practice lately to send prize crews back to sea in the next ship needing men, rather than wait for the parent ship to return. While he had no seamen to give Active at the moment, a body of prisoners from county assizes were expected to arrive shortly, and he expected to be able to supply Captain Phillips his fair share of them.

  Phillips went back to Active relieved he was not to be admonished for leaving his post in America, but concerned about the men he was expected to take on board. These prisoners could be of various types. Most would have been imprisoned for debt, or for the commission of petty crimes. He had no major concerns about these people. The Royal Navy could make seamen out of surprising material. He did have to be wary of those prisoners who were confirmed thieves, knowing no other way to support themselves. He would have to be vigilant with these new people and nip any petty crime aboard ship in the bud, before offenses became general. Seamen aboard ship, confined in close quarters, could be very brutal in their treatment of men caught stealing.

  Fortunately, his present crew was now well worked up and could be trusted to control the more difficult of the new hands. He made a mental note to discuss the matter with his officers later and make sure no clique of the new hands were able to gain any control over the lower deck.

  Back aboard ship, Phillips met again with Mister Reynolds. Reynolds asked if his son Andrew was still to come on board. He had left the lad in the care of his sister here in town while he went aboard ship to test the waters.

  Phillips assured Reynolds the boy was welcome and would probably be employed as a servant until he gained enough knowledge to be appointed midshipman. In the meantime, some thought must be given concerning these new people that would be coming aboard shortly. He discussed his concerns of the new men coming on the ship and Reynolds assured his captain he would keep his eye on the new hands.

  One problem became evident with the return of Lieutenant Reynolds. The frigate was one officer over complement. Mr. McCain was now the fourth officer present and the frigate was normally allowed only three. Sooner or later Admiralty would discover the error and perhaps rap his knuckles for the oversight, but for now, he thought he would just dismiss the problem. There would be less work load for the officers, and potentially the problem would solve itself if he had to send one of the officers to port in a prize.

  The biggest difficulty was the lack of an extra cabin for the extra officer in the wardroom. Thankful he did not need to solve it himself, he decided to let Mister Reynolds solve the difficulty.

  Since the officer’s cabins were mere dog kennels already, Reynolds sent the youngest officer to the gun room to lord it over the senior mids and master’s mates. His son Andrew was sent to reside with the younger mids under the supervision of the gunner.

  Active entered the channel with dozen of the new men hanging over the side spewing. At least they would not be causing any mischief until gaining their sea legs. Sailing past her patrol area off the French coast, they fell in with Atropos. That ship had caused quite a stir along the coast and coastal traffic had nearly dried up. Captain Rawlins was happy to be relieved of this duty and reported he planned to go farther out to sea to look for larger prey than he had been encountering along the coast.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  One of Phillip’s plans was to get the new hands accustomed to the work on the ship they would be performing. Every day, an hour or more was spent on sail drill. Hours were spent on other necessary instruction such as clearing the ship for action over and over again, sending down topmasts, rigging a cable for towing and the like. The hands also worked hard at gun drill, but without firing the guns. Phillips did not believe the men got the full benefit of the training without actually firing the guns. He did have practice powder and ball aboard ship, which he had purchased privately, but he felt with the enemy so close, why should he burn up his own property when the Admiralty would not cavil at
expending the King’s powder and ball on his enemies.

  Unable to find any shipping to pursue into harbor, Phillips decided to make his own chance. Poring over Mister Fitzwilliam’s charts, a point jutting out into the Channel from the north coast of the Breton Peninsula came to mind. It had no particular distinction except the chart indicated a battery of four guns was emplaced on that point, presumably to defend a fishing village and a shallow port where coasting vessels sometimes sought refuge from predators such as HMS Active. Furthermore, it was on an isolated section of coastline without impertinent, locally based troops to bother them.

  Informing the officers of his plans, HMS Active sailed westerly along the coast, peering into every cove and inlet she happened upon. All guns were ready, although only the starboard guns had full crews. The frigate made no attempt to conceal her identity as she approached the battery, her ensign and commission pennant flying. Long before she came within range, the faint peal of a trumpet sounded across the water and a flag was jerked hastily up the battery’s flagpole.

  Sailing on, as if not realizing she was coming within range of a deadly artillery battery of the French Army, HMS Active was indeed prepared. All guns were loaded, and only the ports needed to be opened before they could begin their awful thunder. The battery started the proceedings. First one gun fired, then its neighbor. The third had not fired nor had the first two balls impacted their target, when all sixteen twelve-pounders of the starboard battery exploded. His own glass was focused on the battery to see how the shots were hitting.

  Most of the guns, fired by excited, untrained gunners, put their balls all over the countryside, but a few were close on target, while one ball struck an opposing cannon barrel and sent it spinning from its carriage. Wondering about the enemy gun battery’s level of training and accuracy, Phillips had tasked young Andrew Reynolds to observe and record where the enemy balls struck, and the time it took to prepare the guns to fire again. As a mere servant, one would normally not expect to give the boy such responsibility, but Phillips had in mind to rate him as midshipman later on, and he wished to test the boy under fire.

  One aspect of the target interested him. The troops building the emplacements had apparently found a supply of ancient stone blocks, perhaps from an old Roman structure and had used those to harden their defenses. When a hurtling iron ball struck one of those brittle stone blocks, it often shattered. Phillips wondered how many of the enemy gunners had been struck down by the flying stone splinters.

  Andrew Reynolds came over to report on the enemy accuracy. The midshipman had a short account on his slate. The first ball struck ahead of the ship by ten yards. The second fell short by a cables length. A third also fell short, but skipped across the water and impacted the ship’s hull, without causing apparent damage. He had not seen a fourth round hit.

  With the ship coming up on the battery again, the captain ordered all guns to fire individually, with the officers observing the fall of shot. He intended to move some of the more inaccurate gun captains to other positions.

  This time, the gun captains, knowing they were under scrutiny took their time and the results were a little better. Only one of the enemy guns fired in return and its ball fell well short. At the end of the run, another enemy gun was lying in the shattered stone ruins and the ship came about again. This time, enemy troops were seen running from the emplacements heading for a safer place to hide from the iron storm.

  No more enemy gunfire greeted them and on the completion of the run, Phillips sent the Marines ashore along with an armed boatload of seamen. Phillips took the ship as close to the shore as he dared in case his people might need support, but all was quiet, the only disturbance coming after the boats began their return to the ship when the battery’s magazine exploded with a roar.

  The Marine lieutenant reported all four guns were unusable as they were, but a gunner’s mate had pounded hardened steel spikes into the vents of each gun. It would take special skill and knowledge to remove those spikes, and Phillips guessed that might never happen, at least in this out-of-the-way place.

  The ship continued on her patrol, investigating every battery that seemed to be vulnerable. Every attack was not as successful as the first. One battery clearly visible, when fired upon, had a secondary battery nearby they had not noticed. The frigate sustained some serious damage on that occasion and lost a man when his femoral artery was severed by a flying oaken splinter.

  A few small coasters, not worth sending in, were taken and burned, then it was time to return to report his actions to the commodore off Brest.

  Commodore Malcom was not pleased with the results of their foray. “You have fired away much of your powder and shot and lost men for the purpose of temporarily disabling a few French Army batteries. Besides damaging your ship, replacing the men you have expended will be difficult. Our friend Bonaparte can replace his men and guns with very little trouble, much less trouble than we can replace the men and gunpowder you have spent putting a few guns out of order temporarily.”

  Malcom went on to remind him that one of his primary tasks was to disrupt enemy commerce along this coast. If it was necessary to destroy enemy fortifications for the purpose of capturing shipping under their guns, then so be it. However, he was not to have his ships and crewmen weakened by enemy fire for the purpose taking out a few guns, which would likely be replaced within a week.

  Chastened, Phillips took his frigate to sea, resolving to do his best to find worthwhile targets for his attention. Active patrolled for two weeks without finding anything of note, until returning after being blown off station by a sudden storm, she came upon a sailing barge that had just emerged from its refuge in a small inlet. Unable to put about in the strong north-westerly, she sailed right into Active’s arms.

  Several previous such barges had been burned, but this was loaded with a cargo of wheat, which would be gladly received on the market back home. Every midshipman on deck attempted to get Phillips’ eye. This command would be a feather in any ambitious mid’s cap. Looking about, he settled on Mister Simmons. This lad was about seventeen and ripe for some level of responsibility. Summoning him over, Phillips told him to select a crew and get their position from Mister Fitzwilliam. The barge should preferably be taken into Portsmouth, but any British port would do,

  With Simmons gone, there was now a vacancy in the midshipman’s berth, so he discussed with Mister Reynolds the option of rating the Reynolds boy as midshipman. The first officer was pleased, but wondered if the lad was old enough for such responsibility. Telling Reynolds the lad would have to assume adult duties eventually, and why not today when his father was still present to guide him?

  The first lieutenant suggested taking the ship across the channel to the Cornwall coast. Phillips thought they were not likely to find any French merchantmen there, but there was the possibility of finding an enemy privateer. Acting on this suggestion, HMS Active began her cruise along that coast, where plenty of British shipping was encountered and a few warships, but no enemy privateers.

  Early in the morning watch on the second day patrolling the new area, with no action likely, Phillips handed the ship over to Mister Reynolds and went to his cabin to work on his report. He had hoped this cruise would be more satisfactory, but thus far, it showed no signs of improvement.

  Engrossed in his work, he paid no attention to the hail from the masthead, “Sail in sight, two points off the starboard bow.”

  There had been innumerable such reports over the past few days, all of them British shipping, Cruising under topsails, Phillips felt the ship respond as the first officer had the fore and main courses set. Ignoring the commotion on deck, Phillips was startled when the midshipman of the watch came thundering up to the Marine sentry outside his office and demanded entrance.

  “Sir!” young Midshipman Reynolds reported breathlessly, “Lookout has reported a sail hull-down ahead of the ship. First officer sent Hogan to the top with a glass, and he thinks it is a Frenchman, ship-rigged at
that. Maybe a frigate.”

  Phillips put down his quill and went out on deck. Perhaps this might be a subject that would spice up his report. There was a little haze to the north, but when Reynolds senior handed him his glass, he could just make out the ship, now coming hull-up. Turning to the sailing master standing by the helm, Phillips ordered him to alter course to starboard a few points, as though they were heading for Plymouth.

  The stranger continued on, as though she had not a care in the world. Mister Fitzwilliam, gazing at the oncoming ship through his glass, assured his captain this was a Frenchman for sure. “She is of the Magicienne class, I am certain, Captain, thirty-two guns, I believe.”

  This was liable to be a tough nut to crack, but there was no other option than try. Anything less than a determined attack on this enemy frigate was certain to incur the wrath of the British populace. Of course, a victory might very well bring a knighthood.

  Turning toward the enemy, Phillips was surprised to see her turning away. Could she be declining combat? Setting every scrap of canvas at his disposal, it became evident the ship was not falling back. Several officers had their sextants out, measuring the angles between the ships and a headland off the Cornish coast, which had become visible. It was soon decided that the ship was gaining, although very slowly.

  With time to spare, the officers went around to each gun, explaining what they were trying to accomplish. It was expected the early portion of the fight would be a long-range duel between their forward guns and the stern-chasers of the enemy. Toward mid-day, Phillips was concerned the chase might well evade them until nightfall, when she might well escape in the dark.