The Greater the Honor

by William H. White

  “Oliver, I have more time in the Navy. And yes, you and Judd have been out here longer, due to my temporary ‘holiday’ in Syracuse, but I think the captain is trying to make amends for leaving me behind. I don’t think our duel was all that troubling to him. Besides, Mister Somers requested me! And he is Decatur’s closest friend; how could the captain refuse him?” His smile grew broader, whether in response to my reaction or to the prospect of the glory that would derive from the mission, I knew not.

  “Let me finish reading my brother’s letter, and I’ll come to the cockpit directly.” I had finished almost all of the letter; I wanted time to figure out the course I would pursue to right this wrong. He looked disappointed at my lack of enthusiasm for his assignment, but nonetheless, he left. I lowered my eyes to the letter, but saw none of the words; my mind whirled in stunned emptiness as I tried desperately to determine a course.

  After rereading Edward’s letter once, I stood, looked around us at the yellow glow showing from the lanterns on each member of the anchored fleet, and made my way aft with every intention of joining Judd and Thomas in the cockpit.

  “Mister Baldwin, I collect all is well with your brother?” Decatur’s voice stopped me before I had reached the hatch, and I turned to face him.

  “Oh, yes, sir. He is quite fine and so, apparently is Captain Bainbridge, in spite of our firing into their prison! Not our firing directly; I recall he mentioned a twenty-four-pound ball entered the captain’s quarters, so it might have been Constitution?”

  “Lest you forget, Oliver, the gunboats all, or most, at any rate, carry twenty-four-pounders as well. So it might easily have been any one of them. Even number nine, from which, I am sure you recall, you and I managed to send any number of shot into the fortress.” The captain smiled as he saw the look of horror which crossed my face, visible even in the dim glow of the ‘midships lantern. “But fear not, no harm was done, at least of any lasting nature, and the Philadelphias are pleased we are reducing the Bashaw’s stronghold, in spite of the depravations they must endure. I suspect, when Somers takes Intrepid in and blows her along with the Bashaw’s entire fleet, they will be even more pleased. And perhaps that will encourage the heathen pirate to treat with us!”

  “Sir, I know it is not my place to question, but why did Mister Wheatley win the assignment to sail in the ketch and not Judd or me? Have we not acted in a professional manner . . . and with honor?” I hoped my tone sounded less petulant than my words.

  “Dickie . . . Cap’n Somers requested Wheatley, Oliver. I happened to mention him in conversation with Somers and others and remarked that he had acquitted himself well in our late action; for want of a different name, I must conclude that was the reason. I doubt whether Cap’n Somers is even aware of you and Mister Devon, beyond your names, of course. You both are fine midshipmen and will, in the fullness of time, make fine officers, I have no doubt. Fear not; neither of you have done anything to suggest otherwise.” He studied me for a moment, judging my reaction, and then resumed his earlier posture by the bulwark, his back to me.

  Well, that is your answer, Oliver. Just happenstance. There will be other times when you will go and likely that will make Wheatley wonder what he might have done wrong!

  I stepped into the cockpit feeling much better as Thomas launched, again, judging from the expression on Judd’s face, into a discourse on the brilliance of Somers’ plan, and his role in it. Judd’s eyes turned toward me and he winked, a half-smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

  “Hold a moment, Thomas. Here is Oliver whom I am certain will want to hear of your good fortune. You must begin again so he hears all of it!” Judd stood as though he had just remembered something. “You will have to excuse me for a moment, gentlemen. I must speak to the first lieutenant on a most urgent matter.”

  His wink, unseen by Wheatley, spoke volumes: “Sorry about that, Oliver. I reckon you’re the one stuck with him now!”

  Thomas seemed not to notice Judd’s departure and launched immediately into the story of how Captain Somers had selected him, above many others, to join the expedition into Tripoli’s harbor. “I can only reckon that Decatur must have told him of my value in such a position! I am sure that any of the officers and mids in the fleet would have jumped at the chance to participate in such a daring move. I mean, think of it, Oliver; we’re going to load the little Intrepid up with tons of powder and sail her right into the harbor. I can only imagine the bang that will make when we blow her to smithereens. It will be glorious!”

  “It will blow you to smithereens, also, Thomas. Did you happen to think of that?”

  “Oh, not on your life, young Master Baldwin. Your joy at my untimely demise must be short-lived, I am afraid. You see, we will tow a pair of fast cutters astern of us as we sail in. The fuses will be of sufficient length to allow us to row clear before the ship explodes. We, all of us, will be safely away to watch the destruction we will have caused from a good distance.” He was putting on the accent of an educated person again, something I had not heard in some time. “I am sure the fireball and devastation will be of sufficient grandeur for it to be seen even from the safe distance where you will be.” His smirk and false airs affected me not a whit; I merely smiled and nodded.

  “When is this all to take place, Thomas? Surely it must be done at night to allow Intrepid to get close enough to do the damage you intend.”

  “Of course! I do not know which night it will be, Oliver, but I can tell you this, it will be soon. Preble is afraid he will have to turn over the command before he brings the pasha to heel and the next commodore, Barron, will win the honor of the victory. Cap’n Decatur and Cap’n Somers both think this might be the telling blow.” He suddenly reverted to form, “So I would reckon they ain’t likely to wait.”

  They did not; the very next morning the work commenced to convert the little ketch into a fire ship. No less than three ship’s carpenters and six of their mates began pulling out bulkheads and decking to allow sufficient stowage for the one hundred barrels of powder that would be put aboard. I could scarcely imagine the explosion that fifteen thousand pounds of gunpowder might make; it would be devastating for any near at hand. It crossed my mind briefly that here was my very first prize about to be destroyed, and at the hand, indirectly, I suppose, of Midshipman Thomas Wheatley, of all people!

  Well, I suppose better her than one of the schooners! And she had served her purpose well, bringing us alongside Philadelphia and safely out again.

  The weather had turned sour again, but only briefly; on the afternoon of September fifth, Thomas rushed into the cockpit breathlessly, barely able to contain his exuberance.

  “We’re going tonight! We’re sailing into the harbor and blowing up that piratical bastard’s fleet this very night!” He practically shouted, causing Judd to start so badly, he upset a cup of coffee he had been drinking.

  “Well, Thomas. Finally! You must be relieved that the waiting is finally done. And I think the moon will be dark tonight as well. Surely that will bode well for your mission. I wish you joy.” Judd spoke as he wiped the table and his breeches, a thoroughly annoyed look on his face which only I noticed.

  “Reckon the lack of a moon figured into the decision, Judd. Seems sensible to wait for it to be as dark as possible for something as important as this. We can not fail! Oh! It will be glorious to see that ketch blow herself to the devil and take those damn gunboats and polaccas with her! I must get back to overseeing the work on Intrepid so we can get the powder barrels loaded aboard. But I thought my . . . colleagues would want to know that your shipmate is about to sail into glory—and history. Along with Somers, the name of Wheatley will be remembered as the one who made the killing stroke and brought the pasha to his knees.” He left as suddenly as he had arrived, and as breathlessly, consumed as he was with his own sense of importance.

  “Can you believe the arrogance? ‘My name remembered by history as the . . .’ whatever it was he said. Never mind that we’ve been out
here for three months pounding those bastards time and again. Never mind that we’ve been capturing their ships and destroying their forts and town! That self-focused imbecile! I . . .” Judd was sputtering in his anger and frustration. “I hope Somers doesn’t let him light the fuses; he’d like as not miss! Remember how he could barely hit the water with a pistol? Why ever would Somers and Decatur think he could add anything to this commission?”

  “Judd, calm down. There is nothing we can do about it now, and besides, Thomas does have some catching up to do. In that, he’s right. Remember, you promised to start again with a clean slate when he came back aboard and forget about all the fussing and fighting that went on before Messina. Give him a chance for his own glory. Besides, maybe once he’s seen the elephant, he won’t be so impossible!”

  “Seen the elephant? Oliver, what in the name of God are you talking about? Seen the elephant, indeed!”

  “It’s a classical reference, Judd. I learned about it in the Academy in Philadelphia. Has something to do with Hannibal and his elephants going through the Alps when he fought against the Romans . . . or the Greeks . . . or someone. I can’t remember exactly all the details, but I think it fits here. But what I meant by it was that after he’s faced the pirates, like we have, and done something grand, like we have, he might be a bit easier . . . well, he might be a better shipmate.” I thought everyone knew about ‘seeing the elephant.’

  “Thomas was with us in February, Oliver, on Philadelphia. Remember? He likely saw the elephant then, if there was one around.” He smiled and looked away as he muttered something I barely caught, but it sounded like he said, “I must have missed it my own self. But then, I was below decks most of the time!”

  Judd and I made our way topside to watch the goings-on and studied with interest the preparations being made aboard Intrepid.

  “I’d guess most of the powder’s been put into the hold already, Oliver. Looks like they’re puttin’ something aft there, a box, it looks like. See it? Right on the quarterdeck, forward of the tiller. I wonder what that’s about.” Judd was pointing at the little ketch that was made fast alongside Nautilus where her captain, Lieutenant Richard Somers might keep an eye on the proceedings. Even though I peered through a glass, I could see nothing of our shipmate, who had had ample time to return to the fireship to “oversee the work” being carried out. I mentioned my observation to Judd.

  “I doubt whether Somers would let him oversee the stowage of their rations, let alone the powder and combustibles.” Judd snorted in disgust.

  “Judd, they won’t be taking any rations; they’re only going to be gone for a few hours while they sail in and then leave immediately the ketch is fired.” I couldn’t believe that Devon actually thought it would be necessary for food to be aboard on such a short commission.

  “Sometimes I wonder if . . . Oliver, you imbecile! That is the whole point of what I said; can you think of a less important job than stowing the rations that won’t be there?” Judd’s expression was one of amusement and bewilderment. He shook his head.

  “What rations? I don’t reckon we’ll be takin’ any food or drink in with us; takes up room we could fill with powder. Why would you think we’ll be takin’ anything like that? Too short a commission, by half, for that!” Thomas had come up behind us without making a sound.

  “Thomas! You startled me! We were talking about something else, entirely. Nothing to do with your little foray tonight. I thought you’d be over on Intrepid or Nautilus, overseeing the loading.” Judd spoke so disarmingly I almost believed him myself.

  “Well, our boats are off somewhere, I think De . . . the captain’s took one to the flagship, and 1 couldn’t get there. But I’m sure Cap’n Somers has everything under control.” He took the glass from me and peered through it for a moment. “There, he’s already got them loading the combustibles into the box there on the quarterdeck. Just before we leave her in there with the fuses lit, we’ll pour some whale oil around the deck just to be sure she takes the flame well. And when the fires reach the forward hold, all hell is going to break loose! Somers told me he’s ordered near one hundred fifty fixed shells put in the hold on top of the powder casks. That ought to give those bastards something to think on, by God!” Our colleague was so caught up in his participation in this moment of glory that he was completely inured to anything we might say to him.

  The remainder of the day passed with brave talk and anticipated glory to which we listened half-heartedly. I suspect that Judd hoped as much as I did that when this commission was ended, Thomas would get on with the more mundane aspects of our existence here. I don’t think I could bear further self-aggrandizement from him !

  It was while we were at supper, in fact, Goodbody had just set a fine pot of melted cheese in front of Judd to serve out, when the messenger from the deck watch knocked on the doorway.

  “Mister Wheatley, there’s a boat waitin’ on yer from Nautilus. Said they was sent by Cap’n Somers. Might not want to keep ‘em waitin’ sir.”

  “Oh! Thank you, sailor. I shall be along directly.” Thomas stood, grabbed up his hat and stuck out his hand to me. “Wish me luck, Oliver. This is going to be glorious!”

  I took his hand and shook it vigorously. “The best to you, Thomas. I know you’ll do splendidly and bring credit to Enterprise and all of us!” I actually meant it.

  “I’ll walk you up, Wheatley. See you off.” Judd was now standing and, with a nod at me, followed our fellow out.

  I wolfed down a few bites of supper, helping myself as I kept a wary eye watching for Goodbody, and, still wiping my cheese-covered lips with a napkin, went on deck to watch the proceedings.

  Thomas was in the boat and just pushing away from our side as I reached the bulwark. Judd stood looking down at him, having just said something like, “Good luck,” and Thomas was beaming back at us as he set off on his bold adventure.

  “When are they actually sailing the ketch in, Judd? Does anyone know?”

  “The talk is some later, after it’s full dark. There’s a small problem; a couple of the corsairs have been spotted by the western breakwater. And that’s right where Somers intends to go in. Being observed would not answer at all; they’ve got to get in without anyone knowing, or the plan will fail.”

  Oh, dear. I hope they can do it! Having the commission cancelled or even postponed would make Wheatley impossible!

  “I guess we might finish our supper then. I am sure we’ll know when they actually start in!” I watched the boat carrying our friend toward the schooner, which remained about a long musket-shot away, the fireship still secured alongside.

  Judd waved a final salute to Thomas and turned about, nodding to me and heading for the hatch. I followed, hoping that the cheese had settled to a new smooth surface to conceal my pilfering.

  It must have been close to ten o’clock that night when Enterprise, Nautilus, and Argus won our anchors and escorted the heavily-laden ketch toward the rocks marking the western entrance to the harbor. Our batteries were loaded and run out; we were ready to attack any gunboat or galley we encountered while Intrepid sailed to meet her fate. I stood with Bradford in the lee bow, peering through the night trying to make out the ketch.

  “I wonder how far ahead of us she might be, Bradford. Can’t see a thing out here. I guess if we can’t, neither can they. Maybe Captain Somers will just sail right through without a problem.”

  “Aye, sir. That would surely be my choice. And then we and the others just sail off and on out here to pick up their boats after they set the fuses. A right plan, it is. Simple! I like that!”

  An hour later, the escort vessels all hauled their wind and hove to. No enemy had been seen or heard, and we had gotten this far unchallenged. I knew Intrepid and my colleague were now on their own, headed into whatever awaited them. All we had to do was wait, perhaps the hardest part.

  “A light. A light ahead of us.” The lookout, perched in the foretop, cried out in a hoarse whisper. While I could see nothi
ng of him, I knew he would be pointing at it. I stared into the blackness ahead of us and thought I detected a single whitish glow moving as if someone were carrying it as they walked. Suddenly there was a blinding flash and an explosion like nothing I have ever seen before.

  “My God! They blew it already!” Someone called out into the ringing silence that followed.

  The ketch was clearly illuminated by the fireball; we could see a flaming mast, sails and rigging intact but wreathed in fire, soar into the darkness amid a shower of sparks and debris. All of us on deck were pummeled by an invisible fist, knocking some flat and causing others to merely stagger. The concussion of one hundred barrels of powder, one hundred fifty mortar shells, and various other combustibles detonating all at once was massive and shook the vessels from their waterlines to the tops of their masts. Then bits and pieces of the wreckage, fragments of shells, and burning scraps of sailcloth began raining down on us. Enterprise, being closer to the breakwater than the others, received much of the heavenly offering.

  “Watch your powder bags, lads. Keep them sparks clear!” Bradford shouted out as I stood in shocked silence watching the glowing shards of what had been a fine little ketch fall from the sky.

  “Keep an eye peeled for their boats, lads. They ought to be coming out anytime now,” Lawrence’s voice floated forward, followed quickly by our captain. Decatur took up a position in the bows, one foot on the butt of the bowsprit, and held a night glass to his eye. We could hear voices in Nautilus and the brig echoing Lawrence’s command as others sought to find our colleagues as they made their way out of the harbor in the two cutters Intrepid had towed in with her.

  “Do you think it worked, sir?” I spoke to Decatur’s back as he studied the western approach with the glass.

  “We can only hope, Mister Baldwin, we can only hope.” He continued to hold his glass to his eye. “I would have thought Dickie might have lit his fuses a trifle early, but I guess we’ll have to wait until they come out.” Decatur spoke this last as though he were talking to himself and I barely caught the words.