by Michael Aye
He then called in his flag lieutenant, Everette Hazard. He had more than enough time as a lieutenant and he had commanded merchant ships before the war. So he seemed the right choice. He had mentioned it to Gabe, who felt he was the right choice also, one armed or not. Calling Hazard to his cabin, he offered the lieutenant a glass of hock and asked him did he still think of commanding a ship.
“Of course, My Lord. But with my lost wing I have accepted the fact that it would be improbable.”
“Not if you want it,” Anthony said.
Hazard sat there, almost in a daze, not sure he had heard right. “Are you offering me a command, sir?”
“No,” Anthony smiled. “A promotion and a command. The corvette we captured…she’s yours if you want it.”
“But what about you, My Lord? Who will be your flag lieutenant?”
“My secretary can fill in until we find someone.”
“Thank you, sir. I…I don’t know what to say but thank you.”
Smiling, Anthony shook Hazard’s hand. “Before you get her ready for sea you may be cursing me,” Anthony joked.
“Oh no, sir, never.”
“Everette!”
“Yes, My Lord.”
“The prize court has quickly ruled the ship a legitimate prize and I’ve agreed to buy her in for the Navy. However, this requires admiralty approval.”
“I understand sir.”
“Good. They usually approve my recommendations but if they don’t, yours could be a temporary command.”
“I understand, My Lord.”
Later that day, Buck dined with Lord Anthony. “I think it’s time we set up an examination board for lieutenant,” Buck said while munching on a piece of cheese. “Do you have any recommendations, sir?”
“No,” Anthony replied. “You as senior captain can convene the board and set up a date. You can have it ashore or aboard the flagship. Do you have a certain mid that needs to be made?”
“Aye,” Buck said smiling. “I’m going to have two of SeaHorse’s mids take the exam.”
“Have you asked the master if he would like to sit?” Anthony questioned Buck.
“Not directly,” Buck replied. “But when it comes up in conversation, he usually doesn’t voice a desire.”
“It would be hard to be a master one day and a junior lieutenant the next,” Anthony said, as much to himself as to Buck.
“Any word on the frigate?” Buck asked, meaning had it been evaluated by the prize court.
“Not yet, but I don’t think it will be much longer,” Anthony said. “Surely you’re not thinking of the frigate for the master?”
“Oh no,” Buck answered. “I was thinking of writing my prize agent.” This got a chuckle from Anthony.
***
The following week, a mail packet pulled into Barbados. There were several documents from the admiralty that Anthony put to the side for his secretary LeMatt to sift through. Looking at the personal mail, he saw the usual from his sister, his banker, and solicitors. However, today there was one from Admiral Lord Howe. Anthony read the letter, set it down, and then re-read the letter.
“Bart! Where the devil is Bart?”
Silas ran out of the pantry. “Is there something wrong, My Lord?”
“No. Go get Bart and ask the flag captain to see me at his convenience.”
“Aye,” Silas said, and then scooted out the cabin. Bart made his way into the cabin, quickly followed by Captain Buck.
“Silas.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
“Pour us all a glass and pour one for yourself.”
Excited, Silas hurried to get four glasses and a bottle of hock that had recently been opened.
When the glasses were filled, Anthony said, “A toast to Lord Howe.”
Not understanding what the toast was about, the men toasted the admiral as requested. Once the glasses were placed on the cabin table, Anthony gave the letter to Buck.
“Damme, My Lord, just damme. Bart!”
“Sir.”
“Your admiral has been promoted. He is now vice admiral.”
For once, Bart didn’t know what to say. Suddenly the marine sentry knocked at the door and announced, “Admiral’s secretary, sir.”
LeMatt rushed into the cabin with papers in his hand. “My Lord, it’s wonderful news. You’ve been promoted.” This brought a laugh from the group, leaving LeMatt thinking, This is funny.
***
News of the promotion quickly spread throughout the squadron. Lord Ragland held another party in honour of the promotion.
“It seems like all we are doing lately is partying,” Deborah said. Still, no one was as happy as she for her husband’s success. It was getting close to the time she and Faith would be going back to Antigua. She had gotten used to his presence most evenings but knew to stay longer would prove an imposition. Lord Ragland’s sister would be coming soon, so the space would be needed. Damn this war, she thought. But she knew their time together would always be subject to the needs of the Navy, until…until.
She constantly prayed the Lord would protect him from harm. Having Macayla and Faith close to her helped with the loneliness. She had drawn very close to the girl. It was almost like a mother and daughter relationship.
***
Gabe was on board the flagship, talking to his brother. Dagan and Bart were having a wet while Gabe was telling Anthony he had received a letter from Sir Victor. “His…ah…agents have informed him of a large French fleet, under the command of French Admiral Comte d’Estaing, sailing for America in April with twelve ships of the line and five frigates. It was not known exactly where he intends to land.”
“This along with the politician’s ineptitude will cost us the war,” Anthony said angrily. “Mark my word, Gabe, it’s the beginning of the end.”
Gabe didn’t respond as the sentry had announced the midshipman of the watch. However, Gabe thought, it was a losing war from the start.
“Ahem…well let’s go topside.”
“Sir.”
“Didn’t you hear the messenger?” Anthony asked, but continued before Gabe could answer. “Buck has requested my presence topside.”
Once on deck, a smiling Buck handed Anthony his glass. “I thought you’d want to see this, sir.”
Taking the glass Anthony looked, focused the glass, and then looked again. “Look at your old first lieutenant,” Anthony said, handing the glass to Gabe.
“Lord,” Gabe said. “He didn’t take long.”
Captain Hazard was returning to Carlisle Bay after being on patrol. Under his lee was a small ship with the British flag over a Colonies flag. A prize…his first patrol and he’s already taken a prize, lucky sod.
***
The marine sentry knocked and announced, “The master, sir.”
Jepson entered the cabin, “You sent for me, sir?”
“Aye,” Anthony replied. “Have a seat. Would you care for a glass?” Then without waiting, he called for Silas to bring two glasses of Sangria. “Something cool,” Anthony said by way of explaining his choice.
When Silas had brought the glasses and left, Anthony said, “George, you are one of the best seamen I know. You are a natural leader.”
Somewhat embarrassed, Jepson tried to deny it but Anthony raised his hand to quiet any denials.
“It’s rare for a man who started on the lower deck to be commissioned,” he said. “However, those that have are usually successful. Some have even made admiral. I can understand your reluctance to sit for the lieutenant’s exam with a bunch of snot-nosed midshipmen. I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t want to think of you as a thirty-six-year-old junior lieutenant. That’s not what I’m offering. What I’m offering is a commission and a command. Yonder sits as fine a brig as you’ve seen. She was built before the war by the Americans, and then converted to be used as a privateer. Much as Gabe’s first command, she’s sleek, fast, and carries fourteen six pounders and two four pounders in the forecastle. She’s even pierced for
sweeps. That’s what I’m offering. I owe you that and so much more. What say you?”
Jepson sat there deep in thought. Anthony watched as he blinked his cold blue eyes and ran his hand through his salt and pepper hair. After a moment, Jepson spoke in his usual quiet manner, “I’ll take her, sir.”
Appendix
Historical Notes
In June, 1777, British Lieutenant General Burgoyne left Quebec with over ten thousand men, followed by some sixteen hundred regular and provincial troops and Indians. After a victory at Fort Ticonderoga (American Brigadier Arthur St. Clair withdrew in the face of overwhelming odds) Burgoyne pushed south, all the while being harried and hampered by ambushes, blocked roads and rebuilding bridges so that the Army became much fatigued and went at least two days (July 9 and 10) without provisions. With supplies still low, the British Army gave a general order warning troops to “be cautious of expending their ammunition in case of action.” They were to avoid firing on a retreating enemy. On September 13 and 14, Burgoyne’s army crossed the Hudson River near Saratoga. On September 19, American Major General Benedict Arnold smashed into Burgoyne’s troop columns with three thousand men. The battle lasted till dark with the British suffering more than six hundred killed and the Americans half that. British Lieutenant Digby wrote that “the clash of cannon and musketry never ceased till darkness…when they [the Americans] retired to their camp leaving us masters of the field but it was a dear bought victory.”
Burgoyne decided to “dig in” with his army after he received word from British Lieutenant General Clinton in New York promising he’d push up the Hudson River with three thousand troops. After seizing several forts, Clinton was finally able to send two thousand men and supplies to Burgoyne. However, the Americans had all but cut off British communications. On October 7, Burgoyne decided to attack the American positions at Bemis Heights but was repulsed. It was then discovered Clinton’s detachment had been turned away. On October 8, Burgoyne decided to fall back to his former defensive position, only to discover that his retreat had been cut off by American General Gates.
Outnumbered two to one and out of supplies, Burgoyne surrendered six thousand men to the Americans on October 17, 1777. The surrender shattered British prestige the world over. The tidings reached Europe on December 2, 1777, and on December 16, the French foreign minister informed the commissioners of Congress that the King was ready to recognize the independence of the United States, and to make with them a commercial treaty and contingent defensive alliance.
The treaty between the United States and France was signed on February 6, 1778. In April 1778, Comte d’Estaing sailed with a fleet of superior warships to join the Americans. In September 1778, the French turned their attention to the West Indies.
BARBADOS
The West Indies was very important during the American War for Independence. The main two islands were Antigua and Barbados. Barbados was the most windward of the West Indies islands and was felt by the Navy to give it a tactical advantage. A small naval hospital was built there and it was used as a stores base. When an enemy ship was captured, “the prize” could be adjudicated by the Vice Admiralty Court located at Bridgetown. Barbados gained its wealth during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries from its sugarcane plantations and the export of rum and molasses. The fields were worked by African slaves until slavery was abolished in the British Empire in 1834.
Bridgetown is located at the southwestern end of the island. It was named for a small bridge that crossed over a stream. This is where all government offices are located. Carlisle Bay is where most ships anchored with boats ferrying people and supplies to the wharfs.
CARRONADES
While doing research for this book, I read The Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War 1600-1815 by Brian Lavery. In real life, the naval board proposed these “smashers” be fitted out in ships in July 1779. Therefore, my installment of the smasher was almost a year prior. Lavery discussed the carronade only enough to create a desire within me to know more—thanks for the Internet. The discussion between Captain Ford and the officers under Lord Anthony’s command is as accurate an account as I could give of the carronades.
Age of Sail Glossary
aft: toward the stern (rear) of the ship.
ahead: in a forward direction.
aloft: above the deck of the ship.
barque (bark): a three-masted vessel with the foremast and mainmast square-rigged and the mizzenmast fore-and-aft rigged.
belay: to make a rope fast to a belaying pin, cleat, or other such device. Also used as a general command to stop or cancel; e.g., “Belay that last order!”
belaying pin: a wooden pin, later made of metal, generally about twenty inches in length to which lines were made fast, or “belayed.” They were arranged in pin rails along the inside of the bulwark and in fife rails around the masts.
binnacle: a large wooden box, just forward of the helm, housing the compass, half-hourglass for timing the watches, and candles to light the compass at night.
boatswain’s chair: a wooden seat with a rope sling attached. Used for hoisting men aloft or over the side for work.
bosun: also boatswain, a crew member responsible for keeping the hull, rigging and sails in repair.
bow chaser: a cannon situated near the bow to fire as directly forward as possible.
bowsprit: a large piece of timber that stands out from the bow of a ship.
breeching: rope used to secure a cannon to the side of a ship and prevent it from recoiling too far.
brig: a two-masted vessel, square rigged on both masts.
bulwarks: the sides of a ship above the upper deck.
bumboat: privately owned boat used to carry out to anchored vessels vegetables, liquor, and other items for sale.
burgoo: mixture of coarse oatmeal and water: porridge.
cable: (a) a thick rope, (b) a measure of distance-1/10 of a sea mile, 100 fathoms (200 yards approximately).
canister: musket ball size iron shot encased in a cylindrical metal cast. When fired from a cannon, the case breaks apart, releasing the enclosed shot, not unlike firing buckshot from a shotgun shell.
cat-o’-nine tails: a whip made from knotted ropes, used to punish crewmen—what was meant by being “flogged.”
chase: a ship being pursued.
coxswain (cox’n): pronounced cox-un—means the person in charge of the captain’s personal boat.
cutter: a sailboat with one mast, a mainsail and two headsails.
dogwatch: the watches from four to six, and from six to eight, in the evening.
fathom: unit of measurement equal to six feet.
flotsam: debris floating on the water surface.
forecastle: pronounced fo’c’sle. The forward part of the upper deck, forward of the foremast, in some vessels raised above the upper deck. Also, the space enclosed by this deck.
founder: used to describe a ship that is having difficulty remaining afloat.
frigate: a fast three-masted fully rigged ship carrying anywhere from twenty to forty-eight guns.
full and by: a nautical term meaning “proceed under full sail.”
furl: to lower a sail.
futtock shrouds: short, heavy pieces of standing rigging connected on one end to the topmast shrouds at the outer edge of the top and on the other to the lower shrouds, designed to bear the pressure on the topmast shrouds. Often used by sailors to go aloft.
gaff: a spar or pole extending diagonally upward from the after side of a mast and supporting a fore-and-aft sail.
galley: the kitchen area of a ship.
glass: shipboard name for the barometer, a sand-glass used for measuring time, or a telescope.
grapeshot: a cluster of round, iron shot, generally nine in all, and wrapped in canvas. Upon firing, the grapeshot would spread out for a shotgun effect. Used against men and light hulls.
grating: hatch cover composed of perpendicular, interlocking wood pieces, much like a heavy wood screen. It
allowed light and air below while still providing cover for the hatch. Gratings were covered with tarpaulins in rough or wet weather.
grog: British naval seaman received a portion of liquor every day. In 1740, Admiral Edward Vernon ordered the rum to be diluted with water. Vernon’s nickname was Old Grogram, and the beverage was given the name grog in their disdain for Vernon.
gunwale: pronounced gun-el. The upper edge of a ship’s side.
halyard: a line used to hoist a sail or spar. The tightness of the halyard can affect sail shape.
handsomely: slowly, gradually.
hardtack: ship’s biscuit.
haul: pulling on a line.
hawse: the bows of a ship where the hawse-holes are cut for the anchor cables to pass through. The space between the stem of a vessel at anchor and the anchors or a little beyond.
heave to: arranging the sails in such a manner as to stop the forward motion of the ship.
heel: the tilt of a ship/boat to one side; a ship normally heels in the wind.
helm: the wheel of a ship or the tiller of a boat.
holystone: a block of sandstone used to scour the wooden decks of a ship.
idler: the name of those members of a ship’s crew that did not stand night watch because of their work, such as a cook or carpenters.
jetty: a manmade structure projecting from the shore.
jib: a triangular sail attached to the headstay.
John Company: nickname for the Honourable East India Company.
jolly boat: a small workboat.
jonathan: British nickname for an American.
keel: a flat surface (fin) built into the bottom of the ship to reduce the leeway caused by the wind pushing against the side of the ship.
ketch: a sailboat with two masts. The shorter mizzenmast is aft of the main, but forward of the rudder post.
knot: one knot equals one nautical mile per hour. This rate is equivalent to approximately 1.15 statute miles per hour.
larboard: the left or port side of a ship when facing the bow.