by Michael Aye
“I trust your abilities, Mr. Finch. If we need to take to the marsh after I’ve seen the ship so be it, but I’m going to take a look.”
Sighing Finch relented saying, “It’s your funeral.”
Gabe was not happy with Finch’s idea of getting past the privateer but he didn’t have a better one. An old canvas was “borrowed” from someone’s fishing boat. It was under this canvas Gabe hid. A hole was cut in it so he’d have a good view. The heat from being under the canvas was bad enough but the stench from the “ripe” old cloth was made worse when Finch raided some poor souls trout line and piled the fish on top of the canvas. It added to the disguise but Gabe swore to himself he’d never eat another fish.
Finch sat in the bow of the boat with a fishing pole while Lum in the stern poled them past the ship and Wilmington Island. When given the all clear to get out from beneath the canvas Gabe was soaking wet with sweat.
“Stay low,” Finch warned, “In case you have to duck beneath that canvas again sudden like.”
Gabe took a long swig of warmish water. He rinsed his mouth with the water, spit over the side then took a drink. “She was a frigate alright but not the Barracuda. She was the Edisto.”
“More-’n-likely,” Finch drawled, “she’s owned by someone close by being named Edisto. There are two rivers and a town with the same name.”
Made sense, Gabe thought.
“She had fourteen gun ports this side,” Finch said. “That’d make her a twenty-eight?”
“Well, she probably carries two chase guns forward and two aft,” Gabe answered, “so I’d bet she’s a thirty-two at least and looks French built.”
“Well, they’re talking about her in Thunderbolt like she’s something special,” Finch said. “Man said she’d taken twenty prizes full of trade goods and military supplies.”
Gabe had noticed the use of “man” said and not a name mentioned. Whatever else Finch was, he was careful not to reveal a source. He’d already told Gabe not to count on help from loyalists in Thunderbolt. Unlike Savannah, where there were large numbers of people who were against the war, the folks in Thunderbolt were very much in favor of the revolution.
Well good news or bad, Gabe thought, they’d succeeded in their initial fact finding mission. He smiled to himself; maybe his personal mission was a little more successful. He now knew his love for Faith was not one-sided. The only thing that would keep the two of them apart would be death. Well, that was a real possibility with this damn war.
Lum broke Gabe’s reverie when he said, “We’s heah and I believe dem’s sails out dar on da horizon.”
“Aye,” Gabe replied, “Two sets of sails. Let’s just hope they’re ours and not some damn privateer trying to make it back to his lair.”
Chapter Fifteen
A cutting out…Gabe…we are supposed to be on a fact finding mission and return with our facts,” Markham exclaimed as he paced about in his cabin.
The Swan and SeaWolf had made the rendezvous as planned. Sitting at the mouth of the inlet and waiting to be picked up, Gabe had formed a plan to cut out if possible, and if not possible to cut out, then burn the Edisto. Once out of sight of land, Gabe had signaled Swan to heave to.
Though senior to Markham, Gabe had himself rowed over to the Swan to present his plan. He would need some of Markham’s men to carry out the plan. Now as always Markham was in a tirade at the mention of such a daring plan.
“Gabe, have you forgotten what happened last time?” Markham saw the hurt look on Gabe’s face but he continued, “Facts, Gabe, not heroics. Has something addled your brain?” Markham continued on, “You know damn well what our orders say.”
“Aye!” Gabe answered his friend, “But Francis, sometimes we have to take initiative.”
Upon hearing Gabe use his first name Markham rolled his eyes.
“Besides,” Gabe continued, “you can take Finch and head on back to Saint Augustine. All I want is your marines and Mr. Davy.”
“Humph! It’s not enough to lose your midshipman over some damn foolish incident, you can’t wait to chance mine.”
After Lancaster’s trial, he had been transferred to another ship. Although they had won the trial, they felt that to stay in Saint Augustine would be a constant reminder and irritation to the garrison soldiers. So, Lord Anthony transferred Lancaster, and as of yet Gabe had not gotten a replacement.
Shaking his head and giving a sigh Markham agreed. “But damme, Gabe, if you come out of this alive you owe me. Not just a round. Nay, you owe me a whole evening and maybe a little sporting to boot.”
“You got it,” Gabe exclaimed pounding his friend on the back. “I’ll send Finch over and you can transfer Davy and the marines. We’ll leave at dusk so we can be back at first light or sooner. Swan and SeaWolf can stand offshore and watch for a flare. That’s the signal to pick us up.”
“And if there’s no flare by sunrise?” Markham asked.
Solemnly Gabe replied, “Then it’s up to you as I doubt we’ll be back.”
The sky had darkened and stars began to twinkle and take shape. The weather held with a wind blowing briskly on the larboard beam. This should help the rowers, Gunnells thought as he put SeaWolf in position to offload the cutting out party.
Gabe was in cabin with Dagan, Lavery, Davy and Marine Lieutenant Baugen. Jackson was there also but more to listen than anything else. He’d already made his argument why he and not Gabe should be leading the expedition. Gabe tried to salve his feelings by explaining he knew the layout and that would make things much easier.
“Besides,” Gabe explained, “I have to have someone I trust in command of SeaWolf in my absence.”
As the group listened intently Gabe explained, “We are still out of sight of land but I’ve ordered Gunnells to plot us a course so we’ll stand in about here,” pointing to a spot on the chart spread across his table. “We should make our way inland in the boats just at nightfall. I want Mr. Davy’s launch to attack on the starboard quarter. Have your axe men ready, Mr. Davy. As soon as convenient have them cut the cables both forward and aft. This should set the ship adrift and with the current float her down river. Hopefully we’ll have enough speed for steerage.”
“Mr. Lavery, you will take the men in your launch on the starboard quarter and board. Taking control of the quarterdeck is your main objective.”
“Dagan, you will be in charge of the launch with the marines and board from the larboard side. I will take the gig and board larboard side also. We will attack aft and help secure the quarterdeck while you and the marines board forward. Hopefully, we will have a foothold when your group boards at the main chains. Send some of the marines to the main riggings. They are to ignore whatever fighting is going on, on deck. I want them in place to mark down anyone or group that maybe making a stand.”
“Mr. Lavery, once the quarterdeck is taken I want you to send men to loosen the main topsail and sheet it home. If I’m killed or wounded, Mr. Lavery will take command. Is there any question?”
When no one spoke up, Gabe said, “Very well, I’ll let you go tend to last minute details. But remember we need the element of surprise so make sure no musket or pistol is cocked. All it would take is for some clumsy idiot to drop a weapon and it go off to ruin all we’ve worked to accomplish. And possibly make us guests to the rebels.” This brought a chuckle from the gathered men.
The boat crews had manned the boats and they had been paid off. Gabe went down into the gig as it heaved on the dark water. He gave the command to shove off in a voice barely above a whisper. Gabe took the tiller as he sat in the stern sheets. As the men pulled slowly Gabe looked back just in time to see SeaWolf disappear in the night. Would she be there to pick them up at dawn as planned…Would they be there as planned? Faith, if he were killed what would she do? Would she mourn?...All kinds of nagging doubts seemed to rush through Gabe’s head.
Silently the boats made their way into the inlet and up the rivers. Time seemed to crawl. The night was unus
ually quiet; no croaking bullfrogs, no chirping crickets, no fish jumping. An occasional buzz of a mosquito was the only thing to break the sound. Muffled oars continued to row for what seemed like an eternity then they were there. The frigate was there in the shadows. A couple of lanterns burned dimly but Gabe could see no movement on board the vessel.
“Heave ho!” Gabe ordered in a whisper.
As the boats came together the frigate was visible to all as she rode at her moorings, her mast and spars just visible, almost like shadows in a nighttime sky.
“Everyone ready?” Gabe inquired.
“Good, then let’s be about our business. Give way,” Gabe ordered, as the boats made their way to the sleepy unsuspecting frigate.
The privateer’s crew had spent many nights tied up here off Wilmington Island. The standard precautions against night attack had fallen to haphazard routine as everyone felt safe in the shielded anchorage. There was no reason for tonight to be any different than the night before or the night before that.
As Gabe’s boats drew abeam of the frigate the sound of a woman’s laughter could be heard below decks, then a drunken shout to clam up or go over the side. A giggle was the response. The boats were now in position and quietly the seamen and marines boarded at their assigned positions. As luck would have it just as the last marine was on board a woman needing to relieve herself, made her way topside. Seeing a strange man she let out a scream. Without realizing he was facing a woman the marine smashed the woman in the face with the butt of his musket, felling her like a downed oxen.
However, the sound caused the lone sentry to emerge with a lantern. Seeing the deck filling with boarders he fired his musket at a nearby figure. The flash of the musket lit up a wave of boarders. Unfortunately, it was the last thing the sentry saw as a sailor crushed his skull with a boarding pike. The rush of feet could be heard as men and women alike poured out of the hatchways.
Gabe found himself being attacked by two people; one was a mulatto woman who must have been the wife of the man attacking him with a cutlass. Suddenly in desperation, as Gabe was winning the battle with the man, the woman bare-handedly grabbed Gabe’s sword. Without thinking he snatched the weapon back slicing open the woman’s fingers, severing tendons and arteries. The sight of his deed caused Gabe to become sickened as the woman fell to the deck screaming, trying to staunch the blood flow with useless hands.
Seeing his wife’s ruined hands, the enraged husband began his attack anew, only to be shot through the center of his chest. Glancing to his left Gabe could see Lum with the still smoking pistol in his hands and just behind him Dagan. The fighting was once again thrust their way pushing Gabe back to the larboard bulwark. There were screams and shouts followed by cries of agony as men fought hand to hand.
Dagan found himself entangled as someone who had fallen grabbed at his feet. Dagan kicked out with his feet to free himself from the hands that held him. Not being able to loosen himself from the man’s death grip Dagan pulled his cutlass from his belt and thrust it downward stabbing the frantic privateer in the neck. Hot blood spewed out of the man’s severed jugular and the deck became even more slippery.
Lavery’s group fought and struggled with a savage group of privateers who had backed the British boarding party to the companion ladder. The marine marksmen made their presence known as one after another of the desperate privateers were marked down.
Gabe, Dagan and Lum continued to thrust and parry, stepping over dead and downed men. Forward there was more fighting going on. Both groups were yelling and cursing as the two groups emerged into one melee. Gabe felt a heavy blow as a crazed man attacked with a belaying pin. However, Gabe was now inflamed with a fighting madness. He struck down the man with his blade with such vehemence he severed the man’s arm at the elbow. Seeing his arm hit the deck still holding the belaying pin the man ran and jumped over the railing into the black waters of the river.
Lum was now facing two attackers and felt a searing pain in his left shoulder. A third man had joined the melee. Dagan seeing the attack unfold had just reloaded his pistol and at point blank range fired, turning one of Lum’s attacker’s face into a bloody pulp. As the fight continued, Davy found himself next to Dagan and Lum. A huge man attacked Davy. The man’s breath reeked of the rum that only minutes ago he’d been drinking. Drunkenly, the man lunged. Parrying the man’s cutlass with his sword then stabbing up and inward with his dirk Davy punctured both the heart and lung. As he pulled his blade from between his foe’s ribs a great sucking noise was made. The man’s eyes suddenly went blank as he fell to his knees then face forward onto the deck.
There was a rush of feet as the British group rallied around Gabe. The few privateers left standing put down their weapons, all except one.
“Surrender sir,” Gabe asked.
“I’ll see you damned first,” the man replied still in a rage. This had to be the captain and Gabe understood the man facing the reality of his magnificent ship falling into the enemy’s hands. Not like the feelings of the reported twenty prizes he’d taken, Gabe surmised.
“Your sword sir,” Gabe asked once again but the man was blind with fury. He sprang forward with a wild animal like cry oblivious to all but repelling these boarders who were taking his ship. As he lunged forward he found himself impaled with two bayonets as the marines had stepped forward to protect their captain.
Looking in disbelief at the bayonets in his chest the man’s eyes glazed over and his sword clanged to the deck as his lifeless hand had let loose of the blade.
The madness in Gabe was now on the ebb. The ship was now clear except for the wounded and dead which lay about the deck. British sailors and marines limped around going about their duties as had been assigned.
It was then Dagan approached and said, “Someone cut the steerage cable so we have no rudder. We’re drifting downstream but it won’t be long I’m thinking before we’ll be grounded.”
“Very well,” Gabe replied then called to Davy, “see to the boats. I don’t want them swamped.”
“Mr. Lavery?”
“Aye, cap’n.”
“Get all the wounded together. We can put the privateer’s men ashore. They can take their wounded with them.”
“Lum?”
“Yes suh.”
“Go gather up all the rags and things you can find and meet me at the magazine. Dagan, let’s go check out the captain’s cabin.”
A through search of the captain’s quarters turned up very little. A very nice set of dueling pistols in a box was tucked under Dagan’s arm when they went topside. As they reached the main deck the ship gave a shudder, then a loud creaking of the timbers as the frigate grounded itself in a nearby mud bank. While the wounded men were being off-loaded Lum found a bale of rags and two barrels of coal oil. A barrel of linseed was also found. The rags were soaked in the coal oil then the ship was doused with the remainder. The linseed oil was in a huge barrel so Lum smashed the barrel with an axe sending the liquid gushing over the deck and down into the bowels of the ship.
A search of the magazine proved to be disappointing. Only two barrels of gunpowder was found.
“They were probably waiting on supplies,” Dagan commented seeing the lack of powder.
“Well, we can use it to start the fire,” Gabe said.
Back on the main deck everyone had been off-loaded. Lavery and Davy had everything ready for departure. The gunpowder was strewn across the deck and a line was poured to the entry port. Dagan threw the powder barrel he had been using to create a fuse back to the center of the deck then used his pistol to ignite the powder. The men had barely cleared the ship when the dark sky lit up like an inferno. The men were pulling with all their might but the heat from the ship could be felt by the men in the boats, making them pull with an urgency.
“That’ll bring out a crowd I’m thinking,” Dagan said as they rowed toward the inlet.
Looking back a red glow was visible with sparks and embers filling the sky like fireworks.
“She’d made a fine prize,” Gabe said, regret at having to burn the ship in his voice.
“Aye, my thoughts as well,” Dagan replied. “What a waste,” he continued, “but she’ll never take another British ship.”
Chapter Sixteen
The trip back to Saint Augustine was very uneventful. The sky was clear, the wind steady. Dagan had challenged Caleb to a game of chess. Gabe watched intently but the game didn’t engross him like it did Caleb and Dagan.
Lum, to get away from Mr. Jewels, took his lotz and went forward. Soon all the men not on watch had gathered round, most with their rum rations in their hands. Some downed their ration while others sipped at the metal cups, trying to make it last. A number of the men chewed tobacco, while most who smoked, lit up their pipes. A few had cigars and these were lit.
The crew was content after a successful operation, which yielded only a handful of wounded and no deaths. Down in the wardroom the master had Jackson in stitches with his bawdy humor. The purser who never smiled was even laughing at Gunnels’s last rhyme, having to do with a hermit who had a dead wench in a cave.
Dawkins could hear the laughter from the wardroom as he passed it going back to the captain’s cabin. He had put a bottle of hock in the bilges to chill and had gone to retrieve it now that it was cool enough to drink. It amazed him how cool things stayed below the waterline when the water itself felt warm to the touch. As he made his way into the cabin he could see Caleb leaning forward over the chess board frowning while Dagan was reared back with a smile across his face.
“Damme, sir, where in God’s creation did you learn that move? I’ve not surrendered yet mind you, but it looks like its checkmate.”
Caleb had got to where he spent a lot of time with Dagan. This had started after the overland trip to rescue Gabe, after stopping by Dagan’s uncle’s place seeking help for Gabe’s rescue. He rarely spent much time away from his old traveling companion…was it a bond created by the trip or from a bond with Kitty, the uncle’s daughter?