The Threat in the Baltic (The Merriman Chronicles Book 5)

by Roger Burnage

  “What I can gather from all these papers James, is this. That ship loaded its cargo in Boston, bound for Europe somewhere, probably somewhere in the Netherlands which is now occupied by Napoleon's army. We must squeeze as much information as we can on that from the Captain. This French report with all the information it contains can only be the result of a spy's activities round Portsmouth and the dockyard and even in London at the Admiralty”.

  “A spy in the dockyards and Admiralty? That is hard to believe Sir”, said an amazed Merriman. “It shouldn't be James, you know from our experiences that we have spies and agents in France and other places and we do know that the French have the same, so why not here?”

  “Of course you are right Sir, but it occurs to me that the spy may even be aboard that ship as we speak and if the cargo is intended for Napoleon's army then from the Netherlands the spy could quickly get to Paris. I will have the Captain brought back here Sir, but I am not sure that it would be for the Netherlands, the ship's course seemed to be more north-easterly towards the Baltic”.

  “It is possible I suppose, but why would an English ship be taking American arms to the Baltic? We are not yet at war with any of those countries. The Netherlands I could believe James, after all is said and done the French are there. Another point, that ship sailed from Portsmouth, your Lieutenant Shrigley recognised her, so perhaps they may have picked up the spy there”.

  At that moment they heard a lookout's hail from above and a moment later the marine guard knocked on the door and announced “Midshipman Edwards Sir”. Edwards entered, “Mr Andrew's compliments Sir, Sail Sir, fine on the starboard quarter but he can't see what it is yet”. Merriman leapt to his feet, “Thank you Mr Edwards, I'll come up”.

  Chapter 11 - Engagement with French frigate

  On deck he found several of his officers on the quarterdeck with telescopes, trying to identify the newcomer. “Where is Mr Shrigley”, he asked. “Masthead Sir”, replied Lieutenant Andrews, pointing aloft to where Shrigley was about as high as he could go and using his telescope. Looking down he saw Merriman and descended rapidly. “I can't be sure Sir but I think it is a frigate but I can see no colours”

  “Thank you Mr Shrigley, Mr Andrews, full action stations if you please, I want all record times broken. Load the guns with roundshot but don't run them out yet”. Andrews bawled the orders and instantly there was the sound of running feet and the bangs and thumps of the partitions and chests being taken below. Every man had his own place to be and there was frenzied activity as the powder boys ran up to the gundeck with their cartridges of powder and the gun crews started preparing every gun. Mr Grahame appeared on deck ,”What is it Captain, why action stations?”

  “We have seen another ship astern Sir, so I am taking the usual precautions as she has not yet shown her colours, so I must ask you to go below if it is a Frenchman”. Mr Grahame was a non-combatant and in view of his position as an important representative of the Treasury and indeed the Government he had to be kept as safe as possible.

  Merriman walked up and down for a few moments, frowning at his thoughts, everybody else keeping out of his way as far as possible. Another hail came from the masthead lookout “Deck there, she’s definitely a frigate Sir, but she's not flying any colours yet”. That was suspicious in itself, as a British ship would not be afraid of flying her colours but a Frenchman may not, hoping to take them by surprise. Merriman made up his mind.

  “Mr Andrews, lower another boat and bring us closer to our captive so that I can hail her”. He seized a megaphone and shouted “Mr Merryweather, I'm sending another boat over, I want all the prisoners and your people back here. Leave the brig without sail on and let her drift. We can collect her later. Now then Gentlemen, once we have everyone back aboard I'll have the prisoners taken and fastened below Then Mr Andrews, have our boats secured astern and we'll turn to face this new ship ”.

  That was soon done by which time the other frigate was hull up on the horizon. “I'm sure she's French Sir” said Shrigley, “judging by the cut of her sails and her sheer”. “I agree with you Alfred, we will have to fight her”. Just then another hail came from aloft, “Another sail Sir, coming astern of the frigate, I can only see her topmasts but she looks to be a bigger ship Sir”.

  “That settles it Gentlemen, I'll fight a frigate but if the other ship is a French seventy four we cannot fight the two of them together. If we can see that it is one of the Channel Fleet chasing the frigate then so much the better and then we will engage”.

  The Lord Stevenage had now turned and on the larboard tack was bearing down onto the French frigate which was on the starboard tack. If neither of them gave way they would meet head on.

  Merriman had already determined that the other ship was French and he could attack her before the other ship came up to them. The frigate confirmed his decision by opening her ports and running out her guns. Every one of his crew was waiting expectantly to see what Merriman would do He looked round at the excited faces and then beckoned to First Lieutenant Andrews and the Master. “Gentlemen, this is what I intend. All the guns should be loaded with roundshot. We will pass on her larboard side, with this strong wind her heel will prevent her guns opening fire on our masts and rigging which is the usual French ploy”.

  He studied the other ship for a few moments more then said “If their crew is as bad as it was on that French ship we towed into Portsmouth, then they may not handle their ship as well as we can. Therefore I will try and trick them. Mr Andrews, you will remember how we dealt with the corvette Sirene in Bantry Bay in Ireland I'm sure, well I'll try the same now. I want the ship handled like lightening so issue the orders and we'll have the courses off her as well”. Andrews grinned, “Aye-aye Sir, no reason the trick won't work again”. The courses, the big lower sails on each mast were furled before a fight to try and avoid the risk of fire.

  “Mr Henderson, I want you and your mates to watch for my signals. We will turn to larboard first and then if he turns to meet us we will steer hard to starboard and then to larboard again to bring us level with her. But be ready for a change of orders, it all depends on what the Frogs do. Do you understand?” “Yes Sir, I understand, have no fear, the lads are up to it”. The series of shouted orders by Andrews ceased and Merriman saw the men ready on the sheets and braces. Mr Bristow, as soon as your guns bear, open fire, starting with the for'ard guns, don't wait until all bear at once”. Lieutenant Bristow was commanding the larboard battery and he too grinned up at Merriman, “Aye-aye Sir”.

  “Merriman thought “I'm committed now, I just hope the Frenchman doesn't try the same trick”. He watched keenly to see the first sign of the French ship changing course, then he could wait no longer. “Now” he roared. ….....The men on the big wheel hauled it round and the stern immediately started to swing as the rudder moved over whilst the seamen were hauling on sheets and braces to swing the sails round. At once the French ship started to turn, slowly, the Captain could be seen shouting and wildly waving his arms but all was confusion on her deck as seamen ran to their places to handle the sails at their unexpected orders.

  “Now”roared Merriman. The Lord Stevenage changed course again and swung the other way with her bowsprit seeming to miss the frigate's fore rigging by inches as with her men hauling madly on the sheets and braces the Lord Stevenage began to turn again to pass alongside the larboard side of the frigate as the helm was put over again. Her two big bowchaser guns on the fo'c'sle fired as one with one ball smashing into the figurehead and the other hitting the foredeck rail and smashing the foremast pinrail of the frigate, the 'Smashers' on the fo'c'sle joined in and the shells landed on the French ship's fo'c'sle and burst, spreading death and carnage among the Frenchmen gathered there.

  On the gundeck Lieutenant Bristow could be seen running from stem to stern controlling the firing of the guns, ensuring that no excited gun captain fired before the gun crews could see their target. The guns crashed out one after another with the balls smashing int
o the French ship at gundeck level, most of them creating havoc as guns were upended on to screaming men and timbers between the guns smashed sending sprays of lethal splinters to kill or wound others.

  But as the Lord Stevenage passed by the French ship, the guns toward the stern which had not been struck by Merriman's cannon shot began to reply, a bit raggedly to be sure but nevertheless hitting Merriman's gun crews as they hastened to reload causing death in their turn. On both ships marksmen in the mast tops were shooting down on the other ship's decks. Merriman saw one of his two new midshipmen, a white faced, terrified Evans, struck down by a musket ball which hit his shoulder and threw him backward. A body fell from above and crashed onto the netting spread above the deck to catch falling objects, it was one of the marines with his throat torn open by a musket ball and his lifeblood pouring out of his mouth and spreading out on the deck below him as if his heart not knowing the man was dead still pumped two or three times. Two marines on the quarterdeck were hit simultaneously as they fired over the hammock nettings and they collapsed lifeless. One of the men on the wheel was collapsed against the rail coughing up gouts of blood before he too slid sideways and was dead, but another man had already replaced him, such was the discipline of the Navy

  Merriman ran to the rail to look down on the gundeck,” Mr Bristow, we are turning to pass her stern, I want every gun of the larboard battery that can, firing into her”. “Aye-aye Sir, Mr Bristow's wounded and taken below Sir” shouted Lieutenant Shrigley, “I am in command down here now Sir” He turned shouting orders to those gun crews who had managed to reload.

  On deck Merriman shouted orders to bring his ship round the French ship's stern - which bore the name Carmagnole - and his guns spoke one by one as they found a target, punching through the stern windows and killing or wounding scores of men on the gundeck. He became aware of a seaman standing breathless beside him, “The other ship Sir, She's a seventy four and one of ours, the old Conqueror I think Sir. I shouted from aloft Sir but with all the noise you didn't hear me”. “Good, thank you, back to your post. Mr Andrews, bring her round and we'll pass her stern again and give our starboard battery something to do. Mr Shrigley, have the starboard guns ready for their turn”. As the Lord Stevenage turned, they saw the Frenchman's mizzenmast begin to lean over and then it fell, crashing over the larboard side with men entangled in the ropes like flies in a spider's web, most of them destined to a horrible death by drowning. Then somebody managed to drape a white sheet over the stern and it was all over.

  Merriman shouted “Mr Andrews, take a party of well-armed men and marines over to accept their surrender. My compliments to the Captain with my apologies, I cannot go myself. Secure the powder room and, oh, you know what to do. This ship will stay astern of the frigate ready to fire another broadside into her stern if need be”.

  The fighting was over but there could be no rest for Merriman, various people were waiting to report and doubtless he would have to go to report to the Captain of the other ship who was certainly senior to himself to be in command of a bigger ship. He looked ruefully down at his blood splashed trousers and his old seagoing coat. Taking a deep breath, Merriman looked at the men waiting, Mr McBride, how many?” The ship's surgeon replied, absently wiping his hands on his blood-soaked apron, “Six dead Sir” he said gesturing to the bodies laid out on the deck, “and twenty wounded, some seriously others not so”.

  “Thank you Mr McBride”, said Merriman, turning to the Carpenter and the Bos'n “And what have you to tell me? Mr Brockle, you first”. Nothing serious Sir, some of the rigging will have to be replaced but my men are working on it now. The sailmaker will have a lot to do though”. “Thank you. Mr Green, what have you to report?” The ship is sound below Sir, no water in the well. There are two gun carriages to be replaced. I can repair one but the other is past it. Some timbers and rails are smashed but nothing that we can't put right Sir”. “Very well, thank you, so now you had better get started” replied Merriman

  A cough behind him from Midshipman Green caught his attention. Signal Sir, the other ship Sir, signals 'Captain to come aboard when convenient'. They are sending a boat with some officers in it Sir”. “That was considerate of him”, thought Merriman looking over the side to see two Lieutenants ready to climb aboard. “Permission to come aboard Sir” called one and on Merriman's reply in agreement they were quickly on board and meeting Merriman on his quarterdeck. The senior man touched his hat “Lieutenants Curtis and Bartholomew Sir, Captain McMasters sent us over to see what help you might need”.

  “Thank you, there are no repairs we cannot do ourselves, but.....” he stopped as a thought struck him. “There is that brig you can see over there. We had captured her before that frigate showed up. She is full of muskets and such, intended for France. I left her to drift and brought all the crew aboard here, they are confined below, but if you could ask Captain McMasters with my compliments, if he could bring that ship back and provide a prize crew I would be vastly obliged. I will visit our wounded and talk with Mr McBride the surgeon then go over to see your captain as soon as I can find a fresh uniform”.

  Down on the orlop deck it was like a scene from hell with wounded men swathed in blood soaked bandages and leaning up against the timber of the hull but saying little, others moaning, screaming and sobbing. The deck was covered in blood and swabs and Merriman snarled at one of the loblolly boys to clean it up. McBride was leaning over a man on the crude operating table who was writhing and screaming “Messmates, 'elp me, don't let 'im cut off me leg, please. But a strip of leather to bite on was thrust between his teeth and McBride's assistants clung grimly on to the man who Merriman could see was one of the bos'n's mates. McBride was quick, in a few moments the knife and saw removed the man's leg which was thrown into a tub containing other limbs and parts of limbs. By then the man had stopped struggling and McBride bent over him and opened an eye. He shook his head and straightened up.

  Noticing Merriman standing there, he said “I hope you're satisfied Captain.. Six dead up on deck and two more here including this poor devil. Some of these others will be permanently damaged and will have to be sent back home 'though what kind of a life they have to look forward to God only knows. The rest of them will recover and be useful again in time” Merriman looked round at the men, sadly he knew that he was to blame for their agony. If he hadn't attacked the frigate these men would be alive and well ,but it was duty, duty to which every man was bound. “Thank you Doctor” he said, “I know you have done your best. Make sure that those that can, have an extra tot of rum, I know it will help a little”.

  As he turned to climb the companion way a voice called “Lads, Cap'n's come to see us, cheer up, I 'eard him promise us an extra tot”. Merriman peered at the man in the gloom of the smokey lamps, “It's me Sir, Biggins an' I still 'ate them Frogs, an' I'll soon be at 'em again, you'll see”. He fell back with a grimace of pain. Merriman touched his hand and said “I know you will Biggins, I want to see you jumping about the deck waving a cutlass again soon”. The man had a hatred of the French, and was a bit simple probably due to the severe wound to his head received years before. He was fond of practical jokes but the men tolerated him and even thought of him as a sort of mascot and kept him out of trouble. Merriman turned to the Doctor and asked “ How is Mr Bristow?” “In his cabin Sir, hurt badly but he'll live”. He returned to his cabin feeling less of himself in the face of the grit and courage shown by those men, who had no choice but to do whatever he ordered, even to die.

  And so, the big seventy four went after the brig and put some men aboard and they both came back and hove to. By then Merriman's cabin was nearly ready and Peters his servant had brought everything up from below and sorted out and brushed his best uniform. In no time his boat was ready and Merriman seated himself in the stern and was rowed over to meet Captain McMasters. He took Grahame with him as his documents would inform Captain McMasters what their mission was.

  He was welcomed aboard by the usual cerem
ony and met by the Captain himself with his officers with him. “By the Gods Captain, it is a pleasure to meet you Sir, and your companion. Come below and tell me all about yourselves and why you are here”. Once seated in McMasters' great cabin, so much bigger than his frigate's cabin, Merriman began to introduce himself but the Captain held up his hand to stop him and bellowed “Bricks” A man appeared and began to dispense drinks. The Captain explained “I call him 'Bricks' because he was a bricklayer and I can't get my tongue round his Welsh name. Now then Gentlemen, to business. I know who you are Captain, from the Navy List but your friend –------------------------- ?”.

  Merriman hastily introduced Grahame who explained who he was and showed the captain his orders from the Government and then said “Captain Merriman is under my orders to take me where I have to go Sir. I must go urgently to Copenhagen to see the Ambassador there, but I can say no more”.

  “Very well Gentlemen, it sounds important so I won't question you further on that subject Mr Grahame”. He turned to Merriman “Are you the Captain Merriman who was involved with the abortive French invasion of Ireland a few years ago. Captured an important French spy I believe”. “I am Sir and Mr Grahame was with me then. However I must report to you Sir my recent actions. We saw that small brig acting strangely, almost guiltily, so I stopped him. His hold is full of American guns, bayonets and powder and shot, probably intended for the French in the Netherlands. My lieutenant found a letter Sir, written in French giving details about our ship movements in Portsmouth and also the Admiralty's plan to assemble a fleet for the Baltic, so I think one of the crew must be a spy or certainly there must be a spy in the dockyard and possibly even in the Admiralty.”

  He paused for a moment and then continued “Normally I would appoint a prize crew and send it back to Portsmouth, but I am already men short, eight dead and others badly wounded and I must continue with our orders without delay. As for the frigate Sir, whilst I was dealing with the brig she appeared on the horizon heading directly for us so I took the crew of the brig, eight men and the captain aboard my ship Sir and confined them below. I left the brig to drift knowing I could recover it later”.