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

by Roger Burnage

  Chapter 14 - Merriman makes notes of the defences

  Two days careful but casual observation yielded much that was new. Most of the Danish ships that were no longer fit for sea service were being moored along in front of the city. They were still heavily armed and formed a line of floating batteries terminating at the northern end at the huge Trekroner fort. North of the fort were moored two ships-of -the-line and other floating batteries. Batteries could be seen along the coast behind the ships and an attack would have to be made along the channel between the floating batteries and a large shoal named the Middle Ground which restricted access.

  By the time Grahame returned, Merriman was pleased with what they had learned and charts with all the defences clearly marked with their bearings from Lord Stevenage's anchorage were finished. Although they dare not use boats for checking soundings, Merriman had made careful note of where the main channels seemed to be by watching the movement of larger vessels at each stage of the tide.

  There had only been one incident which cropped up. In his cabin early one morning, Merriman was disturbed by shouting on deck and came up to see what was happening. At his appearance Lieutenant Merriweather turned to face him and reported “One man overboard Sir, he jumped and is swimming to that American ship over there. I shouted for him to stop and come back but he is still going, he must be trying to desert”.

  Merriman seized a megaphone and shouted “You in the water, this is your Captain speaking. I order you to come back or you will be shot”. For answer the man turned on his side and made the common two-fingered gesture before swimming further. Merriman gestured to the two marines standing next to him and simply said “Shoot him”. Marines were normally posted on deck with loaded muskets, there to prevent deserters from jumping ship and the two of them instantly fired at the man in the water. One ball struck the water by his head but the other hit him in the back. He twisted round and with his two fingers raised he disappeared, the only sign of his passing was a rapidly dispersing stain of blood.

  Merriman turned from the rail and was returning by the side deck to the quarterdeck which he had barely reached before he was thrown violently down by a seaman screaming “Bloody murderer you bastard, he was my brother – I'll kill you I will” and he attempted to stab Merriman in the back with his knife. Merriman managed to turn soon enough to grasp the man's wrist and divert the blow before a marine clubbed the man with the butt of his musket and he fell senseless to the deck.

  “Are you all right Sir” asked a worried Lieutenant Andrews, helping him to his feet. “A bit shaken David, but otherwise intact, thank you” replied Merriman looking down at the unconscious body by his feet. “Have Mr McBride look to the fellow and then put him in chains below in the punishment cell, I'll see him later”. “Aye-aye Sir” said Andrews calling for the Master-at-arms to deal with him. “You were lucky that time Sir, if that marine hadn't been so quick to hit him you could have had his knife between your ribs”.

  “I know Mr Andrews, now which marine was it?” “Jones Sir, he's here”. Merriman turned to see a red-faced and grinning marine behind him. “Well done Jones, you saved my life, thank you. Captain St James, I want this man to have a commendation in his record and if you think him ready he might be promoted to corporal, I've noticed him before for his actions in the West Indies”. “Aye-aye Sir, I'll see to it” replied the Marine Captain. “Come with me Jones”. He led the grinning marine below.

  Eventually Grahame returned to the ship in a gloomy mood, “Nothing to report James. At the Embassy I spoke with many people but nobody could say for certain if this treaty, the League of Armed Neutrality had actually taken place. One Diplomat, Mr Vansittart, with his ears in the right places, did say that he believed it had been signed under pressure from the Tsar and he did tell me that the Danes had rejected the British ultimatum. And, he said that a French warship had passed here into the Baltic, maybe to visit the Russians but he couldn't be certain why. I think you should make sail and take the ship out of here as quickly as you can, we might be fired on at any time”.

  In the event they were not fired upon except once when they were nearly out of the Kattegat when an odd battery on the Norwegian side with an over optimistic gunner did fire but they were well out of range and watched the ball skipping along the surface of the sea in a series of hops before it disappeared. As they turned the tip of the island of Zealand and into the Skagerrak Merriman breathed a big sigh of relief and smiled at Grahame “Where do we go now Sir?”

  Grahame said “I'm not sure James. I would like to go to Oslo to see one of our people there but the way in is very narrow and if the Norwegians are definitely against us we wouldn't reach the city. I think Bergen might be our best choice, it is a big trading port and England has many friends there and even some English people live there, but even so I can't say what our welcome would be like. Anyway I think we should try it. I'll think it over some more”..

  Fortunately, although it was now well into September the weather was still fair but as the ship turned north along the coast of Norway there was a definite chill in the air. As they approached Bergen keeping well out at sea Grahame made up his mind. “I'll go ashore James, by boat and as close to the town as possible. You know, we have done this many times before. You lie well out of sight of land and come back in at night and look for my signal lamp. If I'm not there on the second night you should assume the worst and leave to report back to the Admiralty and Lord Stevenage”.

  “Take care Sir, we don't know but that every man's hand will be against you”.

  “James, don't worry so, remember I am an old hand at this and beside, 'I have the cloak of night to cover me from their sight' that is from Romeo and Juliet I think”.

  “Indeed it is, but please remember another old saying 'a fair day in winter is the mother of a storm'. The weather is fair at the moment but if a storm does come up I will have to stay well out at sea and not be able to pick you up for more than two days so discretion must be the better part of valour, as some proverb says”.

  Merriman and Grahame had the habit of trying to outdo the other in quoting proverbs and quotations from Shakespeare and other authors. Grahame smiled, “I think you have the better of me there James. Are we near enough so you can put me ashore tonight?”

  “Yes, but where exactly do you want to be put ashore, north or south of Bergen?” “North would be best James, more of the town and merchant's warehouses and homes are there on the north side of the harbour and I should have no difficulty in getting into where I need to go. If there is bad weather or I am suspected I may have to move along the coast to the north of the town to be picked up”.

  And so, under reduced sail and with a gentle breeze the Lord Stevenage ghosted inshore and quietly anchored, with lookouts all-round the ship. Grahame was rowed to the shore in the gig with Midshipman Small at the tiller and a burly seaman carried him ashore to keep his boots dry. When the boat was recovered Merriman asked Mr Small if all was well. “Oh yes Sir, Mr Grahame said he thought he knew exactly where he was and sent us back here”.

  The ship quietly made for the open sea and at dawn she was in the middle of a wide expanse of water with no other ship visible. Merriman kept the crew busy with all the normal routine while cruising peacefully and slowly up and down to keep as near as possible to where Grahame had landed. He and St James were on deck practising swordplay with interested officers watching, but the peace was not to last. At three o'clock of the afternoon watch a lookout hailed “Deck, there” he shouted, pointing north, “Two ships astern Sir, one may be a frigate”.

  Merriman made up his mind in an instant and ordered the ship to change course to starboard and increase sail to keep as far away from the newcomers as he could - meanwhile sending a keen-eyed seaman aloft with a telescope. A few minutes later he was back down on deck reporting “It's a frigate Sir, seems to be escortin' a fat merchantman, mebbe goin' to Bergen Sir, if they keep on course they'll pass astern of us Sir”.

  “Bac
k aloft with you, keep me informed of any change”. “Aye-aye Sir” the man replied then disappeared up the shrouds. Merriman pondered, “Had they been seen and if they had what would the frigate do? He could do only one of two things, continue to Bergen or turn after them and chase”. He thought that if the frigate came to find out who they were they would lose it in the coming dark but it was possible that the alarm was given and other ships might come out tomorrow. Anyway he had to go inshore again to look for Grahame's signal lamp. There was no signal that night and by morning the weather had deteriorated so much that the Lord Stevenage was forced further out to sea and couldn't get back to the point where Grahame's lamp could be seen. Two days of freezing weather and the gale which seemed determined to drive them further offshore ensued and it was only on the fourth night that Merriman dared to bring his ship close inshore Desperately worried that Grahame had been captured or even shot, Merriman cruised slowly northwards from Bergen as Grahame had suggested but it was only in the early hours before dawn that the signal was seen and Grahame brought back and had to be almost carried on board.

  The poor man was in a wretched condition, weak and bedraggled, wet and shivering with cold, he nevertheless managed to tell them that the alarm had been raised and ships were looking for them. Instantly Merriman ordered a change of course straight out to sea to get as far away from the coast as the ship could before dawn. McBride the ship's doctor was ready and had Grahame stripped of his wet clothes and wrapped in several blankets in his cot in no time. Dawn's pale light showed no sign of other ships and a very relieved Merriman had the Doctor summoned to his cabin. “How is your patient Doctor, will he be all right?” “I believe he will be Sir, given time to recover. He is still asleep and I would like to keep him like that until he wakens normally. He isn't a young man Sir, but fairly fit and strong so he should be all right”. It was almost mid-day before the Doctor climbed on deck and announced to Merriman that Grahame was awake and needed to see him.

  “Can he be moved Mr McBride, if he is can you bring him to my cabin and then tell Peters to bring hot coffee and something for him to eat”. The Doctor disappeared below and after checking that all was well and scanning the horizon again Merriman left the deck and returned to his cabin to find Grahame, still wrapped in blankets, drinking hot coffee and nibbling on a piece of bread. He still looked so bad that Merriman was moved to say “ 'Meagre were his looks, sharp misery had worn him to the bones' from Romeo and Juliet Sir”.

  Grahame raised a feeble smile, “By the Gods James, I had nearly given up hope when your boat suddenly appeared and the men practically dragged me aboard. I really think that I am too old for all this excitement”. He took another sip of the hot coffee then continued “Do you think I could have something hot to eat, I'm starving?” “Of course Sir, I think this is Peters bringing it now”.

  Peters it was, he bustled in with a tray bearing fried pork, fried potatoes and other vegetables and laid it in front of the hungry man. Grahame fell to with a will and Merriman said no more until Grahame sat back with a contented grunt. “Now then James I must tell you what happened to me in Bergen. I found the town and the house of a friend easily enough and knocked on his door but the man who opened it was not my friend, he was a Norwegian and in uniform as well. When I couldn't answer in Norwegian he became suspicious so I ran and they have been hunting me for three days. I haven't learned anything but that they are suspicious of strangers. When the weather turned bad I knew it would stop you coming to collect me so I daren't stay on the coast until last night when you found me. It was a complete waste of time James, I learned nothing of importance and now I think we should head back to England to report to our Masters”.

  Crossing the North Sea and heading for Chatham on the Medway, the nearest naval port and dockyard to London, Merriman told Grahame of the incident of the deserter and the attempt on his, Merriman's, life. “So you see Sir, I think they were the spies from Portsmouth, brothers and Irish to boot. One of them was shot trying to escape and the other is confined below after been laid senseless by a marine. Mr McBride tells me that he is now fit enough to be questioned. So, with your approval I will have him brought up here Sir”.

  The order was passed by the marine sentry and a few minutes later the small form of an anxious Midshipman, announced by the same sentry, came in. “Mr Bristow's compliments Sir, he thought the man not fit to bring to your cabin, he's filthy and smells Sir, so he is being sluiced down on deck”. Very well Mr Evans, thank you. My compliments to Mr Bristow and ask him not to bring him down until he is cleaner and dry”. “Aye-aye Sir said Evans and he bolted from the cabin.

  “He has been in the punishment cell in chains and his only companion a bucket for his needs so I'm not surprised he is in a filthy state” smiled Merriman grimly, and he has been living on bread and water though the men wanted to give him nothing”. The thump of the sentry's musket butt on the deck announced the arrival of Lieutenant Andrews, Lieutenant Bristow, the Master-at-arms and two big marines holding the prisoner between them. The man was still dirty and of course unshaven but as Andrews said “Better than what he was Sir and he doesn't stink as much. I gave him an old shirt and trousers from the slop chest Sir, his own filthy ones have been thrown overboard”.

  Merriman and Grahame looked the man up and down, he was bare footed and although he tried to look indifferent and looking at his feet it was clear that much of his spirit and antagonism had gone. Merriman began, “What is your real name, not the one you gave us when we took you prisoner?” The man didn't answer, still looking down on the deck, so Merriman continued “I shall read out the charges against you and then we will hear what you have to say in your own defence”. “First, that you acted as a spy in England and tried to pass information to the French. That is treason for which the penalty is hanging. Two, that you and your brother did attempt to desert, another hanging offence and third, you struck a superior officer and tried to kill him which is also a hanging offence. What do you have to say?”

  The man tried to draw himself erect, spat on the floor and almost snarled “I'm Irish I am, an' proud to be so, though me Mam were French. Me name is Patrick Casey an' me brother was Sean before you murdered him, you English bastard. Yes we spied on the navy in Portsmouth but another man in London gave us money and sent that letter for us to deliver an' I don't know 'is name. And it weren't treason, I were fightin' for my own country, Ireland, God bless 'er”.

  Merriman didn't react to the abuse and said “Your brother knew the penalty for desertion didn't he? A severe flogging at least, or death if I am minded to take that action. As for the attack on me, there is only the one penalty specified in the Admiralty Articles of War – death. Have you anything else to say before I pass sentence?”

  “Bloody English, thieves an' murderers, think you own Ireland don't you, well there are a lot more like me, not afraid to fight for our country. So a curse on you, sitting there in yer fancy uniform, I 'ates the lot of ye and I'm not afraid to die”.

  Merriman told the Master-at-arms and the marines to take the man out but keep him handy which brought on another tirade of cursing until one of the marines clamped a big hand over the man's mouth and they dragged him out. “Now then Gentlemen, what do you think”, he asked each of the two officers and Mr Grahame in turn, but all were agreed, the man should be hanged. “He's a bad lot Captain” said Grahame and Bristow said “For what he did to you Sir, he should be hanged, never mind the rest”. “Very well then, Mr Bristow, please ask the marines to bring him in again”.

  The man was now white faced and trembling as at last he realised what awaited him. He wrenched himself away from the marines and flung himself down on his knees babbling about mercy for sinners until the marines dragged him to his feet. Merriman was not a cruel man, but he had no choice really. As Captain of the ship he was duty bound to follow the Admiralty Articles of War. He hardened his heart and said the required words “Seaman Casey, you have been found guilty on all counts and you will be hange
d immediately. Take him away.”. He sat quietly for a long moment before speaking again. “A nasty business Gentlemen, Mr Andrews please be kind enough to tell the Master-at-Arms to make the arrangements and the Bos'n to prepare a noose and then have the whole crew mustered to witness punishment”.

  It didn't take long, Merriman was on the quarterdeck with all his officers and marines and all the men in their various watch stations for'ard waiting to see what would happen. Merriman read out aloud the appropriate part of the Articles and then nodded to the marine guard and they dragged Casey to where a noose hung from the mainyard with men waiting on the tail of the rope to haul him up. The wretched man screamed before the rope tightened round his neck and he was hauled up. His bladder loosened and he twisted and kicked for three or four moments before he hung still.

  There was silence for a few second before an unknown voice called out “He deserved it for what he did to you Sir, what do you say lads, a cheer for the Captain?” His answer was a loud roar of approval from the men before they were dismissed. Merriman was surprised to hear Bristow say “They all wanted a hand on the rope Sir, we had to select them. It seems that that the men think a lot about you Sir. “Yes I think they do” grunted Merriman before retreating below where he called Peters to bring him a glass of brandy.