Chasseur à Cheval (Napoleonic Horseman Book 1)

by Griff Hosker

  “It would cause less trouble if you were. Perhaps we ought to do it before they get here!”

  He turned around and glared at us. “I’ll feed you to the fishes if you come close.”

  He was so serious that we all laughed, including Jean. In some strange way it made us more relaxed. The three ships were now half a mile away and they fired their bow chasers. They were not trying to sink us but make us change direction. I was not a sailor and even I could see that. The six cannon balls flew harmlessly overhead.

  The lieutenant laughed, “They are idiots. Everyone knows your first shot is your best shot. Once the barrels get heated up the balls could go anywhere.” All the time he was glancing at the wind and glancing astern. He saw us watching him. He pointed to the mast head pennant. “I am just waiting for the wind to veer a point or two then I am going to turn and try to dismast the one in the middle.”

  I couldn’t resist asking, “Why the one in the middle?”

  “If we miss to the left or the right we could still hit one of the consorts.” He must have seen something he liked for he suddenly shouted, “Hard a starboard! All guns fire as you bear at the centre ship.” The ‘all guns’ was a little grand, he had but four on each side.

  I had never seen or heard chain shot before. It was two cannon balls attached by a small chain. If it struck rigging or a mast it sliced through it. As the guns fired we heard a strange whizzing noise as the chain shot sped and spiralled towards the xebecs. We had, of course, made ourselves a bigger target by turning and two balls crashed through the sail of the foremast. “Hard a port! Starboard guns you will get your chance in a moment.”

  As the smoke cleared we all peered anxiously to see what damage had been done. The foremast of the middle ship had been damaged and there appeared to be a hole close to the water line. It was slowing down but the turn had allowed the two others to close with us.

  “This time when I turn go for the ship to the north. Larboard battery load with ball and have grapeshot ready.” He gestured to us. “There are two deck guns on each side. Load them with grape and we’ll use them if they close with us.”

  Tiny and I raced to one gun. They were long tubes, a sort of sea going musket but cruder and larger. We rammed the grapeshot down the barrel and poured in a handful of musket balls for good measure. Its range would only be forty yards or so but they would clear the decks if used judiciously. I saw that the major and Jean had taken another of the guns. I was not surprised; it was always better to be doing something rather than just watching

  As the order was given, “Hard to larboard!” I was glad I was at the gun for it gave me something to hang on to as the ship heeled hard over. The cannons sounded the same as before and the chain shot whizzed across the water. The northern ship was closer and I saw the mast begin to crumble even above the smoke of our guns. There was a crack as it broke. When the smoke cleared we could see that the mast had fallen in the water and dragged it round. The young lieutenant yelled, excitedly, “One more while they are broadside on. The sailors reloaded and fired as the ship heeled around. The four balls cracked into her hull and she began to sink.

  We now had one damaged ship and a second one which was less than two hundred yards away and racing to get to grips with us. The first ship we had damaged was two hundred yards astern of us and trying to reach our larboard side. “Major, get your men on deck!”

  The grenadiers, eager to be released from their dark prison, poured on to the deck. Their officers lined them up along the two sides so that the ship bristled with weaponry. It was too late for the pirates to avoid a collision and their captain kept his ship heading for us. The young lieutenant shouted fire and first the cannons and then Tiny and me fired our guns. I had forgotten to wrap something around my ears and the whole world became silent with the crash and the concussion. I tapped Tiny on the shoulder and we reloaded. There was too much smoke to see what damage we had caused but we needed to reload anyway. Suddenly we were almost knocked to our feet as the pirate xebec lurched into us. I pulled the lanyard and the gun belched death at the half naked, glistening black warriors who launched themselves over the side. I felt, rather than heard, the volleys from the grenadiers.

  I took out my sword and led Tiny to the fray. The grenadiers had done serious damage to the pirates but now, with their muskets as their main weapon they were at a disadvantage. I saw an Arab lift his scimitar to behead a prostrate grenadier who had slipped on the blood which ran like water on the deck. I lunged and my sword went through his silk shirt and emerged on the other side. I pulled the soldier to his feet and heard him say, “Thank you sir.” My hearing was coming back at least.

  Suddenly I felt a crash as the second ship lurched into us and more pirates leapt aboard. I drew my pistol and fired at two men who were clambering aboard. I could do nothing about the other side. Pierre and Michael would have to cope. We were fighting for our lives. We had to clear this side first. Then I heard the major shout, “Grenades!” Ten of the grenadiers lobbed their fizzing grenades into the air. They must have cut the fuse as finely as they dared for the ten bombs all exploded on the xebec’s deck. I could not see the effect but I imagined that it would be devastating. If nothing else the concussion would have made the pirates dizzy.

  The lieutenant took advantage of the hiatus and yelled, “All guns fire!” Our cannons were almost touching the xebecs and the force of them drove the two ships away from us. We still had pirates aboard but they could not get more men on to our decks and we could begin to clear the enemy away.

  Once again I heard, “Grenades!” There was another ripple of explosions along both sides. I saw the xebec nearest us begin to drift south. I turned to head towards the other side. I saw Pierre lying on the deck, covered in blood and Michael desperately fighting against three men. I hurled myself through the air. I impaled one with my sword and crashed into a second. It did Michael no good as the third one swept his scimitar around to behead him. As I lay on the ground I pulled my second pistol and held it to the man’s stomach as I fired. I saw daylight through his middle before he collapsed.

  The man I had knocked to the ground suddenly put his hands around my neck and began to squeeze. He was incredibly powerful and I began to feel myself blacking out. I reached down to my boot and felt around for my stiletto. I could sense myself slipping into the dark abyss of death when, thankfully, I found the end of the handle. I tugged it and sliced across his wrists ripping into the arteries and tearing the tendons. He gave a scream and released his grip. I stabbed forwards into his throat and was covered in arterial blood as he fell backwards. I turned to Micheal. His head lay some way from his body. I sought Pierre. He lay as still as a corpse on the slippery blood covered deck. I put my hand to his neck and felt a fain pulse. I searched his body for a wound. I could see none and then I gently rolled him over and saw that he had been stabbed in the back. I took his scarf and balled it to stop the bleeding. I undid his belt and tied it as tightly as I could to hold the temporary dressing in place. It was only then, as I looked around for medical aid that I realised the battle was over. The last of the pirates were being despatched. We had won but at what a cost. One of my friends was dead and the other near to death.

  I saw Jean and felt relief, at least he was alive. “Jean, it is Pierre. He is badly wounded.”Jean raced to my side and I scoured the survivors for a sight of Tiny. His huge frame was helping a wounded grenadier but he still managed a wave. Jean and I lifted Pierre clear of the bodies and laid him face down on a clear part of the deck.

  “Robbie, press the cloth into the wound and stop the bleeding.” As I did that Jean went below decks and returned with some brandy. He gave a rueful smile, “Pierre may say I am wasting this but…” he poured some of the fiery alcohol onto the wound. I felt Pierre’s body tense which I took to be a good sign. He took out a sail maker’s needle, thankfully one of the smaller ones and some cat gut from the medical kit. He poured the brandy on them both. “Right Robbie, take away the cloth and th
en hold the two ends of flesh together. We will have to stitch him. Thank God he had that blow on the head. It might just save his life.”

  The blood seeped over my hands but it did not gush. I hoped that meant it was not an artery which had been cut. The flesh was slippery but I managed to hold it together as Jean put four big stitches into the wound. It held the flesh together. “Right Robbie, get some sea water and you can wash the wound while I finish stitching. “

  As I made my way to the side I saw that the major had ordered the corpses of the pirates to be thrown overboard. I threw a bucket into the sea and saw the dorsal fins of the sharks which flocked to feast on the floating dead and dying. I carried the water back and saw that the dead grenadiers were being laid, reverently in a line by their comrades. There appeared to be fewer than I had feared. Tiny had joined Jean and I could see the shock on his face. Michael’s corpse was a few feet away and in plain sight. We would help the dead when we could but first we had to save the living.

  Jean nodded, “Start pouring. The salt will clean the wound.” I did not know how Jean could sew Pierre’s flesh. I found myself squirming each time the needle entered his body but soon it was done and I could stop pouring the sea water. “Tiny get a dressing from the grenadiers and a bandage.” Jean poured some more brandy over the wound.

  We were just finishing the bandaging when we felt Pierre stir. “Michael, is that brandy I can smell there? Give your old pal a drink, will you?”

  Jean stroked Pierre’s hair. “Michael is dead Pierre. This is Jean and Robbie.”

  We gently rolled him over and his eyes opened. “I was a dead man and then Michael came in like some sort of whirlwind.” He blinked. “He’s dead?”

  Jean nodded, “Robbie here got all three of them but not before they killed Michael.”

  We were all silent. There was nothing else to say.

  After we had cleared the decks we began the burials. Ten grenadiers had died and five of the crew. All sixteen were buried at sea. The lieutenant had done it before and knew the service. I felt slightly sick as the head and then the body of my friend were sewn into the hammock and weighed down by a cannon ball. At least the sharks would not feast upon him.

  As the last of the bodies was sent to the bottom we all stood in silence. The coast of Africa was now within touching distance but this did not feel like the start of something new it felt like the end. Our luck had finally run out and one of us had died. It is strange but none of us expected to die. The fact that Pierre had almost died and Michael had, made our life more precarious and precious at the same time. Hitherto we had gone into action with the confidence of immortals. Now we knew that we were more mortal. I could still feel the hands of the pirate around my neck and I knew how close to death I had come.

  Jean put his arms around Tiny and me. “Well tomorrow we go ashore. We will have to do the work of five but we will do it in the memory of a good soldier and a good friend, Michael. We cannot afford to dwell on his death. We are going to be in Egypt for some time and I do not think that our lives will get any easier. There will be more deaths. Let us just make sure it is not us.”

  And so we prepared for the adventure that would be Egypt. I felt that my life had changed that day that we were attacked by the pirates. I had much to think on; the oath to Sir John, the death of my friend and my future as a chasseur. Who knew where I would be in a year.

  The End

  Coming soon, Book 2 Napoleon’s Guard

  Robbie and his comrades fight for their lives against the Mameluke Army.

  Maps

  Courtesy of Wikipaedia

  Glossary

  Fictional characters are in italics

  Albert Aristide-Lieutenant later colonel of 17th Chasseurs

  Brigadier-Corporal

  Captain Bessières-17th Chasseurs & Napoleon’s Guides

  Charles Chagal-17th Chasseurs

  Claude Alain-Sergeant Major

  Colonel Armand-Colonel 17th Chasseurs

  Count Cobenzl-Austrian Diplomat

  Francois Latour-Lawyer Amiens

  Gendarmerie-French military police

  Gregor Savinsky-Russian criminal

  Guiscard-The gardener from Breteuil

  Jean-Michael Leblanc-Trooper

  Julian-Ex soldier- Guiscard’s son

  Louis (Tiny) Barriere-17th Chasseurs

  Madame Lefondre-The housekeeper at the chateau

  Major Lefevre- Grenadier

  Maréchal-des-logis- Sergeant

  musketoon-Cavalry musket

  Pierre Boucher-Trooper/Brigadier

  Pierre-François Bouchard-17th Chasseurs

  Sir John MacAlpin-Knight of St John

  toffs-Rich young men (English slang)

  von Hompesch-Grand Master of the Knights of St John

  xebec-Mediterranean ship with oars and sails

  Historical note

  The 17th Chasseurs a Cheval only existed for a year. I have used them in the same way that Bernard Cornwall uses the South Essex in the Sharpe books. They have no history and can be where I wish them to be. None of the Chasseur regiments accompanied Napoleon to Egypt but I felt he needed scouts so that the 17th can have a glorious end to their career.

  The books I used for reference were:

  Napoleon’s Line Chasseurs- Bukhari/Macbride

  The Napoleonic Source Book- Philip Haythornthwaite,

  The History of the Napoleonic Wars-Richard Holmes,

  The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data book- Digby Smith,

  The Napoleonic Wars Vol 1 & 2- Liliane and Fred Funcken

  The Napoleonic Wars- Michael Glover

  Wellington’s Regiments- Ian Fletcher.

  Thanks to Gregory Fremont-Barnes for the Wikipaedia map.

  The Dutch fleet was captured by French horsemen and they did ride with French infantry hanging on to them. The Texel was frozen and it led to the end of hostilities and the establishment of the Batavian Republic. Sometimes the truth is stranger than any fiction.

  Antonio Onofri was a real person and it was his intervention with Napoleon personally which allowed San Marino to continue to exist as a sovereign state. The secret negotiations between Austria and France which led to the annexation of Venice did take place between April and October in 1797. The Austrian negotiator was Count Von Cobenzl. Napoleon did orchestrate the events. I have used my heroes as the glue which holds history together.

  This period was the one which marked Napoleon for greatness. Whilst other armies and generals were struggling to defeat the Austrians Napoleon did it with ease. He used his success to get rid of some of the members of the Directory he did not like and then formed the Triumvirate which ran France. They were so worried about him that they endorsed his plan to invade Egypt as it sent him far away from France.

  The governors of the Conciergerie did make a fortune from renting beds. The price had been over 27 livres but by the time that Jean and Robbie were incarcerated it was down to 15 livres a month. As some of the ‘guests’ only had the bed for a couple of nights one could see how the governors could make their money. The prison was said to be the most expensive hotel in Paris.

  Napoleon did send spies to Malta before he invaded. The aged knights posed no problem and the militia who went against him were soundly whipped. The Grand Master was exiled to Trieste and the other knights were given their freedom. The mob did react as described and killed a number of the elderly knights. The island did not remain in French hands long after the battle of the Nile and it became British. Napoleon expelled the knights and took their fortune. Unfortunately the treasure was lost after the battle of the Nile and now rests on the sea bed off the African coast.

  The rapid promotions and the young age of some of the officers are not surprising. In 1789 Napoleon himself was only 20 yet within eight years he was the leading general in France and within ten would be virtually running the country. When the Revolution came many of the officers left the army and many of the non-commissioned officers joined the
Royalist cause. It left every regiment bereft of leaders. The high casualty rate meant that any leaders were rapidly promoted. Most of the French marshals were either privates or non-commissioned officers at the outbreak of hostilities. The Revolution enabled men like Napoleon to achieve ranks which would have been impossible in a Royalist army. This contrasts with the British Army where the generals were all from the landed gentry and even the middle classes found it hard to become officers.

  Robbie will return in a second novel. This one will see him experience the war in Egypt and the horror of being abandoned by his general when his fleet was destroyed.

  Griff Hosker October 2013

  Other books

  By

  Griff Hosker

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  Ancient History

  The Sword of Cartimandua Series (Germania and Britannia 50A.D. – 128 A.D.)

  Ulpius Felix- Roman Warrior (prequel)

  Book 1 The Sword of Cartimandua

  Book 2 The Horse Warriors

  Book 3 Invasion Caledonia

  Book 4 Roman Retreat

  Book 5 Revolt of the Red Witch

  Book 6 Druid’s Gold

  Book 7 Trajan’s Hunters

  Book 8 The Last Frontier

  Book 9 Hero of Rome

  Book 10 Roman Hawk

  Book 11 Roman Treachery

  Book 12 Roman Wall

  The Wolf Warrior series (Britain in the late 6th Century)

  Book 1 Saxon Dawn

  Book 2 Saxon Revenge

  Book 3 Saxon England

  Book 4 Saxon Blood

  Book 5 Saxon Slayer

  Book 6 Saxon Slaughter

  Book 7 Saxon Bane

  Book 8 Saxon Fall: Rise of the Warlord