Climbing out on the futtock shrouds, he momentarily had the memory of the terror he had felt as a boy, making his first trips aloft. Attempting to quiet his shaking nerve by discussing the sighting with Senders, he asked, “Do you still have the sail in sight Senders?”
“Yessir” came the answer as the seaman pointed ahead. “Almost dead ahead, just a touch to starboard.”
Bracing himself against the topgallant shrouds, Mullins peered out through his glass in the indicated direction. Just as he had convinced himself that Howard was correct in his assessment of Sender, the ship raised up again on a swell and Mullins was rewarded by a tiny speck on the horizon sweeping across his vision. Concentrating now, he was able to steady the glass and keep the speck in sight.
It now remained in sight as Athena closed, but still dropped out of sight sometimes when the ship dropped into a trough. Mullins turned to Senders, “Amos, that eyesight of yours has earned you an extra tot of grog tonight. After your relief, you are free to go below and take a caulk. I will make sure nobody bothers you until it is time for your next watch.”
In due course, as the ships closed, it was apparent the newcomer was a brig, then probably a Yankee built one. Had the brig not have been on their planned course, Mullins might have been tempted to leave her in peace and continue on his journey north, However, he had been asked to search for privateers and this he would do.
The brig continued closing Athena. Initially, her lookout had not been as capable as Senders, and even after the sighting was finally reported, she was mistakenly identified as a French national corvette, which Athena had indeed been, some years before. Both ships correctly identified their opponent at almost the same moment. Briefly, Captain Bourgeon, of the private brig of war, Reynard, thought of engaging this Englishman. She appeared to be of similar size to Reynard and surely the private ship’s twelve-pounder guns would be superior to anything the Englishman was armed with.
Soon though, saner thoughts passed through Bourgeons head. A fight with this enemy ship would doubtless turn into a brutal slugging contest. Both ships would likely receive extensive damage. While the Britons had a king to pay for needed repairs to their own ship, any repairs needed by Reynard must be paid for by the syndicate of owners. The owners expected him to take his prizes with very minimal damage to the ship.
Reluctantly, bourgeon put the privateer came about, hoping to leave this fellow behind.
‘
Chapter Nine
Mullins could now see the brig from his quarterdeck and his glass confirmed the lookout’s opinion she was flying the tricolor. He had been hoping she would offer to engage, but then he saw her come about to flee. He noted the enemy captain wore ship rather than tacking. A captain with a poor crew or inadequate gear might choose to wear ship instead of tack. This involved turning away from the wind in a 270-degree arc before coming onto the desired course. Perhaps there was a problem with the brig, or maybe the difficulty lay with the crew. At any rate, Athena had a brig to chase.
Mister Cartwright was on deck, one eye on the rigging, the other on the helm. Mullins decided to keep his attention on the chase and leave the ship-handling to the sailing master. If the truth be told, he thought the sailing master to be a better practical seaman than himself anyway. In any event, they were gaining on the brig, slowly to be sure.
As the hours passed, Reynard had lost much of her lead. The excessive weight of those 12-pounders the privateer had recently taken aboard were pressing her down in the sea. Low in the water, she could not keep pace with her pursuer. Captain Bourgeon was furious with his first mate and the entire crew, placing the blame for the sailing qualities of the brig on them. Of course, in reality, the blame was his, alone. He had signed on the hands, many of whom were not seamen and selected those massive 12-pounders, which were making this formerly agile brig perform like an old scow.
It was beginning to appear that he was going to have to fight the Englishman after all. There could be little doubt of the outcome of that action. At this close range, he was sure his opponent was a French-built corvette. He had been aboard a few similar warships and knew this one could not survive a fusillade of 12-pounder balls at close range. He had the battle already planned as the enemy came closer.
While he had no guns firing directly to the rear, he decided when the pursuer came a bit closer, he would veer alternately to port and then to starboard. This would allow his after-most guns to fire at the target, hopefully getting in some destructive hits. Perhaps his fire might even knock down a mast. In that case, he could stand off and pound the enemy until she struck.
Of course, his owners would be upset with him for bringing in a badly damaged prize, but he would receive praise and respect from the local naval officers. So long as his own brig was not badly damaged, the owners would recover from their ire.
One minor problem caught his attention. As the enemy came closer, he realized she was not the minute little corvette he had assumed. He now knew that she was larger than his own brig and had more guns. This was of little consequence though. He knew his 12-pounders would outrange the 6 or 9-pounder guns he expected the British warship to be armed with. He would just have to open fire earlier, at a longer range, in order to damage the enemy enough that she could not be a threat to his brig.
With that idea in his mind, he decided he had allowed the enemy to approach close enough. His after guns would be just in range now. The helm was put over and almost immediately the big gun fired. Where the shot went could not be determined, but it did not impact near the enemy ship.
It was taking the untrained gun crew an inordinate length of time to reload the big gun so the privateer’s captain ordered the brig to veer in the opposite direction, to allow the other gun to fire. The strike of this gun was easily observed, since it struck the sea well off to starboard, short of the target.
Continuing her fire against the British warship, the privateer’s captain was becoming alarmed. None of the shots had taken effect upon the enemy and she had lost much of her lead. He had to expect the enemy to open fire upon Reynard with her own forward guns shortly.
This was not the worst of his problems though. The carpenter had run up from below, reporting the concussion of the big guns was tearing the brig apart. One of his gunner’s mates showed him the breaching cables had nearly pulled their eye-bolts through the timber on which they were mounted. An alarming sagging in the deck by the two after guns showed where support timbers below were giving way.
If only he could get a few hits on the enemy ship before she closed, he knew he could still win this battle. He was aware however, this would be his last voyage as captain. His owners would be outraged at the repair costs for the brig, if she could indeed be brought back to port.
Athena had closed the distance between them substantially, because of all the weaving the brig had done. Mullins decided it was now time for him to put fire upon this enemy. He regarded the captain of the brig a fool for loading her down with such massive weapons, but sooner or later, one of those balls was going to strike home.
Midshipman Archer was standing by his captain. Mullins was using the lad as a messenger to relay orders to others. Taking a moment to brief the mid of his plans, he sent him running to relay that information to the gunners of the fore and after carronades. Mister Howard was sent to oversee the gunners of the long guns amidships. He was about to order the ship to come around to port, with her starboard broadside trained on the enemy. He judged his well-practiced gunners on the main guns would have little difficulty in hitting the target. The carronade gunners might have more difficulty. They were at almost extreme range for such weapons. Not wishing to waste a shot, Archer would tell the carronade gunners the command ‘Open Fire’ did not apply to them. If the gunner felt he had little chance to hit his target, he must not fire, saving the round for a closer shot later.
However, if the gunner felt optimistic, he was free to fire on his own volition. The result was much as Mullins hoped. The long gun
s mostly hit the brig, peppering her stern with raking impacts which caused tremendous damage to ship and crew. One carronade gunner waited until the roll of the ship had his gun pointing over the target. The diminutive powder charge lofted the thirty-two-pound ball up and over the stern of Reynard, plunging into her deck about amidships. The ball, coming down with force, penetrated the upper deck and continued smashing its way through obstacles until being stopped by several casks of salt beef.
This was the shot that decided the brig’s captain to strike. His vessel falling apart around him, he well knew he would likely never get another command. But, if he hauled down his flag, he would probably survive the war. There was nobody left on his quarterdeck to pull it down. The surviving members of his untrained crew had mostly fled below. He had to do the deed himself.
Chapter Ten
Not wishing to spend the time beating against the wind and current to return to Antigua, Mullins took Athena and her prize brig to nearby Anguilla. There were few facilities there, but the garrison commander was willing to take custody of the privateer’s crew. Some transports and their escort were expected shortly, and doubtless, the prisoners could be loaded on the empty ships and sent on to more secure facilities.
The prize presented a problem. The island had no dockyard or professional staff, which could repair its extensive damage. After a careful examination, the ship’s carpenter gave his opinion that the brig could not be economically repaired.
Aside from the damage caused by gunfire, which was extensive itself, her timbers had been severely stressed by the heavy load on her upper decks caused by the weight of the big guns. The extra stress caused by firing the guns with full charges had also caused much of the damage done to the fabric of the brig. Mullins decided she could not safely be sailed to a dockyard capable of repairing her and even if that were possible, it would likely cost more in repairs than she would bring at auction. In the end, he landed all the undamaged stores and equipment from the prize, then stranded her on the beach. The island’s inhabitants were invited to strip her of needed timber and firewood.
Mister Farver took the ship out to sea and they set course for Halifax. Janders, back in English Harbor, had decreed that destination. Mullins did not feel bound by the order. He was under Admiralty orders and felt he was perfectly within his rights to disregard that destination and sail home. Halifax was a logical waypoint though. Anguilla was not overly supplied with ship’s stores and he thought he could more easily replenish his supplies there. Also, there would be little profit in needlessly antagonizing Janders. Halifax, it would be.
Cruising up the American coast, they met many coastal craft. From a fishing boat off the coast of Delaware, Mullins purchased that boat’s catch. Fresh fish would be a welcome change for many of the crew, whose diet of boiled salt beef and pork was becoming monotonous. The master of the fishing boat informed them of a schooner that had been loitering in the area for the past week. This craft had formerly been a French privateer during the Quasi-War, but now seemed to be a pirate. No longer just preying on France’s enemies, she was now suspected of taking any ship of any nation her captain thought he could manage. Manned by a mixed crew of various nationalities, they seemed to be cruising for unarmed or lightly armed merchantmen. Several American flagged vessels had disappeared under mysterious circumstances recently.
The fishing boat master reported his own boat had been rummaged, his catch for the day appropriated without payment. Feeling lucky to have his boat released, his crew unharmed, the master had not complained. Mullins thought he had performed his own duty in capturing Reynard earlier. He did not feel it necessary to pull the Americans’ chestnuts out of the fire by haring after this pirate. Of course, should he happen upon her or learn she was molesting British shipping, he would, of course, do his duty.
Anticipating his arrival in Halifax in a few days, with light winds and a bright day, Mullins decided to heave to and beautify the ship. He had a little paint below in the bosun’s stores, and he decided to use what he had to improve the ship’s appearance.
Consequently, Athena was motionless in the sea, tops’ls aback, with stages over her starboard beam and men over the side at work painting, when the schooner appeared. Despite the fisherman’s warning, she was not initially seen as threatening. A half-dozen similar craft had been seen along these shores, and this was supposed to be an itinerant trader. After she loitered off their stern starboard quarter for an extended period of time though, suspicions were aroused.
Apparently, the craft did not recognize Athena as a warship. Her ports were closed, and the port lids newly painted the same color as the sides of the ship. She was flying neither her ensign nor her commission pennant, both having become tattered. When the stranger made up her mind this small ship with no apparent gun ports or commission pennant might be profitable prey, she set her fore and main topsails and trimmed her canvas to the wind. While she was speeding directly at Athena’s stern, Mullins had to make a decision. He quickly realized this was probably a pirate up to no good, He could bring his ship around immediately and fire his broadside as she approached. While he had no fear for his own ship, he really wished to take this pirate. Unless he crippled her though, the nimble craft would likely escape.
He informed his officers they would wait until she was closer, before putting Athena about. This could give the pirate a chance to come up against their beam and unload her boarders, not a welcome prospect. Consequently, Athena’s crew must be ready and armed. With the schooner closing as rapidly as she was, there was no time to completely clear the ship for action. Consequently, the painting stages were dropped over the side as soon as the hands had scrambled aboard. The schooner was almost upon them before Athena had set sail and began to move. As soon as the rudder began to bite, and the ship had a little way he ordered the ship about and asked Mister Howard to have the ports opened.
The schooner had no sooner fired her forward four-pounder gun, when the 6-pounders mounted in Athena’s stern opened fire. Both rounds struck the schooner in the forward starboard quarter as she began to overtake. The schooner’s crew, alerted to their danger now, attempted to go about. Before she could do so however, her way brought her alongside Athena and the guns on both vessels began to thunder.
The schooner had three guns on her starboard broadside, a pair of four-pounders as well as a six. Athena however had a dozen nine-pounders, as well as a pair of thirty-two pound carronades. The broadside from these weapons devastated the fragile schooner. The pirate’s foremast came down and she went dead in the water. Had she been a legal combatant, her commander might well have decided to haul down his flag to save lives.
The schooner however, had no commission or letter of marque. Her captain and crew were pirates, subject to the death penalty when captured. All of them knew their lives would be forfeit, just as soon as they were taken ashore and brought before a magistrate. Most of them would fight as long as they had breath in their bodies.
The guns of the pirate were soon knocked out by fire from Athena. Mister Farver, blood-lust in his eyes, wished to board the enemy and defeat the buccaneers hand to hand. Even without their big guns though, many pirates were still on their feet, fighting with hand weapons. Not wishing to have any more of his men injured, Mullins decided to lay off the schooner’s beam and pound her with grape and case shot until her fire ceased.
After return fire from the schooner ceased, Mullins had the sailing master bring Athena alongside the wreck and boarders dropped down on her deck. The captain was one of the first to drop onto her, followed by Midshipman Archer, his dirk in one hand and a seaman’s cutlass in the other.
Few pirates were still on their feet and those either surrendered at once or were shot where they stood. The captured vessel was sinking rapidly, so Mullins dispatched Archer and a party of seamen to search below for any person still alive.
Upon their return, the victors were astonished to see the party bearing what looked at first like two bundles of rags. It
was soon apparent thought that these bundles were actually women, although badly injured. The person in the arms of a burly bosun’s mate might have been a woman of middle age, although her face had been savagely smashed and the rags covering her were soaked with blood.
The other woman could have been younger, but she too had been badly mauled. The younger one seemed to be conscious since her one open eye followed them, but she remained mute.
Only when Mullins went over and started to put his hand on her shoulder did she recoil and whimper. The other woman seemed to be unconscious or dead. Mullins first thought was to call for the surgeon, but there was little time for that. The schooner was settling fast in the water, and all of the survivors needed to get off her at once.
Now on board Athena, the women were taken into Mullin’s quarters to be examined by the surgeon in some privacy. When Mister Adkins came out to report his findings, he took Mullins aside, away from the throng wishing to learn the details of the women’s ordeal, and quietly explained. Both women were now awake but hardly able to speak. Both had been repeatedly raped and otherwise abused. The older woman had many of her teeth knocked out and her nose broken.
The younger woman seemed to be in better condition, probably because of her age, but she too had been through a horrible ordeal. Since the older woman could not chew her food, Mister Adkins said he was going to ask his fellow wardroom officers to give up one of their chickens for the cook to boil, so the women could have some nourishing broth to sustain them. Mullins immediately offered up any of his own cabin stores that might be useful.
HMS Athena: A Charles Mullins novel (Sea Command Book 4) Page 6