by David O'Neil
The fight was over quickly after the deaths of the man and woman;. Ma Whinn was gasping and wheezing on her knees beside her dead son, and as they watched she went white and collapsed across the woman’s body. There were six prisoners, three of them wounded; and four of Robert’s men were hurt, one badly. The dead: John Whinn, his wife and his mother—who they found had died when she collapsed over her son and daughter-in-law—were all formally identified and laid out for burial. The prisoners included the two brothers Whinn; Michael having been embroiled in the fight will ye nil ye.
Robert reserved his opinion on the guilt of the young man, keeping in mind the report of the informants prior to the raid. The elder brother was charged with murder and smuggling and sent with the other captives to the Assizes for trial.
The Whinn house was left empty when the Preventive men withdrew, the barrels and other goods in the cellar as well as the new consignment all contributing to the extensive haul as a result of the raid. The goods from Mousehole were all put up for sale to cover the taxes and the impact on the local smuggling was dramatic. Captain Willet reckoned that the smuggling in the area would revert to the small scale level that was once the feature of the West Cornwall.
Chapter twenty seven
Michael Whinn was spared the noose; even the other members of the Whinn gang swore he had always refused to take part in the smuggling and that he was there visiting his mother when the raid occurred. The result for him was the choice between serving in the Army or Navy or a several years prison—not for being a smuggler but for not reporting his family. He chose the Army, and was immediately recruited by Lord Mills for his secret service, a well-educated agent who could be trusted to use his head in an emergency; he obviously decided that Michael Whinn filled the bill.
Robert suspected that Barbara had suggested the employment when Lord Mills visited Tamar House on his last visit to the area.
The call to visit the Admiralty was not unexpected, the activity a sea had been gradually building over the past few months, and Robert had been getting more restless as the reports of sea actions became more and more regular.
He was greeted by a younger man on this occasion; his deference made Robert feel older than his thirty-five years. The waiting room was warm and he allowed the young man to take his cloak and stamped the snow off his shoes.
The door opened to the inner room and a wash of voices flooded out and he found himself gathered into the company of several of his acquaintances, Captains and Commanders, including his friend Captain Keith, of the Roister. All were drinking coffee and renewing friendships; the buzz of conversation with the warmth of the fire made the gathering appear to be a levee rather than a council of war.
The entry of two men heavily decorated with the insignia of their rank and position stopped the chatting as if a knife had sliced the air. In silence, the two men took chairs beside the large table beneath the tall window. The senior of the two, Admiral Keith—recalled to the Admiralty in the current crisis—spoke.
“Gentlemen, you have been called here to be given your tasks in the present situation. As you are aware, Napoleon has been assembling barges and other craft along the coast at Boulogne with the intention of mounting an invasion of this country. He has an army of 150,000 men and I am informed that if he succeeds in landing his troops here it will be difficult to stop him on land. It is our intention therefore to stop him at sea. He has been heard to say that if he can keep the seas clear for six hours he will achieve his ambition and invade England.
I do not intend to allow that to happen; you gentlemen are given the task of dissuading Boney and showing him that he cannot expect to cross the channel without invitation.”
He held up his hand to stem the immediate rush of questions. “I am aware that many of you feel you should be with the fleet under Admiral Nelson. Well, I can say some of you will be, but first we have the invasion to stop.
Sir Robert, Captain Graham?” Robert looked up, “Ah there you are, come forward, please. Your experience of action in the Boulogne area will be of use in your task of destroying the craft assembled there. You will be in command of three frigates, Furious, your own command, Roister under Captain Keith and Pharos under Captain Archer, in addition the sloop Delft, Captain Leclerc will be attached for specific duties, I understand that her draught gives her the advantage in shoal waters. Captain Leclerc, I understand your duties with the smugglers have made you familiar with the disposition of the boats kept in the area?”
Leclerc, who had slipped in unnoticed by Robert, stood up and nodded to the Admiral. “As you say, sir, I have visited the area several times and watched the build up of boats. My ship and crew stand ready to support Sir Robert, with whom we are well acquainted.”
“Captain Graham, for the task you will carry the rank of Commodore; strictly for the task in hand.
“I suggest the Captains mentioned withdraw from this assembly to arrange their plans for their task.”
As he left the room Robert heard the Admiral address the others on the subject of diversionary raids on the coast of France, and the Low Countries.
“Gentlemen, I welcome Captain Archer of Pharos. Richard, I am pleased to see you and welcome you to our group.” He shook Archer’s hand and informed the others of his service with Richard Archer on the Witch, under Captain Dawson. Introductions over, they got down to the planning of the raid.
The Captains all had their input to the discussion but it was Leclerc who put his finger on the main problem; getting boats and men close enough to burn or blow up the closely packed craft.
He also suggested the answer.
“When we cut out the Corbeau in Calais, we managed it by seizing the forts on the quay and sailing in with the Delft and offloading the men on the outer quay itself. Of course, the Militia manning the defences were badly trained. I think we can expect better trained troops and more sophisticated batteries on the quay.”
“I agree!” said Robert. “But we will still be unexpected and with a little subterfuge—the Roister is French built. And the Delft is Dutch. We can draw the parties for the burning from the ships’ crews in general, the Furious can provide covering land forces plus the marines from the other ships. Between them they comprise a formidable army.”
“What about fire boats? Surely it would be an idea to use boats to burn the moored craft?”
Archer’s clear measured accent added another aspect to the task, but the final suggestion was from Billy Beaufort who came up with the suggestion of Greek fire. “Using a bomb vessel! It can fire incendiary shells into the packed boats within the inner harbour. The outer harbour would be accessible to the raiding parties but the inner harbour could be a problem. A mortar would make all the difference.”
Time was a problem; the Admiralty had been dilatory in recognising the problem of the invasion fleet and it was reported that the boats were already being manned and readied for the invasion. The attack needed to be mounted within the next 36 hours.
A bomb vessel, HMS Badger was supplied and armed with extra Incendiary shells for the purpose. Based on a collier built in Newcastle, the Badger had been converted from her life as a sloop to her present role by the removal of her foremast and the re-rigging to brig rig. The reinforced deck carried the mortar which could fire 200lbs missiles that burst in the air, showering burning material on the boats below with dramatic effect. The mortar had the advantage of being fairly accurate so fire could be directed to specific areas. She was at Deptford, and available immediately.
The hastily conceived plans were put into action, the ships assembled off Folkestone, from where they set sail for Boulogne arriving at safe distance after dark.
The Sloop Delft took aboard over one hundred riflemen in their Green, the recently promoted Acting/Major Ullyet in command; she was trailed by Roister carrying parties of gunners mates under charge of Roisters Chief Gunner, the men split into sections under the command of Midshipmen all directed by Lieutenant Ogilvie.
The two
ships, under French colours. crept into the entrance to Boulogne Harbour, Badger followed at a safe distance. The harbour was a hive of activity with soldiers and sailors marching to and fro in the light of the lanterns and flambeau. Within the entrance channel boats went this way and that the occasional challenge ringing out sometimes answered with just a curse, sometimes ignored. Into the general confusion the two ships drifted quietly.
Delft reached the end of the quay and set ashore her landing party of riflemen and arsonists. The riflemen immediately formed ranks and marched down the quay to the nearest Battery. The arsonists from the Delft had the furthest to go and they set out over the wall and across the moored boats for the other side of the harbour.
Roister touched shore and dropped a party of arsonists before swinging across the water to the outer quay where she dropped her marines and a second party of arsonists. The marines immediately entered the unguarded gate of the defence Battery, and in their disciplined manner took the garrison prisoner. From the other quay the sound of firing broke out as the green-clad Riflemen, as expected, encountered resistance.
The parties of arsonists went about their business with a will and as swiftly as possible. Alan Dawson had already led his men over to the other side of the harbour to the lines of boats moored alongside the far wall. The boats formed a carpet of bobbing decks covering the water completely to the wall of the inner harbour, where other craft were similarly moored.
“Quickly nowm lads, let’s get started. Take the cans of pitch and pour it wherever you can on the way back here, now let’s get going!” He picked up his pack of combustibles and a bucket of pitch and began. He stooped and wedged a small bag of powder under the stern seat of the first boat and hauled the provision box on top of it, leaving the long fuse out he jumped into the second boat and performed the same service, then a third, fourth and fifth in all fifteen boats were prepared in this way before he ran out of powder. As he started to pour the pitch into a further line of boats a head appeared over the wall of the inner quay. The man shouted a challenge.
Without thinking Alan jumped up onto the thwarts of the boat and hopped from boat to boar until at the quay he leapt up onto the stone surface. He pulled out his hanger and slashed at the soldier who was standing aghast at the sight of the men all over the boats where no one should be. Gathering his wits he raised his musket to fire a warning shot; too late—the blade cut his wrist before he could pull the trigger, and the musket fell with the man himself looking at his severed hand in astonishment. Alan was turning to return to his fuses, almost without thinking his sword swiped the soldier across the back of his neck and he died on the spot. Other soldiers appeared and Alan found himself beset on both sides by soldiers armed with bayonets attached to their muskets. A spatter of shots from the inner quay ripped through the increasing band of French soldiers mounting the quay
Alan leaped down into the nearest boat and set out for the craft with the gathered fuses. As the soldiers followed him he realised it would be difficult to light the fuses with a flint and steel, drawing his pistol he took a risk and bent to the fuses. Firing the pistol with the pan rammed close to the clustered fuses caused the flash from the pistol to ignite one fuse and this caught the others in the bunch. Alan ran for his life, clearing the last boat in his group just ahead of the first explosion.
Alan yelled to the men to get going as he ran back across the boats. Catching up the can of pitch he started pouring the liquid in the boats as he left his collection of exploding boats behind. He estimated at least twenty boats had a dose of pitch. Looking around he could see his men, now all moving, not waiting for the signal to light the fuses. The pattern of explosions spread across the inner harbour, creating fire and smoke that obscured the scene for friend and foe alike.
Three soldiers appeared, the first catching Alan in the arm with his bayonet, Alan threw his pistol at the man who fell back. Wwinging his hanger he caught the second man with the hilt, crushing the man’s hand against the stock of his musket causing him to howl in agony. The third man had stayed back and was aiming his musket at Alan, when he collapsed with a sigh, as Adam Tamar ran him through from behind with his sword.
Badger had arrived within the channel between the quays and in sight of the inner harbour. She opened fire on the boats within, giving the signal for the men to light fuses. All over the outer harbour similar groups were striking flint and lighting fuses. As soon as the fuses were lit the men raced back to the quay and reformed to board the waiting Delft. The bombs from Badger created mayhem in the inner harbour, the exploding incendiaries caused the boats, many already loaded with soldiers, to burst into flames accompanied by the screams of the trapped men. The ammunition of the soldiers added to the confusion and conflagration. The fuses of the arsonists began to go off, the sharp crack of the exploding powder splitting the strakes and bottom planks of the moored boats. The pitch catching alight illuminated the horrific scene.
Parties of soldiers ran onto the quay to help quench the flames unaware of the cause, volleys of rifle fire swiftly dissuaded even the boldest from the task. The batteries on the inshore quay manned by the raiders opened fire with canister shot on boats surviving the holocaust; smashing planks and shattering boats at their moorings.
Captain Ullyet, using two fishing boats found at the quay, loaded them with all the rest of the powder from the magazine, and had them rowed into the harbour, where they drifted bumping into the moored boats. The rowers lit fuses and were collected in two dinghies sent to bring the rowers back to safety. The fuses reached the powder barrels and both craft exploded in flames and sent burning debris showering over the other craft around them.
Lit by the menacing flames of the burning harbour the raiders began their retreat, the red stained sky and rolling clouds of smoke a testament to the effectiveness of the raiding parties.
The sound of gunfire was heard as the other ships in the little fleet fired at the quay forts, the guns of the batteries had been shattered by firing charges with the barrels plugged with mud. The ships guns destroyed the walls, embrasures and buildings.
Badger retreated, still in action but now dropping her mortar shells wherever she could. As the ships withdrew the cost was being assessed. Alan had lost one of his men, killed while they were boarding Delft; he had himself suffered a wound in his arm. The man had been struck by flying debris from their own handiwork.
The riflemen had suffered seven injured and three killed, elsewhere the party had lost eighteen injured and seven killed, four of them marines.
As Badger retired, a piece of hot metal flung high in the air from the inferno ashore landed on a shell about to be loaded into the mortar. The hot metal ignited the incendiaries in the broken shell which exploded engulfing the ship in a mass of flame. Only the men on the quarter deck survived the initial explosion and of them two drowned, the remaining four were rescued by the other ships. The grand total of 91 dead, 25 injured, and one bomb vessel, was regarded as small price for the damage they had caused. The raid would be measured as a complete success, without a doubt. The raiding parties rejoined their ships and the fleet turned to return to England. Roister leading the ships staggered as she was hit by several cannon shot, and out of the darkness came a French ship, guns run out and flags flying.
The frigates were still at their action stations Roister swung to bring her broadside guns to bear as the other ship fired again causing the frigate to reel at the impact of shot. By now her guns were manned and the Roister luffed, as her head fell off the wind her guns bore and the full weight of her broadside lashed out at the enemy ship. The Furious had come about and cleared for action her broadside was added to that of Roister.
Delft had run inshore at the first sight of the French ship and she was the only one in position to fire on the second Frenchman following the first out of the darkness. Her guns caught the second ship by surprise coming as it did from the shoal waters so near the French shore, unprepared as she was the second French ship, was still mo
re powerful than the little Delft and she swung shoreward to bring her bow guns into action while the Port broadside was loaded and run out.
Delft sailed even closer to the shoals and having reloaded was able to get of a second broadside before the French ship was ready for action. A lucky ball from the Delft smashed the steering wheel and binnacle and the ships head dropped off to Port causing the bow to plunge into the sand bank of the shoal bringing her masts down with a crash. Delft clawed off from the shoal waters reaching for the open waters beyond, following the other ships of the little fleet as they broke off the action. Two French ships of the line loomed up into view lit by the fires of Boulogne.
The British ships crossed the bows of the big battleships and each fired their starboard broadside into the bows of the French ships only causing real damage to the rigging and the bowsprit of the leading ship.
The report of the action was passed to the Admiralty and duly reported in the Gazette. Captain Leclerc was raised to the rank of Post Captain and Richard Archer also. Alan Dawson was rated Acting Lieutenant pending a board. Major Ullyet in response to the urgent recommendations of Commodore Graham was raised to the substantive rank of Major.