by Dudley Pope
Soon the Juno was making seven knots with every stitch of canvas set – courses, topsails, topgallants, royals and staysails. Ramage had set every able-bodied man to work: Bowen hauled on a rope next to the captain’s clerk; the cook’s mate found himself hauling a halyard and being encouraged by the captain’s steward, who complained that his hands were too soft for that sort of work.
The wind reached the Surcouf ten minutes after the Juno was under way and Ramage watched as Aitken let fall sail after sail. At last the bays, beaches and headlands were beginning to slide past: Grande Anse d’Arlet and Pointe Bourgos; Petite Anse d’Arlet and then the headland separating it from Petite Anse du Diamant. Jackson was aloft with a telescope, while Orsini waited by the binnacle with the signal book in his hand and a telescope under his arm.
Diamond Rock suddenly came in sight beyond the headland and a moment later Jackson hailed that no flags were flying from the Juno battery mast. Ramage realized he had been standing rigid waiting for that hail, and as he relaxed he turned to Southwdck and grinned. ‘The nest is safe!’
‘Deck there!’ Jackson’s voice was urgent. ‘They’re hoisting a signal now…three flags…three…five…nine!’
Ramage snatched the signal book from Orsini and read: The strange ships are of the line; when answered, the signal is to be hauled down once for every ship discovered…
‘Acknowledge it,’ he snapped at the boy, and shouted up at Jackson: ‘The moment we answer they’ll haul the signal down, but they may hoist and lower it several times. Count the number of times they lower it!’
He trained his telescope on the top of the Rock. He could just make out the signal, and it was lowered once. There was a long pause. One ship of the line. Then three flags were hoisted again and for a moment Ramage thought it was the signal being hoisted again before being lowered a second time, but Jackson shouted down: ‘Deck there! A second hoist …three…six…nought!’
Ramage hurriedly opened the signal book again. Against the figure 360 was printed: The strange ships are frigates; when answered, the number of frigates to be shewn, as in the preceding signal.
‘Acknowledge,’ he told Orsini and again shouted a warning to Jackson. The signal was lowered and hoisted, then again, and then a third time.
A ship of the line and three frigates. A French squadron which had been covering the convoy on its way across the Atlantic? Or Admiral Davis at long last?
He called to Orsini, showed him the two signals in the book and said: ‘Make 359 with the Surcouf’s pendant and lower it at once when she answers; then her pendant and 360, lowering three times. You understand?’
The boy nodded and ran to the flag locker as Southwick ordered two seamen to help him.
‘Mr Southwick, we’ll go down to the Rock under topsails!’
‘Aye, aye, sir!’ Southwick said and began bellowing for topmen.
As the squaresails were furled and the staysails lowered and secured in the tops Ramage cursed the Diamond headland: it was still blocking his view right across the bight down to Pointe des Salines.
The moment the Juno was reduced to topsails, Ramage said quietly to the Master: ‘Beat to quarters, Mr Southwick…’
The Master passed the order that set the calls of the bos’n’s mates shrilling, but his face was sombre as he rejoined Ramage at the quarterdeck rail. ‘I can’t help thinking our luck has run out at last,’ he said, ‘but the lads will put up a good fight, sir.’
Ramage shook his head and, seeing that no one else could hear them, said quietly but distinctly: ‘I don’t propose taking either ship into action against a ship of the line and three frigates. It would be the same as locking both ships’ companies in a magazine and setting fire to it.’
‘We’ll be hard put to get past them to make Barbados and raise the alarm,’ Southwick said. ‘We’d–’
‘As soon as we’re sure, we’ll run round the north end of Martinique. That…’
Jackson’s hail from aloft cut him short. ‘Signal from the Diamond, sir…’
Both Ramage and Southwick waited, staring aloft at the American, and listening for him to read out the flags. Orsini was watching through his telescope but said nothing.
‘What’s happening, blast you?’ Southwick roared.
‘Sorry, sir,’ Jackson called down. ‘They began hoisting a three-flag signal but they lowered it again suddenly.’
‘More ships of the line coming round Pointe des Salines,’ Southwick said sourly. ‘I thought just one didn’t sound right…’
‘Hoisting again,’ Orsini yelled, followed a moment later by Jackson, who shouted: ‘Three flags…three…two…one!’
Orsini had the signal book open in a moment. ‘Sir – The chase is a friend…’ He looked puzzled, held the book open between his legs and looked again with his telescope. He consulted the book again, shaking his head. ‘Yes, it means that, but I do not understand it, sir. Perhaps they made a mistake.’
Ramage patted the boy on the shoulder. ‘No, it’s correct. They are having to use the best signal they can to tell us what they mean. The signals were never meant to be used by shore batteries. They are telling us that the Admiral has arrived.’
‘Not the French Admiral, then?’ The boy sounded disappointed.
‘No, Admiral Davis from Barbados.’
The boy made a wry face. ‘I suppose that will mean more signals, sir…’
The Juno was just able to point high enough to pass inside the Diamond and Ramage could see the Invincible and her three frigates on the far side of the great bight, running with a quartering wind towards the Rock.
Suddenly Jackson hailed that the Juno battery had hoisted a signal, and a moment later called down the numbers. Orsini looked it up in the book and read it out to Ramage, doubt showing in his voice. ‘Number 251 is Ships’ companies will have time for dinner or breakfast, sir…’
Both Ramage and Southwick laughed, and the Master said: ‘They know they gave us a scare, and themselves too, I suspect!’
Ramage reached for the signal book, checked a page, and told Orsini: ‘The Diamond’s pendant and number 112.’
Southwick looked questioningly and Ramage said, ‘Keep the maintopsail shivering. Not much of a joke, but the best I can do for the moment.’
As soon as the signal was hauled down he told Orsini to make number 242 with the Surcouf’s pendant. There was no need for both frigates to go down to meet the Admiral, and the sight of the former French frigate tacking back and forth in front of La Comète and the seven merchantmen, obeying the order ‘Stay by prizes’, would help to impress the Admiral, Ramage hoped.
He knew he was going to have to be as sharp as a diamond to make any impression on the Admiral, but he wanted three things. He wanted to get a command for Aitken. Perhaps not the Surcouf, she was a tempting plum for one of the Admiral’s favourites, but perhaps La Comète. After repairs and rerigging she would have to be taken to English Harbour to be careened so that the damaged planks could be replaced, and not many officers wanted to spend a few weeks in such a hot place. She might even have to go to the dockyard in Jamaica. There was also a chance that the Admiral might buy La Créole into the service and could be persuaded to put Wagstaffe in command. That would give him a good push up the ladder towards post rank. Lastly he wanted to ensure that the batteries on the Diamond were kept in service. It was a decision that only the Admiral could make, but somehow he felt a proprietary interest in them.
Southwick wanted nothing: he had been offered much in the past but asked only that he be allowed to serve with Ramage. There would be prize money for all the Junos. At a guess, the Surcouf should fetch about £16,000, so the seamen would share £4,000, or about £25 each. La Comète would fetch less because she was damaged, say £20 a man. There would be as much again for the seven merchantmen and two schooners. That totalled some £65 a man – the equivalent of six years’ pay. Aitken and Wagstaffe would get shares as commanding officers, and only Baker and the men in La Mutine would receive no
thing because they were not present during the action.
Baker! Did La Mutine get to Barbados? Why wasn’t she with the Admiral’s squadron? Had the Admiral ordered Baker to stay in Bridgetown, with the twenty Junos on board La Mutine? Why was the Admiral so late? Plenty of questions, he thought sourly, and no answers…
‘Hoist our pendant numbers,’ Ramage told Orsini, ‘and then watch the flagship. She’ll be making a signal very soon.’
Southwick bustled up. ‘We’re ready to hoist out a boat, sir.’ He looked at Ramage’s stock and then down at his stockings. ‘There’s plenty of time for you to change, sir, if you wish.’
The Master was quite right: within half an hour he would probably be on board the flagship, making his report. Clean stock, best uniform, boots polished, hat squared and mind you do not trip over your sword… At least he had recently shaved, and the report to the Admiral was in his cabin, already signed and sealed. The object, he told himself mockingly, is to make everything seem easy: four French frigates and seven merchantmen accounted for yesterday; today no sign of effort…
He was still in his cabin, his steward brushing his coat, when he heard through the skylight Orsini reporting a signal from the Invincible: the Juno’s pendant and number 213. That was one that Ramage knew by heart – The Captain of the ship pointed out to come to the Admiral… A moment later the boy was at his door, knocking urgently and delivering the message.
Ramage slung the sword belt over his shoulder and finished dressing, crouching as he slid into the coat held up by his steward. He jammed his hat on his head and picked up the canvas bag. It was bulky – not only did it contain his report and the orders he had written for Wagstaffe to take the merchantmen to Barbados, but he decided to take the Master’s log and his own journal, as well as his order book. And there were the secret papers from La Comète, perhaps the most important of them all.
The Invincible was a mile away, steering towards them, with a frigate ahead and one on either beam. Southwick was waiting for orders. There had been no signal from the Invincible telling the Juno to take up a particular position in the squadron, which told him that either Admiral Davis was in a hurry to hear the news – by now he would have seen the cluster of ships at anchor off the Diamond – or he was not a fussy man who did not trust his captains.
‘Heave to ahead of the flagship,’ Ramage said, ‘and as soon as the cutter is hoisted out get under way again.’
‘And after that, sir?’
‘Unless you get a signal from the flagship, get into the Invincible’s wake, so there’ll be less distance to row when I come back on board!’
The Invincible’s captain was waiting on the gangway for him. He returned Ramage’s salute and his smile was friendly. That was significant: captains of flagships never gave welcoming smiles to junior captains summoned on board to face an admiral’s wrath.
Captain Edwards made no conversation as he led the way down to the Admiral’s cabin, however, and Ramage wondered whether he might not be regretting that brief smile. It would have cost him nothing to comment on the anchored ships or even to have asked about the Surcouf, which was clearly in sight and equally clearly a French ship now under British colours, but Edwards held his tongue.
The Admiral’s cabin was large and cool and Ramage remembered it well from his first visit in Bridgetown. Then it had been hot and stuffy, with the ship anchored close in to the land. The cabin was empty and Captain Edwards waved to a chair by the table in front of the stern lights. ‘Sit down, the Admiral will see you in a few minutes.’
Ramage could hear the Invincible’s yards being trimmed round as she got under way again: she had hove-to just long enough for the Juno’s cutter to get alongside and Ramage to scramble on board. The minutes passed and he saw the Juno come into sight through the stern lights and take up position two cables astern. Watching her manoeuvring, Ramage felt a glow of pride. Southwick was handling the ship as though he had a full complement on board, instead of less than a third. Once in the flagship’s wake, her three masts remained precisely in line. Southwick would be watching the luffs like a hawk, and the men at the wheel and the quartermaster would be meeting each extra puff of wind, every wave that tried to push round the Juno’s bow.
The door opened and the Admiral walked in, followed by Captain Edwards and his secretary. Ramage jumped up, watching the expression on the Admiral’s face, but it gave nothing away.
‘The old fool’s arrived too late, eh?’ he said by way of a greeting. Ramage fidgeted uneasily, not knowing what to say, but the Admiral waved for him to sit down, walked round to the other side of the table and sat down himself opposite Ramage. Captain Edwards was waved to the seat on his right.
‘Tell me what happened,’ he demanded, and Ramage reached for the canvas bag. ‘I have my report here, sir…’
‘Written reports tell admirals what captains think they ought to know, and they can’t be interrupted with awkward questions.’
The Admiral seemed hostile and Captain Edwards was watching closely. Between the two men he could see the Juno following astern, her masts still perfectly in line. ‘Well, sir, we sighted the convoy…’
‘No, begin from the time you arrived here. I know you covered the schooner business in your first report by La Mutine, but forget that for the moment.’
The Admiral’s face was completely expressionless as Ramage told him of the Juno’s look into Fort Royal, followed by the night attack on the Juno by the two schooners, and how they cut out the Surcouf from Fort Royal. When Ramage referred to sending La Mutine to Barbados with a warning about the expected French convoy, the Admiral said: ‘Why did you choose her and not the other, what’s the name, the Créole?’
There was obviously a reason for the question but Ramage could think of none. He shrugged his shoulders. ‘It was a matter of chance, sir.’
‘She never arrived,’ the Admiral said bluntly.
‘But my dispatch, sir, you received…’
‘The dispatch arrived but the schooner didn’t; she sprang a plank and sank a third of the way over. Baker and his men rowed. Took them nearly four days. Almost dead when they arrived. Most of ’em still in hospital – sunstroke, sunburn and exhaustion…’
‘I’m very sorry–’
‘Not your fault,’ Admiral Davis said gruffly, ‘and a very creditable effort by young Baker and his men. But tell me, Ramage,’ he continued, his voice cold, ‘why didn’t you send the Surcouf with the warning, instead of a little schooner?’
‘I was afraid the convoy might arrive early, sir,’ Ramage said frankly.
‘So you halved the men you had remaining in the Juno and put them on board the Surcouf. That hardly doubled your strength, surely?’
‘No sir,’ Ramage admitted, ‘but I was hoping that setting up batteries on top of the Diamond Rock to cover the Fours Channel would give us an element of surprise…’
‘What’s that?’ the Admiral exclaimed sharply. ‘You don’t mean to say you even dreamed of getting a gun up on to the top of that Rock? D’you hear that, Edwards? Why, you…’
Captain Edwards had been watching Ramage closely and he deliberately interrupted the Admiral: ‘Perhaps we might hear what Ramage had in mind, sir?’
The Admiral had now put himself in such a difficult position that Ramage hardly knew how to begin. Davis glanced at Edwards and Ramage, his bloodshot eyes missing little. Although Ramage did not know it, Admiral Davis was a man who knew when to cut his losses.
‘Did you get a gun up to the top?’
‘Yes, sir,’ Ramage said, and decided to get it over with at the rush. ‘We swayed two up to the top, a third to a ledge half-way up, and a fourth covers the only cove where a boat can land.’
‘Bless my soul,’ the Admiral said. ‘You must have been mad even to try it. Carronades, eh? Men parbuckled ’em up the hill?’
‘Ramage said they swayed them up, sir,’ Captain Edwards interposed.
‘Carronades, though. Didn’t do much good, eh? No
range, those things. Don’t believe in ’em myself.’
Edwards glanced at Ramage and said quietly: ‘I noticed the Juno is missing some 12-pounders. Three, I believe, and a 6-pounder, too…’
Ramage nodded gratefully. ‘Yes, sir. You see, I found that we…’
‘Twelve-pounders?’ the Admiral almost shouted. ‘Do you mean to tell me you swayed a couple of 12-pounders up to the top of the Diamond?’
‘Well, yes sir, you see…’
The Admiral slapped the table with a thump that made Ramage blink and miss the old man’s expression. ‘Splendid! Splendid, m’boy! Dammit, Edwards, I knew I should never have let Eames…’ he broke off. ‘Well, go on, now you have the batteries on top of the Diamond and two half-manned frigates. Then you wait and wait for that damned old Admiral, who never comes, eh?’
He was grinning now, and Ramage decided he could be completely frank. Admiral Davis was far shrewder than he seemed and had a sense of humour lurking beneath that almost purple complexion.
‘Well, sir, to be truthful, we waited for the convoy…’
‘Damme, that’s an honest enough answer, eh, Edwards? What’s your seniority, Ramage?’
‘Last name in the list when I left England, sir.’
‘Ah yes, I remember. By jove, for the last few days you’ve been commanding a squadron of – how many ships?’
‘Eleven, sir: three frigates, a schooner and seven merchant ships.’
‘Ah yes, now let’s hear about the convoy.’
Ramage began by describing briefly how he hoped to lure the convoy and escorts into the Fours Channel, where he could make a surprise attack with the two frigates, using La Créole as a Trojan horse and, as soon as the French ships were within range, opening fire with the Diamond batteries.
His attempt to keep his story brief failed completely: both the Admiral and Captain Edwards kept interrupting with questions. How did he time the arrival of the Juno and Surcouf so the French were squarely in the Channel? How did Ramage expect to break through two frigates with the half-manned Juno to attack from the unprotected landward side? How could he expect the Surcouf to dodge the two remaining frigates?