Broadsword

by R. W. Hughes

  He had obviously underestimated this man who now addressed him. Beneath this rough looking Highlander was someone who obviously had a legal background and his words struck home like a sharp dirk in the ribs. And he had been left in no doubt what his situation was. If the pirates were successful, they would definitely kill him.

  If the Highlanders were successful, this George MacKay had set out his stall so that he would be tried for treason, and if it was this man who was prosecuting him, he realised his chances of avoiding the gallows were very slim.

  At the same time George was unsure of the legality of the situation but was convinced the ship’s captain was as ignorant as himself in this matter. But he was pleased in what he had said, and the way he said it. It had been said in such a convincing manner, he had even believed it himself.

  There was several minutes of silence as Captain Murphy evaluated his position before he replied. ‘Can you confirm what this man says, Captain Mclintosh?’ he said looking towards the captain for support.

  ‘What Lieutenant Mackay says is correct. General Oglethorpe requested him to enlist volunteers from the Clan MacKay and neighbouring clans to strengthen the Highland Regiment of Foot at present based in Georgia. And it was to him I was ordered to give the papers signed by and sealed by Parliament to this effect and instructing any British vessel to assist if requested.

  ‘I have no authority over these men or take command until we reach Georgia; I am technically just a passenger on this ship, so I am not in a position to overrule this decree, and I would consider, Captain, your position most seriously before you make any rash decisions.’

  ‘You make your point most forcibly, gentlemen, and leave me no choice but to abide by your wishes and I will in these circumstances follow your instructions.’

  ‘I thank you, Captain! And welcome aboard,’ George’s gracious acceptance of the captain’s capitulation and his turn of phrase in doing so brought a light laugh from the group, which managed to break the ice of what had been a very tense situation.

  ‘Now, gentlemen we need to prepare! We have a battle on our hands, and we need to inform our men that this is a battle we have to win, for to fail means the death or enslavement of not only for them, but also for their families.’

  Twenty-Six

  ‘Captain Murphy, the pirate ship that attacked the coastal MacKay village had one mast a single deck and sixteen pairs of oars plus it carried a number of cannon, if the one bearing down on us now is the same, can you enlighten us further of its capabilities?’

  The captain closed his eyes deep in thought for a long while before replying. ‘As far as I can recall, with conversations I have had with other captains over the years, the ship you describe is armed with about eight or ten cannons, as a crew of a hundred to a hundred and fifty pirates and about three or four slaves per oar, with this combination, sometimes boats have two masts, plus oars. There is no ship in the English navy that can match it for speed.’

  ‘I thank you for those facts, Captain,’ replied George as he made further notes at the side of a sketch of the ship’s decks he had spread on the table. ‘A formidable force to deal with, but they are at least twenty-five men short after their last encounter with us. We will have the advantage of surprise, and they don’t know we have such a large number of armed men to call upon. The important fact is that when they realise we intend to fight that we do not allow them to stand off and use their cannon against us. We have to allow them to fasten their grappling hooks, and then we have to fasten our own hooks to their ship.’

  ‘We have no grappling hooks!’ interrupted Captain Murphy bluntly.

  ‘We have approximately four hours before the pirate ship comes in contact with us, and we have a blacksmith amongst our men. Also, our grappling hooks will not be fastened by ropes but by chains, so they cannot be cut free by the pirates. Do you have any form of cannon on your ship captain?’ he queried.

  The captain scratched his beard thoughtfully before replying. ‘We have a blunder bush type swivel gun in the hold, but we have never had cause to assemble or use this weapon.’

  ‘And how many of your crew can use a firearm?’ replied George as the group of men crowded around the small table.

  ‘Well! There’s myself and the boson then there’s the cook, Peter Robinson. He is an ex-naval man and he lost his leg in action against the French, hence the wooden peg. He may have some knowledge, but I can’a say about the rest of the crew.’

  ‘I would be obliged, Captain, if you can leave now and instruct your boson to arrange for our blacksmith to prepare the grappling hooks and also to enquire of your crew their capabilities with a firearm, and to remove from the hold the swivel gun and make it available for inspection by Captain Mclintosh. And you will need to inform the boson of the present situation and for him to be as discreet as possible in carrying out your orders; we wish to avoid wild rumours circulating amongst the men until I have the opportunity to address them.’

  As the ship’s captain hurried off to find the boson, George continued his conversation with the remaining men in the cabin.

  ‘We have thirty experienced fighters who signed documents in Tongue, plus Captain Mclintosh, Douglas and his five associates and the new recruits delivered by the Redcoats. How do you rate the recruits, John?’ enquired George, turning to his friend Captain Mclintosh.

  ‘The ex-Jacobite prisoners are all familiar with the musket, pistol and the broadsword, and in the short time of training are making excellent progress in the use of the bayonet. The other recruits are slow, but they can now load and fire a weapon, but how they will react in the heat of the coming battle and coming under fire themselves, I cannot say.’

  George totted up on the side of the plan. ‘So we can raise forty or so experienced armed men, and possibly ten more of doubtful capability, but surprise will be to our advantage, so gentlemen this is what I propose.’

  The men pressed closer around the table on which the large sketch showing the ships decks was spread out on the table.

  It took him barely half an hour to explain his plan to the group and delegate each individual his duties, just finishing answering their queries when Captain Murphy returned.

  ‘There is one other member of the crew who is familiar with a musket and Peter Robinson was a sharp shooter in the navy. His position was in the crow’s nest until he lost a leg and was unable to climb the rigging, so he was discharged. The scatter gun is now in my cabin awaiting inspection from Captain Mclintosh, and your blacksmith is at present firing up the furnace. He said it will take him several hours to complete the hooks and fasten them to the chains.’

  ‘Then there will be no problem there, Captain. We will have the hooks in time for their intended purpose, but meanwhile, we will find a suitable position for Peter Robinson where he can exploit his talents to good effect,’ he replied with a smile. ‘And now, gentlemen, if you gather the men who will be under your authority and parade them on the main deck, I will enlighten them on the situation facing us, and what we all intend to do about it.’

  George’s address to all the men and their wives assembled on the main deck from his elevated position on the quarterdeck, was in a similar tone to what he had already said to those in his cabin. He looked around the group below him as he finished talking, the Highlanders who had enlisted and the Jacobite prisoners showed little emotion, to them it was just another battle. But several of the prisoners who had signed the enlistment paper, had blood draining from their faces and they were wildly looking around for some wear to run or hide.

  ‘Those men will have to be watched, Douglas,’ he said to his friend standing beside him. ‘They cannot be trusted to stand and fight they will try to flee, where they think they can hide on this ship I do not know.’

  ‘Yes, just talking about the fight as placed them in a state of blind panic, still this action will sort out the chaff from the oats,’ replied his frien
d scornfully.

  Both George and Douglas had no time to dwell on that problem as they were kept busy, along with Captain Mclintosh, Paul Alberach, John MacKay and his cousin Hugh McKay, organising and positioning the men who had been placed under their control.

  In order to familiarise himself with the weapon, the ex-naval sharpshooter, Peter Robinson, was given the opportunity under George’s supervision, to load and fire out to sea his musket with the rifled barrel.

  ‘Peter, you will have a clear view of the pirate ship’s single deck. Your target when the battle starts is the men giving instructions to these brigands, or any of their crew members that are attempting to fire any of their cannons. There will be sharpshooters with smooth bore muskets on either side of you, on the mizzen and the foremast; their task is the same as yours. They will be watching us with their spyglasses and we do not want them pre-warned that we intend to resist the boarding of our ship, so remember to keep your weapon out of sight until you receive my signal or the battle starts.’

  ‘Well Lieutenant MacKay, I have heard much about this new musket with the rifled barrel and its accuracy, I never thought after losing my limb I would be in a position to use such a weapon, and I, Peter Robinson, an’a the kind of man to let you down, sir.’

  After seeing that Peter, with the musket securely slung over his shoulder and clutching a bag of shot and powder, had been safely hoisted into the crow’s nest, and he had checked the sharpshooters either side were also in position on their platforms, he made his way to where he could see Captain Mclintosh on the poop deck erecting the stand that supported the swivel gun and its large blunderbuss- shaped barrel.

  ‘And what is your assessment of this fearsome looking weapon, John?’

  ‘Well, George, fearsome it looks and fearsome it can be if used at the right time and at close range. Situated here on the poop deck, we will be looking down on the single deck of the pirate ship. The maximum range of this gun is about sixty feet, but deadly at thirty to forty feet. The disadvantage is it takes so long to load, so in reality, and in the heat of battle, you do not have many shots.’

  ‘Then I think it prudent that you take charge of the poop deck with this monster and I am afraid I will have to put under your command the ten or so men who have not yet reached the standard of the rest of our squad. I will send John MacKay to assist you. I think the men will perform much better here than in the thick of the fighting, and I will send them to you along with their straw filled mattresses; the men can lie on the deck covered with the mattress and be out of sight from the pirates until the action starts, then their mattress can pushed against the rail and be used as a shield against incoming shot from below.’

  ‘That is a sound idea, George, and will the men placed on the other decks do the same?’

  ‘Yes! Below you, in charge of the men on the quarter deck, will be Hugh MacKay, and each man will have a two loaded French muskets and two loaded pistols. The barrage of fire from our weapons will help to even the odds and keep them from setting foot on our boat for as long as possible, and then it will be hand- to-hand fighting. I will send you several muskets and pistols with powder and shot for yourself.’

  ‘And will my muskets be of French make also?’ queried Captain Mclintosh with a wry smile.

  ‘Aye! We had a visit from the French navy carrying troops during the troubles, and they left behind their merchandise,’ replied George with a laugh.

  ‘And what of the womenfolk and the children. What are the plans for them?’ continued the captain.

  ‘Several of the crofters’ wives are already capable of loading the pistols and muskets. Douglas, my sister, Ailie, and my cousin, Hugh MacKay, are instructing several of the others in that process. They will load these weapons and pass them to their menfolk from the reasonable safety of the cabins situated on those decks. The older women will look after the children in the comparative safety of Captain Murphy and the boson’s quarters.’

  ‘The best men we have will be on the main deck which is where the pirates will attempt to board, and where the heaviest fighting will take place.’

  Captain Mclintosh nodded in approval before replying. ‘As always, I must compliment you on being so well organised, there is nothing I could recommend that would improve our chances in this coming action, but may I ask where you will position yourself?’

  ‘Douglas and I will be on the Main deck, Paul Aberach and his son, Ian, will be above us and in charge of the forecastle feck.’

  Leaving his friend to finish fitting the swivel blunderbuss he made his way down to the main deck to check that his men were prepared and all had their thick tightly packed straw mattresses. By now the pirate ship was in plain sight, its slim sleek hull slicing through the water powered both by its sail and the power from its slave driven oars.

  Captain Murphy, following George’s instructions, had set full sail giving the pirates the impression that they were attempting to flee.

  ‘We will be in range of their cannon in half an hour,’ said the boson to George as they both watched from the main deck the gap between the boats narrowing.

  Taking the opportunity, George went the captain’s cabin to see Fiona, but arriving there, he was informed by the ladies in charge of the children that she had insisted on going to the nearby navigation room below the poop deck to load muskets for the men on the quarter deck. Panicking that he would not see her before the action started, he rushed to find her. Initially, he had every intention of severely rebuking her for her actions, but seeing her there—surrounded by lead shot, wadding and a barrel of gunpowder, busily loading the spare French muskets, her face and hands streaked with traces of the black powder—his anger melted.

  ‘Fiona! What are you doing, and in your condition?’

  ‘I, George, am doing what these other women are doing, assisting my man to save them and their families from these savages.’

  He realised he had no answer to her reply and simply knelt down beside her and gave her a long lingering kiss, that said more than any words. Quickly leaving the cabin he made his way down to the main deck, noticing as he went that the men were now hidden under their mattresses. Looking across the water, he could see the pirate ship was now in plain sight and closing fast; its single deck packed with a motley crew waving their cutlasses and pistols in a threatening manner.

  Reaching the main deck, he looked around the ship. Captain Mclintosh, John MacKay and Captain Murphy were to be seen on the poop deck, and they were all standing in front of the blunderbuss hiding it from anyone viewing from the pirate ship, alongside them were two of the ladies, prominent in their bonnets. Behind them was the helmsman standing alongside the large wooden steering wheel. Below them was Hugh Mackay standing alone on the quarter deck and Paul Aberach was the only person to be seen at the bow of the ship standing in a prominent position on the forecastle deck. Looking up towards the crow’s nest, on each mast all that could be seen were pieces of old sail cloth which was hiding the sharpshooters, and working on the rigging attempting to coax a little more speed from the sails were several of the crew, while himself and Douglas were the only two in view on the main deck.

  Good he thought, nothing out of the ordinary that the pirates could be suspicious about, just a merchant ship attempting to flee, with the average number of crew and several passengers.

  There was the crack of a cannon and a puff of black smoke from the bow of the pirate ship, now only thirty yards from its prey. The iron ball passed through the main sail ten feet above George’s head.

  ‘They’ve fired a warning shot high, as they don’t want to damage such a valuable prize,’ answered George to Douglas’s enquiring glance.

  As the sailors in the rigging raced to lower the sails, Captain Murphy as prearranged, waved a large white flag of surrender.

  Ten yards separated the ships and the oars were being withdrawn on that side of the pirate’s ship as it came c
loser, when George placed the hunting horn to his lips and blew a long loud blast. The first report was from the high poop deck as Captain Mclintosh fired the blunderbuss at the centre of the crowd of pirates thronging the gang rail of their ship.

  The hail of shot left a gaping hole in the crammed group of cutthroats, many of the pirates in turn fired their weapons in the direction of the poop deck, but fortunately Captain Mclintosh and John MaKay were now sheltering alongside the raw recruits behind the thick straw mattresses wedged up against the handrail. In the meantime, the ladies on that deck had previously been escorted below out of harm’s way by Captain Murphy.

  The second ragged volley of musket fire into the pirates came from the other end of the ship and the men under the control of Paul and Ian Aberach on the forecastle deck. And while the pirates spasmodic return fire was directed at them, John MacKay had motivated and bullied the raw recruits on the poop deck to fire a volley at the pirates from behind the protection of their mattresses. There was only four yards separating the boats when on George’s orders his men pushed their mattresses against the handrail and from behind that cover fired their muskets at a line of pirates who were preparing to leap from their hand rail to the merchant vessel. The short distance and force of the shot knocked them backwards onto their fellow cutthroats.

  Three pirates jumped the gap as the boats came closer one slipping but managing to hold on to the merchant ship’s handrail, but dropped in the gap between the boats screaming as his fingers were removed from his hand by a swing of George’s broadsword, his screaming changing to a gurgle as the boats crashed together. One pirate was shot by a pistol wielded by Douglas and the other was bayonetted by one of the Highlanders. Another volley from the forecastle deck nocked all the pirates off their hand rail preparing to jump the short distance between the boats. But now the boats were bumping together and there were more pirates jumping the gap and by force of numbers were driving the men on the main deck back on the defensive.