Richard Testrake - (Sea Command 2) (13 page)

None of the more senior men opted to make their escape. Mister Ralston felt he was too old for such antics and Mister Reynolds felt he must stay to attempt to temper any action against the men Captain Peebles might take. Midshipman Adolphus, of course, was a necessary member and a senior master’s mate was selected to load onto the launch. A dozen hands, men well used to the conditions likely to be encountered, also dropped into the boat. Hardly had they assumed their seats on the thwarts and cut the painter than Mister Reynolds sounded the alarm, ordering the midshipman of the watch to notify the captain that conspirators were plotting to take the ship. As the boat drifted silently out of sight, they heard the commotion as the Marines were alerted to search the ship.

Once well away from the frigate, Master’s Mate Gainer ordered the lugsail raised and a course set to cross the channel.

Four days later, the crew of the launch was barely alive when HMS Naiad nearly ran them down. The boat was often on the verge of swamping and the hands could never get dry. The constant drenching in frigid temperatures were almost more than their bodies could take. The frigate came alongside and with the boat in her lee, she was able to put men into it to get everyone on board. The boat was a valuable craft which the frigate’s captain would have liked to salvage, but with the seas the way they were, he felt it too dangerous to take it aboard. Cut adrift, she was soon lost to sight.

The men were taken below to warm up around the galley fire and the questioning began. At first, Captain McIntire of Naiad thought these men were deserters who had stolen a boat to make their escape, but several troubling details spoiled that theory. First, several of the rescued hands identified Midshipman Adolphus as a relative of King George III. Of course, the men could be lying, but it would seem to be a strange story to fabricate. One must tread very warily here. Then, two log books and some orders were produced. These were waterlogged and must be carefully dried before anything could be made of them.

However, after listening to the stories, McIntire decided his best option was to deliver these refugees into the hand of the Admiralty. He was headed to Portsmouth to provision anyway, so he need not go out of his way. He was careful in his report to make no pronouncement of guilt or innocence, deciding to leave that in the hands of the authorities on shore.

Captain McIntire could not abide hangings and hoped to be well away should that come to pass. With no ability to escape, the seamen were placed on duty and assigned messes. Midshipman Adolphus, in view of his possible royal blood, was placed in a vacant wardroom cabin, just to be sure, while Master’s Mate Gainer went to live in the gunroom.

Captain Mullins had gone home for a few weeks to visit his father but returned to Portsmouth to check on Valkyrie. She was riding high in the water out in the harbor, ready to take on stores. All she needed was her crew, who were expected to arrive any day on Felicia. After arranging rooms, he decided to call on the flag to see if anything had been heard of her.

He was surprised at the commotion made when he boarded. He was immediately shuttled off to the flag captain’s office, where he heard the story. The survivors had reached shore and word had arrived that very day from the Admiralty that every resource was to be expended to find this rogue captain and his ship and bring them in.

Mullins was asked how soon it might take him to get HMS Valkyrie to sea to hunt this pirate down.

Apparently, Valkyrie was presently the only ship capable of sailing in short order, always supposing she had a captain and crew, of course. He reminded all that his crew had been taken from his ship to man the missing Felicia, against his wishes and recommendations.

These comments were swept aside as unimportant. He was told of the necessity of his sailing forthwith to apprehend what was now regarded as a pirate ship. It was felt his old crew serving on Felicia would find it easier to give the ship up to their former captain.

He found Midshipman Adolphus outside the admiral’s office, being used, more or less, as a decoration. There was some anxiety on the flagship about the view the Palace might have about the wisdom of placing the prince on a ship commanded by a deranged captain.

Adolphus informed Mullins of the log books from Ralston and Danton, which were now being carefully dried, page by page, and deciphered. He also found there were other hands that had escaped. Captain McIntire, always able to use skilled seamen, had kept these men aboard Naiad.

By raising his voice to what others might believe to impolite levels, Mullins was able to secure the release of all of these men and returned to Valkyrie to supervise its preparation for sailing.

Throngs of men were coming through the entry port, and being put to work right away. With no time available for careful selection, officers were sent willy-nilly from the the Admiralty and sent off to Valkyrie. Extra men were sent, in case circumstances might arise where they would be needed. As for seamen, every ship in port not immediately ready to sail, was stripped of some of its hands and these were sent to Valkyrie. It was a ship crewed by strangers that slipped her mooring and made her way out to sea.

Thanks to the reports of Mister Adolphus and Master’s mate Gainer, Mullins knew his quarry was on her way to Stockholm. Perhaps they could catch her on her way, otherwise, they must hope to find her on her return. Mullins had no great expectations concerning this latter course. With as much trouble as this rogue captain already had on his hands, it might be expected that he give his ship to the Swedes or the Russians and seek refuge in the North. He wished very much to bring back the madman who had stolen his men.

On their way up the Dutch coast, the lookouts reported a brigantine under sail, coming toward them, flying British colors over French. Mullins intended to ignore the sighting, judging his mission to have precedence over anything else. The brigantine was headed straight toward them though, flying the signal ‘Request Assistance’ so he decided to see what was needed. He was astonished, examining the vessel through his glass, to see the white head of Mister Ralston on its quarterdeck. He came alongside and questioned his old sailing master by speaking trumpet.

Ralston reported Felicia had taken this brigantine two days before, as the frigate peered about the coast. Ralston said Captain Peebles, while seemingly starkly mad, sometimes had a bit of lucidity and could appear almost normal. Since Peebles had learned of the escape, instead of hurrying toward the Baltic, as had been expected, he had been hunting prizes along the coast of the Low Countries. This was strange behavior, even for one such as the fugitive captain.

Ralston reported, immediately after the escape of the hands in the launch, Peebles had been in a murderous rage that suddenly evaporated. After taking this prize, he had given it to Ralston, even though the day before, he had been threatening to have to have the master seized to a grating and flogged to death.

Mullins had little confidence in his present first officer. This man had not served afloat in a decade, and much of his knowledge of ship handling had been forgotten. He had only been taken aboard because of the emergency. Because of his long service though, he by virtue of his seniority, became first officer. He sent this Lieutenant Wilkins over to the prize to take her in, carrying Mister Ralston’s report. Wilkins was thrilled to have a command, however temporary.

Captain Mullins wanted to take Ralston on the voyage with him, but he already had a senior sailing master and wished to avoid any unnecessary conflict between the two. To avert trouble, he gave Ralston an acting appointment as lieutenant and made him his first officer.

Of course, he had two additional commissioned officers on board who could make some noise over their displacement in the chain of command. These were newly commissioned officers, although just a few months ago, they had both been mere midshipmen, who were now acting as second and third lieutenants. As such, they were both of them senior to Acting Lieutenant Ralston. He discussed matters with them, assuring them he would give them good reports when they left the ship after the cruise and it would not be profitable for them to cause any difficulty over their nominal seniority over Ralston.

With prospects of command of future prizes likely, both officers opted to accept their lot and hope for future plums to fall their way.

Valkyrie continued northward, coming to the northernmost of the Frisian Islands. Nothing concerning the Felicia had been sighted since her prize was recovered and captain and crew were becoming discouraged. Mullins and Ralston spent the time while searching, training the crew in their own ways of doing things.

Most of the men on board were skilled seamen but there was always something to learn. Gunnery practice and sail drill were now everyday duties. Ralston said Captain Peebles could not abide gunnery practice. He demanded clean, unscarred decks, which were difficult to maintain under constant use of the guns.

A week later, a ship’s boat was sighted, loaded with men. As they closed, some of the men were seen to be badly injured, a few with dangerous burns. Taken aboard, the men were discovered to be seamen of this North Frisian coast who had been crewing a brig loaded with a cargo of Baltic tar.

Felicia had run down the brig and boarded her. Apparently deciding not to send her in, Captain Peebles fired the brig with her crew still on board. Unwilling to be a party to murder though, the boarding party on the prize had braved Peebles’ ire and left them a boat, saving most of the crew.

This had happened only a day before, so Valkyrie was closing in on the pirate. After explaining their mission to the rescued seamen, Mullins asked if any would like to volunteer for service in the Royal Navy, rather than go to the hulks as prisoners. All of the uninjured seamen volunteered, saying they would be happy to help to send this pirate captain to the gallows.

Acting Lieutenant Ralston and Sailing Master Granger had their differences, both being seamen of great experience each with his own ways. Both however, agreed navigating these islands was delicate business and one must keep an eye on the charts as well as the lead.

The ship was sailing slowly up the chain of islands in patches of fog and sometimes rain. Since early morning, guns were heard in the distance ahead. At first, it was thought they might be from several ships firing guns in the fog to let each other know of their position.

Then, several broadsides were heard, followed by single shots at intervals. It sounded as though someone was in trouble.

It was late in the day when Valkyrie sighted the combatants. Felicia had run aground on a sandy shoal and a thirty-two-gun French frigate was pounding the very snot out of her. Felicia’s masts were down but she still had a few guns keeping up their fire against the Frenchman. Her enemy was not unscathed. Through his glass, Mullins could see the shattered holes in her sides. She had lost the tops of both fore and main, and many of her gun ports were empty.

Ordinarily, Mullins would probably not have engaged this nominally superior frigate. In this case though, Felicia had punished her enough that he felt he had an excellent chance. As soon as the enemy frigate spotted Valkyrie, she stood away from her victim and came for the new foe.

Mullins ordered his people to clear for action, and the ship became a perfect beehive as the ship was cleared from stem to stern. As the ship closed the enemy, Mullins took time to walk among the men, explaining his plans to them. He assured the men he had taken many enemy ships before and this would not be the last.

As the ships closed, the Frenchman had no sooner turned to present his broadside, then Valkyrie did the same. Both ships opened at the same moment. The gun crews on the enemy ship certainly had enough practice beating on the Felicia and her guns were larger, twelve pounders, as against nines on Valkyrie. However, Felicia had put a number of those guns out of action so she now had only eleven guns operable on the broadside presented toward Valkyrie.The remainder of her guns were either disabled or without crews.

Valkyrie also had eleven smaller guns facing the enemy, but she had more men. The enemy had been losing men all day in a running battle with Felicia, her tiring men were crewing many guns at half strength.

Both ships lost a few men with the opening discharges, but no important equipment was lost on either ship. With her extra people, Valkyrie was able to keep seamen aloft to tend to rigging and ease the ship ahead of her enemy, while still maintaining a vigorous fire. It soon became evident that the British sloop was able to maintain a steady fire of three rounds for every two fired by the enemy. This, in effect, gave her the advantage of several more guns, an advantage that increased as the French ship lost more guns to her enemy’s fire.

Of equal importance was the state of Valkyrie’s rigging. Being in perfect condition, with adequate men aloft to maintain its status, the ship was able to out-maneuver her crippled opponent.

The wind had been pushing Valkyrie down upon the enemy, and the Frenchman could not evade this since that ship was close on the shallows that had trapped Felicia. With her undamaged sails and rigging, the ship-sloop was able to range ahead of the enemy and now began to cut across her bow. Close in like this, the enemy frigate’s after guns could no longer bear, while all of Valkyrie’s could continue punishing her opponent.

Damage increased on the enemy, especially in her bow, As Valkyrie cut across that bow, the enemy suffered a raking that effectively won the battle for her opponent. The foremast came down and the main was leaning over the side, held only by a few shrouds.

Before Valkyrie could load and fire again, the tricolor came down and the fight ended. There had been few casualties aboard Mullin’s ship and he was able to send his entire Marine detachment to the captured frigate to hold her while he investigated Felicia.

During her brief respite, Felicia had managed to load an anchor aboard her launch and carry it out ahead of the ship into deeper water. With every available hand at the capstan, Felicia was slowly being kedged off the sandbar. The crew was pulling the frigate off the sandbar into deeper water solely with their own muscle. Captain Peebles was on the quarterdeck, waving his hat in glee at the defeat of his enemy. Mullins had not wished for an assault upon Felicia, which would pit Briton against Briton, many of whom, on the Felicea, he had sailed with. Seeing Peebles on deck in a good mood, Mullins directed his signal officer to fly a signal inviting Captain Peebles to dinner.

To his amazement, Peebles accepted and was soon on his way over in his frigate’s jolly boat, the only other surviving the battle, besides the launch still assisting in extricating Felicia from her grounding.

Mullins met the laughing Peebles at the entry port. There was not the welcoming ceremony usually given to ship captains. The wayward captain was immediately taken into custody and led, protesting loudly, below to the wardroom, where he was shackled and left in the care of a pair of seamen.

The possibility of getting the two badly damaged frigates to port had to be explored. Felicia seemed to be beyond repair, but Mullins knew he would have to explain her abandonment, if that was what he chose. Even though she would likely go to the breaker’s yard, he knew it was necessary to make a sincere attempt to bring her back.

The French prize was not quite in such a desperate condition. Her tops were gone, as was her foremast, and her rigging a horror, with great holes smashed in her sides. But, she floated, and barring bad weather, there was a good probability she could be under sail soon.

Felicia had lost many men killed and wounded in her fight with the Frenchman, but Mullins had extra men and officers on Valkyrie, so all hands were put to work. There seemed to be little point in rigging jury masts on the wreck of Felicia, so it was determined to expend their greatest efforts on the prize. Slowly making their way through the shoal waters, Felicia was towed to the leeward side of an un-named island in the group where repairs began.

The work on Felicia consisted mainly of making her as water tight as could be managed. The prize, the former French national frigate Junon, was in better condition, and could be put into condition to sail more quickly. Many of the French crewmembers, worked with their former foes getting the ship seaworthy. There was always the danger of a North Sea storm brewing up and endangering both British and French sailors. In these dangerous waters, it behooved the seamen of both countries to ensure the safety of the ship before resuming their conflict.

In two days, after non-stop work, it was judged the little fleet could set out. Junon was larger so she would tow Felicia. The little fleet set out for home.

Portsmouth was nearly empty when they arrived. Almost every ship that would swim was now out searching for Felicia. Valkyrie signaled success as soon as she entered harbor and Mullins was ordered to report aboard the flag. After handing over the relevant logs and ledgers and making his verbal report, a launch from the flag came to Valkyrie to take custody of Captain Peebles. Peebles seemed nonchalant as he was taken away, as if the chains on his body were mere ornaments.

As Mullins suspected, the dockyard authorities despaired of repairing the wreck of Felicia, but the Junon was a different story. Lieutenant Danton, once freed from his tiny prison, had taken much of the responsibility in repairing Junon and Mullins had given him command of the prize.

The pair of junior officers aboard Valkyrie were sent to Junon to assist Danton, where they both performed admirably. A great deal of work had been done on the voyage home, and she made an impressive sight riding at anchor. It was anticipated she would soon be at sea, the latest member of the Royal Navy.

Valkyrie needed to have her crew sorted out. Much had occurred in recent months, with many of her old crew injured or killed on the Felicia. Too, many of her present crew had been almost forcefully taken from their parent ships to enable Valkyrie to sail quickly in search of the fugitive ship. Their former captains were now vigorously insisting on the return of their men.

Every day ship’s boats were coming and going, transferring men about, often with some trading happening. Eventually, matters were arranged, although not to everyone’s liking. Mullins lost his old sailing master. Acting Lieutenant Ralston had his commission confirmed and was now Lieutenant Ralston. He would go on the beach until assigned to another ship.

Mister Reynolds, although very junior, took over as first officer, while Mister Haynes, one of the two junior officers who had been carried on the search, resumed his place as second officer. Mister Granger, who had replaced Mister Ralston, would continue on as sailing master.

Mister Adolphus, though again offered a berth aboard the flag, requested to stay aboard, and few would deny him.

The Navy had by now determined Valkyrie was long past due to resume her duties, so with little notice, she was dispatched for duty with the Channel Fleet. She slipped her mooring at first light and was on her way with no fanfare.