- Asbury, in Benjamin Estelle Lloyd's Lights and Shades of San Francisco (1876)
It would be little wonder for the spacers of Alexis’ universe to carry such a naming tradition forward and so call these worlds.
For those wondering at the sheer, unadulterated madness of “Commodore” Skanes putting the Hind onto shoals and then, despite her overwhelmingly superior firepower, surrendering to a handful of gunboats without a shot fired in return … well, I must point you to Captain William Bainbridge of the USS Philadelphia.
In 1803, the Philadelphia was sent to the Barbary Coast (the African one, and the original) and, having run aground off Tripoli, Captain Bainbridge jettisoned most everything he could in hopes of lightening his ship — including the ship’s guns, despite there being some pesky gunboats about, and sawing off the ship’s foremast in a further attempt to lighten it.
Bainbridge then, knowing his ship was lost, surrendered the Philadelphia, and he and all his crew were taken captive by the Pasha — but only after seeing to it that Philadelphia’s stores of gunpowder were wetted and her supplies made useless, as well as drilling holes in the ship’s bottom.
He did these things in order not to see the enemy gain from the ship or supplies in her capture, but despite his efforts, the Tripolitanians (yes, as near as I can find, that’s correct) were able to refloat her and get her to Tripoli’s harbor.
Bainbridge’s act was one of trying to deny his ship and supplies to the enemy, we’ll have to see if Skane’s actions were similarly driven or merely desperation on her part.
There was a further action, which will almost certainly make the basis for some future adventure of Alexis’, to destroy Philadelphia in Tripoli Harbor, carried out by Lieutenant Stephen Decatur of the Intrepid (the captured and renamed Tripolitanian ketch Mastico). Intrepid engaged in some subterfuge to enter Tripoli Harbor, board Philadelphia, and set her afire.
Admiral Lord Nelson, no stranger to daring actions himself, is said to have called that effort “the most bold and daring act of the Age.”
Again, thank you so much for reading the series and I hope you’re looking forward to the next book as much as I am.
J.A. Sutherland
September 23, 2017
The Barbary Coast
San Francisco, California
Also by J.A. Sutherland
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Alexis Carew
Into the Dark
Mutineer
The Little Ships
HMS Nightingale
Privateer
Dark Artifice
Of Dubious Intent
coming early 2018
About the Author
J.A. Sutherland spends his time sailing the Bahamas on a 43' 1925 John G. Alden sailboat called Little Bit ...
Yeah ... no. In his dreams.
Reality is a townhouse in Orlando with a 90 pound huskie-wolf mix who won't let him take naps.
When not reading or writing, he spends his time on roadtrips around the Southeast US searching for good barbeque.
Mailing List: http://www.alexiscarew.com/list
To contact the author:
www.alexiscarew.com
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Privateer (Alexis Carew Book 5) Page 40
