Phillips had seen no British ship to meet her description, but Mister Peabody recalled seeing a very similar ship flying French colors named the Révolution earlier in the war. The French warship seemed to pay them no attention. As the frigate and her consort attempted to ease their way clear of the French fleet, the wind began to rise, blowing the fog away.
By putting that breeze on their quarters, where they could get the most use from it, Blanche and Indomptable had begun to draw away, when Révolution ran up some undecipherable signal flags, then fired a gun when they were ignored. More signaling caused a pair of frigates to leave their stations and come about to pursue the Britons.
It was soon evident there was to be a race. The closest enemy frigate was smaller than Blanche, of about twenty eight guns. A larger frigate of about Blanche’s size mounting thirty two guns was behind the smaller by nearly a mile, but was gaining. Phillips knew well if both of these ships could come to grips with him, he would likely lose both Blanche and Indomptable. With all the canvas he could possibly fly, the pair had no trouble outrunning the smaller enemy but the other appeared to be keeping their pace.
As the day wore on, it became evident that Blanche was the fastest of the four ships, while the big French frigate in the rear was secondary. The smaller French frigate was the slowest and was falling back. The fog having been cleared away by now, and the sails of the French fleet sinking behind the horizon, the big frigate had overtaken the small one while Blanche had to shorten sail to remain with Indomptable.
That French thirty-two was going to be a problem. He could turn and fight her with a good chance of victory, but he must accept the probability of receiving severe damage. Indomptable did not have enough people aboard to man her own guns, and the small frigate coming from behind, if she could catch up with a damaged Blanche, could well take her and Indomptable both.
Phillips toyed with the idea of taking off Indomptable’s prize crew and firing the corvette, but he regretfully saw there would be no time for that before the large frigate closed them.
Sailing alongside Indomptable, he saw her limited crew was doing all they could to continue repairs on her damaged sails and rigging. As she watched, Indomptable was sending up a strange looking mizzen topmast staysail. The prize was faster now than earlier in the chase, but her pursuer was still very slowly overtaking her.
When Phillips saw the enemy frigate was about to come up on Indomitable’s beam, he decided it was now time to go on the offensive. The trailing ship, still hull up, was a long way to the rear and he might just possibly defeat this immediate enemy and make necessary repairs to either escape or fight the smaller frigate later in the day.
Turning the ships conn over to his acting sailing master so he could devote his time to fighting the ship, he gave Mister Landry his immediate plans. Blanche would come about, hoping to turn across the enemy’s bow for a raking shot. Probably, she would turn also, so they would end up broadside to broadside where they would do as much damage as they could. After that, they would have to decide later.
Signaling Indomptable to proceed independently, Blanch came about, bows on to her pursuer. Both broadsides crashed out as the ships passed each other at long musket shot.
There was a flurry up forward as a ball smashed through a port, maiming three of the gun crew. Other crashes around the ship indicated other solid hits, although the ship seemed still to be responding correctly. Interestingly, he could see no splashes rising around their opponent, indicating their own shot were striking the ship rather than the sea. They were firing faster also, as he saw several guns run out and fired long before the enemy guns emerged from their ports.
Their own main topmast had been clipped and topmen were scrambling to take off sail before the spar failed. After another broadside, the enemy foremast was struck close to the deck, and that ship was also trying to reduce sail. With the wind pushing the ships together, Phillips ordered the guns to change to grape and case shot as they closed and the firing intensified.
Fire from the enemy was still intense, but had noticeably slowed as the enemy gunners tired. Phillips had drilled his own gun crews to function in various positions on the guns, so men could replace each other easily if necessary. Now, Mister Peabody was going around the guns switching men around as they tired and the guns kept up their rapid fire.
On his quarterdeck, with shot and musketry fire coming at him, Phillips had all of his attention on the enemy frigate, when he saw Mister Avery, his midshipman messenger also beside him pointing. Here was the Indomptable sailing down the leeward side of the enemy ship. As he watched, he saw first one, then another gun emerge from her ports. He knew the prize did not have the crew to sail her and man her guns also so he had no idea of what she was up to. Passing by the disengaged side of the enemy ship without receiving a shot, she came by her quarter and put her tops’ls aback. Halted in the water, her guns began firing, on gun at a time.
From his post on Blanche’s higher quarterdeck, Phillips could see a crew going from one gun to another, pointing it and firing the already loaded weapon. Every port fired. Apparently before the action, the prize crew had gone about the ship, removing the damaged guns from the ports and moving guns from the opposite battery over to take their places. They had also loaded the guns before going into their attack.
Now, having fired all their weapons, they would have to slow to firing single shots from one of the guns. The fire from Blanche still intense, apparently the opponent did not realize the corvette’s limitations and felt it necessary to give up the fight. Her flag came down and the guns stopped.
A musket ball had shattered his own glass, so Phillips took another from the binnacle. Focusing it on the approaching smaller frigate, he saw that ship wear and come about. Apparently, she had seen two ships firing on and taking her consort and felt it unwise to risk a similar fate. She sailed back toward the French fleet and Blanche was left on the sea with her two prizes.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
MISSION’S END
It was a struggle to man all three ships. Mister Peabody was sent aboard the latest prize “Formidible” with a scratch prize crew. Blanche was left with a very small crew to sail back to port and he realized he would be in a bad situation if he had to engage in combat. Injured masts on both Blanche and Formidible had to be ‘fished’ and new rigging re-rove. Seamen and petty officers had to be selected and sent to the proper ships. Mister Landry was made an acting lieutenant and found himself as first lieutenant on Blanche, while Mister Avery was rated as acting sailing master and sent to Formidible to second Mister Peabody.
It was with very thin crews the little fleet set sail toward Gibraltar. Approaching the Spanish coast, a Spanish frigate sighted them, but bore off when she saw their strength. Had she known January 6, 2015their limitations and engaged, she could certainly have taken the lot.
Phillips was on deck much of the time, working watch and watch with Landry, but feeling the need to oversee the youth, he remained on the quarterdeck even when relieved. Nearing the entrance of Gibraltar Bay, a British third–rate, emerging from harbor spotted them and asked suspiciously their business.
HMS Triumph accompanied them to a mooring where they were boarded by harbor officials accompanied by escorting troops. With everyone’s suspicions alieved, Phillips, long since attired in his best coat and hat, got into his gig with logs and reports. Stepping ashore at the quay, he hired a cart to carry him to the Convent. The Acting Governor was with another visitor at the moment, but Captain Hancock had him in his office at once. He had heard an abbreviated mention of Blanche’s victories and insisted Phillips give him the complete account.
Long before he came to the end, the governor came in and insisted he go over it again. When finished, Governor Rainsford wondered about the condition of the ships. Phillips assured him he was sure all were seaworthy enough to reach England, however crews were a different story. None of the three ships had a crew sufficient to fight her way out of any trouble and repla
cements were desperately needed.
In the end, Captain Hancock placed a levy on all British warships in harbor or those soon to enter. All Royal Navy ships were required to furnish a fair amount of men and the little fleet was able to sail two weeks later, if not fully manned, at least capable to give any enemy a bloody nose.
Once ashore and back home, it was Phillips’ plan to pay a long-delayed visit to his wife and son. He had been away from them long enough, and he wished to spend time with his family. With the prize money earned on this commission, he felt he might well be able to purchase a home for them. A note from his prize-agent informed him of a property in Essex for sale. With any luck, he might be able to spend some time with his family.
For the Honor of the Flag: A John Phillips Novel (War at Sea Book 2) Page 16
