“Lord Eckersley”, essayed Phillips. “I am concerned about the other young woman and her child I brought back with me. I am not without funds and would be willing to contribute something for her and her child’s care.”
“Not to worry Captain. My wife discussed matters with Lady Forsythe and the young woman. Forsythe assured my wife she would find a place for the young woman in her establishment, but after speaking with Jane, my wife offered her the position your friend Hilda vacated when she married. She said Lady Forsythe was much relieved. I suspect she and her husband and son will be busy learning to become a family again.”
Now, on to yourself. In the recent mail bag from the Med was a missive from Sir Charles to me personally. He seems to think there are reasons why it may be best to remove you from London for some time. He did not specify his reasoning, but I may perhaps guess the reason. Without going into any details, is it your wish to be assigned away from the country for a period of time? I must tell you, the King is interested in your career, and that interest can only have positive benefits. A year or more from now, that interest may have subsided and your career may suffer.”
“Sir, if I could be assigned sea duty where I was not expected to face the press, I would be grateful.”
“So it shall be, Captain. As it happens, you may be able to solve a problem that has just fell on my shoulders. Tell me, are you acquainted with a Commander Welles?
“Phillips thought a bit, and answered, “His name is not familiar to me, My Lord.”
“No reason it should. Much of the Navy breathed a sigh of relief when his father, Post Captain Welles reached the top of the captain’s list and was appointed Rear Admiral’. The Lords of the Admiralty were unanimous in their opinions that there was no further need for this officer. He was immediately sent ashore. He will never see the deck of a ship again, at least while I occupy this desk. While it is not my habit to discuss officer’s difficulties with their juniors, let us just say the Royal Navy will be better off with officers like Admiral Welles at home, tending to their cabbages.”
“In Admiral Welles case, he has bought a seat in Parliament and has been able to use his new influence to have his son promoted from a very new lieutenant to commander. Recently given a new ship-sloop of eighteen guns, he has done his best to ruin a perfectly good ship’s crew. I have reports from other captains that he is incessantly flogging his men for the most frivolous reasons. His ship is now at the Nore, and I greatly fear another mutiny there, such as happened some years ago.”
Another difficulty facing the country, is the proliferation of privateers operating off the east coast of Southern Africa. Formerly based in Mauritius, an island known by the French as ‘Ile de France’, they have moved their bases to other islands in the Indian Ocean after we took the base last year. These privateers are causing serious harm to our eastern trade routes.
“With your skills at resolving problems of our Navy, I intend to remove Commander Welles from the command of HMS Badger and assign you to the sloop. Since there is some need for speed, I will authorize you to take up to twenty five of your seamen from Terrier to fill any vacancies aboard Badger.”
“Now, how would you describe the present first officer on Terrier?”
“Sir, Acting-Lieutenant Davison is an able, conscientious seaman. He was a master’s mate when I appointed him and he has not disappointed me in any way.”
“Has he passed his boards, yet?”
“Yes sir, but was never made.”
“What are your recommendations? Would he make a good commissioned officer?”
“Yes sir, I would be pleased for him to sail with me again.”
“Well, perhaps we should write orders appointing this young man as first officer of HMS Badger. By the time you return, he should be a seasoned officer, able to stand his ground as a wardroom officer of a liner. I will have to think about who I want to send to Terrier. We will leave Davison on board until the new administration arrives.”
“Please excuse me while I get the clerks busy writing up the necessary orders. You may take Davison’s with you. Start getting your ship worked up. As soon as I send someone to take care of Terrier, I want you to sail as soon as possible.”
In the meantime, you may wish to drop by my home and see your former passenger before you depart. Lady Forsythe, of course, has left with her baby and husband, but Jane will be happy to see you.”
The girl was indeed happy to see him. She had not been noticeably affected by her ordeal, and seemed well satisfied with her new life with her baby in a fine household. She was effusive with her thanks, when he left her to go back to sea.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Phillips was cold and wet from the journey down the Thames, so he ordered the launches cox’n to take him to Terrier. The cox’n looked at him questioningly as they approached. Normally, the cox’n would answer the hail from a ship he was carrying a captain to by shouting the name of that ship. Since Phillips was no longer captain of Terrier, he could not use that reply, and he had not officially reported aboard Badger yet either. Presumably that ship still had a captain aboard that might resent another officer assuming the title prematurely. So, when the hail came from the midshipman of the watch, Phillips merely said, ‘Aye.’
This indicated only that an officer of no particular status was reporting aboard. The mid aboard Terrier, having seen Phillips every day for the past commission, thought he had misunderstood the answer to the hail and rushed to get Mister Davison.
After being welcomed aboard, Phillips invited Davison to his cabin and broke the news. The former master’s mate was delighted. It was now official, he was a commissioned officer. No longer would he have to be concerned over the loss of his position and the possible exile back to the gunroom. Phillips gave him the orders, informing him they would not be valid until he took up his position aboard Badger.
He informed Davison he would necessarily stay aboard Terrier until the new captain or first lieutenant boarded. He asked Davison to send a midshipman in the jolly boat to Badger to deliver a note to the present captain.
Sitting at his tiny desk, he uncorked his ink and scribbled out a short message saying that he would come aboard at whatever time was convenient. Should he not hear differently, he would come at noon.
Phillips and Davison spent the night going over the inventory of articles which must be accounted for. Much had already been done on the voyage home, but last minute changes had to be documented. With no sleep that night, he was exhausted the next morning but forced himself to stay awake in case the captain of the Badger should come aboard early.
He was almost asleep on his feet when the midshipman of the watch ran in to say a boat was leaving the Badger with its captain in the stern. Phillips shrugged into his heavy coat and placed his scraper on his head. He waited for the hail of the anchor watch and it came, but the reply was merely ‘Passing’.
When he gained the quarterdeck, he saw the boat, its crew busy setting its sail before it disappeared behind some shipping toward the Thames. This was strange behavior indeed. He assumed the former captain of Badger had received news that he was being relieved and of course that meant the two would need to go over the ship’s books together.
Phillips had no notion at all of buying a pig in a poke. He intended to take as much care over the new ship’s inventory as he had with his own. Should he sign for inventory that was not actually present, he could very well end up paying for it himself. Perhaps the man was on a local mission and would return shortly.
Too tired to wait much longer, he decided to find out what was going on and then get some sleep. Descending into his gig, the crew pulled him over to Badger, where it was challenged. Again, he did not wished to pronounce himself captain until all the amenities had been observed. A word to the cox’n repeated the ‘Aye aye’ he had given when coming back to Terrier the day before.
The ship’s crew was well drilled as to the honors to a visiting captain, and the sideboys and Marines were pr
esent. A painfully thin lieutenant doffed his hat as he came through the entry port and introduced himself.
Lieutenant Danson offered to take him to the captain’s cabin where they could discuss the change in command. Phillips thanked him but replied it would be better to wait until the ship’s captain would return.
“Sir”, Danson informed him. “I don’t think we will see Captain Welles again. He received notice yesterday that he was being superseded and is now on his way to London.”
“Well, what about the ships books? What are we to do about them? We will need to have Captain Welles signature on the ship’s papers before the change of command is complete.”
“Sir, Captain Welles told me I could throw them over the side for all he cared. He said the Navy could do nothing more to him than they had already done.”
This was a new one for Phillips. He had not the slightest wish to assume command of a strange ship without an accurate inventory. A big, bluff-bowed 74 gun ship-of-the-line, anchored close by gave him an idea. Such a ship would have a senior post captain who could likely give him good advice. Hopefully he would be on board. Still using Terrier’s launch, he had himself pulled over. The liner’s first officer met him and reported the captain had had a late night the evening before and had not been seen on deck yet.
Phillips told the lieutenant his problem which the officer promised to relay to his captain when he appeared on deck.
An hour later, Phillips, himself resting in the cabin after returning to Terrier, was awakened by the anchor watch hailing a boat. The reply ‘Triumphant’ informed him this was the ship’s captain of the liner coming aboard. Knowing he could trust Davison to manage the welcome ceremony, he spent a few minutes getting himself presentable. He had already shaved earlier so that saved time.
He went on deck just as a portly post captain, with a gilded epaulette on each shoulder, came aboard. He introduced himself as Captain Phelps. After the stamp and the clash of the brig’s few Marines was finished, Phillips invited him into his cabin.
The guest answered, “Captain, I commanded a brig like this many years ago. I know just what size of cabin you have. I drank too much brandy last night, and my head is reminding me of that right now. I would rather stay right here on deck. Now, just what is your problem?’
Phillips relayed the information he had. He was charged with taking command of HMS Badger, but the previous captain had decamped without notice, ignoring the ship’s books. No inventories were evident.
With that, Phelps decided he could make at least a token appearance into the ship’s cabin. The two men boarded Phelps’s boat and were pulled over to Badger. On entering that ship’s cabin, great masses of papers were found strewn willy-nilly about in no order at all. Phelps whistled to himself, and made a brief essay into examining a handful of random papers.
Giving up, he announced, “This is beyond my efforts. Have you your orders?” Phillips did, and Phelps gave them a cursory glance.
Leading Phillips out on deck, he handed the orders to Mister Danson, the bewildered first officer, and asked him to call the hands and read the orders aloud. That done, Phillips was now officially the captain of HMS Badger.
Phelps addressed the crew. “Men, as my ship has been moored beside yours for a week, I am familiar with some of the difficulties on your ship. Captain Phillips here is a fine officer who I am told is not a friend of the cat. I am sure if you listen to him and do your duty, your ship will become a happy one again.”
It was necessary to convene a board to examine what there were of the ship’s books and reconstitute the ships inventory of property. The ship’s log had not been kept up for weeks, but the Master had kept his scrupulously and proper notation was made of Badger’s recent history. Clerks and pursers from ships at the Nore were borrowed to bring the paperwork up to date. A strict accounting was made of all King’s property aboard. When Phillips was satisfied, he signed the inventory and the ship was now his officially.
Phelps came over the day before Badger sailed with news of the former captain’s travails. He reported Commander Welles would soon be tried at court martial for his failings. It was predicted the man would never sail in a King’s ship again. He would definitely be charged with all King’s property charged out to him but not listed in the latest inventory.
Right after Captain Phelps left, a thirty two gun frigate sailed into the anchorage and a passenger debarked. This was the new captain of Terrier. Badger’s former first officer received orders to sail on Terrier as first officer in the brig. Phillips went aboard his old ship after the new officer had been welcomed and produced his signed copies of all relevant ships papers. He, Davison and the new captain spent the rest of the day going over ship’s property. There was some controversy over the unusual armament. Phillips took the men into the hold to examine the four thirty two pounder carronades now serving as ballast. He also showed the entry in the ship’s log where the four French eight pounder long guns were reported.
Next morning, it was time to sail.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
HMS Badger prepared to set out on her voyage to the East. Her captain had not had much time to spend with his crew what with all the details he had to attend to, He had noticed many of the men were surly and grouchy. Some seemed to enjoy seeing just how far they could get away with their silent contempt of their officers and petty officers. Many of his fellow captains would have triced a few men to the gratings and had some powerful bosun’s mates lay on the lash. Phillips decided not to go that route though. He knew their long history of receiving harsh punishment had brought them to this stage.
He had taken Lord Eckersley’s advice and exchanged twenty of the more hardened offenders into Terrier and taken aboard the same number of men he was sure he could count on. He had also arranged to exchange his ship’s Royal Marine detachment for different men from other ships. He was sorry to leave his bad apples to work their mischief on Terrier, but he knew the brig would be staying in home waters for weeks. If trouble emerged, the new captain would have the opportunity to get local assistance. Too, most of his hands were capable seamen, proud of their skill and unlikely to listen to a rabble rouser.
Before the offenders selected to descend into the boat, he addressed the entire crew. “Men, I know you have had legitimate problems with the Royal Navy. Were I in your shoes, I might feel resentful too. The officer who caused the problems is gone and will likely never be in a position to mistreat a crew again. Some of you are angry at being pressed and taken from your families. Some of you want to strike out at the Navy for doing this to you.”
“Unfortunately, your country needs your services. Bonaparte is right across the channel and would invade us if he had half a chance. We need all of you men to do your jobs. If you will not, we must take certain measures.”
“I myself am not a believer in the cat. Those who do not believe me are free to ask the men who have come over from Terrier. I believe flogging does more harm than it does good. I have tried treating this crew with restraint, but that seems to have failed with some of you men. Therefore, I have exchanged with my old brig. I have taken men from her I know I can rely on and am sending her men who I believe I cannot. I have no idea how your new captain in Terrier will handle those of you that come to him. I suspect he will go one of two routes.”
“He may just rig the gratings and flog the lights out of you, as your last captain did. Or, he may call for extra Marines from that third rate over there and send you to shore for court martial. You know what will happen then, just as I do. You will either be flogged around the fleet, which if it does not kill, you will surely cripple you. Or, you will be hanged with your dead bodies covered in tar and displayed in gibbets along the shore until your bones fall apart.”
‘Of course, none of this has to happen. You may just decide to behave yourself and do your duty. Someday, the enemy permitting, you may go home to your family.”
“For you men sailing with me, I will probably not rig the grating, sho
uld you decide to give me trouble. I will merely put you in irons and turn you over to the port admiral in Portsmouth. Now, Mister Davison will read out the names of the men transferring to Terrier. Those men will proceed to the port and get into the boat.”
The first few men went quietly. Then a burly fellow went berserk and tried to thrash the pair of bosun’s mates who tried to pull him to the port. With that, the Sergeant and Corporal of Marines waded in. The corporal used a butt stroke of his musket to the man’s head to lay him on the deck, unconscious. Sergeant Boseley examined the culprit and expressed his belief the man would survive. The inert figure was lashed to a board and left until the empty boat returned. He was lowered into the boat and Lieutenant Davison took him ashore where he was turned over to the permanent Royal Marine detachment there, with an affidavit of the charges against the man. When Davison returned, he informed Captain Phillips, in front of the two helmsmen, the Marines had assured him the individual would be tried at courts martial. The helmsmen would ensure the rest of the crew would hear about it before the day was over.
Now at sea, HMS Badger sailed well enough but Phillips was not quite satisfied with how she steered. He felt she would handle better if her stern sat a little lower in the water. Therefore, he left instructions that, for now, water and beef would be drawn from the most forward casks. Once out of the Channel and on a southerly course, the weather began to moderate. One day, the sky was clear and it was warm enough that men off watch could be given permission to rest in the sun on deck.
Sails Across the Sea: A Tim Phillips Novel (War at Sea Book 8) Page 7
