Frigates of War: A John Phillips Novel

by Richard Testrake

  Phillips had half the Marines stay aboard the frigate, and sent aboard enough seamen to sail her, then returned to the scene of the action with Marie Antoinette, where Helene was still wallowing in the waves. While interviewing the former commander of the French national frigate Tamise, a junior lieutenant, the only officer survivor of a renewal of the ‘Terror’ on Guadeloupe, he learned that few crewmen wished to continue the war. A new figure on the scene, Victor Hugues, had erected guillotines, and was busily decimating the ranks of remaining Frenchmen, especially any who exhibited what were considered royalist tendencies.

  The Helene was trying to get some jury rig up when they got back her, but ceased when Jason’s hull came over the horizon. Some enormous holes in the hull had been fothered, and it seemed she might float after all. Tamise, while overgrown with weed, was seaworthy enough, so Phillips put her to the task of towing Helene back to Antigua. A complete dockyard there should get both ships back into condition soon, although heaven only knew when the officers and crew of Jason would ever collect their prize money.

  While on the slow journey back to Antigua, Phillips began interviewing those French officers who could speak English. The captain of Helene had not survived the last action, but his first officer did. It seemed the former captain had once been a royalist officer under the old regime, but had decided it might be safer if he resigned his commission, and went privateering, far away from continental France. After reaching Guadeloupe and finding the precarious state of its government, he agreed to return to the French navy, bringing the Helene to the colors with him. His first officer thought it may have been for the best for Henri Monet to die in combat when he did. He felt the activities of M. Hugues on the island would surely bring every white inhabitant to the blade of the guillotine.

  Admiral Harvey was gracious indeed to Phillips, even though he himself would not see a farthing of prize money; HMS Jason being under Admiralty orders. It was necessary for additional reports to be drafted, detailing the previous orders from the Commodore at Cape Colony to capture the Helene and the successful result. Copies were being sent to Cape Colony, although the Lord only knew when those might arrive.

  The capture of the Marie Antoinette brought joy to the heart of the governor, as well as the news that he had another mutineer to hang. And, of course, his living grandson. When asked his opinion of the possibility of finding more of the mutineers, Phillips was doubtful. Soon after the brig had been sailed into Gonaives, the insurrection had come to the village. Whites were being massacred with abandon. Perhaps some had made it out on board a rescue ship, but those people would doubtless be on some French possession. Most mutineers were probably already dead.

  While making preparations for the return home, Phillips was interrupted by the Admiral’s flag lieutenant. Reporting aboard, the officer saluted the quarterdeck and reported, “Captain Phillips, the Admiral has asked me if it would be convenient for you to delay your departure for a few days?”

  “Whatever is convenient for the Admiral, Lieutenant.”

  The young officer felt into his dispatch case, and withdrew a sealed parchment document. “In that case, would you examine this, sir?”

  It was an invitation to a soiree the Admiral was holding tomorrow evening. Phillips was told it was being held in thanks of the safe deliverance of his grandson from the mutineers. Phillips also expected the delay was for the purpose of dragooning him to sit on the court martial of the captured mutineer.

  Arriving early for the festivities the next evening, in the foyer of government house, a bevy of young ladies were gathered, captained by a fearsome looking dragon of a duenna, who announced all officers not already escorting a Lady, were to avail themselves of one of these girls.

  A creature looking all of fourteen latched onto Phillips arm, and announced adoringly that her name was Dorothy Perkins. Phillips attempted to proclaim that he already had a wife, and two children beside. This however, did not exempt him from this draft, and he was pulled into the Grand Hall.

  As the ranking honored guest, other women left their escorts to express their admiration for his victories. Wondering where the jakes was, Phillips pondered how to get away from this scene. Vice Admiral Harvey saved him. “Come into my office, young man, I have business to discuss with you.

  Harvey explained the situation with his grandson, including the mother’s problem snaring a new spouse. He said, “At first I thought the boy would be with me a few months only, so I just put him on the books, and had him doing general messenger duty here on the island. Then, after I found his visit might be rather more protracted, I assigned him to the schooner you brought back. It seems to me, it has now fallen on my shoulders to provide training for the lad to prepare for a career in the Royal Navy. I need to have him acquire some advance knowledge quickly before he gets home. A friend there is preparing a third rate for a three year commission, and I will ask him to take the boy on. First though, I need to get him there, and am asking you to take the boy, if not as a mid, then as a passenger.

  Phillips thought, “If carrying the boy to England is the price I have to pay to avoid the women outside, it is a cheap one.”

  He told Harvey, “I will be glad to take the lad home, Sir. We might as well leave him on the books as my mid, so there will be no gap in his service. Perhaps he will learn something on the voyage home.”

  “Very well, that concludes this part of business. However, I do have more you may be interested in. This first officer of yours, Lieutenant Crawford. Do you think he is ready for command yet?”

  Phillips was surprised. Although with an old service date, the officer had not seen a lot of duty since the American War years ago. Most of his time had been on shore, on half pay. However, he could honestly tell the Admiral Crawford was indeed ready for command.

  “You now have him commanding your prize, the Marie Antoinette. I propose to leave him there. I will buy the schooner into the Royal Navy, and raise Crawford to the rank of Commander. I think I can get away with rating the schooner a sloop of war, thus allowing for a commander, rather than a mere lieutenant.”

  “It will take him some time to effect repairs to bring her back to service condition, and where he will get a crew, I don’t know. At any rate, perhaps you will warn him he will be expected to serve on the forthcoming court martial.”

  Phillips, now back with the fourteen year old, wondered how much longer he had to remain.

  Flags told him the Admiral wished to make some announcements later, so it would not be proper to leave until after that. “It was hoped” said Flags, “that there would not be a mass exodus after the announcement.”

  When Harvey went to the podium, he read off a list of announcements, one of which was the promotion of Mister Crawford to be Commander. Another officer exhibiting equal joy was the Commander of an ancient sloop who was told he was now made Post, into Roebuck. Roebuck’s captain moving to a nearly new 74, whose captain was retiring. Phillips wondered who would get the Tamise.

  Flags said that had not been determined yet. While she was a sound enough ship, and surely would be bought in, there were a multitude of repairs to be made, and decisions of who would command her could be left for later. The same situation applied to Helene, but even more so, since she had very roughly handled by Jason’s broadsides, indeed. There was even talk of patching her up enough to make the voyage to Britain, and repair and re-arm there.

  After stowing what stores were needed to replace what had been consumed on the abbreviated voyage, Jason set sail for England. HMS Marie Antoinette remaining behind to refit and re-arm.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Entering the estuary of the Thames, Phillips spoke an empty collier coming from the river, and asked for news. The news of what he was interested in, the Nore mutiny, was now old hat to the captain of the collier, and he had to think a bit to understand what this frigate captain was talking about. Phillips, on the other hand, was glad not to be entering another situation like he had been in the year previousl
y. A Royal Navy launch bearing an immaculately uniformed lieutenant, accompanied the pilot boat. With the passengers in the boats coming aboard about the same time, on opposite entry ports, Phillips let Johnson, the master deal with the pilot, while he met with the officer at the starboard entry port.

  Lieutenant Cummings was bearing a weighted canvas pouch which he handed to Phillips, with a cursory “From Secretary Nepean” Sir.

  Escorting the messenger to his day cabin, he motioned Cummings to a seat, waved his servant over to serve some refreshment, then dug into the pouch. Much of the paperwork there consisted of data that he needed to know about for professional reasons, but certainly not right now. One sheet on the top required him to bring the ship up to the Pool of London. He was required to report to Admiralty forthwith.

  Explaining to the messenger the forthcoming trip up the Thames, he offered to tow the officer’s launch behind. Cumming replied with grateful thanks. He was not looking forward to a long row up the river. Leaving him to Anderson to entertain, Phillips began rummaging in his desk. This was a signal for the other officers to depart, leaving him to his important dispatches.

  Actually, he just wanted to bring his latest letter to Sarah to a close. He had begun this one a few days before, adding a bit every day to it as new things arose. Now, with an excellent chance of getting it into the post soon, the dam broke on his thoughts, and he poured out his soul to his wife. Her letters to him had been remarkably few and cool, but he understood most of them had probably gone astray. Letters that had not gone astray were from his banker, telling him his formally impressive bank balance was now being reduced to almost nothing, and the banker advised putting controls on the spending of his wife.

  With food for thought to gnaw on, he tried to put that matter aside, and concern himself with service matters. After the long voyage up-river to London, not knowing how much he could rely on his formerly mutinous boat crew, he asked Cummings for a lift in his launch. Midshipman Thomas Lynch took command of the boat, while Cummings and Phillips discussed matters at Admiralty. With the soft work his men were enjoying working at Admiralty, there were no worries about how many of these men might run. They climbed the Whitehall Steps together and walked the short distance to Admiralty. There they separated, each going on his separate way. Inside, Phillips gave Lynch, his former servant, money from his purse, asking him to hire a horse and go to the London house. If his wife was there, he was to return immediately with the chaise, and any message she might give him. If she was absent, he was to bring one of the house staff with him to inform him of any needs of the house.

  After no more than an hour’s wait, Phillips was ushered in to see Nepean. He was requested to give his voluminous report to the clerk outside, and give a condensed version now. After doing so, Nepean expounded. “You know Phillips, it is a relief for someone in my shoes to have a fellow like you around, a man you know can be set to most any task, and do it properly. What I should do with you in reward, is to turn you loose in that fine frigate of yours to cruise independently, and line your pockets. However, I understand you have already done that, very successfully indeed. If I did so reward you, I might find you an ocean away when I most earnestly needed you immediately. So, I wonder if you would consider me ungrateful if I told you to return to your estate in Essex with your beautiful wife and children and there await such orders as I may send? I can’t leave your frigate idle, so I would have to give her to one of those fellows in the waiting rooms who incessantly clamor for a ship. When I badly need your services, of course, we will find something suitable to give you.”

  Going back outside to look for his midshipman, Phillips did not know whether to be happy or depressed. He should be happy that he now had a chance to spend time with his lovely wife and family. Of course, there were the ugly rumors that same wife had spent all his funds, and he might be destitute. He did however, have an account with his prize agent, probably small, and he could draw on that as needed.

  Standing in the doorway, looking for Thomas, the doorman approached, holding a letter. “Captain, this letter has been on my desk waiting for you this past month.”

  Examining it, he saw it was from Captain Stokes, HMS Elephant. In it Captain Stokes explained he had to take his ship to sea earlier than planned, on blockade duty, and thus would be unable to comply with Admiral Harvey’s wishes concerning his grandson, Mister Onsley. His recommendation was to leave the boy with his mother and let her handle his disposition.

  At any rate, there was his mid, rubbing down a big grey gelding with a scrap of sailcloth he had found somewhere. He hurriedly gave his captain his message, as if he needed to get it out of the way as soon as possible. “Sir, the house has been shut down. Nobody is there at all. Grounds all grown up with weeds. I talked to a neighbor. He said Mrs. Phillips moved out right after we sailed. Locked the doors, dismissed the servants, sold the horses, and left. The neighbor said he tried to buy the house but was told he’d need to talk to you. Right now, it’s a blight on the neighborhood, he said.”

  Fatigued by all the events, he decided to take a room for a day or so, at least until his thoughts were more clear. Thomas thought the inn where he had rested the horse might be suitable, so there they went. The next day, his thoughts seemed clearer. He decided his first effort should be the care of the boy Onsley. But where was he? When he had left the ship at the pool, the boy was still aboard waiting for a summons from his new captain. Now, presumably, that was not going to happen. The new captain of Jason was going to find he was afflicted with an unwanted passenger. He asked Thomas to go below and ask for paper, ink and pen to be sent up to the room.

  In the letter, he explained Mister Onsley was the grandson of Admiral Harvey of the Antigua station. He explained the difficulty, and said he would be glad to take the boy off his hands. If agreeable, the boy could accompany the bearer of this letter. Giving Thomas money to hire a shore boat, Phillips waited. Hours later, the pair showed up. It seemed the new captain was ‘wetting down his swab’ at a party, and did not even know he had an extra midshipman on board.

  The trip to Essex seemed to take an eternity. He had not meant to take Lynch, or Onsley either, for that matter, but felt responsible for them, and had no place else to leave the lads. So Thomas rode along on the coach, and reverted to being the servant Thomas again while Onsley sat beside him and listened to his tales. There was a brighter spot on the horizon, though. Before leaving London, he had stopped to see first, his prize agent, then his banker, Hoare & Co. The prize agent still had a few thousand pounds on deposit that had never been sent to the bank. Also, the agent had received payment for the third rate captured in a previous ship. By Phillips previously signed power of attorney, he should have transferred all these funds to Hoare’s. The concerned banker had whispered into the agent’s ear, and somehow the money was never sent over. When Sarah found out, she tried to access the funds, but the agent and Hoare’s had put her off, insisting they had to ensure the accuracy of the payment. Both gentlemen were glad to see Phillips, since Sarah had employed a solicitor, who was rummaging around. He gave both of them new written instructions to keep all his funds in their hands, until he, Captain Phillips asked for them. Phillips had never wanted to impose a strict budget upon his wife, never thinking she would ever try to cheat him. He had always let her have whatever she asked for in the household budget. Now, on the advice of the banker, he had to put a limit on the amount she could draw on her own.

  It was a fine, unseasonably warm spring day, when the hired coach pulled up at the new Essex estate. Phillips hardly knew the place. He and Sarah had gone to inspect the place when he heard it was for sale. When Sarah fell in love with it, he left the matter in her hands, while attending to some naval duty in London. All he had had to do was sign papers and pay out guineas. It was the seller himself who advised him to get a solicitor to examine all the paperwork. Having not seen the place since before leaving for the Cape, he was impressed by how much work had been done.

  T
he reunion was stiff at first, but after a few days began warming. He said not a word about the spent fortune, and she finally had to bring it up herself. “John, I know I spent too much money on myself and this house. Your banker gave me quite a lecture. Have I ruined us financially?”

  Phillips shook his head. “We have been fortunate in the matter of prize money, my dear. Actually, we do have plenty of funds, but we will need to exercise care in how those funds are to be spent. Neither of us are now able to just buy expensive things just because we want them. We will have to have a real need in the future.”

  “You have been gone for a year, John. When will you have to go back this time?”

  “Sarah, I just do not know. Mr. Nepean says he wants to keep me available until he has use for me again. It could be a day, maybe even a year.”

  “John, they are treating you as a servant. You are constantly on these people’s beck and call. Why don’t you just tear up that commission of yours and tell them where to go.”

  “Sarah, you may not believe it, but I do have a responsible position in His Majesty’s Navy. We would not be sitting here on this fine estate except for the money I have earned fighting the King’s enemies. Mr. Nepean does value my services. He told me he wants to keep me on hand, since he thinks I have been successful at solving problems for him. When this next problem might arise, or what it may consist of, I have no way of knowing.”

  A week later, Phillips was surprised to receive a letter from Captain Bentincks of HMS Jason. In it he complained of the swivel guns Phillips had left on the ship. He mentioned the gunner had said they had come on board under highly suspicious circumstances, and Bentinck hoped he did not have stolen military equipment on board. In that regard, he had sent the weapons ashore and stored in a warehouse under Phillips name and expense. Bentincks added it would be to Phillips advantage to retrieve and legally dispose of the weapons as soon as possible.