Across to America: A Tim Phillips Novel (War at Sea Book 9) (18 page)

Some of the pirate’s shot came aboard Roebuck as the pair ran along. None injured her masts or rigging, but men were wounded and equipment damaged. The post ship fired in reply, but no hits were observed.  It was then the maintop lookout reported the Yankee ship coming at them from ahead.

Mister Hornady, not knowing of the plans, was concerned. “I wonder who she is going to engage when she nears.”

“Make sure the gunners know our target remains the frigate. No one will fire on the American until she fires at us, or I order it so.”

Hornady wanted to discuss their plans for the American and was reluctant to go onto another subject. “She could stay out of range until both the frigate and we are crippled, then come in and finish us both off.”

A pair of twelve pound shot coming through the rail killed a sail handler and caused several gun crew to be quilled by oak splinters. This caused the first officer to devote his attention to the ship, a job he should have been doing in the first place, in Phillips view.

The gunfire was continuous now, but it certainly looked as if Roebuck was firing faster than Hortense. Phillips noted that some individual guns of the frigate were firing at half the rate as those of Roebuck. They were pulling ahead again, but now some of the forward guns were having trouble slewing around to fire effectively at the frigate.

The American was approaching, USS Ethan Allen was closing to starboard of the frigate, as if she was planning on exchanging broadsides. Before reaching the frigate, she changed her mind and veered, turning across the bows and firing her broadside down the length of the pirate’s hull. The American had only twelve pounder guns, and it took many hits to seriously degrade the enemy, but the pirate was now receiving those hits from both of her opponents.  Deciding to finish this some other day, she tried to come about with the intention of fleeing.

The Allen continued down the lee side of the ship, where surprisingly, the guns seemed to be poorly manned. While the Allen was pouring her twelve pound balls and grape into the frigates hull, Roebuck found herself on the frigate’s quarter, and she was able to slam in her shot without much in the way of a reply.

Now, the frigate’s rudder was smashed and she was unable to come about. Allen wore around and made her way back to the frigate’s bow, and went back to work there without the bother of receiving much attention herself.

Soon, both ships were just engaging in target practice, one mast after another came down aboard the pirate ship. Hortense merely firing single shots now and again. Hornady wondered why she did not yield, but Phillips had the time now to tell him that those on board the ship knew well it was the high jump for all of them, so they might as well go down fighting.

Hortense was dead in the water, having lost her masts as well as the rudder. She had countless openings smashed in her hull, and now it was fire also. Her guns stopped firing as those crewmen still capable appeared on deck to escape the smoke that was starting to billow from the hatches. A few of the pirates that could swim leaped overboard.

A mild ‘whump’ sounded, and a section of the foredeck was blown upward, then a resounding explosion as fire reached her magazine. Her upperworks were blown skyward, some of the debris afire. Material of all sorts were falling on the two surviving ships. Aboard Roebuck, the emphasis now was on fighting fire rather than firing the guns. Ethan Allen was in a better condition, since she had been slightly farther away than Roebuck had been.

Falling debris, some aflame, had set some of Roebuck’s sails smoldering and the fore topsail was actually aflame. All hands were busy for an hour, dousing smoldering brands with seawater, and wetting down the remaining sails. Fortunately, she had entered the engagement under topsails alone, and when these had been secured, the ship seemed safe enough.

A problem occupied Phillips while his people fought the flames. Ethan Allen was able to extinguish her minor fires early on. While she looked singed and scorched, when she got her spare canvas aloft, she looked ready for another action. Granted, she was much battered with some empty gun ports, but she still seemed capable for another engagement.

Not so with Roebuck. Her main mast was only standing because of the few intact shrouds and stays still holding it up. At the moment, it would not hold a press of sail. Her pumps were expelling tons of water up to the deck, where it ran into the scuppers and then overboard. He had lost dozens of men, killed and wounded, and those still on their feet were exhausted, with much work still to be done, if Roebuck was to stay on top of the waves.

Harrison, he knew, had behaved honorably during the engagement with the pirate, but now he had every right and duty to attack his enemy, HMS Roebuck.

At the moment, the British post ship could not maneuver. Much of the rigging, damaged by fire, must be re-rove and sails brought up from the sail locker. He must get that mainmast fished so that it would stand up under sail. Phillips, at that moment, almost despaired. He could not imagine how he was to make the necessary repairs as well as fight another action. Just staying afloat would require every bit of energy his people had.

Lost in his thoughts, he was caught by surprise when he saw his men pointing. USS Ethan Allen had set all plain sail, and was now beating into the north-westerly wind on the port tack. As she steadied on her course, her flag was seen to dip.

Phillips turned to the first officer. “Hurry, Mister Hornady, get somebody to dip our ensign.”

Hornady protested, wondering as to the propriety of saluting an enemy. Phillips asked him quietly if he would rather open fire on the American while she was still in range.

It was in early winter when they reached the latitude of Boston. They were into the last of the casks of that Spanish beef they had taken aboard all those months ago.  Phillips wondered if Harrison was still at sea, or if he had managed to get by the blockade into one of the American ports. He himself would be glad to sail into Halifax soon. He wondered what Admiral Sawyer would have to say after reading his reports. As he saw it, the only positive aspect to his cruise was the victory over the pirate ship, and that American sloop had as much to do with the outcome as the Roebuck.

Phillips had now a good understanding why his father had taken a temporary retirement from the sea. He had not wished to fight his American friends, and now the son was of the same opinion.

Granger, still aboard Hortense, saw the end coming. Fire had broken out below and the crew was so decimated there were not enough people to fight it, even if they were willing to obey orders. Most were not. Terrified men scrambling about, attempting to find a safe hiding place or to gather some of the wealth that had accumulated on the ship in recent months. Few men were still fighting.

From his place at the taffrail, Granger saw a boat still towing behind. This had been one of those used to pull the ship from its hiding place on Vieques. The others had been shattered, but this one was still partially afloat. Seeing a few pirates throwing themselves overboard, Granger had a thought. There were sharks in the water, but they did not seem especially active at the moment. A twelve pound shot passing inches away from his body, decided him. He had been one of the rare members of the Royal Navy who could swim.

Now, he threw himself overboard and began stroking for that boat. Reaching up, he was able to undo the painter that was connecting the boat to the wreck of the frigate. Drifting free, he hid himself among some other trash alongside the boat.

The explosions aboard Hortense did not cause any significant problems to him. Although a large amount of smoldering wreckage was blasted aloft, no major parts of the ship landed near him. In due course, a boat from the English ship came over to inspect the half-swamped launch, but found it empty, with a large shot hole in her side. The midshipman in charge of Roebuck’s boat judged the craft worthless and left it for the currents to dispose of. The boat left, as did the ship shortly after.

With some effort, Granger was able to scramble into the boat and see what he had to work with. Using floating sailcloth and wreckage floating nearby, he was able to put a temporary patch over the shot hole. The boat still had some of its tools aboard, including its bailer and the mast and sail.

After a great deal of effort, he was able to get most of the water out, and to set sail. He had no food or water aboard, but the island was only a half dozen miles away, and there, at the old camp site, was all the water he could drink, plus an emergency cache of food, weapons and supplies the pirates had left for possible use later.

It was dark when the boat made its way to the access channel to the hidden bay. Granger was confident. He knew he would survive this little episode.