Part 33 (1/2)

”But all will be well,” Lovell said with sublime confidence. ”Some energy and application will preserve us.”

Little could be done while there was no wind to move the s.h.i.+ps. Yet Lovell was pleased with the night's work. Everything that could be saved from the heights, all except for one gun carriage, had been embarked and that achievement, in a night of rain and chaos, had been remarkable. It boded well for the army's survival. ”We have all our guns,” Lovell said, ”all our men and all our supplies!”

”Almost all our guns,” Major Todd corrected the general.

”Almost?” Lovell asked indignantly.

”The cannon were not recovered from Cross Island,” Major Todd said.

”Not recovered! But I gave distinct orders that they were to be withdrawn!”

”Colonel Revere claimed he was too busy, sir.”

Lovell stared at the major. ”Busy?”

”Colonel Revere also claimed, sir,” Todd went on, taking some pleasure in describing the failings of his enemy, ”that your orders no longer applied to him.”

Lovell gaped at his brigade major. ”He said what?”

”He averred that the siege had been abandoned, sir, and that therefore he was no longer obliged to accept your orders.”

”Not obliged to accept my orders?” Lovell asked in disbelief.

”That is what he claimed, sir,” Todd said icily. ”So I fear those guns are lost, sir, unless we have time to retrieve them this morning. I also regret to tell you, sir, that the pay chest is missing.”

”It'll turn up,” Lovell said dismissively, still brooding over Lieutenant-Colonel Revere's brazen insolence. Not obliged to accept orders? Who did Revere think he was?

”We need the pay chest,” Todd insisted.

”It will be found, I'm sure,” Lovell said testily. There had been chaos in the dark and it was inevitable that some items would have been carried to the wrong transport s.h.i.+p, but that could all be sorted out once a safe anchorage was discovered and protected. ”But first we must haul those guns off Cross Island,” Lovell insisted, ”I will leave nothing for the British. You hear me? Nothing!”

But there was no time to rescue the cannon. The first catspaws of wind had just begun to ruffle the bay and the British fleet was already hauling its anchors and loosing sails. The rebel fleet had to move and one by one the anchors were raised, the sails released and the s.h.i.+ps, a.s.sisted by the flood tide, retreated northwards. The wind was weak and fickle, scarce enough to stir the fleet, so some smaller s.h.i.+ps used their long ash oars to help their progress while others were towed by longboats.

The cannon on Cross Island were abandoned, but everything else was saved. All the rebel guns and supplies had been carried down the muddy track in the rainy dark, then rowed out to the transport s.h.i.+ps, and now those s.h.i.+ps edged northwards, northwards to the river narrows, and northwards to safety.

And behind them, between the transport s.h.i.+ps and Sir George Collier's flotilla, the rebel wars.h.i.+ps cleared for action and spread slowly across the bay. If the transports were sheep then Saltonstall's wars.h.i.+ps were the dogs.

And the wolves were coming.

Redcoats gathered at Dyce's Head to watch the unfolding drama. Brigadier McLean's servant had thoughtfully brought a milking stool all the way to the bluff and McLean thanked the man and sat down to watch the unfolding battle. It would be a privileged view of a rare sight, McLean thought. Seventeen rebel wars.h.i.+ps waited for six Royal Navy vessels. Three British frigates led the way, while the big two-decker and the remaining two frigates came on more slowly. ”I do believe that's the Blonde Blonde,” McLean said, staring at the nearest frigate through his telescope. ”It's our old friend Captain Barkley!” Off to McLean's right the nineteen rebel transports were inching northwards. From this distance it looked as if their sails hung limp and powerless, but minute by minute they drew further away.

The Blonde Blonde fired her bow-chasers. To the watchers ash.o.r.e it looked as if her bowsprit was blotted out by blossoming smoke. A moment later the sound of the two guns pounded the bluff. A pair of white fountains showed where the round shots had splashed well short of the fired her bow-chasers. To the watchers ash.o.r.e it looked as if her bowsprit was blotted out by blossoming smoke. A moment later the sound of the two guns pounded the bluff. A pair of white fountains showed where the round shots had splashed well short of the Warren, Warren, which lay at the center of the rebel line. The smoke thinned and drifted ahead of the British s.h.i.+ps. which lay at the center of the rebel line. The smoke thinned and drifted ahead of the British s.h.i.+ps.

”Look at that!” Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell exclaimed. He was pointing at the harbor mouth where Mowat's three sloops had appeared. They were kedging out of the harbor against the prevailing wind. Ever since he had heard that the rebels had abandoned the siege Mowat had been retrieving his s.h.i.+ps' guns from their sh.o.r.e emplacements. His men had worked hard and fast, desperate to join the promised fight in the bay, and now, with their portside broadsides restored, the three sloops were on their way to join Sir George's flotilla. Longboats took turns to carry anchors far forrard of the sloops' bows, the anchors were dropped, then the sloops were hauled forward on the anchor rode as a second anchor was rowed still further ahead for the next leg of the journey. They leapfrogged anchor by anchor out of the harbor and the North North's pumps still clattered and spurted, and all three s.h.i.+ps showed damage to their hulls from the long rebel bombardment, but their guns were loaded and their tired crews eager. The Blonde Blonde fired again, and once again the shots dropped short of the rebel s.h.i.+ps. fired again, and once again the shots dropped short of the rebel s.h.i.+ps.

”They do say,” McLean remarked, ”that firing the guns brings on the wind.”

”I thought it was the other way round,” Campbell said, ”that gunfire stills the wind?”

”Well, it's one or the other,” McLean said happily, ”or maybe neither? But I do remember a nautical fellow a.s.suring me of it.” And perhaps firing the two chasers on HMS Blonde Blonde had brought on a small wind because the British s.h.i.+ps seemed to be making better speed as they approached the rebel fleet. ”It will be b.l.o.o.d.y work,” McLean said. The foremost three frigates would be far outgunned by the rebels, though the big had brought on a small wind because the British s.h.i.+ps seemed to be making better speed as they approached the rebel fleet. ”It will be b.l.o.o.d.y work,” McLean said. The foremost three frigates would be far outgunned by the rebels, though the big Raisonable Raisonable was not that far behind and her ma.s.sive lower guns were sufficient to blow each of the rebel wars.h.i.+ps out of the water with a single broadside. Even the was not that far behind and her ma.s.sive lower guns were sufficient to blow each of the rebel wars.h.i.+ps out of the water with a single broadside. Even the Warren Warren, with her eighteen-pounders, would be far outmatched by the two-decker's thirty-two-pounders. ”Mind you,” McLean went on, ”sailors do tell us the strangest things! I had a skipper on the Portugal run who swore blind the world was flat. He claimed to have seen the rainbows at its edge!”

”The fellow who took us to Halifax,” Campbell said, ”told us tales of mermaids. He said they flocked together like sheep, and that down in the southern seas it's t.i.ts and tails from horizon to horizon.”

”Really?” Major Dunlop asked eagerly.

”That's what he said! t.i.ts and tails!”

”Dear me,” McLean said, ”I see I must sail south.” He straightened on the stool, watching the three sloops. ”Oh, well done, Mowat!” he said enthusiastically. The three sloops had laboriously used their anchors to haul themselves out of the harbor and now loosed their sails.

”And what does that signify?” Major Dunlop asked. His question had been prompted by a string of bright signal flags that had appeared at the Warren Warren's mizzen mast. The flags meant nothing to the watchers on the bluff who had now been joined by most of Majabigwaduce's inhabitants, curious to watch an event that would surely make their village famous.

”He's taking them into battle, I suppose,” Campbell suggested.

”I suppose he must be,” McLean agreed, though he did not see what the rebels could do other than what they were already doing. Commodore Saltonstall's seventeen s.h.i.+ps were in a line with all their broadsides pointing at the oncoming s.h.i.+ps, and that gave the rebels a huge advantage. They could shoot and shoot, secure in the knowledge that only the bow-chasers on the three leading frigates could return the fire. The Royal Navy, the brigadier thought, must take some grievous casualties before the big two-decker battles.h.i.+p could demolish the American defiance.

Except the Americans were not defiant. ”What on earth?” McLean asked.

”Bless me,” Campbell said, equally astonished.

Because the meaning of Saltonstall's signal was suddenly clear. There would be no fight, at least no fight of the commodore's making because, one by one, the rebel wars.h.i.+ps were turning away. They had loosed their sheets and were running before the small wind. Running northwards. Running away. Running for the safety of the river narrows.

Six s.h.i.+ps and three sloops chased thirty-seven vessels.

All running away.

Three rebel s.h.i.+ps decided to make a break for the open sea. The Hampden Hampden, with her twenty guns, was the largest, while the Hunter Hunter had eighteen guns and the had eighteen guns and the Defence Defence just fourteen. The commodore's orders had required every s.h.i.+p to do its best to evade the enemy, and so the three s.h.i.+ps tacked westwards across the bay, aiming to take the less used western channel past Long Island and so downriver to the ocean, which lay twenty-six nautical miles to the south. The just fourteen. The commodore's orders had required every s.h.i.+p to do its best to evade the enemy, and so the three s.h.i.+ps tacked westwards across the bay, aiming to take the less used western channel past Long Island and so downriver to the ocean, which lay twenty-six nautical miles to the south. The Hunter Hunter was a new s.h.i.+p and reputed to be the fastest sailor on the coast, while Nathan Brown, her captain, was a canny man who knew how to coax every last sc.r.a.p of speed from his s.h.i.+p's hull. There was precious little wind, not nearly as much as Brown would have liked, yet even so his sleek hull moved perceptibly faster than the was a new s.h.i.+p and reputed to be the fastest sailor on the coast, while Nathan Brown, her captain, was a canny man who knew how to coax every last sc.r.a.p of speed from his s.h.i.+p's hull. There was precious little wind, not nearly as much as Brown would have liked, yet even so his sleek hull moved perceptibly faster than the Hampden, Hampden, which, being larger, should have been the quicker vessel. which, being larger, should have been the quicker vessel.

Signal flags fluttered from a yardarm on HMS Raisonable Raisonable. For a time it was hard to tell what those flags portended, because nothing seemed to change in the British fleet, then Brown saw the two rearmost British frigates turn slowly westwards. ”b.a.s.t.a.r.ds want a race,” he said.

It was an unequal race. The two smaller rebel s.h.i.+ps might be quick and nimble sailors, but they had the disadvantage of sailing closer to the wind and the two frigates easily closed the gap through which the rebels needed to tack. Two guns fired from HMS Galatea Galatea were warning enough. The shots were fired at long range, and both blew past the were warning enough. The shots were fired at long range, and both blew past the Defence Defence's bows, but the message of the two near misses was clear. Try to sail through the gap and your small s.h.i.+ps will receive the full broadsides of two frigates, and to escape past those frigates the rebels needed to tack through the channel where the frigates waited. They would be forced to sail within pistol shot and John Edmunds, the Defence Defence's captain, had an image of his two masts falling, of his deck slicked with blood, and of his hull quivering under the relentlessly heavy blows. His guns were mere four-pounders and what could four-pounders do against a frigate's full broadside? He might as well throw bread crusts at the enemy. ”But I'll be d.a.m.ned before the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds take my s.h.i.+p,” he said.

He knew his attempt to sail the Defence Defence past the frigates had failed and so he let his brig's bows fall off the wind and then drove her, all sails standing, straight towards the Pen.o.bscot's western sh.o.r.e. ”Joshua!” he called to the first mate. ”We're going to burn her! Break open the powder barrels.” past the frigates had failed and so he let his brig's bows fall off the wind and then drove her, all sails standing, straight towards the Pen.o.bscot's western sh.o.r.e. ”Joshua!” he called to the first mate. ”We're going to burn her! Break open the powder barrels.”

The Defence Defence ran ash.o.r.e. Her masts bowed forrard as the bows grated on the s.h.i.+ngle beach. Edmunds thought the masts would surely fall, but the backstays held and the sails slatted and banged on the yards. Edmunds took the flag from her stern and folded it. His crew was spilling powder and splas.h.i.+ng oil on the decks. ”Get ash.o.r.e, boys,” Edmunds called, and he went forrard, past his useless guns, and paused in the bows. He wanted to weep. The ran ash.o.r.e. Her masts bowed forrard as the bows grated on the s.h.i.+ngle beach. Edmunds thought the masts would surely fall, but the backstays held and the sails slatted and banged on the yards. Edmunds took the flag from her stern and folded it. His crew was spilling powder and splas.h.i.+ng oil on the decks. ”Get ash.o.r.e, boys,” Edmunds called, and he went forrard, past his useless guns, and paused in the bows. He wanted to weep. The Defence Defence was a lovely s.h.i.+p. Her home was the open ocean where she should have been living up to her martial name by chasing down fat British merchantmen to make her owners rich, but instead she was caught in an enclosed seaway and it was time to bid her farewell. was a lovely s.h.i.+p. Her home was the open ocean where she should have been living up to her martial name by chasing down fat British merchantmen to make her owners rich, but instead she was caught in an enclosed seaway and it was time to bid her farewell.

He struck flint on steel and spilled the burning linen from his tinderbox onto a powder trail. Then he climbed over the gunwale and dropped down to the beach. His eyes were wet when he turned to watch his s.h.i.+p burn. It took a long time. There was more smoke than fire at first, but then the flames flickered up the tarred rigging and the sails caught the blaze, and the masts and yards were outlined by fire so that the Defence Defence looked like the devil's own vessel, a flame-rigged brigantine, a defiant fighting-s.h.i.+p sailing her way into h.e.l.l. ”Oh G.o.d d.a.m.n the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds,” Edmunds said, brokenhearted, ”the sons of G.o.dd.a.m.ned b.i.t.c.h b.a.s.t.a.r.ds!” looked like the devil's own vessel, a flame-rigged brigantine, a defiant fighting-s.h.i.+p sailing her way into h.e.l.l. ”Oh G.o.d d.a.m.n the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds,” Edmunds said, brokenhearted, ”the sons of G.o.dd.a.m.ned b.i.t.c.h b.a.s.t.a.r.ds!”

The Hunter Hunter sought shelter in a narrow cove. Nathan Brown, her skipper, ran her gently aground in the tight s.p.a.ce and ordered an anchor lowered and the sails furled and, once the s.h.i.+p was secure, he told his crew to find shelter ash.o.r.e. The sought shelter in a narrow cove. Nathan Brown, her skipper, ran her gently aground in the tight s.p.a.ce and ordered an anchor lowered and the sails furled and, once the s.h.i.+p was secure, he told his crew to find shelter ash.o.r.e. The Hunter Hunter might be a quick s.h.i.+p, but even she could not outsail the broadsides of the two enemy frigates, and her four-pounder cannon were no match for the British guns, yet Nathan Brown could not bring himself to burn the s.h.i.+p. It would have been like murdering his wife. The might be a quick s.h.i.+p, but even she could not outsail the broadsides of the two enemy frigates, and her four-pounder cannon were no match for the British guns, yet Nathan Brown could not bring himself to burn the s.h.i.+p. It would have been like murdering his wife. The Hunter Hunter had magic in her timbers, she was fast and nimble, a charmed s.h.i.+p, and Nathan Brown dared to hope that the British would ignore her. He prayed that the pursuers would continue north and that once the Royal Navy s.h.i.+ps had pa.s.sed he might extricate the had magic in her timbers, she was fast and nimble, a charmed s.h.i.+p, and Nathan Brown dared to hope that the British would ignore her. He prayed that the pursuers would continue north and that once the Royal Navy s.h.i.+ps had pa.s.sed he might extricate the Hunter Hunter from the narrow cove and sail her back to Boston, but that hope died when he saw two longboats crammed with sailors leave the British frigates. from the narrow cove and sail her back to Boston, but that hope died when he saw two longboats crammed with sailors leave the British frigates.

Brown had ordered his men ash.o.r.e in case the British tried to destroy the Hunter Hunter with cannon-fire, but now it seemed the enemy was intent on capture rather than destruction. The crowded longboats drew nearer. At least half the with cannon-fire, but now it seemed the enemy was intent on capture rather than destruction. The crowded longboats drew nearer. At least half the Hunter Hunter's crew of a hundred and thirty men were armed with muskets and they began shooting as the longboats approached the grounded s.h.i.+p. Water spouted around the oarsmen as musket b.a.l.l.s struck, and at least one British sailor was. .h.i.t and the boat's oars momentarily tangled, but then the longboats vanished behind the Hunter's Hunter's counter. A moment later the enemy sailors were aboard the s.h.i.+p and attaching towlines to her stern. The treacherous tide lifted her off the s.h.i.+ngle and a strange flag, the hated flag, broke at her mizzen gaff's peak as she was towed back to the river. She was now His Majesty's s.h.i.+p, the counter. A moment later the enemy sailors were aboard the s.h.i.+p and attaching towlines to her stern. The treacherous tide lifted her off the s.h.i.+ngle and a strange flag, the hated flag, broke at her mizzen gaff's peak as she was towed back to the river. She was now His Majesty's s.h.i.+p, the Hunter Hunter. Just to the south, hidden from Brown's crew by a shoulder of wooded land, the powder magazine in the Defence Defence exploded, sending a dark smoke cloud boiling above the land and a shower of burning timbers that fell to hiss in the bay and start small fires ash.o.r.e. exploded, sending a dark smoke cloud boiling above the land and a shower of burning timbers that fell to hiss in the bay and start small fires ash.o.r.e.

The Hampden Hampden was the largest of the three s.h.i.+ps that tried to reach the sea, and she saw the fate of the was the largest of the three s.h.i.+ps that tried to reach the sea, and she saw the fate of the Hunter Hunter and and Defence Defence and so her captain, t.i.tus Salter, turned back to make the safety of the river narrows. The and so her captain, t.i.tus Salter, turned back to make the safety of the river narrows. The Hampden Hampden had been donated by the State of New Hamps.h.i.+re and she was well-found, well-manned, and expensively equipped, yet she was not a fast sailor and late in the afternoon HMS had been donated by the State of New Hamps.h.i.+re and she was well-found, well-manned, and expensively equipped, yet she was not a fast sailor and late in the afternoon HMS Blonde Blonde came within range of her and opened fire. t.i.tus Salter turned the came within range of her and opened fire. t.i.tus Salter turned the Hampden Hampden so that her portside broadside of ten guns faced the enemy and he returned the fire. Six nine-pounder cannon and four six-pounders spat at the much larger so that her portside broadside of ten guns faced the enemy and he returned the fire. Six nine-pounder cannon and four six-pounders spat at the much larger Blonde, Blonde, which hammered back with twelve and eighteen-pounders. HMS which hammered back with twelve and eighteen-pounders. HMS Virginia Virginia came behind the came behind the Blonde Blonde and added her broadside. The guns boomed across the bay as dense smoke rose to shroud the lower rigging. Fire twisted from the cannon barrels. Men sweated and hauled on guns, they swabbed and rammed and ran the guns out and the gunners touched linstocks to portfires and the great guns leaped back and the round shot slammed remorselessly into the and added her broadside. The guns boomed across the bay as dense smoke rose to shroud the lower rigging. Fire twisted from the cannon barrels. Men sweated and hauled on guns, they swabbed and rammed and ran the guns out and the gunners touched linstocks to portfires and the great guns leaped back and the round shot slammed remorselessly into the Hampden Hampden's hull. The shots shattered the timbers and drove wicked-edged splinters into men's bodies. Blood spilled along the deck seams. Chain shot whistled in the smoke, severing shrouds, stays, and lines. The sails twitched and tore as bar shot shredded the canvas. The foremast went first, toppling across the Hampden Hampden's bows to smother ripped sails across the forrard cannon, but still the American flag flew and still the British pounded the smaller s.h.i.+p. The frigates drifted closer to their helpless prey. Their biggest guns were concentrated on the rebel hull and the smoke from their eighteen-pounders shrouded the Hampden Hampden. The rebel fire became slower and slower as men were killed or wounded. A rib cage, shattered by an eighteen-pounder shot, was scattered across the deck. A man's severed hand lay in the scuppers. A cabin boy was trying not to cry as a seaman tightened a tourniquet around his b.l.o.o.d.y, ragged thigh. The rest of his leg was ten feet away, reduced to a pulp by twelve pounds of round shot. Another eighteen-pounder ball hit a nine-pounder cannon and the noise, like a great bell, was heard on Majabigwaduce's distant bluff, and the barrel was struck clean off its carriage to fall onto a gunner who lay screaming, both legs crushed, and another ball slammed through the gunwale and struck the mainmast, which first swayed, then fell towards the stern, the sound splintering and creaking, stays and shrouds parting, men screaming a warning, and still the relentless shots came.

Fifteen minutes after the Blonde Blonde had begun the fight t.i.tus Salter ended it. He pulled down his flag and the guns went silent and the smoke drifted across the sun-dappled water and a prize crew came from the had begun the fight t.i.tus Salter ended it. He pulled down his flag and the guns went silent and the smoke drifted across the sun-dappled water and a prize crew came from the Blonde Blonde to board the to board the Hampden Hampden.