HMS Aphrodite (Sea Command Book 1) (13 page)

The next few days were spent loading provisions and assigning each man to his station in any given situation. The draft from Asp he had received would at least allow him to get to sea, although these men felt themselves put upon, having just returned from a long commission overseas, when they found themselves drafted to another ship, without a chance to set foot on shore.

Those men from aboard the receiving ship could be seen as almost hopeless to any reasonable man, but Mullins had seen good crews made up of men as bad as these or even worse. Since they were not in the open sea, at least they did not have a great deal of trouble with sea-sickness. During his leave, Mister Doolittle had taken aboard some starving midshipmen, more than he was actually allowed on his complement.

At least some of these mids were seamen and in the absence of petty officers he could trust, he employed these lads. Mister Raynor, a mid he had been sailing with for a time, he also used for this purpose. The boy was hardly over 14 years of age and Mullins thought it advisable to have some more authoritive people around when dealing with some of the more unsavory members of the crew.

Calling Mister Raynor into his quarters, along with Will and Edward from his father’s estate, Mullins explained his ideas. Both of these men had been told to bring their oaken cudgels along. Raynor, although still a boy, had become a decent seaman and could handle almost any task aboard ship that did not require brawn.

With the trio standing before his desk he explained his needs. “Mister Raynor, I am satisfied with the effort you have expended learning your duties. As you know, we are starting this commission with few men I can rightfully designate as petty officers. Some of your friends in the gunroom will take over these duties, at least until I have reason to relieve them.”

“In your own case, I believe you are seaman enough to be able to handle almost any problem the ship may throw at you. My only concerns lie with the new hands. There are a few of them who would spill your guts on the deck, given half a chance.”

“I do not propose to give them that chance. The two men beside you are Will and Edward from my father’s estate. They are not seamen. Neither of them could tell you the difference between the keelson or the main backstay. I am putting these men in your charge. Whenever you are on deck, they will accompany you. If any member of the crew needs to be sorted out, it will be their task to do so.”

“In due course, after we see a flogging or two, the crew will settle down and all of us may concentrate on being better seamen. Until then, Will and Edward here will each carry his club, instead of the normal rope’s end, and offer to crack any heads that may need such.”

“Will, Edward, I want you to stay with Mister Raynor while he is on deck. Should any member of this crew offer to do him violence, it is my wish and order that you prevent this by any means available. You will also take the opportunity, while in his presence, to learn as much seamanship as he can teach you.

Setting out with a stiff offshore-breeze for a short shake-down cruise, they were hardly out of sight of land before Mister Doolittle began sail drill. Some of the crew took to it with alacrity, while others had to be driven up into the tops. A former pick-pocket from London who chose not to go up, rounded on Mister Raynor. He had a seaman’s knife which he had filched from another seaman and was prepared to defend his right to remain on deck.

Waving the blade in Raynor’s face, he actually inflicted a cut in the boy’s neck before Will brought his club down on the assailant, bringing his to the deck immediately. Mister Goodwin was there at once and held the blade of his sword against the man’s neck.

Captain Mullins discussed the matter in his quarters with Midshipman Raynor, Will and the second officer. The question was, what charges to bring against Landsman Akers. In everyone’s opinion, the man was worthless and of no use aboard the ship. Mister Goodwin thought the proper punishment could serve as a deterrent to others with limited knowledge of obedience to authority.

Of course, the cut on Mister Raynor’s neck could be cause for a court martial for Landsman Akers. If there were sufficient captains available at their rendezvous off the Texel, the proceeding could begin almost immediately, ending very quickly with a guilty verdict and Akers soon dancing at the end of a rope from the mainyard.

The question was, would this be the best lesson for the rest of the crew? As the injured party, Mister Raynor was asked his thoughts. The young lad stood tongue-tied and admitted he did not want to be the one to send a man to his death.

Captain Mullins then ordered Mister Goodwin to write up Akers’ offense and present that to him in normal fashion. We will hold Captain’s Mast and see what develops. In the meantime, he will be kept in restraints until our hearing.

The crew was brought aft the next day, having listened to the prisoner cursing all night while stretched out in irons on the orlop deck. There had been much discussion of the punishment liable to be inflicted. Keelhauling was the first choice.

The event went by without difficulty. Since then second officer had preferred the charges, Lieutenant Doolittle did his best to defend the culprit. There was no possible effective defense, especially after Midshipman Raynor unwrapped his bandage and showed the angry wound that had been sewn together by the surgeon.

Akers had nothing to say during the hearing. When asked whether he wished a court-martial, Mister Doolittle had to answer for him. Mullins, after due thought, specified a dozen lashes, which knowledgeable seamen aboard wondered at, this being a very light punishment for the day. A grating was upended and Akers was tied to it.

Since Mister Drake, the bosun was a bit elderly to be swinging a cat-o-nine tails, Edward was deputized as temporary bosun’s mate and did the honors. He had practiced earlier in the morning watch on the lower deck, swinging the lash against the base of the foremast.

Since the prisoner had been silent during the proceedings, it was a surprise when he let out a howl at the first blow of the cat. The screaming was continuous until the end. When released, Akers rounded upon Edward and lunged toward him. Will, standing by with his club, rapped him on the head with it and when Akers woke up, he found himself back in chains on the orlop deck.

He had to stand Mast again the next day, where he found himself sentenced to another dozen. Mullins explained, “Akers, you will keep receiving punishment until you cease causing trouble. If you keep this up, you will find yourself swinging on the end of a rope. I hope you understand, had you gone before a court martial for your assault against Mister Raynor, you would have paid with your life, whether hanging or being flogged around the fleet.”

When you tried to assault the bosun’s mate, you put yourself in jeopardy of this punishment. This is your last chance. I had hopes of convincing you of the necessity of doing your duty without all of these complications. Landsman Akers, I am telling you now, the next time you come before me for punishment, I will send you before a court martial for a panel of captains to determine what your punishment might be.”

In the middle watch, when it should be quiet, except for the sound of the ship, Mullins became aware of a disturbance up forward. Mister Goodwin entered his quarters, and seeing his captain awake, told him firmly, "It's mutiny again sir!"

Handing his second officer his Manton pistols, he took up this father’s blunderbuss. It took but a moment to pour an unmeasured charge of powder down the bell-shaped muzzle, followed by a handful of pistol balls from his desk drawer. A rap of the buttstock on the deck settled enough powder into the pan. He was ready now.

Up on deck, they found the first officer by the helm, sword in hand. He and the two helmsmen were surrounded by a dozen shouting hands, all of them landsmen taken aboard from the receiving ship. A big man with a boarding pike was threatening Doolittle with it. He was attempting to parry the weapon with his sword, but it was an unequal contest.

Turning to Goodwin, Mullins told him calmly, “Would you shoot that fellow, please?”

Each of the Manton’s Goodwin held had two barrels, both charged. Taking aim, Goodwin fired one barrel, at which the man dropped his pike and fell with a pistol ball in his side. A grown of dismay came from the mutineers and they turned from Harden and started for the captain and second officer.

Once they were clear, Mullins fired his gun. A dozen half-inch pistol balls erupted from the big muzzle and impacted several mutineers. Most of the charge hit the leader, a former locksmith and convicted burglar. He fell with a thud upon the deck. Two other men received one or two of the pistol balls and also found themselves out of action.

Mister Raynor now joined the festivities along with Will and Edward. Raynor was armed with his dirk and also carried a short pistol in his outstretched hand. Will and Edward both were armed with one of the ship’s Sea Pattern muskets. Mullins doubted those muskets were loaded, but the two men went about their task of defending the quarterdeck as if they were so many Marines. The heavy muskets made excellent substitutes for the clubs that the two were more used to.

One more fatality occurred when a mutineer attempted to seize young Raynor when his minders were busy with other matters. Lieutenant Doolittle, free of the press of men that that been threatening him a minute before, stepped in front of the man holding Raynor and slipped his sword blade between the fellow’s ribs. This action ended the actual conflict.

Mullins began seeing seamen, mostly from the Asp draft, now taking control of the mutineers. These people were paraded before the officers, who indicated the ones that had fought. There not being enough irons aboard ship, these people were bound with line and secured below.

Once the excitement had died down, both of his deck officers as well as some of the warrants questioned everyone on deck during the episode. Mister Doolittle expressed his thoughts later.

“I think the Asp men put the pressed men up to it. Being experienced seamen, they knew well what would happen to anyone who was involved with mutiny or violence against a ship’s officer. Most of them are angry because of being drafted aboard Aphrodite after returning from a long commission. They did not want to face the King’s justice themselves, but thought they could get the same results by convincing the new men to mutiny, without risk to themselves.”

“Apparently, they decided to incite the ignorant new hands, perhaps not intending the matter to go this far. Anyway, they used their experience with the Nore and Spithead mutinies to rouse these people, assuring them they had right on their side.”

Mullins answered. “Any of the Asp men that thought they could get away with inciting the pressed men to mutiny, will likely find themselves on the end of a rope. I have no intention of having this resolved with a dozen lashes. We will look into the matter and I intend to bring it before the admiral if it seems justified. It appears as though we will lose a half dozen people through wounds incurred during this little incident. I cannot turn a blind eye to it. Fortunately, the casualties seem to be mostly among the pressed hands

Back at their mooring, it was the crew’s dismal duty to remove the bound mutineers from the orlop deck and lower them into boats for the appointment with their court martial.

The port admiral was at first incensed that Mullins had let the situation get so far out of control that it was necessary to spill blood to quell the mutiny. Later, having heard from the other officers and learning of the quality of men that had been handed to him, he reflected that there might have been some fault with the captain of the receiving ship, also. At any rate, there being sufficient captains in Portsmouth to form a court martial, it was decided to schedule one for two days hence.

The trial went as expected, with five men of that mutinous draft from the receiving ship sentenced to hang. One of these, the youngest, was to have his sentence commuted if he would testify against those members of the Asp draft that had influenced the men to revolt.

Accepting the reprieve with alacrity, there were soon a dozen experienced hands who found themselves in cells awaiting the decision of the admiral.

At length, it was determined that one member of that party would face the rope, while the remainder would be released with the advice to remember what happened to those who proposed mutiny.

The victims were brought back to Aphrodite where their own shipmates would run them up to the yardarm. The port admiral, judging a lack of experienced petty officers had contributed to the problem, himself ordered senior petty officers to the ship. Twenty Marines also reported aboard, under command of Lieutenant of Marines Dryer.

It was a solemn crew that pulled up the anchor and put to sea. For days there was no happiness on the ship. It was good fortune there had been good sailing weather, and the crew started to knit. The Asp people decided they were on a new ship now and might as well show the new hands the ropes. The pressed men, at first resentful the old hands had led them down the garden path to mutiny, finally began coming around. As they began learning their new skills, some found life on the ship preferable to what they had experienced on land. The ship had not yet met up with heavy weather, and sea sickness had not become prevalent.

As the hands began to find themselves comfortable with sail drill, Mister Goodwin began exercising them in gunnery. At first, the guns were run out in dumb show but then the hands were allowed to fire, first blank charges, then shotted ones at targets.

By the time these novelties had come and gone, they were at the Texel, outside the harbor. Aphrodite saluted the flag aboard HMS Venerable and Mullins was summoned aboard the third rate. After handing the mail bag over to the flag lieutenant, he was left cooling his heels on the quarterdeck.

An hour later, Admiral Duncan himself came out and chatted. After discussing details of the blockade, Duncan mentioned he was going to have to leave soon. He just did not have provisions to keep the sea much longer. Since Aphrodite was fresh from port and fully provisioned, she would remain off the island and watch the Dutch fleet.

Should it sortie, Mullins must depart for Yarmouth with all haste and alert the fleet. Duncan had warned him that it was suspected these ships would attempt to drive off the blockading fleet off Brest and allow the French fleet there to escape. It was feared they might deliver a French army to rebellious Ireland. Any news of the exit of the Dutch fleet must be transmitted to him immediately.

Aphrodite maintained a close watch over the enemy harbor after Duncan left, but was swept aside when the Dutch Admiral DeWinter’s fleet emerged from harbor. There was a narrow exit channel, and the Dutch fleet came out one at a time, but little Aphrodite was no match for a big third-rate, or even a heavy frigate. When the enemy fleet began to emerge, the ship-sloop set all sail for Yarmouth.

When DeWinter set his course for the North Sea, Aphrodite continued toward Yarmouth to give warning to Admiral Dunkin. There he found the fleet loading supplies. Once warned, there was a mad scramble to get to sea. It was soon off, in frantic haste and in no sort of order with the ship-sloop leading the way.

The Dutch had not attempted to board the French troops for the invasion of Ireland, as had been previously feared. A fishing boat captain explained it had been rumored the French commander of those troops had died of some malady and the invasion was now apparently off. Admiral DeWinter was merely taking his fleet up north, possibly to work up his men and ships. He was returning to port when the two fleets sighted each other.

The Dutch fleet was spotted near the village of Camperduin and the two fleets engaged. With the enemy fleet in two loose formations, Duncan’s ships managed to break between them and engaged in both the front and the rear. In the rear, a line of Dutch frigates waited, close to the shallows, to support their line of battleships.

With Aphrodite still leading, and no orders to distance himself, Mullins thought his days were about over. Any one of the big third-rate Dutch ships could make match wood of his little ship sloop. However, the Dutch captains were well-versed on the courtesies of war and would not demean themselves by firing upon a lesser foe, always provided that foe did not fire upon them first.

As soon as he passed through though, the British and Dutch fleets engaged each other. The Dutch service fought in much the same manner as did the British, firing into their enemies’ hulls, rather than into their rigging as the French service often did. Casualties on both sides were awful.

Having escaped the Dutch battle line with impunity, Aphrodite was not so fortunate when she met the French frigates lining the shallows.

She had no place to go. Behind her, the main battle was raging with the huge third-rate battleships thundering at each other. Here was no place for a slightly built ship sloop. Ahead of her, a line of well worked up enemy frigates were belching broadsides of thunder and lightning. These frigates had no qualms about firing into a weaker opponent.

At that particular moment, Admiral Duncan’s fleet was fully engaged and there was no ship available to come to Aphrodite’s assistance. Turning to starboard, she was able to employ her port broadside and could even knock away an opponent’s foremast. It was no use though. Three Dutch frigates were slamming their broadsides into her as fast as they could fire, which was very fast indeed. She had already received dozens of wounds, many below the waterline. Taking on water fast, the ship was steadily settling lower in the water.

Aphrodite’s mainmast had her starboard shrouds shot away and took an alarming list. The mizzen was almost in the same condition. The bosun had parties of men swarming over the rigging, fighting against time and enemy shot, trying to get the sail off her and the masts secure. With way upon her, the master slid her onto a mud bank ahead, where she continued firing at her opponents, until Admiral Duncan signaled her to discontinue the action. At that time Mullins ordered the cease-fire and hauled down his flag.

Mullins busied himself by taking stock of damage and of the numerous casualties. The thick pall of gunsmoke drifted away with the onshore breeze. He had expected boats from the victorious enemy frigates would come over to take possession of Aphrodite, but this did not happen. It soon became evident that Adm. Duncan had been successful in his action. Three of the enemy’s battleships had struck to him, as well as several lesser warships. Those able to escape were now leaving. The frigates that had been pummeling Aphrodite were now making their own escape. The battle of Camperdown was over and Aphrodite was not a Dutch prize.

It was soon obvious however the ship was going nowhere. With numerous holes in her lower hull, and aground on a mud bank in enemy waters, her hours seemed numbered.

Collecting statements from various department heads, Mullins was preparing to deliver them to the flag, when a boat from the Venerable came alongside. She was full of armed seamen and Marines and at first Lieutenant Haggerty was concerned about getting the ship afloat. After witnessing the damage, he returned to the flag, returning with more boats and men.

At first, the hands busied themselves with salvaging what they could. With the tide at its highest point, the water inside the ship had flooded the lower decks through the many openings in the hull. It was possible to lower the guns overboard into the boats. The intention at first was simply to salvage what equipment they could. As the tide dropped, many of the shot holes were exposed and without orders, Mister Adams, their newly assigned carpenter, began nailing patches over them.

It was then that Mullins thought the ship might still have a chance. The men worked through the day, lightening ship as fast as they could. When the tide was at its low point, with all accessible shot holes patched, the men went to work on the pumps, draining as much water overboard as they could. The carpenter began working on patching holes from inside the ship, below the waterline.  Dozens of hammocks were wedged into the holes and continued pumping brought the water in the ship even lower.

Soon, the tide would turn again. Although the ship was firmly resting on the muddy bottom, Mullins thought she might be light enough to float, given the chance. A party of men roused a cable up from the cable tier and passed it through the stern window. After being led around to the bow of the ship, the cable’s end was attached to the best bower anchor and lowered into the launch. The boat took the anchor and cable and dropped the anchor to the bottom as far astern as the cable would reach.

Now the tide was coming in again. The battleships had left, but Circe remained behind to assist. She sent over men to man the pumps while the Aphrodite’s were straining at the capstan.

As the men on the pumps shot water over the side at a furious rate, others put their chests to the capstan bars and began heaving. At first, the ship seemed to be solidly fastened to the bottom, with no movement, however hard the men strained. Then, as a swell came to the stern, Mullins thought he felt it lift a bit. More swells came and more water shot over the side. Again she lifted a bit, this time sliding backward a few inches from the pull on the anchor cable.

Mullins had one of the smaller midshipmen, too slight to be of use on the capstan standing beside him at the rail with a lead line. Every few minutes he would drop the weight into the water and call out the depth. The incoming tide had almost reached its highest point again and would soon begin to fall. If they were going to escape, it would have to be soon.

The swells had become more pronounced and the ship was rocking in the mud. Sometimes the tension on the cable would pull her backward a bit when the stern raised. Mullins knew the men were tiring and the tide would soon begin to drop. Something else must be done.

The bosun, was at the mizzen starboard shrouds, testing their tensions. His crew had done a seaman-like job of securing the main and mizzen masts. Calling him over, Mullins ordered, “Mister Drake, I would like you to raise the jib and flat it out to the wind. We are stuck in the bottom mud up forward. I want to see if we can twist her out.”

Drake responded, “Aye-aye sir. We may break something when we do that.”

“If we don’t, Mister Drake, we will surely lose the ship.”

As the wind caught the rising jib, it first tried to roll her, then began to force her bows around. Suddenly, a larger wave lifted the stern a bit higher, and the ship began to pivot out of her muddy berth. Soon, the ship was floating free and was coming under control. Escorted by Circe, the ship-sloop made her way out to sea and on course for home.

The ship was a wreck inside, pummeled as she had been by the concentrated fire of the Dutch frigates. But, she was afloat, which was the important thing to Captain Mullins. After several days spent in getting the ship’s interior in order, Mullins called in the carpenter.

Mister Adams, you may be sure I will report your professional expertise to the admiral when we reach port. Your efforts have done as much to save the ship as anyone else.

After sailing into Spithead, the ship was given a comprehensive survey before he was called into see the port admiral. The various dockyard officials exhibited some head-shaking over the damage to Aphrodite, but the admiral, Sir Richard Onslow, was charitable.

“Captain Mullins, there has been controversy over whether to sell your ship for firewood, or repair her. Due to the shortage of reconnaissance and dispatch vessels in the fleet, she will be repaired. This will take some time though. Since I do not have another ship to offer you immediately, I will keep you in mind when it becomes time to select a commander, when she comes out of the dockyard. In the meantime, I suggest you go home and visit your family. Please give my regards to Lord Yarley.”

Rather than returning home directly, Mullins, with extra funds at his disposal, took rooms at a nearby inn. Not wishing to leave his father’s men, Will and George, to the tender mercies of the Impress Service and the receiving ship, he was able to extricate the men on the grounds of them being his personal servants. Midshipman Raynor, having no place to go, also found a place in the inn. In return for his meals, Raynor attended to the various errands of his captain. The inn possessed a shabby old one-horse chaise as well as an ancient cob to pull it. For a small sum, Mullins was able to hire it on most mornings and he and Mister Raynor went for drives along the waterfront.