HMS Aphrodite (Sea Command Book 1) (8 page)

The repairs on both ships had progressed. It had been anticipated both would be sent back to Sir John, but a political foe of the admiral in the Admiralty decreed Jervis did not need two newly rebuilt ship-sloops, and HMS Reynard was instead to be sent to the Baltic. Aphrodite was given her expected orders and made ready to sail back to the Med.

Before either ship sailed, however, Lieutenant Harden became afoul of a junior clerk in the Admiralty. Mister Whipple was ordinarily involved with such tasks as seeing the appropriate orders were issued to the proper ship. This morning, he was outraged because a former courier of admiralty notices had somehow been given command of a King’s ship. Whipple had a nephew due for a command and the clerk determined to use his influence to place this officer on Reynard’s quarterdeck. Orders were drawn, putting Harden onto the beach where he belonged. He would draw no half-pay since without a leg, he was not considered fit for sea.

It was only by accident that Mullins, awake early that morning, saw Harden bundled overboard by a file of Marines and taken ashore to the dockyard.

Curious, he called his own Marines into his launch and followed. He followed Harden’s arresting party to the dockyard. But lost the party in the maze of buildings.

After searching for an hour, Mullins was ready to concede defeat when he found Harden outside the gates. Harden gave him the news that he had been removed from his ship and put ashore, permanently, it seemed. Another officer had been appointed into Reynard.

Outraged, Mullins gathered Harden and both proceeded to the port admiral’s shore office. They were forced to wait for most of the afternoon before the weary Sir Richard Onslow could see them.

Sir Richard was intrigued at their story. He demanded the name of the official who had brought Harden ashore. It was with some effort that Harden could retrieve the name from his memory. When he did though, one of Onslow’s people were sent scurrying off to locate this Mister Whipple.

Whipple’s eyes opened wide when he marched into the admiral’s office bearing a sheaf of official looking papers and saw Harden.

Sir Richard said, “Gentlemen, just so there is no misunderstanding here, let us begin with Lieutenant Harden’s account of his removal from Reynard this morning. Then we shall listen to Mister Whipple. Lieutenant, will you begin?”

Harden began, “Sir, at three bells into the morning watch, this man brought a file of Marines to my ship and boarded. I was on the quarterdeck where I was approached and was told I had been removed from command and was to be taken ashore. When I protested, the corporal assured me he would smash my head with a musket butt if I did not lower myself into the boat at once.”

Sir Richard wondered, “Could you not have called on your crew for assistance, Mister Harden?”

“Sir, most of my men were gone, stripped away for duty on other ships. I had no Marines of my own and only my standing officers with a few hands nobody else wanted. I did not wish to see any of these people become injured in a fight here in Portsmouth Harbor. I elected to attempt to defend myself, but was overcome by the Marines and dropped into the boat.”

Sir Richard wondered if Mister Whipple might have anything to say about these matters. Ashen faced, Whipple wished to say nothing.

“Very well, then. Let us continue. I am interested in the actions of the corporal in charge of the Marines that day Mister Whipple. Who was he?”

“That would have been Corporal Hallet, sir.”

Turning to his messenger-clerk, Sir Richard whispered some orders and the man set off at a run.”

Idly, Onslow said, “I always tell the man not to run, but he always does. I hope he does not injure himself.”

A moment later, the clatter of troops marching in step came through the building. A Corporal of Marines brought his file through the big doors, formed them up in front of the admiral and reported.

Admiral Onslow asked, “Corporal Hallet, I am told you went aboard the sloop-of-war Reynard and removed her commanding officer by force. Can this be true?”

Looking as though he had swallowed something that did not agree with his stomach, Hallet replied. “Sir, Mister Withers told me to bring some Marines and take off this man who was posing as her captain. We took him away and put him on the beach.”

Sir Richard said mildly, “The trouble here Corporal, is that Lieutenant Mullins here, was and is, the lieutenant in command of that ship. I am told you physically threatened the officer before removing him.”

“Oh sir, that was only in jest, if you get my meaning, sir. No way was I going to hurt a gentleman and officer, no sir.”

“Corporal, it has been reported that you threatened to assault Captain Harden before a party of the Marines under your command actually physically removed him into the boat. If that was indeed a just, I fail to understand it. I believe this matter deserves more attention and that will be done, perhaps at a court martial. I intend to charge you with assaulting an officer.”

“Since my captains are too busy to give up their time on your court martial, I will ask you whether you will accept my punishment or will you insist on a court martial?”

Since both parties knew that a court martial would mean death at the end of a rope, if the captains were merciful, or during the imposition of a thousand lashes, if they were not, Hallet immediately chose the admiral’s punishment.

“Very well, you have been charged with assault against an officer. Another offence which we will consider is disrespect of this same officer. What have you to say, Corporal Hallet?”

Hallet stood mute.

“Corporal Hallet, you have the privilege of having an officer speak for you, offering what defense he may. Do you wish an officer to speak for you?”

“No sir.”

“Very well, Marine Hallet, you are to be reduced to the lowest rank. You will also suffer a dozen lashes for assault with another dozen for disrespect. Sentence to be imposed on the deck of HMS Reynard.”

“Now then”, he said, looking at the remaining Marines. Which of you men is senior?”

The Marines furtively looked at each other with the corners of their eyes, but when Onslow showed signs of losing his patience, one spoke up, volunteering, “That would be me, sir, Private Lucas, sir.”

Sir Richard nodded, “You will take this prisoner to the Reynard. There, you shall report to the officer of the watch aboard Reynard and inform him of these proceedings. He should be advised Hallet is a prisoner awaiting punishment. My clerk will have papers drawn up concerning these proceedings which should be given to that officer.

“Mister Whipple sir, you will remain in my office after the others leave. We have matters to discuss.”

The Impress Service delivered 170 men to
A
phrodite one Monday morning. Mullins had seen some outrageous plots perpetrated by his superiors, but this latest one astonished him. The crew included not a single seaman that could be rated ‘Able’. The majority were men fresh off the farm but there were the usual outright criminals and a few that were not quite right.

Of course, a good crew could be put together from some very strange material, but it was helpful to have at least some people who knew the difference between the ship’s bow and stern. Mullins understood his first duty, as usual, would be to escort a convoy of supplies to the beleaguered fortress of Gibraltar. Spain had shut off all the re-supply efforts that she could and the only way to supply the garrison was by strongly escorted convoys. Without trained seamen, it would be impossible for Aphrodite to sail.

Captain Mullins was firmly in favor of rooting out corruption in the Navy, but he felt he had no choice here. There was not the time to visit Jervis’ office in London, and no official locally would talk to him. With no trained seamen to instruct this new crew, there was little hope of getting Aphrodite to sail this century.

However, he recalled a friend of his father kept a house in Portsmouth. An elderly man, he had been commissioned captain in the Royal Navy decades before, purely through influence and had risen to the rank of rear admiral without ever having taking a ship to sea. With a seat in Parliament, he had some political sinecure that paid him well to do nothing. Mullins had not seen the man since he was a boy, but decided this was a good time to pay the man a call.

Surprisingly Admiral Thornton remembered him and of course knew his father well. Without a qualm, once he learned Mullins just needed men, he asked, “Will a hundred seamen be enough?”

Gulping, Mullins assured him that it would indeed. Then over wine, the two discussed family business. Thornton explained his sister’s grandson was now rising thirteen and wished to go to sea. He explained how he had asked Mullins father, the baron, for some help there, but had been refused. With a brief halt in the conversation, Mullins realized he was being asked something.

With a start, he thought for a second, then asked, “Sir, what position aboard a ship would the boy require? About all I could offer him in my small ship would be a rating as midshipman.”

Thornton waved the question aside. I leave it in your hands, my boy. Midshipman, captain’s servant, whichever you prefer.”

“Would you think he could report to the ship soon, Admiral Thornton? I think the convoy will be sailing any day.”

The boy took his time in reporting. On the other hand, the convoy was delayed time and again until one day the Impress Service delivered a draft of one hundred seamen, all taken from HMS Ganges which had just paid off. Now, he had an embarrassment of hands. With far more people than he could berth on his small ship, he boarded his gig and had himself pulled over to a small, 28-gun frigate just brought out of ordinary.

HMS Impatient had laid in her mud berth since the end of the American War. Had this new war not happened along, she would have no doubt been sold out of the service and perhaps ended her days as a humble coal barge. Even today, her uses would be limited since most modern frigates were much more powerful than she. With her masts down and her deck roofed over, she would have looked more at home aground in a humble fishing port.

He had met the ship’s captain days before at the public house where he had become accustomed to dining when on shore. Captain Brewer had been directly commissioned from lieutenant to post captain in the very beginning of the war after a desperate action against superior forces. After being on the beach for two years, he had been given this elderly frigate and told to get her to sea.

Mullins was only the most casual of acquaintances. Brewer was of course his superior, but on the other hand, had no ship actually in commission, while Mullins was commanding his second.

Without any help from friends, Mullins knew Brewer had not a chance to get a crew for his frigate. Finding the captain aboard his empty ship in his bare cabin, Mullins explained his difficulty.

“Captain Brewer, yesterday, I had a ship with a crew of 120 landsmen. I needed 175 seamen. Today, the Impress Service brought me 100 seamen, most of them able. I have no room to accommodate all these men, so am offering you sufficient men for a minimal crew. I will keep some of the landsmen and make up the rest of my crew from the seamen. The rest you may have. I would give you sufficient able seamen to at least work the ship.”

“If you were to put to sea and lay off any harbor entrance, it would be strange if you did not press some good seamen. Then, a cruise along the coast, with nightly boat raids ashore should garner you more. I would wager in a month, you will have a crew that will enable you to go to war.”

HMS Impatient, with the men sent over to her by Mullins, now had a minimal crew, a few of which were seamen. These were men from the Ganges draft that Mullins was able to spare. Sent first to the receiving ship, then to Aphrodite and on to Impatient without a moment to step on shore after completing a long voyage, the men were not in the best of spirits.

In addition, the bulk of the frigate’s crew were landsmen, many released from prison into the Royal Navy. The subsequent discontent became general knowledge about the harbor and finally the port admiral, Sir Richard Onslow, felt compelled to take action.

At this time, Marines had not been sent aboard the frigate since there were none available from the depot at the moment. Sir Richard sent a few files from his flagship, then ordered Aphrodite to send half her own detachment.

Captain Brewer assured both Mullins and Admiral Onslow he would be able to keep his crew in order with these disciplined men aboard.

Now at sea, herding another convoy, Mullins felt this present escort was strong enough. The escort commander, Captain Johnson, sailed in HMS Stately, a 64-gun third rate. A 38-gun frigate also accompanied the convoy as well as a brig-sloop and an armed cutter.

Outranked by everyone except for the lieutenant commanding the cutter, Mullins had to do little thinking, merely obeying the orders that were signaled to him.

As the convoy passed down the western coast of Spain, past the port of Cadiz, Stately began exchanging signals with a big second-rate overseeing the blockading fleet there. Mister Doolittle, the new first officer was teaching the new midshipmen the various signal flags. Mister Midshipmen Raynor was surprising his superiors. Admiral Thornton’s relative had proven to be a very intelligent lad, and was learning his duties rapidly.