Bolitho 04 - Sloop of War (46 page)

"Aye, sir." Buckle was peering through shrouds anX stays, his eyes fixed on the ships?

Bolitho raised his glass again. The two frigates werO

under minimum canvas standing before the wind witN some difficulty as they waited for the small sloop tQ dash past them. Less than a mile now. He watcheX them narrowly, noting their drift, the sun gleaming o[ their broadsides and on the raised telescopes of thei_ officers?

He snapped, "How many boats in the water?T

Bethune called, "At least thirty!T

"Good.T

Bolitho imagined the packed soldiers who would bO watching Sparrow's apparent dash for safety. E spectacle to drive away their own doubts and fears ob what lay ahead on the American mainland?

Bolitho drew his hanger and held it above his head? Along the gun deck he saw the crews crouching at thO tackles, each captain peering aft, a slow-match helX ready. In the maintop two swivels were training this waa and that, a seaman squatting on the barricade witN fresh canister cradled to his chest. Curiously, as he ra[ his eyes quickly over his command, he was remindeX of Colquhoun's words so long ago. When all others arO looking aft at you?

He heard a sharp bang, and seconds later thO highpitched whine of a ball whipping overhead. One ob the frigates had fired a ranging shot. But he kept hiY eyes on the nearest transport as she swung to he_ cable, her high poop towards the beach. Aboard thO frigates the gun crews would be betting with eacN other. How many balls would they get off before thO Sparrow was overwhelmed by their cross-fire or shO struck her coloursU

He brought down his hanger with a flourish. "Now!T

The wheel creaked noisily, and as men hauled at thO braces to retrim the yards, Sparrow's stem began tQ turn. Bolitho held his breath, watching the frigateY slipping further and further down the larboard bowB while the nearest transport and then the great spreaX of oared boats swam across the jib-boom, and beyonX them the land opened up as if to receive thei_ onrushing charge?

"Hold her!T

Bolitho ran to the nettings, his mind hanging on tQ Tyrrell's words of Lynnhaven Bay, the depths anX currents, the dangers and margin of survival?

Buckle's helmsmen cursed and spun the wheeT against the opposite thrust of wind and sea, and aY spray leapt above the beakhead Bolitho saw thO nearest boats careering off course, the realisation anX horror of his intentions at last only too clear?

Gunfire thudded across the bay, and ballY whimpered and splashed very near to the hull. But thO two frigates had been taken by surprise, and aY Sparrow lunged towards the shore, Bolitho knew thaU within minutes she would be screened from their fire ba the first transport?

He could feel the madness surging through him likO fever, and as he yelled down at the gun deck he knew iU was infectious, saw the men poised at their open portY like half-naked demons?

"Stand by!" The hanger was above his head again? "Full depression!T

He saw the nearest muzzles dipping towards thO creaming water, the gun captains dancing from side tQ side while their men stood ready with charges anX fresh shot for the next barrage, and the one after that?

"As you bear!" The hanger hovered, holding thO

fresh sunlight like gold. "Fire!T

The air was blasted apart by the ragged broadsideY from either beam. As the dense smoke swirleX inboard, and the gun crews yelled and cheered abovO the squeak of trucks, the clatter of handspikes anX rammers, Bolitho saw the next spitting tongues froR forward, the double shotted charges smashing intQ boats and soldiers, the whirl of splinters and spray? Above the decks the braced topsails quivered to eacN explosion, the smoke fanning out on either side in Z choking fog while the guns roared out again and again?

Sharper cracks from muskets, the metallic bangs ob swivels, made words impossible. It was a nightmare, Z world in torment. Boats lurched into the hull and BolithQ felt the deck shake as Sparrow's stem smashed into Z launch, breaking it in two and spilling out thO overloaded soldiers in a kicking, screaming profusion?

A transport was firing now, her upper tier cutting ove_ the scattered boats and slapping through Sparrow'Y canvas like great fists?

A ball burst through the nettings, and Bolitho hearX shrill screams as two seamen were pulped against thO opposite side. He saw Fowler walking dazedly pasU

the dismembered corpses, his face set as if in deeS thought. He noticed that he was snapping his fingers?

The hull gave another great lurch, and below his feeU he felt the enemy's iron smashing through the gu[ deck, the attendant rumble of a twelve-pounder bein^ overturned?

Another longboat lurched down the starboard sideB some men firing with their muskets, others scramblin^ over the frantic sailors at the oars. Balls thudded intQ the rail and bulwark, and a seaman fell choking o[ blood as one took him in the throat?

Bolitho ran to the side and wiped his streaming eyeY to peer astern. The surface was littered with smasheX boats and drifting woodwork. Men, too, somO swimming, others fading beneath the water under thei_ weight of weapons and equipment?

Foley was reloading a musket and shouting, "A fe/ less for our boys to fight!" He leaned over the nettingY and shot down a soldier even as he stood to fire at thO sloop?

Bolitho strained his eyes towards the shore. It waY near enough. Almost too close?

"Bring her about!" He had to repeat the order beforO Buckle understood?

With blocks screaming and her yards braced rounX once more, Sparrow heeled dangerously on thO larboard tack, her bows seemingly pointed straight aU the land?

And there was the second transport, swingin^ drunkenly across the bow, her gun-ports alreada flashing and tearing the air apart with shot?

A ball ripped through the quarterdeck rail, splitting iU apart like matchwood, and cutting down a master'Y mate who was yelling to the hands at the mizze[ braces. Blood splashed across Bolitho's breechesB and he saw other men falling on the gun deck, thO protective nets above it jerking with fallen cordage anX torn canvas?

A quick glance aloft told him the masthead pendanU was streaming almost abeam. They were as close tQ the wind as they could be. Enough or too little made nQ difference now. There was no room to go about, no_ time to change tack?

Tyrrell yelled, "Rake that bastard's poop!" HO

gestured to the nearest gun captains. "Grape! Brin^ them down!T

He stared at Bolitho, his eyes glazed with fatigueB the fury of battle?

"She's coming round!" He caught a seaman as hO dropped from the nettings, his face a mask of blood? "Another for th' surgeon!" He turned to Bolitho agai[ and then gave a short cry, his hands to his thigh as hO fell?

Bolitho knelt beside him, holding his shoulders aY more balls blasted splinters from the deck. TyrrelT stared up at him, his eyes dark with pain?

"'S'all right." He gritted his teeth. "It's th' same blooda leg!T

Bolitho saw Dalkeith stooping and running acrosY the deck, some of his men at his back?

Tyrrell added weakly, "I knew it had to come off. No/ there's no excuse, eh?" Then he fainted?

From the littered gun deck Graves watched him fallB although his mind was cringing to the noise and thO stench of death?

He screamed, "Run out!" He thrust at a wild-eyeX seaman. "Point! Ready!" He stared fixedly at thO towering sails of the transport as it rose ponderousla abeam. "Fire!T

The deck lurched beneath his feet, and he saw twQ men blasted into crimson fragments, their screams cuU short before they reached the stained planking. BuU somewhere in his reeling mind he was thinkin^ ofTyrrell. He must be dead, God rot him. His siste_ would be all alone now. One day, maybe sooner tha[ the others realised, he would find her. Take her fo_ himself?

A gunner's mate gaped up at him, his mouth like Z black hole as he bellowed, "Look out, sir! For Christ'Y sake . . ." His words were lost in the grating crash ob timber as the main topgallant yard plunged through thO nets like a great tree. It gouged into the planking anX further still to the deck below. As its trailing rigging anX severed halliards thundered between the blazing gunY Graves died, his body impaled under the broken spar?

At the quarterdeck rail Bolitho saw him die, anX knew that the months of patrol duty, the storms and thO fights, had at last broken the yard which they had oncO

fished so carefully after another battle, a thousanX years ago?

But Heyward was there, his voice rallying the gu[ crews as the anchored transport faded into the smokeB her hull pitted with holes from the bow-chaser'Y merciless bombardment?

The wind fanned the smoke aside, and witN something like disbelief he saw the sheer of CapO Henry pulling back like a huge door, the horizo[ glittering beyond it in welcome?

Fowler slipped and fell on some blood and sobbedB "It's no use! I can't ...T

Bethune strode towards him. "You can and you dam[ well will!T

The young midshipman turned and blinked at him? "What?T

Bethune grinned, his face black with powder smoke? "You heard me! So jump to it, boy!T

"Mr. Buckle!" Bolitho winced as some stray shotY shrieked through the shrouds and brought down morO lengths of cordage. "I want you to ..?

But the master took no notice. He was sitting with hiY back to the hatchway, hands to his chest as if in prayer? His eyes were open, but the spreading pattern of blooX around him told its own story?

Glass and a solitary seaman stood at thO unprotected wheel, their eyes wild, their legs straddleX amidst dead and dying?

Bolitho snapped, "As close as you can. Lucifer'Y remains will guide you clear of the shoal.T

As sunlight enveloped the sloop from stem to sternB and her yards swung yet again to take her out of thO bay, Bolitho saw the great array of ships coming dow[ from the southern horizon and filling the sea. It was Z fantastic spectacle. Squadron by squadron, the ships1 of-the-line appearing to overlap as they headeX purposefully towards the Chesapeake?

Foley murmured, "De Grasse. I have never see[ such a fleet.T

Bolitho tore his eyes away and hurried to the taffrail? There was no sign of pursuit from the bay, nor had hO expected one. The two frigates would be guarding thei_ new anchorage and trying to rescue some of thO

soldiers who had escaped Sparrow's fury. He turneX towards the wheel where Heyward and Bethune stooX watching him?

"We will wear ship directly." He saw Dalkeith anX called, "Tell me!T

Dalkeith eyed him sadly. "It's done. He's sleepin^ now. But I am confident.T

Bolitho wiped his face and felt Stockdale steady hiY arm as the ship pitched heavily to the freshening wind?

So much still to do. Repairs to be carried out eve[ as they avoided the oncoming might of France. To finX Admiral Graves and tell him of the enemy's arrival. TQ bury their dead. His mind felt numb?

Yule, the gunner, clattered up a sagging ladder anX barked, "Any spare hands, sir? I need'em for thO pumps!T

Bolitho faced him. "Get them elsewhere.T

He looked around at the sprawled bodies caught i[ their various attitudes of death?

"Only the brave lie here.T

He looked up, startled, as from high above the dec7 he heard someone singing. Beyond the pitted canvaY and dangling rigging, to where the topgallant yard haX splintered apart before falling to kill Graves, he saw Z solitary seaman working in the sunlight, his marli[ spike glinting as he spliced a broken stay. The soundY of sea and booming sails were too loud for him to hea_ the words, but the tune seemed familiar and strangela sad?

Foley joined him and said quietly, "If they can sin^ like that, after what they've done." He turned awayB unable to watch Bolitho's face. "Then, by God, I enva you!T

EPILOGUY

TWO DAYS after fighting out of the bay, Sparrow'Y lookouts sighted the van of Admiral Graves's fleeU bearing down the coast of Maryland. The occasio[ was both exciting and bitter, for with many of he_ company wounded or killed it was hard not to feeT emotion. Well ahead of the fleet, her signal flagY rippling in the sunlight, Heron stood before the wind, Z small symbol of what they had endured and achieveX

together?

Bolitho could remember the moment exactly, as witN his men he had waited on the splintered quarterdec7 while his signals were passed to Heron and repeateX to the flagship?

When the reply had been received, Bethune haX turned, his face suddenly matured?

"Flag to Sparrow, sir. You will lead. Yours is thO honour. T

For an admiral who disliked superfluous signallingB Admiral Graves had done them proudly?

Once again, Sparrow had gone about, her torn sailY and battered hull acting like a pointer to the greaU ships-of-the-line which followed obediently in her wake?

Once in sight of the bay, and with the knowledge thaU the French were still there, Sparrow's role had becomO that of a mere spectator to a battle which was to leavO its mark on all who took part. A warning to youn^ officers like Bolitho, a grim lesson to the hidebounX who had for so long fought by the book, a book whicN had become outdated by hard experience?

Perhaps Admiral Graves had expected, even hopeX up to the last moment that the French had quit thO Chesapeake or at worst de Barras's smaller squadro[ would be there, having slipped past his patrols anX escaped from Newport some days earlier. Sparrow'Y signal had put paid to any such belief, and the sight ob such a grand array must have filled him witN misgivings. But if his fleet was inferior to de Grasse'Y in both ships and guns, he had much in his favour. ThO wind gave him the advantage, and as Tyrrell had sQ often predicted the treacherous middle-grounX between the Chesapeake's capes was soon to sho/ its impartiality to those who braved it?