The Seahorse (23 page)

When Silas had brought the glasses and left, Anthony said, “George, you are one of the best seamen I know. You are a natural leader.”

Somewhat embarrassed, Jepson tried to deny it but Anthony raised his hand to quiet any denials.

“It's rare for a man who started on the lower deck to be commissioned,” he said. “However, those that have are usually successful. Some have even made admiral. I can understand your reluctance to sit for the lieutenant's exam with a bunch of snot-nosed midshipmen. I don't blame you. I wouldn't want to think of you as a thirty-six-year-old junior lieutenant. That's not what I'm offering. What I'm offering is a commission and a command. Yonder sits as fine a brig as you've seen. She was built before the war by the Americans, and then converted to be used as a privateer. Much as Gabe's first command, she's sleek, fast, and carries fourteen six pounders and two four pounders in the forecastle. She's even pierced for sweeps. That's what I'm offering. I owe you that and so much more. What say you?”

Jepson sat there deep in thought. Anthony watched as he blinked his cold blue eyes and ran his hand through his salt and pepper hair. After a moment, Jepson spoke in his usual quiet manner, “I'll take her, sir.”

Appendix

Historical Notes

In June, 1777, British Lieutenant General Burgoyne left Quebec with over ten thousand men, followed by some sixteen hundred regular and provincial troops and Indians. After a victory at Fort Ticonderoga (American Brigadier Arthur St. Clair withdrew in the face of overwhelming odds) Burgoyne pushed south, all the while being harried and hampered by ambushes, blocked roads and rebuilding bridges so that the Army became much fatigued and went at least two days (July 9 and 10) without provisions. With supplies still low, the British Army gave a general order warning troops to “be cautious of expending their ammunition in case of action.” They were to avoid firing on a retreating enemy. On September 13 and 14, Burgoyne's army crossed the Hudson River near Saratoga. On September 19, American Major General Benedict Arnold smashed into Burgoyne's troop columns with three thousand men. The battle lasted till dark with the British suffering more than six hundred killed and the Americans half that. British Lieutenant Digby wrote that “the clash of cannon and musketry never ceased till darkness…when they [the Americans] retired to their camp leaving us masters of the field but it was a dear bought victory.”

Burgoyne decided to “dig in” with his army after he received word from British Lieutenant General Clinton in New York promising he'd push up the Hudson River with three thousand troops. After seizing several forts, Clinton was finally able to send two thousand men and supplies to Burgoyne. However, the Americans had all but cut off British communications. On October 7, Burgoyne decided to attack the American positions at Bemis Heights but was repulsed. It was then discovered Clinton's detachment had been turned away. On October 8, Burgoyne decided to fall back to his former defensive position, only to discover that his retreat had been cut off by American General Gates.

Outnumbered two to one and out of supplies, Burgoyne surrendered six thousand men to the Americans on October 17, 1777. The surrender shattered British prestige the world over. The tidings reached Europe on December 2, 1777, and on December 16, the French foreign minister informed the commissioners of Congress that the King was ready to recognize the independence of the United States, and to make with them a commercial treaty and contingent defensive alliance.

The treaty between the United States and France was signed on February 6, 1778. In April 1778, Comte d'Estaing sailed with a fleet of superior warships to join the Americans. In September 1778, the French turned their attention to the West Indies.

BARBADOS

The West Indies was very important during the American War for Independence. The main two islands were Antigua and Barbados. Barbados was the most windward of the West Indies islands and was felt by the Navy to give it a tactical advantage. A small naval hospital was built there and it was used as a stores base. When an enemy ship was captured, “the prize” could be adjudicated by the Vice Admiralty Court located at Bridgetown. Barbados gained its wealth during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries from its sugarcane plantations and the export of rum and molasses. The fields were worked by African slaves until slavery was abolished in the British Empire in 1834.

Bridgetown is located at the southwestern end of the island. It was named for a small bridge that crossed over a stream. This is where all government offices are located. Carlisle Bay is where most ships anchored with boats ferrying people and supplies to the wharfs.

CARRONADES

While doing research for this book, I read
The Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War 1600-1815
by Brian Lavery. In real life, the naval board proposed these “smashers” be fitted out in ships in July 1779. Therefore, my installment of the smasher was almost a year prior. Lavery discussed the carronade only enough to create a desire within me to know more—thanks for the Internet. The discussion between Captain Ford and the officers under Lord Anthony's command is as accurate an account as I could give of the carronades.

Age of Sail Glossary

aft:
toward the stern (rear) of the ship.

ahead:
in a forward direction.

aloft:
above the deck of the ship.

barque
(bark): a three-masted vessel with the foremast and mainmast square-rigged and the mizzenmast fore-and-aft rigged.

belay:
to make a rope fast to a belaying pin, cleat, or other such device. Also used as a general command to stop or cancel; e.g., “Belay that last order!”

belaying pin:
a wooden pin, later made of metal, generally about twenty inches in length to which lines were made fast, or “belayed.” They were arranged in pin rails along the inside of the bulwark and in fife rails around the masts.

binnacle:
a large wooden box, just forward of the helm, housing the compass, half-hourglass for timing the watches, and candles to light the compass at night.

boatswain's chair:
a wooden seat with a rope sling attached. Used for hoisting men aloft or over the side for work.

bosun:
also boatswain, a crew member responsible for keeping the hull, rigging and sails in repair.

bow chaser:
a cannon situated near the bow to fire as directly forward as possible.

bowsprit:
a large piece of timber that stands out from the bow of a ship.

breeching:
rope used to secure a cannon to the side of a ship and prevent it from recoiling too far.

brig:
a two-masted vessel, square rigged on both masts.

bulwarks:
the sides of a ship above the upper deck.

bumboat:
privately owned boat used to carry out to anchored vessels vegetables, liquor, and other items for sale.

burgoo:
mixture of coarse oatmeal and water: porridge.

cable
: (a) a thick rope, (b) a measure of distance-1/10 of a sea mile, 100 fathoms (200 yards approximately).

canister:
musket ball size iron shot encased in a cylindrical metal cast. When fired from a cannon, the case breaks apart, releasing the enclosed shot, not unlike firing buckshot from a shotgun shell.

cat-o'-nine tails:
a whip made from knotted ropes, used to punish crewmen—what was meant by being “flogged.”

chase:
a ship being pursued.

coxswain (cox'n):
pronounced cox-un—means the person in charge of the captain's personal boat.

cutter:
a sailboat with one mast, a mainsail and two headsails.

dogwatch:
the watches from four to six, and from six to eight, in the evening.

fathom:
unit of measurement equal to six feet.

flotsam:
debris floating on the water surface.

forecastle:
pronounced fo'c'sle. The forward part of the upper deck, forward of the foremast, in some vessels raised above the upper deck. Also, the space enclosed by this deck.

founder:
used to describe a ship that is having difficulty remaining afloat.

frigate:
a fast three-masted fully rigged ship carrying anywhere from twenty to forty-eight guns.

full and by:
a nautical term meaning “proceed under full sail.”

furl:
to lower a sail.

futtock shrouds
: short, heavy pieces of standing rigging connected on one end to the topmast shrouds at the outer edge of the top and on the other to the lower shrouds, designed to bear the pressure on the topmast shrouds. Often used by sailors to go aloft.

gaff:
a spar or pole extending diagonally upward from the after side of a mast and supporting a fore-and-aft sail.

galley:
the kitchen area of a ship.

glass
: shipboard name for the barometer, a sand-glass used for measuring time, or a telescope.

grapeshot:
a cluster of round, iron shot, generally nine in all, and wrapped in canvas. Upon firing, the grapeshot would spread out for a shotgun effect. Used against men and light hulls.

grating:
hatch cover composed of perpendicular, interlocking wood pieces, much like a heavy wood screen. It allowed light and air below while still providing cover for the hatch. Gratings were covered with tarpaulins in rough or wet weather.

grog:
British naval seaman received a portion of liquor every day. In 1740, Admiral Edward Vernon ordered the rum to be diluted with water. Vernon's nickname was Old Grogram, and the beverage was given the name grog in their disdain for Vernon.

gunwale:
pronounced gun-el. The upper edge of a ship's side.

halyard:
a line used to hoist a sail or spar. The tightness of the halyard can affect sail shape.

handsomely:
slowly, gradually.

hardtack:
ship's biscuit.

haul:
pulling on a line.

hawse
: the bows of a ship where the hawse-holes are cut for the anchor cables to pass through. The space between the stem of a vessel at anchor and the anchors or a little beyond.

heave to:
arranging the sails in such a manner as to stop the forward motion of the ship.

heel:
the tilt of a ship/boat to one side; a ship normally heels in the wind.

helm:
the wheel of a ship or the tiller of a boat.

holystone:
a block of sandstone used to scour the wooden decks of a ship.

idler:
the name of those members of a ship's crew that did not stand night watch because of their work, such as a cook or carpenters.

jetty:
a manmade structure projecting from the shore.

jib:
a triangular sail attached to the headstay.

John Company:
nickname for the Honourable East India Company.

jolly boat:
a small workboat.

jonathan:
British nickname for an American.

keel:
a flat surface (fin) built into the bottom of the ship to reduce the leeway caused by the wind pushing against the side of the ship.

ketch:
a sailboat with two masts. The shorter mizzenmast is aft of the main, but forward of the rudder post.

knot:
one knot equals one nautical mile per hour. This rate is equivalent to approximately 1.15 statute miles per hour.

larboard:
the left or port side of a ship when facing the bow.

lee:
the direction toward which the wind is blowing. The direction sheltered from the wind.

leeward:
pronounced loo-ard—means downwind.

Letter of Marque:
a commission issued by the government authorizing seizure of enemy property.

luff:
the order to the steersman to put the helm towards the lee side of the ship, in order to sail nearer to the wind.

mainmast:
the tallest (possibly only) mast on a ship.

mast:
any vertical pole on the ship that sails are attached to.

mizzenmast:
a smaller aft mast.

moor:
to attach a ship to a mooring, dock, post, anchor.

nautical mile:
one minute of latitude, approximately 6076 feet—about 1/8 longer than the statute mile of 5280 feet.

pitch:
(1) a fore and aft rocking motion of a boat. (2) a material used to seal cracks in wooden planks.

privateer:
a captain with a Letter of Marque, which allows a captain to plunder any ship of a given enemy nation. A privateer was
supposed
to be above being tried for piracy.

prize:
an enemy vessel captured at sea by a warship or privateer. Technically these ships belonged to the crown, but after review by the Admiralty court and condemnation, they were sold and the prize money shared.

powder monkey:
young boy (usually) who carried cartridges of gunpowder from the filling room up to the guns during battle.

quadrant:
instrument used to take the altitude of the sun or other celestial bodies in order to determine the latitude of a place. Forerunner to the modern sextant.

quarterdeck:
a term applied to the afterpart of the upper deck. The area is generally reserved for officers.

quarter gallery:
a small, enclosed balcony with windows located on either side of the great cabin aft and projecting out slightly from the side of the ship. Traditionally contained the head, or toilet, for use by those occupying the great cabin.

rake:
a measurement of the top of the mast's tilt toward the bow or stern.

rate:
Ships were rated from first to sixth rates based on their size and armament:

First rate: line of battle 100 or more guns on 3 gun decks

Second rate: line of battle 90 to 98 guns on 3 gun decks

Third rate: line of battle 80, 74 or 64 guns on 2 gun decks

Fourth rate: below the line 50 guns on 1 or 2 gun decks

Fifth rate: frigates 32 to 44 guns on 1 gun deck

Sixth rate: frigates 20 to 28 guns on 1 gun deck

ratline:
pronounced rat-lin. Small lines tied between the shrouds, horizontal to the deck, forming a sort of rope ladder on which the men can climb aloft.

reef:
to reduce the area of sail. This helps prevent too much sail from being in use when the wind gets stronger (a storm or gale).

roll:
a side-to-side motion of the ship, usually caused by waves.

schooner:
a North American (colonial) vessel with two masts the same size.

scuppers:
Drain holes on deck, in the toe rail, or in bulwarks that allows water to run into the sea..

scuttle:
any small, generally covered hatchway through a ship's deck.

sextant:
a navigational instrument used to determine the vertical position of an object such as the sun, moon or stars.

ship's bell:
the progress of the watch was signaled by the ship's bells:

1 bell ½ hour

2 bells 1 hour

3 bells 1 ½ hours

4 bells 2 hours

5 bells 2 ½ hours

6 bells 3 hours

7 bells 3 ½ hours

8 bells 4 hours

ship's day:
the ship's day at sea began at noon; the twenty-four day is divided into watches measured by a four-hour sandglass.

12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.–Afternoon watch

4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. – Dog watch is broken into 2 separate sections called the first and last dog watch. This allows men on watch to eat their evening meal.

8:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. – First watch

12:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. – Middle watch

4:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – Morning watch

8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Forenoon watch

shoal:
shallow.

shrouds:
heavy ropes leading from a masthead aft and down to support the mast when the wind is from abeam or farther aft.

skiff:
a small boat.

skylark:
to frolic or play, especially up in the rigging.

skylight
: a glazed window frame, usually in pairs set at an angle in the deck to give light and ventilation to the compartment below.

slew
: to turn around on its own axis; to swing around.

spar:
any lumber/pole used in rigging sails on a ship.

starboard:
the right side of a ship or boat when facing the bow.

stern:
the aft part of a boat or ship.

stern chasers:
cannons directed aft to fire on a pursuing vessel.

tack:
to turn a ship about from one tack to another, by bringing her head to the wind.

taffrail:
the upper part of the ship's stern, usually an ornament with carved work or bolding.

thwart:
seat or bench in a boat on which the rowers sit.

topgallant:
the mast above the topmast, also sometimes the yard and sail set on it.

transom:
the stern cross-section/panel forming the after end of a ship's hull.

veer:
a shifting of the wind direction.

waister:
landsman or unskilled seaman who worked in the waist of the ship.

wear:
to turn the vessel from one tack to another by turning the stern through the wind.

weigh:
to raise, as in to weigh anchor.

windward:
the side or direction from which the wind is blowing.

yard:
a spar attached to the mast and used to hoist sails.

yardarm:
the end of a yard.

yawl:
a two-masted sailboat/fishing boat with the shorter mizzenmast placed aft of the rudder post. Similar to a ketch.

zephyr:
a gentle breeze. The west wind.