On the King's Sea Service: A John Phillips Novel (War at Sea Book 1) (4 page)

“Since we hear they are chopping heads off nobility with a vengeance, I doubt if their Navy is in much of a state to oppose us, since so many of their officers are of that estate. I expect bosun’s mates may be commanding some of their first rate ships. However, the Admiralty feels it wise to get some eyes looking over their shoulders. We are taking vessels, both large and small, out of ordinary and into commission, as fast as they can be manned. The clerks are drafting your orders right now. I will look them over, sign them and you will be on your way to your duty.

The men remained silent until a clerk came back with an armful of sealed documents. Phillips was ordered to Triumphant ’74 as second lieutenant for a three year commission. Employment! No longer would he need to go out on freezing days, selling fish from door to door.

As the officers milled about sharing their elation, Phillips noticed the Earl’s face seemed pale and sweaty in the cold air of the meeting room. Phillips felt sorry for the man, obviously ill, he probably felt he must remain calm and assured. The others ignoring the man, Phillips said to him, “My ship is in Portsmouth. May I ask where you will be going?”

Initially, the man glared at him, seemingly at his effrontery, but then his face softened and he said, “I’ll be going to Portsmouth too. I’ll be commander in ship-sloop Exeter of 18 guns.”

The man was now a commander, or would be as soon as he read himself in. Phillips felt he should show a little respect to the man. “Good show, Commander. I will post down. Would you like to accompany me?”

The Commander Brumley glared at him again and said, “No, I will travel down in my own carriage.”

Another Lieutenant had heard some of the conversation and said ruefully, “Well, what would you expect of an earl with all those names?”

Phillips answered, “Like it or not, he’s a commander now and outranks us. He’ll probably make post before the end of the year. One of us could well find himself on a ship he commands.”

Having a week before needing to report, Phillips got a room in a nearby hotel, then went looking for seagoing clothing. He bought a good boat cloak and a new, better quality uniform coat, a new hat and two pairs of shoes, with a set of silver buckles. Equipping himself also with new breeches and stockings, he felt he was ready for the wardroom of a third-rate. Everything went into a new sea chest. Tempted to purchase a new sword, he demurred, thinking his present weapon was of good quality and would serve him well in combat. He felt he did not need to spend good money to show away in social events.

Two days after ordering his gear, he set out for Portsmouth on the mail coach. For much of the trip, the coach was full and he sat pressed against the body of a huge woman who had apparently not felt it necessary to damage her health by bathing.

At Portsmouth, he found a man with a barrow to trundle his gear to the water where he bargained for a boat to take him out to his ship. The two oarsmen threw his chest into the boat and with a muttered ‘give way’ by stroke oar, they were off. There was a moderate chop in the port and Phillips prayed he would not succumb. Few things were more amusing to the crew of a ship than that of a new officer ‘feeding the fish’ while reporting aboard.

However, all was well; on the challenge of the midshipman of the watch, one of the men shouted ‘Aye, aye’ and held up two fingers. Pulling his sword behind him, so it would not foul his legs, Phillips grabbed the man ropes as the boat surged up on a swell.

He pulled himself up by his arms, while searching for a batten with his foot. Finding himself, he climbed the side of the ship, the task becoming easier as the tumblehome leaned inward. When he reached the entry port, he saw a lieutenant waiting for him, raised his hat in salute and requested, “Permission to come aboard?”

Phillips was escorted to the wardroom, where he was introduced to the other ship’s officers. It had now been ten years since he had been promoted to his present rank and that seniority gained him the position as second officer aboard Triumphant. Being second only to the Premier, or first lieutenant, kept him immune from the juvenile tomfoolery of the more junior officers. Told he had missed most of the hard work the others had experienced getting the ship out of ordinary, he felt fortunate.

Looking around the huge ship, he realized how much he had forgotten in the past decade. He had served aboard a third rate fifteen years ago, but most of that painfully acquired knowledge had disappeared long ago. When the captain’s barge appeared, bringing their lord and master to the ship, Phillips was standing by the watch officer to meet the worthy.

The captain was affable and invited Phillips to dinner that afternoon, along with another officer and midshipman. He felt the bad luck he had experienced for the past decade had dissipated and he might now experience some of the better variety.

Waiting in the wardroom for the appointed hour, Phillips heard the call, “Passing the word for Lieutenant Phillips. Second officer to the quarterdeck.” Phillips put down his glass and raced up the ladder. On the quarterdeck, he saw the captain standing at the weather rail, talking to the officer of the watch.

He walked rapidly over and doffed his hat. The captain looked at him quizzically and stated. “We just had a strange signal from the flag. It told us to send a boat with the second officer. It also said for you to bring your gear. Sounds almost like you may not be coming back. Have you been doing something you shouldn’t?”

The trip over to the flagship was puzzling for Phillips. Try as he could, he was unable to figure out anything he might have done that would have alerted the admiral. Perhaps his lack of experience had been realized and he was being sent ashore. He climbed the side of the huge first rate and reported to the ship’s officer of the deck. He was hustled aft to Admiral Parker’s sea cabin and told to wait. An elderly man came out and looked him over. “Phillips, eh?”

“Yes Sir”

“Ever command anything before, Lieutenant?”

“Yes Sir, Governor Mathew at Antigua gave me command of the cutter Vixen in ’82. He ordered me to take her to Halifax and London to deliver dispatches. I also commanded a prize brig as an acting lieutenant.”

“You ever met Commander Lord Brumley?”

“Yes Sir, I met him recently in London.”

“Here is the drill, Lieutenant. Brumley has come down with some ailment. Sawbones says it has to do with his heart. Anyway, he is sick and won’t be going to sea any time soon. Problem is, he commands HMS Exeter, an 18 gun ship sloop. His lieutenant was a midshipman last month and is not ready for command.

I want Exeter off the French coast immediately. I need someone who has successfully commanded ships before. Looking over your records, I did see you commanded an armed cutter ten years ago. But, I noticed that you have been on the beach since then. Do you think you could handle this command?

“Yes sir, assuming she is seaworthy and has a crew, I am sure I can.”

“Very well young man, you are the new commander. You have a competent Master on board. He would be on a first rate by now, if he weren’t such good friends with a bottle. If you can keep him sober, there is no better man alive at navigating and handling a ship. Remember, you can trust him sober, I have myself.”

“Yes Sir.”

“Just a little warning. You are being promoted due to your previous experience long ago with command in wartime. Should you not succeed in this command, there are precious few openings for failed Royal Navy commanders. As a lieutenant; yes. In time of war, it would not be difficult for you to secure a position.”

“Now, you have been brought forward because of naval necessity. Some of the other lieutenants on this station have years more sea time than you do. Each will feel he himself should have been selected instead of a relatively inexperienced officer like yourself. I picked you because you do have command experience in war time conditions. Remember, you are a commander now, superior in rank to your former comrades. Now, did you bring your sea chest?”

“Yes Sir. It’s still in Triumphant’s boat, alongside.”

“Very well.” The Admiral turned to a servant and ordered, “See the captain. Tell him I would like our new commander’s sea chest transported to Exeter without delay. Commander, beg a boat from the officer of the deck. I’ll give you permission to go ashore to buy a swab. In an hour, I expect to see a signal flying from Exeter asking permission to sail if the wind is suitable; the pilot will be waiting for you when you come back from shore.

Admiral Parker added. “Your orders are being drafted at the moment. My flag lieutenant will have them sent to Exeter, while you are ashore purchasing your swab. Read them carefully and follow your instructions. In case any difficulty arises you find you have no instructions for, remember you are now a commander in the Royal Navy and are expected to make correct decisions at a moment’s notice.

HMS Exeter

The flagship’s jolly boat dropped him off at quay side near the naval outfitters. He rushed inside and told the proprietor he needed to purchase an epaulette right away. The man showed him a selection of varying quality. Unsure of what his immediate expenses would be before he could get an advance on his pay, he selected the cheapest one available, knowing the salt air would probably turn the ornament green in weeks, if not days.

The proprietor asked, “What ship, Commander?”

“HMS Exeter, anchored near the flag.”

“Oh yes. I thought Lord Brumley commanded her?”

“Well, he did, but a medical emergency put him ashore and now I have the command.”

“Commander, I realize newly appointed captains sometimes have difficulty purchasing the necessary items needed for the start of a new commission. We would be glad to extend credit for any necessary purchases you might wish to make.”

Phillips told the man about his time restraints. “The admiral expects me to be prepared to put to sea in a few minutes. I don’t really have much time.”

“Sir, have you a boat?”

Looking out the window, he saw the jolly boat was already halfway back to the flag.

“No, I do not. I’ll need to engage a shore boat to get out to my command.”

The proprietor called an assistant over and whispered in his ear. The man ran out of the door as fast as he could go. “Sir, we have a boat to transport you out to the Exeter.”

The man then pointed to a display of goods piled in a corner. Cases of wine and spirits, cheeses and crates of biscuit, casks of preserved foods and the like.

“Captain, we have here a selection of goods many new commanders find necessary at the start of a commission. Should you decide to purchase these items on your credit, I would be pleased to allow you this better quality epaulette gratis.”

When Phillips nodded, there was a flurry as a crowd of workers hustled the goods out the door into the boat which had magically appeared. The proprietor himself fastened the shiny new swab on his left shoulder. Phillips settled himself in the stern sheets of the boat, beside the coxswain. The cox’n nodded to stroke oar and growled, “Give way.”

As they neared Triumphant, intending to pass, Phillips asked the cox’n to pass close by the ship. As they neared it, the challenge came over the water. The cox’n stood and shouted, “Passing.” After the cox’n sat down again, Phillips stood shakily in the boat, opened his cloak, lifted his hat to the master’s mate of the watch and shouted, “Jackson, would you please inform the captain that I’ve been given command of Exeter?”

A moment later, the Triumphant’s captain stuck his head out a stern window and shouted, “You have a command? Come aboard and we’ll open a bottle.”

“Sorry, captain, I expect orders to sail at any moment. The admiral was most insistent there be no delay.” Doffing his hat again to the Triumphant, he sat until they came alongside the Exeter. Again, they were challenged, this time the cox’n yelled, “Exeter”, signifying the captain of that ship was coming aboard. By rights, of course, Phillips was not actually the captain yet and would not be until he had ‘read himself in’, but everyone felt he was close enough.

He was met by a lieutenant and the Marine detachment, those worthies emitting puffs of pipe clay from their whitened belts and straps at every sharp movement. A band of the ship’s standing and warrant officers stood in a group behind the first officer. What looked like most or all of the ship’s hands stood amidships. The lieutenant, shaven until his face was raw, introduced himself, “Sir, James Braddock, first officer, if you please.”

“Lieutenant, would you please introduce the officers.”

As they went down the line, Braddock spoke each warrant officer’s name and the officer lifted his hat. When finished, Phillips asked, “Lieutenant Braddock, would you have the hands gather near the quarterdeck?”

When the hands were gathered, he handed the lieutenant his orders and asked him to read them to the crew. When finished, he addressed the crew briefly, “Men, I am sorry for the loss of your captain due to illness. I am sure he has trained you well and we will use that training to inflict upon the enemy such injury that he will not wish to come near England again.”

In an aside, Phillips told Braddock, “Release the men, but keep both watches on deck for now. I expect sailing orders at any moment. Are we ready to go to sea?”

“Yes sir, we have our stores and are only lacking about ten men. However, many of the crew are landsmen and the seamen have not been worked up.”

“Lieutenant Braddock, I seem to have missed meeting our master. Is he aboard?”

“Yes Sir, he reported sick and is in his cabin.”

“Mister Braddock, once we get to sea, please see what you can do to get our people in a proper state. In the meantime, getting out of the harbor without embarrassment is the first of our priorities. Now, who is our signal midshipman?”

Braddock introduced a gangly midshipman, apparently a few years younger than the first officer. He answered to the name of Mr. Midshipman Withers. “Mister Withers”, Phillips ordered, “Signal the flag, HMS Exeter is ready to proceed.”

There was a delay, while the nervous first officer went around the ship, pointing out defects to the appropriate people. Finally, the lookout reported, “Boat coming to us from the Flag.”

Phillips removed a glass from the binnacle. The launch was indeed coming directly toward the Exeter. A figure in the stern had his cloak pulled down so he could see the gold epaulettes on each shoulder.

Warning the first officer they were about to be visited by a full captain, the ship was instantly in a state of turmoil, with everyone rushing to stow whatever odds and ends were adrift. As the boat neared, she answered the challenge by a shouted ‘Majestic’.

Phillips raised his hat to the officer, wondering how he was supposed to entertain the man. His new stores had just been lifted on board and had still not been struck below. He had no servant appointed and he not set foot in his cabins yet. He did not even know if he had a table for entertaining or dining.

Deciding to take the bull by the horns, upon greeting the officer at the entry port, Phillips said, “Captain, I have just stepped aboard myself a few minutes ago and have yet to enter my cabin. I must apologize for my lack of preparation.”

As Braddock came close and mouthed “Captain Raleigh” in his ear, Raleigh waved off his apologies. “The admiral and I both know how busy a captain is when he takes his ship to sea, especially for the first time. I have brought with me a basket of cold food and the admiral contributed a dozen of Madeira of which he is right proud. My servant can serve us, perhaps here on the quarterdeck, if you are able to supply us with a table and chairs. Thus we can watch, while your first officer takes your ship to sea.”

Phillips beckoned his frantic lieutenant over and murmured quietly. “The captain wants to eat an early lunch here on our quarterdeck. Do you suppose we can have a small table with two chairs brought up? The Captain’s servant will serve us.”

The wretched officer nodded his understanding. Phillips elaborated, “The captain wants to see you take the ship to sea, while we dine. I realize this is a horrible spot to put you in, but I am as helpless as you are. If you wish, you can tell the men they will get a double ration of grog, once we are at sea, if we can pull this off without crippling ourselves.”

In a matter of minutes, the wardroom servant and his mate had delivered a table and chairs to the quarterdeck and the fascinated crew observed the visiting servant setting the table with a snowy cloth and gleaming silver.

The food was merely a pair of cold roasted chickens and cold roast beef. A loaf of crusty bread, fresh from the shore side ovens was sliced by the servant and the two set to, watching the ship win her cable, while Madeira wine was sipped. The men on the capstan bars using every bit of effort their bodies could generate slowly pulled the ship up to the anchor. “Up and down.” shouted a master’s mate stationed near the hawse. Then he shouted, “Anchor a trip.”

With the ship still moving ahead from the impetus of the capstan, Braddock announced, “Hands make sail.” Topmen scrambling in the rigging loosed the big sails to catch the forenoon breeze. The capstan pawl clicking more rapidly now, the anchor rose toward the hawse. While seamen secured the anchor to the cathead, landsmen on the braces trimmed the sails to the breeze. Gradually, the slowing ship, began moving ahead under the force of the wind.

Captain Raleigh wiped his lips with a napkin. Putting it down, he addressed Phillips and Braddock, who had come over to see about new orders. “Gentlemen, I am very pleased with what I have seen today. You have an excellent ship and a capable crew. Please accept the remains of the food and wine with my compliments. I have not seen your sailing master in the activities today. The same old problem, I suppose?”

“Sir, the master has reported sick this morning. I have not had the opportunity to ask the surgeon about his status, yet,”

“I see. Well, good luck gentlemen.”

Braddock ordered the main topsail backed, in order to take some of the way off the ship, while Captain Raleigh stepped down into his launch. Phillips saw his people had entertained the visiting oarsmen very well. More than one caught a crab with his oar as the boat crew tried to cope with the chop.