Richard Testrake - (Sea Command 2) by Richard Testrake

Author:Richard Testrake [Testrake, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-01-18T00:00:00+00:00

A day later, the pair was approaching Sicily when sails were sighted ahead. Leaving the slower brig behind, Valkyrie hoisted all the canvas she could carry and pursued, ordering the tricolor flown, as well as a signal in the French naval code saying she was a French national corvette based at Toulon, requiring the convoy to stop and submit to search.

The strangers were indeed French, a small convoy being escorted by a tricolor-flagged pinque privateer, mounting ten guns. Midshipman Adolphus, in his capacity as signal officer, informed his captain the privateer was inquiring why she must stop and be searched. Mullins told him to report a dangerous prisoner had escaped and the corvette was searching all ships to find the felon.

Obediently, the privateer backed her mizzen topsail and waited for the supposed corvette to come up. Valkyrie came up to the privateer’s starboard quarter, then turned to port so she was close to the vessel’s stern. With the pinque between Valkyrie and the convoy, the British ship was partly obscured to the convoy. Mullins then had the starboard battery run out and the British colors hoisted. The pinque’s captain immediately saw his situation. With eleven guns at point blank range of his stern, and no means to reply, he had no choice. Throwing his hat on the deck, his own flag came down.

Mister Daniels took his Marines and some seamen over to take possession. The sloop-of-war remained in a covering position until it was ascertained the prize was under control.

Coming around the new prize, Valkyrie made for the nearest vessel, a schooner-rigged craft. Her captain had grown suspicious and attempted to get under sail, but a pair of nine-pound shot convinced him to stop. Mister Ralston went over to her with a few seamen and now it was time to go after the others.

The three remaining members of the convoy got under sail and scattered. After a short chase of one promising target, it spread more canvas and showed a surprising turn of speed. Uncomfortable about leaving the prizes he had already taken, Mullins ordered the ship back to them.

Daniels had taken effective control of the pinque and was securing the prisoners. Mister Ralston however, thinking he just had a few merchant crew to deal with, found he had a dozen armed French Army officers below, not at all eager to be taken. The officers were mainly armed with pistols and swords, while Ralston’s seamen had Tower muskets, but even so, a deadly little skirmish broke out below decks.

In their darkened cabin, with these small arms, the enemy officers were able to hold their own for a time, but more men were sent over and the rebellion was quelled, with one seaman left groaning on the deck with a pistol ball in his belly. Another had a sword cut on his arm and three of the enemy officers were mortally wounded with musket ball wounds.

Their earlier capture, the sulphur laden brig, now came up and it was time to decide what to do with these captures.

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