A Fine Tops'l Breeze: Volume Two in the War of 1812 Trilogy by White William

Author:White, William [White, William]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Seafiction Press
Published: 2014-07-27T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Aye, we seen a passel of small craft all around us last night. Real late, it was. Some was yellin’ somethin’ ‘bout Chesapeake and a battle, but couldn’t make much o’ what they was sayin’” Isaac Biggs leaned over the General Washington’s larboard bulwark along with Bosun Dobson. They were talking with a pair of men drifting alongside in a fishing smack.

“Well, I can tell you this, brother. Me an’ me mate here, we was out there, and it was some kind o’ terrible. Them Brits just kept a poundin’ an’ poundin’ the Chesapeake. Cap’n Jim had his riggin’ all cut up and couldn’t get the frigate through stays. Seems like it wasn’t any time ‘tall ‘til them British bastards swarmed all over him and, short-handed like he was, he couldn’t fight ‘em off. Reckon he hadda strike to save his men, an’ the ship. Terrible, it were, just terrible.” The captain of the fishing boat shook his head. The two privateersmen noticed with surprise that the fisherman actually had tears in his eyes as he recounted the disaster that had befallen the Chesapeake.

“That musta been what them two big vessels we steered clear of last night when we was comin’ in was, Mister Biggs. Thought they looked too big to be privateers – even in the dark.” Dobson scratched his head thoughtfully as he recalled that Captain Rogers had made a wide detour around the two vessels in the early morning hours, as the General returned to Salem from another successful cruise. All thought it strange that they were showing lights on their decks, but Asa Rogers wasn’t about to close them to investigate, no matter how strange it appeared.

“I reckon we should pass that on to Cap’n Rogers, Bosun. Might be that it changes his plans.” Biggs started aft to act on his thought.

The two met Captain Rogers as he unfolded his lanky frame from the aft companionway and, as was his habit, looked first aloft, and then around the deck of his ship before speaking to anyone. All appeared in order.

“What’s on your mind, Mister Biggs?”

“Well Cap’n, Dobson an’ me just got done talkin’ with some coves in that fishin’ boat yonder,” Isaac pointed to the vessel now full and by in the easy northwesterly breeze and heading past Salem Neck, “an’ thought you might be interested in what they had to say. Sounded to us like Cap’n Lawrence took Chesapeake out yesterday and got hisself beat pretty bad by some British frigate – HMS Shannon, it was. I believe that was the self-same vessel Dickerson an’ me run afoul of back in February, bringin’ in that Brit merchant from up off Nova Scotia. Didn’t think she was still around these waters. Wonder what’s gonna happen to Lawrence an’ his crew. Guess what’s left o’ the Chesapeake’ll be taken in, prob’ly to Halifax, be my guess.”

Asa Rogers looked thoughtfully at the now distant fishing vessel, the bearer of this awful news, and came rapidly to a decision as to his course of action – at least an immediate one.

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