Greyfoot
Sailor
09/05/1665
The men are restless.
I can feel the tension whenever I walk amongst them. The lack of wind and the scorching heat doesn`t help their mood either. Rum an food are plentyful in the lower holds but the pointless sailing seems to have taken its toll.
I can feel it too. We set sail from Guadeloupe a fortnight ago in the hope to catch some lone traders under the flag of Holland or better yet, Spain.
On the 15th day the shout of the scout woke me up in the morning.
-Land ho!
Consarn it! We reached the shores of Nevis without seeing any ship nevermind enemy patrols or merchants. If we weigh anchor here half the men would desert-most of them are young greenhorns recruited less than a month ago in Fort de France. They eager to see some combat but I ain`t gonna depend on them alone. I still have some hardened gunners but they are small in numbers.
I just paid the crew of 26 500 pieces of eight and that included some repairs and maintenance cost back in port. Little they know that my purse is almost empty-I won`t be able to pay them in June unless...
-Sail ho!
I ran to the bridge and raised my spyglass towards the horizon. 3 ships crossed our path-they were sailing form south towards north slowly in line approximately 5miles away. We had the wind in our back we could cut their way if we hurried.
-Beat to quarters!!!
The deck came alive:-sailors were running everywhere, eagerly doing they job the best they could. Within a half an hour I could make out the ships in front of us: a barque, a brig and a schooner two for protection as the barque was sailing slowly indeed and her hull was submerged from the heavy cargo she carried. I took a quick glance to their banners but I already knew:-Dutch!
-Hoist the colours!
I had my plan knowing the dutch and their tactics, I was smiling but my heart pounded heavily in anticipation.
I looked down from the bridge: 170 souls, on a single decked schooner seven fourteen pounder on both sides. The enemy numbers were at least three times that and I could see the fear in the eyes of my men.
But I had a plan...
The dutch were also on full alertand the two escort ships suddenly changed direction-they tried to cut our path while the barque slowly turned north-northeast in a desperate attempt to gain speed.
Just as I expected.
-Full sails, heading north-northeast!
The brig and the schooner were sailing against the wind but they hoped that they can bring us down within minutes with a few broadsides. In fact they were if it was not for my skilled gunners.
They already loaded knipples and ran all cannons out waiting for my mark to shoot on starboard.
Within a few minutes everything seemed like a big smokey chaos. When the smoke settled we past the two escort ship. The brig`s sails were damaged and hanged lifeless from the masts thanks to my gunners excellent aiming. Soon we gained additional distance from the pursuing warships and got closer to the fleeing barque.
I looked down and saw that around a dozen of my men died from the enemy`s broadsides and another dozen were lying in agony and pain. They weren`t going to see the next day but I couldn`t care less. All of them fresh recruits, pirate-wannabe greenhorns. They knew-or at least they thought they knew-what it means to be a pirate. Kill or get killed.
In another hour or so and we were within firing distance of our cannons but I did not want to waste any time shooting at the barque as the two escort were still trying to catch up with us.
I judged their distance at around 800 yards-well over beyond the reach of their twenty-four pounders. By the time we caught up with the barque I could clearly see the shores of Nevis, the Fort of Charles was 2 miles away to the east. The wind just turned from south westernly to westernly.
My cannoners already loaded grapes and the boarding party were eagerly awaitng below decks well armed.
We caught the barque on her starboard and what ensued after the grapeshots swept through her decks is pure horror. My greenhornes with pure bloodlust killed every single sailor. I have never seen men so cruel and bloodthirsty before. On my way down I kicked the door of the captain`s cabin. The fat dutch merchant was just about to draw his sword when his brains splattered all over his cabin`s wall from one shot of my pistol.
The fight wass over but the battle was far from it. I ran up to the quarter deck and one of my men said they found the lower cargo holds packed full with what looked like raw copper.
I quickly ran down while shouting orders to load the cargo over to our ship. I estimated that the full load of copper would slow us down but still. Decision had to be made.
Luckily while chasing the barque I ordered the men to free up our cargo hold and prepare the equipment to transfer the enemy`s cargo.
It took the men less than an hour to finish loading, while I calculated the distance between us and the warships. They were about 500 yards away.
I ordered the men to set the barque on fire and we quickly set sail and turned the ship towards Charlestown. However the full load and the slight damage to the sails slowed us down considerably.
The two warships got closer and closer now cannon balls were flying over our heads. The safety of Fort de Charles was still at least a thousand miles away.
The next two hours seemed like an eternity. The brig got within 300 yards and slowly started to turn to her portside. I swear I could see the fear in the eyes of the men but there was something else...
Proud, satisfaction and respect. Some say baptism by fire is the best, I guess they right about that! These greenhornes have earned their place on a pirate-ship. pn my ship!
Loud, deep roaring noise shook me back into reality. I looked up and saw smoke rising from the top of the walls and bastions of the fort. With a broad smile on my face I turned around and saw the two warships turning sharply away. The next thing I heard was a loud explosion and such a powerful shockwave that I almost lost my balance. It seemed that the brig`s powder kegs were hit by a bomb. The whole ship shaterred and blown into oblivion,
-Hooray!!!
My men cheered and I was satisfied too if not happy. We survived and not only that we managed to capture and plunder a dutch barque! Today was a great day, I finish my ale and try to get some sleep here in Charlestown-tomorrow I have to negotiate with the local merchant to buy off our cargo somehow and restock the ship`s supplies.
We might stay for a few more days here.
The men deserve some rest.
Extract from the logbook of Captain Peter Blood
The men are restless.
I can feel the tension whenever I walk amongst them. The lack of wind and the scorching heat doesn`t help their mood either. Rum an food are plentyful in the lower holds but the pointless sailing seems to have taken its toll.
I can feel it too. We set sail from Guadeloupe a fortnight ago in the hope to catch some lone traders under the flag of Holland or better yet, Spain.
On the 15th day the shout of the scout woke me up in the morning.
-Land ho!
Consarn it! We reached the shores of Nevis without seeing any ship nevermind enemy patrols or merchants. If we weigh anchor here half the men would desert-most of them are young greenhorns recruited less than a month ago in Fort de France. They eager to see some combat but I ain`t gonna depend on them alone. I still have some hardened gunners but they are small in numbers.
I just paid the crew of 26 500 pieces of eight and that included some repairs and maintenance cost back in port. Little they know that my purse is almost empty-I won`t be able to pay them in June unless...
-Sail ho!
I ran to the bridge and raised my spyglass towards the horizon. 3 ships crossed our path-they were sailing form south towards north slowly in line approximately 5miles away. We had the wind in our back we could cut their way if we hurried.
-Beat to quarters!!!
The deck came alive:-sailors were running everywhere, eagerly doing they job the best they could. Within a half an hour I could make out the ships in front of us: a barque, a brig and a schooner two for protection as the barque was sailing slowly indeed and her hull was submerged from the heavy cargo she carried. I took a quick glance to their banners but I already knew:-Dutch!
-Hoist the colours!
I had my plan knowing the dutch and their tactics, I was smiling but my heart pounded heavily in anticipation.
I looked down from the bridge: 170 souls, on a single decked schooner seven fourteen pounder on both sides. The enemy numbers were at least three times that and I could see the fear in the eyes of my men.
But I had a plan...
The dutch were also on full alertand the two escort ships suddenly changed direction-they tried to cut our path while the barque slowly turned north-northeast in a desperate attempt to gain speed.
Just as I expected.
-Full sails, heading north-northeast!
The brig and the schooner were sailing against the wind but they hoped that they can bring us down within minutes with a few broadsides. In fact they were if it was not for my skilled gunners.
They already loaded knipples and ran all cannons out waiting for my mark to shoot on starboard.
Within a few minutes everything seemed like a big smokey chaos. When the smoke settled we past the two escort ship. The brig`s sails were damaged and hanged lifeless from the masts thanks to my gunners excellent aiming. Soon we gained additional distance from the pursuing warships and got closer to the fleeing barque.
I looked down and saw that around a dozen of my men died from the enemy`s broadsides and another dozen were lying in agony and pain. They weren`t going to see the next day but I couldn`t care less. All of them fresh recruits, pirate-wannabe greenhorns. They knew-or at least they thought they knew-what it means to be a pirate. Kill or get killed.
In another hour or so and we were within firing distance of our cannons but I did not want to waste any time shooting at the barque as the two escort were still trying to catch up with us.
I judged their distance at around 800 yards-well over beyond the reach of their twenty-four pounders. By the time we caught up with the barque I could clearly see the shores of Nevis, the Fort of Charles was 2 miles away to the east. The wind just turned from south westernly to westernly.
My cannoners already loaded grapes and the boarding party were eagerly awaitng below decks well armed.
We caught the barque on her starboard and what ensued after the grapeshots swept through her decks is pure horror. My greenhornes with pure bloodlust killed every single sailor. I have never seen men so cruel and bloodthirsty before. On my way down I kicked the door of the captain`s cabin. The fat dutch merchant was just about to draw his sword when his brains splattered all over his cabin`s wall from one shot of my pistol.
The fight wass over but the battle was far from it. I ran up to the quarter deck and one of my men said they found the lower cargo holds packed full with what looked like raw copper.
I quickly ran down while shouting orders to load the cargo over to our ship. I estimated that the full load of copper would slow us down but still. Decision had to be made.
Luckily while chasing the barque I ordered the men to free up our cargo hold and prepare the equipment to transfer the enemy`s cargo.
It took the men less than an hour to finish loading, while I calculated the distance between us and the warships. They were about 500 yards away.
I ordered the men to set the barque on fire and we quickly set sail and turned the ship towards Charlestown. However the full load and the slight damage to the sails slowed us down considerably.
The two warships got closer and closer now cannon balls were flying over our heads. The safety of Fort de Charles was still at least a thousand miles away.
The next two hours seemed like an eternity. The brig got within 300 yards and slowly started to turn to her portside. I swear I could see the fear in the eyes of the men but there was something else...
Proud, satisfaction and respect. Some say baptism by fire is the best, I guess they right about that! These greenhornes have earned their place on a pirate-ship. pn my ship!
Loud, deep roaring noise shook me back into reality. I looked up and saw smoke rising from the top of the walls and bastions of the fort. With a broad smile on my face I turned around and saw the two warships turning sharply away. The next thing I heard was a loud explosion and such a powerful shockwave that I almost lost my balance. It seemed that the brig`s powder kegs were hit by a bomb. The whole ship shaterred and blown into oblivion,
-Hooray!!!
My men cheered and I was satisfied too if not happy. We survived and not only that we managed to capture and plunder a dutch barque! Today was a great day, I finish my ale and try to get some sleep here in Charlestown-tomorrow I have to negotiate with the local merchant to buy off our cargo somehow and restock the ship`s supplies.
We might stay for a few more days here.
The men deserve some rest.
Extract from the logbook of Captain Peter Blood
