CHAPTER 20 - KEVIN'S FIRST TASTE OF WAR
Kevin stood off by himself leaning on the side of the deck railing watching the waves smashing against the bow of the Essex alone with his thoughts. In just a few short weeks his life had turned upside down. He had been a farmer's son who had never been more than a day's walk from the place where he had been born. His greatest taste of excitement had been going to market once a year.
He missed his father, he missed the farm he even missed Annie his mule. He hoped she was fine and well fed. Life aboard ship had transformed him. His arms and legs were sore from climbing the rigging of the Essex. Mr. Hagney had been working the crew hard, climbing the rigging, trimming the sails, manning the cannons, every day, hour after hour the same drills over and over again.
Life aboard the Essex had become a routine of drills and more drills. Mr. Hagney had transformed as well from a lighthearted man, full of the formalities, to a hardened drill master.
Even now alone with his thoughts the loud booming voice of Mr. Hagney reminded Kevin that the Essex was a ship of war and not a ship of commerce as the Concord had been.
With the large contingent of strangers aboard the Essex, Kevin had to share a bunk with one of the O'Malley brothers. Kevin's day had been divided into a strict regimen. He took the morning watch in the crow's nest, then he assisted his Aunt Kate with her duties, then he trained with the crew, then he served at the officer's table and then and only then was it his turn to sleep.
He stood at the railing awaiting his shift to train with the crew, a brief respite from the routine that had become his life.
He had gone to Sea, he had mustered for battle, he had seen a man fall from the rigging to his death. The sound of the thud the man's head made when he hit the deck still haunted him. He had never seen a man die before and the fear of falling gripped him every time he clawed his way up to the crow's nest. Last night two men went missing and were presumed to have fallen overboard during a brief storm.
We are all farmers and not sailors, thought Kevin. There was no way out, he would have to become a sailor or die in the trying. His thoughts were interrupted by the call from the crow's nest.
"Sail Ho!"
The entire crew of the Essex fell silent and briefly stood still.
"She is French!"
Captain Lewis took his spy glass, scanning the horizon he found the sails of a merchantman, riding low and slow in the water. A smile came upon his face, she was loaded down with cargo and heading towards the Essex. She was trapped for she was to the south and the east of the Essex. The French captain could only flee to the north and west and straight for the coast of Virginia. Perhaps the Frenchman would turn about and head south to try and out run the Essex, but given the speed that she was traveling that would be a fools choice.
Captain Lewis put away his spyglass and called out.
"Beat to Quarters!"
And with that the drum began to sound and the entire crew of the Essex sprung to life.
Kevin ran, without even thinking to the armory as he had been trained to do. He found there Kate O'Donnell Lewis, handing the muskets to the Select Men, men of war from Ireland who Mr. Hagney had personally recruited. Kate glanced over as Kevin entered the armory.
"You're late, hurry up lad!"
As Kate handed the Select men the muskets, Kevin handed out the powder horns and shot. As soon as Kevin handed the powder horns and shot the Select Men ran from the armory and into the rigging of the Essex. When the muskets had all been disbursed, the boarding crew was issued cutlasses and hatchets, a boarding crew of 40 men. Having issued all the the weapons from the armory, Kate turned to Kevin, winked and said:
"Kevin, take your station in the powder room."
Kevin smiled back, it was the wink a little sign of affection from his Aunt, affection that his heart desperately needed. Kevin ran through the Essex to the powder room, where Mr. Howard had been busy, in his nightshirt, measuring out the gun powder into small tubes of leather for the the cannons. Out of the corner of his eye Mr. Howard saw Kevin running towards the powder room.
"Take off your shoes Kevin, the buckles, take off your shoes if those damn buckles spark we are all dead!"
Kevin in all his excitement, had forgotten his training. He quickly slipped off his shoes, downhearted for his foolish mistake, a mistake he would not make again.
Sheepishly he came to the door of the powder room and stood before Mr. Howard, who smiled.
"That's a good lad, we will all do better next time."
Mr. Howard had a way about him, a way to instill confidence, a way to restore confidence, the men always sought to please him and to do better. It was just something about him, a sternness in command and yet a kindness in rebuke.
The leather tubes of powder were hung about a long pole, six on each side, and the Kevin took the pole on his shoulders and quickly ran from the powder room to the starboard guns where each load of powder was given to each of the guns.
As soon as Kevin had distributed the powder he ran back to Mr. Howard, who handed him another pole.
"Hurry lad, we need to get three loads to the cannons!"
Kevin once again put the pole about his shoulders and ran up the stairs to the deck where the gunners quickly took the load off the pole. Then back again for the third and final load. His legs began to tremble just a bit and his lungs began to hurt but still Kevin ran as fast as he could back to the powder room for the final load. Mr. Howard stood a the entrance of the powder room with another pole with the carefully measured loads of powder. Kevin quickly slung the pole on his shoulders and ran back on deck. When the last gunner took the final load Kevin leaned over the side of the railings and looked over the horizon to find the French merchant ship.
The Captain of the merchantman had come about in a vain attempt to outrun the Essex. Kevin stood panting heavily, knowing he had to return to the powder room but the sight of the merchantman moving slowly and low in the water captivated him. It was Mr. Marshall who gently put his hand on Kevin's shoulder.
"Be a good lad, and return to the powder room, Mr. Howard will be worried at your delay."
Kevin turned back and slowly made his way back to the powder room.
Captain Lewis stood on the aft deck eyeing the merchant ship. The wind was to the back of the Essex and she quickly closed in on the French ship. He would come in behind her and then slightly off to her starboard side exposing the merchantman to the port guns of the Essex. He did not want to sink her he wanted her to surrender for a sunken cargo was a worthless cargo.
The French Captain desperately looked up at the sails, hoping to see them full of a wind that would carry him to safety. But alas the wind had died down, he knew that within the hour the English ship would overtake him. His men looked upon him with terror in their eyes. His first mate came along beside him and whispered.
"She is still flying the flag of England, she is not a pirate ship. If we surrender, we shall live, if we fight we shall surely die."
"Not yet." the captain retorted.
The Captain looked back over his shoulder as the Essex appeared much closer to his stern. He could make out the men in the rigging of the Essex armed with muskets, as well as a large group of men waiving their swords in the air. He gave one last look in the sails, still not enough wind, if he could only out run the English until nightfall then perhaps he could give them the slip. He looked up a the Sun and to his dismay it still hung high in the mid day sky.
Captain Lewis gave the orders.
"Roll out the cannons!"
And with the order the crew of the Essex rolled out her cannons. It must have been the sight of the cannons that finally convinced the French captain that his situation was futile.
"Strike the colors and furl the sails."
This was the last command that the French Captain would give aboard his own ship. The crew of the Essex upon seeing the French banner being struck gave a loud cheer for delight. Not a single shot had been fired, not a single life had been lost and their fortunes had been greatly enhanced, silver would surely fill their pockets. For much of the crew, who had yet to go to war upon the Sea, it all seemed too easy, and truth be known it was all too easy.
As the Essex pulled along side the French merchantman the watchman from the crow's nest once again called out.
"Sail ho!"
"She is French!"
Captain Lewis grabbed his spyglass and searched the horizon for the sails. He spied the small ship, a brigantine, a scout ship of the French navy. And where there was a brigantine, there would most certainly be French ships of the line. As soon as he had spied the French brigantine, the ship began to come about, for the French had spied the Essex.
Captain Lewis, uttered a single word.
"Damn"
He had to quickly secure the merchantman and then give chase to the French brigantine, for if she reported the Essex to the French navy, there would be hell to be paid.
"Mr. Howard and Mr Hagney!" Captain Lewis cried out.
It was Mr. Hagney who was the first to arrive by his captain's side.
"Mr. Hagney, secure the French crew aboard the Essex immediately. Gather a prize crew to man her. If I had time I would transfer some of her cargo but I fear we shall not have anytime for the French navy is lurking about."
"Aye Captain, may I suggest the men from Poqosoun, and Mr. O'Malley, it will be a skeleton crew but they should be able to manage her."
"Fine, but the Dutchman shall remain aboard the Essex for I fear we shall have need of his skills. Where is Mr. Howard? Mr. Howard!"
Mr. Howard had heard his Captain call, but before leaving the powder room he secured the kegs of powder. Then he ran on deck in his nightshirt and covered with black powder. The men laughed at the sight of the officer in his nightshirt.
"Sir, my humble apologizes for my appearance."
Captain Lewis smiled trying not to laugh.
"Mr. Howard, we have a small problem. You see, the French navy is somewhere out there to the north, and unfortunately we have been sighted. I need for you to immediately take command of the French merchantman. Mr. Hagney is gathering a prize crew to sail her. I want you to sail east as if you are heading towards Norfolk, I fear that being so heavily laden she will not make it before the French navy is upon us. Come nightfall, you will change course to the south and head for Bermuda. I shall meet you there. Do you understand?"
"Aye Aaron, I understand, may I have a moment to change."
"Of course but make it quick."
Mr. Howard did make it quick and after changing took command of the French merchantman sailing east towards Norfolk.
"Mr. Hagney, it is time for the Essex to pursue that French brigantine. Make ready and fill the sails."
"Aye Captain!"
The sails of the Essex once again filled with a hard south wind as she began her pursuit of the French brigantine. It would be a race, the French seeking to out run the Essex and report her activity to the French navy and the Essex seeking to sink her before she could sound the alarm.
The hunter had become the hunted.