everything aboard and then she had to move out into the harbor to receive ammunition to replace that shot away at the enemy.
While engaged with this activity, a powder hoy, delivering its load of deadly propellant, handed over six men being drafted to Valkyrie. These were ostensibly replacements for men injured in the recent actions, but those few had not been badly injured and were still aboard ship, expected to fully recover.
The new men were hardly bargains, five had been imprisoned for various petty crimes and were being released to the Navy instead of serving their time in cells. The fifth was a former forester who had been caught taking an unreasonable amount of his lord’s game. It was almost expected the woodsman would help himself to the occasional hare or partridge, but the young stag Bob Warner shot was beyond the pale. The lord had hoped this animal would mature into a worthy trophy, and his anger at its demise could have sent the forester to the gallows. Instead, he had been given the option of entering the Royal Navy.
In the event, these men were given their ratings as landsmen, and the first lieutenant hoped he might make seamen of at least several of them.
At his summons to the flag, Mullins met with the flag captain and was given his orders. Since he had experience with the French coastal waters of the Channel, he was assigned to the Inshore Squadron of the blockade in the Le Havre area.
After his duties were explained, the flag captain touched on the matter of the enemy batteries ruined and the guns recovered.
“Captain Mullins, you must be applauded for your actions against the shore batteries. I wonder why you went to the trouble to bring those guns back, though.”
Mullins explained how he had discovered some French shore batteries were armed with recovered British guns and had decided to bring back as many as he could.
“Just where are these guns at the moment?”
: Sir, we recovered four guns at the second battery we took. I had four empty gun ports and they are now mounted on gun carriages at those ports, ready for use.”
The flag captain asked, “You do realize these extra guns will have no effect on your command? HMS Valkyrie will still remain a non-rated sloop-of-war, commanded by a commander.”
Mullins offered to land the guns, but his supervisor demurred.
“I suspect the guns will be most effectively used on Valkyrie’s deck, rather than rusting in a warehouse on shore. You may as well keep the guns, being prepared to turn them in whenever asked.”
With these formalities out of the day, they went on to discuss the challenges of the close blockade of coastal France. The flag captain reminded Mullins that much of the military supplies for the French forces in the field were transported by sea. “Even a small coaster will carry more than a whole train of wagons and arrive faster, as long as it is not interdicted by our blockaders. The captains of these coasters will be constantly thinking of ways to get their cargos past your vigil. You, in turn must find means to surprise them.”
This would be hazardous duty, especially in gale conditions but it was necessary. It could also be profitable, as evidenced by the success of his preliminary cruise in HMS Valkyrie.
Since the onshore wind would prohibit sailing until it veered, Mullins thought it safe to visit the nearby chandlers to purchase some cabin supplies.
Taking his servant with him to carry the purchases, they took the gig ashore and hired a light wagon for the shopping expedition. After nearly filling the wagon, Davis cleared his throat and wondered where all this food could be stored aboard ship.
Getting the point, Mullins stowed his purse and ordered Davis to take the purchases back to the ship. They were near the George Inn and he thought he would step in, have a drink and see if there would be any acquaintances, with whom he might reminisce. The inn was crowded, with no place to sit, so he stood at the bar,
While engaged with this activity, a powder hoy, delivering its load of deadly propellant, handed over six men being drafted to Valkyrie. These were ostensibly replacements for men injured in the recent actions, but those few had not been badly injured and were still aboard ship, expected to fully recover.
The new men were hardly bargains, five had been imprisoned for various petty crimes and were being released to the Navy instead of serving their time in cells. The fifth was a former forester who had been caught taking an unreasonable amount of his lord’s game. It was almost expected the woodsman would help himself to the occasional hare or partridge, but the young stag Bob Warner shot was beyond the pale. The lord had hoped this animal would mature into a worthy trophy, and his anger at its demise could have sent the forester to the gallows. Instead, he had been given the option of entering the Royal Navy.
In the event, these men were given their ratings as landsmen, and the first lieutenant hoped he might make seamen of at least several of them.
At his summons to the flag, Mullins met with the flag captain and was given his orders. Since he had experience with the French coastal waters of the Channel, he was assigned to the Inshore Squadron of the blockade in the Le Havre area.
After his duties were explained, the flag captain touched on the matter of the enemy batteries ruined and the guns recovered.
“Captain Mullins, you must be applauded for your actions against the shore batteries. I wonder why you went to the trouble to bring those guns back, though.”
Mullins explained how he had discovered some French shore batteries were armed with recovered British guns and had decided to bring back as many as he could.
“Just where are these guns at the moment?”
: Sir, we recovered four guns at the second battery we took. I had four empty gun ports and they are now mounted on gun carriages at those ports, ready for use.”
The flag captain asked, “You do realize these extra guns will have no effect on your command? HMS Valkyrie will still remain a non-rated sloop-of-war, commanded by a commander.”
Mullins offered to land the guns, but his supervisor demurred.
“I suspect the guns will be most effectively used on Valkyrie’s deck, rather than rusting in a warehouse on shore. You may as well keep the guns, being prepared to turn them in whenever asked.”
With these formalities out of the day, they went on to discuss the challenges of the close blockade of coastal France. The flag captain reminded Mullins that much of the military supplies for the French forces in the field were transported by sea. “Even a small coaster will carry more than a whole train of wagons and arrive faster, as long as it is not interdicted by our blockaders. The captains of these coasters will be constantly thinking of ways to get their cargos past your vigil. You, in turn must find means to surprise them.”
This would be hazardous duty, especially in gale conditions but it was necessary. It could also be profitable, as evidenced by the success of his preliminary cruise in HMS Valkyrie.
Since the onshore wind would prohibit sailing until it veered, Mullins thought it safe to visit the nearby chandlers to purchase some cabin supplies.
Taking his servant with him to carry the purchases, they took the gig ashore and hired a light wagon for the shopping expedition. After nearly filling the wagon, Davis cleared his throat and wondered where all this food could be stored aboard ship.
Getting the point, Mullins stowed his purse and ordered Davis to take the purchases back to the ship. They were near the George Inn and he thought he would step in, have a drink and see if there would be any acquaintances, with whom he might reminisce. The inn was crowded, with no place to sit, so he stood at the bar,
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