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Book: HMS Aurora: A Charles Mullins Novel (Sea Command Book 3) by Richard Testrake
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Authors: Richard Testrake
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men were drafted away to be sent to other warships on more immediate missions. Neither Dooley and Strake had been heard from since their departure, and Mullin’s report had long since been sent to the Admiralty Mullins was becoming exasperated just swinging around the anchor, seeing his crew evaporating every day.
At length though, just as he was considering giving up the command, Aurora’s fortunes reversed. One day, a lighter, bringing provisions, also delivered a dozen hands. Granted, these men were nothing to brag about, with only one real seaman among them, but it was certainly an improvement over the past weeks.
Supplies suddenly began coming aboard faster than they could be consumed, then the orders arrived. It was to be the Med for them, and to make matters better, they would be on Admiralty orders. Any prizes taken would not be shared with a local admiral commanding. A brief interview with the flag captain revealed Bonaparte, having failed with his attempts on Ireland, was insistent upon the invasion of Britain, itself.
To that end, small craft were being constructed in every French port and delivered to the main embarkation port of Boulogne. Mullins was informed Admiral Nelson had been placed in command of the naval forces defending against this attack. Upon sailing, he was to find that commander and deliver what information Whitehall had been able to gather. While in contact with Admiral Nelson, HMS Aurora was to be placed under Nelson’s command until no longer needed, then she would proceed, first to Gibraltar, then into the Mediterranean.
There was some question what the French Army troops left behind in Egypt by Napoleon were actually up to. Their mission in the inland sea would be to investigate thoroughly the French actions and report anything extraordinary to London.
Their status in Portsmouth Harbor was utterly different than it had been, with men coming aboard, sometimes before they were even requested. Finally, their sailing orders came, brought aboard by a harried lieutenant from the flag. Mister Midshipman Adolphus was aboard, after a hiatus with his Royal relatives, and he resumed his position as signal officer.
On Mullin’s order, the young man directed his signalman to run up the hoist indicating their readiness to sail. Upon receiving the affirmative from the flag, it was time to leave.
Their departure was not as professional appearing as Mullins may have wished. The weeks of swinging at anchor had resulted in their anchor cable becoming fouled in some ancient wreckage on the harbor bottom. Despite the best efforts of Mister Daley, the ship remained fast to the underwater obstruction. Some of the hands came close to rupturing themselves as they strained on the capstan bars, without effect. Probably the easiest solution would have been to simply cut the cable and leave their anchor on the bottom.
However, Mullins was not anxious to endure the questioning on why he had abandoned a perfectly good anchor on the harbor bottom.
With curious eyes about the harbor focusing on Aurora’s difficulty, Mullins took matters into his own hands. To the accompaniment of alarming sounds from the rigging, he tried to sail the ship from her predicament.
Mister Davis was visibly frantic as the ship strained at her entrapment. Although Captain Mullins had the ship under his orders, all knew the sailing master would have his fair share of the blame if Aurora was damaged during this evolution.
Suddenly, with some dangerous sounding cracking noises, the ship tore free and she was now under sail out of the harbor as though nothing untoward had ever happened. The ship had been embarrassed, but not overwhelmingly so, and those shaking heads seen about the harbor would have something else to criticize long before the ship made port again.
Chapter Nine
It was a short stretch across the Channel to Boulogne which Aurora made without further incident and Mullins soon had the ship saluting the flag of
At length though, just as he was considering giving up the command, Aurora’s fortunes reversed. One day, a lighter, bringing provisions, also delivered a dozen hands. Granted, these men were nothing to brag about, with only one real seaman among them, but it was certainly an improvement over the past weeks.
Supplies suddenly began coming aboard faster than they could be consumed, then the orders arrived. It was to be the Med for them, and to make matters better, they would be on Admiralty orders. Any prizes taken would not be shared with a local admiral commanding. A brief interview with the flag captain revealed Bonaparte, having failed with his attempts on Ireland, was insistent upon the invasion of Britain, itself.
To that end, small craft were being constructed in every French port and delivered to the main embarkation port of Boulogne. Mullins was informed Admiral Nelson had been placed in command of the naval forces defending against this attack. Upon sailing, he was to find that commander and deliver what information Whitehall had been able to gather. While in contact with Admiral Nelson, HMS Aurora was to be placed under Nelson’s command until no longer needed, then she would proceed, first to Gibraltar, then into the Mediterranean.
There was some question what the French Army troops left behind in Egypt by Napoleon were actually up to. Their mission in the inland sea would be to investigate thoroughly the French actions and report anything extraordinary to London.
Their status in Portsmouth Harbor was utterly different than it had been, with men coming aboard, sometimes before they were even requested. Finally, their sailing orders came, brought aboard by a harried lieutenant from the flag. Mister Midshipman Adolphus was aboard, after a hiatus with his Royal relatives, and he resumed his position as signal officer.
On Mullin’s order, the young man directed his signalman to run up the hoist indicating their readiness to sail. Upon receiving the affirmative from the flag, it was time to leave.
Their departure was not as professional appearing as Mullins may have wished. The weeks of swinging at anchor had resulted in their anchor cable becoming fouled in some ancient wreckage on the harbor bottom. Despite the best efforts of Mister Daley, the ship remained fast to the underwater obstruction. Some of the hands came close to rupturing themselves as they strained on the capstan bars, without effect. Probably the easiest solution would have been to simply cut the cable and leave their anchor on the bottom.
However, Mullins was not anxious to endure the questioning on why he had abandoned a perfectly good anchor on the harbor bottom.
With curious eyes about the harbor focusing on Aurora’s difficulty, Mullins took matters into his own hands. To the accompaniment of alarming sounds from the rigging, he tried to sail the ship from her predicament.
Mister Davis was visibly frantic as the ship strained at her entrapment. Although Captain Mullins had the ship under his orders, all knew the sailing master would have his fair share of the blame if Aurora was damaged during this evolution.
Suddenly, with some dangerous sounding cracking noises, the ship tore free and she was now under sail out of the harbor as though nothing untoward had ever happened. The ship had been embarrassed, but not overwhelmingly so, and those shaking heads seen about the harbor would have something else to criticize long before the ship made port again.
Chapter Nine
It was a short stretch across the Channel to Boulogne which Aurora made without further incident and Mullins soon had the ship saluting the flag of
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