AAR. Mission 11. The Captain's Dilemma.

Kingston Jamaica.


Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Jackson had been most explicit in the orders which he had delivered to Captain Roderick Stewart of the Royal Sovereign. Following the return of the Frigate Amelia Captained by Commander James Roberts, with the news that the French were out, he had summoned his Senior Captains to the Hibernia for a Council of war.
The upshot of which discussions were now outlined in the document which Roderick was reading to his own Captains………
" Insofar as it is essential to prevent the Spanish Squadron at present sheltering in the harbour of Punto del Rey, you are to proceed forthwith to same, with His Majesty's ships HMS Royal Sovereign 100, HMS Zealous 74, Captain Mainwaring, Frigate HMS Amelia 38, Commander Roberts and the Bomb Ketch Vulcan, Lt. The Hon Perigrine Ogleby.
Thereby to invest the port with a close blockade, preventing either the Spanish ships from leaving harbour, or in the event of their so doing to bring them speedily to battle, and preventing them from combining with the French Squadron. This at your peril.



Thos. Jackson. Rear Admiral of the Blue and Cdr. of the Jamaica Squadron.

This was the reason that a dawn three days later, Capitan de Navio Louis de Cordova of his Most Catholic Majesty's Spanish Navy found ships of The Royal Navy blockading Punto del Rey just outside the reach of the guns of fort San Cristobal, which dominated the entrance to the harbour.

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He was about to receive another nasty shock. During the night, the Bomb ketch had been warped into St. Navidavo creek, from here its two Mortars could command the whole anchorage and lob their shells onto his ships, over a small promontory.


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Lt. The Hon. Peregrine Ogleby had also taken the precaution of sending four of his six pounders ashore to prevent any interference in his forthcoming bombardment by the local Town Militia.


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With the Frigate Amelia standing off the harbour entrance to signal the fall of shot, the first shell fell into the anchorage at 7.15 in the morning.


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The Immediate result was to cause the Fragata "Serina" Capitan Frederico Gravina, to slip its cable and attempt to avoid the bombardment.


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A flurry of signal flags from Cordova sent it out towards the harbour mouth in an attempt to run the gauntlet of the British blockade and sink the dangerous Bomb ketch lurking in the creek.


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With a fair wind Gravina's Master brought the frigate about and bore up under the rearing ramparts of the protecting San Cristobel's formidable battery.


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Meanwhile, Vulcan continued to drop explosives into the Harbour under the direction of the signals relayed by the Flagship from James roberts in the Amelia.


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As the Serina emerged into the main channel, Robert's was in a great position to rake her, which he promptly did.


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However, he was now offered a dilemma. Did he maintain his position thus putting himself in the way of a return rake as the Spanish Frigate broke for the open sea, or did he remain on station to continue spotting for the Bomb. Roberts decided that spotting was the best option as it would result in bringing the ships of the line out eventually.


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As luck had it, Gravina put up his helm and bore away to the North, thus only subjecting the Amelia to one fairly ineffectual broadside.


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Amelia continued to direct the fall of shot, which was now falling adjacent to the closer of the two Spanish 74s.

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As the Serina ran North along the coastline she was treated to further damage from the British 74 Zelous of the blockade. Despite hull sails and steering damage the crew managed to keep her on course for the creek in the North.

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As the wind veered to the South West she approached the creek where the Vulcan lay moored with springs on her anchors.


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Coming about right smartly, with the wind now fine off her Starboard quarter, Serina raked the Vulcan with what littlke armament she still retained.


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Even this minimal fire was enough to render the Vulcan almost a total wreck. With only one Mortar remaining and her crew decimated she was forced to reduce her rate of fire drastically.


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One more shot from the Serena would save the warships in the Harbour and send the Bomb Ketch to the bottom.

This, however depended entirely on what would happen next.


Now coming under the guns of the Royal Sovereign for the first time, one broadside finished what had been started by the Amelia and Zealous.


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With her steering now shot away and wreckage littering her decks, unable to reply Captain Gravina had no option but to surrender his sword to Captain Stewart, who promptly returned it to his brave but foolhardy adversary, who's madcap scheme of taking on a Frigate, and two ships of the Line had almost come off.


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Shortly after that, having recalled his men from the beach battery to help,


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the irrepressible Ogleby had his hulk in action again and shortly afterwards landed his first accurate shell on the deck of the Argonauta.


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Although doing little damage Cordova knew that the jig was up, and lead his consort the Heroe away from their moorings and across the harbour as the Vulcan continued to drop the odd shell into the bay.

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As they passed through the narrows the wind veered back to the south once more, causing them to take in sail to avoid the headland looming up before them.


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By dint of excellent seamanship both vessels cleared the headland and entered the channel.



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Just then the wind swung back to South West and they were able to crowd on more sail again.

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With two ships of the Line bearing down upon him and with his job done, Commander James Roberts also crowded on sail and treating the fast approaching Argonauta a raking broadside, he ran for the cover of his own Ships of the Line.

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He was none too soon either for now with an aft wind the ponderous Argonauta came about so rapidly that his jib boom almost ran aboard the Amelia's stern lights.


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The wind was now holding South Westerly, and as Amelia slipped between her Liners, the Argonauta Followed in her wake, and passed between the two British ships.


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At point blank range she exchanged fire with the 100 gun Royal Sovereign,
Then her other battery took on the Zealous,


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At that range it was carnage on her decks. In an instant a quarter of her crew became casualties, two fires broke out on the gun deck and her steering was reduced to matchwood.


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Miraculously Capitan Cordova escaped unhurt, whilst his deck Officers were annihilated.


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Nor were here adversaries spared. Both ships suffered sail damage, and Zealous was reduced to fighting sails for the rest of the action.


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As the Amelia continued to run from the Spaniard, Cordova had no choice but to strike his colours and surrender.


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A prize crew now being dispatched to the Argonauta, were able to stem the fires just before they reached the magazine.

It was now Heroe's turn to run the gauntlet of the British, and with both their broadsides unloaded she did so practically unscathed except for a volley from the Marines in the tops.
She treated both British ships to a full broadside.

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Nevertheless, with little sea room and running alongside her erstwhile consort, now prevented her from manouvering. This allowed Robert's Frigate to come about and rake her bow, at the same time as the now reloaded Royal Sovereign did the same to her stern gallery.


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Crew loss was now mounting, and another exchange with the Amelia did her no good as it ran away, with only the fore and aft guns able to bear on each other.


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Having now sustained more structural mast damage, Capitan Castaneta decided to come about and run for the French Squadron, before the two British Liners could come up.

As he came about he took more damage from the Zelous.


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Then more from the Amelia at extreme range as it also came about to try and harry the now much weakened Spanish 74.


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The wind although steady in the South west now dropped away to a stiff breeze.


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Roberts now used his expertise and his more manoeuvrable Frigate to its best.
Harrying Heroe at long range.


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In this exchange a falling block struck Capitan Castaneta, and he was taken below concussed.


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The reply from the Heroe was ragged and ill timed as the First Lieutenant De Silva, tried to get the ship back under command.


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Once again the Amelia luffed and delivered a calculated reply, taking down even more of the Spanish crew.


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All this harrying by Roberts, had achieved his aim, allowing the two slower British ships with their sail damage to keep in touch with the battle, whilst he forced the Heroe ever further North.


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With too few crew left to man the guns, sails and steer the ship, the Hero now came into the eye of the wind, and although it was still a light breeze, she was taken aback.


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Roberts now got in another broadside, and further fire from the Sovereign's forrard guns was enough to bring down the Spanish Ensign.

Trapped between the three British ships and the coast her First Lieutenant could do no more.
Little did he realize how close he had come to seizing a three decker.
Bligh.

The Butcher's Bill.
Details still to be added later.


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Bligh.

Great action Rob. Thought that last Spaniard was going to slip through the noose. Surely promotion for the Captain of Amelia. Another great read.

Captain Stewart reading the AAR took all 3 prizes so gets 3 points and for winning the mission (strategic aim) gains a 4th point. That puts him on 10 and he gains a captains ability.

Unless you have it another way Rob?

Neil

Rob for 12. If you field Royal Sovereign she can repair 1 box automatic (like you could in the rule book), she then has 11 hull boxes, round down for 50%, so everything above 5 is +50% damage. After the auto repair she has 3 hull boxes with damage. She can repair half rounded down, so she can repair 1 more hull damage box.

Royal Sovereign will carry forward 7 Hull damage and 5 crew loss into mission 12. (Crew can be replaced from any of your frigates though).

Neil

Thanks Neil.
That could be a very useful addition to the Fleet. I was going to move her remaining crew to Zealous, but that seems a better idea.
Rob.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Union Jack

Captain Stewart reading the AAR took all 3 prizes so gets 3 points and for winning the mission (strategic aim) gains a 4th point. That puts him on 10 and he gains a captains ability.

Unless you have it another way Rob?

Neil

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Having now read the rules again Neil, I will choose charismatic Captain for Stewart. I have a feeling he may be needing it in the next game.
Thanks Rob.