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Bos'n
02-14-2016, 00:58
20106


USS Essex: Ships Log
1800
Edward Preble, Captain

January 11: USS Essex left New York Harbor, and headed for Havana, December 28, last. Within the first hour after our departure, the masthead lookout sighted a sail on the horizon on the same heading as we were on. The ship has been shadowing us for the last two weeks and I have decided to intercept the ship if it is still there in the morning.
E.P.

January 12: The sail on the horizon is still there and I have changed course to intercept the shadow. We shall see what the ship is up to.
E.P.

January 12: After exchanging broadsides with Jean de Lay and his ship Le Requin, Essex recaptured The Rose, a merchantman registered to Hancock and Sons of Boston, Massachusetts. Her captain, Henry Barleycorne confessed to being the ship on the horizon. He had hoped that his close proximity would keep him safe from French harassment. I offered to sail in tandem with him to our base in Havana.


To: John Barry: Commodore, Caribbean Squadron
From: Captain Edward Preble: Commander, USS Essex
Re: After Action Report for the action of 14 January 14, 1800

Sir:
The Essex caught up with The Rose, a merchant ship from New England. He was shadowing us on the morning of January 14, 1800. We found two ships, which one was our shadow I was not to find out for several hours. One ship was attacking the other, and the other was unable to return fire. As we approached, we saw the American merchantman surrendering to a French privateer. I later discovered the privateer to be Jean de Lay and his frigate, Le Requin, The Shark.

20107

Boats carrying the prize crew were being launched as we approached. We must have surprised them, because the activity level increased markedly on board Le Requin. As soon as the longboats were launched, de Lay raised sail and moved to intercept Essex.

20108

20109

We held our course until Le Requin came within range and then we opened-up on her with our port forward battery.

20111

20110

With pleasure, the crew and I saw one of the balls punch a hole in the privateer’s foretopsail and water began spewing from her pumps as de Lay tried to stem the flow from the leak in her hull.

20112

Essex tacked through the headwinds and shot past Le Requin taking away her wind advantage. Trying to intercept the merchant ship would be difficult sailing, but I felt we had to regain the freedom of the American sailors.

20113

Le Requin turned sharply to starboard and raked our stern with her forward battery. Her shots caused us to begin to leak and took some of the crew out of action. The bos’n gathered his crew and went to make repairs.

20114

The race for the The Rose was on.

For the next two and three-quarter hours, we held our course, neither gaining nor losing ground on either the merchant nor the privateer.

20115

We kept the merchant to our starboard

20116

and Le Requin off our stern.

After consultation with my officer staff, I decided to attack the privateer and to take control of the American ship.

20117

We lowered sails, turned to starboard, and fired an ineffectual raking shot with our full broadside.

20118

The enemy came charging toward us at full sails and came so close to us that I ordered the crew to prepare to repel boarders.

20119

Essex raised sails, raced past Le Requin and gave her another shot with our starboard rear battery, doing some damage to her hull.

Both of the ships tacked again causing their paths to cross once more.

20120

Just as the ships came even with each other, Le Requin turned toward Essex receiving another raking broadside from our port guns.

20121

As the Frenchman completed her turn, she gave Essex her broadside and Essex did the same to the captive merchantman.

20122

The French prize crew struck their colors and turned into the wind. Our prize crew was lowering their launches when two longboats, with sails set, scurried away from the far side of the American. Evidently, de Lay thought this merchantman was not worth the trouble and abandoned the fight. He picked-up his sailors and headed for the horizon.

20123

I signaled Captain Barleycorne to follow me

20124

and we sailed for Havana, arriving in two weeks time.

Capt. E. Preble
Commander, USS Essex


Capt.Edward Preble (P)/ Returned to Port/Captured Merchant Ship/ 8 prize money

Captain Barleycorne (AI)/ Returned to Port/ No Victories

Jean de Lay (AI)/ Returned to Hiding Place/ No Victories, Lost Merchant Ship

USS Essex/3:0/1/1/1
The Rose/ 0:0/0/0/0 (Rescued)
Le Requin/4:1/1/3/ Misses 3 scenarios for repairs

Union Jack
02-16-2016, 15:32
Bob don't understand your damage system. Can you enlighten me so I can do the spreadsheet.
Also max prize money from the merchant is +3 as per the scenario rules.
Your captain gains +1 reputation for recapturing the merchantman.

Capt.Edward Preble (P)/ Returned to Port/Captured Merchant Ship/ 8 prize money

Captain Barleycorne (AI)/ Returned to Port/ No Victories

Jean de Lay (AI)/ Returned to Hiding Place/ No Victories, Lost Merchant Ship

USS Essex/3:0/1/1/1
The Rose/ 0:0/0/0/0 (Rescued)
Le Requin/4:1/1/3/ Misses 3 scenarios for repairs

Bligh
02-16-2016, 15:33
Got the job done there Bob.
Pity the Frenchie did a runner. With the Merchant under command you could have given all your attention to running him down.
Maybe you are destined to meet again.
Rob.

Bos'n
02-17-2016, 08:34
Bob don't understand your damage system. Can you enlighten me so I can do the spreadsheet.
Also max prize money from the merchant is +3 as per the scenario rules.
Your captain gains +1 reputation for recapturing the merchantman.

Capt.Edward Preble (P)/ Returned to Port/Captured Merchant Ship/ 8 prize money

Captain Barleycorne (AI)/ Returned to Port/ No Victories

Jean de Lay (AI)/ Returned to Hiding Place/ No Victories, Lost Merchant Ship

USS Essex/3:0/1/1/1
The Rose/ 0:0/0/0/0 (Rescued)
Le Requin/4:1/1/3/ Misses 3 scenarios for repairs

I am not sure. I read the rules and am not sure I understand the calculation system. I'll re-read the rules, what do you think I deserve? If you think that 1 rep. + 3 prize money is correct then that makes more sense to me.

I thought the scenario victory points were used to determine who wins and that campaign rules controlled the points for the spreadsheet. Am I mistaken?

Union Jack
02-17-2016, 10:19
Unless there are specific scenario rules as to prize and rep then follow the general rules. These are guidelines for when you design scenarios.

What I don't understand are the numbers next to each ship.
4: 0/1/1/1 etc. What do these mean?

Bos'n
02-22-2016, 18:13
Got the job done there Bob.
Pity the Frenchie did a runner. With the Merchant under command you could have given all your attention to running him down.
Maybe you are destined to meet again.
Rob.

20414


Rob,

When the going gets tough, the Pirates get going.

I could have had de Lay try to get his prize back again, but pirates rarely if ever confronted a warship if it could be avoided. I read somewhere that the infamous Blackbeard only actually killed one person in his career, and that was at the end of his reign of terror. He stuck fuses, used to set off cannons, under his hatband so they hung around his face and lit them. That, his unkept hair and beard, and a lot of showmanship scared people so much they just gave up. Very cost effective. No muss, no fuss and he got what he wanted. He didn't seem to be a violent man.

Fancy that,

Bligh
02-23-2016, 00:53
Very interesting Bob.
I think I'd better study this Pirate thing more. I am only seeing things from a Regular Royal Naval Officer's point of view.
Know thine enemy!
Rob.

TexaS
02-23-2016, 09:59
Just remember where your loyalties lie. :wink:

Bligh
02-23-2016, 10:25
To King and Country sir. To King and country.
God save King George.:drinks:
Bligh.:salute:

Union Jack
02-23-2016, 16:13
Ok, recap:
As you took 3 hull damage. 1 repair free (end of scenario rule).
I take it you want to repair the 2 remaining hull damage not 1, as your format 3:0/1/1/1 means you repair 1 crew loss and you took no crew loss?

You gain:
+1 Rep for retaking the merchant
+1 Rep enemy ship left the area
+3 Prize bonus for returning the merchant intact.