Bligh
11-16-2017, 13:18
(Round the Horn.)
As the reader may remember we paused the story with the disabled Courageuse about to be boarded from the Sybille in the search for the escaping exiled Emperor Napoleon from the Isle of St Helena, after a chase along the seaboard of the Americas, and then the central Atlantic.
33510
As the Frigates boarding party set out towards the helpless French Frigate, Her more ponderous Consort the Aquilon came about and attempted to head off the British.
33511
Undetected by either of the unsighted British ships Courageous's crew had lowered and manned their ships Cutter just off the Port bow.
33511
By the time it had been spotted from the deck of the closing
HMS. Superb, Aquilon had closed with the Cutter and was about to take
the Emperor on board.
33512
33513
.
As Superb closed her Captain realized that he would be too late to rake the French 74.
33513
Putting up his helm he decided to tack and cross the stern of the captured Frigate thus covering the boarding party who were now swarming up her side.
33514
Unfortunately this slewed him too far round to take advantage of his broadside.
33515
Aquilon, however, crippled Sybille with on massive broadside of her own.
33515
And took only minimal fire in return although some of her crew were cut down.
33516
As Sybille's foremast went by the board, Aquilon also exchanged fire with Superb, bringing what Portside guns she could to bear.
33517
The gunners' aiming high damaged sails and masts on Superb, but a lucky undercharged shot flying low across the Quarterdeck demolished the ships wheel and started a fire when it dismounted one of the starboard cannons setting it off prematurely.
33518
Superb had already replied in kind with a vicious fusillade from its rear section of carronades which tore holes in sails and also set a fire on the deck of Aquilon.
33519
Whilst Superb's crew were struggling to reestablish steering from the tiller,*
Aquilon's Captain continued to come about and slipped through the widening gap between Courageous and Superb.
33520
33521
With the wind behind her, by the time Superb's crew had effected repairs and started to come about Aquilon with the Emperor safe aboard was heading off into the sunset.
33522
* Nb. I tried out a new rule here which said that if a ship had damage to its steering it took one random card from the dismasted card movement for its next move whilst repairs were made to the steering tackle.
As the reader may remember we paused the story with the disabled Courageuse about to be boarded from the Sybille in the search for the escaping exiled Emperor Napoleon from the Isle of St Helena, after a chase along the seaboard of the Americas, and then the central Atlantic.
33510
As the Frigates boarding party set out towards the helpless French Frigate, Her more ponderous Consort the Aquilon came about and attempted to head off the British.
33511
Undetected by either of the unsighted British ships Courageous's crew had lowered and manned their ships Cutter just off the Port bow.
33511
By the time it had been spotted from the deck of the closing
HMS. Superb, Aquilon had closed with the Cutter and was about to take
the Emperor on board.
33512
33513
.
As Superb closed her Captain realized that he would be too late to rake the French 74.
33513
Putting up his helm he decided to tack and cross the stern of the captured Frigate thus covering the boarding party who were now swarming up her side.
33514
Unfortunately this slewed him too far round to take advantage of his broadside.
33515
Aquilon, however, crippled Sybille with on massive broadside of her own.
33515
And took only minimal fire in return although some of her crew were cut down.
33516
As Sybille's foremast went by the board, Aquilon also exchanged fire with Superb, bringing what Portside guns she could to bear.
33517
The gunners' aiming high damaged sails and masts on Superb, but a lucky undercharged shot flying low across the Quarterdeck demolished the ships wheel and started a fire when it dismounted one of the starboard cannons setting it off prematurely.
33518
Superb had already replied in kind with a vicious fusillade from its rear section of carronades which tore holes in sails and also set a fire on the deck of Aquilon.
33519
Whilst Superb's crew were struggling to reestablish steering from the tiller,*
Aquilon's Captain continued to come about and slipped through the widening gap between Courageous and Superb.
33520
33521
With the wind behind her, by the time Superb's crew had effected repairs and started to come about Aquilon with the Emperor safe aboard was heading off into the sunset.
33522
* Nb. I tried out a new rule here which said that if a ship had damage to its steering it took one random card from the dismasted card movement for its next move whilst repairs were made to the steering tackle.