View Full Version : AAR. In the Indian Ocean.
Chase me.
Although, following the exploits of HEIC Cornwallis and the Earl of Mornington, things were subdued in the area of Madagascar and the Mozambique Channel; this was not the case nearer to the main French base of operations. The isle de France was still sending out Frigates and smaller craft to prey upon merchants in the South Indian Ocean, and the HEIC plus the Royal Navy warships based at the Cape were permanently kept busy patrolling the shipping lanes between India and the Atlantic Ocean.
It was on one such patrol that the HEIC Sloop Aurora commanded by Lieutenant Isadore Cope happened upon an incident just of an Archipelago near to the Island of Reunion.
With the wind blowing steadily from the West Captain Cope’s attention was drawn to the sound of gunfire coming from the North East and he instructed his helmsman bring the sloop on to a heading of East North East .
Aurora immediately came about and bore up towards the sound of the battle.
As they drew nearer, using his Dolland glass, Captain Cope descried what appeared to be a French sloop of much the same size as Aurora in persuit of a merchantman flying the blue ensign of the British Mercantile Marine rather than that of the company.
Giving chase Aurora rapidly closed the distance between the two combatants and it became easy to discern by eye the fall of shot as the two vessels duelled with each other.
The British schooner seemed to be giving good account of herself, and Cope decided to try and distract her attacker.
As soon as he was within extreme range, he ordered a shot from the bow chaser to estimate the range.
As he expected the shot fell short but did have the effect of drawing the French captain’s attention to the fact that he now had two ships with which to deal.
Within a few minutes the seamen on Aurora’s deck could see a flurry of action on the Frenchman’s deck and yards as she hurriedly crowded on more sail and drew away from her erstwhile prize.
The chase was now well and truly on, and Aurora’s master gunner chanced another shot at the Frenchman, hoping to be lucky enough to bring down a sail or damage his rudder. Even though this also missed, as they passed the Schooner a rousing cheer came from the men on her deck.
The Archipelago of islands was now quite clear to distinguish from the Island of Reunion in the distance and the French Sloop seemed to be heading for a passage in the nearest islet.
Aurora steadily narrowed the distance and another shot with her chasers was tried.
This time the aim was true and the ball destroyed the French Captain’s cabin.
Things were indeed beginning to look grim for the Frenchman as he was forced to reduce sail in order to negotiate the turn into the inlet. Remorselessly, and getting ever closer, the Aurora bore down upon him.
Dexterously the French Sloop, which Captain Cope could now read the nameplate on the stern as Ceres came about and entered the bay. Unfortunately this took him out of the arc of the Aurora’s chasers which were still reloading.
Being unsure of the entrance to the bay the British helmsman took a less acute turn to starboard.
As soon as his turn was completed the British chaser spoke again.
The shot ricocheted off the surface of the sea and as it descended again hulled the Ceres on the waterline just to the left of its rudder.
Within seconds of the report from her chaser, Aurora was engulfed in a veritable maelstrom of devastating cannon fire.
The trap had been sprung! Tucked up under the concealing headland of the outer isle was a second French sloop lurking in wait for the perusing ship.
Although sails were rent and men fell, the actual damage was not as bad as might have been expected and. although taken unawares. Aurora was able to return a pretty reasonable broadside of her own, the results being very similar.
Faced by this unexpected threat Captain Cope was now taken on the horns of a dilemma. Did he continue his pursuit of the Ceres and leave a danger in his rear, or abandon the chase and take on the aptly named Alligator which had just closed the jaws of the trap?
He decided that the greatest threat was the Alligator, and decided to box it up before it could get underway. Consequently he ordered hard a-port and all sails taken in preparatory to anchoring off the Frenchman’s bow.
Whilst all this was taking place, the wind had veered more South Westerly, but as events were to demonstrate this was to have no effect on the outcome of the action.
However, one irrevocable mistake had been made by the captain of the Ceres who had intended to come about at the far end of the bay, starboard his helm and anchor, thus blocking the only escape for the Aurora.
From here he could play his guns upon the British Sloop from long range. By leaving his sails fully set in fear of the British chasers, he had left the order to reduce too late and could now not make his turn without running aground. He was left with no option but to leave the anchorage, come about outside the confined area and retrace his course, or circumnavigate the whole island and re-enter where he first came in. This was the course he chose rather than present his bows to a raking shot from the Aurora.
The battle was thus destined to be between Aurora and Alligator, whose captain had slipped his anchor and set sail rather than be caught flat footed by the British who were anchoring off his bow even as their guns erupted in a raking broadside.
The minimal damage done indicated how much Aurora had already suffered from the Alligator’s first broadside.
As the Ceres finally exited the passage to the open sea, a struggle to the finish was about to take place in the confines of the anchorage.
The Alligator’s forward momentum caused a grinding crash as her bowsprit overrode the Aurora’s deck and the two hulls came together.
As a result both ships became hopelessly entangled.
The fight now devolved into a battle of attrition with both sides suffering casualties due to firing from the deck and fighting tops.
Meanwhile Ceres was well out of range to enable her to render any succour to her sister ship.
Aurora now again raked the Alligator prior to ordering away her boarders.
As they attempted the boarding by using the enemy bowsprit as a pathway, they were cut down by the defenders, some to fall between the hulls of the two ships to either drown or be ground between the millstones of the two rubbing hulls.
The next round of fighting did not render any better results for the British and they once more failed to gain a lodgement upon the deck of the French ship.
Meantime Ceres sailed on hoping to be able to bombard the British Sloop through a gap from outside the rocky islets.
This was not to be for at that very moment the final act of the drama took place, as captain Cope led his men in a last gasp effort to take the Frenchman.
A lucky shot from the French tops hit the captain and he fell to the deck wounded. With this the heart went out of his Bombay marines, and the HEIC flag came down in a token of surrender.
By the narrowest of margins the Alligator had won the day.
ShadowDragon
11-22-2021, 11:24
An narrow but interesting - and likely fun - game. I've been absent from the forum for awhile - all focus is now on our 10 week old Shiba Inu. Very smart, very busy and very independently minded - so a handful.
Any photos Paul? Or should that be how many photos Paul? :wink:
Rob.
Thank you for the Rep.
As far as the result of the fight went Paul, there will be repercussions. Mark my words well.
Rob.
ShadowDragon
11-22-2021, 14:06
Any photos Paul? Or should that be how many photos Paul? :wink:
Rob.
Er, yes.
56966
56967
56968
56969
Very nice addition to your family. Will he be a sea dog and join you on your cruises? i have been watching Foxes Afloat on YouTube and they have a dog onboard their boat with them. :beer:
ShadowDragon
11-22-2021, 15:59
Very nice addition to your family. Will he be a sea dog and join you on your cruises? i have been watching Foxes Afloat on YouTube and they have a dog onboard their boat with them. :beer:
Thanks, Gary. Maybe if she’s on my cruises I expect I’d have to watch over my shoulder for a mutiny. Shiba’s do like to dominate.
Vagabond
11-25-2021, 16:32
Rob you managed to ambush yourself if this is a solo game that takes some doing. Well done.
A great scenario, took me completely by suprise when Aurora entered that anchorage and took a broadside from Alligator.
Was it your intention to fight 2 sloops on 1 or was the merchant ship going to lend a hand if she could.
Nice to see you're still posting AAR's, did you find the link to Mikes method of posting I sent or didn't it work for you.
Firstly, thanks for the Rep John.
Lets just say I overestimated my ability to take out two ships. My intention to weaken the first enemy sloop with my chaser failed, and then the idea that I could exchange one broadside with Alligator as I passed, still in persuit of the second ship, was altered disasterously when I saw that by coming about instead he could be boxed in and I could rake him indefinitely. As you saw her captain up anchored and boarded me. Even then I had more men, but lost every round of hand to hand until forced to surrender. The moral of all this is never change a plan that is working!
The escaped merchant will, however, have repercussions in my next mission, by awaking a sleeping giant.
I now look forward to seeing what that old roué Jon Vagabond will get up to in your next mission. I have missed hearing of his exploits.
Not had chance to look at Mike's idea yet with a lot on and Christmas prep on top of that, but will give it a go once I get time.
Rob.
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