13 Attachment(s)
AAR- Feb - A Matter of Time - HJL
Attachment 27803
It had been months since Carswell Dixon and his crew had sailed. At the end of last year the British navy had sent a fleet on ships into the Caribbean in order to protect the trade routs from pirates. Instead of juicy merchant ships with no guns that surrendered as soon as you looked at them sternly, they now faced frigates with experienced combat crews and captains. So Dixon decided that they would winter in Roatan, a Spanish island in central America. They sailed in as a merchant ship and did their best to blend in.
Then one afternoon the quartermaster overheard a couple of drunken sailors talking about the merchantman that they were sailing on. It was carrying the payroll for the British navy stationed in the Caribbean. They boasted that it was protected by a ship of the line, HMS Leopard. Dixon discussed it with the crew and they decided that it was time for a pay day. The British convoy would head out to Jamaica in about 3 weeks.
Dixon had not been idle all winter. Through various nefarious means, he had managed to get a hold of a full load of carronades for the Iratus. Shot range guns with an amazing rate of fire. The crew had practiced with them until he was satisfied that they could perform in battle.
So 2 weeks later the Iratus set sail to ambush the British convoy.
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"Sails! 3 of them!" Yelled the lookout.
Dixon looked through his eyeglass, which ship was which? There was no way to tell so he ordered the crew to move in on the closest.
Attachment 27804
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They closed in rapidly with the unknown ship and discovered it to be a non military vessel, perhaps the payroll ship, or another merchant that had hitched a ride in the safety of the convoy.
Attachment 27805
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The ship didn't ride too deep in the water, it wasn't carrying a lot of cargo. They payroll ship!!
"Ready guns! Grape shot! Boarding crews and muskets look lively!" Yelled Dixon
Attachment 27806
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Dixon knew exactly what he was doing, he turned the wheel sharply putting Iratus across the payroll ship to rake her from point blank range. The merchantman reacted, but too late and canister shot pelted out of the carronades strait down her throat. Muskets popped and the boarders charged across to take the smaller ship. It was over in moments.
Attachment 27807
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His crew knew their jobs. Dixon watched as most of the men came back onto the Iratus, leaving a group to take their prize home after putting the crew into the boats and leaving them for the rest of the convoy to pick up.
Dixon looked north at the approaching 4th rate. He would have just about enough time to draw them away from the prize and escape himself.
Attachment 27808
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The payroll ship started moving and he turned across the wind in the other direction.
The British liner was almost within range, it would be a close thing.
Attachment 27809
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the Iratus moved through the wind and the rear carronades roared, hurling shot at the HMS Leopard. Not much damage, there wouldn't be any easy win here if they had to fight.
Attachment 27817
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HMS Leopard, sensing that Dixon was trying to give him the slip, ordered his front guns fire. The shot thundered across the gap killing the Iratus' crew and punching clean through a mast!
Attachment 27810
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Dixon swore, "Fix that damned mast!"
They had turned and had the wind but with a damaged mast the ship was hard to control.
Spotting an opportunity the front guns fired along with the muskets, doing some minor damage to the remaining merchantman.
Attachment 27811
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There was now nothing between Dixon and his escape, he ordered the sails piled on and the ship charged forwards. The jerry rigged mast repair creaked under the load from the wind.
Attachment 27812
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Dixon's frigate was too fast for the British liner and the Iratus pulled away into the distance.
Job done.
Attachment 27813
Attachment 27814
