H.M.S Valor: Treachery And Triumph: A war time adventure on the high seas by Cal Clement (best contemporary novels txt) 📕

from the fort continued without even the slightest pause. Their next target was the Bayonet, who had been anchored only a few hundred yards further out than the Hunter was. William bit his lip in apprehension, watching as the Bayonet elevated her guns as high as they would go to return fire. A round from the fort impacted the surface of the harbor sending a spray into the air short of the side of the Bayonet. “That’s it lads, here’s your chance, fire! They haven’t got you dialed in just yet. Fire, boys, come on, come on FIRE!” Will found himself shouting across the water between them. A long moment of silence ensued and the men aboard the longboats, still furiously rowing toward the fleet began to wonder if the crew of the Bayonet had given up hope to abandon ship. Then, as it seemed they would never fire, the Hunter’s battery erupted in a solid uniform roar as she let loose a broadside. Will turned to the fort as their longboats were approaching the bow of the Bayonet, desperately hoping their volley would impact somewhere that would effect the battery. Shouts and cheers erupted from the Bayonet and the longboats as a cloud of smoke and dust erupted from the wall of the fort at elevation with their gun line.

“That should slow their battery! Keep firing! Keep firing!” Will shouted up to the deck of the Bayonet as his longboat passed on the far side. Two of the boats with them had been sent from the Bayonet and those men climbed aboard with reckless abandonment to aid their crew in counter firing against the fort.

The remaining longboats rowed on, beating exhaustively toward the Endurance and the Valor. Only a few hundred yards of open water stood between them and the Endurance, which was now adding her gun line to the fray sending a succession of single shots at the fort. Her fire was precise and effective, erupting clouds of dust and debris from the fort. William, elated to see effects on the target from her gun fire, realized quickly that their efforts would be in vain if they did not make sail out of the harbor and soon. Another crashing impact sounded behind them as the longboats approached the Endurance announcing that the fort’s guns were still operational despite the counter fire. William looked on to the Valor and saw she was under sail, grudgingly turning to exit the harbor before the firing of the fort turned on her as well.

“Look there boys! Lieutenant Shelton has the idea, let’s get aboard the Endurance and get the ever-living hell out of here!” William called out for all the longboats to hear.

“Sir! The Bayonet! We can’t just abandon them!” a sailor replied, looking up at Will with a forlorn expression.

“It’s likely that they are lost already man. The best we can do for them is not to squander the time they are buying us,” said Will. His voice fading into a tone as low as his spirit, he looked back to the Bayonet. Still standing their ground in the harbor, the Bayonet defiantly returned fire with another broadside against the fort battery. She was listing heavily, and smoke was rising from her decks, it would not be long before the fort battery no longer considered her a worthy target. They would shift their firing on the Endurance soon and Will did not intend to remain by idly like a sheep for slaughter.

The longboats clattered against the Endurance’s hull as the men aboard scrambled to board her. William wasted no time, issuing a bevy of orders to get them underway.

“Cut away those anchor lines and let fly the main and foremasts. Main sails, top sails and tacks, hard larboard until we can tack her over.” Will shouted on deck over the sound of firing being exchanged between the fort and the Bayonet. He leaned over the ladder well leading below deck and yelled down to the gun crews, “Starboard batteries, larboard batteries, make ready!” The answering echoes of his orders being repeated sounded back up from two decks of cannon crews. Will shifted his attention up to the bow, watching closely as the sails filled to his orders. The helmsman expertly came across the wind and just as Will had hoped, filled their sails. The ship lurched forward as she came under the force of her filled sail building speed slowly but surely. When the Endurance reached the midpoint of her turn, Will walked to the ladder well and waited. As soon as she completed her turn and the larboard battery aligned with the fort he screamed below to fire. The reply came back in an ear shattering roar as the full broadside fired. The Endurance rocked as two decks each fired fourteen guns sending twenty-four-pound cannon balls hurling toward the fort. A pattern of smoke and debris erupted from the fort wall eliciting a wave of victorious shouts and jeers from the deck of the Endurance.

“That’ll fix the bastards!” Lieutenant Harper cried.

“It will be a disruption, little more. Get the hands ready, I want every stitch of canvas ready to fly when we reach the mouth of the harbor. The Valor is in no shape to be going alone and she has a lead on us.” Will sharply replied, cutting the young officer’s celebratory tone. “Get to it Lieutenant, we haven’t a moment to waste and each moment we have was purchased in blood.” Will almost did not recognize the words coming from his mouth as his own, it felt as if he spoke for the late Admiral and Captain Grimes as well as himself. His decisions were framed only in light of the survival of his crew and their effect on the enemy. He looked out over the fantail at the Bayonet in her final moments of defiance against the fort and its guns. Her listing had worsened, in her state she would be unrecoverable. Thick clouds of black smoke