It was a somber meeting when Gabe reported aboard the flagship. After he had finished his report Lord Anthony said, "I see you were able to salvage the Indiaman."
"Aye, sir, I sent Dagan and Lieutenant Lavery along with a boat crew over to search the vessel and Dagan returned saying that while the ship had been holed, very little damage was below the waterline. Lavery had already manned the pumps and was dumping debris over the side. Once we lightened her up a bit I felt she was seaworthy so we sailed her back."
"Were there any survivors?" Lord Anthony asked.
This brought a smile to Gabe's tired face. "I asked Lum that very question, sir. He had gone with the first boarding party and when I came aboard Lum was tossing bodies over the side. Any survivors I asked. He gave me a look of surprise and replied, 'You know Cap'n, Bart done told me you couldn't put no confidence in nuthin a Dago says, so I ain't ask if they's alive or not. I's jus' been dumping 'em over de side to help lighten da load like Mr. Lavery ordered." This brought an appreciative smile to both Lord Anthony and Captain Buck.
"Gawd," Buck exclaimed. "I'm glad we don't have Bart and Lum together all the time."
The mood returned somber again when Lord Anthony asked, "Has Sir Raymond been taken to the hospital yet?"
"No sir," Gabe answered. "He's still aboard SeaWolf where we moved him before we towed Neptune back.
Caleb said he's afraid to move him just yet. He had multiple wounds… gunshots and splinters. I waited as long as I felt wise before we started back, giving Caleb time to work on Captain Knight as well as the other wounded. Neptune 's surgeon was lost at some point so Caleb had his hands full."
"What are Sir Raymond's chances of recovery?" Lord Anthony asked. "Did Caleb give you any hint?"
"No sir, he just said a lesser man would be dead.
Lieutenant Brooks said that Captain Knight continued to fight the ship even after he'd been wounded several times. All the survivors on Neptune said Knight's ship handling is what saved them. He outmaneuvered those two ships time and time again so that until the very end only one of the enemy ships was able to fire on him at a time."
"And what of Neptune," Buck asked. "Is she seaworthy?"
Shaking his head, Gabe said, "I don't think so.
Maybe if she was at some yard, but here… I think it unlikely."
"So," Lord Anthony said, "We've lost a nimble frigate and gained an old tub of a merchantman."
"Begging your pardon, sir, but the Indiaman is in overall good shape. The carpenters said she's well built… mostly of teak and she's sound. She's filthy and needs some repairs but I think she could be beached and put to rights here, sir. She's got forty guns, all new British pieces and she has lots of spare sails, ropes, cordage and Barracuda
even some spars in the hole. I put Lieutenant Jackson on board in charge of the prize crew and he said she handled well enough."
"Well, we'll see how repairs go," Lord Anthony said, not committing to any set course or plan. Then he spoke again, "I didn't see a name on her."
"No, sir," Gabe replied. "She had once been the Lord Cromwell but that's painted over. We were able to find some paper with the date of August 1775, so it appears the rebels took her about a year or so ago."
"What about the troops she was carrying?" Anthony asked, almost as an afterthought.
"I believe most made it to shore. Lavery did a quick count when he went aboard and said at least one hundred were dead."
"Damned, if Sir Raymond didn't make them pay dearly," Buck interjected.
"Aye," Gabe replied, "and we still don't know what damage Barracuda suffered. Something caused her to break off the action," he said. "I am sure it wasn't SeaWolf's pop guns."
"She may have believed the ruse with your flags," Buck said.
"Or perhaps like Sir Raymond," Lord Anthony added. "Her captain may have been wounded. Keep me posted on Sir Raymond's condition and when he can be moved ashore, Gabe."
"Aye sir."
Gabe sensed the interview was over. He was almost out of the admiral's cabin when Lord Anthony called, "If we salvage the Indiaman, what would you name her, Gabe?"
After a thoughtful second or so Gabe replied,
"Defiant."
"Why Defiant?" Lord Anthony queried. "Why that name?"
"Because the rebels took her, we took her back and now we defy them to try again."
"Good… very good. If you've no prior engagements sup with me tonight."
"My pleasure," Gabe replied. "I'll bring Lum and let him play you a tune on his fiddle. He is becoming very good with it."
"Good, see you then. Now, I must go fill in our Governor, else he'll send a messenger requesting my presence. He'll not be happy about those troops getting ashore."
Well, I could give a tinker's damn what he thinks, Gabe thought but kept his silence. Politicians were quick to make war and quick to criticize but rarely did they have to suffer the hardships the fighting men did, be they soldier or sailor. Damme, I'll be glad when this war is over.
The days and weeks that followed the battle with Barracuda were filled with monotonous patrols. Anthony had stretched his patrol area as far north as Charlestown and south to Havana. A few smaller privateers were taken but nothing was heard of the ghost ship. The Florida weather held true with hot days, frequent afternoon showers and warm humid nights.
The social activities paled in comparison to those experienced on Antigua. Still the governor had been gracious with invitations to Anthony's officers when an occasion did arise. Unlike the mostly British presence on Antigua, Saint Augustine was a very mixed bag culturally. Anthony had met a Minorcan priest, Father Pedro Camps, who was a very interesting man. He had started a book of records in which he kept births, deaths and marriages for the entire Minorcan community.
Anthony also met Reverend John Kennedy who was the schoolmaster of east Florida. He was a very educated Barracuda
man who never seemed to tire when talking of arithmetic, Latin or Greek. Anthony had allowed the good reverend aboard Warrior so that he might add a rudimentary knowledge of a sailor's life to his vast knowledge.
Of all of Saint Augustine 's inhabitants, Anthony found he enjoyed spending time with some of the paroled prisoners of war the most. A few had their slaves with them and once their parole had been obtained, roamed freely about the city. Most of these were from Virginia, a few of which knew Dagan's Uncle Andre.
Anthony spent many a night enjoying a good southern meal and listening to the talk of raising good Virginia tobacco and fine horses.
When not at sea Dagan spent considerable time with his uncle's friends learning more about the country where Andre chose to settle down. One night when Dagan and Lord Anthony were walking back to the waterfront Dagan remarked, "Is it not ironic that the people we enjoy the most are the ones we are at war with?"
Anthony nodded in agreement but his mind was on his wife and child, as of yet an unseen child. Sitting at the dinner table with the Colonial family and listening to the chatter had caused him to be morose.
Damn this war, he thought, I wish it were over. Gabe could marry Faith and I could go be with my wife and daughter. But what of Dagan, he suddenly thought. What would become of him after the war was over? Would he want to move to Virginia to be close to his family or would he stay close to Gabe? What about Maria, Gabe's mother and Dagan's sister? Would she want to be with the family or stay in the house she'd shared with his and Gabe's father? So much that needed deciding, he thought. So much.