Friends reunited

It is three days since Von Bergmann returned to Scotland . Thanks to the intervention and medical skill of his Gallian hosts he has recovered almost completely.

Accompanied by his friend the Duc de Padirac , Vonn Bergmann has made a trip into the hinterland of Edinburgh. The brave duo have wandered to the village of Corstorphine and sit under the autumnal sunshine beside a small church.

The Duc listens as Von Bergman outlines his plans for a survey of ancient ecclesiastical buildings in the vicinity. He hopes to also draw them and publish his efforts in portfolio form accompanied by extensive notes...

After a fine lunch in the graveyard of Corstorphine Church talk moves towards Jacobite plans and the two friends wonder when they will next lead Tradgardlanders, highlanders and others into battle .

First Anniversary for Col Campbell's Barracks

We celebrate our first anniversary over on ColCampbell's Barracks .

Jim

Council of War

Having sailed across the Mediterranean undetected, Admiral Hopstadt’s squadron finally arrived in the area of operations laid out in the Empress’s secret order. It was now time to share the details of his mission with his captains. Summoning his flag signalman, the admiral ordered him to hoist a message for the captains to dine aboard the flag ship and to prepare for a Council of War!

Any Port after a Storm

For the next day and a half, the Pharaon beat trudgingly to windward against the refreshed Tramontane winds from the north. Having been blown completely off course by the scirocco squall, Captain Correteaux calculated his latitude at 43°10' immediately after the battle with the Barbary chebec, but, of course had no good way of determining his longitude without reference to a reliable pendulum clock. Calculating the ship's probable location as approximately halfway between the Côte d'Azur and the buccaneering island of Corseta, Correteaux elected to bear north by northwest, toward the Gallian or Genuouan coasts, depending on their actual current position. Either would be a friendly shore at which repairs could be made and crews refreshed.

During the dog watch of the second day after the gun battle, lookouts on the jury-rigged foremast's improvised crow's nest--a barrel lashed atop the mast--sighted land and shortly afterwards multiple masts of fishing feluccas headed out to sea which promised a nearby harbour. Running alongside the nearest felucca, the Pharaon hailed the vessel, and was answered by its captain in a gruff Provençau whose provenance even the Savoirard Captain Correteaux could not determine.

"E ben, monsur, are you in need of aid?"

"We are well enough; we need to put in to port to refit. Where is your harbourage?"


"Merda! You are turned about! Monte Cristo-la-Ville lies just around the headland to the west."

"Many thanks; good fishing!"

"Pah!" spat the waterman against the evil eye, and hove back towards the open water.

Tacking to port, the Pharaon made much better time; within an hour they had rounded the headland, and the peninsula of Monte Cristo came fully into view.

Captain Correteaux came below to address the ecclesiastics. Uncertain of their knowledge of the peculiarities of the tiny presipality, he began gingerly:

"My lords, we have reached harbour, but there are some particular regulations we will need to observe while in port. Are you familiar with any of the laws or customs of Monte Cristo?"

Law of the Gun

Seeing the makeshift mainmast topple, Captain Correteaux ordered the helm hard over to starboard. The inertia of the falling mast continued to carry it on the southerly course, and it crashed over the port side gunwales into the sea below. Seeing the sloop's new course, the chebec swung hard to port to run alongside. The crews could see each other plainly across the few yards that separated them, the sloop's crew seeing its worst fears confirmed in the moorish habit and complexion of the chebec's crew. Musket fire from both ships broke out, and the chebec's crew began casting grappling lines over the sloop's damaged port gunwales to draw the two ships close enough for them to board.
The Pharaon's deck crew dashed from grapple to grapple with cutlasses cutting the lines as quickly as they were thrown over, as the momentum of the two ships carried them past one another. Both ships loosed another broadside at point-blank range, and the concussions and smoke rendered the ships nearly invisible to one another.
As the smoke began to clear, the two ships continued to separate, and Captain Correteaux could see that his crew had indeed succesfully severed every one of the dozen grappling line the corsairs had thrown over. Tacking back to port, he was able to put the chebec, slowing now to attempt to come about again on the Pharaon's stern, once more into range of his port broadside. His portside guncrews again unleashed their fire into the chebec. While it had been difficult to gauge the damage inflicted in the first broadside, it could now be seen that all of the guns of the chebec visible on either side of the waist of the chebec were now blown off their carriages.
The chebec indeed made no effort to return the broadside, but instead made one final tack to port, which, when matched by the Pharaon's continued pivot to keep the corsairs in view of its broadsides, resulted in the chebec's acceleration of its cadence, bearing away to the northwest. The crew and officers of the Pharaon cheered loudly as the chebec's mainsails fluttered back up and its stern retreated steadily from view. Correteaux viewed the shrinking profile of the chebec with satisfaction.

"Barsanio, a tot of grappa for the crew, and two tots for the gun crews are very much in order, I believe."

The Break Out

For four days the Austrian Squadron inched it way down the Italian Peninsula with the British Inshore Squadron on its heels. Admiral Hopstadt was a man in agony. How could he carry out the Empress’s Orders under such scrutiny? How could any man? However, in his despair, he saw salvation in the storm brewing on the horizon. He knew, as prudent seamen, the British would be reefing their sails and making ready for foul weather. Although Admiral Hopstadt was also a prudent seaman, he was a man on a mission. He would face the storm and not give an inch. There was concern, yes fear, on the faces of many, but none dared say a word. As the British faded from sight, Admiral Hopstadt ordered his squadron to turn due south into the vast Mediterranean. Throughout the storm and the moonless night, the admiral maintained his vigil on deck for all to see. At first light, both the storm and British were gone. There was a new confidence and pride on the faces of the exhausted sailors. Their admiral had risked all and had delivered them from the storm and the British. Now he would strike below to sleep the sleep of a man who knew his destiny!

Coming to Grips

Captain Correteaux made no visible reaction to the raising of the pirate ensign, other than to order his First Lieutenant, "Load all guns chainshot."

The chebec now also opened its gunports, and set full sail in pursuit

For the next five minutes the two ships maintained their northerly courses, the corsair gaining steadily on the Pharaon as Captain Correteaux urged his crew on to catch every possible ounce of wind in their makeshift rigging, dividing his attention between gauging the speed of the corsair behind and watching the flutter of the sails before him. To Cardinal Maximilian, who had remained on the quarterdeck, he confided in a low voice, "The pirates don't want a gunfight; they want to board. If we can slow them down with the chain, they'll cut their losses and seek easier prey."

Cardinal Maximilian was about to reply when the captain, noting an eddy in the breeze, suddenly barked to his helm, "Giulio, the wind is shifting; bring us onto broad starboard beam!" The wind indeed shifted to the southwest, and the ships, now perhaps a mile apart, separated slightly as the corsair took a minute to match the change in heading, while also striking most of its lateen sails and switching to oars. Seeking to press the separation, Correteaux order another four points to starboard, onto a due easterly course.

In short order, though, the chebec swung back onto a northeast heading, and the steady sweeps of the corsair's oars closed the distance between the two ships. As the Pharaon remained on its broad reach, its jury rigged sails could not stop the steady approach of the corsair, to within half a mile.

Without warning, the wind took another sudden shift, blowing back now into a tramontane from the north. Looking for some sign of separation, the Cardinal and the crew were dismayed to see the chebec tack directly into the wind and continue its stately sweep of oars to the north.

With a grimace and an ejaculation perfectly suspended between prayer and blasphemy, "Ste. Devota!" Captain Correteaux ordered his helmsman to keep the broad reach by tacking once more to starboard, and then commanded the gunners to reload with round shot.

The corsair, now in danger of finding itself overrunning the Pharaon, slowed its cadence for a few minutes, letting the Pharaon run its broadside safely past at a furlong's distance, daring Correteaux to fire first at that distance. Feeling the noose tightening about his neck, Correteaux crossed himself and, regarding the Cardinal still on the quarterdeck, recommended, "Your Eminence, I think it best that you retire to my quarters now.

Turning to the helm without witnessing the Cardinal's reaction, he barked, "Helm, four more points to starboard."

The ship swung now onto a due south course, at ninety degrees to the corsair, now separated by less than a furlong. The commander of the chebec, seeing the range closing, now committed himself.

With a roar, the port broadside of the chebec spouted flame and smoke, and the tell-tale whistling shriek communicated clearly the intent of the corsair commander.

With a smashing splintering of wood and shredding of linen, the corsair chainshot collided with the laboriously constructed jury rig of the Pharaon, cutting shrouds and sheets and splintering yards. Cardinal Maximilian, just having reached the companionway hatch, looked up to see the patchwork mainmast, really a spare topgallant lashed to the old stump, teeter again, and with a creaking groan sag and topple towards him, blotting out the sun with its rippling, shredded sails as it fell...

I Hear It's Lovely in San Marco This Time of Year

"Well, Don Rafael, so the Thanes have assented to your appointment as Ambassador of His Majesty to the court of Duc Alfonso," said Don Diego Halfdane de la Chevrolet-Vega to Don Rafael Vidkun de Cerveza.

Cerveza inclined his head. "I owe you a debt of gratitude, Don Diego. Your guidance was invaluable."

de la Chevrolet-Vega bowed likewise. "You give me too much credit, Don Rafael. If you were not eminently qualified to represent the interests of His Majesty, there would have been little I could have done with the Thanes. Have you given thought as to whether you will travel by land or by sea?"

"Land, I think, Don Rafael. It will be a longer journey, but good weather should last some time yet, and it will give me an opportunity to acquaint myself somewhat with the lands that lie between La Union Real and San Marco."

De la Chevrolet-Vega smiled and nodded, clearly pleased. "A wise decision, Don Rafael. You see, His Majesty chose well. If you will permit me, I wish to send my man Schwinglein in your escort. He is a most capable individual with a variety of skills, and you may find him useful on many occasions, by the time you reach Duc Alfonso's holdings.

"In addition, I believe that Major Havelocke has asked His Majesty for permission to accompany you at least part of the way. Although his purposes are ever shrouded, I believe he is trustworthy, and it might be well for you to develop an acquaintance with the gentleman. It is entirely up to you, of course, but your assent would make the High King's a mere formality."

Naval Warfare in the Era of Beerstein

Agamemnon sails straight, Revenge tacks to port, Defiance turns to starboard

Each ship completes movement by moving the back of stand to the movement arrow

The squadron assesses the situation and is ready for the next movement card

Enemy in sight, Beat to Quarters, maneuver for action

Agamemnon crosses the "T" and fires on Intrepide at close range (2 hits)

Defiance and Indomptable both fire at long range (1 hit each)

Worst Fears Confirmed

"Tap tap, roll, tap tap, roll."

The boatswain's mate beat out the call to action stations, and the ship was immediately swarming with activity. Having already cleared the weatherdeck and gundeck, the off-watch crews moved immediately to their battle positions. The gun crews quickly made ready to run out the guns, and some of the crew on the port side anticipated the order to open gunports, permitting themselves a view of the threat before them.

The crew of the chebec evidently observed the action, because it tacked back to port, returning to the same heading as the Pharaon, and ran down its obsolete Scandalusian ensign. After a moment, the confirmation of imminent action was received, as the mysterious vessel ran up the blood red banner of the buccaneer threatening no quarter to any resistance.

Action commenced at 1530 hours, 10 August 1758, at a distance of one-half league; wind southerly at 10-15 knots.

Grand Mappe 7 addenda

Gentlemen,

For those whom have sent their corrections, I shall be working on an update, eventually.

For those whom have commented about the detail level, I can send you a copy of the map file in Photoshop 7 format or bitmap. I decided to post the version (see post below) that I used here as a .jpg so that it was not too large for the blogger system to accept.

Simply drop me a line (via the email system in blogger) and I will forward the copy style you request.

F.M. Reich Duke Wilhelm von Beerstein hosts farewell dinner for our heroes

F.M. Reich Duke Wilhelm gratefully accepts the toast of his Generals. Maj Gen Reich Graf Adolph von Coors Baron von Blatzberg from the Principality of Saxe-Bearstein, Maj Gen Reich Graf Lothar Blutundedonner Baron von Alesgarden from the Elector of Hunnunter, Generaloffizer Reich Graf Picklemany of Frankszonia, and Gen Reich Graf Mackay of the Duchy of Tradgardland were the guests of honor at this farewell dinner. All of Beerstein rejoices in the triumph of these heroes and wishes them well on their journeys home. Wihlhelm asked each General to express his deepest appreciation and affection to their sovereign for sending such distinguished officers to aid the Reich Duchy of Beerstein in our hour of need!