Three Commanders — Chapter Fourteen, part 1

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

REVIEW AT SPITHEAD--ADMIRAL TRITON'S OPINION OF STEAM-VESSELS--THE ALLIED FLEETS IN CAVARNA BAY--JACK VISITS MURRAY ON BOARD THE BRITON-- BOMBARDMENT OF ODESSA--LOSS OF THE TIGER--JACK IN COMMAND OF THE TORNADO RUNS INTO THE HARBOUR OF SEBASTOPOL--A VISIT TO THE GUARDS' CAMP.

"A magnificent sight!

What would Nelson have done with such a fleet?"

exclaimed the admiral, as, with his eye at a telescope turned towards Spithead, at an early hour on the morning of the 11th of March 1854, he gazed at the fleet collected there under Sir Charles Napier.

"We must have a nearer look at them, ladies; the _Gauntlet_ goes out of harbour, and Adair has sent his coxswain to say that his gig is waiting at the pier.

Come, Deborah; come, Mrs Murray; get on your wraps.

Lucy, my dear, you mustn't mind appearances; though the sun is bright, the wind is still keen, and you will find it cold enough coming on shore again."

The ladies, who had already finished breakfast, were soon equipped; and the admiral, helped by Miss Rogers and his sister, had got into his pea-jacket, and, Lucy having tucked the ends of the comforter which surrounded his throat well into it, he was ready, stick in hand, to tramp across the common.

Lucy's well-fitting yachting-dress, with an overcoat calculated to withstand all weathers, became her well.

The gig was soon alongside the _Gauntlet_, at whose gangway Adair stood ready to receive his guests.

It was the first time Lucy had come on board, and with no little pride and happiness he helped her up the accommodation ladder.

The next instant, casting off from her moorings, the _Gauntlet_ steamed out of the harbour towards Spithead.

"Well, after all, there is something to be said in favour of steam," observed the admiral; "and though I did once think it would never come to much, I must confess I was wrong; though, had it never been invented, we should not have felt the want of it."

"At all events, admiral, it enables us to get out to Spithead, which we otherwise should have found it a difficult job to do," answered Adair, laughing.

"Look at the magnificent _Duke of Wellington_, with her 131 guns; see the _Royal George_, and _Saint Jean d'Acre_, with what ease they can now manoeuvre, by the aid of their screws.

I suspect Nelson would have been willing to exchange the whole of his fleet for three such ships at Trafalgar, and not only would have gained the victory, but would not have allowed one of the enemy to escape."

"It might have been so," said the admiral; "but I suspect, had the chance been given him, he would have preferred having his tough little _Victory_ and the other stout ships of his fleet, to all the new-fangled contrivances."

The admiral, it was evident, had still a hankering for the good old days when he first went to sea.

The _Gauntlet_ was able to steam through a considerable portion of the fleet before she took up her destined station; thus passing in succession the _Duke of Wellington_, Sir Charles Napier's flagship, the _Neptune, Saint George_, and _Royal George_, 120-gun ships, the _Saint Jean d'Acre_, 101 guns; fourteen other ships carrying from 60 to 91 guns, most of them fitted with screws; five frigates, each able to compete with an old line-of-battle ship; and eighteen paddle-wheel and screw-steamers, anyone of which would speedily have sunk the largest ship of ancient days.

In a short time the Queen appeared in the _Fairy_ yacht, passing through this superb fleet, when, the yards being manned, the crews greeted her with hearty cheers, and such a salute broke forth from their guns as had never before been heard.

"Well, admiral, I hope when we come back we shall be able to give a good account of our proceedings, if the Czar ventures to go to war," observed Adair; "we may at least expect to take Sweaborg, Helsingfors, and Cronstadt, and perhaps lay Saint Petersburg itself under contribution."

"If Sir Charles is at all like what he was a few years ago, I hope you may," answered the admiral; "but though Charley is some years my junior, I should have declined ten years ago accepting such a command.

He may be tough enough, but the sort of work he has to do wants nerve, and that, as a man advances in life, is apt to slacken."

Still, notwithstanding Admiral Triton, the prognostications of Adair were shared in by all in the fleet, as well as by the nation at large, and grand results were expected.

The admiral had engaged one of the steamers plying between Ryde and Portsmouth to come alongside and take his party on shore.

Poor Lucy, it was very trying to her, though Mrs Murray from experience could give her heartfelt sympathy.

Alick had already sailed for the Black Sea, and Jack some weeks previously had proceeded in the same direction.

We will make our way on board the _Tornado_.

She had a quick passage under sail and steam to Malta, where she lay taking in a fresh supply of coals, and thence proceeded on through the Aegean Sea up the Bosphorus.

Jack recognised with no small amount of pleasure many of the islands he had visited as a youngster; he had then thought them very beautiful, and he acknowledged that they were so still, though the proportions of the scenery appeared lessened in his eyes after the grander features of the West Indies and South America.

Tom and Desmond were inclined to turn up their noses at them, not having any great respect for the surrounding classical associations.

"Very pretty hills to adorn the surface of a moderate-sized lake," observed Tom, "but Trinidad and Jamaica completely take the shine out of them."

Higson, whom Jack had obtained as his first lieutenant, was much of the same opinion.

Mildmay, who had been appointed by the Admiralty, not having seen the West Indies, was in raptures, and, with notebook in hand, stood dotting down the lines inspired by his muse.

Jos Green, the master, suggested that he would be better employed in making outlines of the headlands and other prominent features of the land.

"Very well for you, master, who have to navigate the ship, but we are above such grovelling notions," answered Mildmay; "you have nothing Byronic in your composition."

"Just take care when it's your watch that you don't run the ship ashore in a fit of poetical abstraction," said Green, laughing; "your Byronic enthusiasm would not be received as a valid excuse at a court-martial."

Besides the officers named, Jack had several of his own and Murray's old shipmates--Dick Needham as gunner, Ben Snatchblock as boatswain, with the two midshipmen, Dicky Duff and Billy Blueblazes; Jerry Bird; the Irishman, Tim Nolan; and several others, all good men and true.

With patriotic pride Jack saw the magnificent fleet under Admiral Dundas lying at anchor in Cavarna Bay as the _Tornado_ steamed into that roadstead.

It lies on the western side of the Black Sea, a little to the north of Varna.

There lay the _Britannia_ and _Trafalgar_, of 120 guns, the admiral's flag flying at the masthead of the first; the _Queen_, of 116 guns; the _Agamemnon_, a name renowned in naval story, of 101 guns, carrying the flag of Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons; the _Albion_, of 91 guns; the _Rodney_ and _London_, of 90; the _Vengeance, Bellerophon_, and _Sanspareil_, of 84, 80, and 70 guns respectively; the _Arethusa_, of 50 guns, twice the size of her predecessor, known in song as the "gallant _Arethusa_;" and numerous other frigates and steamers, the smallest equal in power to any frigate of the olden times.

There too lay the French fleet, fifty sail of the line and twenty-one frigates and smaller vessels, with the flag of Admiral Hamelin flying on board the _Ville-de-Paris_, of 120 guns, and that of the second in command, Admiral Bruat, on board the _Montebello_, of the same force.

What might not these fleets accomplish if only the Russians would dare to sail out from amid their stone walls and fight?

There was the rub.

Jack, having paid his respects to the admiral, made his way on board the _Briton_, accompanied by Archie, whom he knew Murray would be glad to see.

Jack, of course, brought despatches from Stella.

"Now, Alick," he said, after the first greetings were over, "you read those quietly, while Gordon and I look up some of our old shipmates whom you have on board."

Jack was not disappointed, for though he could not boast of having as many friends as Jos Green, he seldom went anywhere without finding some former shipmates.

All were in high spirits at the thoughts of active service, though as yet nothing of importance had been done.

A very gallant act, however, had been performed, of which Jack now heard.

It was very important to gain exact information as to the present state of the harbour of Sebastopol and the forts protecting it, for there was every reason to believe considerable alterations had of late been made.

As soon as the news of the massacre of Sinope had reached England, the Government sent out orders to the admirals to enter the Black Sea, to stop every Russian ship they met, and to prevent by force, if necessary, any fresh aggression on the Turkish flag, that no repetition of such atrocity might occur.

As war had not yet been formally declared, it was necessary to inform the Cabinet of Saint Petersburg and the Governor of Sebastopol of this resolution.

Captain Drummond, commanding the _Retribution_, a steamer of twenty-eight guns, was accordingly ordered to proceed to Sebastopol, and to deliver the despatches to the governor.

In order to make the necessary survey, he was to remain there as long as he possibly could without allowing his design to be suspected by the Russians.

It was the middle of winter; the weather, as is generally the case at that time of the year, was very thick.

This was favourable to the design.

As he had a good chart of the coast, he stood boldly on, keeping the lead going, till he made his way between the two outermost forts into the mouth of the harbour, when he came to an anchor before he was discovered by the Russians.

Great must have been their astonishment at seeing an English frigate thus boldly bearding them.

The fires were kept banked up, so that she might, if necessary, make her way out again, should the Russians venture to fire at her, of which there was a very great probability; indeed, it was said that the guns in the forts were actually loaded, ready at a moment to sink the audacious intruder.

The instant the anchor was dropped, the boats were sent out to take the necessary soundings, while an accurate survey was commenced of both shores of the harbour and the forts, with the number of their guns which guarded the entrance.

The fortifications were indeed of a most formidable character.

On two sides of the harbour eleven forts and batteries were counted; one, which appeared to be the key to the entire works of the place, had its guns concealed from view, but in the other ten no fewer than 722 guns, mostly thirty-two pounders, were counted, half of which pointed seaward, and commanded the approach to the harbour; and the other half commanded the harbour, in which lay the Russian fleet itself.

In every direction men could be seen strengthening the works and erecting new ones.

The town was surrounded by a wall fifteen feet in height, and loopholed for musketry, with a ditch in front.

So narrow was the entrance that two line-of-battle ships could barely sail in abreast.

Having delayed as long as he could, Captain Drummond sent a boat with an officer to convey the despatches to the governor, who at first expressed himself very much astonished at the appearance of an English ship at such a juncture.

Being assured, however, that the frigate had come to perform an act of courtesy, he was satisfied, and, salutes having been exchanged, the _Retribution_ lifted her anchor and steamed again out of the harbour, with the important knowledge which had been obtained, and which was quickly conveyed to Admiral Dundas.

Captain Drummond was of opinion that the place was entirely unassailable by ships alone, but that it might easily be blockaded and harassed by shells thrown into it at night, though he was convinced that should a ship enter the harbour in order to destroy the Russian fleet lying there, it must be annihilated before it could get out again.

He advised, therefore, that Sebastopol should be attacked by a combined naval and military force;

and, as far as could be learned, the authorities had determined on this mode of proceeding.

Jack, having left Murray time to read his despatches, rejoined him, and heard more of what had taken place.

"The army have suffered dreadfully," said Murray, as Jack was seated in his cabin; "not from the enemy, but from cholera and fever.

It has also appeared on board the fleet, and nearly every ship has lost a good many men.

Upwards of fifty have died on board the flagship, and we have had thirty or forty on the sick list at a time, many of whom have succumbed to the disease.

The steamers have, I hope, a better chance of escaping, but it has not left them entirely alone."

"Well, I trust we shall keep free," said Jack.

"The best thing we can hope for is that the commander-in-chief will give us something to do before long."

After describing the halt of the British forces at Scutari, and various incidents which had occurred, Murray went on with an account of what had since taken place: "After remaining for some time at Scutari, the greater part of the English force was moved on to the neighbourhood of Varna, where they have been distributed on the heights south of Varna Bay, and at various other points," he continued.

"The first division, consisting of the Guards and Highlanders, with two field-batteries, are encamped at Gevreckler, a dreary common covered with a short, wiry grass, one of the most desolate-looking plains I ever visited."

"I am sorry to hear that," said Jack, "for my brother Sidney is out there.

I must try if I can get the chance of paying him a visit.

Poor fellow!

he was very anxious to come out, but he will find campaigning very different sort of work from a review in Hyde Park."

"The chances are you are sent there on duty," observed Murray; "if you go, remember me to Mackenzie, Gordon, and Douglas, of the -- Highlanders.

Heaven knows whether we shall meet again, for the cholera, I am sorry to say, has got among them, and it is expected that the allied army before long will have some hot work with the Russians, who are now besieging Silistria.

The place is holding out nobly, the Turks being aided by those two gallant fellows, Captain Butler and Lieutenant Nasmyth.

The Russians have already lost several thousand men before the place, but everybody believes that it must fall ere long, and that the Russians will then march on Constantinople.

We shall do our best to stop them; and though we, of course, shall win, it will not be without heavy loss."

"The fortune of war," said Jack.

"I only hope that the Russian fleet will soon sail out of Sebastopol and give us something to do.

I have no fear but that we shall lick them."

"Of course we shall," answered Murray; "and if Charley Napier can meet their fleet in the Baltic and give them a drubbing too, they will have had enough of it, and we shall shake hands and be friends."

Little did the young commanders, who thus easily settled the campaign, dream of the prolonged and sanguinary struggle which was about to take place.

Jack and Archie remained on board to dine.

The latter went back to the _Tornado_ full of the news he had picked up, which he was as ready to impart to Tom and his shipmates as they were anxious to hear it.

"Look here," said Archie, as he sat on one side of the berth, with Tom opposite to him, and most of the midshipmen surrounding the table, "I've been studying the chart, and I think I've a pretty correct notion of the position of the different places.

Here's the Black Sea, which we'll call an irregular oval running east and west, and at the north side is the Crimea, something like a shoulder of mutton in shape, hanging on by the Isthmus of Perekop to the mainland.

Sebastopol, the fortress we hear so much of, is at the southern end of a broad bay on its western side.

Going back to the mainland, we find on the southern side of the Danube, which as it approaches the sea runs north, and then again to the east, at a considerable distance from the sea, the fortress of Silistria, where the Turks are bravely holding out against a numerous Russian army.

South of Silistria are Varna and Schumla, between which places our troops are encamped, to be ready to intercept the Russians whenever they have captured Silistria, and thus to prevent them from getting to Constantinople.

Some way north of the Danube, on the seashore, is Odessa, not far from the mouth of the Dnieper.

To the north-east of the Crimea, with a narrow passage between it and the mainland, is the Sea of Azov.

Near the entrance to that sea is the mouth of the river Kouban, where the gallant Circassians have long held out against the Russians.

Here we have the Bosphorus at the south-west corner of the Black Sea, with Constantinople on the one side, and Scutari on the other; and rather more than half-way along the southern coast is Sinope, where the Russians so barbarously massacred the unfortunate Turks.

Thus Russia possesses the northern shore of the sea, Turkey the western and southern, and Circassia the eastern.

Still, with a tremendously strong place like Sebastopol almost in its centre, Russia may be said to command the whole of its waters; and that's the reason, I suppose, that we shall try to destroy Sebastopol and the fleet, which at present lies snugly under the batteries."

All hands agreed that they understood Archie's account.

He forgot to mention that several fortresses had been erected by the Russians on the Circassian coast.

Their garrisons were, however, seldom able to venture far beyond their walls, the brave mountaineers being continually on the watch to attack them.

Among other pieces of news that Archie had heard, was that the _Furious_, Captain Loring, had been sent to Odessa with a flag of truce, to bring off the British consul and any British residents who might be in the town.

The day after Jack had joined the fleet, the _Furious_ was seen coming in from the northward, and, soon after she anchored, it was reported that, notwithstanding her flag of truce, the Russians had fired at her, and also at the people she was bringing off.

This, of course, made the admirals very indignant, and several steamers were sent to the north to blockade the port; and, on the 17th of April, the combined fleets weighed and proceeded in the same direction, arriving off Odessa on the 28th.

"I thought it wouldn't be long before we had something to do," said Archie, as he and Tom stood on the deck, watching the coast along which the _Tornado_ was steaming.

The city stands on the southern shore of a bay, with the houses built on the slopes, with moderately high hills rising up from it.

In the centre of the bay was a citadel armed with heavy guns, overlooking the whole of the bay, with strong batteries placed at different points, so as to sweep it with a crossfire; while the ends of three piers were heavily armed with batteries.

As soon as the ships came off the place, the admiral sent in a summons to the governor, demanding, as an atonement for the insult offered to the flag of truce, that all English and French ships should be sent out, and the Russian ships surrendered; and threatening, should this demand not be complied with, that the combined squadron would open fire on the place.

The officers and men on board the ships waited eagerly for the governor's answer, whether he would yield to their demands and send out the vessels, or would try the chances of war.

All hands hoped that he would prove obstinate, and give them the chance of trying their shot and shell against his stone batteries.

By the evening of the 21st no answer had been given, and Jack, with the other captains and commanders, having been summoned on board the flagship, returned in high spirits with the announcement that the place was to be attacked.

The next morning, Ben Snatchblock's shrill pipe sounding along the decks roused up the watch below, who sprang on deck with even more than their usual alacrity.

The midshipmen, turning out of their hammocks, quickly dressed.

Everybody by this time knew that work was to be done.

The grey light of morning was just breaking in the eastern horizon, beyond the combined fleets of England and France, which lay outside of the steamers.

On the west was the city of Odessa, rising to a considerable height above the calm surface of the water, green fields and woods on either side, while in front could be seen the citadel and its numerous forts armed with heavy guns, ready to pour showers of shot and shell on the ships which might dare to oppose them.

The English and French admirals threw out the signal for the steam-squadron to weigh.

It was answered with alacrity--the vessels, urged rapidly through the water by their paddles, stood in towards the shore.

As they approached, the silence of the morning was broken by the loud roar of the Russian guns from the citadel and lower forts, responded to by those of the allies fired from the decks of the steamers; which, having delivered their broadsides with excellent aim, stood off again to give place to their successors in the line.

Having made a semicircle and reloaded, they again came into action; this manoeuvre being repeated without cessation, so that not a moment of breathing-time was allowed to the Russians in the batteries.

Most ably were the guns of the latter served, many of them firing red-hot shot as well as round-shot.

At length, several of the former striking one of the French steam frigates, flames were seen to burst out from her, and she was compelled to stand out of action while her crew, not without difficulty, extinguished the fire.

A breeze springing up, the gallant _Arethusa_ was seen standing in under sail, and as she closed with the batteries, she opened her fire with tremendous effect; then, putting down her helm, she came about and stood off once more, amid showers of shot and shell which came sweeping over and about her; though, close as she was, not a shot touched her.

Greatly to the disappointment of her gallant captain, he saw the signal made from the flagship for his return.

Thinking that he might shut one eye, as Nelson did at Copenhagen, he however once more stood in, delivering a fire from his eight-inch-shell guns, standing in even closer than before.

This manoeuvre he repeated several times; but again the admiral, fearing that he would receive more damage than would be compensated for by the injury inflicted on the enemy, finally recalled him, and, sending for him on board the flagship, complimented him upon his gallantry and the skilful way in which he had manoeuvred his ship.

The attacking squadron was now strengthened by several other steamers and gunboats.

The _Tornado_ had been playing her part.

"We shall make our fire tell before long," observed Jack to Higson, who stood by his side, just as the ship had delivered her broadside and was standing out of action.

"See, flames are bursting out from the fort at the end of the mole,--that won't trouble us again,--look there on the other side, there must be numerous works and storehouses on fire.

If we keep on in this fashion the Russians will have the whole place burnt about their ears."

The men were at their quarters, with shirt-sleeves tucked up, their heads bound by handkerchiefs, and belts round their waists.

Another circle was made, when, just as the _Tornado_ had delivered her fire, a terrific sound was heard; the fort in front of her seemed to rise in the air, the flames shot upwards, and huge blocks of stone came hurtling down on either side.

Loud cheers burst from the British crew.

"Hurrah!"

cried Tom, "I hope that won't be the only fort blown up before long."

As he spoke, it was seen that several other forts were in flames.

Soon after the squadron was brought closer in to attack the shipping within the mole.

The shot and shell poured upon them rapidly did its work.

Some of the vessels were sunk; others, with the rest of the storehouses, were set on fire.

No efforts made by the Russians could quench the flames, which continued burning all night.

The work was most complete; all the Government vessels, barracks, storehouses full of ammunition and military stores, were completely destroyed.

Next day the Russians were, however, seen attempting to rebuild their earthworks; but a few shells from the _Arethusa_ dispersed them.

Several Russian vessels having been captured at sea, the admiral sent in to propose to exchange their crews for those on board the vessels which had been detained in the harbour.

The governor, however, replied that he had no authority to make an exchange of prisoners, which personally he much regretted.

Admiral Dundas, on hearing this, sent his prisoners, who were all merchant seamen, on shore, observing that he was at war only with the Government of the country, and did not wish to inflict annoyance on the peaceable inhabitants.

Some time after the return of the fleet to Baljik, the English merchant seamen who had been detained at Odessa made their appearance, having been released by order of the Czar, who would not be outdone in generosity by the English.

Several vessels had been left in the north to cruise up and down the coast.

Among them were the _Tornado, Tiger_, and two others.

Several prizes had been made when the _Tiger_ parted company in a thick fog.

Jack had been for some time looking out for her, when the sound of heavy guns was heard inshore.

The _Tornado_, in company with another steamer, stood on in the direction from whence the sounds proceeded; in a short time a rapid firing of musketry was heard.

"One of our cruisers is being engaged with the enemy," observed Higson.

"I suspect so," said Jack; "but I very much fear that she must be on shore.

At all events, we must stand in and drive away the enemy, while we try to get her off."

Jack hailed his consort, and, putting on all steam, the two vessels stood towards the land.

Just then the firing ceased, and directly afterwards, the fog lifting, Cape Fortan, a headland about four miles to the south of Odessa, appeared in sight.

Every glass on board was turned in the direction of the land.

"There is a vessel on shore close to the cape," observed Higson.

"She must, I fear, be the _Tiger_" said Jack; "we may still be in time to help her.

Perhaps she has driven off the Russians."

"I am afraid not," said Higson, "for I can make out several boats surrounding her.

I fear that Captain Giffard has been compelled to strike his flag, and that the Russians are removing the prisoners."

"He would not have done that as long as he had the slightest hope of saving his ship," said Jack; "still we may be in time to prevent her from falling into the enemy's hands."

While all on board were watching the ship on shore, flames were seen to burst out from her fore and aft.

"She's done for; and all her crew, I fear, will be made prisoners," said Jack.

Deep sympathy was felt on board for the unfortunate ship's company, and vexation that so fine a vessel should be lost.

Little hope remained of their being able to extinguish the flames.

Still Jack determined to try what could be done.

In a few minutes, however, the matter was set at rest--the fire increased, the masts and spars of the doomed ship were enveloped in flames; and then there came a thundering report, her deck lifted, the masts shot upwards, and an instant afterwards, as they came down hissing into the water, a few blackened timbers alone remained of the stout ship which had lately floated buoyantly on the ocean with her gallant crew.