Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
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Jack Punch
The First Black Captain
In
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
“Duty Calls”
By Chuck Royster
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
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This Book is Dedicated
To My Mother
Iris Elizabeth Royster
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
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Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
“Duty Calls”
By
Chuck Royster
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
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Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
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Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
“Duty Calls”
Table Of Contents Chapter
1. Dame Célèbre and the First Punch
2. Sir Peter’s Dilemma
3. The Colonial Connection
4. Antigua
5. A New Direction
6. Two Bells in the Forenoon Watch
7. Snotties
8. Farley’s Foot
9. Where the Antelope Plays
10. Sir Peter’s Plan
11. Pig Boat
12. Commander, His Majesty’s Brig Punch
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
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Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
Forward
As an African American, I have a keen interest in the
history of my people. I want to know what we have done,
what we said and how we have affected the world both
today and historically. I also have a keen interest in other
areas, which includes military, nautical, transportation and
information processing arenas. From time to time, I use my
time to pursue, track and gain additional knowledge in
these areas through books, the internet and any other means
at my disposal. I have pursued this hobby, that of learning
more about things that interest me, since I was a boy and I
first ventured into a library, at the age of eight.
This book has been written to commemorate Royal Navy
Captain John Perkins, a great, magnificent and yet unsung,
National Hero of the Royal Navy of Great Britain. Within
his guise as commerce raider “Jack Punch”, Captain
Perkins was known to be a great seaman, a great warrior
and spy, a nautical tactician and also a great leader of men.
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His leadership skills were such that he was promoted from
the lower deck to the rank of Lieutenant in 1797; to the
rank of Post Captain in 1803, and around 1805, to the field
rank of Commodore, where he directed his and several
other ships under his command to challenge, defeat and
capture French warships many times his size and firepower.
During his career, Captain Perkins had commanded more
than six different British warships, and was ultimately was
given command of a powerful 5th
rate 32 gun frigate, The
HMS Tartar (This ship was 1/3 larger than the 24 gun, 5th
rate HMS Surprise commanded by Captain Jack Aubrey in
the movie Master & Commander). All of these promotions
were sanctioned and approved by King of Great Britain and
confirmed by publication in the London Gazette, the voice
of the Crown.
In his lifetime he served as a spy for the British against the
French and the Spanish, fought and fired broadsides on the
Dutch, captured and took possession of the Dutch island of
St. Eustatius from the French, and assisted in the
negotiations and arming of the revolutionary resistance on
the island of Haiti, which ultimately went on to win its
independence from the France.
Of curious note is the fact that Captain John Perkins was a
Black, native born Jamaican who never set foot on the
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English mainland for the whole of his life. Captain John
Perkins was a real, hard charging, seagoing hero.
The best description of Captain Perkins career that I have
found was written by N.A.M. Roger, the famed nautical
historian and author of The Wooden World: An Anatomy
of the Georgian Navy for the Oxford Dictionary of
National Biography. You can also find more information
about him and his historical accomplishments by searching
for his name in the online dictionary, Wikipedia.
I would like to thank Professor Rodger for providing me
valuable insight during my initial research on Captain
Perkins, and for the time and candor he provided to me
during our multiple transatlantic telephone conversations.
By researching the pages of the London Gazette, I have
found many letters and reports written and signed by
Captain Perkins to his superiors showing proof of his
daring accomplishments, his unwavering tactical skills and,
his literacy.
The following is a actual letter published in the London
Gazette on April 22nd
, 1801:
(On Board the) Arab, St. Eustatia, April 22, l801
S I R*.
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THE enclosed is a Copy of a Letter I received from
the President of St. Kitts, in consequence of which I
immediately proceeded in compliance with the
Contents, after having embarked the Troops at
Sandy Point, on board the Arab, and the Spanish
Armed Schooner her Prize; I have to inform you
that after having sent into St. Eustatia to be
acquainted with their Resolutions, on the Morning
of .the 21st Instant, I received the enclosed Articles
of Capitulation.
I am, &c.
JOHN PERKINS.
As commander of the 22 gun ARAB, Commodore Perkins
negotiated the siege, surrender and capitulation of the
French on the island of St. Eustatius, which was actively
involved in the supply of slaves and arms to the colonies
during the American War of Independence and continued
as a base of operations in the Caribbean for the French,
Dutch and Spanish during the Forth Dutch Anglo War
(1780-1784).
In his letter to his superior, Admiral J. T Duckworth,
Commander In Chief of the Leeward Islands dated April
22, 1801 (published in the London Gazette Issue No.
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15370, May 30, 1801) Commodore Perkins reported the
results of his negotiations with the President of St. Kitts. It
should be noted that when Commodore Perkins took the
island he also had, in addition to the two ships under his
command, a commissioned Royal Marine Captain and an
entire regiment of Royal Marine Buffs to support his efforts
in taking the island. Together with his crew, the island was
sacked and stripped of all items of value which included
powder, shot, cannon and ships. His letter details all of the
items taken with specific descriptions of each item.
The above citation is but one Captain Perkins’s many
written descriptions and reports of his actions and
accomplishments that reside amongst the pages of the
worlds oldest, and most distinguished and respected
newspaper.
The London Gazette was, and continues to be published
under the authority and auspices of The Crown of Great
Britain, who to this date holds its’ copyright. Wikipedia,
the free, on-line encyclopedia describes the London Gazette
as follows:
“The London Gazette is one of the official journals of
record of the United Kingdom government, and the
most important among such official journals in the UK,
in which certain statutory notices are required to be
published. The London Gazette is the oldest surviving
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English Newspaper and the oldest continuously-
published newspaper in the United Kingdom, having
been first published on 7 November 1665.”
After spending considerable time researching the life
achievements of Commodore Perkins, I found gaping holes
in the very same historical records that so accurately
documented the careers of Admirals Nelson, Parker, and
many other Royal Navy nautical heroes.
I also noted that within the writings of several of those
Admirals who commanded Commodore Perkins, such as
renowned Royal Navy heroes Sir Hyde and Sir Peter
Duckworth, I found true hearts demonstrating an equality
of respect for Captain Perkin’s achievements. Their
correspondence to the Admiralty was rich with praise and
appreciation for his actions, and they continually
encouraged and implored the Crown to reward him with
promotions, bigger ships, greater responsibility and
increased financial rewards. I have a high respect for these
gentlemen, as they openly encouraged the Crown to adopt
an attitude of the equality and respect for Commodore
Perkins achievements long after it was no secret that he was
a Black Jamaican, and long before such an attitude was
accepted or popular.
I should note that while the real Captain Perkins’ life and
adventures served as the stimulus for the book, this book is
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a work of fiction. It is an imaginative story loosely
constructed around some actual facts. As such, everything
in it, including the names of the characters, the descriptions
of those characters, the ships, crewmembers and places
described are all fictional. Any resemblance to anyone,
living or dead is a matter of pure coincidence.
In many ways, this work is similar to the efforts of other
authors who utilized the splendid career of Admiral Horatio
Nelson as a framework for their great literary tales. In this
manner, this work is somewhat similar to the works of C. S.
Forrester (Horatio Hornblower) and Patrick O'Brian (“Jack
Aubrey” of the “Master and Commander” series.)
This book is not written to provide the reader with a wealth
of actual, “On the Scene” historical facts, but to utilize the
periodicity of Captain Perkins’ career as a framework and
backdrop for an enjoyable, and yet purely fictional, tale of
adventure and accomplishment.
Within this process, this book is also written to highlight
the real fact that two centuries before America’s “Civil
Rights” came to being, there were “Gentlemen of Color”
who were daring, courageous and successful who
conducted their affairs with precision, civility and
professionalism, the very same professionalism that has
powered the Royal Navy for more than four centuries.
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Captain Perkins’ nickname, “Jack Punch” was derived from
the fear that the his enemies held for his first official
command, a small 70 foot two mast vessel which served as
a fleet tender or Brig, called “His Majesty’s Brig (HMB)
Punch”.
During the period Captain Perkins commanded The Punch,
he chased, captured, burned, blasted, and “liberated” more
than 300 ships and 3000 prisoners from his enemies, the
Americans, the French, The Dutch and the Spanish. There
are many documented cases wherein the enemy captains,
upon seeing The Punch approaching, would run aground
and/or swim to shore (leaving the ship abandoned) rather
than face Jack’s cannon and voracious appetite for battle.
It is for this reason that I have chosen Perkins’ feared and
respected nickname, “Jack Punch” as the name of the main
character for my imaginary events.
With these tales of bravado, I have attempted to “Put some
imaginary meat on the bones” of the few bare facts that I
have been able to glean concerning the achievements of
Captain John Perkins’ life. It is my belief that to be as great
as he was, and of African descent, Captain Perkins must
have been a complete man, with intelligence, perseverance,
culture and polish, as he was able to accomplish so many
magnificent achievements.
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Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
Preface
The fourteen years which elapsed between the Treaty of
Fontainebleau (1762) and the adhesion of France to the
cause of the revolted Colonist were spent by the French in a
resolute attempt to build up their navy and to strengthen the
family compact which united the Royal Houses of France
and Spain.
…Nor was the British Navy allowed to decay at this time,
as it had so often been before in time of peace. A regular
standard of naval strength was maintained: namely,
equality to the combined navies of the House of Burbon.
That standard prevailed, at least nominally, at the outbreak
of the war. Nevertheless, Great Britain entered upon the
struggle under circumstances very unfavorable to her. The
merchant shipping of the North American Colonies
amounted to very nearly half her own, and the reservoir of
trained seamen which had thus possessed was now cut off
from her.
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… In addition, she (Great Britain) was committed to a war
far from her own shores, while her principal enemies at sea
were close to them, and, in the distant sphere, had,
moreover, a great part of the resources of the Colonies to
rely on….
…For the first time in history she fought at a serious
disadvantage in geographical position. As a further
embarrassment, the Dutch, disloyal to their ancient treaties,
resisted to the application of the rule of 1756 to the point of
declaring war. Antwerp and the Scheldt were at the
disposal of the enemy. And Russia, Sweden, and Denmark
joined in the armed neutrality, which aimed at asserting the
right of neutrals to trade with belligerents in all articles
save contraband of war, and denied the right of blockade.
Since naval stores then chiefly came from the Baltic, and
these were denied to Great Britain, the armed neutrality
scarcely differed from actual war.
The Royal Navy of France was never so formidable.
…The operations in the West Indies, which form the main
naval interest in the War of American Independence, are
anything but easy to follow.
…The capture of (the) “Sugar Islands”; the re-
establishment of France and Spain in their predominating
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position in the West Indies became the (enemy’s)
objective…….
“Sea Power and Freedom”, Pages 186-188
Gerard Fiennes 1918
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Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
Chapter One
Dame Célèbre and the First Punch
The year was 1775 and the cool Caribbean wind blew
across the shallow bay over the twelve black men hunkered
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down in the captured French longboat. With the folding
mast collapsed across the boat’s centerline, the men waited
quietly behind a clump of Eucalyptus trees, in the shadow
of a rocky outcrop supporting the cliffs above. The men
listened intently to the agonizing cries, screams, curses and
rattling chains emanating from the French slaver reloading
its miserable cargo at the dock located on the other side of
the rocks. As most of these men had, at one time or
another, been slaves themselves, they were all too familiar
with these sounds, and the pain, punishment and
degradation that came along with them. They recognized
them as the invariable sound sounds of suffering,
deprivation and profit as unsold slaves were once again
being beat, kicked and prodded into the man-made hell of
filth and stench of the slaver’s hold.
But they made not a sound. At the command of their
leader, they waited quietly. They waited for the perfect
time, and the perfect place to affect their intentions; to take
the slaver, and relieve the French owners of their slave-
gained riches.
John (Jack Punch) Perkins, the leader of this motley
collection of humanity, lay prone, next to the five pound
cannon mounted on the bow of the longboat. Jack’s eye
was focused through a short brass telescope watching the
hubbub of activity on the dock to which the French slaver,
the Dame Célèbre, was moored. From appearances, there
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was also a small brig moored to the same dock behind the
slaver loading stores of powder and shot, apparently
destined for a trip to America.
Jack was intensely focused on his target and carefully
watched the motions, activities and habits of each man on
the slaver’s crew. This habit, of carefully studying one’s
adversaries, was known to be as much as part of his
character as his powerful build and good looks. At 5’
8’’and stripped to the waist, his muscular upper body,
bulging biceps and broad, chocolate colored back spanned
the entire width of the bows of the small cutter. With two
pistols tucked in his waistband, and a wide blackstrap
cutlass scabbard, he formed the picture of a formidable
adversary to any of his potential enemies.
And a formidable adversary he was. Born free in Jamaica
in 1747 in the town of Kingston, he had watched the
brutalities of slavery forced upon his sisters, cousins and
friends. He hated slavery with a passion. At the age twelve,
he left his father’s home in Kingston, and joined his with
Uncle Perkins as a “powder monkey” on a British privateer
operating under a letter of marque from the Governor of
Port Royal. Inasmuch as England was at war with both the
Dutch and the French, he spent his time raiding Dutch and
French ships laden with gold, slaves and any other cargo
headed for the slave based economy of America.
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But this was a life that was not to be, for at the age of 19,
his ship was attacked by two French warships, and he was
taken, as a slave, to the Dutch on the island of St. Eustatius,
where he was to await transportation to America.
Fortunately, his knowledge of ships, and the caves and
coves of the Caribbean paid off. During the voyage to
Charleston, South Carolina, he led a rebellion which
resulted in the capture of the slaver, and the killing of the
Dutch captain and crew. He sailed his prize back to Port
Royal, where he sold the vessel to a friend of his father, the
Governor of Port Royal, and freed his fellow captives.
From that point on, he was viewed throughout the
Caribbean as a wanted man in the eyes of both the French
and the Dutch, and sentenced to death by them in
abstention.
For the next 10 years, Jack spent his life driving his former
masters absolutely mad. Operating under Letters of
Marques from the several Governors of Port Royal, he led
his growing crew of freemen and former slaves to continue
the harassment of the French and Dutch shipping with
special emphasis on the slave trade, by capturing their ships
and taking the profits they gained from their sales of their
vessels, their cargo, and his unfortunate brethren. Adopting
a policy he learned as a crewmember on the British
privateer, the profits were split up, in equal shares
according to position, with his crew. He became known as
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an expert with respect to his almost photographic
knowledge of the dangerous reefs, caves, cays and passages
throughout both the West Indies and the Leeward Islands,
and a very wealthy man.
At home in Jamaica, this life had allowed him to become a
very well known, and reasonably well off, member of
Jamaican society. He had a fine home on a small
plantation, with paid servants and Jamaican workers who
raised sugar cane, distilled rum and sold it for a huge profit.
As a free man in British society, he was well respected by
both Whites and Blacks of the small island nation. Under
the protection of British law, he enjoyed many of the
privileges of his White counterparts, and was frequently
sought out for their advice during the planning of British
military matters.
These thoughts were turning over in Jack’s mind as he lay
in the bows of the cutter. All that he was, and all that he
worked for now lay before him, at risk, in the cutter with
him. But this was his chosen way of life, so he put the
thoughts out of his head and continued to concentrate on
the problem at hand, and waited. It was then that he felt the
wind on his cheek, and he knew that the time for his attack
was rapidly approaching for as the morning mist faded, and
the land began to warm up, the offshore breeze began to
stir.
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The slaver, which had completed the loading and securing
of its human cargo, was preparing to slip its mooring and
catch the morning breeze to continue its journey to the next
slave trading port to the sou’west. Unfortunately for the
slaver, it would attempting to sail into the wind, which
meant that it would have to sail on a starboard tack from a
lee shore, giving Jack and his crew the weather gage, and
perfect positioning for the attack by the small cutter.
The Dame Célèbre was now ready to sail. Jack watched as
the French Captain hauntingly strode to the quarterdeck.
“Préparez au depart!” The French Captain shouted to his
crew.
Followed by “Tout en haut!” (All hands aloft!)
Jack watch as the crew scrambled up the mainmast and
released the sails. As the sails gathered the wind, the
clumsy vessel began to awkwardly gain speed and drifted
slowly away from the dock. As soon as the she had cleared
the dock moved away from the headland, the American
brig, with the name “Commerce Venture” painted on her
bows, also slipped her mooring and followed slowly behind
the Dame Célèbre on the same tack. The trap was set.
Mounting four six-pounders, with two four pounders as
both bow and stern chasers, the Dame Célèbre could not
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exactly be considered “Easy Prey”. Slavers usually carried
a crew of about 50 men who were known as vile and
vicious sorts, and were accustomed to battling pirates,
privateers and even the British Royal Navy to retain the
spoils of their livelihood, the slaves and the profits from the
sales of their slaves. They could therefore always be
counted upon to put up a fierce fight for their spoils. Jack
and his crew knew this, and were amply prepared to
accomplish their mission with equal zeal.
“Weapons ready!” Jack whispered to this crew.
On this command, each man opened the frizzen covering
the charge in the weapon’s priming pan and checked to
ensure that the black powder in the pan did not cover the
touchhole of his flintlock. Each man took the toothpick
that he kept in their mouth and poked it through the
touchhole, which is a small hole drilled from the pan of the
weapon to the powder charge in the firing chamber. This
ensured that the hole was clear, and the fire created in the
pan would proceed down the touchhole and ignite the
powder charge in the chamber with a “Bang!”, and thereby
propelling the ball in the barrel in front of the powder
charge in the firing chamber into the guts of a perspective
adversary with deadly consequences.
Clearing the touchhole of the weapon was necessary to
prevent what’s called “a flash in the pan”. A flash in the
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pan occurs when you pull the trigger, the powder in the pan
ignites, but the weapon doesn’t shoot. If the touchhole is
not clear, the fire created in the pan by the flint striking the
frizzen cannot proceed down the touchhole to set off the
powder in the firing chamber. In a battle, this can be a
potentially deadly occurrence.
As the men cleared their weapons, Jack watched and
listened as each man removed the small, oiled leather bag
tied over the front of the barrel of his flintlock (to keep out
any water) and then pull the hammer back to its half-
cocked, or “Ready” position. The Weapons Ready status
was signified by a loud “Click!” sound emanating from
each man’s flintlock. This was essentially the flintlock’s
“Safety On” setting, as the weapon would not fire from the
first click but had to have its hammer pulled further back to
a second “fully-cocked” position, which was signified by
yet another click, to fire. Hence the old adage, “Don’t go
off half-cocked.”
With each click, the man would stare at Jack to await his
nod of approval. Jack knew his crew was now ready for
battle.
Jack waited until the Dame Célèbre had cleared the
headland and he watched as she came about on her larboard
tack with the open sea before her. But he also knew that
she would have to tack again, and that, this time, she would
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be out of the range of the French cannon mounted at the
fort on the headland erected to protect the dock and its
slave trading customers.
Jack knew these waters. He knew that the Dame Célèbre
had to tack to avoid getting her bottom ripped out by
“Clemmett’s Reef”, a long line of coral reefs stringing from
North to South, which was directly in her path as she lay on
the larboard tack.
Jack saw the French captain place the speaking trumpet to
his mouth and shout “Se préparent à virer le navire à
tribord!”
He watched the slaver as she began her turn to starboard to
avoid the oncoming reefs. Her sails fell slack and she
proceeded almost dead slow as she wheeled around in
preparation to re-gather the wind and continue her voyage
to the open sea. It appeared that the master of the
American brig was unaware of this reef, which was
uncharted, as he headed directly for the reef and what
appeared to be a date with sudden disaster.
This was the moment Jack had been waiting for.
“Hoist the mains’l, hoist the jib!” whispered Jack.
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Immediately the cutter caught the wind and shot from
behind the outcropping of rocks which had hidden it from
the view of the Dame Célèbre. Jack, now at the tiller,
guided the shallow draft cutter through a break in the line
of Clemmett’s Reef directly across the path of the Dame
Célèbre. With the weather gage, and the wind to his back
steadily mounting, the cutter quickly gained speed and
skipped across the bay towards the port bow of the slaver,
the captain of which was just now beginning to realize what
was about to happen.
“Tout aux canons!” shouted the French captain.
As the bulk of the crew were still aloft working the sails,
those who remained on deck raced towards their assigned
cannon stations to repel Jack and his band of marauders.
Several crewmen could be seen running to the bows of the
ship, attempting to load the cannon and struggling to get
the primer and ball ready to fire. But it was too late.
“Fire!” shouted Jack.
The cutter’s bow cannon, loaded with chain shot, roared to
life. The massive explosion of the close ranged direct hit
ripped away the slaver’s bow chaser, port side anchor cats
and the upper halves of the four men attempting to fire the
cannon with it. With the anchor cats gone, the slaver’s
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anchor, chain and hawser line fell into the sea and
immediately lodged itself in the rocky coral bottom of the
bay, dragging the slaver to a dead halt.
“Fire at will!” shouted Jack.
All at once, Jack’s men in the cutter fired their muskets and
pistols, therein picking off the other hapless Frenchmen
racing along the decks to assist the unfortunate few that
were attempting to fire the slaver’s cannon. The slaver
now lay dead in the water and virtually helpless. She was
unable to defend herself, as her port cannon could not be
brought to bear on Jack’s low-slung cutter.
As the cutter bumped up against the hull of the slaver, Jack
and his men raced up the boarding ladder and climbed over
the bulwarks of the slaver while shouting to the top their
lungs and firing pistols at any Frenchman they saw.
As Jack tumbled over the port side rail of the slaver a
French officer fired his pistol from across the deck directly
at him, but the ball missed Jack and killed Asanni, his
second in command who was just mounting the rail behind
him. Jack was furious, he bounded across the deck as the
officer frantically cocked his other pistol, but the French
officer was too slow, as Jack’s cutlass blithely came across
the man’s body, and struck the arm holding the pistol. This
fatal blow cut off the arm and the hand holding the pistol,
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all of which, hand, arm and pistol, fell clattering to the
deck. Jack’s second upwards swipe of the cutlass took off
the right side of the officer’s face, killing him instantly.
It was at this time that something struck the ship with force
and fury of a bomb, and every timber of the slaver shook
and shuddered to the impact. The other half of Jack’s crew,
on what appeared to be an American brig named
“Commerce Venture”, had driven their vessel’s bows
directly into the mid-ship of the Dame Célèbre, and the
ship’s crew were now streaming across her bows onto the
Dame Célèbre, while screaming, firing and killing every
Frenchmen they encountered on sight.
Seeing this, the French captain gave up.
“Assez! Nous nous rendons!” He shouted, dropping his
empty pistols and presenting his sword to Jack.
“You have won, Monsieur”, said the French captain, in
English.
Immediately the clattering sounds of the French crew’s
pistols, cutlasses, and repelling pikes could be heard
dropping to the deck. The battle was over, and the slaver
was Jack’s.
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Rolling his eyes up in disgust, the French captain looked up
at the yardarm of the brig and spotted the British ensign.
He then read the real name of the ship which was now
exposed under the torn canvas attached to the disguise his
captor’s ship. It read: “The Punch”. He looked at his captor
and gasped with realization.
“You are no slave, Monsieur. You are Jack Punch, the
pirate!
“Privateer, Sir, not a Pirate. I bring you greetings from His
Majesty King Charles under whose command I gladly
perform my duties. Your sword, if you please, Monsieur,
….and your gold.” Said Jack.
Using the barrel of the pistol from the officer he had killed,
Jack motioned to the captain to proceed below.
“This way, Monsieur.” sneered the French captain.
McKenzie, Jack’s long-time friend and mate, accompanied
the two to the cabin below.
Jack kept his pistol pointed at the French captain’s head.
The cabin was small and cramped. In the starboard corner
a swinging wooden hammock rocked to the motion of the
ship. In it lay a sobbing young Jamaican girl stripped to the
waist with one of her wrist chained to the upper works of
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the hammock. She was bleeding from her forehead and
with her free hand, held the blood soaked remnants of a
long pink skirt which she held tightly between her legs.
Seeing Jack and McKenzie, she struggled to cover herself
with the bedding of the hammock. The captain’s pre-
occupations were obvious, and it appeared that Jack’s raid
had interrupted the captain’s continued pursuit of his carnal
pleasures.
“A là-bas”, said the Frenchman, ignoring the girl.
The captain motioned towards a chest sitting on the table in
the middle of his cabin.
“Open it.” said Jack.
The captain opened the chest reveal hundreds of gold coins,
payment for slaves he had sold over the entirety of his
voyage.
“You are a filibustere, monsieur, a pirate.” said the captain.
“The king of France will see you hung for your crimes, you
Black bastard.”
“But you never will”, said Jack.
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
31
He fired his pistol, and the Frenchman’s head disappeared
through the aft window of the cabin.
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
32
Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
Chapter Two
Sir Peter’s Dilemma
“April 17th
, 1775
His Lordships regret, that they can only be answerable to
the loyalty and fidelity of the King, and, with resolution of
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
33
doing what appears to them to be the best for his service,
which under the current circumstances, preclude the
selection and assignment of an officer of post-captain
rank from the fleet at Portsmouth to the West Indies
under your command. We therefore hereinafter charge
you to select, appoint and or post, as the requirements of
your command may deem necessary, the specific officers
and charges of your choice to support your fleet officer
manning requests (sic.) in support of the success and
completion of your assigned mission”
Faithfully Yours,
First Lord Gerald Leland Pitt
The ADMIRALTY BOARD
As he read his latest dispatch from Whitehall, Vice Admiral
Sir Peter Parker, Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica
station, methodically paced the weather side of the quarter
deck of his new flagship, the 52 gun, 4th
rate HMS
Antelope. As customary in the Royal Navy, the lesser
officers left him to his thoughts, and stayed on the lee side
of the quarterdeck to assure his privacy.
The good admiral had a lot on his mind. His last dispatch
to the Admiralty contained an urgent request for additional
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
34
ships staffed with officers with experience cruising the
West Indies. His answer, which he repeatedly read to
insure that he had interpreted it properly, in effect told him
that they could not help him, and that he must use his own
devices to complement his fleet and staff his charge. He
was on his own, and the Admiralty had empowered him to
use his own devices to “select, appoint and or post” officers
and leaders to meet his needs. But where, 3000 miles from
Whitehall, the center of the world’s combatant naval
activity, was he to find these men?
Suddenly, Sir Peter’s thoughts were interrupted by a shout
from the main foretop.
“Deck, There!”
“Where, away?” Shouted Sir Peter, as he struggled with
the claps securing his telescope in its case.
“Cannon fire and smoke abaft two points to larboard!”
Came the reply from the foretop.
Finally snatching his telescope from its case, Sir Peter
wheeled around and peered through the mist to view what
was going on inside the small harbor he had been patrolling
for the past 12 hours. Yesterday at this very hour, he and
his squadron had chased what appeared to be a French brig
almost directly under the guns of the French fort in the
harbor. The French immediately fired on his fleet at their
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
35
approach. Being unsure of the dangers of the coral reefs of
an unknown harbor, and facing the devastation that would
be inevitable from mounted stationary cannon, he wisely
signaled his fleet to patrol the entrance of the harbor, and
await the departure of the prize from the safety of the fort’s
cannon.
Through his telescope he watched, with unanticipated
amazement, the swift capture of his intended prize, and
succumbed to the reluctant realization that the associated
prize money thereof was not destined to be his. To his left,
his Flag Captain, John Montrose, and the other officers of
the watch simultaneously gazed through their telescopes at
the swift efficiency of the ongoing action.
“Damn!” scoffed Montrose. “Who the hell is that? My
God, carefully planned and beautifully executed. Where
did he come from? Are they pirates, or what?”
“They appear to be privateers.” said Sir Peter. “They are
flying the British ensign.” They must be out of Port Royal.”
“Well, it appears that they are out of Port Royal, and we are
‘Out of Pocket!’ That French brig would have brought a
handsome price.”
“So it seems.” said Sir Peter. “Could you make out the
name of the ship?”
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
36
“No, Sir” said Montrose. “She appears to be one of the new
American designs, fast, shallow draft, and more sail than
timber. I’ll imagine her to be a real pitching bear in a
following sea.”
“Aye, but perfectly designed for her current occupation.”
said the Admiral. “Better luck next time, Gentlemen.” said
Sir Peter, as he snapped his telescope close.
Perkins, the Admiral’s old Black steward, was standing
nearby with his first cup of hot tea.
“Make sail for Port Royal, there is nothing more we can do
here.” Said the Admiral
“Aye, Aye, Sir.” came the reply.
Immediately the ship began to buzz with life as the Master
called “All hands to make sail”, and the crew scrambled
aloft in preparation.
“Los’n the heads’ls, Los’n the tops’ls. Helm a’lee” called
the Master.
With the new press of sail, the Antelope warped around
like a spanked greyhound, and spun on her heels as she
leaned before the wind. As indicated by the expanding
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
37
froth of her bow wave, she quickly picked up speed
towards her new destination: Port Royal.
Old Perkins, the Admiral’s steward, had been in the Royal
Navy for almost half a century and with the Admiral for the
greater part of the last decade. As such, he was allowed, at
choice moments, to speak directly to Sir Peter, without
admonition. A Jamaican by birth, he had signed on with
Sir Peter during the waning years of his youth as an Able
Seaman. Over the years, Perkins had sailed with Sir Peter
across the globe and proven his loyalty, and bravery to him
on many occasions, in many battles, in numerous far off
ports of call.
Now, at the twilight of his career, he was too old to
scamper up the ratlines to the work the foretop sails and a
bit too feeble to grab a marlinspike and help manhandle a
four ton cannon into firing position. So, Sir Peter,
acquiescing to his pleas to remain at sea, signed him on as
his steward. As per his daily ritual, Perkins stood by Sir
Peter to return his favorite porcelain china cup and saucer
to its protected cupboard in the Admiral’s cabin.
The other officers returned to their duties, and left Sir Peter
to his space on the quarter deck. As he handed Sir Peter
the tea cup, Perkins, in his soft-spoken Jamaican accent,
leaned over and whispered in Sir Peter’s left ear:
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
38
“Da’ ship be da Punch, Sah.” Whispered Perkins. “Me
nephew John be da Captain. Him be known to take more
ships den anybody in da’ Caribbean, Black or White. Him
be me brother’s son, him who take the ship, Sah.”
“You know him?” asked Sir Peter.
“Aye, Sah. When him Mama die, me brother be fighting
the Spanish on Hispaniola. Him beg me to take him care.
Ah took him to sea w’ me when he be twelve years, and
him been dere ever since. Him took his first slaver when he
but 19 years. Him real name be John, John Perkins. Same
as me, Sah. Perkins. Him love the sea, Sah.”
“Hmmm. So it seems.” Replied Sir Peter. “Thank you,
Perkins.”
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
39
Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
Chapter Three
The Colonial Connection
England was an island nation whose very existence
depended on her ability to ensure that her great merchant
marine fleet could move throughout the world freely. The
mission to ensure that these freedoms were protected
throughout the West Indies was the charge of the new Chief
of the Jamaica Station, Sir Peter Parker. Sir Peter knew
upon his assignment that it would be difficult, if not
impossible to complete his mission without a cadre of
aggressive, talented and well-trained seaman officers to
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
40
assist him in his endeavors. Moreover, he needed officers
that were familiar with the navigational nuances of the
many inlets, coves, reefs and rocks of his assigned territory,
as these hidden hazards were making it extremely difficult,
if not impossible, to fulfill his mission without
endangering the ships of his fleet.
England was at war, a three navy war, taking on not just the
fledgling navy of its revolting American colonies, but also
the French, Spanish and the Dutch, those traditional
enemies with powerful, world-wide naval forces who allied
with the colonies, and would ally with anyone else who
would raise a hand against the British Empire.
England’s old arch enemies maintained a significant level
of naval forces to protect their possessions in the West
Indies and the Leeward Islands. Sir Peter knew that these
possessions served, in addition to their highly profitable
slave trade, as ammunition, powder and smuggling trans-
shipment import and export ports for the colonies, and that
much of the Colonies ability to wage war against the
Crown came through these ports. It was, therefore Sir
Peter’s intention to close these ports down, and kill, capture
or dismantle the systems of forts, fleets and harbors that
protected these activities.
On the other hand, the three other nations were
clandestinely, or openly, doing everything in their power to
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
41
aid and assist the colonies in gaining their independence.
They all were involved in smuggling in slave labor,
weapons, powder, shot and anything else they could sell to
the American rebels, while exporting timber, cotton,
tobacco, sugar and numerous other cash crops to back to
Europe to gain profits from the American efforts of war.
They were, after all inclined to protect their own interest,
and the enormous profits of slave trade would not be given
up easily.
Consequently, Sir Peter was tasked with the problem of
protecting and patrolling miles and miles of empty
Southern ocean between North and South America,
Jamaica and the Leeward islands with a ragtag fleet of
schooners, brigs and frigates, with only a few worn but
qualified, “Ships of the line”.
The Royal Navy was, in fact, overextended. The task of
victualing, crewing and staffing a fleet that was on constant
patrol, and more than 3000 miles from their homeport was
an enormous burden. Able seamen were coerced, pressed
and virtually grabbed from every available source:
merchant ships, captured rebel ships, British slavers, and
from the bars and brothels of Port Royal, and every other
element within the British Empire.
These forced impressments were a significant contributor
to the problem with the American Colonies, who no longer
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
42
considered themselves to be subjects of the Crown, and
therefore decried pressed service in the British military as a
form of “slavery”.
From the British perspective, nothing could be further from
the truth. The colonies, though rebellious, still belonged to
the Crown, and, by the standards of the day, British seamen
were well-paid, and generally well treated. Moreover, the
Royal Navy was by necessity, crewed by men (and
sometimes women, in disguise) from all over the world.
The average crew of a Royal Navy ship was a mixed bag of
humanity which hailed from England, Ireland, Ethiopia,
Madagascar, India, China, South America and all other
parts of the world, as the Captain of a Royal Navy ship was
ultimately responsible for recruiting the crew for his ship,
so he recruited wherever in the world he was. Not exactly
a formula for the attraction of a single race, monolithic
crew.
But this worked well for the Royal Navy, as the Admiralty
did not allow slavery on its ships. The men who made up
the leadership of the most modern and powerful navy in the
world were a mixture of the British aristocracy and naval
professionals who, for the most part, worked their way up
through the ranks. Many of these men were Cornishmen,
who had started their naval careers as young, 12 year old
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
43
Midshipmen, or “Young Gentlemen” as they were called in
the orlop of the lower deck.
These men, many the sons of doctors, shopkeepers,
merchants and cobblers therefore supported and defended
the dignity of their fellow crewmen, and the profession to
which they mutually belonged. They were not prone to
allow this profession, which demanded duty, honor and
courage as its namesake, to be tainted and disgraced by
stench of slavery. As early as 1847, the British Empire,
and ultimately the Royal Navy, led the world in its efforts
to eradicate slavery from every corner of the globe. The
empire fought slavery on against every European nation
including France, Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands. In
the Royal Navy, an “able seaman” was an “able seaman”,
be he yellow, black, white or any other color.
Having served the majority of his life on board Navy ships,
Sir Peter had also shared his fears, dangers, berths and
victuals with men of every color, race and nation in the
world. He had seen bravery, cowardice, fear and daring
from these men who were his shipmates. He understood
the world of the Navy, what made it work and why it
worked. He knew that there were two mainstays which
held up the efficiency of the Royal Navy: The inherent trust
of a ship’s company in its officers and each other, and the
fairness with which the rules, laws, discipline, respect and
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
44
rewards, i.e. promotion and prize money, were equally and
fairly distributed.
This worked because the Navy way to success was
relatively simplistic: new ships, promotions to larger
commands and prize money went to those captains and
crews who stormed into the heat of battle, and were
successful in killing the enemy and taking their ships. The
officers that did not perform received assignments to hulks
in port, ship decommissions, paid-off crews and half-pay,
which effectively beached and/or ended their careers. The
system was not complicated, and you didn’t need a ‘Sea
Lawyer’ to understand it.
At 37, Sir Peter was not going to end up with the status of
an “Admiral of the Yellow”, which in effect, meant he
would become an Admiral with no Squadron to command.
In other words, he would be an ‘Admiral of nothing’.
As with today’s modern navies throughout the world, there
were very few real commands for 18th
century Royal Navy
Admirals to aspire to: Admiral of the Red (who
commanded the Red Squadron and also served as Admiral
of the Fleet), Admiral of the White (who served as Vice
Admiral of the Fleet and commanded the White Squadron,
and the Admiral of the Blue, who served as the 2nd
Vice or
Rear Admiral of the Fleet while commanding the Blue
Squadron). Each commanded a squadron that flew an
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
45
ensign appropriately colored to the rank of their
commanding Admiral.
Old, has been or non-performing captains, having served
their time in the Navy and no longer promotable, were
given the title ‘Admiral’ and then retired. It was the
original implementation of the famed ‘up or out’ system
that all modern navies utilize to this day. It worked then,
and it still works to this day in modern navies across the
globe.
In order to be successful, Sir Peter knew that in addition to
his current cadre of followers, he had to recruit, retain and
promote a larger following of industrious, smart officers
and crews who would assist him in his quest for rank, glory
and profit. And with Sir Peter, he didn’t particularly give a
damn where they came from, or what they looked like.
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
46
Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
Chapter Four
Antigua
McKenzie stood staring out of the aft cabin window of the
Dame Célèbre, watching the churning froth of water caused
by the feeding frenzy of the ever present channel sharks
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
47
below. The water, now tainted bright red with the French
Captain’s blood, churned and boiled as the sharks fought to
devour chunks of their new found breakfast, the bloody
remains of what used to be the French captains head.
McKenzie had known Jack for over five years and was
somewhat surprised by Jack’s reaction to the French
Captain’s remarks. He had never seen Jack kill an unarmed
prisoner in cold blood before.
“My Gawd, Cap’n? Ya blow da mon’s head offen ‘cause he
call you Black?” He asked Jack.
“Hell, no, Mack.” answered Jack. “I blew his head off
because he called my mother a whore. I ain’t nobody’s
bastard! My mother and father were married for more than
30 years.”
Jack’s attention turned to the young girl chained to the
hammock, “And for another reason….Look at his left
sleeve.” He said as his mind strayed off.
McKenzie picked up the left arm of the French captain’s
crumpled remains and a small derringer clattered to the
deck.
“Ahhhh!” Exclaimed McKenzie. Now dat me understands!
Him make poor choice of words, den. Orders, Cap’n?”
Asked McKenzie.
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
48
“Aye, Mack. Get topside and have the cutter crew lock up
the prisoners, cat that anchor and get ready to make sail.
Then get back to the Punch, have the crew untangle us from
the bow spirit and get us under way. Tell them to hurry and
be ready to make sail. I’ll take over here. We need to get
away before the French patrols get wind of what has
happened.”
“Where we goin’, Cap’n?
“Hispaniola, where we can drop off the slaves. I think they
will have the best chance of survival there, and then it’s on
to Port Royal.”
“Aye, Aye, Cap’n.”
“And Mack, Ask Ol’ Timer to come aft to see to the girl,
and have him brings two of his mates to clean this mess
up.”
“Aye, Aye, Cap’n”
McKenzie left the cabin to get things moving on deck. Jack
walked over to the table and stared at the chest full of gold.
He set the empty pistol on the desk and picked up the ring
of keys the French captain had used to open the chest. He
opened the door to the wardrobe in the port corner of the
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
49
cabin and removed a cloak, which he wrapped around the
shivering young Jamaican girl. She looked up and him with
thanks in her eyes.
“How old are you, child?” asked Jack.
But she said nothing. Jack found the key to the locked
wrist iron holding her fast to the bunk, and removed it. She
then turned her eyes downward, and stared into the bunk.
“Fourteen, sir.” She said meekly.
“You called for me, Cap’n?”
At 72 years, “Old Timer” was the oldest member of Jack’s
crew. He had been at sea with Jack for the past seven
years. It was said that he left his home in Antigua after his
wife of 55 years, who was a midwife, died. Timer was a
kind, grey bearded wiry old gentleman, and served as the
surgeon’s mate for the crew, bandaging cuts, mixing
potions for the sick and usually responsible for tending to
the wounded. Timer dropped his eyes in disgust when he
saw the young girl.
“My God!” Exclaimed Timer upon seeing the girl.
“You go ‘head, Cap’n, I tends to the young lady.” said
Timer.
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
50
Timer found a shirt in the wardrobe and immediately began
tearing it up to make a bandage for her head wound. The
splash of the French Captain’s remains hitting the water
could be clearly heard as Jack left the cabin and headed
towards the forward hold.
As he approached the hold, the familiar sounds of rattling
chains, cries and moans met his ears, and at the same time,
the stench of slavery, that of rotting flesh, vomit, urine and
human waste attacked his nostrils. Before descending into
the hold, he held his breath to allow his senses to adapt and
his eyes to get used to the darkness. He then descended
into the hold. His men were already removing the shackles
and chains from the occupants and helping those that were
strong enough to move up on deck. As he passed through
the hold the men, women and children were grabbing at his
cloths, and kneeling in prayer to thank him for their
freedom.
As the last of the slaves were being helped to the deck Jack
was approaching the forward ladder of the hold which led
to the hatch above. Behind the ladder was a locked door
which led to the chain locker for the anchor. Jack was
surprised to hear a clear Jamaican voice from behind the
door:
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
51
“Hey Mon, don’t you be forget’n me here! I be inna chain
locker. Get de key and set us free, Mon!
“Who are you?“ asked Jack.
I be a Jamaican, Mon! Same as you! Now open dis door
and gimmie outa here!
Jack was surprise that the owner of the voice recognized
the Jamaican accent in his speech. He took the keys from
his pocket and opened the door. As Jack peered through the
din of the chain locker, he saw what appeared to be two
African girls and a skinny White boy shackled together,
with their hands tied behind their backs, around the
foremast stump.
“Where are you?” called Jack. “I don’t see you in here.”
The young man kicked Jack’s boot and said, “Close your
eyes, Mon, and listen to me voice ‘stead of glarin’ at da
color o’ me skin! Den you will know where I am, and from
where I be from!”
The two girls giggled as a shocked Jack jumped back
towards the doorway. Jack had heard many stories of
“White Jamaicans” who spoke and sounded the same as the
majority of Black Jamaicans, but he had never seen one,
and he had surely not ever heard one speak.
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
52
You...You are Jamaican?” stammered Jack.
“O’ course I am, Mon! Do ya t’ink I be talkin’ like dis if’n
I be from Boston? I be a Jamaican, Mon! Jus’ like you!
Now stop ya galkin’ and git dese shackles off’n me!”
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
53
Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
Chapter Five
A New Direction
Governor Sir Basil Keith solemnly stared out of the
window of his mansion perched on the hilltop overlooking
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
54
Port Royal. He was obviously distraught. He turned around
to his desk, picked up his pen and began to write:
The 5th
of November, 1774
Your Most Gracious Majesty:
With respect to your concerns relating to the state of
preparation of the American colonies for war, I have this
to report:
The North Americans are amply supplied with Gun
powder and other Military Stores by the French in
Hispaniola; which is sold at an advanc'd price by the
Inhabitants who I find import great quantitys from Old
France, finding it such an advantageous article of
Commerce; But I do not learn that they get any out of the
Royal Stores or magazines.
Sir Basil was a man of torn emotions. As the son of
Britain’s “Landed Gentry” dating back more than two
centuries, he was rich in property, land and heritage, but in
reality he had sought this assignment to alleviate the
consequences of his real problem: he was poor in cash, and
then, as now, cash is king. His vast holdings at home would
be lost if he did not develop and provide industrious means
to support his inheritance, and the Governorship of Jamaica
provided him with the opportunity to implement and
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
55
support an ever expanding array of schemes that brought
him huge profits to pay his bills.
For in truth, the actual Governorship did not pay very
much, but it placed him in a position to profit from his
favoritism with the Crown, as he governed almost 14,000
whites, 4000 free blacks and almost 200,000 slaves that
lived in Jamaican territory. The West Indies was alive with
opportunities: The islands’ cheap labor provided the means
for his support of sugar cane plantation farming,
commercial trading, smuggling, privateering, and his many
other enterprises, both legal and illegal. This arrangement
was very convenient, as the determination of the legality or
illegality of such activities, were his, in the name of the
Crown. Sir Basil’s patronage extended far and wide,
throughout the entirety of the West Indies. As such, he was
known to be a powerful man in Jamaica, and few were
willing to risk the loss of his patronage.
As a die-hard Protestant, Sir Basil did not own slaves, but
this did not stop him from profiteering from the ownership,
sales and labors of slaves by others. After all, as the King’s
representative in Jamaica, it was his duty to protect the
trade and property ownership rights of all the Crown’s
subjects in Jamaica and its surrounding seas. This included
the legally owned property of British slave owners, the
slaves.
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
56
But in addition to his official duties for the Crown, Sir
Basil’s utilized his patronage to protect and develop his
profitable network of privateers. Privateers were privately
owned ships that operated under Letters of Marque that Sir
Basil could issue, in the name of the King. Sir Basil, and
other well-to-do investors, owned, supported, and, in the
name of and with the King, profited from the exploits of
these ships. These privately owned vessels prowled the
waters of Britain’s enemies on missions to capture, sink
and/or confiscate enemy ships and cargos which were then
sold on the open market.
The profits from these captures and cargos were enormous.
As the owner of a privateer, one half of the value of the
plunder gained from the ships activities went to Sir Basil
and the King, shared equally. Another quarter went to the
captain of the privateer, and the rest to the crew. Captured
enemy vessels were immediately purchased for their value
by the Crown and either put up for sale by the Admiralty,
or converted for use to further the efforts of the war. In
either case, the full value of the vessel, and its cargo were
realized in the pockets of the King, Sir Basil, and the
capturing crew.
It is through this arrangement that Jack made his fortune
and supported his livelihood. As the son of Sir Basil’s long
time friend and civic leader, Reverend Robert Perkins
(Jack’s father) of Jamaica’s largest church, the Mount Sinai
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
57
African Methodist Episcopalian Church, Jack’s experience
as mariner, leader and officer in the merchant service was
almost preordained. The two men had agreed on this path
for him whilst Jack was a toddler still learning to walk.
Consequently, Jack was a valuable asset to Sir Basil, and he
did not want to lose him and the profits of his services.
But, the arrival of his most recent visitor, the new
Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy’s Jamaica Station,
Admiral Sir Peter Parker, had made this loss a distinct
possibility. Soon after his arrival in Port Royal, it did not
take Sir Peter long to recognize the connection between Sir
Basil and the famed Caribbean commerce marauder, John
Perkins. The last heated words of Sir Peter were still
ringing in Sir Basil’s ears:
“I don’t give a damn how long you have known him or
what his father is. Nor do I care about the color of his skin.
I need an experienced pilot to protect the bottoms of my
ships! You will have this Perkins or Punch or whatever’s
arse is called to repair to the quarter deck of my flagship by
two bells in the forenoon watch, or by God, I will have
your hide before the King’s court to decide the matter!”
The knock on the door interrupted Sir Basil’s thoughts.
“Come!” he answered.
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
58
The door opened and Jack walked in followed by
McKenzie and Nick Butler carrying the heavy chest they
had removed from the Dame Célèbre.
“Good morning, Sir Basil!” said Jack. “I have come with
your share of the spoils of our last venture. You do not
appear to be in good spirits this fine morning. How are you,
Sir?”
“Welcome, Jack. It’s good to see you home and safe.
From appearances, I trust all went well with on The Punch
over the last three months?”
“Very well, Sir.” came the reply. “But, I am sorry to report
that we lost Asanni last month as we boarded our last
capture.”
“Damn!” Replied Sir Basil. “He was a good man. Have you
taken care of his family?”
“Aye, Sir.” He only had a brother, and we saw that he was
put away nicely.
“And McKenzie, how did you fare on this venture?”
“We does well, Sah!” Replied McKenzie. “Ah t’inks we do
much mo’ better dan our Frenchie friends.”
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
59
This comment gave Sir Basil a chuckle, and his eyes turned
to Nick Butler.
“And, who might this be?” Asked Sir Basil.
“I be Nicholas Butler, Sah, of His Majesty’s Ship
Dartmouth”
“The Dartmouth? But she was captured by the French last
March. How did you get here?”
“Aye, Dat she was, Sah. But de Frenchies don’ watch too
good, and when de guard him turn him back, I be jump’n
through the gun port, and I swims to de shore. Den de
French slaver crew catch me and locks me up ‘til Cap’n
here finds me on board chained to de mast.”
“Oh, I see, Ah,….Jamaican are we?” Said Sir Basil, as he
raised an eyebrow upon hearing Nick’s accent.
“Aye, Sah. Kingston. Born and bred.”
“Very well, Jack, I need to speak with you, about a
personal matter. Have a seat, please.”
Sir Basil motioned to the men to place the chest in the
corner of the room, and, sensing that Sir Basil wanted some
privacy; McKenzie and Nick moved towards the door.
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
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“We waits outside, Cap’n.” said McKenzie. He and Nick
then proceeded to leave the room and closed the door as
they left the two men alone.
Sir Basil walked around to the other side of the desk and,
with his back to Jack, stared outside of the window
pondering where to begin and how to approach Jack with
his problem. Finally, he spoke:
“Jack, what do you think of the Royal Navy?”
“I have worked with their ships on many occasions, their
officers can sometimes be rather harsh, but they seem to be
fair enough.”
Sir Basil turned to face Jack. His face was stern, and
somewhat sad. He spoke slowly and deliberately:
“Well, Admiral Sir Peter Parker, the new Commander-in-
Chief of the Jamaica Station just left here. He apparently
saw your last action with the Dame Célèbre, and I have
been “requested“ to ask you to consider joining his ship.”
“Now why would I want to do that? I ‘m doing just fine the
way things are. What do they want with me?”
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“He now knows that you know these waters better than any
man in the Caribbean, Jack. You proved it to him when you
took the French slaver, his intended prize, from under his
nose. He couldn’t bring his ships into the harbor for fear of
the reefs. So now he knows who you are and what you can
do. As you are a British subject and an experienced
mariner, he can have you and your crew pressed as Able
Seamen.”
“Pressed? What does he want me to do?”
“He wants you to report on board his flagship tomorrow as
his Pilot, on the Antelope. He will sign you on as a
Master’s Mate in the Royal Navy. He also said that any
members of your crew that wishes to sign on with you are
also welcome. Your choices are not too good here Jack.
You are a British citizen. You either report tomorrow or
run from the press. Then you would have to keep on
running, until they catch you.”
“But, Sir Basil, I –“
Sir Basil waived his hand, and cut Jack off.
“Jack, Your father and I have a long history together. If
there was something I could do I would. But England is at
war, and I have no choice. If I were to disobey the order
and give you another commission, you and your men would
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62
be considered pirates, not privateers. I cannot cross the
Admiralty, and I cannot continue the Letter of Marque for
you and the crew of The Punch. It’s best for you and your
crew to report by two bells in the forenoon watch as
ordered. The matter is settled, Jack.”
To hide his sadness, Sir Basil turned his back to Jack,
placed his hands behind his back and starred out of the
window. Jack stood up and walked towards the door.
“Jack?” called Sir Basil.
“Yes Sir?”
“Listen to Sir Peter, and learn. He is a good man, and a
progressive man. There is no telling where your future
could go if you could convince him to be a patron for you.
Good Luck, Jack, and for God’s sake, be safe.”
“Aye, aye, Sir.” replied Jack.
Jack opened the door and left the room. Sir Basil moved
from the window behind his desk to the side window, and
watched Jack and his men leave the compound. He then
stared at the chest of gold Jack and his mates had brought
him. For the while, at least, he knew there would be no
more.
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63
“Damn!” he said in disgust.
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
64
Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
Chapter Six
Two Bells in the Forenoon Watch
In the nautical world, crew duty hours were, and are today,
divided into either two or four duty groups. Each group is
known, assigned work and referred to on board as a
“Watch”. The watches are numbered sequentially, i.e. a
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
65
crewmember may be assigned to the “First Watch” for
example.
It is also necessary to understand that the term “watch”
onboard a vessel actually has two meanings; (1) the
working group to which a crewmember belongs and (2) the
specific duty time period of the day that a working group is
assigned to work ; i.e., “be on duty” or “on watch”.
When on duty, the watch (working group meaning)
performs all duties associated with the running of the ship.
This includes navigation, keeping a lookout for other
vessels, weather patterns, sailing duties (sail trimming and
handling on sailing vessels and engine operation on
powered vessels) and so forth. A leader, called the Watch
Officer, who may be either an officer or a senior enlisted
man (such as the Master, or a Master’s mate), bears the
responsibility for the proper performance and completion
of all tasks his group must execute to run the ship during
his “watch” (duty time period meaning). In other words, if
something goes wrong while he is in charge, it is his fault.
It is from hence, the dual meaning of the term “Watch”,
and the responsibility that is associated with it, that caused
the rise of the old, well-worn nautical statement; “Not on
my Watch!” as this statement is actually three different
statements; (1) “I will not allow this.” (2) “It is my time of
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
66
responsibility for everything that happens.” and (3) “I am in
charge!”
The hours and times that a watch (the working group
meaning) performs duty is determined by seven “time of
the day” work assignment periods, and each of these
periods is also called a “watch”. The time of the day
“watches” cycle every 24 hours, and each is normally, with
two exceptions, a four hour working duty period.
Each watch period has a name; the “First” watch runs from
8 PM to Midnight, the “Middle” watch from Midnight to 4
AM, the “Morning” watch from 4 AM to 8 AM, the
“Forenoon” watch from 8 AM to Noon, and the
“Afternoon” watch, Noon to 4 PM. In order to allow the
crew to all have dinner around the same time, the final four
hour period, from 4 PM to 8 PM, is divided into 2 two-hour
short watches which run from 4 PM to 6 PM and 6 PM to 8
PM. These two short watches are called the “First Dog
Watch” and “Second Dog Watch” respectively.
The splitting of the final period and therein the addition of
another “Watch” brings the total number of watches to be
manned on a ship to seven for a 24 hour period. As the
watch time assignments are alternated between the
“Watch” groups of the crew, the duties of running the ship
are spread across and distributed evenly amongst the crew.
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Inasmuch as clocks and other timepieces were rare and
expensive during the colonial period, ships used an
hourglass, which ran through every one-half hour, to tell
time. When the hourglass was restarted bells, which could
be heard all over the ship, were sounded to tell all aboard
the time, in one-half hour periods relative to the remaining
time of the ongoing watch.
The number of bells rung designated how many half hour
periods had expired during course of the watch. For
example if the watch started at 8 PM, when the hourglass
ran empty and was turned over at 8:30 PM, one bell would
be sounded indicating that the 1st one half hour period of
the watch had expired. At 9:00 PM, two bells would be
rung, and so forth. The end of a normal four hour watch
and the start of the next one were announced by the ringing
of eight bells.
The ringing of the bells served as a tool to tell all the ships
company when they were expected to be on duty for their
“Watch”. These practices, and the understanding of the of a
ship’s company and duty assignment periods, lead to the
common nautical practice of telling time by a number of
“bells” that would be rung relative to the name of the
watch period in effect during the day on board a working
ship.
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The next morning, at two bells in the forenoon watch (9:00
A.M) Third Lieutenant Phillip Affleck was on duty as the
Watch Officer when Jack and his crew reported on board
the HMS Antelope.
Affleck and the ship’s Purser, Mr. Kratch, watched as each
of Jack’s men climbed the Jacobs ladder from the jolly boat
below. As each man stepped on board they turned to salute
the quarterdeck. The process was quiet and orderly, for as
each man of Jacks crew reported to him each would give
his name, rank and qualifications. Inasmuch as he had
repeated this process in many ports, and on many previous
occasions, he had acquired an eye for experienced seamen
and could spot them by their shipboard mannerisms. He
knew that experienced seamen had a specific way of
climbing a Jacob’s ladder and stepping on the deck while
holding their sea bags. If Affleck wasn’t sure of the
particular qualifications of a particular man reporting to
him, one or two pointed questions would quickly sort the
issue out.
Affleck leaned over the railing and shouted down to the
mass of humanity in the jolly boat:
“Step lively, gentlemen, let’s get a move on. Admiral
wants to make sail before the suns over the yardarm. Move
smartly now!”
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McKenzie, the first of Jack’s crew reported to him.
“Name?” he asked.
“Thomas McKenzie, Gun Captain, last of the Punch, Sah.”
“Experience with 24 pounders?”
“Aye, Sah. I be a gunner on the Albacore fo’ two years
afore she paid off.”
“Very well. Kratch, sign him on as a gunner’s mate. Make
your mark and report to Lt. Kitel below. Next!”
“Nick Butler, Able Seaman, of His Majesty’s Ship
Dartmouth, Sah.”
Although his appearance was somewhat scruffy, Lt.
Affleck snapped his head upwards at the sound of Nick’s
voice. He stepped over to him, grabbed Nick’s hand and
shook it vigorously. “Nick! Where the hell have you
been?” We thought you were dead!
“Aye, Sah. And so did the Frenchies! But I be back to help
dem out som’ more! It’s good to see dat you be on de deck
again too, Sah.”
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“Make your mark, Nick, and welcome aboard. Then go
forward and report to bosun Snight. He’ll be glad to see
you also.”
“I don t'ink he be dat happy to see me agin’, Sir. Me an’
Snight had a row about a lady in Lucia, last year. Could be
he be still tink’n ‘bout her a bit, Sah.”
“Jesus, Nick. Still drinking, raising hell and chasing
trollops, What?” Anyway, it’s good to have you back,
Nick.”
“T’ank you, Sah. It be good to be back on a King’s ship
agin, Sir!”
To the man, all of Jack’s Punch crew volunteered to join
him in his new profession, on his new ship, The HMS
Antelope. In some respects, this was actually an
improvement in their lives, as life on a privateer, which are
always smaller and more crowded than the ships of the
Royal Navy, was in fact a bit less comfortable than their
new accommodations. They knew that their new situation
would provide them with a continuation of the opportunity
to earn prize money, and bring on the additional benefits of
“three squares” (three hot meals a day, served on square,
wooden plates), a hammock, and regular pay.
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Jack’s complement of 60 new souls barely made a dint on
board the massive crew of the Antelope, which carried a
crew of 400. They easily blended into the social order of
the lower deck, and, as experienced seamen, were
welcomed on board to share in the duties of working the
ship. The press usually produces a large complement of
farmers, day workers and other “landsmen” as they are
called by the experienced seamen. These men are usually
ignorant of the ways of navy and shipboard life and
consequently, they are considered to be somewhat
unreliable by the experienced crewmen until they learn
their way around as a call to “belay heaving”, or “make fast
that line” meant nothing to a landsman.
Jack’s crew brought with them a complete knowledge of all
of the nautical skills, language and experience required for
them immediately become useful contributors to the
working of the ship. Therefore, no one had to take time to
explain the difference between a clew and a cleat, or a
bollard and a binnacle to them. They were already familiar
with the terminology associated with these parts of the ship,
as well as the intended purposes and usage of those items.
As the last man to report, Jack stepped across the coaming
and onto the deck.
“Name?” asked Affleck.
“John Perkins, Master, Punch.”
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72
Lt. Affleck looked up to Jack standing before him. The
surprise on his face was obvious, and the ship fell silent, as
all the officers and men who were all busy loading stores,
holystoning the deck and attending to the many duties
required to get a ship of the line underway, all stopped what
they were doing, and turned to get their first look at Jack.
“So, Perkins, you are the infamous Jack Punch.” Said Lt
Affleck. “We have been expecting you. Funny, I though
you would be……taller.” said Affleck with a wry grin.
“Make your mark, and follow me.”
As Jack shook his outstretched hand he said nothing,
picked up the pen and carefully signed his name. Affleck,
noting that Jack could read and write, said. “Oh, excuse me,
Mister Perkins.”
“Kratch, carry on here. I have been instructed to escort Mr.
Perkins to the Admiral’s cabin upon his arrival. This way
please, Mr. Perkins.”
By this time, Sir Peter had become very much aware of the
skills of Jack and his crew as his men had been combing
the bars and brothels in Port Royal to learn more about
them and their successes. He was now also aware of their
allegiance to their leader, and he desired to have these skills
and allegiances as a part of his squadron. In preparation for
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73
his first meeting with Jack as a crewmember under his
command he planned to ensure Jack that he would allow
him and his followers to achieve that which they would
have done on their own, and more.
As Sir Peter was an proven leader of men, he knew that
true warriors did not trust their lives to men with titles and
property, but only to men that they believed in and that
could be trusted to stand at their sides in the midst of shot,
shell, blood and death. It was now time to convince Jack
that he was that type of man. The knock on his cabin door
brought Sir Peter back to reality.
“Admiral Parker, John Perkins here to see you, Sir.” Said
Affleck.
“Enter.” Came the reply. Affleck opened the door and led
Jack into the ornate cabin.
“Able Seaman John Perkins, Sir.” Said Affleck.
“Ship’s Pilot, John Perkins, if you please, Phillip.”
corrected the Admiral. “Please see to the change in the
ship’s muster book, and inform Mr. Dobson, the Master,
that I would like to see him. And Phillip, would you see
that Mr. Perkins’ affects are placed in the cabin next to that
of the Master, if you please? Have a seat Mr. Perkins and
thank you, Lt. Affleck.”
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74
“Aye, Aye, Admiral.” replied Affleck, somewhat
chagrined. As he left, he closed the door to the great cabin.
“Governor Basil sends his compliments, Sir.” said Jack.
“He said that you needed an experienced Pilot, so I am here
as ordered, Sir.”
“Thank you, Jack. But what I need is more than a pilot.
What I need is an aggressive, battle hardened ship leader
and commander who knows the Caribbean and knows how
to fight. I had the opportunity to watch you in action, and
then your uncle told me about you so I had a few of my
crew ask around.” said the Admiral.
“And what did you find out about me, Sir?” asked Jack.
“I found out that you have apparently done quite well for
yourself, and that the French, Dutch and Spanish cannot
stomach the sight of you and your notorious Punch!”
chided the Admiral.
The Admiral continued:
“Jack, You are quick witted and intelligent, and you move
in and out of the different cultures of these islands with
ease. You speak Spanish, French, and the King’s English
fluently. You have passed yourself off as a free Black, a
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75
slave and the Master of one of the most successful
privateers in these parts. You apparently have the ability to
hide in plain sight. I need someone like that. I need
someone who can get up close, look and listen to what is
going on and tell me what my enemies are planning. I need
someone with the leadership and command experience that
can help me kill these bastards and rid this region of their
presence. Jack, I believe that you are that man. I intend to
make you an Officer in the King’s Navy and give you a real
warship to help me kill the enemy.
“A Black ship Captain? In the Royal Navy? Admiral, with
all due respect, that has never happened in the Royal Navy.
I find that dream hard to fathom, Sir.”
“We are at the beginning of a new world, Jack. Traditions,
beliefs and values are changing quicker that you believe.
As of this moment, I can’t bring you on as a Mid, you’re to
old. But, I can make you a ship’s pilot, and move you in
the direction of a field commission to Lieutenant.
Slavery and racism will not last forever, Jack, and, thank
God. It cannot. As you know, at this very moment, slavery
has been outlawed in the British Isles. Nations cannot exist
in the modern world with half of its people being free and
half being enslaved. England almost had a civil war over
the issue of slavery. It will not work in today’s era of free
trade and commerce. So now we are out to eliminate it
from the world.
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76
“Admiral, I know what you say is true. But the French,
Dutch and Spanish are up to their necks in the slave
business, and they are getting rich supporting it in the
Americas.”
Aye, Jack. But as Brits we have learned that the economic
advantages to be gained by free trading and global
commerce will far outstrip anything that can be gained by
the continuation of slavery. If slavery last another 25 years
in the Caribbean, I would be surprised. We must begin to
prepare the world, and the Royal Navy, for the new age, an
age based on a man’s achievements and abilities, not his
color. So, while you’re here, Jack, I want you to prepare to
take the Lieutenant’s exam.”
“Lieutenant’s exam and the end of slavery? Beggin’ your
pardon, Admiral, but I don’t see the Admiralty ever letting
me become any kind of officer in the Royal Navy, much
less a Captain of a King’s ship. I don’t see how that will
happen in my lifetime.”
“It will happen, Jack, and I am going to see to it. What you
don’t know is that the Admiralty needs money to finance
this war, and aggressive captains who capture the enemy’s
ships are providing it. We sell the ships and the cargo, and
the prize courts split up the money between the Crown, the
Admiral in charge, and the captain and crews of the
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
77
capturing vessel. For the time being, I believe that what
London doesn’t know about you won’t hurt them, and by
the time they do find out, they will be too busy counting
their money to care. In the meantime, you and I will be
very well off.”
With this, the Admiral stared Jack straight in the eye, and
offered his outstretched hand. Jack appreciated the man’s
straightforwardness and conviction, to both the Crown and
his beliefs about men. Moreover, he believed him, and was
beginning to trust him. Jack reached out and firmly shook
the Admiral’s hand in agreement.
“Very well, Admiral.” said Jack. “If you believe that we
can do this, then we shall sail together on this journey.”
“Jack, you trust me, and I promise you, it will happen. We
have to start somewhere, and as an experienced Pilot, I can
bring you in on the King’s Payroll. For right now,
officially, you are a Ships Pilot and your crew is a part of
this ship’s company. But later on, I see you rejoining your
crew and operating in more of, shall we say a detached
capacity.”
“Detached, Sir?” queried Jack.
“Aye!” Grinned the Admiral. “Very detached! But, we
will start here to get to our ultimate objective. I want you
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78
to report to Captain Stanley. He will introduce you to Mr.
Dobson, the Master of this ship. As a master’s mate,
Dobson will teach you how to use a sextant, and the basics
of navigation. Learn what Dobson teaches you for you are
going to need it. That is all, Jack. Please report to Captain
Stanley.”
“Aye, Aye, Sir.” said Jack.
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
79
Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
Chapter Seven
Snotties
It was now 1778, and after more than two years of service
on the HMS Antelope Jack, and his Punch gang was
considered to be an active part of the crew. The squadron,
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
80
which included the HMS Ruby, the HMS Niger, the HMS
Lowesloffe, and the HMS Bristol, continued to blockade
the island of Hispaniola (now the split island nations of
Haiti and the Dominican Republic) with specific focus on
the ports of Santo Domingo and Port O’ Prince.
This was tedious work, as the ships and crews of the
squadron had battled storms, bad weather, reefs and the
French continuously for the past three years. But as long as
the good Admiral kept the French fleet bottled up, they
could not aid the American colonies, nor mount an attack
on Jamaica and the other British colonies. Moreover, the
British fleet stopped and inspected every ship laden with
any cargo whatsoever, thereby preventing the belligerent
American rebels from getting access to slaves, shot, power
and money needed to support their war with the Crown.
As the ship’s Pilot, Jack used his privateering knowledge to
guide the Antelope, or any of the other many ships he was
assigned to through and around the dangerous reefs, rocks
and coral barriers which were scattered throughout the
many islands of the Caribbean. He and his crew had also
proved their worth by participating in many seizures,
onshore cutting expeditions and battles of the squadron.
Jack’s normal duty would be to stand by the helm station
and, at the behest of Captain Stanley, direct the ship in and
out of the many harbors and coves they frequented while
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81
searching for, finding and destroying and/or capturing the
enemy’s ships. His additional duties included being
boatswain (master) of the longboat, which was used to lay
and retrieve the Antelopes’ massive anchors, to carry
messages and bring supplies to the flagship. As a warrant
officer, Jack also assisted Mr. Dobson with the charting and
planning of the navigation of the fleet. His most tedious
duty, however, was being more or less in charge of the
young Midshipmen (or “Mids” as they were commonly
called on board), a duty that is traditionally performed by
the Ship’s Master.
On this day Jack was seated in the Master’s cabin, finishing
the cleaning and polishing of the sextants that he would
take up to the quarter deck for the Mid’s noon navigation
class. This class was conducted daily by Mr. Dobson. The
class commenced each day with the noon sighting. This
noon sighting determined the official latitude and longitude
of the ship, which was then entered into the ship’s log as
the exact official position for that day. Jack assisted Mr.
Dobson in these efforts by making sure that all of the
sextants were properly maintained and in working order for
the ship’s “Young Gentlemen”, and occasionally
supervising the class with the determination of the sighting.
The term “Young Gentlemen” was indeed quite a
misnomer, for the ages of the six boys ranged from eleven
years to almost twenty-seven. Moreover, their individual
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82
temperaments ranged as far apart as their ages. Jack’s
youngest charge, Thomas Kilkenny, was a high-spirited,
handsome youth of 11 years who was the grandson of the
Admiralty’s Second Sea Lord, and he was a indeed a
handful.
Young boys on ships were a common practice in the Royal
Navy. They were sent to sea either by families that could
not afford to support them, or by well-to-do families that
wanted a sea-going career for their soon to be gentlemen
sons. Those without social standing were assigned duties
such as being a “Powder Monkey” who transported bags of
gunpowder from the ship’s magazine below to the gun
decks during battle, and as or various departmental helpers
to the ship’s cook, carpenter or surgeon for example. The
Powder Monkeys wore felt slippers to prevent sparks from
being created by the nails in their shoes. Their job was to
move the dangerously explosive bags of gunpowder from
the ship’s magazine to the guns and cannon located around
the ship during battle. The boys assigned as Cook’s
Helpers always smelled of cooking grease.
The boys with parents that enjoyed social standing and had
adequate resources and connections (read: Money) entered
the service as Midshipmen. But even this life was a very
hard life for a young boy. Many were literally brought to
the ship and torn away from their mother’s arms by a
rough, foul tempered Bosun’s Mate, leaving both the
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83
mother and the child screaming, scratching and crying in
tears and despair. After this horrific experience, and the
shock of separation, the new, young Mid would spend
many homesick hours in the cold environs of the crowded,
foul smelling orlop deck of the ship crying for his mother
and his now lost home comforts.
Legend has it that the three buttons on the cuffs of the Mids
dress uniform jacket were placed there to prevent them
from wiping their tear-stained runny noses on their sleeves
and thereby ruining their uniform. Hence they were given
the nickname “Snotties” by the crew.
The common value of the Mids was that to the man, they
each wanted to be an officer in the Royal Navy, and, some
day, to command his own ship. For Jack, who was charged
with keeping them from running around the ship and doing
a vast array of stupid, life threatening stunts, it was difficult
to see them in command of anything, for he spent much of
his time trying to persuade them to stop running across the
decks, climbing to dangerous heights in the rigging or
playing “Hide and go seek” or “tag” throughout the ship.
When the offences were truly bad, Mr. Dobson, the Master,
would administer punishment by having the Mid bent over
a cannon and be the recipient of several well founded
strokes of discipline across his bare bottoms. This sort of
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84
punishment would generally get the youth’s attention, and
thereby restore order.
By this time, Jack was very frustrated. It was now 1779
and he had been on the Antelope for the better part of three
years. Under Mr. Dobson’s tutelage, Jack had learned to
use the sextant to take the noon sightings, determine his
latitude and longitude, plot the ship’s course and speed, and
read and relate the maps of all of the cays, bays and inlets
of all the islands in the Caribbean to the map coordinates.
He had added all of this new knowledge to the practical
knowledge he had already gained from his privateering
experiences prior to “volunteering” for service in the Royal
Navy. Jack was ready to do something different.
Just then a knock came on the door, and Nick Butler poked
his head inside.
“Hey, Cap’n! How da ol’ boy be doin’ dese days, Mon? I
be worried ‘bout ya, cause ya be lookin’ a bit grumpy de
otter day when ya be chasin’ Lil Tommy round da foc’sl!
Him damn near git away from ya too!
“No shit.” answered Jack. “The little snotty ran under the
anchor windlass and slid down the for’d ladder without
even losing a step, much less slowing down. I finally
caught him by the seat of his trousers when he tripped over
the midship hatch cover. Captain Stanley was so pissed
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85
that he wanted Tommy’s arse bent over a 12 pounder but I
talked him out of it.” said Jack.
”Aye! Him be a fast l’il bastard!” Nick said with a
chuckle. So l’il Tommy almost “kissed the gunner’s
daughter” fo’ dat one, eh?” Laughed Nick. “Me ‘n
McKenzie all saw ya doin’ ya duty and laffed our arses off!
Somebody say somtin’ bout you done fall from Cap’n of a
ship to “Snot Nurse!”
“You and McKenzie can kiss my arse, Nick!” Jack retorted
with a grin. “Tommy is a smart kid, a bit high strung
because he’s so short, but he’s a good kid. He will do well.
“Now what’s up?” I know you didn’t stop in here just for a
social call. What are you and the crew of the old Punch
buzzing about?”
“Aye, Skipper. Scuttlebutt has it dat deys tinkin’ ‘bout
splitt’n us off ta do somtin’ stupid!. We’s hopin’ to git
back to som reel cruzin’ and reel prize money. We was a
tink’n ya might knows somtin’ ‘bout it, Sah?”
No, Nick, I haven’t heard a thing. But if I do get wind of
anything, you know that I will think of the Punch gang
first, and you will be the first to know. Pass that on to the
crew.”
“Aye, Sa’. So’s I will. Tank’s Cap’n”.
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Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
Chapter Eight
Farley’s Foot
Through the blackness of the November night, Jack could
see the tops of the bare poles of the Antelope’s mast
swaying violently as the wind howled across the deck.
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Two bells had sounded, indicating the middle of the Second
Dog Watch. As Officer of the Watch, Jack hung on to the
mizzen brace to steady himself against the sheets of rain
and sea water that poured across the deck. He also took
intermitted stints at the large tiller wheel to help the
helmsman fight to keep the ponderous vessel on course. His
little Mid nemeses, Tom Kilkenny, stood beside him.
Just then the ship was struck by a large wave and, in an
instant, violently heeled from starboard to port. Little Tom
was not holding on to anything solid and therefore lost his
footing. The abrupt heave of the deck left him in mid-air,
careening towards the open gun port on starboard side.
Jack managed to get his hands on Tom’s slicker and hold
him before he sailed out of the gun port and into the storm
whipped Atlantic Ocean.
With his powerful arm around Little Tom’s waist and
Tom’s feet dangling behind him, Jack carried him back to
the centerline of the ship and then set him down next to the
binnacle (the sturdy wooden mount stand bolted to the deck
to house and protect the ship’s compass) to recover. Tom
was soaking wet, cold and obviously terrified by the almost
near-death experience.
“Always remember, one hand for you, and one hand for the
ship, Tom.” Jack scolded.
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“Aye, Aye, Sir.” Said Tom.
Little Tom was unnerved a bit but looked up and smiled at
Jack as he held him against the slope of the deck. This was
definitely a night to follow that practice. The velocity of the
wind was again increasing, and the Antelope began to heel
to starboard to the point where her gun ports would soon be
awash.
“Mr. Kilkenny, please inform the Captain that the Officer
of the Watch requests that we take in a reef before we tack
to port” Jack said to Tom.
“Aye, Aye, Mr. Perkins.” came the reply. Young Tom
turned aft, faced the blinding rain and, while clinging to the
lifelines strung to keep the men from washing overboard,
began to pull himself aft towards the ship’s quarterdeck to
reach the captain’s cabin and make the request.
It had been a hard day, for the squadron had spent it
chasing a convoy of heavily laden French merchant ships
escorted by a French 74, The Gendarme. The Gendarme’s
escort included two frigates, an armed brig and a schooner.
The weather was miserable as it was in the middle of the
hurricane season. The tropical storms had been gathering
in speed and intensity over each of the six days since the
initial sighting of the convoy off the island of Aruba. The
storms proceeded in their customary direction to the
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nor’west, marching like soldiers across the Caribbean. As
such, the storms would continuously allow and then thwart
the Antelope’s chase as they marched through the area.
There would be a sighting by one of the squadron’s forward
patrolling schooners, a flurry of signals ordering
continuation of the chase, and then another storm would
blow through, bringing more rain, lost visibility, and
subsequently a lost of the sighting of the convoy as the
enemy would change course under the cover of the storm.
The wise old French Captain continually utilized the cover
of the storms to lose its pursuers. Throughout the day this
process had repeated itself to the point where the crews of
the all the squadron’s ships were exhausted and they were
no closer to their prey than they were when the sun rose
over the yardarm that morning.
Below decks, Ol’ Timer, who, at Jack’s suggestion was
dubbed a surgeon’s mate, lay asleep in his hammock. The
hammock was swaying wildly with the motion of the storm
tossed ship. It was apparent that neither the violent motion
of the ship, nor the water dripping on Ol’ Timer’s belly
from the overhead had any affect on his ability to get in a
good nap. Now off watch, he was snoring loudly, and slept
through it all.
Many of the recently pressed landsmen around him were
new to this world, and as such were not accustomed to the
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tormented swaying and rocking environment of the lower
deck. They were coughing, heaving and puking as the
others in the packed lower deck were trying to eat their
evening meal. Most of the landsmen were too sick to
move, much less eat, as the ship banged and pounded
across the stormed tossed Caribbean Sea. McKenzie, Nick
and their new messmates were eating at the mess table
which dropped from the overhead over their assigned 24
pound cannon.
“How the hell does he do that?” asked Farley, one of the
new landsmen brought in by the press. “How can he sleep
through this madness?” Pale as a ghost, Farley doubled
over, turned away from the mess table, and began to heave
out his just eaten meal on the deck. McKenzie, his new
messmate, grabbed him by the scuff of the neck and
directed the putrid flow into the scuppers, which ran
adjacent to the hull (the inside walls) of the ship where they
met the deck. The water pounding and pouring in through
the leaking hatches collected in the scuppers, and Farley’s
vile mess, along with that of the other sick members of the
crew, washed and sloshed down to the scuppers, where it
eventually went overboard into the sea. The cramped,
dank, and dark lower deck was filled with the odors of 200
sick and unwashed men. The whole scene, which could
have emanated from the far reaches of “Dante’s Inferno”
was one which simultaneously defiled all of the senses and
tolerances of modern man.
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“He been doing dat since ‘afore you was born, boy.”
answered McKenzie. “Don worry, you be getting’ used to
it too.” He said. “Now, drink your Tot an’ soon you won’
feel a thing.”
“I don’t think so,” said Farley. “I think I’m about to die.”
It was at this point that the ship heeled over almost 90
degrees from the starboard tack to port, and everything,
plates, dishes, dinners and tots of rum flew off of the mess
table swinging over the cannon and went crashing to the
deck. This shift caused the weight of the cannon under the
mess table to shift and roll downhill until it overstrained its
lashings, and the more than three tons of iron broke one of
its restraining lines. The cannon began rolling across the
dangerously tilted deck towards Farley, and McKenzie,
seeing what was about to happen, jumped from his stool to
grab the lashing line and secure the cannon.
Unfortunately, the wheel of the cannon caught Farley’s foot
before McKenzie could catch the line. Farley began to
scream like a scalded dog. McKenzie grabbed a handspike
to move the cannon off Farley’s foot and the other men of
the mess raced to grab the errant cannon’s tackle lines.
Straining against the weight of the cannon, there were
seven or eight men attempting to move the cannon off of
Farley’s foot, but it was a no go. The tons of dead weight
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were just too much for the men to move up the 60 degrees
of slope in the violently rocking world of the lower deck.
Ultimately, it took all eight men of McKenzie’s gun crew,
Nick and several other men of the adjacent gun’s mess
several minutes to wrestle the cannon uphill to its’ position
back at the gun port, and to free Farley’s foot. As
expected, Farley’s foot was now a bloody mess.
“Pass de word for the surgeon’s mate!” yelled Nick.
Nick and McKenzie watched as Ol’ Timer and two other
surgeon’s mates collected Farley and helped him limp to
the surgeon’s station in the orlop. They then up-righted
their stools to sat down to eat what remained of their
evening meal.
“Well, him didn’t die!” said McKenzie.
It was just at this point the shrill calls of the Bosuns Mate
screaming:
“All hands on deck to shorten sail!”
“Oh, Damn!” cursed McKenzie. “Here we goes up de
poles agin’ in dis miserable shit storm.”
“Ya,” said Nick, “Farley didn’t die, but me t’inks him foot
did! At least he be missin’ dis crap, de lucky bastard!”
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Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
Chapter Nine
Where the Antelope Plays
Perkins emerged from the aft companionway just as a
world of water poured over the starboard weather rail.
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Instantly, he was soaked to the bone and almost swept off
of his feet by the foaming surge of seawater. He clung on
the to lifeline and pulled himself hand-over-hand to the
midship helm station where jack was standing next to the
three helmsmen as they were all fought to hold the ship
steady in the middle of the storm. He motioned to Jack that
he wanted to tell him something and cupped his hand over
Jack’s ear.
“Jack, de Admiral wan’ to see you in him cabin, Mon.”
yelled Perkins over the wind.
“What’s up Uncle?” asked Jack.
“I not sure, but I t’ink deys all planin' som’ting big.”
Replied Perkins. “Dey been yellin’ and fussin’ in dere fo’
more dan an hour, dey has.”
“Who’s ‘they?” asked Jack.
“He be with Captain Montrose, Captain Stanley, Lt.
Affleck and Mr. Dobson.”
“Very well. Mr. Collins, you have the deck.”
Ezra Collins, one of Tom Kilkenny’s fellow Mids, was
about 14, and unlike Tom, was a bit tall for his age.
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Aye, Aye, Mr. Perkins.” yelled the young midshipman,
elated at the opportunity to be in command.
Jack followed Perkins to the cabin door located under the
poop deck and removed his dripping wet greatcoat. He
hung the greatcoat on one of the pegs inside the hallway
and knocked on the cabin door. Over the din of
conversation in the cabin, he heard Admiral Parker shout
“Enter!”
Jack entered the cabin. Admiral Parker and all of his staff
were gathered around the great table of the cabin, in a big
discussion around a large chart of the Caribbean. This
discussion was spirited, and somewhat heated.
“Jack!” exclaimed Admiral Parker. “Come over here and
look at this chart. I want your opinion on an operation we
are planning.” Jack walked over to the table and looked at
the chart. The other officers fell silent and continued to
stare at the chart.
“Gentlemen, for those of you who do not yet know, our
Master’s Mate, Mr. Perkins here, was also known in these
parts as “Jack Punch” the Master of the Privateer Punch.
As Master of the Punch he has captured and sunk more
enemy ships than any man in the Caribbean. I want you to
welcome him to our wardroom.”
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Captain Montrose stared at Jack with his mouth open. He
had seen Jack many times going about his duties, but he
had just come to the realization that Jack was the man that
robbed him of his prize some three years earlier.
“John Perkins…Jack…Well, I’ll be damned! So you are
the feared privateer raider people have been talking about
in these parts! I saw your work years ago, and all this time I
had no idea who you were!
“Thank you, Sir.” said Jack, “I will continue to try to do my
best to make the enemy remember me as well as you do.”
“Jack, I asked you here to get your opinion on an action
that we are planning, and I can’t think of anyone who has
more experience in this area of operations than you do.”
continued the Admiral. Pointing to the chart he asked Jack,
“Do you recognize this island?” Jack looked down at the
chart.
“Aye, Sir.” Said Jack “That is Saona island, just leeward of
Santo Domingo. There is a narrow passage between the
island and the mainland, but it is much too shallow for this
ship.”
“Jack, we have reason to believe that our French friends are
using the natural harbors in San Christobal and the Nicola
Mole as a staging points for privateers attacking our
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97
shipping. We also believe that the privateers are actively
involved in supplying the colonies while protecting the
French transports full of sugar and coffee. They do all this
while raiding British ships headed back to England. Do you
know anything about that?”
Jack looked around the room at the faces in the room. It
was obvious that Captain Montrose, the oldest of the four
gentlemen, had very little interest in anything that he had to
say. On the other hand, Captain Stanley, a slim, energetic,
red haired gentleman, seemed to hang on every word, as
did his new found friends, Lt. Affleck and Mr. Dobson.
“The ships of which you speak are in the harbor at San
Christobal. They use it as a re-supply and victualing point
and they sail in and out under the protection of the fort until
they are behind the island. There they can wait for the
wind and tide until they can weather the headland and head
to America.” I have been there many times, and each time
I have found many ships in the harbor loading slaves and
powder for the colonies while they re-supply for more raids
on British shipping.”
“The traffic moves from the Mole at Cape Nicola around
the island to Port O’ Prince, and then continues to San
Christobal. There they offload and re-supply, and then
continue their voyages to the American Colonies. They
repeat the process in the other direction as they head
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98
towards France and Spain. The French, Spanish, Dutch and
American Colonies are all working together against a
common enemy, us. They are all heavily involved in the
slave trade, and equally heavily involved in trading powder,
shot and supplies to support the Colonies.” Jack continued.
“Exactly!” interrupted Sir Peter. “The system of heavily
armed forts, protected bays and harbors, and shallow back
channels prevents our fleet from being able to intercept the
bulk of the shipments, gentlemen. We have to devise a
tactic which will interrupt this trade and choke off the
Colonies. The enemy knows we are here blockading the
harbors. They also know that we cannot move fast enough
to pursue them into the shallows. We need a fleet of quick,
shallow draft vessels to be able to move inshore. From that
vantage point we can track, chase and capture enough
vessels to build pursuit squadrons that are better designed
for that purpose, and I intend to utilize the skills of Mr.
Perkins here, and his crew to get to those ships.
Captain Montrose, who was in charge of the Antelope’s
contingent of marines, stood behind the Admiral peering
over the map. At the mention of the potential use of Jack
and his crew his facial expression changed to one of
skepticism. In his vision, the only way to accomplish the
mission was with a large naval battle between two large
naval fleets, followed by a land battle to take the forts and
the town. He obviously did not relish the idea of depending
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on a rag-tag bunch of convicts and ex-slaves to lead the
charge into the enemy. After a quick turn around the cabin
he addressed the Admiral:
“Sir, with all due respect, it appears that what we need are
the resources, in the form of ships, men and artillery to
accomplish this goal. Why don’t we apprise the Admiralty
of the situation, and then petition them for what we need?
This would seem to be a much better approach than some
hair-brained scheme based on a bunch of - “
“Sailors, Captain!” Interrupted the Admiral. “Well trained,
well led, experienced sailors who are masters at the art of
cutting out ships from under then enemy’s nose. Our navy
is stretched to the limit, so we will get our ships, crews and
supplies from where we now stand. You would be well
advised to look, listen and learn Captain. The Admiralty
has already informed me that they have nothing more to
spare for our campaign. The Royal Navy is already
fighting three wars stretched across three continents. We
are therefore left to our own devices to be successful in this
sphere of operations. We must use ‘hound and hare’ tactics
to be successful, and here is how we are going to do it…...”
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100
Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
Chapter Ten
Sir Peter’s Plan
3:00 A.M., November 27, 1778
Seated at the tiller of the longboat, Jack surveyed his
surroundings. It was a pitch black, moonless night with
hardly any wind at all. He looked over the 30 odd souls in
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101
the longboat as they methodically, and quietly pulled
against their muffled oars. Behind him he could barely see
the outline of the other six boats that had been assembled
from around the fleet as they too pulled themselves silently
to the shore. Each man carried a cutlass and pistol which
had been carefully wrapped in rags and placed under the
thwart upon which he was sitting. Rags had also been
wrapped around the oars to ensure that the enemy did not
hear them clanking and rattling in the oarlocks as they
rowed to the shore.
The plan was actually quite simple. Jack and the other five
boats comprised a force of about 300 men. It was now
3:00:A.M. on Sunday morning. There were three enemy
ships in the harbour: one frigate, a brig and a small
schooner. Three of the fleet’s boats, which comprised
about 150 men under Lt. Affleck, were assigned to
overpower the crew of the frigate, while the other two boats
would do the same for the brig and the schooner. Jack and
his men were assigned to take the brig. The other men
were to enter the town from the back side and use the dark
alleys and small streets to quietly work their way to the
dock. At 4:00 A.M. all of the crews were to quietly move
in, overpower the sentries on board and capture their
respective ships. Knives and cutlasses were the order of
the day, and no shots were to be fired to alert the nearby
fort. They were then expected to cut the dock lines, head
out to sea and meet the fleet.
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The Antelope, and the rest of the fleet, were standing out
more than a mile from the shore, where they remained
readily visible from the harbour. The boats had been
loaded with the ships under full sail, from the off-shore side
of the ships, thus preventing the ever present French
lookouts and sentries from having a view of the landing
preparations. They then rowed towards the sea, away from
the shore, in the shadow of the ships from which they had
each departed. While this forced the boat crews to row in a
wide circle to get to the shore, it prevented any possibility
of the enemy’s detection of their presence. The landing
was planned for a rocky shoreline about a mile south of the
harbour, but the wide circular course provided a three mile
pull to reach the shore. As they were now rowing parallel
to the shoreline within 250 yards of the landing spot, Jack
could see that his men were getting a bit winded from the
long pull.
Farley, who had only lost two of his five toes on his left
foot and was now back on duty, leaned over to Nick and
whispered, “Jesus, Nick, long pull ain’t it?”
Nick rolled his eyes up in his head in expectation of the
verbal abuse that he was about to receive:
“Quiet!” admonished Jack. “You want us to all be killed
before we leave the damn boat? No Talkin’!”
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Jack headed his longboat for a landing behind an
outcropping of rocks that would shield the boat from the
lights of the harbor to his right. When the bow touched the
shore, McKenzie and a marine in the bow of the boat
silently stepped out and eased the bow up on the shoreline.
They then crawled up to the road running along the shore to
watch for patrolling sentries. Half of Jack’s men, led by
Nick, followed. Upon reaching the beach, they silently
slipped across the road and began to make their way
through the dense underbrush towards the brig.
Jack and Meechum, one of the Antelope’s petty officers,
and the remaining crew eased the longboat back into the
water and headed in the direction of the harbor. They
deftly moved in the shadows of the shoreline as they
silently rowed towards the brig. Upon reaching the bow of
the brig, Jack reached up and secured a stern line to the
brig’s anchor while Meechum silently tied on another line
to the brig’s Jacob’s ladder. They then hunkered down in
the darkness and waited for the other half of his crew to
reach the brig. It was then that Jack heard footsteps
approaching his side from the deck of the brig.
He looked up to see a French sentry, lighting his pipe while
sitting on the port side taffrail at the stern of the brig.
Fortunately, Jack’s boat was in the shadows of the brig’s
bows, and the sentry did not look down below himself to
spot Jack and his men.
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“Wait here.” Jack whispered. He reached up to the brig’s
bowspirit and pulled himself up. He then straddled the
bowspirit and slowly crawled aft until he reached the deck
of the ship. He slipped on board and silently hid behind the
starboard bow chaser.
More footsteps. Still puffing on his pipe, the sentry stood
up and began to walk towards the bow of the brig, looking
out into the harbor as he slowly strode along. When he
reached the bows of the ship, he stood silently and took a
long pull on his pipe, his final one.
Jack flashed across the deck, wrapped his hand over the
sentry’s mouth and snatched his head back while
simultaneously slitting his throat. He held on to the
sentry’s lifeless body while grabbing his musket. He then
eased both the sentry and the musket down quietly to the
deck. Wasting no time, Jack signaled for Mckenzie and his
men to come aboard. As the men arrived on deck, he
motioned to Mckenzie to take half of his men below and
secure the sleeping crew of the brig and the other half to cut
the lines which secured the brig to the dock. Jack took his
cutlass and cut the bow line securing the brig to the dock.
He then ran over to the other side of the bow to signal
Meechum to begin to warp the brig away towards the sea.
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It was then that all hell broke loose. Jack heard screaming
curses in French from the schooner docked behind the brig,
a single shot and then, almost as suddenly, the schooner
erupted in a ball of flame. The explosion lifted him up and
sent him flying into the forward stays of the brig, which
entangled him and prevented him from being blown
overboard.
Through the din of smoke and flame, he could see
screaming, dying men in the water around what remained
of the schooner, and burning pieces of the schooner landing
on the brig. He pulled himself up by the forward stays and
looked to see if Meechum and the longboat crew were still
there. Of the 15 men in the longboat, the rear most two
men had been caught almost directly in the line of the
explosion, and while one was completely blown out of the
longboat and floating face down in the water, the other was
doubled over, screaming in pain with a huge splinter from
the schooner lodged in his chest.
“Meechum!” Jack yelled. “Get us out of here, now!”
“Aye, Sir!” came the response. “C’mon you lubbers! Pull,
Pull for God’s sake!”
As the brig began to ease away from the dock a hail of
bullets began to hit the ship. Jack looked up to see musket
flashes from the upper windows of the buildings adjacent to
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106
the dock. Apparently many of the French sentries, who
would normally be on board the docked vessels, had
decided to avail themselves of the better accommodations,
and the better female company that was available in the
town’s bordello district adjacent to the dock. They were
now standing out on the balcony and utilizing their
positions of advantage to rain musket fire down on Jack
and his men. Jack looked aft and noted that the sailor sent
to cut the brig’s stern line was now slumped over the
taffrail, dead. The ship was still tied to the dock.
McKenzie and Nick emerged from below.
Nick! Jack screamed. “Load that cannon and take out those
snipers!” Jack ran to the stern rail and began to hack off
the stern line to the dock. Just before he cut the last strand
on the dock line, the forward bow chaser erupted, and the
balcony and half of the top floor of the snipers vantage
point disappeared in fire and smoke. It was then that
McKenzie ran up to him and yelled:
“Skipper! Look! We got wounded comin’” Jack turned to
look back at the dock and saw about fifteen of the
remaining men sent to cut out the now sinking schooner
dragging themselves, and two of their wounded mates,
toward the brig. The French frigate captured by the other
boats was already underway and headed out to sea. The
remaining British sailors and marines from the sinking
schooner had no way to leave. Jack knew he couldn’t leave
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
107
them here as the French would kill them. Jack held up on
cutting the last strand of the dock line.
“Nick, move your crew to the port stern chaser and keep
firing! Mac, grab a musket and come with me!” he yelled.
Jack jumped to the dock on a dead run with Mac following
closely on his heels. The schooner’s prize crew was
stumbling towards them, still dragging the two wounded
men. They were under fire from the windows of a building
across from the burning remains of the schooner. Jack and
Mac took cover behind a load of barrels stacked on the
dock and used their muskets to provide cover fire for the
stumbling prize crew. When the crew reached their
position, Jack and Mac each dropped their muskets,
grabbed a wounded man and raced towards the brig.
Musket balls were whizzing by their heads and striking all
around the dock as they ran. It was then that the stern
chaser of the brig roared and belched a plume of fire. The
second floor of the warehouse disappeared and the musket
fire ceased.
“T’ank God fo’ Nick!” said Mac.
When they reached the brig, they lifted the wounded men
on board. Jack took his cutlass and cut the last strand on the
dock line. The brig was now free, and Meechum and his
crew had warped it around in position to catch the land
breeze.
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108
“Make Sail!” yelled Jack. “Give me every stitch of canvas
on this bucket! Nick, get your men moving on that jib and
then take the helm. Mac, hoist the main and get Meechum
and his crew on board.”
“Skipper!” yelled Mac. “What you wan’ to do wid da
Frenchies?”
“Give ‘em a choice” Yelled Jack,, “You can shoot ‘em, or
they can have a nice swim to shore!”
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109
Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
Chapter Eleven
Pig Boat
January 12
th, 1779
Perkins, carrying a tray with the Admiral’s customary
morning tea, whispered to Jack: “Jack, Cap’n Stanley
wants to see ya. Somtin’ bout some pigs!”
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“Pigs?” Jesus, thought Jack, another boring trip in the
longboat for supplies.
From their first meeting Jack knew that Captain Stanley
was not exactly one of his supporters. The good Captain
had earned his way to where he was, and he didn’t care for
“Hotshots who burn their way through to the top of the
Navy.” Moreover, he thought Jack, and those like him,
should be and remain at the rank of “Able Seaman” for the
entirety of their career. But he was true Royal Navy, and
ensured that whatever his superiors said was the way things
should go. So, while he didn’t exactly hinder Jack’s
progress in the navy, he didn’t support it either. In Captain
Stanley’s eyes men like Jack did not “fit” the traditions of
the Royal Navy, and should be respected, tolerated, and
when possible, passed over.
Jack followed Nick out of the cabin to the amidships
longboat chocks where Captain Stanley was standing with a
small map spread out over the ships binnacle. “Did you
send for me Sir?” asked Jack, saluting.
“Yes, Jack, I did. Admiral Parker and I want you to return
to Port Royal for supplies and dispatches. Here is the
purser’s list of items. Please choose up about 50 men to
help you load and store, and then leave on the evening
tide.”
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That’s quite a load for the longboat, Sir. I don’t think she
will hold 50 men plus the supplies.” Answered Jack.
“You are not taking the longboat.” The captain interrupted.
“You are to see Admiral Parker for the details of your
assignment.”
Taking a step back and saluting, Jack replied, “Aye, aye,
Sir.”
It was obvious to Jack that Captain Stanley did not truly
support whatever the Admiral had in mind for him. As
Jack made his way to Sir Peter’s cabin, he read over the
purser’s list of supplies. It was a short one:
10 Casts Madeira Wine
60 Casts Fresh Water
200 bushels Fresh Potatoes
30 Live Pigs (To be delivered around the Fleet)
“Oh, my God.” Thought Jack. “Pigs. 30 Stinky, filthy,
squealing pigs.” The longboat crew, which included many
of his former Punch crewmates, hated transporting any type
of livestock, especially Pigs. Pigs foul up the boat’s hold
(which had to be cleaned up) and cause havoc amongst the
crew, as they hated the feeding, tending and poop
management duties that went along with them. Also, when
the shifting seas allowed the slippery bastards to get out of
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112
their pen, they had to chase them all around the ship to be
caught and re-secured. This did not appear to be the
beginnings of a good cruise.
Jack arrived at Admiral Parker’s cabin and knocked on the
door.
“Come!” Came the answer.
Admiral Parker was seated at his desk, finishing the last of
the dispatches that Jack would carry to Port Royal. The
Admiral looked up with a terse grin.
“Have a seat, Jack.” He said and then continued his writing.
Finally, the good Admiral set down his quill and looked
Jack squarely in the face.
“Jack, you have done your time as pilot and master’s
mate.” He began. “Now I want you to do what you do
best. Have you seen the latest issue of the Gazette? It has
an article which describes your recent actions at Cape
Nicola.”
Jack picked up the Gazette and read the article:
“Extract from a Letter from Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Parker,
Commander in Chief of His Majesty’s ships at Jamaica, to
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113
Mr. Stephen Thompson, dated on board the Antelope July
22nd
, 1778, a list of prizes taken by the squadron under his
Command on June 10th
, 1778 from the Mole at St. Nicola:
1778. June 26th
. French Frigate Le Gideon, 320 Tons, Jean
Monopy Master, of 32 Guns and 230 men, by Lt Affleck of
the Antelope.
Ditto. Brig La Juan Elizabeth, taken by ditto Orman
Coustor, Master and Owner, 120 Tons, 8 cannon, 20 Men,
cut out and taken by the boats of the Antelope, Captain
Stanley”
“What does this mean, Sir?” Jack asked.
“What does it mean? It means that London now knows of
you, Jack.” answered Sir Peter. “Even though your name is
not mentioned, everyone knows that you and your crew cut
out that brig. She has been purchased for naval service by
the Crown. The public announcement in the Gazette
officially tells Captain Stanley and all of your mates that
they will share in the prize money that we get for her.
Everyone now understands what you can do. That’s what it
means. It means we are ready to begin to do what I brought
you here for in the first place. Look aft, Jack.”
Jack walked over to the large windows facing aft in Sir
Peter’s spacious cabin. There, riding at anchor was the two
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
114
masted brig that he had captured last June. He had not seen
her up close since her capture she was immediately taken
by another prize crew to Port Royal for a refit, and at the
time of her capture Jack was to busy trying not to get killed
to really get a good look at her. He now noted that she
about 70 feet long with clean lines and a broad forefoot of
the American design. Jack thought she was beautiful and
perfect for commerce raiding and prize work.
“I have re-named her HMB Punch, Jack, in honor of your
old command. As of now, she’s yours.” The Admiral
continued. “She’s carried on the Royal Navy Ship List as
the “Tender to the Fleet”. She was built in the Colonies in
1761 and purchased by the French two years ago. She is a
bit old, but still very fast. I am giving you temporary
command of her, as a warrant officer.
“I’ve seen her at a distance many times, Sir. She sails
around the fleet delivering casts of wine, potatoes, and
other supplies. I think she will be perfect for inshore work,
Sir.” Said Jack.
“Aye.” Said sir Peter.” Right now, she’s unarmed, but we
will fix that. She has a shallow draft like the old Punch, but
she is nimble and fast. I believe that with a proper
commander, she should be just as quick and maneuverable
as your old command. I want you to show me what you
can do with her – work the bays and Cays inshore where
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115
our draft is too deep for us to enter. You have three weeks
to make the best of her abilities, and to prove to these idiots
in London what you can do with her.
“I, I though you wanted me to take her to Port Royal, and
pick up a load of pigs, Sir.” Stammered Jack.
“Pigs my arse, Jack! The pig trip is just a ruse to keep the
Admiralty watchdogs off my back. By assigning you to the
fleet tender they will envision you loading potatoes, unions
and water casks to serve the pleasure of the fleet. They
have no problem approving such a duty for you as fits their
feeble minded mental picture of what they think you are
qualified to do. I will get no complaints for such an
assignment. But what I really want you to be concerned
with is this letter The Bristol intercepted from a French
packet captured yesterday. It is a French dispatch to the
rebel headquarters in Philadelphia. Here, read it.”
Admiral Parker handed Jack what appeared to be the
second page of a letter he took from his desk:
CAPE NICOLA MOLE, JUNE 10, 1779.
…..The French here are, to a man, in favour of America.
There are ten thousand men in this island, one thousand
here, who, with five hundred Negroes, are busy employed
in building forts. A French frigate arrived the other day
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116
from France, with orders to the General to protect all
American vessels. A pilot boat belonging to a merchant in
Philadelphia, was taken by the British he day before
yesterday and sent to Jamaica; a French frigate of thirty-
six guns, and a guarda-costa, which last hoisted
Continental colours, were immediately sent after her, with
orders to follow her into Port-Royal harbour, if they could
overtake her before, to demand her. What will be the
consequences only time will discover. The French were
very much exasperated at her being taken, which was
within two leagues of the land.
“This letter was intercepted yesterday. Continued Sir Peter,
so if you get a move on, you can catch them. With a good
wind and hard sailing, you can make Port Royal and back
in two days. But remember, I don’t want pigs. I want you
to find the enemy, close with him and kill him! I want you
to take the Punch, overtake those French bastards trying to
retake those ships and capture them. On your return, I want
you to take the long way around and cruise between Cape
Nicola and Port O’ Prince, inshore, like you know how to
do. While the fleet and I are watching the front door, these
bastards are using shallow draft vessels to sneak everything
from cannons to ships-of-the-line to America through the
back door! You and the Punch will close that back door.
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
117
“But Admiral, once they know that I am in command,
won’t they assign another officer to take over the Punch?”
asked Jack.
“Hell no, Jack. By the time the Admiralty realizes that you
are in command of a Royal Navy fighting ship, they will be
too busy counting their prize money to give a damn where
it’s coming from. They will just not want it to stop! You
have to trust me Jack. Are we clear?”
“Aye, Aye, Sir.” Jack responded.
“Very well, then. Put four 6 pounders on board the Punch,
and make sure all of your men have a full complement of
rifles, power and shot. Also make sure that each man has a
pistol and cutlass. We expect you to conduct yourself as
the commander of a Royal Navy vessel, which means that
should you see enemy suspect vessels, we want you to take
whatever action you deem necessary.”
It was then that Admiral Parker looked at Jack with a wry
smile of mutual understanding and said:
”Good luck and good hunting Jack. The trip should take
about four days, but take your time on your return. I told
Captain Stanley to put an entry into his log that officially,
you were assigned to the fleet tender to transport and
distribute a large load of pigs to the fleet. Board and
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118
commandeer any enemy ship you encounter, Jack, but
don’t make a liar out of me. Just make damn sure that when
you return, you have my pigs!”
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
119
Jack Punch
Of
His Majesty’s Royal Navy
Chapter Twelve
Commander, His Majesty’s Brig (HMB) Punch
As he left the admiral’s cabin, Jack pondered how he was
going to take on a heavily armed and well manned French
frigate with an aging brig, but he had longed for this day
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
120
for three years, and now he once again had his own
command, His Majesty’s Brig Punch. He knew that once
he had his own deck under his feet, he would work out the
details.
In the middle of his thoughts he passed Nick Butler and
McKenzie who were down on their knees performing the
daily morning ritual of holystoning the ship’s decks. He
stooped over and whispered in Nick’s ear:
“Nick, pass the word and get the Punch gang to join me at
the longboat. We have another mission to perform for
King and country, so we might as well make a reunion out
of it.”
“Aye, Skipper. We all heard that you had been promoted
to Pig Captain! Ya wants me to git someone to watch the
snotties while we’s gone?” Chided Nick.
“Keep talking and I’ll leave you here to watch them!”
retorted Jack. “Now you and Mckenzie hurry on and round
up the crew. I will square your release from this work with
the Bosun.”
“Aye, aye, skipper.” Said Nick as he dropped is holystone
in the bucket. “C’mon Mac” Nick said to Mckenzie. ”Hell,
I rather be clean’n pig shit den crawl’n ‘round here on me
hands and knees!”.
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
121
It took the better part of the morning to dismount the
cannon, hook up the block and tackle to the main yard, and
swing them out over the towering sides of the Antelope.
One by one they were lowered ever so gently into the
longboat for transit over to The Punch. This was followed
by the arduous task of swinging them over the side of the
Punch and remounting them on their cradles on the deck,
and then helping the carpenter from the flagship set up the
tackles so they could be secured and fired.
Dotter Meechum, the Antelope’s second oldest petty
officer, was promoted to the Punch’s Bosun. Dotter was a
heavy set fellow, about average height but strong as an ox.
Jack chose him because the crew respected Meechum and
looked to him for directions and advice on everything from
proper line handling to shipboard life.
Jack directed Meechum to hurry the crew along in that the
time to load and secure the cannon, powder and shot on the
Punch was extremely limited. Meechum, sporting his new
ceremonial round rig (the well-known tall navy bosun’s hat
indicating his new position) and starter rope in hand,
encouraged the members of The Punch crew to move
quickly with discriminate swats across their rumps with the
starter rope. Meechum spotted Farley leaning across the
barrel of one of the six pounders talking to a fellow
crewmember. He reinforced Farley’s sense of urgency
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122
with a stinging swipe across his buttocks with the starter
rope. Farley screamed out in pain:
“Ooooch, Boats! Ya’ needn’t be swattin’ me like that! I’m
a’ workin’!”
“Like hell you are, ya lazy pallyyard! Ya be dere beat’n
your gums and mashin’ ya’ arse!” Retorted Meechum.
“Now get a move on!”
The bulk of Jack’s old Punch crew didn’t need very much
persuasion, as to a man each was eager to get off the
mighty Antelope and avoid the back breaking work it took
to keep a ship of that size in working order. So they
approached the new task with zeal and enthusiasm. As
much of the new Punch’s crew consisted of the remaining
members of Jack’s original Punch gang, there was not a
great deal of persuasion for Meechum to do. They were
eager to get back to independent operations with Jack, and
more than ready to collect and count the prize money that
was sure to come.
As they worked, Admiral Parker would occasionally stride
over to the forward railing of the poop deck and peer down
at the men laboring in the heat. Jack knew he was checking
the progress of his new crew.
When all the stores were loaded, Nick, Mckenzie and the
crew went over the side into the longboat boat below. In
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
123
preparation to leave the ship, Jack issued his final report to
Captain Stanley, who was standing at the base of the
mainmast.
“All stores loaded Sir. The Punch is ready to sail.
Permission to leave the ship Sir?” He asked as the knuckled
his forehead in salute.
“Very well, Perkins. Just one more thing before you leave,
If you please.” responded Captain Stanley.
“Yes, Sir?” queried Jack.
“I mentioned to Sir Peter that you might have need of a bit
of additional help with your new command, so I suggested
that you take one of the Mids with you.”
“A…A…Mid, Sir?” stammered Jack. “Which one?” He
asked with a look of exasperation.
“Thomas Kilkenny, of course, I am told the he’s your
favorite…..” Captain Stanley continued, with a grin: “The
trip will do the boy good. And Jack, I really do believe you
can use the help.”
At that moment little Tommy stepped out from behind the
mast with his sea bag and a broad smile. Jack was
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124
obviously taken aback by this change of events, but he
weathered through it.
“Thank you, Sir. I am sure he will be exactly…. what we
need. Come along, Tommy, into the boat with you.” said
Jack.
With a big smile, Tommy scampered past Jack and across
the deck. In a flash he was over the side and into the
waiting longboat. He had obviously engineered this whole
affair with Captain Stanley when he heard that Jack had
received his own command.
“Permission to leave the ship is granted.” said Captain
Stanley. “Good Luck, Captain Perkins.”
Jack knuckled is forehead in salute to Captain Stanley and
strode across the deck. The crew, watching this comical
turn of events, had a great laugh, for they knew that L’il
Tommy had been Jack’s greatest nemeses, and that Jack
was of the belief that with his new assignment, as
Commander of His Majesty’s Brig Punch, he was done
with his ‘Snott Nurse’ duties.
Apparently not, thought Jack.
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****** The End *****
Charles J. Royster, Jr. Jack Punch – Duty Calls
126
About the Author
Charles J. (Chuck) Royster, Jr. was born in
Washington DC where he attended Howard
University and received is B.A and M.A. in
Economics. He is a retired CEO of a computer
systems management firm that he co-founded and
managed until 2007. His current interests include
writing, boating, nautical and military history and
research. Chuck and his wife Cecelia live in
Gaithersburg, Maryland. They have three children,
Tara, Jamelle and Charles III. If you enjoyed this
book, and would like to read more, please e-mail
your comments to [email protected].