By then two of Jack’s cannon crew had reloaded. They fired. One of them found their target, the main mast. When the mast was cut, everyone on The Viceroy felt the impact, and it delayed their cannon crews a few seconds.
Which was all Jack needed.
Two more crews were reloaded, and Jack ordered them to fire, which they did, aiming at The Viceroy’s gun ports. The impact was sufficient to delay their shot again, and now, with no main mast, burning from both ends, she was a sitting duck. Jack’s first four crews began reloading while the second four cannon crews fired and destroyed four more gun ports.
Jack ordered two shore boats lowered to pick up his swimmers. While that was going on, The Viceroy finally managed to get off three cannon shots, but two missed and the third caused only minor damage. Jack had his crew come about and they circled the wounded ship until they were at a right angle to it. From there, Jack’s guns could shoot but The Viceroy’s could not. Jack waited until all eight guns were ready, then he gave the signal, and all eight sent chain shot directly into the bow. The Viceroy lurched downward. In one last act of determination, her crew attempted to hurl grenades, but The Fortress was out of range. Realizing the battle was lost, The Viceroy’s captain ran up the white flag, but by then she was in flames to the point that Jack’s men could do nothing but watch her burn. Enemy sailors screamed and jumped into the water, hoping to swim their way to shore, but Jack doubted any would make it.
Martin, who in Pim’s absence had been promoted to Quarter-Master, said, “Want me to lower some boats? We can follow and shoot them as they swim.”
Jack said, “No, let them be.”
“But what if they make it to shore?”
“In my mind, any sailor who can swim that far in these conditions deserves to live.”
Chapter 22
Jack trained his spyglass on the town of St. Alban’s. Having heard the cannon fire a scant half mile from shore, hundreds of residents had gathered to witness the naval battle. Now they began dispersing, fearing the worst. Jack ordered his men to bring the ship into port at downtown St. Alban’s. Once there, a boat was lowered, and ten men rowed to the main pier under a flag of truce. Forty men, Mayor Shrewsbury, and half as many women and children came out to the pier to see what might happen next.
The men in the boat tied her off and stepped onto the pier. Nine held pistols in each hand. The tenth came to the front and began to speak.
“My surname is Martin, and I’m Quarter-Master of The Fortress. We’re here under flag of truce to explain why we feel wronged by your city, and how we intend to respond. Our men were enjoying shore leave at Sinner’s Row as we’ve done many times these past four years. This time, with the direct knowledge and cooperation of your Mayor (Martin pointed to Mayor Shrewsbury), a number of our crew were drugged, and without warning or explanation, captured and held against their will at the Blue Lagoon, where soldiers from the garrison at Amelia Island began summarily executing them.
We defeated the soldiers, only to be attacked moments ago by The Viceroy, sailing under the colors of Florida Colony, with the full knowledge and cooperation of Mayor Shrewsbury. For these reasons, Jack Hawley, Captain of The Fortress, has ordered the town of St. Alban’s decimated.”
The townspeople gasped and began murmuring to each other.
“I’ve come to tell you that if you have any weapons, you’re to lower them to the ground.”
“What do you mean, ‘decimated?’” the Mayor said, in as haughty a voice as he could muster.
Martin pointed to The Fortress. “As you can see, our ship has anchored broadside, exposing her guns.”
He pulled the white flag out of its holder in the stern, waved it high over his head, then replaced it.
“I just signaled Captain Hawley, which means you have exactly one hour to evacuate the downtown area before it begins raining cannonballs. Captain Jack is already lowering shore boats filled with angry pirates bent on revenge. They’ll wait a hundred yards from shore until the firing stops. At that point, should you stay, God help you all.”
Mayor Shrewsbury cleared his throat and said, “Now listen here, you can’t just destroy the whole town. These are innocent citizens and I’m an appointed official, acting under direct orders from the governor. It would be treason not to do as I’m told, just as you would not go against orders from your Captain, Jack Hawley.”
Martin said, “You’ve got about fifty-eight minutes. If I were you, I’d start moving things along.”
The Mayor said, “Surely there is a way to come to an understanding with Captain Hawley. I’m sure we could gather up a substantial amount of money, food and medicine we could pay you in return for sparing our town.”
Martin said, “You’re suggesting the town pay a ransom?”
“A ransom, yes. That’s exactly what I’m suggesting.” Mayor Shrewsbury said, worriedly. “We’ve lost your trust, but we’re willing to sacrifice, if need be, to regain it. How say you that?”
“It’s not for me to say, but I expect Captain Hawley would decline, since he intends to destroy the town and take the spoils anyway.”
Mayor Shrewsbury said, “If there’s no understanding to be had, perhaps we should take matters into our own hands. We have enough manpower here on the pier to kill the whole boatload of you.”
With that, he raised his hand and forty men aimed their weapons at the ten pirates. To be precise, thirty-eight men aimed their weapons at the pirates. The other two were George Stout and Mr. Pim, and they were armed to the teeth. As the women and children moved off the pier at a high rate of speed, George and Pim began working their way behind the mob.
Martin said, “We’ve come under the flag of truce. Are we not gentlemen?”
“Not when you intend to destroy our town, sir. And if we’re to die anyway, I’d like to hear one reason why we shouldn’t kill ten pirates now, while the killing’s good.”
The men from the town cocked their muskets. Pim and George had a pistol in each hand and several more loaded and tucked into their coats. They wouldn’t be able to kill them all, but they’d probably get eight or nine before having to use their knives.
“I’ll give you a good reason,” Martin said. “If you put up any resistance, Jack Hawley will not only destroy the town, he and his men will hunt you down, nail you to trees, and make you watch as they rape your wives, daughters and livestock. Then they’ll kidnap your sons and turn them into sea monkeys.”
One citizen said, “Rape our livestock?”
“The nicer livestock, yes.”
One by one, the men lowered their weapons to the ground and stepped aside as the pirates kicked them into the water.
“Wise decision,” Martin said. “And you now have approximately fifty-three minutes to evacuate the town.
The men began running off the pier, but stopped when they saw a young girl walking toward them carrying a kit in one hand and a white flag in the other.
Martin shouted, “What have we here?”
The men parted as the girl walked toward the pirates. They filed in behind her to hear what she had to say.
“Who are you, miss?” Martin said.
“Abby Winter, sir.”
“State your business.”