Ramage and the Dido

'We'll attack with as many men as we can get in our boats. Three boats will attack over the bow, and three on the quarters: that way we can keep out of the arcs of their guns. Once we have boarded, then we set fire to her. We don't have to capture the whole ship to do that. But what is important is that the fires - I want them set at several places - take hold, and once you can see they can't be put out, then quit the ship as quickly as possible: I don't want any men on board when the magazine goes up!'

Ramage then outlined his plan, giving each of the officers their orders: telling them how many men they were to take in which boat, where they were to board the Achille, and where they were to start a fire. The men were to carry combustibles - cloths soaked in grease, jars of inflammable paint, light battens that would catch fire quickly - as well as lanterns, which would be hidden from sight until they were on board.

The point of the lanterns, Ramage explained, was that they would let the men see what they were doing, once they were on board the Achille, and the candles then could be used to set light to things, helped on by liberal applications of candlewax.

The men could choose whether they had cutlasses or boarding pikes. No one would carry a musket - they were too clumsy for boarders - but all the men would be issued with pistols. At least, he amended, they would be issued with as many pistols as were available.

Oars would obviously be muffled - it was up to the first lieutenant to see that all the oars were bound with keckling - but it was impossible to say whether the boarders would achieve surprise. They must assume they would be opposed, but only with small-arms fire.

'The important thing is setting the fires,' Ramage emphasized. 'I don't want men getting carried away with fighting the French: any fighting should be only to protect the parties as they start the fires. Our job is done once she's burning; we are not trying to carry her by boarding.'

'Should the men carry slowmatch, just in case the lanterns blow out?' asked the gunner.

'Slowmatches, and they might as well have a few false fires - they will light the place up as well as setting fire to things. A few topmen getting aloft and setting off false fires in the courses should help: the canvas is so dry it will burn easily. So remember, you who are carrying topmen in your boats should have false fires and slowmatches, and make sure the topmen know what is expected of them. Any more ideas?'

'Shall we try and set fire to the magazine, sir?' asked Kenton.

'Most certainly not!' Ramage exclaimed. 'You'll only blow yourselves up. No, the magazine goes up as the ship burns.'

'How do we judge when a fire is well set, sir?' asked Martin.

'As soon as it's bigger than you could put out with buckets,' Ramage said. 'There'll probably be a good breeze blowing, so flames should spread quickly. Bear that in mind: where you can, always set a fire to windward of something that is obviously combustible.'

'Scattering some powder around would help, sir,' the gunner said.

'No,' Ramage said decidedly, 'no powder. Too much scope for accidents. We don't want to blow ourselves up.'

'Shall I go with the boarders or stay here?' asked Bowen, the surgeon.

'You stay here,' said a startled Ramage. 'What good could you do on board the Achille?'

'I was thinking that I could attend to casualties on the spot,' Bowen said lamely. His suggestion had been an attempt to join in the excitement, and he had the uncomfortable feeling that Ramage had realized that immediately.

'Very well,' said Ramage, looking round at all the officers. 'If there are no more questions, we may as well get started.'

The moon set soon after eleven p.m. and 150 seamen and Marines were formed up on deck in groups, ready to board the boats, which had been hauled round alongside. In addition to cutlasses, pikes, tomahawks and pistols, many of the men carried the greasy cloths with which they would start fires. Others had shaded lanterns and some carried lighted slowmatch.

The officers were drawn up ready to take command of the boats and their own parties of men. But it was slow work in the darkness preparing for the expedition. The starlight was spasmodic, interrupted by high blankets of cloud, and although the wind was still light from the east and the sea almost calm, it was hot and humid, and any effort soaked a man in perspiration.

Southwick, cheerfully striding round the deck with his great double-edged sword strapped to his waist, was looking forward to the operation because all too often lately - and in the Calypso's last actions in the Mediterranean - he had been left on board while others went off to do the fighting. This time Mr Ramage was leaving the first lieutenant in command of the Dido, Southwick had noted happily, and had put him in command of one of the pinnaces. So now he had twenty-five men in his party, ready to fight or burn the enemy. Although Southwick appreciated the main task was to set fire to the ship he hoped that the French would put up a fight. It was a long time since he had been able to use his sword, and the thought of soon unsheathing it was exciting.

Martin said to Kenton: 'I hope this is going to make up for George Hill getting command of that frigate. That's the second time. It doesn't seem fair, just because he speaks French.'

'If he didn't speak French one of us would get the job,' Kenton said soothingly. 'It's our fault, really, I didn't pay much attention at school - whoever would have thought that speaking French would come in useful? It seemed to be the last thing you'd need at sea. Mathematics and geography, yes: but French and Latin . . .'

Orsini, who had been listening to the conversation, said: 'Well, I speak French and Italian, but I don't get command of the prizes!'

'You're only a master's mate,' Martin said unsympathetically, 'and anyway, your navigation is a bit suspect.'

'It was but it isn't now,' Orsini said defensively. 'I've been working hard at it since we joined the Dido. Mr Southwick is very pleased with the progress I've made.'

'Maybe so,' said Kenton, 'but do you feel confident enough to take command of a frigate?'

'Give me a few good men and let me have the chance,' Orsini said impulsively. 'The trouble is there don't seem to be any frigates left!'

'Be patient,' Martin said, 'the French may send out some more. Or we might find the one that got away.'

'If he's got any sense he's already on his way back to France,' Kenton said. 'That merchantman blowing up probably persuaded him.'

'More likely he saw us in the flash and realized the convoy was being attacked by a ship of the line.'

At that moment Aitken's voice came out of the darkness: 'I hope you have inspected your men and are all ready to embark.'

The three of them assured him they were, and he added: 'Don't be misled by the French landing some of their men: there may be a couple of hundred - maybe a lot more - still left on board. Don't forget, we're not trying to capture the ship; we just want to set fire to it.'

After Aitken had gone, Kenton said: 'If the French have a couple of hundred men still left on board, we've got a fight on our hands. Boarding a ship of the line isn't like boarding a frigate: her freeboard is so much higher. Still, since she's bigger the French have more to defend.'

'And we have more to attack,' Martin said ruefully. 'On the other hand, it hasn't rained for days, so her woodwork is nice and dry. It should be easy enough to start fires.'

'Wood that's been soaked hundreds of times in salt water won't burn too easily,' Kenton warned. 'I'm going to go for sails, if I can.'