A letter to the Admiralty ► Ludology Now!

H.M.S. Service, at sea in the Alboran,
December 18, 1800

Sir,

It is my great duty and pleasure to report that, in accordance with your orders, the Service engaged with enemy ships the Pas Dit, of 28-guns and unknown amount of crew, and the Beloix, of 16-guns and 121 crew, both of France, on December 14 of this year, and without significant damage or loss of life

Moorknot frowned and got a fresh sheet of paper, copying his own words up until that final statement then crumpling the original draft.

and without significant damage emerged victorious. After a battle which lasted three and one quarter hours in which cannonade fire was exchanged and maneuvers were executed, the Pas Dit suffered an explosion and sank with all hands, after which the Beloix struck its colors and was captured. Due to the length and distance of the chase, as well as the minor injuries to the ship sustained during battle and the presence of 121 prisoners, the Service landed in Gibraltar on December 16 to unload, restock, and refit.

It is with much gratification that I can inform you the Beloix was indeed carrying, in addition to the 121 souls handed over to the grateful men at Gibraltar, excessive amounts of cannon-shot, cannonades, and naval food stores designated for enemy forces in the Atlantic. Captain Jean-Henri Nourvaud of the Beloix, who fought bravely and respectfully, did confirm to me the Pas Dit was likely carrying, as expected, powder to match the stores of the Beloix, which does much to explain the nature of her unfortunate demise.

The Beloix and the majority of her cargo was purchased into immediate service to aid in the Strait’s defense, which I regretfully must inform you was undermanned and ill-prepared to receive the enemy, should one have chosen to strike. In further accordance with orders the Service stayed in port long enough only to refit and refuel and is now en route to the designated location.

Mr. James Carcer, my First Lieutenant, very handsomely captained the Beloix into port with a prize crew consisting of Midshipman John Hill, Carpenter’s mate Hugh Addams, able Seaman Rupert Dawke, able Seaman Tino Chappas, and

What was his name? John something? Hosea? The captain poured back over his lieutenant’s reports until he found who he was looking for.

and able Seaman Josiah Wise, who Mr. Carcer has recommended, with my full agreement, for promotion to Midshipman for his courage and determination when taking the Beloix, notwithstanding his years of service.

Mr. Yancy Gullard, my Second Lieutenant, very dutifully directed the gun-crews who destroyed the Pas Dit and was instrumental in ensuring the engagement was successful. I regret very much to inform you that he was killed during the battle by enemy cannon strike moments before the final events occurred, along with able Seaman Phillip Geoffries and gunner’s mate Francis Den.

These three mark the Service’s only casualties, with those injured in action including, in total, twelve others; Midshipman Mikael Sanders, wounded by shrapnel; Midshipman Peter Lyons, wounded by musketshot; Master’s mate Henry Jones, wounded by musketshot; able Seaman Tino Chappas, wounded by sword; able Seaman Rupert Dawke, wounded by debris; able Seaman Lewis Dohl, wounded by debris; able Seaman Paul O’Malley, wounded by grapeshot; topman Henry Pinchurch, wounded by cannonade; topman Nathan Linde, wounded by musketshot; topman Henry Booth, wounded by grapeshot; topman John Allen, wounded by grapeshot; topman Bernard Martin, wounded by grapeshot.

Moorknot read through the whole thing, nodded, and signed his name. It was an accurate account of the events, one that did not embellish or make unnecessarily bold claims like he had seen so many letters in the Gazette do. Not that this would likely make it into the Gazette — none of his letters to the Admiralty had yet, and he saw no reason why this would be different — but it was important, to him, that the facts were stated correctly.