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An hour or two after Table Mountain had been deemed solid and not an apparition, the signal for “Captain(s) Repair On Board” went up HMS Diadem’s halliards, summoning all naval captains to a conference with Commodore Popham aboard his flagship.
* * *
“Ah, welcome back aboard! Will you take a glass, Lewrie?” the ebullient Popham gaily offered as the other officers gathered. Cabin servants were circulating with coin-silver trays of glasses and white wine, and Popham was turned out in his very best uniform, complete with the sash and star of the Order of The Bath, and he gave Lewrie a quizzical look to note that Lewrie’s everyday uniform coat was bare.
“No matter,” Popham poo-pooed. “You remember Sir David Baird, and Brigadier Beresford and their aides? Uhm, good! Allow me to name to you your fellows … gentlemen, I give you Captain Sir Alan Lewrie of the Reliant frigate. Sir Alan, this is my Flag-Captain, Downman. Josias Rowley, of Raiso
A burble of “Happy to make your acquaintance”, some nods, and the lifting of glasses in welcome followed Popham’s introductions.
“Stout, ca
Happy as a boy with a jam jar! Lewrie thought, noting Popham’s almost playful demeanour, and eager, forceful motions.
“Here, gentlemen, is Robben Island,” Popham said, using a ruler as a pointer. “Though some charts name it Penguin Island. It is not all that high out of the sea, but protects Table Bay from the worst of most blows. Fairly flat, too. Once we are a few miles offshore, it is my intention that the fleet come to anchor West of Robben Island. Not too close ashore, for the Dutch may have mounted batteries there, and garrisoned it.”
“It’s a prison, sir,” Lewrie told him. “When I was here before, the Dutch, and we, used it as a prison … for criminals and rebellious sorts, mostly. The many sharks in the strait ’twixt the island and the mainland prevent escape attempts. The prisoners are put at hard labour, making gravel out of big rocks. The guards ain’t soldiers.”
“Hmm, well, in any instance, we shall anchor far off the shoals and rocks,” Popham said with amusement, “which would put us out of the range of any light artillery the Dutch may have … or showers of rocks flung at us in pique, hey, gentlemen?”
After faint chuckles had faded, Popham went on. “Then, sirs, I intend to make an inspection of Blaauwberg Bay, our primary choice for where we land the army. Lieutenant King, I would much appreciate did you do me and Sir David the honour of taking us aboard your Espoir for a reco
Popham slid another chart atop the first, one that showed Cape Town and Table Bay in greater detail.
“Sir David and Brigadier Beresford have suggested that we make a demonstration to confuse the Dutch and lure their army far enough away from Blaauwberg Bay so our landing may face lesser opposition. On that head, Sir David has allocated the Twenty-fourth Regiment of Foot. Captain Honyman, I wish you and your Leda to escort the transports carrying the Twenty-fourth. As soon as we are come to anchor off Robben Island, do you acquaint yourself to the masters of the transports in question, and prepare them to sail down … here … as soon as the order for execution is hoisted to you. Feint a landing on Green Island, as if we intend to go right at the town. Bombard, if you wish, without putting troops ashore, in fact.”
“Most happy to oblige, sir, and it will be done as you wish!” Captain Honyman replied with a perky grin, as if he had just been given the most important duty, not a feint.
“Once a suitable stretch of beach has been selected in the bay, I will expect all our men o’ war to lend their largest ships’ boats to supplement the transports’ boats, so we may establish the strongest lodgement, as quickly as possible, ashore,” Commodore Popham went on, looking up from his charts to peer at each of his captains, in turn. “Launches, cutters, even your own gigs … though I think we may leave the little jolly boats to your Bosuns so they may row about to see if your yards are squared, ha!”
“If I may, sir?” Diadem’s Flag-Captain, Downman, a pleasant and inoffensive-looking fellow, interrupted. “I was wondering about the order of anchoring, both off Robben Island, and in Blaauwberg Bay. Which group of transports, bearing which regiments, should be closest to the chosen beach to form the initial lodgement, and which units might Sir David deem to be of lesser importance, which could be anchored behind those at first, landing their troops, artillery, or cavalry, later? It would seem to me that do we establish the order of landing now, we could reverse the order of anchoring off Robben Island, placing the most important furthest out from the island, but first to sail, when the order is given to land the army.”
Commodore Popham twitched his mouth as if irked by the suggestion, but quickly recovered his aplomb and leaned back from the table and charts to beam at Downman. “An excellent suggestion, Downman! We do wish to pull this off with the neatest sort of efficiency, hey? It will be up to Sir David, of course, as to which regiment he chooses to land first.”
“Well, actually, I was of a mind, to put two regiments ashore at once, Sir Home,” General Baird said to Commodore Popham. “Not knowing how quickly, or in how much force, my Dutch opponent might respond, it would be best to get the Thirty-eighth Foot and the Ninety-third Highlanders ashore. Do you concur, Beresford?”
“Hmm, well,” Brigadier Beresford pondered, “two regiments would be best, though perhaps one might substitute the Seventy-first Highlanders for the Thirty-eight Foot. They’re better-drilled than the Thirty-eighth, and the Twenty-fourth, for that matter.”
“And two regiments of Scots would naturally be competitive with each other,” General Baird agreed with a small laugh. “God help the Dutch. Yes, I agree, Beresford. You take the Thirty-eighth for your brigade, along with the cavalry and artillery, and we will land the Heavy Brigade first, with your Light Brigade to follow.”
“With that settled,” Commodore Popham said, “and with the names of their transports known, we may write instructions as to the order of anchoring, and the subsequent sailing into Blaauwberg Bay. I trust you to organise all that, Downman.”
“Of course, sir,” Captain Downman replied, almost in a whisper, as if having such a task thrust upon him was nothing new since sailing under Popham.
“And, whilst we’re all here, do you determine how many boats we possess, and of which size, to lend to the army for the landings,” the Commodore added.
Did Downman wince? Lewrie wondered; Is he that put-upon? What’s a Flag-Captain for, if not to be the serf for his lord and master.
“I’ve two cutters and two barges, Captain Downman,” Lewrie volunteered. “I had need of ’em in the Cha
“They’ll be most welcome, Captain Lewrie,” Downman promised him with a brief, shy grin.
“You use a barge fit for a full Admiral for your gig, do you, Captain Lewrie?” Popham teased, with a faint sniff.
“Just an humble cutter, sir,” Lewrie replied, tongue-in-cheek. “Ev’ryone knows I’m the modest sort. Ehm … might I ask what we will be doing during the landing, sir? Do we anchor far out, or sail in close to lend support with gunfire?”