Chapter 4: ADVANCE!
Before we left for Trinidad, I had to attend to matters of the state with the Governor-General. Apparently, our scholars had learned that you could ‘plug’ a bayonet into a musket and make it like a pike. All well and good, except you can’t fire a musket with a plug bayonet. We had exchanged that technology with the Prussians for their vaunted ‘square formation’ which allowed infantry to face cavalry like never before. With bayonets, my infantry would be more than a match for any cavalry who dared face us.
Maybe we’d be able to research a bayonet that you could use while firing your weapon. Now that’d be novel and good.
In addition to this, the Netherlands was in a state of upheaval as head minister after head minister was replaced. Finally, we settled on one who was relatively competent. God forgive us for taking so long to find such a man who wasn’t a total imbecile.
Spoiler: Pic for Grand Pensionary |
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The pirate fleets had scattered from the Caribbean, leaving their island holdings open for the taking. Despite only having three regiments under my command, I took the gamble.
The fleet departed Punda without fanfare. Hundreds of men said goodbye to their families and friends. I had a quiet moment with my servant, Theodora, who had been serving my family for over twenty years, ever since I was a child. My mother died young and in a way, Theodora raised me. She was the closest thing to a mother I ever had.
The fleet made way to Trinidad. When we arrived at the port, we quickly arrived at the settlement. There, I sat with representatives from the pirate militias who had suddenly aroused themselves to defend their homes. Their leader, a cur by the name of Samuel Baker, was a man of many scars and one leg. He spat when we met.
“Surrender. You’re outnumbered, outgunned, and have no way of reinforcement. The fleet occupies your port and soon nothing will come here. I will allow you to remain in peace as long as you follow Republic law,” I bartered and the old man sat back in his chair, thinking.
“The first thing that comes to my mind is to say screw you and go on my merry way,” he said crassly. But sense prevailed in the end. “These boys are just that. Boys. All the men sailed off with the ships and left their sons to defend themselves out in this world. I won’t let that happen. San Jose de Oruna is yours. Just leave these boys in peace.”
I promised him that I would. Why would I break that promise? There was no reason to and the old man saw it in my eyes. He gave the order to surrender and the boys in ragged clothing breathed a sigh of relief. I did as well.
There is no honor in kicking a downed dog.
My men occupied the town and confiscated the mortars the pirates had in defense, but allowed the militias to disperse peacefully with their weapons. Several of my men had come down with yellow fever, however, and left my regiments undermanned. Fortunately for the army, two regiments of colonial line infantry had set sail from Punda and reinforced my meager army.
I sat down with my regimental commanders and pondered. Should we set sail for Antigua in the Leeward Islands? It was a gamble, but the pirate fleets were nowhere in sight and the Caribbean fleet dominated this part of the ocean. I decided to set sail for the Leeward Islands. Along the way, we received word that the trading fleet in the East Indies had managed to destroy a pirate fleet and captured the flagship of the dreaded Frederico Calles! Great news. The pirates were weakening.
It was time to strike. We head for Antigua.