Ship of Spies Read online

  Larboard Looking at the bow, the left side of the ship. Today, the left side is generally known at the port side. It’s helpful that both “Larboard” and “Left” both start with the letter “L.”

  Mainmast The tallest, central mast of the ship.

  Foremast The mast closest to the bow.

  Mizzenmast The mast closest to the stern.

  Yard or Yardarm The cross members that are perpendicular to the masts, from which the sails are suspended.

  Quarterdeck In The Sea Lord Chronicles this is an important locale. Generally located at the stern, this is the command center of the ship. In some ships such as Resolution, the quarterdeck is elevated slightly from the rest of the deck. The wheel, compass, ship’s bell and marine sentry are located here. Only officers and certain personel such as the helmsman and marine sentry are allowed on the quarterdeck. In a modern ship (or on Star Trek, for that matter), the quarterdeck has been replaced by the “bridge.”

  Frigate (rhymes with diggit) A war ship that typically carried 32 guns and was often used for independent cruises.

  32-pound gun Cannons are labeled according to the weight of the cannonball they fire. The bigger the gun, the farther it could fire and the more damage it could do. Loading and firing a cannon was hot, heavy work, and almost as dangerous for the gun crew as for those on the receiving end of the cannonball.

  Ensign (pronounced en sin) This is the lowest-ranking officer in our version of the Royal Navy, though in actuality the rank would have been equivalent to midshipman. Ensign is a rank found in the army and in the United States Navy of that era. It was not uncommon for boys to go to sea at age 12 or 14 as junior officers. Typically, officers came from upper class or at least “respectable” families and had to provide their own uniforms and equipment, plus pay for their own food.

  Prizes The Royal Navy kept up a tradition that was as old as warfare itself, which was that captured enemy merchant ships and cargo could be sold for a profit. The money was then divided among the crew, with the captain getting the largest share. It was a great motivating factor for the crew and ship’s officers could make a tidy sum on a lucky ship.

  Mutiny This was a constant danger aboard a ship. The rank-and-file crew members were sometimes so unhappy with conditions on a ship that they would try to seize control. It was the role of the marines to protect the ship and ship’s officers from mutineers. Only officers were allowed to carry weapons. Pistols, cutlasses and boarding axes were kept locked away and given to the crew before a battle.

  The Spanish Armada In 1588 the King of Spain launched a fleet of galleons loaded with troops to invade and capture England. In our story, the armada was defeated by the sea elemental Algernon Hope, who was later knighted for his heroism.

  Napoleon Bonaparte In 1792 the French people overthrew their king and established a republic. Unfortunately, the revolutionaries were vindictive and bloodthirsty. A young general named Napoleon Bonaparte stepped into the leadership vacuum and announced that he would lead the government. He would turn out to be one of history’s greatest military geniuses. In this story he is mad with power and ambition, crushing anyone who questions his right to rule, bringing world war to Europe and North America. He plans the invasion of England.

  King George III One of England’s longest-ruling monarchs, George III was much-loved by the English people. American history often paints an unflattering picture of George III as a tyrant during the American Revolution, but as it turns out he was very pious, loved his wife and family, and led a rather quiet life dedicated to his country. Much of the daily operation of government was left to ministers and members of parliament, who like most politicians were not to be trusted. He was followed on the throne by Queen Victoria.

  Napoleonic Wars For a period of 23 years, England, France and many other European nations were at war. (The American War of 1812 is sometimes seen as part of the Napoleonic Wars.) This was an era of tremendous battles on land and sea, the names of which are still well-known today, including Trafalgar, the Nile, and Waterloo.

  About the author

  David Healey grew up on a farm, ran cross country in high school and was an Eagle Scout. He has a degree in English from Washington College and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine. He has worked as a newspaper reporter, a librarian, and as a college professor. Family legend says his great-great-grandfather was a ship captain who drowned in the Irish Sea. He lives with his family in an old house on the Chesapeake Bay waterfront. Visit him online at www.davidhealey.net.

  Also by David Healey

  Civil War novels

  Sharpshooter

  Rebel Fever

  Rebel Train

  Historical thrillers

  Ghost Sniper

  Winter Sniper

  Time Reich

  Mysteries

  The House that Went Down with the Ship

  Beach Bodies

  Non-fiction

  1812: Rediscovering Chesapeake Bay’s Forgotten War

  Delmarva Legends and Lore

  Great Storms of the Chesapeake

  For alerts on more Sea Lord Chronicles adventures, please follow @healeyink on Twitter or like www.facebook.com/david.healey.books

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Epilogue

  Nautical Notes

  About the author