Fic : All have won and all shall have prizes.
On Friday I was able to cram in 3 hours work on anteros_lmc and my project regaring the actual Indefatigable crew in 1797 and I discovered that in the week of January 3-11th they took 4 prizes in 4 days - and the ship suddenly became somewhat short of midshipmen as a whole line of them were dispatched to sail various prizes back to England.
I suddenly had a vision of what an exciting week that mut have been for the middies in question - but how much the really young ones - the 12-14 year olds - must have envied their older colleagues.
That and a great detail from Pellew's log sparked this very silly fic - details of the log and other info follow in some footnotes which are ridiculously scholarly in contrast to the fic - which is my silliest yet I fear.
And anteros_lmc has done some research into books on the Cadogan family including young Georgy Cadogan,darling of the crew back in 1797. This great introduction, from The Cadogans at war fits the fic well:
As a near life long devotee of C S Forester's sea-going hero Horatio Hornblower, my interest in George Cadogan was immediately engaged when, researching an earlier book, The Cadogan Estate, I discovered that his first ship as a twelve year old first class volunteer was H. M. Frigate Indefatigable, refitting at Plymouth in December 1795 and commanded by Captain Sir Edward Pellew. For this was the vessel on which the young Hornblower notionally served from the spring of 1794 until 1797 when he was captured by the Spanish.In my mind's eye, when George first went below to the midshipman's berth the tall, gawky figure of Hornblower was there to give him a sympathetic welcome: fact meeting fiction. etc, etc...
fact meeting fiction ? Well, here goes..
TITLE: All have won and all shall have prizes
word count :c 2000
Rating: Gen,fluff,indeed totally silly
Characters; Archie, Horatio, Pellew,Bracegirdle ,Bowles,other historical midshipmen.
Disclaimer: Not mine - but the research is mine and anteros_lmc
All have won and all shall have prizes
A one-act drama set on the Indefatigable in January 1797
Cast, in order of appearance: for the purposes of this fic ,histoical persons are not asterisked, but fictional ones are
The Hon George Cadogan,one of the two youngest midshipmen at that time,
Fleetwood Reynolds Broughton Pellew,[the captain's second son, best friend and fellow middie of Georgy Cadogan and the other real youngster on board.
Sir Edward Pellew, Captain of the Indefatigable
Thomas Bowles,Sailing Master *
John Bracegirdle, First Lieutenant,*
Archie Kennedy, acting Third lieutenant*
Pownall Bastard Pellew, The Captain's eldest son,midshipman rated Able Seaman
Horatio Hornblower, second Lieutenant *
Sundry background middies including Philip Frowd and Richard Broughton, James Bray and Alex McVicar, the latter two about to sail home their first prize ship.
It is the middle of a week where a number of prizes have been captured by the Indy. George and Fleetwood , who are very good friends, are wistfully watching as the latest of the older middies gets to sail a prize home.They are supposed to be studying for a navigation exam but could not resist seeing the latest prize - a boat laden with brandy.
Curiously the captain has not mentioned sending the latest prize home to England...
GC: He's your father - you ask him ! I wouldn't dare !
FP: But he likes you a lot , he might give in for you - and anyway theres no chance
he won't even let Pownall go, let alone us ..
GC: We could go with Mr Hornblower, we'd be safe then.
FP: What? Safe ? Papa ..Sir Edward ...would have kittens - didn't you hear what Mr Hornblower did on his first prize voyage?
GC: With the Marie Gallante ? But that was clever and brave and the captain said so - sort of anyway
Both: (sniggering, but awed all the same) "Fish for it ! "
FP: Yes,but Mama says she knows Pa- the captain- frets himself silly over all of us
and I think we will have to be at least another year older. It would be good though.( sighs emerge from both )
GC: What about that boat with the brandy we took today ?
FP: Well I don't know - Look - up there - like they are discussing something - Bowlesy and Mr Bracegirdle and Papa.
GC: Like how to "lose " a case or ten of brandy from the records?
FP: I said that to Pownall and he pulled a face - he is such a bore, my brother sometimes
GC: Come on Fleet! we better look like we are studying or else...
EP: Mister Cadogan! Mister Pellew ! if you aspire to the giddy heights of prize taking you had better tend those navigation exercises with more care . Mr Hornblower will come and test you in one hour and I expect to hear of your unparalleled success.
and that goes for Mr Broughton and Mr Frowd, too ,diligently though they are keeping out of my gaze at present.Is that clear?
GC and FP: Aye, sir ! ( scurrrying ensues and two bodies swiftly disappear )
EP: Mr Hornblower, I apologise for inflicting Cadogan and Dick and that scapegrace of mine on you at such a time but for some reason they attend better to you and Mr Kennedy than ever to us old men.
Still I can offer amends to you both - and to you Mr Bowles and Mr Bracegirdle - after dinner this evening .Finest Jerez gran reserva to be had - wasted on those admiralty clerks sitting on their lubberly arses- besides -what was it Johnson said about brandy ?- Mr Kennedy, I am sure you know...
AK:(grins) Indeed Sir, " claret is a drink for boys, port for men, but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy...
EP: Precisely ! till later then, gentlemen.
Below decks.
GC: Do you suppose your father and Bracey and even - even Mr Kennedy and Mr Hornblower actually like brandy ?
FP: They say they do -Pownall keeps telling me that I will grow up to like it - but he says that about everything - its such a bore having a big broth...O Georgy I am so sorry, I forgot
GC: Its all right Fleet, I know William died last month -but he wasn't like a proper brother , not like Henry and Edward are to me - he was too old to be even annoyed with like you are with Pownall, It would be more like if you had another brother now, or in a year or two, say.
FP: But I wouldn’t have another ...Geor-gy ! that is horrible - you mean Papa might ?..
He wouldn’t would be ?
GC: Well my papa did -and that was with mama who was his second wife. And your mama likes your father doesn’t she ?and its what people do when they get shore leave, even captains. At least I think ! William was old he was 46 already you know! That is older than your father the captain isn’t it ?
FP: Yes, papa is just 40 - but - look out ! Pownall!
PP: Fleet ! You aren’t going to show us up in the navigation test are you - you must remember that our name matters on this ship and ...
FP: Do you think anything we do makes any difference to what people think about our father? You’re mad Pownall, Papa is the best frigate captain in the history of forever and the officers and the men know that, everyone knows that don’t they Georgy ? and he doesn’t you being pious to help him ...
HH:Gentlemen! I thought this was supposed to be a study area today - pray. why the raised voices ?
FP :(defiantly ) I was just standing up for fath- for the captain’s honour Mr Hornblower ?
HH: (thinking - and I suppose it is your place to damn him or defend him ..So I can’t use that line here )I see, very commendable -but I am sure the captain stands in no need of defending in the whole of the King’s navy and least of all in this ship. However you are right in your loyalty both as a member of this crew and as a loving son .Now can we please gather together for some exercises .Mr Kennedy and I have been practising our own navigation - yes! We have to keep on learning you know and we have some real life errors and successes that you can work on. Carry on, Mr Kennedy!
AK: Thank you, Mr Hornblower.
Now then,gentlemen. The first test case is a success story -it is about navigating in Newfoundland.
GC. Mr Hornblower sir, may I fetch you something for your terrible cough ?
------------------------------------------
Notes : ADM 51/1711 p 288 Captain's log for the Indefatigable January 3-11 1797 records captures of a Spanish brig, A Danish ship and another Spanish ship and finally a boat laden with brandy.Mention is made of sending the first three back to England - but no mention at all of this with relation to the Cargo of brandy.
George Cadogan was the seventh son of the first Earl of Cadogan but eventually inherited the title aftee the death of 6 of his seven brothers, mostly in action. In January 1797 his much older half brother William Bromley Cadogan died. The other brothers he refers to are his full brothers Henry and Edward.
Archie is of course referring to John Donne's "license my roving hands" sonnet and to the line " O my Amerika, my new found land". ( see fics passim but especially the recent anteros_lnc fic " Sloth" from the 7DS challenge.
I suddenly had a vision of what an exciting week that mut have been for the middies in question - but how much the really young ones - the 12-14 year olds - must have envied their older colleagues.
That and a great detail from Pellew's log sparked this very silly fic - details of the log and other info follow in some footnotes which are ridiculously scholarly in contrast to the fic - which is my silliest yet I fear.
And anteros_lmc has done some research into books on the Cadogan family including young Georgy Cadogan,darling of the crew back in 1797. This great introduction, from The Cadogans at war fits the fic well:
As a near life long devotee of C S Forester's sea-going hero Horatio Hornblower, my interest in George Cadogan was immediately engaged when, researching an earlier book, The Cadogan Estate, I discovered that his first ship as a twelve year old first class volunteer was H. M. Frigate Indefatigable, refitting at Plymouth in December 1795 and commanded by Captain Sir Edward Pellew. For this was the vessel on which the young Hornblower notionally served from the spring of 1794 until 1797 when he was captured by the Spanish.In my mind's eye, when George first went below to the midshipman's berth the tall, gawky figure of Hornblower was there to give him a sympathetic welcome: fact meeting fiction. etc, etc...
fact meeting fiction ? Well, here goes..
TITLE: All have won and all shall have prizes
word count :c 2000
Rating: Gen,fluff,indeed totally silly
Characters; Archie, Horatio, Pellew,Bracegirdle ,Bowles,other historical midshipmen.
Disclaimer: Not mine - but the research is mine and anteros_lmc
All have won and all shall have prizes
A one-act drama set on the Indefatigable in January 1797
Cast, in order of appearance: for the purposes of this fic ,histoical persons are not asterisked, but fictional ones are
The Hon George Cadogan,one of the two youngest midshipmen at that time,
Fleetwood Reynolds Broughton Pellew,[the captain's second son, best friend and fellow middie of Georgy Cadogan and the other real youngster on board.
Sir Edward Pellew, Captain of the Indefatigable
Thomas Bowles,Sailing Master *
John Bracegirdle, First Lieutenant,*
Archie Kennedy, acting Third lieutenant*
Pownall Bastard Pellew, The Captain's eldest son,midshipman rated Able Seaman
Horatio Hornblower, second Lieutenant *
Sundry background middies including Philip Frowd and Richard Broughton, James Bray and Alex McVicar, the latter two about to sail home their first prize ship.
It is the middle of a week where a number of prizes have been captured by the Indy. George and Fleetwood , who are very good friends, are wistfully watching as the latest of the older middies gets to sail a prize home.They are supposed to be studying for a navigation exam but could not resist seeing the latest prize - a boat laden with brandy.
Curiously the captain has not mentioned sending the latest prize home to England...
GC: He's your father - you ask him ! I wouldn't dare !
FP: But he likes you a lot , he might give in for you - and anyway theres no chance
he won't even let Pownall go, let alone us ..
GC: We could go with Mr Hornblower, we'd be safe then.
FP: What? Safe ? Papa ..Sir Edward ...would have kittens - didn't you hear what Mr Hornblower did on his first prize voyage?
GC: With the Marie Gallante ? But that was clever and brave and the captain said so - sort of anyway
Both: (sniggering, but awed all the same) "Fish for it ! "
FP: Yes,but Mama says she knows Pa- the captain- frets himself silly over all of us
and I think we will have to be at least another year older. It would be good though.( sighs emerge from both )
GC: What about that boat with the brandy we took today ?
FP: Well I don't know - Look - up there - like they are discussing something - Bowlesy and Mr Bracegirdle and Papa.
GC: Like how to "lose " a case or ten of brandy from the records?
FP: I said that to Pownall and he pulled a face - he is such a bore, my brother sometimes
GC: Come on Fleet! we better look like we are studying or else...
EP: Mister Cadogan! Mister Pellew ! if you aspire to the giddy heights of prize taking you had better tend those navigation exercises with more care . Mr Hornblower will come and test you in one hour and I expect to hear of your unparalleled success.
and that goes for Mr Broughton and Mr Frowd, too ,diligently though they are keeping out of my gaze at present.Is that clear?
GC and FP: Aye, sir ! ( scurrrying ensues and two bodies swiftly disappear )
EP: Mr Hornblower, I apologise for inflicting Cadogan and Dick and that scapegrace of mine on you at such a time but for some reason they attend better to you and Mr Kennedy than ever to us old men.
Still I can offer amends to you both - and to you Mr Bowles and Mr Bracegirdle - after dinner this evening .Finest Jerez gran reserva to be had - wasted on those admiralty clerks sitting on their lubberly arses- besides -what was it Johnson said about brandy ?- Mr Kennedy, I am sure you know...
AK:(grins) Indeed Sir, " claret is a drink for boys, port for men, but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy...
EP: Precisely ! till later then, gentlemen.
Below decks.
GC: Do you suppose your father and Bracey and even - even Mr Kennedy and Mr Hornblower actually like brandy ?
FP: They say they do -Pownall keeps telling me that I will grow up to like it - but he says that about everything - its such a bore having a big broth...O Georgy I am so sorry, I forgot
GC: Its all right Fleet, I know William died last month -but he wasn't like a proper brother , not like Henry and Edward are to me - he was too old to be even annoyed with like you are with Pownall, It would be more like if you had another brother now, or in a year or two, say.
FP: But I wouldn’t have another ...Geor-gy ! that is horrible - you mean Papa might ?..
He wouldn’t would be ?
GC: Well my papa did -and that was with mama who was his second wife. And your mama likes your father doesn’t she ?and its what people do when they get shore leave, even captains. At least I think ! William was old he was 46 already you know! That is older than your father the captain isn’t it ?
FP: Yes, papa is just 40 - but - look out ! Pownall!
PP: Fleet ! You aren’t going to show us up in the navigation test are you - you must remember that our name matters on this ship and ...
FP: Do you think anything we do makes any difference to what people think about our father? You’re mad Pownall, Papa is the best frigate captain in the history of forever and the officers and the men know that, everyone knows that don’t they Georgy ? and he doesn’t you being pious to help him ...
HH:Gentlemen! I thought this was supposed to be a study area today - pray. why the raised voices ?
FP :(defiantly ) I was just standing up for fath- for the captain’s honour Mr Hornblower ?
HH: (thinking - and I suppose it is your place to damn him or defend him ..So I can’t use that line here )I see, very commendable -but I am sure the captain stands in no need of defending in the whole of the King’s navy and least of all in this ship. However you are right in your loyalty both as a member of this crew and as a loving son .Now can we please gather together for some exercises .Mr Kennedy and I have been practising our own navigation - yes! We have to keep on learning you know and we have some real life errors and successes that you can work on. Carry on, Mr Kennedy!
AK: Thank you, Mr Hornblower.
Now then,gentlemen. The first test case is a success story -it is about navigating in Newfoundland.
GC. Mr Hornblower sir, may I fetch you something for your terrible cough ?
------------------------------------------
Notes : ADM 51/1711 p 288 Captain's log for the Indefatigable January 3-11 1797 records captures of a Spanish brig, A Danish ship and another Spanish ship and finally a boat laden with brandy.Mention is made of sending the first three back to England - but no mention at all of this with relation to the Cargo of brandy.
George Cadogan was the seventh son of the first Earl of Cadogan but eventually inherited the title aftee the death of 6 of his seven brothers, mostly in action. In January 1797 his much older half brother William Bromley Cadogan died. The other brothers he refers to are his full brothers Henry and Edward.
Archie is of course referring to John Donne's "license my roving hands" sonnet and to the line " O my Amerika, my new found land". ( see fics passim but especially the recent anteros_lnc fic " Sloth" from the 7DS challenge.