Harry Harrison Stars And Stripes 02 Stars And Stripes In Peril v3.0 (lit)

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feet apart.
"Helmsman," Green ordered. "Sail between them. Guns, fire as soon as you bear
on your target." He signaled the engine room to reduce speed.Hartford slid
through the green, transparent water. On the gun decks the cannon were rolled
out, the gun captains gripping the lanyards of their igniters.
The first cannon fired and the ship's frame shivered. Then the others, one
after another, as theHartford passed between the two ships.
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There was a yellow puff of smoke from the Indiaman to port, the only
resistance, but the cannonball screamed over theHartford's deck, missing
completely.
Not so the well-laid guns of the American warship. At point blank range the
cannon roared out. The solid shot crashing through the hulls of the British
ships. Tearing down bulkheads, dismasting the port ship, the blast from the
guns starting numberless fires. WhenHartford steamed on, the two shattered
hulls lay low in the water behind her, on fire, drifting towards the shore.
Their attacker raised more steam again and turned towards the other ships.
Within a half an hour the scene at the peaceful anchorage had changed
completely. One battered ship was beached and burning. Three others were in
hopeless condition, holed, burning, sinking. One desperate captain had run his
ship ashore but this was no escape.Hartford stood in as close as she could,
almost in the surf, and battered her into wreckage.
"Cannon on shore, sir," the first mate said. The captain, for the first time,
realized that they were under fire. There were at least six guns ashore firing
at them. But their fire was wildly inaccurate, with only a few shells sending
up waterspouts close to them.
"All right, we've done what we can," the captain said with great
satisfaction. "Raise sail. We'll stop the engine as soon as we are on a
west-south-west heading to clear that headland. Then north toCalifornia .
There will hopefully be some coal for us there."
He looked back at the ruined ships and smiled. "At least we will be able to
telegraph some good news toWashington . A fine day's work, lads, fine indeed."
General William Tecumseh Sherman and General Robert E. Lee had Room 313 to
themselves, with strict orders that they were not to be disturbed.Sherman now
had his own key to the map cabinet. After bolting the room's door from the
inside he unlocked the cabinet and opened its door wide.
"There it is, Robert. The country that we must free."
The two generals had become more than just allies working in a common cause,
they had formed a close bond of friendship. Both men were of the same mind,
tacticians who had a ruthless and determined drive to win. Neither enjoyed
defending, both relished the attack. Now they were working to a common
purpose.
"Do you have an invasion plan in mind?" Lee asked.
"A probable structure. Which is why I called you here today. First, let us
look to the enemy defenses. The British have long worried about a French
invasion of this island and have been building forts and coastal defenses for
years. Most of them along the eastern coast where the centers of population
are. They run from Londonderry here on the north coast then go right around
toBelfast and down toNewry . PastDublin , toWaterford andCork . There are
forts and Martello towers all along the way, making this a very inhospitable
coast. I can see no reason to charge headfirst against these obstacles."
"I am in complete agreement,Cumph . And for another important reason as well.
The people."
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"Agreed. We have friends in the south. But all of our reports assure us that
the Northern Protestants will side with the English. I am assured by those who
know that the population might very well rise against any invasion."
"I sincerely believe that they will. The north will be a tough nut to
crack."Sherman looked up at the wall clock. "I asked General Meagher to bring
Surgeon Reynolds here at three o'clock. He is a northern Catholic who can tell
us what we need to know about the situation inUlster . I am seriously
considering taking him into our confidence about the invasion. That may be the
only way to get the information that we must have."
Lee nodded. "A more than sensible suggestion. And one that goes very well
with something I have been turning over in my head. I think that we are in
agreement that the Irish Brigade will lead the attacks in the south ofIreland
. They would burn us at the stake if we didn't let them do that. But I am sure
that you will also agree with me that we want to keep them out of the north.
However we go about the invasion there we don't want them anywhere near it. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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