Richard Castle and the USS Santa Barbara
By
UCSBdad
Disclaimer: Except for the true parts, this is fiction. Rating: K, mostly. Time: The turn of the 20th Century.
USS Santa Barbara
South China Sea
January 26, 1899.
"Native craft dead ahead, Captain. It looks like they're trying to attract our attention."
It looked that way to Castle. A man was standing in the bow of the native proa and waving a blue rag wildly.
"All ahead slow." He ordered. "We'll let him come up to us and board. Is Mr. Esposito about?"
"He's with Mr. Ryan, sir. Arguing about the merits of the Spanish Mauser against the Army's Krag Rifle and our Lee rifle."
"My compliments and ask him to meet me at the boarding ladder."
When the proa came up to them, a young man in what might have once been a uniform came aboard and began talking rapidly to Esposito in a language that Castle did not understand.
"Captain Castle, this is Lieutenant Baccay. He's been sent by General Rios. The Moros are pressing their siege of Marviles City and the general is nearly out of ammunition. He asks that we hurry."
"Can you ask him to describe the tactical situation in the city?"
Lieutenant Baccay pulled out a tattered map and spoke rapidly to Esposito.
"The city is on a peninsula. The Moros are about here." Esposito pointed to the map. "That's a sugar plantation on the outskirts of the city. Their boats, large proas, are pulled up on the beach about five miles south of the town. I suggest you land Captain Ryan's troops in the city and sail south to destroy the boats."
"Captain Ryan, will you muster your men on deck, please. And Mr. Franklin, put together a party to land the weapons and ammunition we have for the general." He turned to Esposito. "Can the general send men to pick up the weapons? My sailors aren't prepared for a land battle."
"He'll have men, women and children standing by, Captain, as soon as he sees the Santa Barbara."
"Sir," Lieutenant Franklin interrupted, "I know the charts say that we must sail almost past Marviles City about a mile out and then turn sharply to avoid the sandbars, but Don Fernando says he can guide us straight in. He's been navigating for us, and he's been right so far. It'll save us hours, sir."
Castle decided to take the chance. It was low tide so if they did run onto a sandbar, the tide should lift them off and he could still shell the Moros with his guns.
"Very well. And please ask Lieutenant Smith to muster his Marines on deck. They'll go with Captain Ryan's troops. And select every man who isn't necessary for the engines and guns, even if they're off duty, and arm them with our rifles."
The ship dissolved in what looked like chaos, but was actually well organized as men ran everywhere, soldiers this way, Marines that way and sailors anyway.
Castle watched nervously as Don Fernando piloted his ship in shallow waters with sandbars visible on either side. But they never so much as brushed against one.
The large pier at Marviles City was covered with people when the Santa Barbara docked. They swung the gangway across and the soldiers and Marines began running down it. Captain Esposito and Lieutenant Baccay led the way, bellowing orders to the waiting civilians. As the troops disappeared into the town, the civilians came aboard and grabbed the weapons and ammo and then hurried off.
"Mr. Franklin, can Don Fernando get us out of here and to the beach south of here?"
"He says we'll be there in no time."
Castle went back to the bridge and found Miss Beckett there.
"Miss Beckett, this is as well armored a place as there is on the ship. In addition, we have armored steel shutters to put over the portholes. You'll be safe here."
"Thank you, Captain. Petty Officer Montgomery suggested as much."
Castle tuned away and nervously watched Don Fernando expertly took them out of the little harbor and then south. He needn't have worried as Don Fernando didn't so much as scratch Santa Barbara's paint.
"Sir," said Lieutenant Thompson, the navigator. "Listen. Volleys of rifle fire and…Yes! That's a machine gun. Our troops are engaging the enemy."
"Can we go faster, Don Fernando? I don't want the Moros to get to their proas before we do and escape."
Don Fernando smiled a toothless smile at Castle.
"Now we go due south. Call for all ahead. "
Castle did just that and Santa Barbara shot ahead.
The voice tube from the lookout whistled.
"Lookout to the bridge."
"This is Captain Castle. Go ahead."
"I can see the enemy boats from here, sir. There must be a hundred of them. Most all drawn up on the beach but there are maybe four or five big ones that are anchored."
"Do you see any of the enemy."
"There are maybe twenty people standing on the shore, looking towards the battle, but that's all. We'll be in range in another few minutes, sir."
"Keep us informed of anything."
In two minutes, the guns of the Santa Barbara opened up. The five-inch guns soon sank the large proas and began firing at the men on the shore and on the beached boats. The smaller 57mm guns raked the shore as did the one-pound pom poms and the machine guns mounted in the fighting tops.
"There!" Someone yelled.
"Enemy in sight, sir." Franklin screamed. "There are the Moros, running like hell."
Castle was about to admonish Franklin for using such language in front of a lady, but when he turned around, Miss Beckett wasn't there.
"Where's Miss Beckett?" Castle demanded.
Everyone looked around, which was foolish as she obviously wasn't on the bridge.
"I believe I saw her leaving just after the lookout spoke to you, sir." Ensign Potter said.
"Where is she now? A ship in combat is no place for a lady to be wandering about."
Finally, the quartermaster spoke, from his position at the ship's wheel,
"I believe that's her by the bow, sir."
And there, in a knot of white clad sailors, all armed with rifles, was a slender figure, also clad in white and also carrying a rifle. It was Miss Beckett.
"What the hell is she doing there?" Castle yelled.
"I believe she's firing at the enemy, sir." The quartermaster said.
And that was exactly what she was doing. Castle watched in horror as Miss Beckett competently worked the bolt of her rifle, then slapping the five round clips into the weapon and occasionally talking to the sailor beside her. Castle recognized him as Seaman Orlovsky.
"Sir," cried Potter. "There are our troops. My God, look at them run. They'll catch the Moros before they can reach what's left of their boats."
And there they were, a wave of khaki clad figures, shouting and shooting as the Moros fled from them. Slightly behind them were General Rios' men.
"By God!" Yelled Franklin. "Both color parties are leading our troops. Each is trying to get ahead of the other." The two color-parties, each carrying an American flag and either the flag of the Marine Corps, or of the 31st Volunteers were racing ahead of their troops.
"The damned fools will get killed." Castle muttered.
"The Moros are turning about." Someone yelled. "They see they can't get away and are going to make their last stand."
The Moros stopped and fired their weapons into the mass of onrushing soldiers. Then they drew their swords and ran towards the troops.
"Cease fire." Castle screamed. "We're in danger of hitting our own men."
However, only the machine guns and a few riflemen, and one riflewoman, were still firing into the rear of the Moros. The others had ceased fire when they saw what was happening.
The Moros never managed to close with the troops as they were blasted with volley after volley of rifle fire. Soon, General Rios' troops arrived and also began firing into the Moros. Finally, the Filipinos closed in on the Moros, shooting and stabbing them until all were dead.
"Mr. Franklin, have Miss Beckett report to my cabin. Then have Seaman Orlovsky sent to me when I'm done with her. Then find out who issued a rifle to Miss Beckett and send him to me as well."
Several minutes later, there was a knock on Castle's door.
"Come in." he growled.
Kate Beckett came in.
"You wanted to see me, Captain Castle?"
"Miss Beckett, didn't I tell you to stay on the bridge where it was safe?"
"No, you didn't." Kate said, and before Castle could reply, she went on. "You said that the bridge was armored and that I would be safe there. You never said that I should stay there."
Castle opened his mouth and then closed it. He didn't remember saying that Miss Beckett should stay on the bridge.
"That may be true, but I think my intention was clear: That you should stay on the bridge."
"I would say your intention was not clear since I did not understand you to say that I should stay on the bridge."
He tried another tack.
"You are a civilian. Under the laws of war, you could be executed for taking part in a battle."
"Do you really think the Moros know or care of the laws of war? Or that my being a civilian would keep me alive."
"What you did was dangerous. Rifles are dangerous. Do you even know how to shoot?"
"I do. My paternal grandfather is a veteran of the 88th New York in the Irish Brigade of the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War. He taught me how to shoot with an old Sharps rifle and a Smith and Wesson pistol. I'm quite a good shot."
"And today you killed a human being for the first time." Castle snapped.
"I did not."
"I thought you said you were a good shot?" Castle said sarcastically.
"I am. But I've killed a man before today. It was two and a half years ago when I just started teaching in New York. An evil man tried to grab one of my students, a lovely twelve-year old girl named Brigid O'Herlihy. Several of the older boys tried to stop him, but he pulled a dagger on them. When he tried to force Brigid into a wagon, I picked up a cobblestone and struck him on the head. He died and I don't feel badly about the Moros I killed today any more than I did about that horrible man. I've heard what Moros do to their captives."
Castle saw that this was getting nowhere.
"As you are a civilian, I cannot punish you, but I will admonish you. Please do not risk yourself in the future."
"Bearing in mind that I am in a war zone, I shall do my best. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to freshen up."
Without waiting for a reply, she turned on her heel and left.
Several minutes later there was another knock on Castle's door. This time it was Lieutenant (JG) Patterson, the assistant gunnery officer.
"You wanted to see me, sir?" Patterson said, somewhat worried.
"Did you issue a rifle to Miss Beckett?"
"Yes, sir."
"Why?"
"I was handing out rifles and ammunition to everyone as fast as I could and all I saw was a figure in white, like everyone else. By the time I realized it was Miss Beckett, she had the rifle and was headed away."
"You didn't go after her to retrieve the rifle?" Castle said angrily.
"No, sir. I assumed she wanted it for self-protection in case the Moros tried to swarm the ship. I never imagined she'd be out on deck firing at the enemy, sir. And we needed to arm our people as fast as possible, sir."
"I am not able to punish Miss Beckett, so I'm not inclined to officially punish you. However, I will remember this. See that nothing like this happens in the future. And never give a weapon to Miss Beckett without my express order."
The next person to see Castle was Seaman Orlovsky.
TBC