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.
Castle took out his pocket watch and began counting the minutes.
Was the Boxer fire getting more intense? He wondered. He thought it might be.
A blast from the ship filled the air, followed by two more. Then a deluge of shells crashed into the Boxers' position.
Castle carefully counted down the five minutes. The men, having pulled down the rice bag barricade in the door, readied themselves. The wounded who could not walk and the dead were carried by their comrades.
"Thirty seconds." Castle yelled.
"Now! Go!" he yelled when the thirty seconds was gone.
The men poured out of the ruined warehouse and ran to the dock. Two men fell, but were picked up by their fellows. As they ran to the dock, they leaped into the waiting boats, Castle and Smith being the last two men to board.
In minutes they were back aboard the Santa Barbara. Castle ran to the bridge and watched as the ship's guns pounded the Boxers' position.
"Looks like they're running for it." Someone yelled.
"So they are." Castle said. "Cease fire and head back upstream. We need to see how Captain Ryan is doing."
Ryan and his troops had killed many Boxers, but a few got away when the Santa Barbara had gone downstream to support Castle and his troops.
"I think the ones we got weren't the hard core Boxers." Ryan said. "We should have thought that they might try to split our forces."
"We did well." Castle said. "Let's leave it at that."
When they returned to Shanghai, Kate was waiting on the dock. As soon as she saw the dead and wounded being unloaded, she went aboard and went to the bridge. She put her arms around Rick and held onto him, crying softly.
USS Santa Barbara
Shanghai, China
May 16, 1900
Castle sat back on his chair on the bridge and relaxed. He has spent several months going up and down the Yangtze River, chasing so-called Boxers away. Since the defeat of the Boxers at what was left of the China Light Mission, most of the remaining real Boxers were laying low. The trouble makers now were the usual thugs and local low lives that existed in every society, taking advantage of the Imperial government's inability to decide what to do about the Boxers. The Dowager Empress Cixi, the real power in China, had issued an edict praising the Boxers which had caused an uptick in the violence.
However, Castle had had nearly a week back in Shanghai in which to rest his men and do overdue maintenance on his ship. He was looking forward to relaxing with his wife ashore that night.
"Sir, Captain Mallory's carriage is approaching." Franklin said.
"Without giving me notice? Well, prepare to welcome him aboard. Have the sideboys assemble and get a bosun to pipe him aboard."
"Um, sir. It appears Mrs. Castle is with him, and I think she has some luggage with her."
Castle groaned. This could only mean that Kate's talents as an interpreter and translator were needed. Given the state of China, that meant there was trouble somewhere.
"At least you won't have to give up your quarters this time." He said to Franklin. "Mrs. Castle can stay with me."
Castle rushed off the bridge to welcome Captain Mallory and his wife.
Malory and Kate rushed up the gangplank.
"Your cabin, Captain, if you please. And see to it that Mrs. Castle's things are stowed in your cabin."
Castle's heart sank. Wherever he was going, no matter how dangerous, Kate would be right there.
Once in his cabin, Mallory explained what had happened.
"There's all sorts of deviltry in and around Beijing, Castle. We've been advised, unofficially, that the various legations in Beijing have asked for additional troops to defend themselves. About time, I should say. Really, too late. But we expect a force of some four to five hundred troops will be sent, including US Marines. They'll come from a fleet from the various powers that have assembled off of Tianjin, the port of Beijing. The troops will come from England, Germany, France, Japan, Italy, Austria-Hungary and Russia. Too damned few if you ask me."
Kate cleared her throat.
"Oh, yes, Captain. Since Mrs. Castle is the only person who speaks virtually all the languages of the nations involved, she's volunteered to come with you as our official interpreter. She's officially an employee of the State Department and has a diplomatic passport."
"I doubt that will mean much to the Boxers." Castle said sourly.
"And that's why your orders are to stay with Mrs. Castle at all costs. You can use your entire Marine detachment as her bodyguard and as many sailors as you think wise from your ship."
Mallory tossed a sheaf of papers onto Castle's desk.
"You have written orders now, so get under way as soon as you can for Tianjin."
Castle was very busy getting ready for sea and didn't see Kate again until dinner time, by which time they were at sea, headed for Tianjin.
"Are you angry at me for volunteering?" Kate asked.
"No. I could never be angry at you, but I am terribly frightened that something might happen to you."
"I don't know if it'll make you feel any better, but I did buy some new clothing for this trip."
"New clothing?" Castle couldn't believe that.
"Let me just slip into the bathroom and give you a fashion show."
She disappeared into the head and came out several minutes later. Castle was stunned at what she was wearing.
"A Marine uniform?" he gasped.
"Not really. I have a khaki Marine coat, blouse, they call it, but with no insignia of any sort. And I have a campaign hat, but with a globe and anchor. Lastly, I had a tailor dye several of my white skirts khaki. And, "She held up a webbing gun belt. "I purchased a Colt automatic pistol just like yours, with lots of extra magazines and lots and lots of cartridges."
Castle sighed and then grinned.
"Okay, my little Amazon. Shall we have dinner?"
USS Santa Barbara
Off Tianjin, China
May 19, 1900.
"Signal from the flagship, sir." The signal's officer reported. "Admiral Kempff would like you to come aboard the USS Newark at your earliest convenience."
"When an admiral says that to a lieutenant, even if he commands a ship, he means yesterday would be too late." Castle said with a grin. "Thanks to my wife, I'm freshly shaved since she hates the feel of my stubble against her skin, and I'm wearing a fresh uniform. So, call away my gig and let's get going."
Castle was piped aboard the Newark and was greeted, not very cordially, by a lieutenant commander. Castle imagined the man was jealous that Castle had command of a fine cruiser.
He was led to the admiral's cabin where he found Admiral Kempff sitting behind his desk. Castle came to attention, saluted and reported himself. Kempff saluted back but then sat and stared at Castle for a long minute.
"Stand at ease, Captain Castle." Kempff finally said.
"Thank you, sir."
"You have quite a reputation, Castle. You've seen more combat, mostly on land, than just about anyone in the Asiatic Squadron."
Castle had no idea where this was going, so he simply replied, "Yes, sir."
"Not a bad thing, mind you. Cushing was just a Lieutenant when he sank the Rebel ironclad Albemarle and Hobson was only a Lieutenant when he won a Medal of Honor trying to bottle up the Spanish fleet in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba. But what's this about your wife being with you as an interpreter?'
"Captain Mallory and the State Department are responsible for that. If I had my way, she'd be back in the Philippines, but refusing a Captain just doesn't work, sir."
Kempff snorted with laughter.
"Is she any good?"
"I'm afraid she is, sir. She speaks French, German, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, and some Italian. I'm advised by Captain Mallory that she's the only person this side of the US that can speak all of the languages of the alliance."
"Let's not use the word alliance, just yet, Captain. I have no orders that would allow me to take offensive action against the Chinese. If we're attacked, that's one thing, but attacking Chinese government troops is another."
"Yes, sir."
"In the meantime, we're preparing a force from the eight nations to go to Beijing to protect the various embassies and legations there. We're sending 435 troops, including fifty- five American Marines. Protecting a legation is perfectly normal and doesn't constitute attacking the Chinese. However, there are ten thousand Kansu Braves, Muslim troops from the far west of China, in and around Beijing. They're armed with modern weapons and are supposed to be well trained and well disciplined. General Dong Fuxiang commands the Kansu Braves and he threatened the legations before, back in '98. That does not bode well for us."
"The number does seem rather small, sir." Castle agreed.
"We're short of people as it is. Supposedly, US troops from the Philippines will be sent here, but I've seen nothing official yet. So, Captain Castle, keep yourself and your ship, and your wife, ready for anything."
"Yes, sir." Castle saluted and left.
On May 31, 1900, Castle and his officers, and Kate stood on the bridge of the Santa Barbara and watched boatloads of troops heading up the Hai River for Tianjin where a train would take the to Beijing.
As they disappeared from sight, Franklin spoke softly. "I hope that's not the last we ever see of them."
Five days later, the rail line from Tianjin to Beijing was cut by the Boxers. Beijing was now cut off from the coast and the ships of the eight nations.
USS Santa Barbara
Off Tianjin, China
June 16, 1900.
Castle gathered his officers, and Kate, around him on the bridge.
"The allies have decided to take the Taku Forts guarding Tianjin so that a relief expedition can be sent to Beijing."
That brought a growl of approval from the assembled officers and the men on the bridge.
"However, the United States will not, repeat, not be participating."
"Why, sir?" Franklin demanded.
"Admiral Kempff says that an attack on Chinese troops is an act of war and that he has no authority to start a war. However, the old gunboat USS Monocacy will be stationed out of harm's way so that she might offer aid to anyone who needs shelter from the fight."
"The Monocacy?" Franklin said. "God, she's older than Noah's Ark and about as useful. If the Chinese sneeze at her, she'll capsize."
There were nods and muttered agreements to that.
"Admiral Kempff says that the fact that she is an old tub will hopefully convince the Chinese that she's no danger to them."
Castle pulled out his pocket watch.
"The bombardment is set to begin at 0045, which is about three hours from now. I want the ship ready for anything."
Precisely at 0045, the guns of the assembled fleet opened fire. The Chinese replied.
"Sir, the Monocacy is under fire." Said the helmsman. "Looks like she's been hit on the bow."
Castle scanned the ship through his binoculars.
"We'll go to her assistance. Send a signal to the Newark asking if we can open fire in response to the Chinese attack on Monocacy.
The speedy Santa Barbara was soon by the Monocacy. Castle walked onto the bridge wings and called to the Monocacy's captain.
"Do you need a tow?"
"I certainly do, but I'd be happier if you'd blast those damned guns."
Castle was interrupted by Ensign Potter.
"Newark has replied in the negative, sir. The Admiral says there's no indication that the shots were intentional."
Castle swallowed a curse. It wasn't his place to criticize a superior officer in front of one of his own officers.
"Very good, Mr. Potter. We'll get to work on towing the Monocacy out of danger."
TBC