Though Robbins and Kingston nodded their heads, it wasn’t good enough for Wake. Robbins did not appear to be very assertive and Wake worried that he might not control his men as needed.
“I could not hear your answer, Ensign Robbins. Repeat my instructions.”
Embarrassed, Robbins repeated the orders in a halting fashion but included everything Wake had told him. Wake was still not confident in the man but his point was taken and could not be belabored.
“Now, I will have Gunner’s Mate McDougall, Bosun Faber, Quartermaster Hilderbrandt of the Nygaard, and Bosun Meade of the Bonsall with me. We will have about sixty men in all. The petty officers will command the men from their own ships, and all will be under McDougall and me. Until the army arrives, my unit will form the main defense line here at the beach camp. Our line will be just inside the picket line, among the trees, with packs and boxes for positions of defense. If attacked before the New Yorkers arrive, we will all defend from within the trees, and if needed, we will withdraw to below the bluff and fire over the top and across the open ground. Understood?”
All the officers and petty officers spoke up and said they did.
“Very good, men. Once the army is here, they will push inland. My unit will follow along and guard Claresville once they capture it and move onward. Ensign Robbins’ unit will patrol the road between the camp here and Claresville to ensure our route of . . . departure. Ensign Chase’s unit will guard this camp. As the army is moving around the interior, the navy landing party will keep this area secure. Any questions?”
Kingston looked at the others and raised his hand. Wake nodded for him to go ahead.
“Sir, what do we do with any refugees that come up to us?”
It was a good question, one which Wake had overlooked.
“Excellent question, Kingston. All refugees will be sent back here, but, and this is very important men, they are to stay outside our defense lines. There are some among them who are treacherous. Have all of them over the age of sixteen swear the oath of national allegiance and document when they made it. Help them if you can, but do not trust them. Once we can arrange evacuation we will allow them to pass through our lines. Any refugee men who wish to join us and bear arms against the Rebs will be given the opportunity to enlist in the loyalist Florida militia later.”
Chase now had a question.
“Sir, what about the water side of our camp here. What do we defend it with? I don’t have enough men to cover everywhere.”
It was a sensible point. Wake thought that out and replied in an assertive voice. “The tug will guard that flank. We’ll have them anchor in the stream fore and aft. Good question, Mr. Chase.”
The men were asking good questions on issues that pointed out the vulnerability of the landing party without army support. Wake could see that each man was making the same mental assessment of their situation. None of them appeared encouraged at their prospects. Wake bid them to go on about their duties and stood up, signaling that the meeting was over. As the men walked back to their respective commands, Kingston stopped at Wake’s side. His thin body was tanned and weathered, with ropy muscles. The man was a veteran of at least ten years in the navy by his tattoos, rank, and demeanor. He looked into Wake’s eyes for a moment, then cast his gaze downward.
“Sir, Ensign Robbins just arrived in the squadron. Took the Fox the day we left St. Marks for here. He was in the North Atlantic Squadron off Virginia before. Ain’t used to the heat and the bugs down here, but he’ll get the hang of it. No disrespect intended, sir, but I just wanted to let you know that.”
Wake regarded the man in front of him. Not many would have said what he did. Not many would have had the self-confidence to say it. Wake remembered Kingston’s question about the refugees. He was a man to be remembered.
“No disrespect observed, Kingston. Thank you for that information. That reconnaissance must be well done, remember that.”
“Aye aye, sir. We’ll find out what the Rebs are up to out there.”
***
Two hours later—three hours after the sailors had first arrived at the landing—several reports reached Wake, who was seated with McDougall at their position within the main defense line in the trees. First, Faber reported that the ships’ boats could be seen coming up the river, without the tug and under oars. The tug could be seen anchored offshore of the inner reef. Evidently the tide had not served well enough to provide water for Erne to cross the reef and the soldiers had had to row their way to the landing. They were still near the mouth of the river and would take another hour to stem the flowing ebb tide that had commenced. That meant that it would be another eleven hours, somewhere around sunset, before they could get more reinforcements on the next tide.
The second report came to Wake moments after the first. Ensign Robbins and Bosun Kingston arrived in the camp, soaked with sweat and filthy from muck. Robbins made his report in a halting voice that hadn’t improved since the commanders’ meeting.
“Sir, we proceeded easterly up the road. It’s sandy and winds around a lot with bends but ends up at the town of Claresville. Well, town is too strong a word really. It’s just a crossroads with nine buildings—six dwellings, two barns and what
