Episode 40 - Eve of the Battle
The next morning...
Puerto Bello was a major staging post for all the gold and silver stolen from the natives of the America's, and caravans of pack-mules transported the booty there across the mountains where it was loaded onto an armada of Galleons and Merchantmen. These ships amass here but once a year and under strict orders from the crown of Spain, they sail for Europe under the command of Admiral Juliano Mendez of the Imperial Spanish navy using shipping routes seldom travelled by other nations.
Coggy proceeded to brief the gathered men on what he'd learned two weeks previous from the captured Sisterhood officers regarding their many reconnaissance missions to the area;
"Wit tha exception o' Havana an' Cartagena, this 'ere town 'o Puerto Bello be tha strongest city which the King of Spain possesses in all the West Indies. Two strong forts stand at tha bay entrance, protecting the town an' harbour, and dem forts 'r always manned by a garrison of 300 soldiers. Not a single vessel can enter that thar bay without consent" he said.
The men continued listening to the pirate's briefing...
"So me hearties, we've gotta stay clear 'o the town itself - else the turrets 'n guard ships will cost us dearly." he added.
Now Moose stepped forth and added, "Our main target is gonna be none other than the Spanish flagship on which we reckon tha richest hoard is ta be found, as well as one 'o two bastids we're anxious ta get our scurvy 'ands on!"
"Aye, an' once we've succeeded in that objective, we hopes most 'o tha blimmy don's will panic 'n scatter to the four winds - paving da way fer us ta pick off as many loot haulers as we can." added Coggy.
The gathered crews mumbled their concerns about the audacious plan, but continued listening to the officers' outline the battle plans.
Later that evening...
The crew of the various anchored ships had spent the day preparing for their raid on the amassed Spanish fleet. The excitement and adrenaline within each man steadily grew as the officers barked out their final orders, and as the evening twilight approached, each officer and deckhand knew the time for departure towards their ultimate goal was finally upon them.
Eight miles along the coast in the open harbor of Puerto Bello, over fifty treasure-laden ships had gathered and were slowly coming into formation. It was clear to the watching pirates that the Spanish had grouped the main bulk of the loot haulers into a central column of ships, and numerous heavily armed War Galleons and Frigates flanked this column on both sides. The long line of ships were now beginning to spread out over a long distance - reaching from just inside the harbor entrance, and out across the vast sea expanse to the northern horizon.
It had been decided by all the pirate officers that the best chance of success was to wait for the cover of darkness before upping anchor and heading along the coast. The plan was to wait until the last of the fleet was well underway before moving in on the few stragglers as they left the protection of the turrets over-looking the harbor. And at the same time, The Grim Reaper and Baron Boat would proceed with haste towards the Spanish Flagship where it was hoped that the Ol'Man and his hoard of riches were to be had.
As the sun began to set on this cool November evening, Coggy's Sloop was the first to hoist its main sail and raise the Captains flag. The little ship slowly pulled away from its previous nights' anchorage and began inching its way towards the Spanish port. Within minutes, the Baron Boat had done likewise and followed its companion vessel as it slowly made its way along the rocky coastline.
Aboard the Schooner, Pike Masters informed Captain Fly of the pirates' departure and after signaling the two accompanying Sloops to up anchor and come into formation, the Schooner soon found itself no more than a hundred yards astern of Moose's Brig.
Mako's Sloop came alongside the starboard side of Fly's vessel, and Iguana Jack's ship positioned itself off the portside. All three vessels quickly hoisted their own colours and a hearty cheer sounded throughout the various crews and drifted across the ocean.
Meanwhile, on witnessing the departure of the other five pirate ships, Blackhawk's Galleon, Undead Jacks Brig, and the Fluyte commanded by Greenbeard and Captain Green Eye, soon did likewise and added their own presence to the merging pirate fleet.
Within the hour, the small fleet had slowly crept along the coast and turned slightly to the northwest - thus putting a little distance between the turrets of Puerto Bello and themselves. At the same time, the eight ships had positioned themselves on a bearing that would intercept a dozen or more treasure ships that brought up the rear of the main Spanish fleet.
Through the fading twilight, the pirates used the distant flickering lanterns aboard their targets to help guide them on their short journey.
"All gun's loaded Sir" reported one of Coggy's officers.
Coggy remained silent and acknowledged the man with a simple nod as he removed Arfur, his parrot, from its cage and perched him on his shoulder.
On the deck, fifty-five of his most murderous marines had gathered and each one of them proceeded to make last minute inspections of their muskets, cutlasses, and pistols as an air of anxiety and unease steadily grew.
Coggy had seen many a brutal battle in his times, and even though his men had never let him down in all the years he'd sailed with them, the Captain sensed his crew's apprehension of what was about to transpire.
Only a gentle early evening breeze rustling through the sails disturbed the uneasy silence that had descended across the ship. Cog made his way down onto the deck and approached his gathered Cutthroats as they intently watched the departing Treasure Fleet grow ever closer.
"I trust I can rely on each 'n everyone 'o yew scurvy buggers?" called out the Captain as he began rallying his crew. "We've been in many battles tagether. An' I know ye lads won't let ol' Cogs down when the time comes" he added.
The men remained silent but a fire in their eyes began to burn as their Captain made his way to the bow and stood on the railing. Slowly withdrawing his cutlass, he turned to his men once more and continued, "Look at it, me hearties! Look at dem Spanish treasure ships!" he called as he pointed his sword across to the long line of sails.
"Fer there be the biggest hoard 'o loot a man could ever imagine ta see! And it's there fer the taking!" he added - with a little more force in his voice
"What we do here this very day will live on in legend, I tells ye! So when we're all long dead 'n gone, folks in these parts will remember tha day when da Brotherhood 'o Pirates plundered the King's Fleet 'n became the wealthiest bunch 'o bastids ta sail the seven seas! Haaarrrr!"
The men continued to listen to their Captain intently as the adrenaline grew within them.
"Within the hour, we'll be aboard tha friggin flag-ship 'o dat fleet! And within two hours, we'll have it strike it's colours!" he called - in an ever increasing forceful tone.
"Squawk-yew-tell-em-Cogs-yew-tell-em!-squawk" squawked the excited parrot.
"Aye Aye Sir!" came a few voices of agreement from the gathering.
"And lads, do yew know where we'll be on the 'morrow?" shouted Cog as he replaced his sword, "We'll be on our way back to Tortuga wit a vast hoard 'o gold, jewels, an' Spanish whores - tha like's 'o which ye has only ever dreamed of!" he announced.
"Arrrrr, Arrrrr" came the unanimous chorus of agreement from the rest of his men.
And with that, the Jolly Roger shot to the top of the mast and unfurled in the cool evening breeze as the pirate Sloop, followed by it's seven companion vessels, cut through the surf and rapidly approached the first line of Spanish War Galleons...