The Assault on Fort Nassau was an effort by Captain James Flint and Benjamin Hornigold to oust Charles Vane and his men from the fort. Flint feared that Vane would use his position to extort the Urca de Lima prize gold from him should he be able to retrieve it, while Hornigold wished to reclaim his title of Steward of the Fort.
History[]
Background[]
Seizure of Fort Nassau[]
After having his ship and the vast majority of his crew taken by him from by Eleanor Guthrie, Charles Vane acquired a new crew of roughly 40 Baymen, and seized Fort Nassau from Benjamin Hornigold's crew. Hethreatened to sink every ship in the bay unless Eleanor agreed to let him remain in the fort and take Hornigold's position in the Consortium, which she agreed to.
Upon returning in Nassau, Flint was dismayed to learn about what had transpired in his absence and fears that Vane would attempt to use his position to extort the Urca de Lima gold from him should he be able to successfully retrieve it.
The Battle[]
The Standoff[]
Flint allies himself with Hornigold and they combine their forces. After taking the fort and reinstating Hornigold as Steward of the Fort, Flint will return to Flroida to claim the gold. Their combined crew totals over a hundred men, with 50 more pledged by sister crews. Using Hornigold's knowledge of the fort, they anchor their ship in a position where they can fire on the fort, but the fort cannot fire back at them. They issue an ultimatum: should Vane and his men refuse to vacate the fort by dawn the next day, they will assault the fort and kill him and his men.
Eleanor tries to dissuade both sides from violence, remembering that the last time the fort was compromised Spanish forces invaded, laying waste to the town and killing her mother. Vane publicly issues a response to Flint's ultimatum: "You must ask yourselves who represents the greater threat to your interests my men in this fort or the madman on the water." Eleanor pays four criers to relay Vane's message. This leads to an influx of men joining Vane, bringing his numbers up to between 55 and 75.
Flint dispatches John Silver to work on stemming the tide and sway public opinion back in favor of Flint. He pays an actor to pretend that he was one of Hornigold's men who was able to survive Vane's attack. While successful, he is forced to focus his attention on the news that Billy Bones washed up on the island.
Flint and Vane's entreaties badly divide many of the crews on the beach. For instance crew of the Colonial Dawn is torn over which side to support, and nearly half of the crew leaves, and the remaining 28 men fall in under their Ship's Master, Augustus Featherstone. Flint and Hornigold are successful in stemming the tide of new recruits to Vane's crew, and bring most of the crews in favor of their cause. However, the division remains rampant and there are reports of skirmishes within and amongst the camps on the beach over which side to support.
The Bombardment[]
At sunrise, Flint gives the order for his men to open fire. They hammer the fort walls with their cannons while Nassau's citizens take shelter in various buildings. A boy standing on the rooftop gives updates to the patrons of the Inn periodically.
Eventually, a sizable breach is made, and Flint gives the call to cease fire. The men then move ashore in longboats and prepare on the beach to make a final assault. However, Miranda Barlow greets Flint at the docks and reveals that she urgently needs to speak with him.
Vane and his men retreat to the vaults below the fort to wait out the bombardment. Jenks reveals that seven men were killed and nine wounded as a result. Vane then prepares to leave, saying that the force is too large the fight the body of it, but he says he'll defeat by cutting off its head.
The Duel[]
Flint and Miranda go to the Tavern, where she informs Flint that Abigail Ashe, the daughter of their former friend Lord Peter Ashe, is being held hostage in the fort. She suggests that they return her to her father and try and get him to argue for the pardons as he once did, therefore preventing the need for more violence. Flint refuses, and Miranda leaves. Vane then emerges and attacks Flint. The two grapple for some time, but Eleanor puts a stop to it by firing a shotgun above their heads.
Parley[]
Eleanor, her father Richard, Miranda, Flint and Vane sit down. Flint explains how he, Miranda, her husband, and Lord Peter argued to offer the pirates a Royal Pardon a decade ago. Now, Flint thinks that if they return Abigail to Peter without terms or conditions, they can convince him to argue for it yet again. Flint says it is of paramount importance that they do all this quickly, for the British Empire is seeking to reclaim the island, and once they put their mind to it, the resources they can commit towards that end are inexhaustible.
Vane says he'll let Abigail go in exchange for the Spanish Man O' War, a proposal that Flint refuses and Eleanor balks at. Vane then leaves, and Eleanor chases after him and tries to convince him, but he repeats that there is no threat, and if there is they will stand and fight it.
Eleanor then returns upstairs and informs the people there that Vane will deliver the girl by nightfall.
Murder at the Inn[]
While bored and waiting for Flint to return from the Tavern, Logan goes to the Inn to see his favorite prostitute, Charlotte. The men of the crew had been forbidden from going there out of fear that they would reveal the location of the gold to the prostitutes. While there, Logan is confronted by Anne Bonny, who holds him at dagger-point and attempts to force him to reveal the location. Logan refuses, and Anne cuts his throat after he insults her, and then stabs Charlotte to death when she protests. Silver discovers this and helps Max cover it up.
Attack Abandoned[]
As a result of Eleanor telling him Vane agreed to give up Abigail, Flint calls off the attack. This angers Hornigold, who calls for an election for the captaincy of their combined crew.
Aftermath[]
During the election, the crew receives the news that the gold has been recovered by the Spanish. Flint ultimately wins the election, arguing in favor of reconciliation with England.
Meanwhile, Eleanor seduces Vane and then frees Abigail, whom she introduces to Flint and Miranda Barlow.
Vane, left with an inoperative fort and no Abigail, ambushes Richard Guthrie and executes him, before following Flint to Charles Town and attacking his ship.
Hornigold, after losing the election, joins forces with Dufresne and eight other men expelled from the crew and they arrest Eleanor.
Notes[]
- Hornigold originally reports their force as 90 men with their combined crews and an additional 50 pledged by sister crews. Before the election, he says that they have 107 men (not yet knowing Logan had been killed). With the addition of Vincent and Nicholas who arrive late, the total number of the crew is 109.
- Hornigold also reports that they face a force of roughly 65 men, plus or minus 10. Given that Vane had approximately 40 men under his command to begin with, his numbers swelled greatly prior to the battle.