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Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Vital statistics
Port London

Nassau

Owner Woodes Rogers
Captain Gloucestershire Captain
Crew English sailors
Passengers Eleanor Guthrie

Mrs. Hudson

Status Active
Type Sloop
Weapons Ten cannons
Battles Battle at the Maroon Island

Invasion of Nassau

Affiliation Woodes Rogers' Fleet
First appearance XX.

The Gloucestershire was a sloop in the service of Governor Woodes Rogers and part of his first and second fleet.

History[]

Season Three[]

As they sail to Nassau, Woodes Rogers summons Eleanor Guthrie to the deck of his flagship, the DeliciaHe shows her his fleet, pointing out the Gloucestershire. He explains to her that he is responsible for everything in the fleet, as it has all been payed for by money loaned to him by various creditors. While impressed, Eleanor asks what the point of the exercise is. Rogers points out the Gloucestershire, and explains that he was not sure that he needed her but decided to include her in the fleet because someone else was paying for it. Rogers tells her that as soon as he thinks she's outlived her usefulness, she will be sent back to England on the Gloucestershire to be executed. Later, Rogers' fleet docks in St. Kitts, where Captain Benjamin Hornigold tells Rogers, Eleanor and Chamberlain that Flint is dead[1]

The fleet approaches Nassau, however they find the mouth of the harbor defended by a fleet of ships assembled in a firing line. CommodoreChamberlain does not wish fight them, as it would result in significant damage to the fleet. Chamberlain also refuses to let Rogers endanger himself by going to the beach alone and reading his address. Eleanor solves the problem by having them send Captain Hornigold to read the address to the pirates in Nassau. Hornigold sails past the pirate fleet undePhiladelphia r a flag of truce and reads Rogers' address, proclaiming a universal pardon, and a bounty on the head of Charles Vane. Hornigold is successful,  and the assembled pirates, led by Captain Throckmorton, lay down their arms[2].

The pirate fleet, under command ofEdward Teach, refuses to surrender and maintains their hostile position. Chamberlain and Rogers are confident that they will surrender in time, but Eleanor is not so certain, believing Teach’s men to be fanatics. Rogers assures her that even fanatics need to eat, and with the harbor blockaded by the British fleet and the beach taken, the pirates have no way to replenish their supplies. However, the pirates send Charles Vane’s schooner, captained by Vane and a small crew, drifting towards the British line. The schooner is revealed to be a fireship, and the Willing Mind is caught directly in the path of the schooner and is hit by the fireship and engulfed in flames. The ship is heavily damaged, but miraculously is not sunk. The other ships of the fleet are able to move out of the way and avoid any damage, at the cost of letting the pirates escape[3]

The Gloucestershire presumably helps the rest of the fleet transport the Urca de Lima to Havana as per Rogers' deal with Spain[4]. When it returns, it is sent with six other ships to the Battle at the Maroon Island.[5] The fleet bombards the pirates' beach defenses before the Redcoats land on the beach and force the pirates to retreat. While the British fleet waits off the coast, another fleet of seven ships is spotted sailing towards them flying British colors. However, the second fleet raises the Black, and the two fleets line up and begin firing at each other. However, the pirate vanguard is able to sneak aboard the Orion and take it over, turning its cannons on the flagship, the HMS Milford. As the pirate flagship bears down on the wounded Milford, Chamberlain orders the fleet to retreat. Meanwhile, the ground forces are utterly routed by a pirate ambush, thus inflicting a devastating defeat on the British[6].

Season Four[]

After they return to Nassau, Commodore Chamberlain leads Rogers' ships and soldiers back home to England after war breaks out with Spain. Several hundred soldiers under the command of Captain Berringer mutiny and decide to remain in Nassau to avenge their defeat at the hands of the pirates. Of the eight ships that formed his original fleet, the Gloucestershire is the only one to remain behind. The Gloucestershire and Rogers' four other sloops remain in the harbor during the attempted pirate invasion. Three of their four ships are grounded, and they attempt to escape in longboats. The Gloucestershire and the Lion harass the escaping pirates, while the fort continues to fire into their ships. Teach leads the Revenge away, drawing the other three sloops away from Nassau to pursue him[7]

Mrs Hudson Eleanor Gloucestershire Captain

Teach returns, having successfully killed or captured the crews of the sloops. He blockades Nassau's harbor, demanding Eleanor be delivered to him in exchange for his leaving. Rogers and Eleanor devise a plan, where Rogers will leave aboard the Lion to lure Teach away, while Eleanor can sail to Philadelphia aboard the Gloucestershire, to enlist the aid of her grandfather. That night, Rogers sails the Lion out of the harbor under the cover of the fort's guns, and is successful in luring Teach away[8].

Eleanor and Mrs. Hudson along with an escort of soldiers led by Lieutenant Utley prepare to leave, but Berringer orders that they remain behind. He believes the soldiers that would compromise her escort more needed in Nassau. The pirates then successfully retake Nassau town, rendering Eleanor unable to leave for Philadelphia[9].

After the Rogers-backed Spanish Sack of Nassau, Rogers sends a sloop to the Maroon Island to deliver the news that Madi  is alive and is his captive and he demands the cache of gems in exchange for her release[10].

Crew & Passengers[]

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Ironically, the Gloucestershire is the only ship to be part of Rogers' first and second fleets, when he described it as the most expendable ship in his fleet.

References[]


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