The Siege of Kingshead: An Role Play Story

Kingshead, 1744 October, 14:34am (PART 1)
Ensign Richard Venables stands on watch in Kingshead, he is the officer of the watch until dawn, which is still three hours away, his second Sergeant Frederick Harper stands next to two marines who have been caught drinking on duty, "Mr Harper takes these men, and place them in the lockup until the Admiral decides upon their fate!" Venables orders Harper, "At once Sir, shall I pass the word for the Admiral?" Harper replies, "No, let him sleep until dawn then let him receive a message to alert him of the issue" Venables says, "Roger that sir, oh and sir, about me potatoes...." Harper goes to say before Venables cuts him off, "IN THE MORNING MR HARPER!" He Blasts, Venables walks to the Staircase to the upper area of the Fortifications near the main gate, As he removes his telescope from his right jacket pocket he notices a glint on the dark sea far below him, as he looks out of the telescopes barrel he notices a small explosion coming from the sea! As he hears the shrill scream of a cannonball coming towards him he yells out to his men, "All HANDS GET DOWN!!!" as a cannonball rips a huge chunk of masonary out of the fortifications! "Private Jones is dead sir!" Harper cries out, "Raise the Alarm!" Venables shouts to Harper who runs to the bell tower and rings the main bell to alert the garrison! suddenly a huge bright light appears out to see and Venables hears the sound of thousands of cannonballs hurling towards the walls of the fort, and the screams of men who have been wounded either by a direct hit which has left their guts vaporised, or a chuck of masonary which has partially crushed some mortal body part and causes such pain as to be thought of as death itself! Venables runs to check Harper who lies there dead at the bottom of the bell tower hardly stirring whatsoever, suddenly Admiral Goldtimbers arrives to the scene with a bloody scratch on his forehead, "whats our status Venables?" He bellows over the turmoil as hundreds of British Troops man their battle positions, suddenly a Soldier cries out, "The Enemy is landing their Troops!" as the British begin to fire back upon the enemy with their long nine pounders, Goldtimbers frowns grimly and says "I'm not liking the look of this Venables, send word for Colonal MacBatten!" Colonal Macbatten was the Garrisons commanding officer at the time, Venables watches as one of his men runs to find the Colonal who is a bluff old Scot with a deep love of fine whiskey, women and money as well as seeing his men do good deeds in the name of the "empire" as he often says to rouse his Highlanders to battle! Venables then sees a Cannon that remains unfired, he runs over and pulls the lanyard sending the cannon recoiling back and deafening him greatly! Venables then ran to the Barricades where the Enemy which he suddenly realised were Spanish had begun to try to capture the small openings in the wall! Venables began to fight with the Spanish alongside some troops of the 33rd Regiment of EITC, which where a seperate regiment to his 78th Highlanders which were a direct Royal Regiment, Venables was attacked by a Spanish Officer in a red sash who pointed his sword at him with a vulgar thrust, which Venables smartly parried and swung the blade of his Sabre into the Officers arm, The Officer then withdrew to gain his Swordroom, but then suddenly he was felled by a blow to the head by MacGriffon a giant of a man who stood taller then any other man in the regiment, his huge muscular bulk had always impressed Venables and he was the type of man Venables was glad of in a time of need! "MacGriffon grabbed Venables and pulled him out of the way of a Spanish Bayonet before spearing the Spainard with his blunt bayonet, Venables grabbed his sabres and began to deflect multiple blows from enemy troops before he realised only he and MacGriffon with a handful of British Troops were left in the small courtyard they were defending, he also realised they would be overrun unless they retreated now, "MacGriffon Get the men out of here!" He ordered, "Aye Sir, Out of this Pudding it is Sir!" MacGriffon replied, the men began to retreat but then they realised they were surrounded! looking around Venables noticed the only escape a small cliffside path that had been used to build the fortress but was now an open escape from the enemy! "To the Cliff Lads! Follow me!" He Cried as the Spanish overran the Wall, As they escaped up the cliff they were sprayed with fire from Spanish troops and one soldier Private Gerard Adams was shot in the leg sending him flying over the edge of the small path edge! Venables and his men finally reached safety where they found a small door into an armoury, where a very suprised Sergeant Hawkins of the 33rd starred in suprise and shock at the group of Highlanders who were quite a sight to be sure, Venables ordered Hawkins to give the men ammunition and bayonets and then they charged out to find themselves in the Kingshead Armoury! it was now dawn! Venables saw that the armoury gates were shut and was extremely shocked! The enemy had gotten past the parade grounds? Impossible but yet it had happened and now the Spanish were trying to break down the huge oak doors of the Armoury, "74th! 74th TO ME!!!" He Screamed, and rallied around thirty men to his side, suddenly a huge explosion sounded and the ground was littered with corpse's from British troops who had been close to the gate! which had exploded into a million splinters, which killed off around a hundred British Regulars! Venables and his men charged forward to meet the enemy with their bayonets and lobbed grenades at the enemy the enemy was shocked by this sudden resistance expecting an easy march after blowing in the gate so heavily! they found themselves against a wall of angry, enraged Scotsmen who pushed them back into the buildings of Kingshead, but the Highlanders for all their fury and bravery couldnt hold it forever and soon they were forced to withdraw to the rest of the British Forces who had fortified the gateway as best as they could, there the scotch found some cold coffee and porridge which had belonged to the gaurds who had been preparing breakfast before the attack had begun! The Scotch wolfed down the meal before returning to the barricades where the Spanish were now advancing towards them again! and now they had a mortar! which fired for the first time into the courtyard of the Armoury blowing up a cart of ammuntion along with the officer despensing the ammunition to the troops! Venables suddenly found Richard Luther standing at his side, "Venables there you are!" he said over the din of battle, "Luther, where in Gods name have you been?" Venables replied, suddenly Luther was thrown back by a stray musket bullet, Venables looked on in shock and crouched at Luthers side, the wound wasnt serious but Luther was dazed, "MacGriffon! GET LUTHER TO A MEDIC NOW!" He Roared, MacGriffon draged Luther to the medic as the Spanish kept on coming upon the Barricades and being thrown back by British Bayonets. Venables stood at the Highest point of the Barricade a British Standard in his hands, The enemy was pushed back again into the barracks and again they regrouped and returned, doing this about two dozen times for the next several hours!, Venables and his men were battered, tired and above all hungry after constant fighting with the enemy for seven hours straight! suddenly though there was a lull and complete silence from the enemy! they were out of sight except for the occasional squad darting accross on some mission of mercy to retrieve fallen comrades, The British though began to collect their wounded and then suddenly there came a scream from above and a British Officer was sent screaming from the ramparts! the Spanish had flanked them! The British now had to be the ones to charge up a hill to get to the Spanish! the British were also surrounded! Venables and the 74th began to push through the crowd of British Troops and charged the Spanish who had counter-attacked them, taking heavy casualties and pushing back the Spanish so that they finally surrendered, but the small squad that had surrendered was nothing to the rest of the army that awaited outside the barricades! that was the end of the First day of the Siege of Kingshead!

Kingshead Armoury, 1744 October, 18:19pm (part 2)
TO BE CONTINUED....