New Kemet Ch1

I have been given the great honor to write of our nation's history. Jonathan Baptiste, our nation's father and the first Grand Chieftain is the only place to start. As we know he was many things, he captained ships at sea, commanded troops on the ground, and corresponded with kings. I will do my best to honor his name and the history of our great nation.

Let us begin in the year 1807, King George III ended the slave trade. Jonathan Baptiste was a slave trader and one of the African middlemen. He was very successful at this regrettable enterprise and had plans for even greater success. He used some of his cash holdings to purchase three frigates from England. It was shortly after the purchase when the slave trading business was no longer legal, thus our great father made himself a commander of these ships. He used them to punish the British for their treachery. Here is a sample of one of his Journal entries from late in that year.

14 December 1807

The King of England must believe himself king of the world. To now end the only income, we have here. Then to sell me these ships, knowing the trade for which I intended to use them was ending. Well, they shall be put to good use.

This entry was made shortly after the " French Forty" came under his employ. These men were from both France and Spain, but they came to be known as the French Forty. They were veterans from the navies of both countries, Baptiste needed them to train his men to sail. He also trained alongside his men. He wanted to know everything about the ships and navigating the seas.

During the days Baptiste learned the operations of a sea vessel, while studying the stars at night. He also talked with his men who came from many walks of life. Some worked with him in Africa and others fled the wars in Europe. He also learned many languages, Italian, Spanish, English and French was his native language.

The French Forty began their work in November of 1807 after being paid handsomely by Baptiste. The first thing they did was inspect his three ships. They were found to be in good condition, but the British removed all the canons. This was the first of many problems that they encountered. Although he was able to acquire what he needed from Spain, they would not ship the goods for fear of dangerous waters.

Jonathan Baptiste had many acquaintances most governments at the time referred to as Pirates. He made contact with two captains and convinced them of their safety. He instructed the Spanish to leave the supplies on the docks overnight. Then he incentivized the pirates by promising 1/4 of the cargo as well as their payment for the first to return. His only stipulation was that they don't attempt to destroy one another and his cargo in transit.

The cost of all this was adding up. The wealth it took Baptiste a lifetime to build was dwindling away in months. He understood he could not fund this alone; he needed investors. He contacted a number of men that were once his competitors. He used their common cause to convince them to invest. He sent out many letters to each of them reminding them of their common and powerful enemy. Here is a letter of him responding to the concerns of an investor who did not believe the British could be opposed.

LETTER:

Brother, I received your letter and understand your concerns; thus, I have chosen to write in a language that we have in common. It is true the British are powerful; but we have learned from their colonist they can be defeated. Their great power is their weakness. They are like an old lion that has no fear of the young lion. The old lion only remembers his victories. While the young lion only knows he is hungry. The young lion fears nothing not even death, because he has nothing in life. Our small riches are nothing without the freedom to determine our own future. With your help the British can be pushed back to their island they call a country. I thank you for your correspondence. I would be grateful for anything you send. I also promise it will not be gift, or donation; but a seed that shall yield a bounty.

The money needed was raised and the three ships were made ready. Baptiste had big plans for his navy; of course, he couldn't know the path set out before him. Those ships were the tools he used to build a nation; but it started with a delivery. The newly formed America needed help transporting their goods. The British often stopped their ships and kidnapped their men; Baptiste believed he could get past the British navy.

He knew his ships were faster than anything on the seas. This was because during the repair of the vessels, the main sails they received were for larger ships. The French Forty devised a type of triangular mast. This gave the ships better stability and control; most importantly it gave them speed. Each ship was about twelve hundred tons empty; they carried only fifty guns. The ships were able to reach twelve knots; other sea vessels could do eight knots at best.

The ships also had an unusual configuration. Each ship was one hundred fifty feet long with a forty-foot beam, and fifteen-foot draft. These smaller ships could carry less cargo but were harder to target. The sails were a sky-blue color, and the hull black as the sea. The only time these ships were seen is when they fired their cannons. Fifteen guns were on the stern facing the rear; even the guns along each side had a rear facing angle. The remaining five cannon were facing forward.

The ships were designed this way with the plan to always have the enemy at their backs while using their speed as a weapon, it was very effective. The first cargo delivery was from South Carolina to Italy. The leader Napoleon needed cotton and leather for uniforms. He was willing to pay a high price to anyone able to get past the British blockade.

Baptiste knew his small navy could do the job. The three ships that helped begin our great nation were called the Royal Trinity. Jonathan Baptiste captained the Isis. The honorable Captain Salvatori was in charge of the Horus, Captain Cheron led the Osiris. The three ships left the Gold Coast Colony through the Gulf of Guinea on November 1st, 1808.

Jonathan Baptiste wrote in his journal about his amazement of how hard the slaves worked. His understanding of slavery in the Americas was limited at the time he made this journal entry.

2 December 1808

The men that loaded the cargo today were better than any professional crew on earth. Each of them moved in a blur but in control. They seemed to communicate without speaking a word. Were they men of their own will! They could command any price for their work.

Getting to America and getting the cargo was the only easy part of this journey. Baptiste knew he needed to get to Italy, get unloaded and out of port in one piece. He had only navigated one trip and it was not under the threat of combat. Commander Baptiste knew direct combat with any British ship would mean destruction. Also, any delay getting the cargo to Napoleon may have cost him the confidence he could keep his word. Baptiste purchased maps from his pirate friends. It was at that time one of the pirates told him. " Never trust the British, once you see their flag decide in that moment to fight or flee. Never let them board your ship."

With that in mind, he kept the three ships as close together as possible. Because only their combined firepower would have hope in combat. The rear facing cannon design, had not been used at sea. Most of his crew had little combat experience. It did not take long for that to change.

Early on the morning of December 4th, 1808, two British warships appeared on the horizon. It was a clear day and the sun shined bright, even the small ships of the Royal Trinity could be seen from far away. The two British ships began maneuvers to over-take the Royal Trinity. The three ships had the wind at their backs, but it was pushing them towards their enemy.

As the British ships turned, Baptiste remembered something one of the French Forty often talked about. A British sea tactic called line formation. They were hoping to turn their cannons broadside to the Royal Trinity. If the British completed the turn, their powerful, cannon would tear through the tiny ships. This is when Baptiste completed what came to be known as the swan maneuver.

Using flag signals, he had the three ships to line up, side by side facing the British. As they approached the British the Horus made the first turn. The Horus turned hard to port while firing their starboard cannons. Because the cannons were at a backward angle, they could maintain fire as they turned. This attack damaged the rigging of the closest British ship, causing it to slow its turn. The second British ship lost its wind trying to avoid a collision with their comrades, they became still in the water.

As the Horus completed its turn, the Isis open fire with their front cannon on the first British ship. That further damaged the rigging and mast of the first British ship. That ship wasn't able to complete its turn and the second British ship was too close to its partner to risk firing. In that moment the Osiris completed a starboard turn, while firing their port side cannon. They stuck low broadside and did little damage. The Isis attempted a quick turn portside, but they got too close. The cannon fire of the first British ship damaged the rear cannon of the Isis.

The Horus fired again on the first British ship and destroyed the mast. The Osiris fired, and each shipped continued to circle in and out firing range targeting just the damaged ship. The Royal Trinity kept a position with the damaged British ship between them and the other ship. Once the first British was too damaged to move, the Royal Trinity moved away. The undamaged British ship wouldn't leave their comrades undefended to chase them. Here is part of a journal entry written by a British seaman on the disabled ship.

"At first sight of these tiny ships the Captain and Lieutenants laughed. after the last crash of cannon fire cracked the mast, the captains face was as red as his coat. We in the crew felt like a dog bested by a pack of fleas."

This battle at sea lasted until the night of the 4th. The Royal Trinity was still nine days sail from Italy and the cargo was due by the 13th of December. Jonathan Baptiste was proud of his men but disappointed in himself. Both Captain Salvatori and Captain Cheron performed their maneuvers perfectly. Because Baptiste moved too aggressively, it cost the lives of ten men and damage to his rear cannon.

Baptiste knew another battle couldn't happen without repairs. He had to find a way to Italy unopposed. The fight with the two British vessel was near the Bermuda Rise. From there the Royal Trinity headed directly south then turn east toward the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The plan was to get as close to the shores of Africa as possible. They would follow the shoreline past Morocco to the Strait of Gibraltar. Once they made it to the Mediterranean Sea they would be protected by Napoleon's Navy.

Baptiste felt this route would be best after news of British activity in the Bay of Biscay. The British destroyed a few of Napoleon's ships headed to the Caribbean Islands. He hoped the British Navy would remain in the Bay because his ships could not survive another battle or confront a ship-of-the-line. Fortunately, the British took for granted that no one would risk a route through the Strait of Gibraltar. The Royal Trinity made it through and Jonathan Baptiste informed Napoleon of his route past the British.

The Royal Trinity pulled into the port in Italy on the 15th of December 1808. They were two days late, but they had done what no one else could. The French soldiers in Italy begin unloading the moment the ships were docked. The cotton and leather were needed for uniforms, because of the upcoming battles. Napoleon was so impressed that they made it through, he allowed Baptiste and his crew to stay at one of his villas.

Napoleon and Jonathan Baptiste became like brothers, it is said the two men were at each other's side every waking minute. This was a very important alliance. Napoleon had repairs done to all three ships of the Royal Trinity. These two men brought many victories to each other. They helped to bring order to a world at war. They also brought liberty to people on multiple continents. Baptiste had a lot of respect for Napoleon and his Civil code.

Napoleon loved the design of our Commander’s Navy. He had his craftsman to look them over. Napoleon was willing to overhaul his entire Navy to get past the British ships-of-the-line. Napoleon told Baptiste if he could get one division of troops on British soil he would have the crown in a week. Perhaps the British felt the same because most of their defenses were their Navy. That turned out to be a mistake.

Napoleon decided to build a small naval fleet based on the design of the Royal Trinity. We know the results of his fleet and I shall write on it in detail later. At the end of December, the Royal Trinity was ready to sail. The men were well rested and ready for anything. Napoleon wanted to send written orders, Marines and supplies to the Caribbean Islands. He asked Baptiste to make this trip for him. The father of our nation was happy to oblige.

On the 31st of December 1808, the Royal Trinity set sail for the Caribbean Islands. With dispatches from Napoleon and French Marines on board, they were unapologetically enemies of the British Empire. The one thing the Commander refused to do was fly the French flag. He felt that his men being from many nations may protest sailing under any nation's flag. The flag that flew over all three ships was the Eye of Horus. The flag was green with the Eye of Horus outline in black. It was positioned directly above three pyramids that were gold.

During the repair in Italy all three ships were fit with more powerful cannons. Napoleon also gave smaller cannons that could be put along the rails of the ship. The smaller cannons would help stop enemy borders. Baptiste was eager to test the British Navy again. He wanted to demonstrate to his men that they could win and not just survive a fight. His chance came as they approached the Caribbean Islands in January of 1809.

After the Haitian Revolution Ft. Santo Domingo was allowed to remain in French control. In the first week of November 1808, the Spanish with help from the British took control of Ft. Santo Domingo. All of the French troops who were there were either killed or captured. Jonathan Baptiste nor Napoleon knew this happened at the time. Before pulling into port spotters on board, the Osiris signaled enemy ships spotted.

There were six British frigates patrolling the area around the islands. They were not ships-of-the-line but smaller older ships. Captain Cheron came up with a powerful attack plan. Early January 5th, 1809, the three Captains met on the Isis. Captain Cheron led the meeting. He had the most navel experience. His plan was risky because the three ships would be separated for a short time. If anything, went wrong they could be destroyed one at a time.

Captain Cheron felt the smaller British ships would be more willing to give chase. His plan was to attack the rear of the British formation with the Osiris. The two other ships would stay back in a specified position. He believed he could get some of the British ships to come after him. He would lead them back toward the Horus and the Isis. His plan would only work if the British ships took the bait. In a tradition sea battle even the smaller British ships had an advantage. If they gave chase the Royal Trinity would win easily.

The three Captains agreed on the plan and return to their ships. Every man on each ship was watching for the British Patrols. Finally late afternoon the patrols were spotted; but the British fleet was headed toward the Royal Trinity. All six British ships in a perfect line were closing into firing range. The Commander passed the signal to abort, and head out to sea. The Royal Trinity was facing the attacking patrol. They had to turn away and catch the wind quickly.

Amazingly all three ships made the turn and had full speed; but they were pulling away from the British fleet. The British unknowingly put themselves in perfect position to be blown out of the water. The Commander gave signal to slow and make ready the rear cannons. He also signaled for all ships to target the ship to the center once in range. Because of training from Captain Cheron, the gunners knew to fire on the upswing of the sea. In the perfect moment the three ships fired in unison. The sails and masts of the center British ship shattered like glass.

This infuriated the other British captains. They increased speed trying to get into range of their forward cannons. The Commander joyfully signaled the order to fire at will. Cannonballs and shells rained down on the remaining five ships. By the end of the battle all 6 ships were dead in the water. The Royal Trinity set sail for Santo Domingo unopposed. The last fate of the British Fleet is unknown; they possibly fell to the power of Pirates.

The next challenge was the fort full of Brits and Spaniards. Although Napoleon’s Marines were aboard, they were too few to take the fort. Captain Salvatore had a plan that proved to be genius. In his personal chest he kept the Spanish colors and his dress uniform. They would be put to good use in a deception. The Royal Trinity pulled into port with the lead ship flying the Spanish flag. Captain Salvatore in dress uniform marched at the head of 20 French Marines. He boldly commanded the doors be opened in the name of King Ferdinand. He was reported to have said this at the gates,

“Por la mano de Dios tendre entrada!” (By God’s hand I shall have entry).

The Spanish in the fort outnumbered the British. After hearing the words of their countrymen they rushed to open the gates. The British strongly protested but were ignored. Once in, the captain told his comrades that the British have betrayed them. He told them the British had Spain blockaded and dishonored the King. His words turn the Spaniards against the Brits. The alliance between the two countries was weak at best: turning them against one another wasn't hard. Captain Salvatori also convinced the Commander of the fort that there was a new alliance between Spain and Napoleon. The fort's Commander allowed the remaining French Marines into the fort. The British soldiers were arrested and held as prisoners of War.

As you see from these events our father was a great leader. He was willing to listen to others that knew more than him. He also knew when to take control and be successful. Fort Santo Domingo was taken without a shot being fired. Getting back this fort for Napoleon earned Baptiste and his Navy a field commission. Napoleon agreed to pay a continuous salary for the service of the three ships. There was an amazing part of the deal that our Commander agreed to; no allegiance to France required; however Napoleon did insist that no trading will be done with the English or the disruption of French trade routes.

An unexpected result of this encounter was a true treaty between Spain and Napoleon's forces. Once Spain knew British troops were taken prisoner under their flag they feared retaliation. Already in conflict with Napoleon they couldn't fight the British as well. In the beginning Spain only agreed to a non-aggression pact signed in February 1809. Napoleon would only agree if he had access to Spanish ports both European and Colonial holdings. Honoring this part of the pact, Spain caused England to declare war against them.

This gave Baptiste another customer that needed to transport goods and troops. With American vessels still being harassed by the British they also needed help. One of the most lucrative ventures the Royal Trinity received was in the year 1809. The job was to escort American ships to Spain. The American ships contain lumber, canvas and of course black powder. Baptiste acquired assistance from Pirates with larger ships. The payment was so large he could pay the Pirates and his men with enough left over to repay his investors. Spain was so eager for the supplies they sent four ships of the line to meet at the Strait of Gibraltar.

In that same year another American vessel was stopped by the British. The men refused to be impressed and would not give up the supplies. The British destroyed the merchant ship and impressed the few surviving sailors. This angered the Americans to the point of declaring war. At the time it didn't mean very much. The Americans had no Navy and very little influence in Europe. The Americans only hope was to attack British holdings in North America. Having no Navy also meant the Americans couldn't stop the British from resupplying their colonies in North America. For Baptiste this would mean more British activity in the Atlantic.

It would also mean the Americans will likely be keeping their supplies for their own war. With the money gained from escorting the supply ships, Baptiste could now take time to plan his next move. The Royal Trinity docked in Italy once Spain had their supplies. Baptiste and his men rested in the Villa given to him by Napoleon. Baptiste knew that transporting goods across the Atlantic would now be too risky. He felt he needed a way to take advantage the American War.

Word of Jonathan Baptiste arrival at the Villa reached Napoleon as he was headed back to Paris. Napoleon was leaving Russia where he signed a Continental embargo against England. Napoleon sent a message for Commander Baptiste to meet him in Paris. The two men had a lot to discuss. The decisions made in Paris that day changed the world. Baptiste told Napoleon of the American Declaration of War. Both men felt an alliance with the Americans would do little good, however Baptiste believed this was an opportunity to take land from the Americans before they mobilized a real army.

The men enjoyed each other's company for a few months. At the end of May 1809 Napoleon received word his new ships were done. The ships were in Italy and waiting for his approval. Baptiste and Napoleon traveled together, once in Italy it was back to work. Napoleon wanted his ships in the Bay of Biscay before the end of June and of course his wish was fulfilled. There were only five ships completed, and they were powerful.

The ships were smaller than a ship-of-the-line with less guns. The smaller size made them faster and they could turn very quickly. They also had fewer gun decks but that was for good reason. The broadside guns could be rotated to a forward or backward angle. The lower deck was for rowers, not for propulsion. They were only to aid in turns; of course, the sails were larger than needed with a standard mast and modified rigging system.

Another unique feature these ships possessed were gun ports for the Marines. These ports were on the same level as the rowers. This enabled the Marines to fire from cover. The platforms were at a 45-degree angle from the floor of the ship causing the Marines to fire from a semi prone position. This meant they could fire on the crew members of the enemy ships. Napoleon's Marines were Marksmen they often targeted Officers and Captains. Napoleon loved these ships, and they earned his praise many times.

With these ships Napoleon could finally make an offensive naval attack. His Admirals sent these five ships along with three French ships of the line into the Strait of Gibraltar. Their orders were simple; make the straight unsafe waters for the British. After patrolling The Straits of Gibraltar and surrounding waters for several days, two British ships were spotted. It was the afternoon of July 3rd, 1809.The event of that day is still celebrated in both France and New Kemet.

The French ships were arranged like an arrow with the five new ships making the point. The old ships of the line made the spear. After the British Captains noticed they were outnumbered, they headed for the Bay of Biscay. If the British ships made it through the Gulf of Cadiz they would be safe. Napoleon's new Eagle class battleships could catch them easily.

The two Eagle class ships trailing the arrow's tip moved to overtake the Brits. When the British Captains saw the speed of the Eagle class ships they knew they couldn’t escape and decided to fight. They began to slow and move to a broadside turn in unison. The Brits were great at focused maneuvers and thought they could fight long enough for help to arrive. The Captains of the attacking Eagle class ships quickly showed the British what they could do.

The Eagle class ships using their fast-turning ability were in a line position in half the time as the Brits. The French fired three volleys before the British could complete their turn. Also, a change in French tactics was to fire on the downswing of the sea. The French no longer wanted to damage the sails of the enemy and get away. They wanted to overpower every British ship they saw. The three volleys damage the canons of both the British ships and caused them to take on water, before the other French ships of the formation reached the battle.

The five Eagles maintained linear positions and fired on the two British ships. The French ships of the line maintained defensive positions to slow any approaching ships. The British Captains fired the cannons they had left and did some damage; however, when they attempted to turn their undamaged cannons to the enemy they took too many hits. Since the British were defenseless, the French Fleet headed back to the Strait of Gibraltar. The French Captains allowed the British to survive to tell of the decisive battle.

This minor victory was made greater according to how the British responded. They were afraid because they had no idea how many of these ships the French were using. The British kept most of the Navy close to home. They couldn't lose many ships because the Navy was their only defense. This meant less British activity in the Atlantic; more importantly they stayed away from the Strait of Gibraltar. This gave Napoleon the one thing he needed, which was time.

Napoleon used that time to build more of these ships. The French Admirals began to rethink their naval tactics in order to use the advantages of these ships. Things were looking bad for the British and Baptiste was pleased. He wanted to find the best thing to do next. He was convinced that capturing land in the Americas was the key. Having a place to port at will and resupply would greatly strengthen his position. He also knew the Brits wouldn't stay passive for long.

Baptiste said his goodbyes to Napoleon and headed to Florida. He wanted to meet with the Spanish there and convince them to move on the Americans. The forces that the Americans had would likely be heading north, furthermore most of the American might was the militia which was useless. If he could convince the Commanders there to attack, he could take advantage and purchase land from a Spanish Officer. He knew the Americans wouldn’t sell land to him and no Spanish Officer would dare sell the Kings Holdings; however Spanish Officers may be willing to sell land captured from the Americans before the King knew about the land.

Napoleon sent two French ships of the line to the Americas with the Royal Trinity. He also gave Baptiste command over 500 French Marines. The French ships would get them to the Americas, then head back to Europe. The Commander now had the beginning of his own Army. Just as he learned quickly to command a Navy he now had to do the same with an army.

True History Note:

The American architect John W. Griffiths designed the clipper ships. These ships were more slender than other ships of that time. The clipper designs had as many as 35 sails. The clipper ships could travel 20 nautical mph, making it the fastest of its time.