Captain James Francis had not had an illustrious career, in fact many would call uneventful. Eventually reaching the rank of Captain in the Royal Navy after many years of under performance, missed opportunities, and failures. Though his length of service had finally rewarded him the rank of Captain, his years of poor performance landed him in an undesirable roll of policing the colonial waters. After arriving in Barbados, Francis was dismayed to find that no ship had been requisitioned for his mission. Additionally, the crew he was meant to command was a mix of ex- Royal Navy seamen and local sailors. Ignoring his complaints, the local Governor ordered Francis to immediately get to work securing the waters around the island. All the Governor could offer was to assign a young local officer named John Thomas to Francis as his first mate. Reluctantly Francis gathered his motley crew and, paying out of pocket, requisitioned two small boats to sail around the island.
Francis though his luck might be starting to change when they intercepted two small boats belonging to a well known (if not notorious) pirate group, currently under the command of Scaly Wag McDuffy. Confident even his motley crew of sailors and local militia could handle the pirates, Captain Francis gave the order to attack.
To his dismay, the seasoned fighters Scaly Wag McDuffy where more than a match for his motley crew. McDuffy's men's accurate fire laid waist to the crew aboard Captain Francis' boat. He soon found himself fighting boarders as the unwashed masses came poring over the rail. Though fighting bravely, Captain Frances was soon brought down by then enemy captain and his boat lost.
Suddenly finding himself in command of what rained, John Thomas was quick to act. Under a hail of bullets, he personally chopped the ropes away when his boat's rigging became tangle with an enemies. In an effort to preserve what force remained, Thomas ordered a tactical retreat. Nearly to freedom, a well placed shot from one of McDuffy's swivel guns wounded Thomas and he went down. He owes his life to the men of his boat who spirited him away to safety.
No sooner had, now Captain, John Thomas returning to port then word of Captain Silviche De Burrito's movements been reported. Silviche was a notorious Spanish militia leader who had been a thorn in the Governor's side ever since the English and seized Barbados. The merciless Governor demanded the wounded Captain Thomas take his depleted force and intercept Silviche, with orders that no Spaniard should set foot on English soil. To this end the Governor reluctantly sent along a unit of Royal Marines.
For once luck was on Thomas side as they where able to reach the area before Silviche's forces had landed. However, once the battle had commenced, Thomas found himself out flanked. One of Silviche's units had emerged out of the jungle on their left. With casualties mounting and his men's moral wavering, Thomas determined not to make the same mistake as his predecessor. He quickly ordered a tactical retreat and managed to save most his force. Better to live and fight another day.
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