The Brig Fortunate Son

Fortunate Son in the Bahamas

One of the stalwarts of my Bahamas game will be the Yankee Brig Fortunate Son.  This is one of the Warlord Brig models, made up with a "baby puke yellow" strake and flying the flag of the new Republic (When I get around to rigging her).
The Captain of the Brig is young Credence Clearwater, of the Newport Clearwater's.



Biography
Captain Credence Clearwater.

Born in Newport Rhode Island in 1750, Credence was the only child of Augustus Clearwater, a shipping magnate and politician.  Even with this "Silver spoon" upbringing Credence was sent to sea in one of his father's merchant ships, John B, Sloop, at the age of twelve, and served as a ships master from the age of eighteen.

Credence commanding
Fortunate Son in action

Augustus political career as Congressional delegate and later Senator for Rhode Island gave young Credence the connections to become one of the first Captains of the fledgling Continental Navy.  When the Revolutionary War broke out he commissioned the Brig Fortunate Son as a Privateer, later taken into the Rhode Island naval Militia and then the Continental Navy.

Criticism was leveled that the Fortunate Son's war focused not on Rhode Island, but on protecting the Clearwater's trade on the Bahamas, however the brig took part in the capture of Nassau, and several actions against Royal Naval and British privateer ships.

Credence

When the Continental Navy was disbanded following the war Credence and his father resurrected their shipping and trade empire, in what became known as the "Clearwater Revival." When in 1794 the Naval Act recalled the younger Clearwater to the Colours, he was given command of the USS Rhode Island against the Barbary pirates.

War with Britain broke out again in 1812 and Credence fought several dazzling single ship actions, before his death on the quarterdeck as Rhode Island was captured by the Royal Navy.
The Senators son was hailed as a founding Captain of the US Navy and posthumously awarded the "Fidelity Medallion" of the State of Rhode Island.

Building the Fortunate Son.

£16 from the Durham model shop.  Pretty much a great bargain for the pair of Frigates and four Brigs.  I`m not keen on Warlord's sails or ratlines but my own look not too bad. Given that I acquired two more Brigs from the free giveaway in Wargames illustrated, and scratch built several more to the same scale, this one box game me all the ships I needed.

In fact I still have two Brigs and a frigate unbuilt.

Good value!

One of the Brig sprues.  In a really old fashioned trick I paint the sprues before cutting out.

The hull with a "baby puke yellow" strake. 

With the masts fitted, a coat of stain and one of Marine varnish... what else!  Fortunate Son is taking shape here, resting on the wargames diary I`m supposed to be giving up to use this blog instead.   

A close in detail shot.  She carries eighteen guns, and they are modeled run out for action.  Next steps will be sails, rigging and ratlines.  Fortunate Son will give HMS Ariel a run for her money in the Bahamas...