Battle of Port Aspen

Battle of Port Aspen
File:Portaspenbattle.jpg "The last charge of the Lunar" - Oil on canvas, 1602
Date 28th November, 1595 Location Port Aspen, Atlas Result Castarcian victory Port Aspen captured
Belligerents
Template:Country data Castarcia Empire of Castarcia	Brytene
Commanders and leaders
Template:Country data Castarcia Admiral Aiden Griffiths	Admiral Edward Rutledge † Major Kendra Davies
Strength
42 ships	18 ships 212 infantry
Casualties and losses
2 ships 300 killed, 200 wounded approx TOTAL: 500	12 ships including Solar and Lunar 600 killed, 700 wounded, 300 missing, 1,500 captured TOTAL: 3,100

The Battle of Port Aspen was a naval engagement between the Kingdom of Brytene and the Empire of Castarcia in the autumn of 1595, as part of the larger Whaler's War between the two nations. The battle resulted in the destruction or capture of the greater part of the Brytisc contingent, weakening the Royal Fleet and leading to the invasion of Brytene that culminated in the Battle of Contwaraburg.

Background

Earlier in the year, a Brytisc frigate had sunk a Castarcian whaler following territorial disputes. The Empire of Castarcia had responded by making war upon Brytisc assets in the area, evicting Brytisc merchants and attacking Brytisc properties.

The man responsible for Brytisc policy in the region was the Lord Governor of Port Aspen, one Admiral Edward Rutledge. He marshalled his forces in the harbour at Port Aspen, hoping to use his knowledge of the local waters as well as the support of Fort Aspen to drive off the attacking forces.

Battle

Order of Battle

Brytisc Fleet

Admiral Rutledge had an admirable, if small, contingent to command. In pride of place were two Royal ships, the Solar and the Lunar, as well as a pair of Great Ships, several middling ships, and eight small ships or sloops.

As well as this small squadron, he also had a garrison of more than 200 Brytisc soldiers, who he placed in Fort Aspen with a battery of eight cannon, in the hopes that they would be able to support his fleet and defend the town if necessary.

The Castarcian Empire

The Castarcian Empire was, at the time, much larger and more powerful than Brytene, and was also considerably nearer to the zone of conflict. The Castarcians arrived with 42 ships under the command of Admiral Aiden Griffiths, as well as a large contingent of marines.

Battle

The battle began with the Castarcian navy forming a line in the waters to the south of Port Aspen, inviting the Brytisc to do battle. Admiral Rutledge, seeing the vast disparity in numbers, decided to attempt the unconventional tactic of forming two columns and charging the enemy broadsides, hoping to seperate and disrupt the enemy formation and pour shot into their bows and sterns. The order to advance is general agreed to have been given at 10:22am.

The westernmost column, led by the Solar, was a failure, too far away from Fort Aspen to receive any cover and subject to the heavier firepower of the Castarcian fleet. The Solar sank before making contact with the enemy, taking several hundred individuals including Admiral Rutledge to the bottom of the sea. This column swiftly turned to escape and regroup, but was intercepted by Castarcian frigates, resulting in the capture of five ships. Four ships made it through and set sail for Brytene, sinking a Castarcian sloop which attempted to give chase.

To the east, the Lunar had more success, making it to the enemy lines and delivering several punishing broadsides to the enemy flagship, the Empress Alanna and sinking the Tenacious, a great ship of 40 guns.

The Lunar was boarded and, after fierce hand-to-hand fighting, struck her colours. Behind her, several more Brytisc ships had been sunk or had struck their colours. Only two ships from this column escaped, slipping through local reefs. By 13:11pm, the naval engagement was over, with 12 Brytisc ships captured or sunk for the cost of two Castarcian vessels.

Siege of Fort Aspen

File:Fortaspen.jpg

Fort Aspen today

Along with a few sailors who had escaped capture, the garrison of Fort Aspen refused to surrender as the Castarcians landed infantry in the town below. Fort Aspen was located high above the town on a rocky bluff, with only a single narrow cobbled path leading to the front gate. Using grapeshot and muskets, they managed to hold the attackers off for several days, with the Castarcians unable to elevate their cannon sufficiently to hit the fort.

On the third day, Castarcian sappers managed to blow the gates using kegs of blackpowder, collapsing the small gateway and forming a practical breach. An assault was mounted and, though it was repelled, it was clear that a further assault would overwhelm the remaining defenders.

Admiral Griffiths came to the fort himself to negotiate a surrender, promising safe and honourable terms to the besieged company, and so on the morning of the 1st December Major Kendra Davies led 172 marines and 29 sailors out of the fort and into captivity.

Aftermath

See also:Battle of Contwaraburg (1597)

The Battle of Port Aspen spelled the end of Brytene's colonial ambitions, breaking the naval power of the Kingdom and stripping it of a vital power base.

Less than a year later, the Empire of Castarcia mounted an invasion of Brytene itself.