Arthur Cartwright is a Captain of Marines and the OC of HMS Terpsichore's detachment of Royal Marines. He is a PC played by Keiju.
Family[]
Father: Sir John Cartwright
Mother: Lady Henrietta Cartwright (née Houghton)
Sister: Mary Adair (née Cartwright)
Appearance[]
Cartwright is not particularly tall, with a slim build and a thin, youthful face. He was an active boy and as a result is a fit and healthy man. Life at sea agrees with him more than life on land, though. Other than a few months at his home division being trained, he has spent most of his career thus far on sea duty. His skin is deeply tanned where it's regularly exposed to the sun and his hair, which he wears short, has lightened a little in colour as well.
Since being rescued from a wrecked ship, he's had to make do with borrowing clothes and kit, from the men and from fellow officers alike. He doesn't mind the shabby appearance this gives him, because at sea he much prefers to be comfortable with what he's wearing. Accordingly, he has been wearing Private Morgan's jacket and one of the drummer's hats, and is having new shirts and trousers made up from fabric bought from Foxley, the purser.
Personality[]
Though young, he has proven himself competent and intelligent. His preference is to lead by example and, therefore, he strives to provide the best example possible. In turn, he expects that the ranking Marines in his detachment do the same. He asks his Marines to do nothing that he himself would not do. It is not unknown for him to toss his coat aside, roll up his sleeves, and work alongside his men as if he was one of them. He's not one to tolerate meddling or interference with his men either and will stand up for them against other officers, whether his Marines are right or wrong.
His unconventional approach to discipline and punishment make many wary of him. Cartwright loathes the idea of corporal punishment and its prevalence, and will employ almost any means he can think of to avoid sentencing a man to the lash. It's his belief that beating a man who stepped out of line has little effect. He prefers more creative solutions to such problems, but that doesn't mean he's soft-handed. Much of what makes his approach effective is his ability to express his disapproval verbally. His temper is not easily provoked but when it is aroused, it can be a fearsome thing.
Early life and education[]
The live birth of a son to John and Henrietta Cartwright was cause for celebration. All of Gosfield Hall were happy for the pair, and for the squalling newborn boy. There was already one child, a daughter called Mary. The first months of young Cartwright's life were spent in Essex, until John Cartwright's employer relocated to Ireland. That fact would have a lasting impact on Arthur's life, for John Cartwright was the private secretary to the Marquess of Buckingham. The next three years were spent in Dublin, Buckingham having been reappointed the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Arthur's memories of these years chiefly revolve around being herded from room to room by their nurse, or perhaps chased might suit better. Both his mother and his nurse called him wild and wayward, and it was some relief to all when he was packed off to school.
The time thus spent away brought a certain amount of change to the lad. He gained a sense of discipline - helped along no doubt by a close acquaintance with the birch rod - and showed particular promise as a scholar. His father decided Cartwright must continue on to university, since of course the young man would do as John had done. He didn't like university quite so much but it was a price to be paid in order to keep his father's goodwill. Anyway, after considerable debate, the two had struck a bargain. If Cartwright attended Oxford, John would see to it that he received a commission in the Marines. The latter, his father felt, was nothing more than a young man's fancy and guessed it would come to nothing, but a deal was a deal.
Service Afloat[]
Cartwright was twenty when he was commissioned a lieutenant in the Royal Marines. There were certainly benefits to having a peer and former statesman as a patron, since it was less easy to obtain a commission in the Corps. Perhaps that was why it and not the army appealed to Cartwright. His first six months as an officer were spent at Chatham, learning his drill and duties. Those months were the last time he'd be ashore so long. His first ship was HMS Fame, 74, in which he spent nearly three years before being sent to take over command of the Royal Marine detachment aboard HMS Terpsichore, 32, after the previous officer suffered a broken leg while ashore.
He was aboard the frigate hardly more than a month when, after distinguishing himself during the attack on a French-held fort at Oporto[1], he was promoted to captain by Admiral Crocker[2]. Cartwright's contributions to the action were decidedly unconventional, however. He and a Navy officer led a mixed party of seamen and Marines through a large sewer drain and up into the fort's galley, with the goal of blowing up the fort's powder magazines. After some sharp scuffling with French soldiers, the party was separated and most were eventually able to accomplish their allotted task. Cartwright, meanwhile, had found his way to the battlements. He had disguised himself in a French soldier's blue coat and was able to sabotage three gun emplacements before being spotted and chased off under fire. The subsequent explosive distractions he'd thus provided helped the British forces capture the fort.
To celebrate this unexpected advancement, Cartwright chose one of the most deserving Marines who'd been part of the assault and offered him promotion. Private George Thompson accepted the offer and duly become Corporal George Thompson. Shortly thereafter, orders were received by messenger sloop informing Cartwright that his services were required aboard a frigate called Scryer of 32 guns. Cartwright removed his dunnage from Terpsichore, went aboard the sloop, and was conveyed to his new ship, which he discovered was on diplomatic duties. Either his father's or Lord Buckingham's influence must be at work, he'd suspected. Not that it mattered.
His time commanding Scryer's Marine detachment was brief. The frigate was lured too close ashore by lights early one morning and ran aground on uncharted rocks. She was unfortunate enough to be hulled in the accident and within two hours had broken up. Those of her crew and passengers not drowned or captured were able to escape in a ship's boat, from which they were rescued with admirable lucky timing by Cartwright's former ship, Terpsichore. Her Marines had come under the command of Lieutenant Sebastian Sewell after Cartwright's departure. The two officers shared a couple days of comparing notes before Sewell fell ill and was confined to his cabin with orders from the surgeon not to be disturbed. Quite without desiring it, Cartwright found himself once again in charge of the detachment, in time to be forced to demote and flog the previously-steady Corporal Cross Johnson, for the repeated offence of being drunk and absent from his place of duty.[3]
In Johnson's place, he promoted Private Murphy O'Brian, whose time as the junior corporal has begun in a rocky style, according to reports and rumours Cartwright has heard. The Shepherd twins, previously inseparable and relentless pranksters, had also apparently parted ways, a state of affairs that had a quietening effect on the detachment. He isn't sure what happened aboard since he left Terpsichore but the Marine detachment, at least, is not at all the happy, effective unit it had been upon his departure. Whether or not that can be remedied remains to be seen, but while he's in temporary command, he's determined to try.
- ↑ http://showthecolours.forumakers.com/t699-oporto-22nd-may-naval-landing-parties Oporto: Naval Landing Parties
- ↑ http://showthecolours.forumakers.com/aboard-terpsichore-f28/3-june-promotions-t1403.htm#91357 Promotions
- ↑ http://showthecolours.jcink.net/index.php?showtopic=628 The Wages of Sin