| abstract | - C.H. Baumgartner was the German-born commander of the USE Navy timberlcad, SSIM Achates. Baumgartner's full name was known to only a few people, including Baumgartner's senior John Simpson. Most of the sailors in the Navy who'd dealt with the officer just used the monicker an up-timer had given him: "Clod Hopper" (which was never used to his face). Baumgartner was a very morose and dour man, and looked down on blasphemy and the notion that the Almighty would look with favor upon the souls of dead enemies. Baumgartner was part of the mission to the English Channel overseen by Prime Minister Michael Stearns to pick-up the Grantville embassy to England rescued by Harry Lefferts and his commandos. Baumgartner had the Achates successfully and devestatingly engaged three English Royal Navy ships before reuniting with the rescue party. Stearns then asked Baumgartner to head to Amesterdam, rather than Hamburg as Stearns wanted to engage in "gunship diplomacy" with Don Fernando, send Thomas Wentworth and William Laud ashore, and reunite with his wife Rebecca. Baumgartner was very amused with Stearns's reasoning, but, fearing reprimand from Admiral Simpson, instead had Stearns transferred to Captain Juan Hamers' ship to make the voyage to Amsterdam.
|
