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Mc-pullings-darcy
Character from Aubrey-Maturin series
titles, Ranks Post Captain
Ships crewed or commanded many including HMS Leopard, HMS Surprise, HMS Sophie, HMS Worcester and HMS Bellona
Afictation Royal Navy, East India Trading Company
First Appearance Master and Commander

Thomas Pullings was an officer in the Royal Navy, whose career stretched from the rank of first Lt. to Post Captain. His family was not well connected, so his prospects of promotion were few. He spent much of his time stuck on half-pay, volunteering in other Royal Navy ships (such as HMS Surprise) and transferring to the East India Trading Company.

Career[]

Lt

Pullings out of uniform

Pullings was born and raised on a Hampshire farm, and joined the Navy at a unknown date. He eventually serves under Jack Aubrey as a master's mate - a senior midshipman - in Jack's first command, HMS Sophie.

During the Peace of Amiens, as a Lieutenant without a ship, Pullings transferred to the British East India Company and commanded transport ships (so that he was attached to the British government's Transport Board, though still retaining his nominal rank in the Navy).

On one voyage, the ship he serves on in the EIC picks up Jack and Stephen Maturin after they escaped France after war is declared by Napoleon. The ship is taken by a French privateer after a fight, but on the voyage to France, they are taken by a British warship and escorted back to England.

Pullings later rejoins the Navy, regularly serving as a Lieutenant aboard Aubrey's ships. He acts as second Lieutenant of the HMS Surprise on her journey to India, then takes over from the first Lieutenant, Mr. Hervey, when the ship arrives in Bombay and Hervey's uncle - the port admiral - has his nephew promoted.

He serves with Aubrey on almost every voyage as Lieutenant thereafter, including the voyage on HMS Leopard, when she is chased around Cape Horn, and sank the Waakzaamheid, and on HMS Worcester surviving in the blockading fleet.

During an action against the Turkish ships Torgud and Kitabi, Pullings gets a sabre cut across his face, marring his appearance. His participation in the action also leads to his promotion to commander.

He is still without a ship and on half pay when the Surprise (just after her capture of the Turkish frigate and sloop) goes off to hunt the Norfolk, so he signs on as a volunteer. He takes a recaptured packet back to England carrying important letters and other items that were removed by Stephen for intelligence.

When Aubrey is dismissed from the Navy after a false accusation of stock fraud, Pullings again ships as a volunteer on the Surprise in its new character as a letter of marque. He serves as 1st mate. During the journey, they board and take both the Spartan and The Diane, two merchantmen and two gunboats moored at St Matians, with help of several HM ships commanded by Commander William Babbington.

When Aubrey is recalled to England for reinstatement into the Navy, Pullings takes command of the Surprise and sails her to the Pacific Ocean on a successful privateering voyage and eventually rendezvous with Aubrey in the East Indies. During the return trip across the Pacific, Pullings continues to serve Aubrey in a number of roles, including commanding the Surprise or prizes upon occasion. After eventually returning to England and Aubrey’s appointment as Commodore of a squadron for service off the West African coast, Pullings is finally promoted to Post Captain commanding HMS Bellona.

Background[]

Born and raised on a Hampshire farm (probably in the late 1770s or around 1780), Pullings nonetheless came from a nautical family. His grandfather was aboard HMS Wager when that ship was wrecked on the coast of Chile in 1739 and later served as boatswain of HMS Indefatigable. An uncle was Sailing Master of the brig HMS Seagull in 1799. Thomas Pullings was popular and well-respected for his courage and seamanship. He married in 1803 and had at least four children, including a son, John. Despite his marriage, he was known to have formed close attachments to attractive young women on more than one occasion, although it might be suspected that his charms for such companionship may have been diminished by a disfiguring sword blow to the face received in the Torgud action.

Sources[]

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Portrayal[]

In the 2003 film, Pullings was portrayed by James D'Arcy.

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