J.R. Spinkleworth is the captain of the S.S. Underneath, a warship under control of the British in the Napoleonic Wars.
Background[]
During the Napoleonic Wars, Spinkleworth and the crew of the S.S. Underneath raided many hostile French ships with great success. One day however, he was alleged to have given his crew the worst commands they had ever heard. It is currently unknown what got into him that day that caused him to lose his professionalism, but it did take a toll. On that fateful day, he led his crew in numerous failed attacks against French ships, costing the life of a majority of his crew.
For unknown reasons, Spinkleworth jumped ship at sunset, to board a lifeboat floating nearby. Other members of the British Navy who were thrown off of their ships joined him on his measly lifeboat. Their small raft was sunk by a French vessal, however they easily climbed aboard one of the numerous other lifeboats wading around them. They floated aimlessly amidst the warring ships for hours, recounting their home lives, and telling ghost stories. Spinkleworth noted that all of the empty lifeboats floating around them were akin to a graveyard, giving this section of the sea, the nickname of Boat Graveyard. It is said that one of his boatmates had gone mad from the war and not only killed fellow British troops in other lifeboats, but a member of their own lifeboat as well, all while Spinkleworth watched.
As the misfits looked on in sadness at the French ships closing in on them, they were approached by another lifeboat who they assumed had friendly British soldiers in it, however they were mistaken, this lifeboat actually contained French troops. The Frenchmen came aboard their raft and killed Spinkleworth, who died proclaiming that he was, in fact, J.R. Spinkleworth, Captain of the S.S. Underneath. Two of the Brits riding with Spinkleworth did survive the encounter, and lived to tell the tale of this mythical master of the seas.