 As punishment the Captain-General has Ferdinand executed, confiscates the riflemen's money and weapons and has them deported back to Europe on board the "Espiritu Santo".Lord Cochrane, a former Royal Navy officer now in service to the Chilean rebels under Bernardo O'Higgins, ambushes the "Espiritu Santo" and, with the assistance of Sharpe and Harper, capture it, taking Captain Ardiles prisoner.Cochrane rendezvouses with his flagship the "O'Higgins", patches up the rapidly sinking "Espiritu Santo", loads Major Miller and his marines aboard the crippled ship, and sets sail for a suicidal attack upon the port of Puerto Crucero.