When we’re sailing on
the high seas, we’ve got to look out for pirates and other marauders. In our
own lives, there’s a lot of pirates who are looking to hijack our lives for
their own benefit. It’s a shame to let this happen. We’ve got to be ready for them.
We have to know how to repel boarders. The order "prepare to repel
boarders" was issued when a ship was threatened with an enemy assault.
Pikemen formed behind those crewmen armed with cutlasses. Sailors with
bayonets fixed, formed behind the pikemen to cover them. At the command
"repel boarders," musketry and grapeshot was brought to bear upon the
enemy as they prepared to attack. Men remaining on the broadside guns continued
to fire, and stood by with pikes to repel enemy attempting to enter through gun
ports or quarter galleries. We don’t have go to those extremes, but we need to
learn how to stop the unwanted from boarding our ship.
