In the book, Wellard first appears when Bush tells him to inform the captain he wishes to take a reef, and not much is explained about him. This is the time in the movie where Hornblower is the one who sets him to keep watch a little later. The captain clearly is described as going after Wellard as though seeking a victim. When Wellard stops the men from hauling, countermanding the captain's orders, the Captain furiously comes after poor Wellard. Hornblower comes to the boy's aid and explains that the tackle had caught and he'd done the right thing. The captain accuses them both of conspiracy and they were both sent below. The captain calls the bosun and his sturdiest mates ad he has poor Wellard whipped within an inch of his life.

The midshipman does not complain, however, "the boy's face was white set in a strained rigidity...a hint of moisture in his eyes. He was walking stiffly, too, holding himself inflexibly; pride might be holding back his shoulders and holding up his head, but there was some other reason for his not bending at the hips," (18). In the book it is Bush who sets him with the sand glasses, in the movie it is Archie who gives him the task of running the glasses against each other. In either case, they do it out of the best intentions to help him with the pain by giving him something to be doing. The captain comes on deck and goes at Wellard again, accusing him of conspiracy and worse. Wellard had apparently not even shed a tear but bravely went through the ordeal and the captain openly makes fun of him before the entire crew. Despite the efforts of Bush, and in the movie of Archie as well, the captain orders Wellard beaten again, to have the truth of the fictionous conspiracy out. Only having been beaten mere hours before, this time Wellard has more difficulty not crying out.

A short time later, the lieutenants are increasingly frustrated by the captain's actions, and while on watch were off discussing it when the captain comes boiling out of his cabin. Wellard was on another side of the ship but the captain turns to him and blames him for being in on it though, of course, that was completely impossible. The captain orders him beaten yet again. In the books he is a volunteer and not technically a full midshipman, "No friends. No family" (37). Finally the lieutenants have had enough, they sneak down to the hold to discuss what to do about the captain. Wellard looks out for them on deck but spots the captain. He runs to inform them that he's coming and follows Hornblower (and Archie in the movies) in an attempt to scatter. Being caught conspiring would mean death.

In the bustle to get away, the captain falls down a hatchway and is badly injured. And then comes the question-- who pushed him? Or did he simply fall. Both Hornblower and Wellard were there, and Archie in the movies and they all were rather shaken afterwards and came running for the doctor. It is Hornblower who asks the marine how the captain fell down the hatchway, as he gave a significant look to the others. Wellard is sent down to retrieve the captain's pistols he had been holding. Hornblower takes Wellard under his wing while all this is happening and keeps him by for some time afterwards. The first lieutenant is completely inept so Hornblower is basically running the ship with Wellard's help. Wellard calls all hands and the crew is informed of the captain's illness, though Wellard is still upset by what had happened, whatever that was.

With the captain out of the way Wellard cheers up considerably, "skylarking in the main rigging with the midshipmen and master's mates as if he had not a care in the world," (74). At this point in the movies the captain returns to bring them to near disaster, in the books it's just Buckland the first lieutenant who is a moron. In any case, they first try to attack the fort with no luck and run aground, needing to kedge off, a rather common maneuver of the time. After some trouble, Hornblower persuaded the others to let him attack the fort by land. He insists on taking Wellard, and they set off. Wellard helps guide the others over some difficult terrain since it was rather dark and he had better eyes. He and Hornblower then go on ahead on a scouting mission. They accidentally run into some cattle and Wellard is sent back to warn the main party not to shoot at movement, since they are only animals, not Dagoes.

During the attack, Wellard stayed at Hornblower's side and fought bravely which Bush commended him for. In fact some of the midshipmen didn't fare as well, a few gave up, and one was totally confused in the general chaos and didn't show until the end of the battle. In the movie, Hornblower discovers a secret passage and sends Wellard down to investigate since he's small. Bravely the boy goes down but finds himself face to face with some Frogs coming down the tunnel. He fires into them and the others use one of the powder kegs to blow up the Frogs. Wellard survives "a bit singed" and they continue on toward the fort, arriving just in time to save Bush and the others. In the book they simply take the fort. Wellard is sent by Hornblower to tell Bush that the Spanish ships are about to make a run for it out of the harbour.

In the movie, Wellard assists Hornblower when he is trying to bottle the Spanish ships with a cannon on the clifftop. He rides the gun to fend it off from the cliff which nearly leads to disaster and his death. Hornblower comes down with an extra rope and doubles it up with the frayed one and they both make it back to the top. Wellard in the books was up at the fort, and runs post-haste all the way over to where the gun was on the cliff, completely out of breath and a bit in disorder, "he reached the gun gasping for breath, sweat running down his face... Bush was about to blare at him for his disrespectful approach but Wellard anticipated him. He twitched his coat into position, settled his absurd little hat on his head, and stepped forward with all the stiff precision his gasping lungs would allow," (196). The Spanish had agreed to full surrender and their ships were now British prizes. Bush gave Wellard more respect than a lot of others, "because the child deserved to be taken seriously" (196). In the books they merely all run for it as the slave army attacks them.

In the movie, Wellard goes to the captain in an attempt to stop him remembering who pushed him and thus assure Hornblower and Archie were safe, but can't go through with it. The captain regains his sanity at the last long enough to tell Wellard he's a brave lad and stand with him against the Spanish who had taken over the ship. They fall together and Wellard dies without saying who pushed Sawyer into the hold. In the books, he was on the Rapid finally as a full midshipman, but was in a longboat which overturned and he along with two seamen were drowned. It is here we finally learn Wellard's full name : Henry Wellard. Bush is quite upset when he finds out, and still wonders if Wellard knew who pushed the captain. Hornblower refuses to comment and avoids the question yet again.

Gallery

Quotes

"Then in the midst of the evolution a young voice, soaring with excitement to a high treble, cut through the captain's orders, "'Vast hauling there! 'Vast hauling!". There was a piercing urgency about the order, and obediently the men ceased to pull...the volunteer faced aft and screamed into the wind to make himself heard" (13-14).

"I'd prefer to have Wellard, sir, if you've no objection. He's coolheaded and thinks quickly," (116).

"Wellard swung a cutlass singularly large for him, and at his heels were a score or more of seamen still under discipline," (134).

Written & Screencaps By Zimrahil.
Forester, C.S. Lieutenant Hornblower. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1952.