Letters and
despatches of
oratio,
viscount
Nelson
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L£TT£|t'S' AND DESPAICEE8
OF
HOMHO, VISCOUNT NELSON, KR
DUKE OF BKONTE
VICE ADMIBAL OF THS WHITE &QUA£>iU>M
SBuSSm AKD ABBAVOBD
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JOHN KKOX LAUGHTON, M.A.
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• • •
LONIX)N
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.
1886
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174363
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- 2 ii
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TO
ADMIRAL
SIR GEOFFREY, PHIPPS HORJSUY, G.C.B.
Thoso of us who have liad the privilege of attending your
lectures, and of liatemng to your private exposition of aome of the
questions raised, know how you, more distinctly perhaps than most of
our admirals, have recognised in Nelson not only the national hero but
9
the consummate tactician ; and how emphatically you have insisted
that the principles which he enunciated and illustrated are, in spite of
all changes, as true now as they were eighty or ninety yean a^.
It seems, therefore^ especially fitting that your name should be
associated with this endeavour to set forth, as far as possible in
Nel&on's own words, the exact story of Nelson's professional life;
and, in accordance with your peimissiony I have now the veiy great
pleasure of dedicating it to you.
Believe me,
Dear Sir Geoffuev,
Your faithful and obedient servant^
J. K. LAUaHION.
3 AprU im*
< H
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INTBODUCTION.
This selection of Nelson's letters and despatches has l^een made
with the view of bringing within a moderate cx)mpaas Nelson's own
exposition of his professional life. The materials were ready to
hand in Sir N. Harris NiooWs greab work, for permiflsion to
qnarry in which, I am indebted to the courtesy of the anther's son,
Mr. Hiirris Nicolas of the Audit Office, and of Messrs. Chatto iSd
Windus, the representatives of his publishers. 1 have indeed been
fortunately able to correct some errors of tmnscription and to add
a few letters or minntes of interest. Had merely new letters been
an object, it was in my power to have include-d several on matters
of everyday routine, which the more ssvsteinatic arrangement of
the Admiralty Records has brought to light ; as also some which
have been published in the ' Athennnm.' Bat I was not in search
of mere novelty of this kind ; and with very few exceptions, I
found enough for my j)iir[)ose in Nic^^las's seven portly volumes,
the value of which to the naval student has been somewhat
lessened by their great bulk, and even, perhaps, by the very com-
pleteness of the collection. Letters to different conrespondents
often repeat the same story, in nearly the same words ; and nume-
rous others, on trivial or commonplace subjects, choke, to some
extent, the more important. Still, even patting these on one side,
the namber of tiicse of naval interest was so great that the utmost
rigour of compression and excision was absolutely necessary. In
t xi raising this, I have cut off the beginnings and endings of the
letters, giving the address and date in a marginal note, which
I have, to some extent, amplified in the index. I have cut out
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VIU
INTRODUCTION
whatever seemed to have no naval or personal importance ; have
avoided repetitions aa much as possible, and have sometimes given
the narrative in a mosaic of paragraphs from different letters : very
few of the letters are given in fall. Explanatoiy or connecting
matter, and letters or narratives by other hands are printed in
smaller type. Whatever is in the larger type is Nelson's, though
I have occasionallj summarised the matter or corrected obvions
mistakes of haste, bat always within square faraoketB, It most be
remembered that a large proportion of the letters are taken from
a rough draft, the language of which was, sometimes at least,
modified in making the fair copy. Spelling of names of places I
have generally altered in accordanoe with the osage of oar modem
maps and charts.
I may say, once for all, that it has been no part of niy plan
to supersede Nicolas's most valuable work; but ratiier, on the
contrary, to induce the reader of this selection to refer to it for
fuller details. It is the only work on Kelson's life which may
be implicitly trusted. Clurke and McArthur had great opportu-
nities, but had neither the judgment nor the tact rightly to use
them, and published two enormous volumes, containing indeed
much of interest and importance, but much also that is contradic-
tory, puerile, or ridiculous, and Btu£^ with galley yams and
reported converfations, of which many are certainly false, and lew
can be relied on as true. The earlier lives — ^and more especially
Harrison's — are worthless ; written with a purpose, not exactly
that of presenting a faithful view of Nelson's career. Southey's is
simjjly an enlargement of an article in the * Quarterly Keview*
(February 1810), written, without any special knowledge or re-
search, from the materials readiest to hand, as supplied by the
different biographers just referred to, selected with the skill of a
literary artist and spiced from the mendacious pages of Miss
Williauis s ' Sketches.' The easy style of the writing has given
the book a long-continued popularity, which as an historical record
it is veiy far from deserving. Pettigrew's bulky work is mainly filled
with the story of Nelson's supposed amour with Lady Hamilton,
ami is better suited for the society of the * bciiool for Scandal*
than for the student of naval history. I repeat then, that the
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INTRODUCTION
ix
one work which gives a full and accurate account of Nelson's
career ib the collection of his * Dispatches and Letters ' by Sir
Harris Nicolas ; and to that, and to that alone, I refer those of my
readers wlioin T liave inducted to seek for further and more minute
details on some .of the points which I have been compelled to slur
over.
For with every care in arrangement and compression, it was
impoj^siblc to find room for all that I wished to include. I can
only hope that the selection I have made will put in a fair light
Nelson's professional character — ^his method of carrying on the
dnty of the fleet, his ontiring attention to detail ; his geniality,
his cordiality and yet his strictness; his passionate and enthn-
siastic zeal for the service, whicii will sound strange in these days
when enthusiasm or zeal is derided as ' bad form ; ' his feminine
aflection and yearning for affection, his childlike vanity, his mas^
online oonrage, honour, and integrity ; and above all, his tactical
studies. It has been too much the custom to attribute his reiiua li-
able achievements to dash, to the magic of his name, to the eager
and loving co-operation of all his officers ; and to quote expres-
sions— said to be his — ^to the eflfoct that the whole secret of naval
war is contained in three words : * Go at 'em.* The evidence of
these is often doubtful, and the context always wanting. Lord
.Dnndonald, writing sixty years after date, has reoonled his im-
pression that one of Nelson's frequent injunctions was 'Never
mind manoeuvres ; always go at them ; ' ' but he has not recorded
and probably did not know that Nelson's lifelong study was as to
the proper way of ' going at them.*
It was tlie thoroughness of this study and the constant readiness
for battle resulting from it that permitted the almost total absence
of preliminary manoouvres when the enemy was actually in sight,
and gave to the attack an apj>earance of dash, of utter recklessness,
which has misled many. But Sir Edward Beny, who — ^as his flag-
captain in the Vanguard — ^was behind the scenes, has told us that,
in prepariiiL' for that meeting with tlie French, which actually took
place off t iie mouth of the Nile — * Tliere was no i>ossible position
in which they could be found, that he did not take into his
* Avicbkt^raj'hjf of a iSaowAA, voL i. p, 88.
^^^^^^^^
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INTRODUCTION
calculation) and for the most advantageous attack of wJiich he had
not digested and amnged the best possible disposLticm of the force
which he oommanded. With the masterly ideas of their admiral,
thereforiv, on the su'Dject of naval tactics, every one of the captains
of his squadron was most thoroughly acquainted ; and upon survey-
ing the sitoation of the enemy, they could ascertain with precision
what were the idess and intentions of their commander, without
the aid of aiiy further instructions ; by which means sigfnals became
almost unnecessary, much time was saved, and the attention of
every captain could almost undistraotedly be paid to the conduct
of his own particular ship, a circumstance from which, upon this
occasion, the advantages to tiie general service were almost incalcu-
lable' (p. 150). And Nelson's own letter to Lord Howe (p. 180)
shows, in a few words, how clearly and distinctly he understood
what he was doing. * By attacking ' — ^he wrote — * the enemy's van
and centre, the wind blowing directly along their line, I was
enabled to throw what force I pleased on a few ships.' 80 also
when he wrote twelve days before the battle of Trafalgar, detailing |
the mode of attack, and saying — ^ The whole impression of the 1
British fleet must be to overpower from two or three ships ahead
of their commander-in-chief, supposed to be in the centre, to the
rear of their fleet. I will suppose twenty sail of the enemy's line
to be untouched. . . . The enemy's fleet is supposed to consist of
forty-six sail of the liae, British fleet of ibrty. If either is less,
only a proportionate number of enemy's ships are to be cut off ;
British to be one-fourth superior to the enemy cut off' (p. 421).
Similarly, in the memorandum on p. 383, careful provision for
the manner of attack under different circumstances is detailed.
Does all this agree with the received ideaof ' Goat 'em 'tactics?
Is it not rather the rciiucnieut, the perfection of forethought and
arrangement, which permitted the fleet to ^ go at 'em ' with wilder-
ing impetuosity directed by the most approved science ? K we
admit that tiiere is a right way and a wrong way of doing everything,
then there is a right way and a wrong way of * going at 'em.' Our
history offers many examples of the wrong way, and of failure.
Nelson's papers show what extreme care he took to decide on the
right way, and how that care was rewarded with the most brilliant
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INTRODUCTION
snooeases. And more tbui that, they show also how utterly ha
was opposed to anything that lavoured of recklessness or rashness :
there was very little of the rude ' go at em ' in hia head when he
wrote, on 2 J uly 1804, ' I think the fleet will be ordered out to
fight close to Toulon, that they may get their crippled ships in
again, and that we most then quit the coast to repair our damages,
and thus leave the coast clear ; but my mind is fixed not to fight
them, unless with a westerly wind, outside the llidres, and with
an easterly wind to the westward of Sicie ' (p. 257) : or when he
wrote to Admiral Campbell, on 24 May 1804, * I am more obliged
to yoo than I can express, for yonr not allowing the very snperior
force of the enemy to brint^ you to action. Whatever credit would
have accrued to your own and your gallant companions' exertions,
no sound advantages could have arisen to our country ; for so close
to their own harbour they could always have returned, and left
your ships unfit, probably, to keep the sea ' (p. 318) ; or when he
urged the necessity of due caution to Sir Richard Strachan (p. 321),
to Captain Mowbray (p. 346), to Captain Donnelly (p. 357), and
in many other letters not included in this selection. We are not
to judge the teadihig of such a man as Nelson from the partially
remeiiibered conversations, passed along from mouth to niuuth and
recorded maTiy years afterwards, separate frorrt context or circum-
stance ; and it is as an emphatic pfotest against this mnchtoooom-
mon error that I have collected in this volume his exact teaching as
writt<;u down by himself at the time, illustrating it by tlie exact
record of his achievements written, also at the time, by the men
best qualified by opportunity and judgment— by Berry or Miller at
the Nile, by Stewart at Copenhagen, by CoUingwood and in the
logs of selected ships at Trafalgar,
It ia not in tactics alone that Meison's genius has been mis-
understood and undervalued. In almost eveiy point of his pro-
fession he has been described as really inferior, achieving success
only by some acd^nt. The man who had been first lientenant of
a smart frigate in the West Indies, and who, for three yeai-s, com-
manded the Agamemnon in the most treacherous of all seas, haa
been spoken of as 'no seaman,' unable even to put a ship about ;
and the man whose keen insight into the designs of the enemy
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INTRODUCTION
I
repeatedly won for him the approval of his govemment, 1ms been
spoken of as ignorant of strategy. His forecast of the designs of
the French on Italy (pp. 94-5) proved cnrioosly aoonrate; and it
is at least pcrinitted us to believe tbiit the miscliief might havo
been prevented could Kelson have commanded the Genoese coast
with such a squadron as he repeatedly asked for (pp. 89, 92), and
had the main fleet effectively co-operated with him. This was his
opinion, both at the tiine, iu 1796, and four years later, when he
wrote — *I say that the British fleet could have prevented the
invasion of Italy, and at that time we had nothing to do ; and if
our friend Hotham had kept his fleet on that coast^ I assert, and
yon will agree with me, no army from France conid have been
furnished with stores or provisions ; even men could not have
marched' (p. 242).
The constant pains he was at to aoqaire intelligence appear in
many instances ; amongst others, the mission of Captain Dorban
to Majorca (p. 370), or of Lieutenant Woodman to the Black Sea
(p. 340) ; but his instinctive appreciation of the political state of !
the several countries with which he was brought in contact was no i
less remarkable, as was, perhaps, more especially shown in his
letter of 28 June 1803 (p. 308), written within a few cl.'iys of his
arrival iu the Mediterranean and warmly commended by the
government. A frirther testimony to the same effect is given by
Mr. Croker in his lately published * Correspondence and Diaries *
(vol. ii. p. 233), which is curious m sng-gesting a reason for much
of the existing misconception of Xel.sou a work. He is relating a
conversation with the Duke of Wellington at Walmer, on 1 October
1834, and says:
' We were talking of Lord Nelson, and some instances were
mentioned of the egotism and vanity tliat derogat'ed from his
character, " Why," said the Duke, ' I am not surprised at such
instances, tor Lord Nelson was, in different circumstances, two
quite different men, as I myself can vonch, though I only saw him
once in my life, and for periiupa an hour. It was soon aller I
' Sir Arthur Welle»ley reliimecl from India in tlie suiiimcr of 1806. The
interview here described miLst therefore have taken place in the end of August or
beginning of September of that year.
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INTRODUCTION
• • •
ZIU
returned from India.' I went to the Colonial Office in Downing
Street and thare I was shown into the little waiting*TOom on the
right hand, where I found, also waiting to see the Secretary of
State, a gentleman whom, from his likeness to his pictures and the
loss of an arm, I immediately recognised as Lord Nelson. He
could not know who I was, but he entered at once into conversation
with me, if I can call it conversation, for it was almost all on his
side and all about himself ; and in, really, a style so vain and silly
as to surprise and almost disgust me. 1 suppose something that I
happened to fiay may have made him guess that I was somebody,
and he went out of the room for a moment, I have no doubt to
ask the office-keeper who I was, for when he came back he was
altogether a different man, both in niannc^r and matter. All that I
had thought a charlatan style had vanished, and he talked of the state
of this country and of the aspect and probabilities of affairs on the
Gontbient with a good sense and a knowledge of subjects both at
home and abroad that surprised me equally and more agreeably
than the first part of our interview had done : in fact he talked
like an officer and a statesman. The Secretary of State kept us
long waiting, and certainly for the last half or three-quarters of an
hour, I don't know that I ever had a conversation that interesttxl
me more. Now if the Secretary of State had been punctual and
admitted Lord Nelson in the first quarter of an hour, I should have
had the same impression of a light and trivial character that other
people have had ; but luckily I saw enough to be satisfied that he
was really a very superior man. But certainly, a more sudden and
complete metamorphosiB X never saw." '
That Nelson, on one side of his character, had the innocent and
unblushing vanity of a child is confirmed by the independent
testimony of dozens of credible witnesses ' and by his own writing,
as on pp. 3, G, S ; and it is probably this which has given rise to
the very general belief that his great, his peculiar merit was his
transcendent courage, and that in his case, as in many others.
Fortune favoured the brave. A careful examination of his corre-
spondence and papers shows that this was not the case ; and that iiis
■ Sec, for instance, Mrs. St. Geoiii^e's [Bits. Trench's] Journal kej/t during a
VUtt io BermoKg in 1799, 1300, pp. 76, 81.
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xiv
INTRODUCTION
successes were the result of ceaseieBi> iurethooght and exact study,
guided by genius of the highest order.
But of the many penistent misiepreBentations which have
clung to Nelson's history, tiie greater number are of importanoe
only to tlie professional student. There is however one which
strikes at his character as a man of probity and honour, and demanda
a closer investigatioii : it is that which relatea to his ddngs in the
Bay of Naples in June 1799. So &r as Nelson was really con-
cerned, the whole story is told in his correspondence (pp. 197-202,
239, 300) ; but this is not the story wliich, invented by Neapolitan
traitom, published in English by Miss WiiUams,' and reproduced
by Southey, by James, by Alison, by Brougham, by Maddntoeh,
and a host of other writers of more or less repnte, lias passed
current as history and been very generally accepted as such.
It is perhaps from the pages of Sonthey that the greater number
of English readers have received their impressbns as to these events.
What Southey says is that Nelson having declared ^ that he would
grant rebels no other t^rms than those of unconditional submis-
sion . . . the garrisons, taken out of the castles [Uovoand Nuovo]
under pretence of carrying the treaty into effect, were delivered
over as rebels to the vengeance of the Sicilian Court. A deplorable
transaction ! a stain upon the memory of Nelson and the lionour
of England ! To palliate it would be in vain ; to justiiy it would
be wicked : there is no alternative . . . but to record the dia-
gracefnl story with sorrow and with shame.'
Southey is wrong. There is another alternative. We neither
palliate, nor justify, nor record ; we deny. The story is a base and
venomous falsehood. The rebels surrendered and ware taken out of
the castlee on 26 June, the day after they had received Nelson's
declaration (p. 198) that he would not permit them to embark or to
quit the castles ; that they must surrender themselves to the king's
mercy. They accordingly came out t r n «ting to the judgment of their
sovereign (p. 301), and with a full knowledge that the treaty was
annulled. The charge of treachery made by the traitors and adopted
by Southey ia absolutely without a shadow of foundation.
tks clote qf the Wiffktemk Omturf, rol. i. pp. 128-228.
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INTRODUCTION
XV
The only question wliic h can really Ije raised in as to Nelson's
conduct in annulling the treaty. He called it an infuniuus treaty;
and it ib difficult to see how any impartial judge reading its daiues
— ^kow the rebels were to march oot with the hononiB of war, were
to have a free passage to France, were to have liostag(^3 for the
due fulfilment ot the conditions — can give it any other name. But
Nelson's objection went beyond this and was pronounced before he
knew the terms of the treaty. He pronounced it infamous because
Rnfifo was expressly forbidden by his instructions to treat at all
(p. 300), and his doing so was in itself treason. It was to this
that Nelson applied the term infamous, much to the disgust after-
wards of Captain Foots, who, as the senior English officer present,
had signed the treaty: It was not, however, till eight years later,
uu tlie publication of" 1 1;i] rison's ' Life of Nelson,' that Foote learned
the way it had been spoken of, and published what he called his
< Vindication/ in which, by laying down as axiomatic certain very
controvertible statements^ he pretends to show that the term
* infamous ' should be applied to Nelson's conduct rather than to
his. The capitulation — he says — was ' actually signed in the name
of his Sicilian Majesty and his allies by those officers who were
undoubtedly authorised to enter into and sign such treaties : ' but
this is utterly false : neither he nor any of the other signatories
had any authorisation whatever, and Ruflb had instructions to the
contrary. Again, says Captain Foote, ^ A treaty or capitulation
cannot be infringed without a breach of faith: it is a sacred
engagement, the obligation of which no sophiBtry can destroy.'
But in point of fact a trraty or capitulation granted by parties
not authorised, is not binding and can be set aside at the discretion
of a higher competent authorily, always provided that the party
capitulating is not placed in a worse condition than it was ; that
the capitulation has not been partially carried out. This was the
exact case in Naples Bay when Nelson arrived there on 24 June.
Gastellomare had capitulated on terms granted by unanthoriBed
officers ; but the capitulation had taken effect, and was therefore,
sorely against his wiU, approved' by Nelson. The castles of Uovo
and Nuovo had also capitulated, but the capitulation had not
taken effect, and Nelson unhesitatingly and righteously annulled it.
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XVi INTBODUCTION
A similar ativck lias been made on Nelson*s clinrarter for the
sanctiuuiiiL^ and ordering the execution of* (Jaracciolu (pp. 201-2).
When the lies are cleaied away, it is difficult to understand the
objection. That Garaeciolo was a traitor under ciicumstanoes of
peculiar flagi*aucy and had taken a leading part in the rebellion,
there was not a shadow of a doubt. Hid treason was more than
admitted, it was boasited of by his friends.^ That he was a man of
good femily and high naval rank was, in reality, an aggravation of
his guilt. That he was seventy years of age, is false : he was forty-
seven.* That he was included in the capitulation of the ca<*tles, and
was taken out of one or other of them on the faith of the capitulation,
is &lse : he had fled to the mountains when he saw the capitulation
imminent ; a reward had been offered for his apprehension ; he was
accordingly aj prohended and brought on ))oard the Foudroyant on
29 June, three days after the surrender of the castles. That he
was promptly tried, found guilty and hanged, is true enough.
The statement that Count Thum was his personal enemy is unsup-
ported by evidence, and — true or false— has nothing to do with
the matter ; for no attempt has ever been made to show that the
finding of the Court was wrong : his guilt has been held to be his
glory. As to the sentence and the carrying it out, whatever people
may think now, then, at least, death was held to be the natural
and necessary reward of unsuccessful treason. Nelson was certainly
not a cruel or bloodthirsty man; but he was at Naples to maintain
the authority of the established government against the machina-
tions of the French ; and the summary punishment of the leaders
of the I'ebellion was the truest kindness to the nation at large.
The statement that Nelson was influenced in this matter by
Lady Hamilton is also unsupported by evidence, and is, in itself,
extremely improbable: but the persistently repeated statements
that Lady Hamilton was * present at the execution,' that she took
a boat and lay off under the very yard-arm of the Minerva, or that
she said to Nelson, * Come Bronte, let us have another look at
poor Caracciolo,' are wicked lies, without any foundation but the
1 Amongst many othen, see Rapperto ai Cittadino Ca/tMt, Mtrnttro defU
Onerra, da Franeeteo LommacOt p. 1 58.
* BlaekmotPt Maffatitte» Hay 1877, vol. oszi. p. R90.
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INTRODUCTION
xvi
malice of- traitors. The ' Bronte * story is so palpably false— for
the title was not conferred on Nelson till two months after
Caracciulo's execution — that its acceptance can only result tVom
malignity, or ignorance, or both. I see no reason whatever for
supposing that in this matter, as in every other point of his pro*
fessional life, Nelson was not guided by his sense of prudence, of
justice, and of honour; for l)elieviiig that Caracciolo Jiduot richly
deserve the fat« lie met with ; and it is worth noting that hadTrou-
bridge instead of Nelson been in command, he, so far as we can
judge by his letters (pp. 193-4), would have acted in a preciBely
similar manner.
Sfjuthuy has laid great stress on a supposed want of proper
authority. He says — ^ Had [NelsonJ the authority of his Sicilian
Majesty for proceeding as he did ? If so, why was not that autho-
rity produced? If not, why were the proceedings hurried on with-
out it ? Why was the trial precipitated, so that it waa impossible
for the prisoner, if he had been innocent, to provide the witnesaes
who might have proved him so ? ' The questions are absurd and
childish. From first to last, in all the volumes that have been
writteu on the subject, uo suggestion has ever been made that the
prisoner was innocent, or that any witnesses could have proved
him 80. By his own friends ifind accomplices, the focts are folly
admitted : the defence Is, not that Caracciolo did not wage war
against the established government of his country, not that he did
not aid the foreign invader to the utmost of his power, but that his
doing 80 was a virtue. The government of Naplee was a grinding
tyiaimy ; the king was an ignorant and weak-minded fool ; the
queen was a bloodthirsty harlot ; the revolution was, therefore,
righteous, and Caracciolo was not a traitor, but a patriot and a
hero. With such allegations I am now in no way concerned.
Nelson was sent to Naples, not to try the Neapolitan constitntioxi,
but to maintain it ; not to judge the king and queen, but t<o uphold
them. As matter of fact, however, I may point out that the
insurrection was not, as the traitors have represented it^ the pas-
sionate outburst of a people longing to be free, but the welcome
given to the Frencli invaders by a few men, mostly of the profes-
sional or professorial class^ who conceived that the republic would
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INTBOBUGTIOK
open to tliem a political career which tho monarchy denied. From
the French alone it receiyed its impnlae ; from their presence, it
drew its strength; and with their departure it collapsed. The
opinion of the masses was entirely in Ikvour of the king and con-
stitution.
As to Nelson's authority, the mere facts are sufficient. It is not
usual for an admiral, when giving an order, to make a public dis-
play of his commission : it is kno\vn to exist, and his order is
executed as a matter of course. If Tliurn and the other iSicilian
officers had not known the extent of Nelson's authority , they would
have hesitated to obey; hadCaraociolo not known it — and it will be
remembered that he had been serving under Nelson's orders but a
few months before — be would have raised an ol ejection as to the
competence of the court-martial. When those whom it concerned,
— ^the king, Nelson, Thum, and Caracdolo— were all satisfied, who
is Southey,that he should raise this maudlin cry of sickly sentimen-
talism over the death of aperjuivil and convieled traitor?
It is no part of my plan to enter at any length into the discus*
sion of Nelson's private life. That he separated from his wife is
noted in a letter to Mr. Davison (p. 270), and it is generally under*
stood tliat the causp of this separation wns Nolson's atlachniont to
Lady Hamilton. But concerning the nature of that atUichuient it is
quite impossible to decide. Those will speak the most positively who
hare least examined it. That Nelson was passionately devoted to
Lady Hamilton is certain ; but whctlier the devotion took the form
of adultery may be doubted; and whetlior Horatia was the child
of Nelson and Lady Hamilton, or of either of them, is a question
that cannot be categorically answered. It may however be
pointed out that though Horatia was born in January IsnL^a
feminine critic, so keen and outspoken as Mrs. 8t. Gi orge, saw no
trace of an approaching confinement in Lady Hamilton's figure^
in October 1800 ; and that Lady Hamilton, during her stay in
Dresden, not only gave repeated representations of her celebrated
attitudes, but danced the 'J'arautula, and went through a great
deal more exertion than a woman in her supposed condition would
be likely to undertake. It may further bo noted that Horatia's
eyes are spoken of as * sloes/' whilst Nelson's were grey, and
> Egertou MS. 1623, f . So.
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iNTItOBtTGTION
Lady Hamilton's light blue ; that Nelson never spoke of the child
except as his * adopted daughter/ a^id that Lady Hamilton poai-
tirely denied being the mother. One letter indeed^ given I'V
Pettigrew (vol. ii. p. 6o2), would be conclusive, if its authenticity
were established j but Pettigrew, in quoting it, has given no
details of the letter itself ; and its matter is too strange, too widely
different from anything else either Nelson or Lady Hamilton ever
wrote, to permit its acceptance without a close scrutiny. At pre-
sent it rests merely on Pettigrew's statement^ and Pettigrew was
far from an exacting critic. He has thus accepted as Nelson's
own composition some feeble yerses (vol. ii. p. 17), which, if we
may judge by the style and turn of expression, were the produc-
tion of Lord William Gordon, the friend of the Duke of (Queens-
berry, and the acknowledged author of the verses in the £gerton
MS. jnst referred to. To suppose them Nelson's is to suppose
that Nelson could write ;^ramniatical twaddle in verse, thougli in
prose, grammar and twaddle were equally iurcigu to hib style ; and
is fhrther to suppose that the evening of a hard-fought day, 2 April
1801, after a sleepless night (p. 254), was the particular time
that Nelson spent in writing this trash. I do not believe that he
ever, in ius whole life, wrotr a line of verse, or could have wriltfu
one even if he had wished. But the whole of the Nelson-Hamilton
correspondence is in a very unsatisfiictory state. Few of the
originals are known, and the letters published by Harrison, or in
'Letters of Lord Nelson to Lady Hamilton' are certainly garV)U'd,
even when they are not altogether fictitious. Of this last nature
is one which has been often quoted, but which I have not admitted
here into the text, as being a palpable forgery. It is supposed to
have been written tVoni SyracuBe on 22 July 1798, and runs:
* My dear Friends — Thanks to your exertions, we have vic-
tualled and watered : and surely watering at the fountain of Are*
thusa, we must have victory. We shall sail with the first breeze,
and bt' as:5ured I will return eilher crowned with laurels or covered
with cypress.'
The laurel and cypress sentence may possibly be Nelson's ; but
assuredly he never meddled with the fountain of Arethusa ; and
the * Thanks to your exertions, we have victualled and watered ' is
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XX
INTRODUCTION
flatly contradicted by the letter to Sir William Hamilton of the
aame date (p. 144). But this fictitioos letter is the only evidence
on record of the action of Lady Hamilton in this matter. That
she atierwai Jri taught Nelson to Ijelieve in her action we know
from the solemn expression oi' his last wishes (p. 42b), but the
reality of it seems rery donbtfnl.
There are many other points connected with Nelson's career on
wLi.il i am tempted to pause for a moment ; luit 1 recall to niiad
my intention to leave the narration of what he taught and what
he did entirely to himself and to those immediately round him.
Plain and direct statements so made need little comment or ex-
planation J and the necessary deductions from them can be most
profitably worked out by the thoughtfiil reader, each one for him-
self. If what I have said and done renders the task simpler and
easier, if it tends to form a more exact appreciation of the genius
of our great hero, then indeed I may say — ' I have done the State
ttome service.'
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ft
LETTEBS AND JOUBNALB
OP
HOBATIO, VISCOUNT NELSON.
^ In October 1799, Lord Nelson wrote the followiiig sketch for Mr. Mc-
Arthur, then editing the 'Xnval Chronicle,' in concert with the Rev. J.
S. Clarke, it constituted the basis of the KiojLjraphical notice published
in the third volume of the * Naval Chronicle ; ' and was afterwards
printed in its original forui, tliough with mme verbal alteratioiiii, m
GhriEO and MeArtnur's 'Idfe of Nelson.'
My dear Snt) — send! yon a sketch of my life, which I am J. M«>
sensible wants your priming-knife belbre it is fit to meet the ^o!t'
public eye, therefore 1 truest you and your friend will do that, and
turn it into umch bettor language. T liave been, and am, very Maboo.
unwell, therefore you mu^t excuse my short letter. I did not
even know that such a book as yours was printed, therefore 1 b( g
yoa will send me the two volumes, and consider me as a sincere
friend to the undertaking.
Horatio Nelson, son of the Reverend Edmund Nelson, liector 'Sketch of
of Burnham Thorpe, in the county of Norfolk, and Catherine his
wife, daughter of Doctor Suckling, Prebendary of Westminster,
whose grandmother was sister to Sir Robert Walpole, Earl of
Orford.
I was born 29 September, 1758, in the parsonage-honse, was
sent to the high school at Norwich, and afterwards removed to
North Walsham; from whence, on the disturbance with Spain
relative to the Falkland Islands [in 1770], I went to sea witii
my uncle, Captain Maurice Suckling, in the Raisonable of 64
guns. But the business with Spaiu being accommodated, I was
sent in a West India ship belonging to the house of Hibbert,
Purrier, and Horton, with Mr. John Kathbone, who had formerly
B
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2
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
I
1768-73
been in the nav}-, in the Dreadnought with Captain Snckling.
From this voyage I returned to the Trintnpli at Chathaui in Julv
1772; and, if I did not improve in my ( (liuation, I r. turned a
])ractical seaTnan, witli u horror of tlu' Ivoyal Navy, and with a <■
sayinjr, then constant with tlu' seaiiieii. ' Ait the most honour, for-
ward the better man I ' — It was many weeks before 1 got in the
least reconciled to a man-of-war, so deep waa the prejudice rooted; .
and what pain? wore taken to instil this erroneous principle in a
yonng mind ! However, as mj ambition was to be a seaman, it
was always held ont as a reward, that if I attended well to mj
navigation, I should go in the ciitt«r and decked long-boat, which .
was attached to the commanding officer's ship at Chatham. Thus '
by degrees I became a good pilot, for vessels of that description, |
from Chatham to tlie Tower of London, down the Swin, and to the
North Foreland; and confident of myself amongst rocks and sands,
which has many t imes since been of the very greatest comfort to
me. In this way I was trained, till thr px]>odiriuu towards the
North Pole was fitted out ; when, alLhongii no hoys were allowed
to go in the ships (as of no use), yet nothing could prevent my
using every interest to go with Captain Lutwidge in the Carcass ;
and, as I fancied I was to fill a man's place, I begged I might be '
his coxswain: which, finding my ardent desire for going with
him, Captain Lutwidge complied with, and has continued the •
strictest friendship to this moment. Lord Mulgrave, who I then
first knew, continued his kindest friendship and regard to the last
moment of his life. When the boats were fitting out to quit the
two ships blocked up in the ice, I exerted myself to have the
conuiiuiid of a four-oarrd cutter raised upon, which was given me, '
with twelve men: and 1 prided myself in fancying I could navigate |
her bett^M- tlmn any otiier boat in the sliij). I
On our arrival in KnLd;ind, and paid oil", 15 October [17733, ^ I
ibund that a squadron was fitting out for the East Indies ; and
nothing less than such a distant voyage could in the least satisfy
my desire of maritime knowledge : and I was placed in the Sea-
horse of 20 guns, with Captain Farmer, and watched in the
foretop ; from whence in time I was placed on the quarterdeck :
having, in the time I was in this ship, visited almost every part of
the East Indies, from Bengal to Bussorah. Ill health induced Sir
Edward Hughes, who had always shown me tlie greatest kindness,
to send me to England in the Dolphin of 20 guns, with Captain
fTam«'s Pii^ot, whose kindness at that time saved my life. This
ship was paid off at Woolwich on 24 September, 1776. On the
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1773-78
'SKETCH OF MY LIFE*
8
26th I received an order from Sir James ]>oaglaa, who com-
manded afe PortBmoQth, to acfc as lieutenant of the Worcester, 64,
Captain Mark Bobinscm, who was ordered to Gibraltar with a
convoy. In this ship I was at sea with convoys till 2 April, 1777,
and in very bad weather. But although my age might have been
a snfficient cause for not entrusting rne with the charge of a watch,
yet (^aptaiii Robinson used to say, ' he felt a6 easy wiien I was
upon deck, as any officer in the ship.*
On [9] April, 1777, I passed my ''xntniiiatioa as n lii ii( . nant ;
and received my commission the next day, as second iu'uteiiaiit of
the Lowestoft frigate of 32 guns, Captain (now Lieutenant-Governor
of Greenwich Hospital) William l^ocker. In this ship I went to
Jamaica ; but even a frigate was not sufficiently active for my mind ,
and I got into a schooner,' tender to the Lowestoft. In this vessel
I made myself a complete pilot for all the passages through the
(Keys) Mands sttoated on the north side [of] Hispaniola. Whilst
in tiuB firigate, an event happened which presaged my character ;
and, as it conveys no dishonoor to the officer alluded to, I shall
relate it.
Blowing a gale of wind, and very heavy sea, the trigate captured
an American letter of marque. Tlie first lieutenant was ordered
to board her, which he did not do, owing to the very higli sea. On
his return on board, tlie captain said, ' Have I no otHcer in the
ship who can board the prize ? * On which the master ran to tlie
gangway, to get into the boat; when I stopped him, sayinpr. * It is
my turn now ; and if I come back, it is yours.' This little incident
has often oocnrred to my mind ; and I know it is my disposition,
that difficulties and dangers do but increase my desire of attempting
them*
Sir Peter Parker, soon after his arrival at Jamaica, 1778, took
roe into his own flag-ship, the Bristol, as third lieutenant ; from
which I rose by succession to be hrst. Nothing part icular happened
whilst I was in this ship, which was actively employed oft* Cape
Fran^oi.N, being tlie curaDiencement of the French war.
On 8 December, 1778, 1 was appointed oonmiander of the
Badger brig ; and was first sent to protect the Mosquito) shore, and
the Bay of Honduras, from the depredations of the American
privateers. Whilst on this service, I gained so much the afttMstions
of the settlers, that they unanimously voted me their thanks, and
expressed their regret on my leaving them ; entrusting to me to
describe to Sir Peter Parker and Sir John Palling their situation,
* The Little Lacy ; w called after a daughter of Captain Locker.
F 2
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4
LETTEBS OF LOUD NELSON
1770-89
sliould a war with Spain break out. Whilst I commanded this
brig, H.M.S. Glasgow, Captain Thomas Lloyd, came into Montego
Bay, Jamaica, where the Badger was laying : in two hours after-
wards she took fiie by a cask of mm ; and Captain Lloyd will teU
yon, that it was owing to my exerdons, joined to his, that her whole
crew were resooed from the flames.
On 11 Jane, 1779, 1 was made post into the Hinchingbrook.
When, being at sea, and Count d*Estaing arriving at Hispaniola
with a very large flei^t and army from ^Martinique, an attack on
Jamaica was expeet^ed. In this critical state, I wa^i hj-both admiral
and general entrusted with the cumniaud of the batteries at Port.
Royal ; and 1 need not say, as the defence of this place wavS the
key to the port of the whole naval force, the town of Kingsttni,
and Spanish Town, it was the most important post in the whole
island. ;
In January 1780, an expedition being resolved on against 8t.
Jnan's, I was chosen to command the sea part of it. Major Poison,
who commanded, will tell yon of my exertions : > how I quitted my
ship, carried troops in boots one hundred miles up a river, whidi
none but Spaniards since the tune of the buccaneers had ever
ascended. It will then be told how I boarded, if 1 may be allowed
the expression, an outpost of the enemy, situated on an island in
the river ; that I made Ijatterius, and afterwards fought them, and
was a principal caii.se of our success. From this scene I was ap-
pointed to the Janus, 44, at Jamaica, and went to Port Boyal in
the Victor sloop.
My state of health was now so bad, that I was obliged to go to
England in the Lion, the Honourable WiUiam Gomwallis, captain ;
whose care and attention again saved my life. In August 1781,
I was commissioned for the Albemarle ; and, it would almost be
supposed, to try my constitution, was kept the whole winter in the '
North Sea. In April 1782, 1 sdled with a convoy for Newfound-
land and Quebec, under the orders of Captain Thomas Pringle.
From Quebec, during a cruise off Boston, I was chased three
French ships of the line, and the Iris frigate : as tliey all beat me
in sailinL'' very much, 1 had no chance left, but running theiu
amongst t he slioals of 8t. Georire's Bank. This alarmed the lint>-of-
battle ships, and they quitted the pursuit ; but the frigate continued,
* Two narratives of that expedition have been published; one by Dr. Benjamin
Moself^y in bis Treatue on Trojdoal DiMmi^, 8vo. Lonrion, 1803-1 ; and amitht r
by Dr. Thomas Dancer, entitled A Brief UUtory of thf late Expeditvm agnin$t
Fhrt 8t, Juan, $o far a$ U rdatfit U the JXmmm af the Troou$, 4to. Kingston,
1792.
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1782-90 'SKETCH OF MY LIFE* 6
and at simset was little more than gnnshot distant : when, the
line-o^battle ships heing out of sight, I ordered the nudn-topHsail
to he liud to the mast ; on this the fHgate tacked, and stood to
rejoin her consorts.
In October I sailed from Quebec with a convoy to New York,
where I joined the fleet under the command of Lord Hood ; and m
NovenUn r I sailed with hini to the West Indies, where T remained
till the peace; when I came to England, being directed in my way
to attend H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence on his visit to the Havana;
and was paid off at Portamoutb on 3 July, 1783.. In the autumn
I went to France, and remained there till the spring of the year
1784 ; when I was appointed to the Boreas frigate, of 28 gnns, and
ordered to the Leeward Islands station.
This station opened a new scene to the officers of the British
navy. The Americans, when colonists, possessed almost all the
trade from America to our West India Islands ; and on the return
of peace, they forgot, on tliis occasion, that they became foreigners,
and of course had no right to trade in the British colonies. Our
governors and custom-house officers ])re tended, that by the Navi-
gation Act they had a right to trade ; and ail the West Indians
wished what was so much for their interest.
Having given governors, custom-house officers, and Americans,
notice of what I would do, I seized many of their vessels, which
brought all parties upon me ; and I was persecuted from one island
to another, so that I could not leave my ship. But consdons
rectitude bore me through it ; and I was supported, when the busi-
ness came to be understood, from home ; and I proved (and an
Act of Parliament has since established it) that a captain of a
man-of-war is in duty bound to support all the maritime laws, by
his Admiralty commission alone, without becoming u custom-house
officer.
In July 178<3, T wn- It ff with the command till June 1787,
when 1 sailed for England. During the winter H.H.H. the Duke
of Clarence visited the Leeward islands in the Pegasus frigate, of
which he was captain. And in March, this year, I married Frances
Herbert Nisbet, widow of Dr. Nisbet, of the island of Nevis ; by
whom I have no children.
The Boreas being paid off at Sheemess, on 30 November,
I lived at Bumham Thorpe, county of Norfolk, in the parsonage-
house. In 1790, when the affiiir with Spain, relative to Nootka
Sound, had near involved us in a war, I made use of every interest
to get a ship, ay, even a boat, to serve my country, but in vain :
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6
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1703-07
there was a prejodioe at the AdmiralfTf evidently against me, which
I can neither guess at, or in the least acoonnt for.
On 30 January, 1793, 1 was commissioned in the very hand-
somest way for the Asfameninon. <J 1 ; and was pnt under the com-
mand of that great man and excellent officer, Lord Hood, appointed
to the coninmnd in tht- Mediterranean. The unbounded confidence
on all <)cca?^ions placed in me by liis lordship will 8li*)w liib opinion
of my abilities ; having served in the command of the seamen
landed for the sieges of Bastia and Calvi. His lordship, in October
1794, left the Mediterranean to Admiral Hotham, who also
honoured mo with the same confidence. T was in the nrtir^ns of
13 and 14 March, 1795, and 13 July in the same year. 1^'or the
share I had in them, I refer to the admiral's letters. I was then
appointed by Admiral Hotham to co-operate with the Austrian
general, De Vins, which I did all the time Admiral Hotham re-
tained the command, till November ; when he was snperseded by
Sir John Jervis, now Earl St, Vincent.
In April 171)0, the commander-in-chief so much a})};roved of
my coiidncf. that he directed me t-owear a jlistiiitruishing pennant.
In June 1 was removed from the ALramennmn to tlie ('aptain ; and
on 1 1 August ajipointed a ca]>tiiin under me. Between April and
October, I was employed in the blockade of Leghorn, taking Porto
Ferrajo, the island of Capraja, and finally in the evacuation of
Bastia ; when having seen the troops in safety to Porto Ferrajo, I
joined the admiral in St. Fiorenzo, and proceeded with him to
Gibfttltar ; from whence in December I was sent in La Minerro
frigate, Captain George Oockbam, to Porto Ferrajo, to bring down
our naval stores, &c. On the passage we captured a Spanish
frigate, La Sabina, of 40 guns, 28 eighteen-pounders on her main
deck, as will appear by my letter.
From sailing from Porto Ferrajo on 2'.) .J.tnuary, 1797. to the
finish of the action. 11 February, 1 reler to the account pul<ll^hed
by ( 'oloncl Drinks ater. The kinfr for my conduct gave me a gold
raedal, and the city of London a gold box.
In April 1 hoisted my flag as rear-admiral of the blue, and was
sent to bring down the garrison of Porto Ferrajo : which service
performed, 1 shifted my Hag from the Captain to the Theseus on
27 May, and was employed in the command of the inner squadron
in the blockade of Cadiz. It was during this period that perhaps
my personal courage was more conspicuous than at any other
period of my life. In an attack of the Spanish gunboats, I was
lx>arded in my barge with its common crew of ten men, coxswain,
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1707-eO
* SKETCH OP HT UFS'
Captain Fremantle, and myselfi by the ooromander of the ganboate.
The Spaniah hvrge rowed twenty-oiz oara, besides officers, thirty
in the whole ; this was a service hand to hand with swords, in
which my coxswain, John Sykes (now no more), aared twice my
life. Eighteen of tiie Spaniards being killed and several wonnded,
we succeeded in taking their commander.
On 15 Julv, I sailed for TeneriH'»' : tlie event, I refer to niv
letter of that expedition. Having lost niy right arm, for this loss
and my former scrvict-s his Majesty was pleased to settle 800?. a
year ; and by yonie unlucky mismanagemt'iit of it, I wjis obliged
to go to England ; and it was 13 December, 1797, before the
surgeons pronounced me fit for service. On 19 December, the
Vanguard was commissioned for my flagship.
On 1 April, 1798, I sailed with a convoy from Spithead: at
the back of the Wight, the wind coming to the westward, I was
forced to return to St. Helen's, and finally sailed on the 9th,
carrying a convoy to^Oporto and lisbon. I joined Earl St. Vincent
off Cadis, on 29 April ; on the SOth I was ordered into the Medi-
terranean. I refer to the printed narrative of my proceedings to
the close of the battle of the Nile.
On 22 September, 1 798, 1 arrived at Naples, and was received
as a deliverer by the king, queen, and the whole kingdom. [On]
12 Octol>er the blockade of Malta took place, which has continued
without intermission to this day. On 21 December, 1798, his
Sicilian ^lajesty and family embarked in the Vanguard, and were
carried to Palermo in Sicily. In ^farch [1799], I arranged a plan
Ibr taking the islands in the Bay of Naples, and for supporting the
royalists who were mMng head in the kingdom. This plan suc-
ceeded in every part. In May I shifted my flag, being promoted
to be rear-admiral of the red, to the Foudroyant, and was obliged
to be on my guard against the French fleet. In June and July
I went to Naples, and, as his Sicilian Majesty is pleased to say,
I reconf(uered his kingdom, and placed him on his throne. On
9 August I broil crht liis Sicilian Majesty back tu l*iilermo, having
been upwards of four weeks on board the Foudroyant.
On the 18th, his Sicilian Majesty presented me with a sword
magnificently enriched with diamonds, the title of Duke of Bronte,
and annexed to it the fend of Bronte, supposed to be worth 3,000i.
per annum. On the arrival of theBnssian squadron at Naples,
I directed Commodore Tronbridge to go with the squadron, and
blockade closely Oivita Vecchia, and to offer the French most
favourable conditions, if they would evacnato Borne and Givita
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LEl il::itb OF LORD NELSON
179a-99
VeocHia ; wMch -terms the French general Grenier complied with,
and they were si^ed on board the GnUoden ; when a prophecy,
made to me .on .my arrival at Naples, was fulfilled, viz. that I should
take -Rome with my ships.
Thus may be exemplified by my life, that perseverance in any
profession will most probably meet its reward. Without having
any inherit^ance, or having been fortunate in prize-money, T have
receivt5d all the lionours of my profession, been created a peer of
Great Britain, &c. &c., as set forth in the annexed paper j and I
may Bay to the reader, ' Go thou, and do likewise.'
*• Presents received for my services in the Mediterranean between
1 October, 1798, and 1 October, 1799 :
From my own most gracious Sovereign, a Peerage of Great
Britain^ and a gold medal.
From the Parliament of Great Britain, for my h£d and two
next heirs, 2,000/. per annum.
From the J'arliament of Ireland not known, bnt .supposed
the same as given to St. \'incent and Duncan, 1,()0()/. per annum.
From the lionourable East India Company, 10,000/.
From the Turkey Company, a piece of plate.
From Alexander Davison, Esq., a gold medal.
City of London, a sword.
The captains who served under my orders in the battle of the
Nile, a sword.
The Grand Signer, a diamond aigrette, or plnme of triumph,
valued at 2,000L Ditto, a rich pelisse, valued at 1,0002. The
Grand Signer's mother, a box set with diamonds, valued at
1,0002.
Emperor of Russia, a box set with diamonds, and a niost elegant
letter— 2,500/.
King of the Sicilies, a sword, riclily ornamented with diamonds,
and a most elegant and k'md letter, 5.(100/. ; and the Dnkedom of
Broute, with an estate supposed worth 3,000/. per anuiun.
King of Sardinia, a box set ¥rith diamonds, and a most elegant
letter, 1 ,200/.
The island of Zante, a gold-headed sword and cane, as an
acknowledgment that had it not been for the battle of the Nile
they could not have been liberated from French cruelty.
City of Palermo, a gold box and chain, brought on a silver
waiter.
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1777 PASSES HIS EXAMINATION 9
SELECT LETTERS AND PAPEBB.
T passed my di'gree as Master of Arts on tbe 9th instant (that Wm.
IS, passed the lieutenant's nxnininatioii), and received my com- HApiiL
mission on the following day tor a fine frigate of 32 guns. 8o 1 am
now left in the world to shift for myself, which I hope I shall do
80 aa to bring credit to myaelf and friends.
Tins ' fine frigate ' was the Lowestoft, Captain William Locker, with
whom Kelson contracted a firm friendship that was broken only by
death. On joining the ship, his unde^ Oaptaia Maurice Suckling, with
whom he first came to sea in the Raisonable, and at this time Comp-
troller of the Navy, wrote him a long lettf^r of advice, Bome fragments
only of which liave been preserved : such as they are, however, they
tiirow an interesting light on the Htate of naval discipline and the
condition of our ships of war in 1777.
To keep a ship of war in that state v liich is understood l>y the ex- Capt.
pn'ssions commonly made use of, ']>on»g in veiy liigli order,' or, 'being Siukling
really a uian-of-war,' the following rules are necessary to be strictly ji'^lin"**
observed by the commandmg oflicer. 1777. '
1. He should observe always to keep the yards particularly square,
and every rope fore and aft hauled tight^ and never to snfier any rope
to be hanging over the bows, or any other part of the ship whatever.
2. Tie should always l)e partieular in having the hnrrmtoflcs well
stowed in the nettings, anf! never suffer any to bo hanging up Ijelow,
after a certain hour, winch hour should bo eight in the morning.
3. He should always keep the hammocks and the clothes Y^y
clean, and likewise the ship, the decks of which and the outside, he
should be very paiticiilar in; and which, nnkss some unforeseen
accident occurs, he should never neglect washing every morning.
4. He ought to fix particular days in the week for the people to
wash their rlothos, and particular ones for wnsbing lietweon decks. ^
5. He should never allow anything to Ix' hanging about in The
rigging, or any ropes to be towing overi»oaitl with things to them when
in harbour, but on the washing days, unless rainy weather ; when, on
the first fine day he may make an exception to the first ]iart of the
rule, and likewise to the other by washing between decks and seeing
that every man has his things thoroughly dried^'; and in that case it
would be propoT- to smoke the ship ; it ^ould likewise be done after a
gale of wind at sea.
6. He should choose particular hours in the day for the purser's
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1777-79
steward to serve provisions tfcc. to the ship's company, which ought to
V)(' (loiio twiro a dny ; and thoro slioulfl liknwiso 1><? fixed certain hoars
for i,">in<^' to the holds, to get up water or other provisions, which time
should be when the hands are turned out of a morning, or in the
evening.
7. He should always see that the keys o£ the different store-rooms
are not kept out of his cabin longer than while they are busy at the
store-room ; and his constant order should be that a midshipman att^d
the storo-room. That the steward may not sm-p out anytliiiig liut at
the tixed hours, he should s»'o that the keys an- n'tiiniod when the
time is exiur» <l. He should never sufi'er any keys to go from his cabin
after gun -tire at night.
8. When they are employed about the powder, he should see that a
midshipman attends the Ught-room ; nor diould he suffer any person to
go to the magazine, without the maater^at-arms to attend, or ship's
corporal.
9. He should, unless he means to oMii^o somp particular friend,
always hoist the Jmats in at sunset ; but his invariable rule should be,
never to keep a boat out after gun-tire.
10. Unless some particular duty prevents, he should always pipe the
hammocks down at sunset.
11. Every day at seven bells, l)efore noon, and at the same time
before four in the afternoon, he should make everybody leave off woik,
and have the decks swept fore and aft.
12. ( )n the washiTip: days, lie should break those tliat are, washing off
at six l)ell», that the ship's sides may be washed before dinner.
13. He should, when washing the decks, always see that tlieguimer
and his crew wadi the guns well ; and if in a lai^ ship, he should
always take care that the gunner and his mate attend to squaring the
ports when they are hauled ij i < f a moniing, which, if the weather will
permit, should be done at the time the top-gallant yards are got up.
14. He should always be particular in working his sails together;
for notliing is so lubberly as to hoist one sail after another.*
On 8 December, 1778, Nelson was appointed commander of the
Badger brig ; and on 1 1 June, 1779, was posted into the Hinchingbrook.
Capt I snppose before this \on have heard uf the fate of the poor
Looker
7 June,' Glasgow; indeed it wan a must shocking gi^ht : and had it hap-
pened half an liour later, in all probability a irn'at many people
wonld Imve })eon lost. She anchored at halt-past three [in
Montego Bay J, and at six she was in flames, owing to the steward
attempting to steal mm out of the after^hold.
18 Aug. Jamaica is turned upside down since you left it. The Count
d'Estaing is at the Cape with twenty sail of the line ; and a Hag-
' Clarke an«l McArthur: vol. i. pp. MG r>7. With tiiese instructions, which a
.*iuiart oUi tajdaiii ix)nfiidercd it uecessaiy to give a capable lieutenant in 1777,
compare the description of French meU'Of^war a few years later given by 6fr
Gilbert Blane in Ofm rfatioivf on thr D!a< a*rf nf Sramm, p. 100; and by Admiral
Juricn. the futhur of the present Admiral Jurien de la Gravid, in &mveHir$ tfun
Amiral, torn, i. p. 16.
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1779-80
IN THE niNCHIKGBROOK
11
ship, wifh eight or nine more, are at Port aa Plrinoe ; the latter
fleet fell in with the Charon and Pomona, in the night, but they
got off by good sailing. They say that there are 20^000 men at
the Cape ready to embark, and 5,000 at Port an Prince. He
arriveci at the Cape last Saturday Ibrtuight, with 125 sail, men-of-
war and transports. . . .
«
As I have told yoQ what we may expect, I will tell yon the
measures taken to defend the island: 5,000 men ai"e encamped
between the Feny and Kingston, 1,0UU in Fort Augusta, 300 at
the Apostles' fiatteiy, and we expect to have 500 in Fort Charles,
where I am to command. Lion, Salisbury, Charon, nncl Janus, in a
line from the Point to the enter shoal ; Ruby and Brietd in the
narrows going to Kingston, to rake any ships that may attack
Fort Angnsta; Pomona and Speke Indiaman above Rock Fort,
and Lowestoft at the end of the dock-wall. Expresses go to*
morrow morning to all quarters. Resource and Penelope off the
east end to cmise : four fire-ships are down here, two of them
commissioned. I have very fairly stated our situation, and I leave
yoii ill England to judtre what stand we sliall make ; I think you
must not be surprised to hear of my learning to speak French.
I arrived here from a cruise in the middle of December, and 28 j«n.
received your letter from London with great pleasure. . . . I
sailed in the Uinchingbrook fi'om Port Royal in the middle of Sep*
tember, to join the Niger and Penelope. We took four sail, for
which I shall share about 8002. sterling. . . . The Salisbury has
broDght in a Spanish store-ship, mounting fifty-six guns, four
hundred men, from Cadiz to Port Omoa, after a smart aetion of two
hours and a half. The Salisbury lost nine men ; the Don fifty men.
Our mess is broke up. Captain Cornwallis and myself live
together. I hope I have made a friend of him, which I am sure
from his r li^i aeter you will lie glad to hear. . . . The Spanish
ship is to made a ship of oO Lrnnf. Tho iulmiral offered her to
me, which 1 declined. He says he will give me the first frigate.
He has appointed me to go with an exix?dition wliich is now on
foot against the city of Granada, upon the Lake of Nicaragua.
In 1803, Nelson wrote the foUowing remarks on this expedition for
the second edition of Dr. Moseley's ' Timtise on Tropical Diseases : '
Had the expedition arriyed at San Juan's harbour in the month
of January, the violent torrents would have subsided, and of course
the whole army would not have had occasion, which was the case
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12 LETl'ERS OF LORD NELSON 1780-81
in April, to get wet three or four timee b day in dragging the
boats. They would then have arrived at the Castle by the middle
of Febmary, and had between two or three months of fair season
to have established themselves, with all the stores, in the healthy
country of Granada and Leon : and then, I think, a road for
carriages might liave been made from Blnefields harbour, a
healtliiiT place than San Jnan'R, to the Lake Kicariigua.
Tlio fi'vvr which dobtroyed the army and navy attacliod to
that expedition, was invariably from twenty Uj thirty days before
it attacked the new-comers ; and I cannot give a stronger instance
than that in the Hinchingbrook, with a complement of two
hundred men, eighty-seven took to their beds in one night; and
of the two hundred, one hundred and forty-five were buried in
mine and Captain Collingwood's time: and I believe veiy few,
not more than ten, survived of that ship's crew ; a proof how
necessary expedition is in those climates.
Kelson himself, as has \ieen nlrp-uly toUl^i left the expedition and re-
turned to Jamaica, on appointment to the Janus, 44. His health, how-
ever, was completely shattered ; and he was obliged (30 August, 1780)
to apply to the oommander-in-chief for permission to return to
England. This was granted, as being, by the report of the medical
8ur\'ey, absolutely neoessaiy ; and he sailed a lew days afterwards in
the lion.
I'*!*' I have been so ill since I have been here, that I was oblisfed to
J*ocKcr
28janl be Carried to and from bed, with the most excruciating^ tortures,
ftuiu ^^^5 thank (lod, lam nownp ii the uiendiiig hand. . . . lam sorry
to hear the ticcount of your iriend, Captain Sutton ;^ but I well
know the situation of a ship just from the river, and I have no
doubt but the court -martial will consider it in that light.
15 Feb. My health, thank God, is very near perfectly restored; and I
have the perfect use of all my limbs, except my left arm, which I
can hardly tell what is the matter with it. From the shoulder
to my fingers' ends are as if half dead; but the surgeon and
doctors give me hopes it will all go off. I most sincerely wish to
be employed, and hope it will not be long.
Bot. w. Yesterday I went down to Woolwich and hoisted my pennant
24 Aug. * Bee ante, p. 4.
* Oaplain Eveljm Sutton of the Ins, 60, reprlmancled by conit-martial, 8S
January, for not doing his utmost to take or destroy the Dutch 60-guii ship
Rotterdam, oil Bonchy Hrarl, on 31 December, 1780. The Isis was newly com-
missioned, not fully manned, and what men she had not yet quarti-rcd. The
court, taking thi8 into consideration, was of opinion that Captain Sutton waa
highly reprehensible for the precipitate manner in which be carried bis ahipidong*
{tide the enemy.
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1781
COMMISSIONS THB ALBBMABLE
13
[on board tho Albemarle] : and I am perfectly satisfied witli her,
as a twenty-eight gnn frigate. She is in dock, a1ong8irle the
Enterprise, and in some respects, I think, excels her. She has a
bold entrance, and clean ran. The Enterpiize, a lean bow,
wld6tk does not answer so well with copper, as they always allow
for sheathing, which is upwards of an inch more in thickness,
therefore she wants that mnch. The Albemarle is not so wide,
upon the gun-deck, by four inches, but the same beam ; thu gun-
deck six feet high ; between dt cks very low indeed, about five
feet. 8he is now co})j)erinj^'. and will not be out of dock this
fortnight, nt least. The Admiralty have U'rii very civil, having
given me the choioe of all my officers, which 1 am much pleased
with.
I have talked witli Mr. Sackling about your going chaplain in
the navy, and he thinks, as I do, that fifty pounds where yon ate,
is much more than equal to what you can get at sea ; but in that
I know you will please yourself, therefore shaU not attempt to
state any argument to dissuade you from it. As to my real 9BvpL
opinion, whether or no you wOl like it, I say, as I always did, that
it is five to one you will not. If you"*get with a good man, and
with gentlemen, it will be tolerable; if not you will soon detest it.
My quarter-deck !> lilU d, much to my satisfaction, with very gen-
teel young men and .Heanit n.
I am now full manned, and ready for any service. I have an ^8 Uct^
exceeding go<ul ship's company. Not a man or officer in her I
would wiah to change. She appears to sail also yery well. Where
I am going, I know luA, but suppose I shall be gone from here in
the next week, when I vrill write again.
I have been veiy busy in getting my ship's company in order Capt
for service. They are, in my opinion, as good a set of men as I sioet!'
ever saw : indeed, I am perfectly satisfied with both officers and
ship's company. All my marines are likewise old standers. . . .
Wliut sad news from America: for niy part, I cannot under-
stand ^Ir. Graves' letter ; the French are here and there, 1 sup-
posed in ^^iLflit. to windward of him ; at last a frigate goes to look
for them, and iindn t iiem very safe in the Chesapeake. I much
fear for Lord Gornwullia : if something was not immediately done,
America is quite lost.
I arrived here on the tth instant with the Argo and Enterprize, l*i»>i«
and found about fifty sail in the Koads waiting for convoy ; but 6 ^v.i '
£hiiiior«.
■ Pablic fieooid Office : GftpUOiui' Letters. This letter is not given by Nioolae.
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LETTERS OF LORD NEI^SON
1781-62
upon infonnation £rom the consul here, 1 fiiul that they aro now
upon their passage, and in ten days or a fortnight there will arrive
here upwards of u hundred sail more, and afterwards there will be
near forty sail that will not be down the Baltic till near Christmas ;
therefore it is impoasible I can obey their lordships' order of taking
the last ships from the Baltic this season ; as waiting for those few
would endanger an immense fleet at this late season of the year.
In about three weeks from this day I think of sailing from hence;
if tlie wind is fair.
Phil.
Stephens,
18 l)ec.»
YarinouUj
Capt
22 Dec
R. v. Wm.
28 Jan.
1782.
Downs.
I arrived here vest» rilav noon in inv wav to the l)<i\vn>, >\ it!i
surli ships of the Jinltic tleet :is aio hoiiiul to l^ortsnioutli and
I'lymouth. The wind being far soutiierly and blowing fn-sh
obliged me to anchor here, and as it still continues in that quttrt**r
I cannot get from this place. Tlic instant the wind gets to the
westward, I shall make all despatch possible in getting to the
Downs.
I have almost been froze on the other side the water : here we
find it qnite summer. We have not had any snooess ; indeed, there
is nothing yon can meet, but what is in force : the Dutch have not
a single merchantman at sea. One privateer was in onr fleet, bat
it was not possible to lay hold of him. I chased him an hour, and
came fast up with him, but was nblieed to return to the fleet. I
tind since, it was the noted Fall, the pirate. . . . "What fools the Dutch
must have been not to have taken us into the Texi l. Tnvo hundred
and sixty sail the con \ oy consisted of. They behaved, as all convoys
that ever I saw did, shamefully ill ; parting company every day.
At eleven on Monday morning [1 January*], we sailed with
sixty-five sail, and next day, at noon, was at the back of the Good-
win Sands. The ships in the Downs took us for a Dutch fleet
going down Channel ; and many of the men-of-war were under sail
to come after us, when a cutter went in, and told them who we
were. We all got safe in that night, and next [day] I delivered my
charge up to the admiral. Here I have been laying ever since without
orders j nnd m such a long series of bad weather as is seldom met
with. ... At last I was ordered round to Portsmouth to take in
eight montlis' provisions, and 1 have no doubt wn^ monnt to go to
the East Indies with Sir Ricliard Bickerton, which i should have
liked exceediogly, bat alas, how short-sighted are the best of us.
On 2^ -Tnnnary, at eight in the morning, it blew a hard gale of wind
at NNW., a large East India store ship drove from her anchors,
■ PablloBsooid Offioe: O^^tains* Letten. This letter is not given hy NiooUs.
Digitized by Gopgle
1782 IN TU£ ALBEMA&LE 15
ami c.'uiic on board us. We have lost our fort^mast, and bowsprit,
mainyiird. larboard cathead, and (juarter irall>*ry, tlie sliip's heiid,
and stove in two phices on the larboard ^ide — all done in five
minutes. What a change! but yet we ought to be thankful we did
not founder. We have been employed since in getting jurj'-maats,
yuvU, and bowsprit, and stopping the holes in our sides. What is to
become of us now, I know not. She must go into dock, and I fear
mast bo paid ofi^ she has received so much damage.
I am now waiting at Spithead for a wind to bring me into the « Feix
harbour to be docked and repaired f what will become of me after-
wards I know not. ... I wish I conld congratulate yon upon a
rectoiy instead of a vicarage : it is rather awkward wishing the
poor man dead, but we all rise by deaths. I got my rank by a shot
killing a post^aptaiu, and 1 most sincerely liope 1 shall, when I
go, go out of [the] world the same way ; then we go all in the line
of our pi-ofession — a parson praying, a captain fighting.
I am ordered to Cork to join the iiiedalus, Captain Pringle, capt.
and go with a convoy to Quebec ; where, worse than all to tell, 1 Jj 'JJprii.
ouderstand 1 am to winter. I want much to [get] off from this
damned voyage, and believe, if I had time t^o look a little about
me, I conld get another ship. Mr. Adair, who afctonda on Mr.
Keppel, might tell him that in such a countty I shall be laid up :
for he *ha8 told me, that if I was sent to a cold damp climate, it
would make me worse than ever. Many of my navy friends have
advised me to represent my situation to Admiral Keppel, and they
have no doubt but he would give mo other orders, or remove me ;
but as I received my orders from Lord Sandwich, I can't help
thinking it wrong to mk Mr. Keppel to alter them.
Admiral Rarrington hoi.sts his [flag] after the court-martial is
assembled to-mnrrow, on board the Britannia. Lord Tiongford
introduced me to him this morning, and told him who I wns ; it is
from that quarter, could I stay long enough in port, that I expect
a better ship. Admiral Barrington takes twelve sail of the line,
as soon as ready ; he is in very good spirits ; he gets amongst all
the youngsters here, and leaves out the old boys.
We arrived here with the convoy on 1 July, and I sailed upon 19 Oct,
a cruise the 4th, and returned to Quebec on 1 7 September, knocked L*wrenc<>.
np with the scurvy ; having [for] eight weeks, myself and all the
officers [lived] upon salt lj<'ef ; nor had the ship's coDipuuy had a
fresh meal since 7 April. In the end. onr cruise has been an un-
successful one ; we have taken, seen, and destroyed more enemies
Digitized by Gopgle
16 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON * 1782
*
than is seldom done iu the same space of time, but not one arrived
in port. But, however, 1 do not repine at our loss: we have in
oMier things ]>evn very fortunate, for ou 14 Aiig"ustwe fell in with,
in Boston Bay, four siiil of the line, and the Iris, French man-of-
war, part of M, Vaudreail's squadron, who gave us a pretty dance
for between nine or ten hours ; but we beat all except the fi igate,
and thontrh we brought to for her, after we were out of sight of the
liiieK»f-battle ships, she tacked and stood from ns.' Oar escape I
think wonderftil : they were, upon the clearing np of a fog, within
shot of ns, and chased us the whole tlnie about one point from the
wind : the frigate, I &ncy, had not forgot the dressing Captain
Salter had given the Amason,' for daring to leave the line-of-battle
ships.
Rev. Edm. I expected to have sailed for Eii<^Hand on 1 Noveniln^r, but our
I9*0tt.* destination is now altered, for we sail with n fleet for New Vork
to-morrow; and troin there I think it very likely we shall ^o to
the grand theatre of actiouH, the West Indies ; but in our line of
life we are sure of no one thing. Wlien I reach New York, you
shall hear what becomes of me ; but whilst I have health it is
indifferent to me (were it not for the pleasure of seeing you and
my brothers and sisters) where I go.
Health, that greatest of blessings, is what I never truly enjoyed
till I saw fidr Canada. The change it has wrought, I am convinoed^
is truly wonderlul.
Capt. I found Lord Hood here upon my arrival, and I have requested
17 iiofv him to take me with him to the West Indies : he has wrote to
NswYork. Admiral Higby for nic, and I was to have sailed with [the] fleet as
this day, but for some private reasons, when my ship was under
sail from New York to join Lord Hood, at Saudy Hook, I was sent
for on shore, and told i was to be kept forty-oifxht hours after the
sailing of the fleet : it is much to my private advantage, but I had
much rather have sailed with the fleet : if there is wind enough
they sail this day. . . .
I am a candidate with Lord Hood for a line-of-battle ship :
he has honoured me highly by a letter, for wishing to go off this
station, to a station of service, and has promised me his friendship.
Prince William is with him ; I think it is a prelude to the Pigby^s
going off this station ; money is the great olject here, nothing else
is attended to.
' See finfe, p. r>.
3 29 July, 1782. See Beatson's Aav, and MU, M&tMin, vol. v. p. «46.
Digitized by Gopgle
IN TH£ ALB£MAKL£
Th»^ fleet arrived [at Port Royal] the ith instant, and I supi>()se S-** Feb.
will be ready for sea the last day of tliis month, althouf^'h stores (xn'lmne
are as scarce at Jamaica as ever : sixteen topmasts were wanted
for the line-or-battle ships, and there was not one in the island of
Jamaica ; and the fleet must have been sent to sea short of masts,
had not providentially a French mast-ship, belonging to Monsieur
Vandrenirs fleet, oome alongside the Albemarle, and was captured
by her. She has nearly a hundred topmasts for large ships, with
a number of lower masts and yards. She will clear upwards of
20,000^. What a good prize if the fleet had not been in sight.
Thev do not deserve to share for her: we had chased to lee-
wardj'aud she had passed every ship in tlie fleet without being
noticeVl. . . . Tliey had parted from Vaudrt'uil in a gale of wind,
and could not fetch St. John's, Porto Rico, which was tlieir rendez-
rons^ and therefore very fortunately came in onr way. The French
tloet, finding we were off" Monte Christi, went through the Mona
Pass.npfe, and have been seen in sight of the island of Cura^oa, but
when- they are God knows. I am sent out by Lord Hood to find
them if I can.
My situation in Lord Hood's fleet must be In the highest degree
flattering to any young man. He treats me as if I was his son,
and will, I am convinced, give me anything I can ask of him : nor
,18 my situation with Prince William less flattering. Lord Hood
was 80 kind as tx) tell him (indeed I cannot make use of expressions
strong enougli to describe wliat I felt), that if he wished to aak
(|uestions relative to naval tactics, T could give him as much in-
fonuation as any ofHcer in the fleet. lie will be, T am certain, an
ornament to our service. He is a seaman, which you could hardly
suppose. Every other qualification yon may expect from him.
But he will be a disciplinarian, and a strong one : he says he is
determined every person shall serve his time before they shall be
provided fbr, as he is obliged to serve his.
On Thursday, the 6t3i instant, a few leagues to windward of L«Md Hood
Monte Christi, I fell in with his Majesty's ship Besistance, Captain ^
King. From him I received information that the French had
taken the Turk's Island, on VS I'eljruary, with one hundred and
fifty regulars, and three vesstds of war.
As it would be very little loss in my getting to the eastward,
making tho Turk's Island, T determined to look what situation the
French were in, and if possible to retake it. ITie Tartar, who
joined company a few hours afterwards, I ordered to put herself
under my command, whiph, with the Besistance and La Coquette,
0 ^
Digitized by Gopgle
18
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1783
a Freucli ship of war, prize to t he Kesistance, made a tolerable out^
ward show. On Friday evening, the Albemarle, Resistance, and
Drake, aachort^d at the island. The Tartar, Captain Fairfax, I
imagine, ooold not keep Mb anchorage upon the bank. He went
to sea, nor have T heard or seen anything of him since. I can have
no donbt kmt Ci4>tain Fairfax haa good reaaons why he did not join
me again. This rednced our amall force one-third (the Goqnette, a
laiger ahip, kept off and on the whole time of onr stay). I sent
Captain Dixon on shore with a flag of tmoe to demand a snrrender
of the Islands. With mnch confidence of his snperior situation,
the commander of the French troops sent au answer that he should
defend kimsolf.
On Saturday morning, at daylight, one hundred and sixty-
seven seamen and marines were landed from the ships under the
command of Captain Charles JJixon, who very much obliged me by
offering to command them. At eleven o'clock, Captain Dixon
thought a division of the enemy's force might be made by sendin^f
the brigs off the town, to give him an opportunity of pndiingonto
the enemy's works. I ordered the Drake, under the command of
Lieutenant Hinton, and the Admiral Barrington, Lieutenant Cun-
ningham, who joined at this instant, to go off the town, and batter it.
Upon their getting ^vithin shot, I was very much surprised to see a
battery of three guns open upon them, but notwithstanding such
au unexpected attack, they were both brought t-o an anchor opposite
the battery in a masterly manner ; and the steady constant fire
they kcjit up for upwards of an hour, does f^reat honour to the
gentlemen who commanded tht iii, and to their officers and men.
The master of the Drake is wounded, and the boatswain and six
men aboard the Admiral Barrington. Captain Dixon at this time
observed that the gims were fought by seamen, and that the troops
were waiting to receive him with several field-pieces ; and that they
had a post upon the side of the hill with two pieces of cannon.
With such a force, and their strong situation, I did not think any-
thing further could be attempted.
After all my tossing about into various climates, here at last am
I arrived, safe and sound. I found orders for the Albemarle to be
paid off at this place. On Monday next I hope to be rid of her.
My people I fancy will be pretty quiet, if they are not set on by
some of the ships here.
The Albemarle was paid off on Thursday, 3 July,
My time, ever since I arrived in town, has been taken up in at-
C«pt
Locker,
26 Jnne.
Ports-
moath.
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178$
VISIT TO FRANCE
19
tempting to get the wages due to my good fellows, for various ships cnpt.
they have served in the war. The (lis<.'ust of the seameii to the 12" July,
navj is all owing to the infernal plan of taming them over from i^xoOxm.
ship to ship, so that men cannot be attached to their officers, or the
officers care twopence about them.
My ship was paid off last week, and in sach a manner that must
flatter any officer, in particular in these tnrbnlent times. The whole
ship's company offered, if I could get a ship, to enter for her ini-
raediately ; but 1 have no thought of going to sea, for I cannot
afford to live on board ship in such a manner as is going on at
present.
Yesterday, Lord iiuod carried me to Saint James's, where the
king was exceedingly attentive : on Monday or Tuesday I am to
he at Windsor, to take leave of Prince William, previous to his
embarkation for the Continent.
In October, Ndson obtained six months' leave to go to France, and
left London on the Slst, in comiMuty with Captain Macnama^^ an old
messmate in the Bristol. On their way, thoy visited Captain Locker
at Mailing, slept at his house, and went on to Dover the next day.
We slept at Dover, and next morning at seven o'clock put to Capt.
Bea with a fine north-west wind, and at half-past ten we were safe 2%Iy?
at breakfui^t in Monsieur Grandsire's house at Calais. Jiis mother St»Omer«
kept it wlieii liugai Ui wrote lim ' (Jate of Calais.' Sterne's * 8outi-
meiital Journey 'is the best descrijftion J can ^nve of onr tour.
Mac advinetl me to first to St. Onier, as he had experienced the
difficulty of attempting to fix in any place where there are no
Eng-li^^h ; afler dinner we set off, intended for Montnmil, sixty
miles from Calais : they told us we travelled eii poste^ but I am sure
we did not get on more than four miles an hour. I was highly
diverted with looking what a curious figure the postilions in their
jack boots, and their rats of horses, made together. Their chaises
have no t^prings, and the roads generally paved like London streets ;
therefore you will naturally suppose we were pretty well shook
together by the time we had travelled two posts and a half, wliieh
is fifteen miles, to Marquise. Here we [were] shown into an inn
—they called it^ — I should have called it a pigstye : wcwere shown
into a room witli two straw beds, and, witli great diflRrulty, they
mustered up clean sheets ; and gave us two pigeons for supper,
upon a dirty cloth, and wooden-handled knives — 0 what a transition
from happy England !
But we laughed at the repast, and went to bed with the deter-
minataon that nothing should ruffle our tempers. Having slept very
c 2
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20
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
178a
welly we set oft' at daylight for Boulogne, where we breakfasted :
this place was fall of English, I suppose because wine is so very
cheap. Wewent on after breakfast forMontreuil, and passed tlirough
the finest com conntij that mj eyes ever beheld, diversified with
fine woods, sometimes for two miles together through noble forests.
The roads mostly were planted with trees, which made as fine an
avenne as to any gentleman's country seat. Montreail is thirty
miles from Boulogne, situated upon a small hill, in the middle of a
fine plain, which reached as far as the eye could carry you, except
towards th«» sea, which is about twelve miles from it. We put up
at the same house, and with the same jolly hiudlord that recom-
mended Lo Flenr to Sternf. Iler<> we wishi'd mueli to have fixed,
but neither good lodgings, or masters, could bo had here ; lor there
are no middling class of people : sixty noblemen's families lived in
the ton n who owned the vast plain round it, and the rest very poor
indeed. This is the very finest country for game that ever was ;
partridges twopence halfpenny a couple, pheasants and woodcocks
in proportion, and in short, every species of poultry. We dined,
su pped, lay, and breakfasted next day, Saturday : then we proceeded
on our tour, leaving Montrenil you wiU suppose with gr-eat regret.
Wo reached Abbeville at eight o'clock : but unluckily for us,
two Englishmen, one of whom called liimsolf Lord Kingsland, T can
hardly suppose it to be him, and a Mv. l^ullock, deeajuped atthrpf
o'clock that afternoon in debt to every shojikecper in the place.
These gentlemen kept elegant houses, horses, &c. : we found the
town in an uproar ; and as no masters could be had at this place
that could speak a word of EiiLdish, and that all masters that
could speak Eni^lish ixrammatically attended at the places that are
frequented by the English, which is, St. Omer, Lisle, Dunkirk, and
Boulogne, to the northward of Paris, and as I had no intention of
travelling to the South of France till the spring at any rate, I
determined, with Mac^s advice, to steer for St. Omer, where we
arrived last Tuesday : and I own I was surprised to find that in-
stead of a dirty, nasty town, which I had always heard it repre-
sented, [it is] a large city, well paved, good streets, and well lighted.
We lodge in a plea^iant l^rouch family, and have our dinners
sent from a {rnitevrft. There are two very a^^eeable young ladies,
daugKters, who honour us with their company pretty oflen : one
always makes our breakfast, and the other our tea, and play a game
at cards in an evening. Therefore I must learn French if 'tis only
for the pleasure of talking to them, for they do not speak a word of
English. Here are a great number of English in this place, but
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1763-64
RESIDENCE AT ST. OMER
21
we visit only two families ; for if I did I should never speak French.
Two noble captains are here— Ball and Shepard ; ' yon do not know,
I believe, either of them ; they wear fine epaulettes, for which I
think them great coxcombs : ' they have not visited me, and I shall
not, be assured, court their acquaintance.
Since 1 wrote last I have been very near coming to iMiglaiid, 26 Nov
occasioned by the melancholy account I have received of my dear
aiater's death.' My father, whose grief upon the occasion was in-
tolerable, is, I liope, bett(>r ; therefore I shall not come over. She
died at Bath after a nine days' illness, in the 2l8t year of her age ;
it was occasioned by coming ontof the ball-room immediately after
dancing.
The French goes on but slowly \ but patience, of which you
know I hare not mnch, and perseverance, will, I hope, make me
master of it. Here are two navy captains. Ball and Shepard, at
tliis place, but we do not visit ; they are very fine gentlemen with
epaulettes : you may sup pose I hold them a little cheap iur putting
on any part of a Frenchman's uniform.
Amongst the few friends Kelson made at St. Omer was Mr.
Andrews, a clergyman, with two dauj^ters, one of whom Nelson
described as * very beautiful,* ' the most accomplished woman my eyes
ever beheld.' Her charms made havoc of his heart, and led him,
immediately on liis retiir?^ to England, to write a letter to his uncle, in
whioh, after some preamble, he went on ;
There is a lady I have seen, of a good family and connections, Wm. SDck>
bat with a small fortun€H-l,00<yi. I nnderstand. The whole of my n^J."^*"'
income does not exceed 13U/. per annum. Now I must come to
the point : will you, if I should marr}', allow me yearly 100/. until
my income is increased to that sum, either by employment, or any
other way ? A very few years I hope would turn something up,
if my friends will but exert themselves. If you will not give me
the above snm, will yon exert yourself with either Lord North or
Mr. Jenkinson, to get me a gnard-'Ship, or some employment in a
public office where the attendance of the principal is not necessary,
and of which they must have such numbers to dispose of? In the
India Service I understand (if it remains nnder the Directors) their
marine force is to be under the command of a captain in the Boyal
Navy : that is a station I should like.
' Alexander John Ball, aftttwuds one of Ke]M»i*s most valued Mends, and
James Keith Shepard.
' Epaalettes were first ordered to be worn as part of the EogUsb naval onifonu
on 1 June, 1795.
* Anne Nelaon died 15 November 1788.
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22 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1784
You mtist excuse tlie freedom with which this letter ift dictated ;
not to have been plain and explicit in my diatresB had been cniel
to myself. IS nothing can be done for me, I know what I have to
trust to. Life is not worth preserving without happiness ; and I
care not where I may linger out a miserable existence. I am pre-
pared to hear yonr refusal, and have fixed my resolution if that
should happen ; but in ©very situation, I shall bo a well-wisher to
you and your family, and pray they or you may never know the
pansrs which at this instant tear my heart.
It is believed that Mr. Suckling generously acceded to this request ;
but for somo reason, which does not appear, the marriage did not take
place. There was, however, no breach of friendly relations ; and George
Andrews, a brother of the young lady, afterwards servetl witli Nelson
as midshipman or lieutenant both in the Boreas and Agamemnon.
Rev. w. I arrived in town on Saturday week, but my time has been so
^0 !}an tniich taken up by running at the ring of pleasure, that I have
Londiio. almost neglected all my Mends ; — ^for London has so many charms
that a man's time is wholly taken up. . . .
The present Ministry will stay in, there is no doubt, in spite
of Mr. Fox and all that party. If the Ministry had not a majority
to-day, it is confidently asserted the Parlianu'iit w ill be dissolved,
r hope it will, that the people may have an opi>ortuiHty of sending
men that will support their interests, and get rid of a turbulent
faction who are strivincf to rni!i their count rv.
Capt. 1 have paid my visit to Lord liowe,' who asked nie if I wished
28Jiia' ^ ^ employed, which I told him I did, therefore it is likely he will
give me a ship. I shall not conclude my letter till iat<e, as perhaps
I may hear how matters are likely to go in the House of Commons.
Lord Hood's Mends are canvassing, although not openly, for his
interest in case of a dissolution ; and it is confidently asserted that
Mr. Fox will never get Westminster again. I dined on Wednesday
with his lordship, who expressed the greatest friendship for me,
that his house was always open to me, and that the oflener I came
the happier it would make him.
Rev, W. I wish sincerely your business had been got throutrh Ijefore the
Nrfwm, late Administration were turned out. If you are not to get it Ix'fore
Bath. they come into power again, 1 am afraid you will stay a long while.
As to your having enlisted under the banners of the Walpoles, you
might as well have enlisted undei- those of my grandmother, lliey
are altogether the merest set of cyphers that ever existed — ^in public
affairs I mean. Mr. Pitt, depend upon it, will stand against all
> Then First Lord of the Admiralty.
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1784 COMMISSIONS THE BOREAS 23
oppoflitioii : an bon6efe tmm must always in time get the better of
A villain ; bnt I hove done with politics ; let who will get in, I shall
be left ont.
In about a week or fortnight I think of letnming to the Conti-
nent, till autumn, when I shall bring a liorse, and stay tho winter
at Buriiiiam. I return to many chaniunL'' wf inrn, but no charming
woman will retnm with me. I want to be a proficient in tlie
laneniacre. which is my only reason for returning. I hate their
country and their manners.
Yesterday I was appointed to the command of tlie Boreas frigate. i9 March,
She is ready to sail from Woolwich, but to what part of the world
I know not. My wish is to get the East India station. I have
not taken poflsession yet, bnt I am told she is a veiy fine frigate,
well manned, and ready to sail, so tiiat probably my next will
be firom the Nore or the Downs. I can't say any more at pre-
sent, being fblly employed in spending my money to fit my ship
out.
I understand she is going to the Leeward Islands ; and I am Capt.
asked to carry out Lady Hughes ' and her family — a very modest asM^h.
request, I think : but I cannot refuse, as I am to be under tlie
command of this gentleman, so I must put up with the incon-
venience and expense, two things not exactly to my wish. The
ship is full of yonng midshipmen, and everybody is asking me to
take some one or other. 1 am told she is well officered and
nuumed ; I wish I may find her so.
Ton ask, by what interest did I get a ship ? I answer, having it«v. w.
served with credit was my recommendation to Lord Howe, First
Lord of the Admiralty. Anything in reason that I can ask, I am
sure of obtaiiuiig from his justice.
Tins morning, 1 received information that sixteen of his phii.
Majesty's subjects were detained by force on board of a Dutch fl^JJ^JJlJi^
Indiaman, upon which I demanded and received them on board. Downs,
The master of the ship has refused, notwithstanding all azgnments
that I could make nee of (fay the lieutenant), to give up their
chests, upon pretence they are in debt to the ship, although most
of them have been fbmr or five months in the Dntch India Gom-
psny's service. Having repeatedly refused to give up their
clothes, I have ordered that no boi^ shall be permitted to go on
board, or to leave the ship; and have ordered the Nimble cutter
' Wi£e ol Sir Biofaavd Uogfaes, OoimDaiider.iii-Glii«f oa tlie IiMfwaxd lalands
station.
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24
LETTERS OP LORD NELSON
1784
7 KM.
Locker*
21 ApfiL
Porti-
BMnitli.
to pat the above ordera into execation. I must desire as soon
as possible to have their lordships' orders how to act upon this
occasion.
I beg you will also assure their lordships that every politeness
and attention has been shown to the Dutchman upon this occasion.
I have sent to acquaint liiin that he will not be buffered to leave
the Downs till lln^ matter is settled.
All disputes with the Dutch East Indiaman are amicably
settled, the master having given up their clothes, bedding, (^c.
Since I parted firom yon, 1 have encountered many disagree-
able adventures. Hie day after I left you, we sailed at day-
light, just after high water. The damned pilot — it makes me
swear to think of it — ran the ship agronnd, where she lay with so
little water that the people conld walk round her till next high
water. That night and part of the next day, we lay below the
Nore with a hard gale of wind and snow ; Tuesday I got into the
Downs 5 on Wednesday I got into a quarrel with a Dutch India-
nmn whu had Englishmen on hoard, whicli we settkMl. after some
difficulty. The Dutchmau has made a complaint agaiust me ; but
the Admiralty fortunately have appro\ etl m\ conduct in the business,
a thing they are not very guilty of where tliere is a likelihood of a
scrape. And yesterday, to complete me, 1 was riding a blackguard
horse that ran away ?rith me [on the] Common, carried me round all
the works into Portsmouth, by the London gates, through the town,
out at the gate that leads to [the] Common, where there was a wsggon
in the road, which is so veiy narrow that a horse could barely pass.
To save my legs, and perhaps my life, I was obliged to throw myself
from the horse, which I did with great agility, but unluckily upon
hard stones, which has hurt my beck and my leg, but done no other
mischief. It was a thousand to one that 1 luid not been killed.
To crown all, a young girl was riding with me ; her horse ran away
with mine ; })ut most fortunately a gallant young man s.'ized her
horse s Ijridle a moment before 1 dismounted, and saved her from
the destruction which ahe could not have avoided.
Rrv. W
kelson,
SSApiiL
Come when you please, I shall be ready to receive you. Bring
your canonicals and sermons. Do not bring any Bumham servants.
In less than a fortnight my ship will not sail. I have a fine
talkative lady for you to converse with.
Mr. Nelson accordingly joined the Boreas as chaplain, and went out
in her to the West Indies ; but after a few muutiis waii obliged to
retum to England on account id his health.
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1784-86 THE BOREAS IN THE WEST INDIES 25
We arrived here on the Ist' after a pleasant passage, the ladies
qnite well, and satisfied with the ship. Td-morrow I sail, for I am 7 june.*
tired of this place, and Lady Huorhes wishes to see her luisband :
is nobody that I can make a confidant of. The little man, Sandys,^
is a good-natured laughing creature, but no more of ?hi ' fflcer as a
captain than he was as a lieutenant. Was it not for Mrs. Moutray/
who is yery, very good to me, I should almost hang myself at this
infernal hole. Onr admiral* is tolerable, but I do not like him, he
hows and scrapes too much for me ; his wife has an eternal clack, so
that I go near them as little as possible : in short, I detest this
country, but as I am embarked upon this station I shall remain in
my ship. Our ears here ai*e full of wars m the Enst ; is there any
likelihood of u war ? I am in a fine [^condition] for the beginning
of one ; well officered and manned.
This station is far from a pleasant one. Tlie admiral and all 28iioy.
about him are great ninnies. . . '. Coll. desires me to say he will write
you soon such a letter that yon will think it a history ol' the West
Indies. Whatanamiablegood man heis! all the rest are geese. . . .
I am in my way to examine a harbour said to be situated in the
island of St. John's, capable, it is supposed, to contain a fleet of
men-of-war during the hurricane seasons. It is odd this fine
harbour, if such a one there is, should not have been made use of
long ago; but there is an order from the Admiralty to send a
frigate to examine it : it is said here to belong to the Danes ; if
BO, they will not let me survey it.*
The Ioniser I am upon this station the worse T like it. Our 15Jao.
commander has not that opinion of his own sense that he ought to g^, gaus*
have. He is led by the advice of the islanders to admit the
Yankees to a trade; at least to wink nt it. Tie does not give
himself that weight that I think an English admiral ought to do. '
I. for one, am determined not to suffer the Yankees to come where
my ship is ; for I am sure, if once the Americans are admitted
to any kind of intercourse with tiiese islands, the views of the
' Ciitbbert (nfterwnrrls Lord) CoUingwood, then oomnuuiding the Mediator.
' Chaxles Sandys, Captain of the Latoua.
* Wife of Captain John Moutray, oommissioner of the navj at Antigua.
* Sir Riofaard Hiighea.
* The survey was, however, macic : the original chart, signed * Horatio NelMD,'
is iu the Public Becotd Office, Admirals' Despatches, Leeward IslaQda, No. B.
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26 LETTERS OF LORD NEI^N 1785-«6
loyalists in settling Nova Scotia are entirely done awaj. They
will first become the carriers, and next have possession of our
islands, are we ever again embroiled in a French war. The
residents of these islands aze Americans by connection and by
interest, and are iniTnical to Oreat Britain. They are as great
rebeb as ever were in America, had they the power to show it.
After what I have said, yon will believe I am not very popular
with the people. They have never visited rae, and I have not
had a foot in any house since I have been on the statioii, ami
all for doing my duty by btnng true to the interests of (Treat
Britain. A petition from tlie president and council lia^s gone
to the governor-general and admiral, to request the admission
of Americans. I have given my answer to the admiral upon
the subject ; how he will like it I ]znavr not : but I am deteo^
mined to suppress the admission of foreigners all in my power.
I have told the customs that I will complain if they admit any
foreigner to an entiy:— an American arrives; sprang a leak, a
mast, and what not, makes a protest, gets admittance^ sells his
cargo fbr ready money ; goes to Martinique, buys molasses, and so
round and round. But I hate them all. The loyalist cannot do it,
consequeutly must sell a little dearer.
We have here tho th*st montion of n diflRcalt and intricate business
which lasted during? tiic whole time the Boreas was upon the station,
and afterwards. The letters and papers on the subject, addressed to
the admiral, the Admiralty, tlie secretary of stiite, and the king himself,
are numerous and lengthy. In June 1786 Nelson drew up a very long
and exhaustive narrative, sevend copies of which appear to have been
circtdated ; but those exact details have now little interest, and the
story is told with sufficient fullness in a letter to Captain Locker, dated
off Martinique, 5 March, 1786.
Cpt Itwasnearthe hurricane months when I arrived in this conn-
6iij!w4i, consequently nothing could be done till they were over in
17SS. November, when the squadron arrived at Barbadoes, and the ships
were to be sent to the different islands, \\ ith orders only to examine
the anchorages, and wliether there wtus wood and wat-er. This did
not appear to me to be the intent of placing mtm-of-war in
peaceable tunes ; therefore 1 asked ColUngwood to go with me (for
his sentiments and mine were exactly similar) to the admiral. I
then asked him if we were not to attend to the commerce of our
country, and to take care that the British trade was kept in those
channels that the navigation laws pointed out* He answered, he
had no orders, nor had the Admiralty sent him any Acts of Parlia-
ment. I told him it was very odd, as every captain of a man-of-war
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1786
ENFOBGES THE NAVIOATION ACT
was farnished with the statutes of the Admiraltv, in which was the
Navigation Act, wliich Act was directed to admiraUi, captains, Ac.,
to see it carried into execation. He said he had never seen the
book; but having produced and read the laws to him, he seemed
convinced that men-of-war were sent abroad for some other purpose
than to he made a show of. (The rebel Americans at this time
filled our ports.) Sir Richard then gave orders to all the squadron
to see the Navigation Act carried into execution. When I went
to my station at St. Kitts, 1 turned away all the reliels, not
clioosiTiLT to s(4ze iliem at that time, as it would have appeared a
trap tor them.
In December, to my astonishment, comes down an order from
him, telling us he had received good advice, and requiring na not
to liinder the Americans from coming in, and having free egress
snd regress, if the governors chose to allow them ; and a copy of
the order he sent to the governors and presidents of the islands.
The General Shirley and others began by sending letters not he
different from orders, that he should admit them in such and
such situations ; telling me the admiral had left it to them,
but they thought it right to It t me know it. Mr. Shirley I soon
trimmed up and silenced. Sir Richard Hughes' was a more
delicate Ijiisinc.^^s ; I must either disol>ey my orders, or disobey
Acts of Parliament, which the admiml was disobeying. I de-
termined npon the fonner, tmsting to the uprightness of my
intention, and believed that my country would not allow me to
he ruined by protecting her commerce. I first, to Sir Richard,
expatiated npon the navigation laws to the beet of my ability ;
told him I was certain some person had been giving him advice,
which he would be sorry for having taken against the positive
directions of an Act of PSsriiament ; and that I was certain Sir
Richard had too much regard for the commerce of Great Britain to
suffer our worst enemies to take it from us; and that too at a
time when Grent Britain was btraiiiiug every norv<' to suppress
illegal trade at home, which only nffectcd the reV' nun ; and that
T hoped we should not be singular in allowing a much more
I iiiaous traffic to be carried on under the king's flag ; and in short,
that I should decline obeying his orders, till I had an opportunity
of set ing and talking to him, at the same time making him an
At fast, I hear, he was going to send a captab to supersede
me ; but having mentioned the matter to his captain, he was told
that he believed all the squadron thought he had sent illegal
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28
LKTTEItS OF LORD NELSON 17e&-86
orderSi therefore did not know how far they were obliged to obey
them. This being their Bentiments, he could not tiy me here, and
now he iinda I am all right, and thanks me for having put him right.
I told the custom^ioases I shonld, after sach a day, seize all
foreigners in oor islands, and keep them out to the utmost of my
power till that time : the custom-honses fancied I cotdd not seize
without a deputation, therefore disregarded my threats. In May
last T seised the first : I had the governor^ the cnstoms, all the
plauttTs upon me ; subscriptions were soon filled to prosecute
me ; and my adiniral stocid neuter, althou^Hi liis tlair was then in
the roadH. Before tlie first ves.^t'l was trit*d, I liad seized four
others ; and havin«r sent for tlie masters on boani to examine
them, and the marines on board the vessels, not allowing some of
them to go on nhore, I had writs taken out against me, and
damaGfes laid for the enormous sum of 4,000/. sterling.
When the trial came on, I was protected by the judge for the
day ; but the manihal was desired to arrest [me], and the merchante
promised to indemnify them for the act; but tiie judge having de-
clared he would send him to prison if he dared to do it, he desisted.
I fortunately attached myself to an honest lawyer; and don*t let
me forget, the President of Nevis offered in court to become my
bail for 10,000/. if I cliube to suffer the arrest. He told tht»ni I
had done only my duty ; and although he Piiffered mon^ in jiropor-
tion than any of them, he could not ])lame nie. At last, afttT a
trial of two days, we carried our cause, and the vessel© were
condemned. I was a close prisoner on board for eight weeks, for
had I been taken, I most assuredly should have been cast for the
whole sum. I had nothing left but to send a mem<»nal to the
king, and he was good enough to order me to be defended at his
expense, and sent order? to Mr. Shirley to afibrd me every
assistance in the execution of my duty, and referring him to my
letters, &c., as there was in them what concerned him not to have
buffered.
The Treasury J by the last packet, has transmitted thanks to
8ir Richard Hughes, and the officers under Ihth, for their activity
and zeal in protecting the connuerce of (ireat iintam. Had they
known what 1 have told you (aud if my friends think I may,
without impropriety, tell the story myself, I shall do it when I get
home), I don't think tie y would have bestowed thanks in that
quarter and have neglected me. I feel much hurt that after the
loss of health and risk of fortune, another should be thanked for
what I did against his orders. I either deserved to be sent out of
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1785 THE C0HMIS8I0I>i£R'S BROAD PENNANT 29
the service, or nt ]>>ast liiivo Imd .some little notie'c taki n of me.
They have thought it worthy of notic-e, and liave neglected me; if
this is the reward for a faithful discharge of my duty, I shall be
careful and never stand forward again ; but I have done my duty,
and have nothing to aocuae myself of.
Tins mtricafce question had scarcely been raised l>c*fore Nelson found
himself entangled In another, of more peculiarly professional interest.
It was, at tiiat lame, the custom of the Admiralty to a|)point to every
dockyard, at home or abroad, a captain of the navy, on half -pay, as a
oommisdoner. These appointments were considered to be, and actually
•were, purely civil. It was established hy numerous precedents that the
officers holding them had no executive authority. It was tlicrefore, hy
sume extreme carelessness, or want of apprehension, that Sir Richard
Hughes authorised Captain Moutray, the commissioner at Antigua, to
hoist a broad pennant in the absence of the flag ; and issued an oider
to the severs! captains * to conform themselves to Captain Montray's
directions, to apply to him for all necessary orders relating to the duty
and business of the port, so far as the ship under tlieir several com-
mands mifj;ht he concerned, and to show liim all tlie usual marks of
respect due to an officer wearing a distiuguishing pennant.' The corre-
spondence tells the rest.
Some damages having happened to the Boreas, ahe was obliged sir R.
to go into English Harbour to get them repaired. The Latona ""feb?
was laying there, with a broad pennant flying at the main top- j^****
gallant masthead. Upon inqnirv. T found CommihMtiiier Moutray
had directed Captain Sandys to lii isf it; but as Captain Sandys
had no orders from yon to receive it, 1 did not think prosier to pay
the least attention to it, well knowing that Mr. Moutray was not
second officer in the command in English Harbour daring the
hurricane season. Whatever he had been before I know no^ but
I looked upon him as efl^tually superseded by my sitting as
president of court-martials when he was. upon the spot in his naval
aniform, and acting in an officisl capacity as a commissioner of
the navy. I feel it a misfortune that so young a captain should
be the senior upon this station. Had it been otherwise, a man of
more service must have been in the unpleasant situation in which
I stand ; but my best endeavours, however deficient tliey may be,
shall always be e.verted in suppoiiin^' the dignity of my brother
cai^taina, and T trust we shall also have the support of such a
character as Sir Tlichard PTnc^hes.
Having lately held a correspondence with Sir liichard Hughes, P^n.
and Mr. Moutray, a commissioner of his Majesty's navy, resident li'^fJb?
at the island of Antigua, upon the su1)jcct of a distinguishing
pennant which the said commissioner thinks he has not only a
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30
LETTERS OF LORD NEl^N
1786
right to hoist on hokitd any oiu* of his Mjij. sfy's ships, but al.so to
direct the operations of his Majest} 8 squadron upon this station
in the absence uf the admiral, the whole of the papers upon this
subject Sir Richard Hughes has done me the honour to say lie
shidl inclofle to yoa for their lordshipiB' information ; therefore it ia
only neceBwy for me to elucidate and explain the motives that
liave actuated my conduct through the whole of this basinew.
The matter is grounded upon my idea (for I never saw any
commiasion whatever) that Mr. Moutray is not commisaoned in
such a manner as will anthorise him to take upon him the liberty
of lioi^ting a broad pennant, or the directing the captains of his
Zilajesty's ships; but let me first beg their lordships svill l>e assurud
that 1 never have received dflicial information that Coniinissioner
Moutray is appointeil a commodore upon this station, or put in any
commission, but that of commissioner of the navy. 1 must beg
their lordships' indulgence to hear reasons for my conduct, that it
may never go abroad into the world, I ever had an idea to dispute
the orders of my superior officer; neither admiral, commodore, or
captain.
I arrived in English Harbour, 28 July, 1784, to lay up for
the hurricane season. Till 1 November, 1784, numerous were the
orders I received, and eventually with this direction, to ' Horatio
Nelson, Esq., captain of his JNIaj* t^ty's ship Boreas, and second
oHicer in the coiniuaiid of his ^Slajestv's ships in English llarlx)ur,
Antififiin.' At this tiino, T need not tf» say that Mr. Moutray was
not a coniiiiodore : the wholr of tin* sfjiuidron did, I am sure, look
upon him as a half-pay captain, commissioner of the navy. Thus
the matter stood for three times that I went into English
Harbour. At St. Christ/opher's I heard, as their lordships w ill be
informed, tliat (Commissioner Moutray was authorised to hoist a
distinguishing or broad pennant. I did not pretend to think upon
the matter: it might probably be so, and my answer to the admiral
was, that if Commissioner Moutray was put into commission, I should
have great pleasure in serving under him. I have no doubt that
Sir llichard Hughes believed that Mr. Moutray was conmiissioned
as a commodore ; but :it the same time I trust that he thought
that the officers under his comtuiiud iviicw their duty too well, to
obey any lialt-pay captain ; and that lit- miLrht safely trust the
honour of the navy to those under liim (that they would not act
improperly u})on this business), and that they would be well
informed that the man who they received orders from, was em-
powered to give them.
Digitized by Gopgle
1785 THE OOMHISSIONERB BBOAD PENNANT
On 5 F('l)riiary, 1785, upon my arrival in Etiglish Harboiir, I
found the Latona with a broad pennant flying. As her captain
was junior to me^ I sent to know the reason for her wearing it.
Her captain came oa board, who I asked the following qaesdons :
Q. Have you any order from Sir Richard Hoghes to wear a
broad pennaat? A* No.
<2* For what reason do yon then wear it in the presence of a
senior officer?
A. I hoisted it by order of Commissioner Montray.
Q. Have you seen by what atithority Commissioner ^loutray
was empowered to £^ve you orders ? A. No.
Q. Sir, you li:ive acted wrong, to oix^y any man who you do
not know is nntlini is.-d to command you.
A. I feel i have acted wrong; but being a young captain,
did not tliink proper to interfere in this matter, as there were yon
and other older officers npon this station.
I did not choose to order the commissioner's pennant to be
Btracky as Mr. Montray is an old officer of high military character;
and it might hnrt his feelings to be supposed wrong by so young
an officer. When Commissioner Montray sent me orderSy I an*
swered him, that I oonld not obey him till he was in commisaion.
As I never heard further upon the subject from him, I took for
granted he saw I was perfectly rit,Hit, or he would have produced
his commission, wliicli would instantly have cleared up the business,
if it was dated since 1 had, by or 1 i > from Sir Richard Ilughe^f,
executed the office of second in command in English Harbour.
This is the whole and every circumstance that has arisen upon
this business, and have from time to Ume confirmed me in the
opinion, that I am second officer in the command of his Majesty's
ships npon this station.
The Admiralty minute on this letter, May 4, 1 785, is : ' However
improper he might oonceive Mr. Moutray 's appointment to have been, he
would have done weU to have submitted his doubts to the commander-
in-chief upon the station, instead of taking upon liiioaelf to control
the exerciw* of the functions of his appointment.' The minute of the
same date, on Sir Ricliard Hughes's I' ttor on this subject, is : ' i\jiswor
this conformable to the minute just now s< nt out upon Captain Nelson's
letter. But that as the appointment ot a commissioner oi tiio navy ut
Antigua has been disoontmued, it is unnecessary for their lordships to
send any particular instruction for preventing anything of the like
kind happening in future.' '
' P.R.O. Admiials' Despatches, Leeward i&lands, ^u. 6. The ininnte seems to
hsTtt escaped tiie search ok Nkolas, who sayi in a note to this correspondence that
*thetr ki^ehlps* decision had not been (onnd.*
Digitized by Gopgle
32
LETTJEiiS OF LOUl) NELSON
1785
Hirongh all this dispute, however, there was no iU-feeUng towards
the cotnnussioner, to whom Nelson was wannly attached, and whose
wife he adored. She it was of whom he wrote :
My dear sweet friend is going home. I am really an Ajjril
day, happy on ber account, but truly <(ricvcd were I only to con-
sider myself. Her e(iuttl 1 never saw in any country or in any
situation. She always talks of you, and hopes, if she comes within
your reach, you will not fail visiting her. If my dear Kate goes to
Bath next winter, she will be known to her ; for my dear friend
has promised to make herself known. What an aoqnieition to any
female to be acqnainted with : whaft an example to take pattern
from. Moutray has been very ill : it would have been necessary
he should have qnitted this oonntry, had he not been recalled*
All my children are well except one, young Andrews. He came
out in the Unicom : do vou remember him ? On 1 1 November
last, he was forced by Mr. Stainsbuiy to fii^'ht a duel, which
terminated fatally for the poor lad : the ball is lodged in his
back, and whetlicr he will ever get the better of it (iod knows.
He has kept his bed ever since. His antagonist, and Mr.
Oliver, his second, are iii irons since the duel. They will stand
a good chance of hanging if the youth should unfortunately
die.
Moutray is gone kome a few days ago, so that I lose my only
valuable friend in these islands. . . . All the navy are very
unpopular, from the governor downwards, for hindering the
American ships from trading to the islands. I seldom go on
shore, hardly once a month. . . . Our admiral with his family are
just making the toni ol the islands; they find, probably, more
satisfaction in visiting thorn than 1 do, for tlicy are a «ttl set.
Yp<?terday being 8t. Patrick s Day. the Irish colours with thirt<*en
stripes in them waiR hoisted all over tlie town. I was engaged to
dine with the president, but sent an excuse, as he suffered those
colours to fly. I mention it only to show the principle of these
vagabonds.
• Deprived of the society of Mrs. Moutray, Kelson was not long in
devoting himself to JNTi s. Nisliet, a ynimg widow, to whom, within a
few months, he became engaged. And iis before, whon ho had hoped to
marry Miss Andrews, so now again he had recourse to his uncle.
When I open my business, yon will perhaps smile in the
first instance, and say, 'This Horatio is for ever in love.' My
present nttMchnieat is of pretty long standing; but 1 was deter-
mined to be fixed befoi*e 1 broke this matter to any person. The
Digitized by Gopgle
1786 PROPOSES TO MARRi 33
*
lady 18 a Mrs. Nisbet, widow of a Dr. Nisbet, wlio died eighteen '
months after her marriage, and has left her with a son. From her
m&Qcy (for her father and mother died when she was only two
years of age), she has been brought up by ber mother's brother,
Mr. Herbert, President of Ntn-is, a gentleiiiini whose fortune and
character tiuist be well known to all the West Indian merchants,
therefore I shall say nothin? npon that head. Her age in twenty-
two ; and her personal accompli shraents you will suppose / think
equal to any person's I ever saw : but, without vanity, her mental
accomplishments are superior to most people's of either sex ; and
we shall come together as two persons most sincerely attached to
each other from friendship. Her son is under her gfoardianship,
hut totally independent of her.
Bnt I must describe Herbert to you, that you may know
exactly how I stand ; for when we apply for advice, we must tell
all circumstances. Herbert is very rich and very proud : he has
an only daughter, and thia niece, who he looks upon in the same
light, if not higher. T have lived at his house, when at Nevis,
since June last, and am a great favourite of his. I have told him
I am as poor as Job ; but he tells me he likes me, and I am
descended from a good family, which his pride likes ; but he also
says, * Nelson, I am proud, and I must live like myself, therefore I
csn't do mach in my lifetime : when I die she shall have twenty
thousand pounds ; and if my daughter dies before me, she shall
possess the major part of my property. I intend going to England
in 1787, and remaining there my life ; therefore, if yon two can
live happUy together till that e^nt takes place, yon have my
consent.' This is exactly my situation with him ; and I know the
way to get hi in to give me most, is not to appear to want it : thus
circumstiinced, who can I apply to but you ? The regard you liave
ever expressed for me leads me to hope you will do something.
My future happint ss, I give yon my honour, is now in your power;
if you cannot aiford to give me anything for ever, you will, I am
sure, trust to me, that if I ever can afford it, I will return it to
some part of yonr family. I think Herbert will be brought to give
her two or tluee hundred a year during his life ; and if you will
either give me, I will call it — I think yon will do it--«ither one
hundred a year, for a few years, or a thousand pounds, how
bappy yon will make a couple who will pray for yon for ever.
Bcm't disappoint me, or my heart will break: trust to my
honour to do a good turn for some other person if it is in
my power. I can say no more, but trust implicitly to your
D
Digitized by Gopgle
84
LETTEBS OF LORD NELSON
17B6
Rev, W.
NelaoD,
1786.
G«pt
Locker,
6 Mwrcb.
OffMw-
Wm.
Surkling,
6 July.
^ohIiu -si^, and praj let me know of your generous action by the
iirst packet.
The admiral lives in a boarding-house at Barbadoes, not much
io the Btijle of a British admiral. Lady H., with her daughter.
Mis. Browne, in St. John's, Antigoa. They all pack off next May
certainly, and I hope most devoutly ihey will take the admiral
with them, hut he wishes mnoh to remain another station. He is
too mnch of a fiddler for me.
For this last year I have been plagued to death. This statton
has not l)een over pleasant : liad it not been for Collingwood, it
would have been the most disa<rreoable T ever saw. Little ,
poor ffllow, between Bacchus and Venus, is scarcely ever thoroughly
in his sensps. I am very sorry for liim, for his heart is good ; l>ut
he is not tit to command a man-of-war : his ship is the merest
privateer you ever saw. Such men hurt the service more than it is
in the power of ten good ones to bring back. The rest of the
captains I know nothin^^ of ; nor am I ambitious of the honour of
their aoquaintanoe. Sir Richard Hughes you know, probably better
than myself, and that he is a fiddler; therefore, as his time is taiken
up tuning that instrument, you will consequently expect the
squadron is oursedly out of tune. I don't like to eay much againat
my commander-in-chief ; there has been too much of that the late
war ; but as I only tell it to you as a friend, you will not let it go
further than you think right.
1 wish I could t^ll yon I was well, but I am far from it. My
activity of mind is too much fur my pnny constitution. I am worn
to a skeleton, but I trust that the doctors and asses' milk will set
me up again. Perhaps you will think it odd if I do not mention
Mrs. Misbet ; — I can only asssnze you, that her heart is equal to
her head, which every person knows is filled with good sense.
My aflfection for her is fixed upon that solid basis of esteem
and legaid that I trust oan only increase by a longer knowledge
of her.
You have been my best friend, and I trust will continue as long
so as I shall prove myself, by my actions, worthy of suppK-ing that
place in the service of my country, which uiy dear uncK' |_Alaurice] left
for me. I feel myself, to my country, his heir ; and it shall, I am bold
to say, never lack the want of his counsel ; — I feel he gave it to mo
as a legacy, and had I been neax him when he was removed, he
would have said, ' My boy, I leave you to my oountiy. Berve her
well, and she'll never desert, but will ultimately reward you.' You
Digitized by Gopgle
1786
SERVICE IN THE WEST INDIES
35
who know mncli d me, I believe and hope, think me not unworthy
your regards.
You ciiuuot have an idea of the phigue and trouble I have had Rev. W.
uith these j^overiiors and people, aud the number of letters I have J^* s?p|.
been obliL'i d to write upon those subjects. However, I have
. smoothed the way for those who may come after me. The captains
of men-of-war are now invested with great additional powers,
enough to cany on the bosineas of doing good for the nation without
intermption.
If yon got my letter from Barbadoes in May last (I onght to be Capt
ashamed of the date) you will have some idea of my tronbles ; nor 27Sept.
will they ever end, I plainly perceive, while I am in ibis country ;
for it will always be the case, where officers neglect their duty,
there rogues thrive ; and (Jod knows there is not a custom-house
officer, governor, &c. that I have met with, wlio luive done their
duty ; therefore the Uvtter party is kept up, unrl my liands full of
business. It is not more strange than true, that I was not only
obliged to support myself against the most violent prosecutions
that could be laid against an officer ; and instead of being supported
by my admiral, I was obliged to keep him up, for he was frightened
at this business, which, although, I hope, completed now, he
appeared ready (I thought), when he got home, to receive any
thanks which might be oflfored him for his alertness and attention
to the navigation of Great Britain. God knows, I envy no man
ptaises ; but don't let him take what is due to others.
We arrived here this morning at daylight. His Royal High- Mrs.
ness [Prince William] dined with me, and of course the governor, jg'n^,
I can tt'll you a piece of news, which is, that tlie prince is fully Antigua
detennined, and has made me promise him, that he shall be at our
wedding ; and he says he will give you to me. His Royal Highness
has not yet been in a private house to visit, and is detennined never
to do it, except in this instance. You know I will ever strive to
bear such a character as may render it no discredit to any man to
take notice of me. There is no action in my whole life but what
is honourable ; and I am the more happy at this time on that
aooonnt ; for I would, if possible, or in my j>ower, have no man
near the prince, who can have the smallest impeachment as to
character: for aa an individual I love him, as a prince I Vt iinuir
and revere him. My telling you lliis history is as to myself; my
thoughts on all subjects are open to you. We shall certainly go
to Barbadoes irom this island, and when 1 shall see you is not
n 2 ^
Digitized by Gopgle
36
LETTEBS OF LORD NELSON
1786-«7
possible for me to guess : so niiicli for marn,'ing a sailor, AVe nre
often >rparate(l, hut T trust our jiffcctioiis are not by any means on
that acfoimt diniini^^lied. Our country lias the first demand for
onr serv ices ; and private convenience, or kappiue^is, must ever
give way U) thv public good.
You will know long before this reaches you, tliat Prinoa
William is under ray command : I shall endeavour to take care be
is not a loser by that ciTcnmstanoe. He has his foibles as well as
private men, but they are fur overbalanced by his virtues. In
Mb professional line, he is superior to near two-thirds^ I am sure,
of the list ; and in attention to orders, and respect to his superior
officers, I know hardly his equal : that is what I have found him.
Some others, I have heard, will teW another story.
T was exceedingly sorry to find that the Pegasus [commanded
by his Royal Highncsn Prince William Henry] was not only very
leaky, but that there wa« every a])j)earauce her iron Mork was
mnrh corroded. After wcKKlinij^ and watering the squadron in
Prince Ruj)ert"s, I proceeded to this harbour, where I arrived on
13 December. The Pegasus was immediately hauled to the wharf,
and it was found that the leak was occasioned by her wooden ends
forward being very open, nearly aU her bolts about her bows were
found very much corroded, and were so bad, that I have ordered
her to be new bolted. The cheeks of her head have been taken
off, and the seams were found so open, as plainly to show they had
not been examined into at the port she fitted out at : some of the
chain plates h.ave also been found unfit for service, and the
generality of the bolts whit li hold them were so loose in the ship,
as to be drawn out by the hand. This has occasioned her to be
80 long iu the harbour.
By way of enforcing discipline, and perhaps persuading himself that
he really was captain of his own ship, Prince Williani had given or
thought he had given, an order that no boat was to leave the ship without
his knowlofli^'o ; or, if he was absent, l)©ing reported to liim on his return.
Mr. Schonibcrf*, the first lieutenant, was either ignorant of this order,
or conceived that it did not apply to him : ho was, therefore, very
much nettled at finding himself publicly reprimanded tor dii»obeyiDg it,
and wrote to Nelson, tiie senior officer presenti applying for a court-
martial. Nelson replied that he would order a court-martial as soon as
possible, and at the same time placed him under arrest.
For the bett-er maintaining discipline and good government in
the king's Bquadron under my coinniand,
I think it necessary to infonij the officers, that if anv one of
them shall presume to write to the commander of the squadjxtn
Digitized by Gopgle
1787
CASE OF MR. SCHOMBERG
(unless there sliall be ships enough present to bring them to im^
mediate trial) foi; a court-martial to inyestig&te their conduct on a
frivolous pretence, thereby depriving his Majesty of their services,
by obliging the commander of the squadron to confine them, that
I shall and do consider such conduct as a direct breach of the 14th
and part of the 19th Articles of War ; and shall order t^em to be
tried for the same.
I am at this moment honoured with your letter of this day^s Lt. SciM»m<
dat«, retjuesting that I would be kind eiioii<i:li to rurnLsh you with xa'^^'priL
the charge or charges wliich you suppose T incan to exhibit aL'ainst
you, that you may, whenever a court-martial oft\ rs, give little
trouble as possible ; as you have reason to believe that your long
and close coniiuement must arise from some other cause than
that of your own wishes expressed to me in your letter dated
23 January.
In answer, I beg leave to assure you that I never was more
hurt, than that an officer whom I very much respected, should do
such an improper act as to deprive his Majesty of his services at a
time they were wanted. My orders to the squadron were to prevent
other officers from ^ling into the same error. T have not, nor can
any other |3erson, have any charge against you. until the court-
martial which you desired to be held to investigate your conduct is
over ; and then I can tell yon I have no charge whatsoever apfainst
you. Your confinement is your own. Had you not wrote to uie
for a court-martial, I dare say you never would have given me
occasion to put you under arrest. Had I not ordered you into
arrest, you might then have accused me of having left you again to ^•
be unjustly accused, as set forth in your letter.
No opportunity for the court-martial occurred ; and on 11 May the
prince wrote to Kelson :
' It is highly requisite for his Majesty's service that Lieutenant Isaac
Schomberg should be brought to trial, particularly after having been
kept under suspension rather than confinement for one hundred and
seven days. Justice calls loudly for a man so long in his situation to
be as soon delivered from his captivity as pu.s.sil»le. The only means to
eflect that must be a court-martial. You, sir, are thoroughly acquainted
with all the proceedings, and know the uneasiness A mind I have
suffered, and Ihe vast desire I must have to see the affiur of this un-
happy and deluded man settled ; and as you have mentioned to me in
your letter that his Majesty's ship Maidstone has gone in search of that
piratical vessel, and as no official accounts are yet come out concerning
the approaching arrival of a commander-in-chief to his Majf^sty's ships on
this station, and as the time is now almost come lor his Majcjity's ship
under my command to return to the coast of North America, where it '
Digitized by Gopgle
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1787
is likely that there vOl not be a sufficient number of his Majes^'s ships
and vessels to try the said Lioiitonant Schomberg, T rutirelj coincide
in opinion with you, sir, thut it is not only for the advanta/Ljo of liis
Majesty's service, but that justice recjuires tluit his Majesty's sliip
Pegasus should proceed, in her wa^ to ^ orth America, to J aiuaica. I
nan using the utmost despatch, and am oonMeut I shall have the honour
of paying my peiwmal respects to you in a few days at furthest^ my
health heing so much better that I am able to conduct the duty of the
ship/
And again on 13 May :
'My jjoiiiL'' tn Jamaica is really necessary, not only for my own ease
and peace of mind, but for the king's service, to deliver this miserable
object from his long coidinement. The aloop's going with me is a
judicious arrangement of yours, to prevent delay. Qardner, being an
officer of experience and judgment, will be able to give me good advice
how to pursue the \>est mode throu^ this difficult and disagreeable
affair. I wish to G(xl it had never happened, or that Schoml^rg had
seen his error sooner.'
The Pegasus was accordingly sent to Jamaica, with an official stat<»-
ment of the case against Mr. Schomberg, and also a private letter from
Nelson to the commodore.
Comdore. ^ public letter, a coniinaiuler would be wrong to set forth all
tlie reasons which inflnence his conduct ; ))iit as T hope to have yonr
13 May. ' .
Nevis.' approbation, T take the libt^rty of mentioning a few circumstances.
His Royal Highness will give you an account of Lieutenant
Schom berg's conduct, and of his having put him into arrest for
disobedience of orders, &c., and that on Mr. Schomberg*s maldiig
proper apologies, he forgave him. Indeed, his Royal Highneaa's
narrative is so explicit, that I cannot inform yon so fnlly as that
will. His Boyal Highness, I can have no doubt, gaye the orders
alluded to, although Mr. Schomberg m i gh t have misunderstood them .
I am sure, sir, you will consider his Royal Highness stands in a
ver\ dilferent situation to any other captain ; his conJuct will be
canvassefl by the woriti, wlien ours would never be heard of.
Mr. Schomberg was our friend Cornwalliss first lieutenant in
the Canada. I can only suppose that be thought the prince was
determined to take the first opportunity of bringing him to a court-
martial, that he wrote for this for such a trivial matter. Indeed,
what leads me to consider that as his motive was, when his Royal
Highneas told him how wrong he was to write for a ooiirt-martial
on himself, he told him that eveiy officer who served under him
mast be broke, and the sooner he was from under hia command the
better ; and that if a court-martial acquitted him, he would write
to quit the ship. This matter has made the prince very uneasy, for
he says no person can tell he gave Mr. Schomberg those orders
Digitized by Gopgle
1787 PRDTCS WILLIAM AND MB. 8QH0HBERG
39
bat himself, and Schomberg denies them. The day the matter
happened, his Koyid Highness dined in the country, and I attended
him. On the road he told me haw nnpleaeant it was that Schom-
beig wonld act in that manner when he had only foi^given him a
few days before ; bat he said, in future, if any person committed
faults, he wonld insert it in the public order-book of the ship,
which he did, on this occasion, the next day. On that evening
when I returned from diuiiig", I found Mr. Schomberg's letter. I
immediately sent for liis Royal Highness, and I told him that in
his elevated situation in life th«' world looked mure to him than any
other perf^on, that Mr. ►Sclioniberg had neither more nor Ipbs than
accused him of putting his name to an untruth : therefore I thought
it my duty, although the matter was so trivial, to take Lieutenant
Schombeig from under his directions, by suspending him from duty,
or it might be said I had left him in that disagreeable situation,
merely because he served nnder the prince; and that it very
much concerned his BoyaJ Highness to show the world he had
put his name to nothing but the truth.
In order to show my disapprobation of officers writing for courts-
martial, to vindicate their conduct for trivial matters, I gave out
the inclosed order,* that others might not fall into the same error.
It might soon liave risen to such a height, that if a topsail was Tint
thought properly or briskly reefed, by a captain, or some (tthcr
trivial matk'r, and he reprimanded the officer, the officer would
say, * Sir, I think it properly done, and I shall write for a court-
martial to vindicate my conduct from your unjust accusation.' If
this was to be allowed, farewell discipline : the service is ruined :
his Majesty may be deprived of tihe services of his officers ; and the
best-laid schemes may be frustrated by the malignity of individuals,
or pique against their commanders.
At Jamaica, the commodore succeeded in ananging this nnplea*
sant matter without a court-martial ; but Nehwn, on his return to
England, was called on to give his reasons for senrling the Psgasns and
Rattler to Jamaica. He therfupon, 10 July, 17JS7, forwarded a full
statement of the cas(\ which was not considered suthcient ; and the
Secretary of the Adjiniiilty signified to Iiiiii that— ' My lords are not
aatisfied wnii the reasons you have given for alteriiig the destination of
the Pegasus, and for sending the lUttler sloop to Jamaica ; and that
for having taken upon you to send the latter away from the station to
which their lordships had appointed her, you will be answerable for
the consequence, if the Grown should be put to any needless expense
upon that account.'
* 8ee anUf p. SS.
Digitized by Gopgle
40
LETTERS OP LORD NELSON
1787
On 12 March, 1787, Nelson was married to Mrs. Nisbet, the prince^
acoordiug to his old promise, giving the bride away.
On 13 April, MeHsrs. Higgiiis and Wilkinson, merchants in the
town of St. John's, in the island of Antigua, gave his Royal High-
ness information that frauds had been committed upon Government.
As his Royal Highness could not attend to this matter, he desired me
to do what was right in the businees ; since which time I hare en-
deavoured to make myself master of this subject, and have examined
a variety of books and papers, particularly those of a Mr. Whitehead,
who appears a principal agent. It is necessary to observe, that
Hiy^^s and Wilkinson were ]mi't.ners of Whitehead, under tlie firm
of Whitehea^l and Co., bin h.ive mow parted from hiiu, and poss«^<sed
themBelves of nil his Ixwks and papiM-s, from wliieh it appears tliat
Government has been defrauded in a most scandalous and inl'amoiis
maimer. The only emulation I can perceive is, who could cheat
most. . . . These gentlemen have been in various emplo}Tnents in
the different islands, under those employed in the victualling &c.,
and they assure me that they are certain they can discover frauds
in Ant^rna to near 500,0002. ; St. Luda, 300,0002. ; Barbadoes,
250,000Z. ; and at Jamaica, 1,000,0002. The sum is immense.
Whether they can make it out, time must determine. However,
they only wish to be rewarded for what is actually recovered, and
they are both shrewd sensible men ; and must know they are for
ever ruined in this countrj-, if they do not make out what they
have BO boldly asserted.
Mr. Wilkinson was brought up under Muir and Atkinson, and
is a very shrewd sensible man. iiiggms is likewise a man of busi-
ness. Wilkinson has been in various departments of Government,
in St. Lucia, Barbadoes, &c., and assures me, he can discover all
the frauds committed there, as easy as these, if Government think
proper to reward them. Indeed they do not seem to be playing
the fool ; for if nothing is recovered, tiiey desire nothing, and of
what is actually recovered, only a certain percentage.
The Boreas arrived at Spithead <m 4 July, 1787. A few days after*
wards, the Earl of Cork wrote to Nelson, apparently asking for his
advice as to what he ought to do with his son. tlie Hon. Courtenay
Boyle, then a midshipman of the Borea.s. In these day.s of education,
instruction, and cram, Nelsou's views on this important question have
a pecuUar interest.
In the first place, it is necessary that he should be made complete
in his navigation ; and if the peace coulmues, French is absolutely
Digitized by Gopgle
1787-88 DISCOVERY OF FRAUDS 41
necessary. Dancing is an accomplishment that probably a sea oiUoer
may require. You will see almost the necessity of it, when em-
ployed in foreign coantriee ; indeed, the honour of the nation is so
often entrosted to sea officers, that there is no accomplishment
which will not shine with peculiar lustre in them. He must
nearly have warred his time, therefore he cannot be so well employed
as in gaining knowledge.
Aftor some weeks at Port<^;Tnouth, the Boreas, al>out tlie middle of
August, went round to the 2s ore, -where, much to lier captain's disp'ust,
she was made a receiving ship, and was not paid oiX till the begiiiuiii^
of December 1787. Nelson was then phused on half -pay ; and notwith-
standing repeated applications, vemained unemployed) until he was
appointed to the Agamemnon, in January 1793. During the greater
part of these years, he and his wife resided, in idyllic retirement, with
his father, at Bumham Tlioqie ; where ho occupied himself in the
gjirden or on the farm, otU'ii — it is said — digging with a violent indus-
try, as though for the mere purpose of tiring hiniself out. But he is
described as also giving much time to reading the current periodicals,
to studying charts, to writing, or to drawing plans.' It would he inte-
resting to know what these plans were ; but unfortunately no trace of
them remains. The correspondenoe during these years is very scsnty.
I am at this moinent under a prusecntion by some Americans, Capt.
for seizin<r their vessels in the West Indies; ])nt T have wrote them s Aprili
word, that T will have nothinf^ to do with them, and thev mav act 1'88. Bath,
as they think proper. Government, I suppose, will do what is
right, and not leave me in tlie lurch. We have heard enough
lately of the consequence of the Act of Navigation to this country*
They may take my person ; but if sixpence would save me from a
pnwecutiony I would not give it.
My brother having written me that you -wished to have the (?) sirc.
letter of Messrs. Wilkinson and Higgins to me, I have sent it. du'lprli!"'
These gentlemen desire I will do them justice with your hoard as Kxnwutii.
to their ability to discover what they have pledged themselves to do.
By the papers 1 saw, it conveyed to my idea most clearly the frauds
(if they were not made for the purpose, which 1 cannot suppose), and
that it would be no very difficult matter to ?\nd \i out. Nothing, T
thought, could prevent these gentlemen bringing it to light, but
what I mentioned to you when I had the hononr of seeing you on
this subject. These people must be fools indeed to effectually ruin
themselves for a momentary reflection on the characters of these
people. All their hopes of advantage certainly now arise from
proving what they have alleged ; and as they have only asked for
lewards for what can be actually recovered, I cannot suppose but
• Clarke and McArtbur, vol. i. p. 109.
Digitized by Gopgle
42
L£TT£BS OF LORD NELSON
1788
they ar(» most serious in the prosfress of th\n discovery. In the
West Indie s tlu*v ariMtn^^^t eftectuallv ruined jus merchants. It has
been alleged they ai'e bad men, and were partakers in these frauds.
Admitting it to be so, much good often arises firom bad motives ;
tiierefore to benefit the public I should never ask or care from what
motives the good ariaes. Their letters to hit Boyal Highness
Prince William are only repetitions, I take for granted, of their
memonal and petition to Mr. Pitt, and aome oomplimenta to my
assiduity while in that oonntiy. They are oertainiy men of strotig
natural parts, and appear wonderfully expert at the percentage.
Here. Row, My integrity cannot be mended, I hope ; but my fortune, God
CMij. kiiuwa, ima gnjwu worse for the service. 80 much for serving my
country. But the di^vU, ever willing to tt^mpt the virtuous
(pardon this flatter}" of uiyst-lf), ha.s niadt* nie otier, if any ^^llip.^
should be sent to destroy his Majesty of Morocco's ports, to be
there ; and I have some reason to think, that should any more
come of it, my humble services Will be accepted. I have in?aiiahly
laid down, and followed close, a plan of what ought to be upper*
most in the breast of an officer : that it is much better to serve an
ungrateful country, than to give up his own fhme. Posterity will
do him justice : a uniform conduct of honour and integrity seldom
&il8 of bringing a man to the goal of fame at last.
Prince My Prince, — It was not until a very few days ago, that I heard
•M*uti^* your Royal Highness was going the cruise with the squadron now
LoniioD. at Spithead. I am most sincerely glad to hear it, and am assured
it i.s quite the thing you wish. Your Royal Highness knuws ^very-
tliing relative to a single ship ; and it can only be by commanding
a Heet which will establish your fame, make you the darling of
the nation, and hand down your name with honour and gloiy to
posterity.
Indeed I have another very strong reason for being pleased at
your serving near home, which is, that the actions of all officers,
however brilliant, are wonderfully obscured by serving at a die*
tance, for the capture of a privateer makes more noise, taken in
the Channel, than a frigate, or «ven a ship of the line, afar off.
Therefore, although the discipline and high order of your sliip is
known to many others as wvW as myself, yet it will now bo much
more talked of; and the IviTiL' will be more acquainted with the
exact state of tlie Andromeda than [hy^ any representations made
from abroad. I am most totally ignorant whether to expect you
back with the fleet, or if yon proceed abroad ; should the former be
the case, if your Boyal Highness cornea within the reach of my
Digitized by Gopgle
1788-69 MfiaSRS. WILKINSON AND IIIGOINS 43
pnne I shall most certainly pay my humble daty. Shonld the
latter take place, I shall, as soon as I know to what port of the
world yon are destined, tronble your Boyal Highness with letters,
an honour which you have most condescendingly permitted me.
I am moat truly sensible of your kindness to me on all occasions,
and although Mr. Herbert Avas hard enough to withstand your
solicitations, yet my obligation is the mme ; there nmy lie a thing,
perhaps, withiu reach of your Royal Highness; therefore, trusting
to your goutiness, I shall mention it. The Princess Royal must
very soon have a household appointed her. I believe a word from
your Royal Highness would obtain a promise of a situation in
her Boyal Highnesses establishment not unbecoming the wife of
a captain in the navy ; bat I have only ventured to say thus mnoh,
and leave the issue to your better jndgment ; being, with the
highest regard and attachment,
Vonr Boyal Highness's most fidthiul Hohatio Nelson.
On 23 Januar}% 1789, Xelson receive<l a letter from Mr. Wilkinson,
dated in the previous October, in which he stated that he ' wrote that
letter from the (^aol of the island of Antijj^ua, into which he had heen
placed by a quirk of the Solicitor-Geueral's,' and he complained bitterly
of the treatment he had received from that officer, attributing it to his
discovery of Mr. Whitehead's frauds. That Whitehead had acted
fraudulently, and that the Solicitor-General favoured that person, is
shown by ' A Resolution of tlie Honourable House of Assembly in the
Island of Antif^iia on the 4th day of June, 1788^ — That it be resolved
that William Whitehead, surviving partner of Francis Colley, has been
guilty of gross imposition on the Committee of both Houses of the
Legislature appointed to examine the accounts of Francis CoUey and
Oui, and of a flagrant attempt to defraud the public of this island.
Ayes ir>. Xoes 2.' The two Noes bebg Mr. Solicitor-Genend and
Archibald Gloater, Esq.
I am most sincerely sorry for your situation, and hope that vviikin-
Govemment will afford you every asBistance, in bringing to ma-
turity the good work begun under my auspices. Bnt I would JJ^"*
have you recollect that although Government business may he slow,
yet it is sure. I am assured the business will never be dropped ;
and that all proper rewards and recompenses will be made you.
His GHrace of Bichmondi after a long silence, has at last assured
me that erety proper measure shall be taken, and that yon shall
receive the reward yoii asked. All the other boards will do yon
ample justice. I cannot bat lament that your discomy should not
hare been made to a man of more consequence than myself; fisr in
this country I am not in office, and am so much retired from the
busy scenes of power, that although I have every inclination,
Digitized by Gopgle
44
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1789
I have not the ability of doing more than representing your
situAtion.
I received your letter of 11 September^ the beginning of this
month, and sent it to Sir Charles Middleton, without any comments
of mine ; as to me it seemed to require no explanation. When it
was n turiuMl, it was wrote me that if I chose the letter should be
made public, to jsend it to the Navy Board ; reports having been
circulated by high officers, that they feared all tliis business would
end in smoke ; and that von liad sliit't«'d vour OTomid, and wero
very wavering in your opinions : for tliat at tirst you had said, that
nothing was to be done in the West Indies ; and now, t hat nothing
could be done at four thonsand miles' distance. [A» to] certain
opinions which I had formed, although I am not a man who wishes
to say much on anything witliont being asked, yet on this occasion,
common justice would not allow me to be silent, when such (as
appears to me) false reports were in circulation. I therefore wrote
to the Navy Board, of which the following is an extract: viz.
* Having heard a report that these gentlemen had deviated from the
first line of procedure they had adopted, it becomes (1 hope the
iV);ird will think) a line of justice in me to give my reasons why 1
do not think so. WIk h the information was given, ami in all t heir
subsequent communications with me, they have uniformly and
constantly protested against placing their confid(;nce in his Majesty *s
law officers in the West Indies. That a trial in JBugland, although
it might prove certain facts, yet was by no means the object they
had in view when the information was given. Their object, I have
constantly understood, was an inqniiy and examination, on the
large scale, of examining merchants, their books, &c., and tracing
the frauds home to every delinquent ; who being made to reftind,
was the source from whence these gentlemen expected their re-
wards to have arisen.'
On thf^ 27th, ycstt rday, I received tlie foiiowiug answer : ' We
have sent the K-ttcrb and inclosures to Mr. Dyson, our solicitor,
and desired him to lay them before the Attorney-General for his
opinion as to what steps are proper to be taken thereon, and to use
every mean? in his power to investigate and bring forward the
whole of the business so soon as possible.' Retired as I am,
upwards of one hundred and twenty miles from London, I can
render you little if any assistance in getting forward in thiB
business ; and good wishes, without something more powerftd, are
of no avail in this country. I can only sit down and think. Sir
John Laforey is going out with the command, and will probably be
Digitized by Gopgle
1789-^
ANXIOUS FOB EMPLOYMENT
45
the man to investigate the frauds oommitted in the naval yard &o,
during the war.
In May 1790, on hearing of the dispute with Spain lelative to
Nootka Sound, and the CQDsequent * armament,' Nelson again applied for
employment^ hn% as on previous oocasions, without success.
My not being appointed to a ship is so very tnortifyinpr, that I Duke of
cannot find words to express what I feel on the occasion ; find 24 JuSS^
when I reflect on yonr Royal llighness's condi ascension in men-
tioning me to Lord Chatham, T am the more hurt and surj)ris»'d.
8nre I am, that I havo ever been a zealons and faitliful servant,
and never intentionally have committed any errors ; especially
as till very lately I have been honoured by the notice of the
Admiralty. The attachment, which I trust has never been found
to vary, since I first was introdaced to you by Lord Hood, had
invariably for its object one point — ^nothing else for myself did I
ever presume to solicit — ^that I might have the distinguished
hononr of being one of your supporters in a line of battle ; then it
would be shown, that no person had your fame more at heart than
myself. I dare not venture a wish that your lloyal iiighness
should trouble yourself again in my behalf.
Your Royal Iiighness will not, I trust, deem it improper Dukcof
(although T have no douht it will be tlimiirht unnecessary) at this ayj!^***
time to renew my exp^esr^l'»Hs of invariable attachment not only ^'^2.
to your Royal Higluiess, but to my king: for I think very soon
every individual will be called forth to show himself, if I may judge
from this county, where societies are formed, and forming, on
principles certainly inimical to our present constitution both in
Church and State, of which our dissenters are the head, and in this
county they have great riches. Sorry am I to believe that others
give a countenance to these societies, who ought to conduct them-
selves otherwise.
In what way it might he in the power of such an humble
individual as myself to best sorvo my king, has been matter of
serious consideration, and no way appeared to me so proper as
askine for a sliip ; and on Saturday last Lord Chatham received
my letter asking for the coinniand of one; but as I have hitherto
been disappointed in aH my applications to his lordship, I can
hardly expect any answer to my letter, which has always been the
way I have been treated : but neither at sea, nor on shore, through
the caprice of a minister, can my attachment to my king be shaken ;
and which will never end but with my life.
Digitized by Gopgle
40
LETTERS OF LORD KLf^ON
1792
■
In answering tbis letter, on 6 December, tJie prince^ after expressing
his indignatLon at Lord Chatham's treatment of Nelson, and remariung
on the state of afiairs, added : * Should matters 1>etween the two
countries grow serious, you must be employed. Never alarmed : I
will always stand your friend. T wish you would write me word how
you and Lord Hood stand at present.'
Dtii^r of Beepecting my present situation with Lord Hood, I can readily
io^SbT* ^^^y answer. We have not for a long time had any com-
monication with each other. Our familiar oorrespondenoe ceased
on a difference of opinion. In the Spanish armament, when almost
the whole service were called forth, I asked Lord Hood to interest
himself with Lord Chatham, that I might be appointed to a ship.
His lordship having declined doing it^ has prevented my troubling
hiui attain for his interest or influence. However, in consideration
of our former intimacy, whenever I have gone to L(jiRlon, I have
hitherto thought it right leave niy name at his lordship's door.
I cert-ainlv cannot look on Lord Hood as tuv friend ; but I have
the satisfaction of knowing, that I never gave his lordship just
cause to be my enemy.
Our lord lieutenant has summoned a meeting of the Norfolk
jastices on Tuesday next, the 11th ; and I have no doubt but they
will resolve to do collectively, what none of them chose to do
individoally — ^to take away the licences from those pnblio-houses
who allow of improper societies meeting at them, and to tak» np
thope incendiaries who go from alehouse to alehouse, advising the
pouj' people to pay no taxes, &c. Tn this neighbourliood, a person
of the name of Priestley, a clergyman, has held this language to a
circle of Icti Tiiiles round liim ; and, a few tlays past, I asked a
justice of the peace, ' why, as such a man's conduct was known,
that he was not taken up ? ' His answer was, ' that no justice
would render himself anpopnlar at this time, by being singular ;
for that his life and property were gone, if the mob arose: but
that when the justices all agreed to act in a uniform manner, this
man should certainly be taken hold of, if he went on with snch
QondncL'
That the poor labourer should have been seduced by promises
and hopes of better times, your Royal Highness will not wonder at
when 1 assure you, that they are really in want of everything
to make life comfortable. Part of their wants, periiaps, were
unavoidal le, from the dearness of every article of life; but much
has arose iVo in the neglect of the country gentlemen, in not making
their farmers raise their wages, in some small proportion, as the
Digitized by Gopgle
17f»-03 COMMISSIONS TH£ AGAM£MNON 47
prices uf necessaries increased. . . . Their wages have been raised
within these three weeks, pretty generally, one shilling a week :
had it been dona some time past, they would not have been dis-
odntented, for a want of loyalty is not amongst their faults ; and
many of their superiors in many instanc<» might have imitated
their oondnct with advantage. The wise precaations of GoTem-
ment have certainly given a vigour to the loyal of tiie natkm, who
are most nndonUedly by fiir the majority ; and the disaffected join
them at present, for fear of being suspected ; therefore I have no
doubt but oar tranquillity will be restored.
After clouds comes sunshine. The Admiralty so smile uimi Mrs.
me, that really I am as much surprised as when they frownpsl. fj^J^
T.ord Chatham yesterday made many apologies for not liaving
given me a ship before this time, and said, that if 1 chose to take
a sixty-four to begin with, I should be appointed to one as soon
as she was ready ; and whenever it was in his power, I should be
removed into a seventy-four. Everything indicates war. One of
OUT ships, looking into Brest, has been fired into;^ the shot is now
at the Adnuralty.
Lord Hood tells me that I am now fixed for the Agamemnon Comdom.
at Chatham, and that whatever men are raised for her, will be 26^/^^
taken care of on board the Sandwich. I have sent out a lieu-
tenant and four miii.sliipmen to get men at every seaport in
Norfolk, and to forward them to Lynn and Y armouth : my friends
in Yorkshire and the north tell me they will send what men they
can lay hands on to the regulating captains at Whitby and
Newcastle. . . . Lord Hood has been very civil indeed. I think we
may be good &iends again. From what Lord Howe writes me, I
think the ship will be commissioned within a fortnight, and I shall
join her directly.
On 30 January, Nelson was appointed to the command of the
Agamemnon, 64, and he joined her on 6 February.
I have the pleasure of telling you that my ship is, without Rev. w.
exception, the finest sixty-fonr in the service, and has the character foSSt,
of sailing most remarkably well. I have only got a fow men, and <^bBi]i«»*
very hard indeed they are to be got, aad without a press I have
no idea our fleet can be manned.
If the wind is to the northward of west, we go down the Mre.
river to-morrow, auJ are ordered to proceed to Spithead witli ali i^^M^^b.
* The ChUdfia brig, okl i Jannaiy.
Digitized by Gopgle
48
L£T1EKS OF LORD NELSON
179d
Rev. W.
Nelson,
18 April.
Nora.
Mn.
Nelson,
29 ApriL
Spithead.
fi May.
Spiltuiad.
Rev. W.
Nelpon,
(.')20May.
At seA.
Mrs.
NeL*on,
■•> .luno.
At sea.
possible despatch, as we ar© wanted, Lord Hood' writes me word,
for immediate service ; ;uid hints, we are to go a cruise, and then
to join his fleet at Gibraltar: therefore I am anxious to get to
Spithead. T never was in Wttcr health.
I not only like the ship, but think I am well appointed in
ofliot rs, and we are manned exceedingly well ; therefore have no
doubt but we shall acquit ourselves well, should the French give
US a meeting. ... To me it is*perfectly^indifferent to what quieter
of the world we go : with a good ship and ship's company we can
come to no harm. We appear to sail very fast : we went, coming
oDt, nearly as fast, without any sail, as the Bobnst did under her
topsails.
We arrived at Spithead last night, and this morning have got
my orders to go to sea iinlil the 4th of May, when I shall be at
Portsnioutii. Lord Hitod will then l)e tliere, and it is nuw certain
that I am going witli hi?n. "We are all \v(^ll : imleed, nobody can
be ill with my ship's conipuiiy, they are so fine a set.
I aiTived here last night, and rather expected to have seen you
here; Vnt Mr. Matcham told you right, there is no certainty in
winds and waves. We had some blowing weather, but nothing for
Agamemnon to nund. We fell in with two French frigates, and
two armed vessels, who got into La Hogne harbour, where we
could not follow for want of a pilot. I was again ordered to sea
this morning, but am now stopped, as my ship wants many things
before she sails for the Mediterranean. Lord Hood is expected
to-night.
What we have been sent out for is best known to the great
folks in London : to u.«=t, it appears, only to hum the nation and
make tools of us, for w lie re we have been stationed, from ten to
twenty leagues to the westward of Guernsey, no enemy was likely
to be mot with, or where we could protect our own trade. Thus
five ships have been sport ed with. I don't like it, nor does our
admiral. We are to be off Falmouth to-morrow, and expect fresh
orders, or to he joined by Lord Hood. I think Torbay will finish
this cruise. The French have eight sail of the line in different
parts of the bay, and six frigates : three of each are always at sea,
and England not able or willing to send a squadron to interrupt
them. My ship sails well ; very few will out^sail her, and she is
very tolerably manned.
I expected, when Lord Hood joined, that we should have gone to
Gibraltar ; but what his instructions or orders are I cannot guess.
I Appointed Oomnuuider-iQ-Chief in the Mediterranean.
Digitized by Gopgle
17d3 AGAMEMNON AT CADIZ 49
T have not seen him since he joined us, a fortnight to-niorrow ;
nor had even a boat hoisted out. Our weather, althouL'h not bad,
has been very unpleasant — foggy with drizzling rain. Agamemnon
sails admirably ; we think better than any ship in the fleet. Our
force is eleven sail of the line, frigates, &c. <^., and in very toler-
able order. We liave had some naval evolutions when the weatiier
wonld pennit.
After croising off Sdlly with Lord Hood for a fortnight^ in Kev. w,
V817 unpleasant weather, the arrival of the Mediterranean convoy ^^^^
relieved ns from a station where we conld hardly expect to see an Off Cadis.
enemy, and the last India convoy passing ns in the evening, made
Lord Hood quite satisfied. We are nine days from Scilly ; a very
good passiige for a fleet: and (lurni<^ our run have taken nothing
but a miserable National brig of eight guns. If we go on so. we
shall soon make fori utn s. Imst niglit six sail of us parted iiom
Lord Hood to wat^er at Cadiz, in order that no time may be lost in
watering so large a fleet at Gibraltar.
We came out [of Cadiz] this morning, having completed our Mr?,
ship with everything except wine, which ia to be done at Gibraltar. afSuSi.
The Spaniards have been very civil to ps. We dined on board
the Ooncepoion of one hnndred and twelve gnns, with the admiral ;
and all restraints of going into their arsenals and dockyards were
removed. They have fonr first-rates in commission at Cadiz, and
very fine ships, but shockingly manned. If those twenty-one sail
of the line which we are to join in the Medit^^rranean are not
better manned, they cannot be of much use. 1 uiu c ertain if our
six barges' crews, who are picked men, liad got on board one of
their Hrst-ratea, they would have takon lier. The dons may make
iine ships — they cannot, however, make men.
The fleet sailed from Gibraltar on 27 June, and a convoy of fifty Duke of
sail of merchant ships, with a brisk wind at west, and soon got off i^^j^y
Cape Gata, since which time we have had either Levanters or
cakns. . . . Wesawa fleet off Alicant on the dose of the 7th, and lay-to
mid-channel between that place and Iviza. At daylight we formed
onr line, and soon perceived them to be the Spanish fleet, twenty-
fouT sail of the line. The dona did not, after several honrs' trial,
form anything which conld be called, a line of battle ahead. How-
ever, after answering our private signals, the Spanish admiral
sent dowu two frigates, with answers to Lortl Hood's lett^ers by
L'Aigle, acquainting him that as his fleet was sickly 1.900 men, ho
was going to Cartagena. The captain of the frigate haid, ' Tt was
no wonder they were sickly, for they had been sijcty days at sea.*
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50 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1708
This speech to us appeared ridiculous ; for fipom the circumstaiice
of having been longer than that time at sea, do we attribute onr
getting healthy. It has stamped with me the extent of their
nautical abilities : long may they renuiin in their present state.
It appeared odd to me that no salutes whatever took place.
Yesterday, the IStii, the frigates joined the fleet. Inglefield brings
nothing new respecting the Toulon fleet, except that the French
are preparing their ships with forges for shot. Tliis information, I
humbly think (if true), would have been as well kept secret; but
as it is known, we must take care to get so close that theii' red
shots can do no mischief. The fleet received orders yesterday to
consider Marseilles and Toulon as invested, and to take all vessels
of whatever nation bound into those ports. This has pleased us ;
and may possibly induce these red-hot gentlemen to mme out.
Our fleet is healthy : we sail in three divisions, led by Victoiy,
Colossus, and Agamemnon. We do not keep in so compact an
order as we ought, and the lord does not spare signals. . . . On the
16th, the fleet stood close into Toulon, and sent in a flag of truce.
... On 25 July the flag of truce joined from Toulon; the
enemy did not give ns a clear answer whether they would exchange
prisoners with us. They have sevent/een sail of the line ready for
sea, and four fitting, the Commerce de Marseilles one of them ; she
carries 13G guns, having guns on her gangways; the prisoners
believe her sides are so tliick that our phot will not go through
them ; and that slie can with ease take the Victory. We form
various conjectures whether they will come out or not ; in my
opinion they will : when they have twenty-one sail ready and we
under twenty, the people will force them out.
Mrs. Whether the French intend to come out seems uncertain ; they
4 A^^°utt. equal to us. Our Jacks would be very happy to see
OttT&dtauL it ; and, as our fleet is in the friUest health, I dare say we should
give a good account of them. I hardly think the war can last ;
for what are we at war about? . . . Lord Hood has sent to offer me
a seventy-four, but I have declined it ; as tlie Admiralty chose to put
me into a sixty-four, there I stay. J cannot give up my officers.
Capt. Lord Hood went with the fleet ten days past to speak to the
SOAngmt ^^^^o^'^^ about supplying the French witli corn, and bringiuL'' l)ark
French property under neutral papei*s, for our being here is a iarce
if this trade is allowed. By all accounts we learn the district of
Fhwence would gladly become a separate republic under the pro-
tection of England. The people of Marseilles have said they would
destroy Toulon to accomplish this measure. In short, France will
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1703
OCCUPATION OF TOULON
be dismembered, but in all their misexy they have no thought of
kingly govemm^t.
On 23 AugOBt» 1793, commismoners from Marseilles, expecting
to m(*ot commissioners from Toulon, came on board the Victory,
to treat for peace on tYw Kisis of declaring a monarchical form of
governineiit in France. Lord Hood accrtrclingly issued a proclamation
to the inliabitauts of the South of Fmnce ; and General Caileaux's
snccess at ManeiUea ao alarmed the Touloneee, that they placed the
citadel and forts on the coast provisionally at his disposaL
As soon as the treaty was concltidt'd, Af^'iinu'Tunon, a fast sailer, Mrs.
was sent oW with letters ti) tlic Courts of Turin and Naples, for i^fsepL
ten thousand tr(x«])s, to secure our poi?session. I should have liked to ^•P^**-
have stayed one day longer with the fleet, when they entered the
harbour ; but service could not be neglected for any private gratifi*
cation. . . . What an event this has been for Lord Hood : snch a
one as history cannot produce its equal ; that the strongest place
in Europe, and twenty-two sail of the line Sec, should be given
np without firing a shot. It is not to be credited.
On Sunday, 25 August, a party deposed Admiral Trogoff, and
placed St. Jnlien at the head of the fleet, manned sixteen sail of
the line, and were determined to come out and fight us, who were
only twelve sail, Lord Hood having sent away the other part of his
fleet, to give them tin* (jption : the fleet regret they did not : the
issue we should doubtless have liked better than las mg them up dis-
mantled. Mlii' jirrsevemnce of our iK'ct has been great, and to that
only can be attributed our unexampled success. Not even a boat
could get into Marseilles or Toulon, or on the coast, with provi-
sions ; and the old saying, ' That hunger will tame a lion,' was
never more strongly exemplified. The Spanish fleet arrived as ours
was sailing into the harbour, and joined in the general joy which this
event must give to all Europe. St. Jnlien, with about four thousand
men, left the fleet as ours entered, and joined General Garteaux,
who, I think it probable, by this time, has attacked Toulon with
the F^sian army.
I believe the world is convinced that no conquests of importance
can be made without us ; and yet, as soon as we have accomplished
the service we are ordered on, we are neglected. If Parliameut
does not grant souietliiug to rhis th^et, our .lacks will gruiulile ; for
here there is no })rize-money to soften tlieir hardsliips ; all we get
is honour and salt beef. My poor fellows have not had a morsel of
fresh meat or vegetal)les for near nineteen weeks ; and in t hat time
I have only had my foot twice on shore at Cadiz. We are absolutely
getting sick from fatigue. No fleet, I am certain, ever served their
a 2
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52
LElIi^lCS OF LOUD NELSON
1793
ooantiy with greater zeal than this has done, trom the admiral to
the lowest sailor.
Admiral Goodall is governor of Tonlon ; Elphinstone, com-
mander of the grand battery, at the hai buur K mouth. 1 maj have
lost an appointment by beinpr sent off* : not that I wish to be em-
. ployed out of my phip. I liave sent in a vessel from Smyrna bound
to Marst^illes, and T think it probable she will be condemned, worth
about lOyOOOZ. I hope she may, it will add something to our
comforts.
14 Sept. Our news was received here with the greatest satisfaction. The
king has twice sent for me, and X dine with him to-morrow^ after
he has made me a visit, which he is to do on board the Agamem-
non. We are called by him the savionrs of Italy, and of his
dominions in particular. I have acted for Lord Hood witii a
zeal which no one coold exceed, and am to carry from the king
the handsomest letter, in his own handwriting, which could
possibly be. This I got tlirough Sir William Hamilton, and tlio
Prime Minister [Sir John Acton], who is an Enj_dishmau. Lady
Hamilton lias been wonderfully kind and good to Jusiali.^ She in
a young woman of amiable manners, and who does honour to the
station to which she is raised. I am to carry Lord Hood six
thousand troops from hence.
27 9^yt. I was hurried from Naples by information of a French ship of
Leghorn. three vessels under her convoy being off. I had nothing
left but to get to sea^ which I did in two hours: expedition,
however, has not crowned my endeavours with success ; for I have
seennothing of them. I am here plagued with a French 40-
gnn frigate, who was to have sailed the day I arrived, and will
take the first dark moment to get out. I am determined in
my mind to pursue him. I hope to sail to-morrow if this gentle-
m;in does not j and shall lie in his route to intercept him if he
I have jnst heard, that last night the crew of my neighbour
deposed their captain, made the lieutenant of marines captain of
the ship, the seigeant of marines lieutenant of marines, and their
former captain sergeant of marines. What a state ! they are mad
enough for any undertaking. They say, as they have five hundred
men on board, they will go to sea this night in spite of me : I shall
be surprised at nothing they may attempt.
28 Sept. We have been looking out all night for our neighbour to cut
his cables, as it has blown a gale of wind and rain ; but he lay in
> Josiab Kitibetj NelBon's stepaoo, at this time a midshipman of the Agamemnon.
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1703
AOAHEHNON AT LEGHORN
53
such a positioti that he could not cast his ship without ge:^tiiig on
board ns, which he did not choose to risk.
Our force now at Tonlon^ on shore, is 12,500 men, and before Wm,
November is ont will be 30,000, when the whole of tiiis country will f ^o^^'
(all to us, for they hate the Convention. The white flag is flying OffConiM.
in all the ships and forts, under which we fight on shore. . . . The
Spaniards behave so iiifaniously that T sincerely wish not one ship
or soldier was in 'I nulon : they will do nothing but plunder audcut
the throats of |>(j< >r w notches who have surrendered to the T^ritish.
Lord Hood is now quite ba he used to be : he is so <j'. <od an Mr**,
officer, that everybody must respect him. All the t'ureiguers at i^o^t!
Toulon absolutely worship him ; were any accident to happen to
him, I am stire no person in our fleet could supply his place.
Eveiy day at Toulon has hitherto afforded some brilliant action on
shore, in which the sea ofBoers have made a conspicuons figrure ;
Elphinstone in particnlar, who is a good officer and gallant man.
I have only been a spectator; but had we remained, I should oe^-
tainly have desired to be landed. Some of our ships have been
pegged pretty handsomely ; yet such is the force of habit, that we
seem to feel no danger.
On 22 October, being then on her way to Cagliari, and some 40 or
50 miles ENE of her port, tlie Agamemnon fell in with and engaged
a squadron of Freneh frigates. In writing of the oircumstAnce to Tjord
Hoixl, he traiisiiiitt<'d the following extract from the log as the aimplest
account of wliat iiad token place.
At 2 A.M. saw five sail standing across us to the NW by
the wind. At 2.30 they tacked by signal of rockets, then about
three miles on our weather bow : at 4 got within hail of a frigate,
but was careful not to fire into her, thinking she might be a
Neapolitan or Sardinian frigate with a convoy. On receiving no
answer and the ship making sail, fired u shut ahead of her, when
phe set all her sails, and steering two points from the wind, we
after her with every ^ail set, keeping her two points on the bow, to
prevent her from getting before the wind. The other ships on our
weather quarter steering aiier us. The chase made many signals
till daylight, when she hoisted National colours, and began firing
stern-chasers, and by yawing, which her superiority in sailing en-
abled her to do, gave us many broadsides. We could only at times
bring any guns to bear upon her, and tken only a few of the fore-
most ones. At 7, took the ships on our weather quarter to be one
of the line, two firigates, and an armed brig, but whilst the breese
continued fresh, the chase and ourselves left them faatw At 9 we
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54 LETTEBS OF I/>BD NELSON 1798
run into almost a calm, the sliij js on our quarter bearing NW by W,
coming fast up with us; the cha.se hauled np to join them, being
in a shattered condition, and making si^tuils to her consorts,
who steered to join her ; when they brought to, hoisted out their
boals, and sent to her. The enemy were four frigates, two of them
canying 28 eighteen-'poanders on their main-decks. The enemy
from this time till noon had the option of bringing ns to action
whenever thej pleased; bat we having our main top-maat shot to
pieces, main-mast, mizen-mast, and fore^yard badly wonnded, oonld
not ban! our wind till noon, repairing our rigging, masts, and yards,
steering for Cagliari. Found we had one man killed, and six
wounded. People employed knotting and splicing the rigging.
At noon, Cape Rosso, NW, distance 6 or 7 leagues. Latitude
observed 39° 34' N.
yym. I am just returned from Tunis, where I have been under
ii Commodore Linasee, to negotiate for a French convoy from the
OflTConica. Levant. You will believe the English seldom get much by negotia-
tion except the being laughed at, which we have been ; and 1 dou't
like it. Had we taken, which in my o])inion we ought to have
done, the men-of-war and convoy, worth at least 300, 000/., how
niucli l>etter we could have negotiated — niven the Bey 50,000/.
he would have been glad t.o have put up with the insult offered to
his dignity. The French sent him very great presents; and he
bought, through fear of us, several rich cargoes, for one-third of
their value. The ships of war so much believed we should have
attacked them, that, at first, they hauled their ships almost
aground, but latterly almost insulted ns. Thank God, Lord
Hood, whom Linasee Bent to for orders how to act, after having
negotiated, ordered me from under his command, and to command
a squadron of frigates off Corsica and the coast of Italy, to protect
our trade, and that of our new ally, the Grand Diike of Tufcanr,
and to prevent any Bhip or vessel, of whatever nation, from going
into the port of Oenoa. I consider tliis command as a very high
compliment, there being five older captains in the fleet.
Being now senior captam here, I think it my duty to
26*6ecT* acquaint their lordships of the reports which are here respecting
Leghorn Toulou ; viz. : U'hat on the 13th the heights were covered with a
most numerous Convention army ; that Lord Hood, seeing the place
was untenable against such superior forces, had issued a proclama-
tion for the inhabitants to be prepared for what would probably
> Piblic Reoocd Offioe. CSftptaiM* Lett«fn. Thia letter is not ^wm bf NioolM,
ttOAdt.
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mV-H EVACUATION OF TOULON. 5o
happen, the evacnation of the place ; that on the 17th, at night, a
general attack was made on all our ontposts, many of which were
carried, and the troops were obliged to retire from the others,
destroN'intr the works as well as a short time would allow and
spiking the guns ; tliat on the 18th, Lord Hood luid ordered all
the Neapolitan troops to ])e eml)arked, together with as many
lioyalists as could find .ships to carry them ; tluit our ileet and that
of Spain was moored under La MaliiTie, and that wlieo he letl the
place, the white colours were still Hyiug in the town and at I^^ort
La Malgue ; that soon after he left the harbour, an ftmaging fire
broke out and a great explosion, which he supposed was the ships
fitted with powder blowing np and the arsenal on fire ; it
being calm, be returned to the harbour in his boat and saw the
arsenal and the whole French fleet in flames, with part of the town,
and that they were all destroyed, except the Commerce de Marseilles,
130 guns, Le Pomp^e, 7 i, and La Perle frigate ; that the disaffected
in the town had begun to plunder and to commit every excess of
riot. The whole Neapolitan fleet are siiid to have been seen at sea,
going to Port Spezia. This account is confirmed by the arrival of
two other vessels with families froni Toulon. T hav(? the greatest
pleasure in sayiuL' that Lord ITooti was said to be periVct.ly well.
Nothing is received otHcial from Lord Hood, lour sail are 27 Dec
arrived with wounded soldiers and sailors from the hospital : all ^
agree in the main point, but differ in the telling.
I left Leghorn cm tiie 3rd, and very soon got off here, since Mr^
which time we haye had nothing bnt hard gales of wind, and the mTe'jui.
heaviest rains I almost eyer met with. I am waiting anxiously ^^UvL
for troops from Lord Hood, to take S. Fiorenzo and the frigates,
which will fall into onr hands a few hours after their arrival. I
was most unfortunately driven a few miles to leeward two days
ago, in the height of the gale; and a frigate took that opportunity
of sailing from S. Fiorenzo to Calvi with provisions. One of my
frigates exchanged a tew shots with her, bnt at too great a distance
to prevent her getting in. 1 had so closely blockaded Calvi, that
they must have surrendered to me at discretion ; not a vessel had
hefore got in for the six weeks I have been stationed here. This
supply vrill keep them a week or two longer. We now know
from a deserter, that it was the Melpomene who engaged ns on
22 October : she had twenty-four men killed, and fifty wounded,
and was so much damaged'as to be laid up dismantled in S.
Fiorenso.
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56 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1704
Mrs. I waB blown off my station on the 28th» in the hardest gale
m Jim' almoet ever remembered here. The Agamemnon did well, but
1794. ' lost evezy sail in her. liOid Hood had joined me off Conica tbe
Ughom. before ; and wonld bave landed tbe troops, but tbe gale has
diiqtereed them over the fiue of the waters. The Victory was very
near lost; however, we are safe. A nomber of transports are
missing. I am fearful the enemy will get their troops from France
before 1 can return to my statiou, wliicli will be a vexing thing
after mv twu months" liard faj?. . . . On 21 Jannury, the French
having their storf^^iouso of flour near a wat«r-null close to S.
Fiorenzo, T seized a lia])py moment, and landed sixty soldiers and
sixty bcamen, in spite of opposition. At landing, the sailors threw
all the flour into the sea, burned the mill — the only one they had,
and returned on board without the loss of a man.
Lord Hood, Yostorday at Porto Nnovo they hoisted National coloors as I
Off- rUto P'^'^B^y <^ yessels as I passed, as also the vessels in the
NuoTo. harbour. I went to La Vasina, but there was no ship there.
(.aptain Fremantle tells me, a ship under Ragusan colours is in
Bastia. This morning being very fine, 1 anchored off Rogliano,
and sent ou shore to sav that I was come to deliver them fVoni the
Kepnblicans, and wishiMl to l>e received m a Iriend, hut that if a
musket was tired, I would burn tliu town. . . . [On n^ceiviny an lu. so-
lent and defiant] answer,! landed, and struck the National colours
with my own hand on tfie top of au old castle, and ordered the
tree of liberty in the centre of the town to be cut down, not
without great displeasure fro in the inhabitants. The military
commandant retired to a hill about two miles distant, where he
paraded the troops, and kept the National flag flying all day.
We destroyed about five hundred tuns of wine ready to be shipped,
and ten sail of vessels.
Mts. I am just going into Leghorn to get water. Corsica I hope will
i8^Feb.' ^^^^ time: Commodore Linzee has the command of the sea
business, Lord Houd is in the offing, . . . Corsica is a wonderfully
fine island. We are anxious to hear how l^irliament likes the
war. I am still of opinion it cannot last mucli longer; not by the
French having an absolute monarchy again, but by our leaving
them alone ; perhaps the wisest method we can follow.
Lord Hood, I had a good opportunity of looking at fiastia this morning ;
J 9 Feb. means of defence are as follows : On the town wall next the
sea, about twenty embrasures ; to the southward of the town, two
guns are mounted on a work newly thrown up, and an officer's
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1704 OPERATIONS IN CORSICA 57
guard encftinped there ; they are also tlurowing up a small work
commanding a large road to the soathward of the town, which
leads towards the monntaiiis. I observed at the back of the town
four stone works, all with gnna : two of them appeared strong, the
others are stone goardhonses. In tiie mole is La Fldche, 20
guns, which camt? out from Tunis witli the other frigates ; shell
dismantled, and her guns are put on tliB outworks. . . .
I carefully examined the landing-plaees near Bastia, and can
take upon me to say, that tro<jps and caiuu^n may be landed with
great ease to the southward of the town at any distance you please,
on a level cmintiy. If I may be permitted to judge, it would
Teqniie 1,000 troops, besides seamen, Ck>r8icanB, dec., to make any
snooessfal attempt against Bastia. The enemy, from all acconnts
I could learn, have about 400 regulars ; and altogether 2,000 men
carrying muskets.
8. Fioreiizo was taken possession of without opposition on 17
Febmaiy.
I was honoured by your letter ul the 19th, yesterday morning, Lord Hood,
and beg leave most sincerely to congratulate your lordshij) im the ^tnrtiiy.
taking Fiorenzo. ... I am n(uv L-'oing to t?ike another look at
[Bastia], when 1 shall send this letter. To the northward of the
town, at three miles distance, troops may be safely landed ; and a
good road for marching all the way to Bastia, but not for heavy
artillery ; but probably landing-places may be found to the north-
ward of Bastia, much nearer than three miles. I see the little
camp with two guns en barbetU is intended to prevent landing to
the southward, as I dare say the shot will reach to the opening of
the lagoon ; bat then troops may land under cover of gunboals
and other small vessels, although ships cannot get in. But every
defence of Bastia is plainly to be seen from the sea, and in my
opinion will soon fall.
It is only just now I have been able to examine Bastia more Suoday,
closely. I find the enemy every hour are strengthening their
works. The two guns mounted cn barbette are now nuiking a half-
moon battery. As I passed close with Romulus and Tartar, the enemy
opened their fire from the battery. We directly dislodged them,
and they to a man quitted the works. The town opened on us
with shot and shells, but without doing us any damage of conse-
quence : our guns were so exceedingly well pointed, that not one
shot was fired in vain ; a parcel of powder for one battery blew
np, and did apparently considerable damage. Indeed, my lord, I
wish the troops were here : I am sure, in its present state it will
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&8 LETTERS OF LOIU) NELSON 1794
soon fall. I don't think the Corsicans have the strong post General
PaoU mentions, or I most have known it. They tell me the
garrison of fiorenzo is got into Bastia.
Mrs. Onr little brush last Sunday happened at the moment when
pftrt of our army made their appearanoe on the hiUs over Bastia,
OffBtttia. they having marched overland fiom S.|Fiopenzo, which is only
twelve miles distant. The general sent an express to Lord Hood
at Fioreuzo to taU him of it. Wliat a noble sight it must have
been ! indeed, on Ixiard it was the grandest thing 1 ever saw. If
I had carried with me 500 troops, to a certainty 1 should liave
stormed the town, and 1 believe it miq-ht have been carried.
Armies go so slow, that seamen thinic they never meAn to get
forward ; but I dare say they act on a sorer principle, although we
seldom fail. . . .
4 March. Yon will be surprised to hear that the English general, Dundas,
has retired from before Bastia without making an attack* God
knows what it all means. Lord Hood is gone to S. Fiorenzo to
the army, to get them forward again. A thousand men would to
a certainty take Bastia: witii 500, and Agamemnon, I would
attempt it. Lord Hood said publicly, that if he thought it proper
U) give me three sail of the line and 50U men, he was sure I
should take the town, althoucifh prolinblv not the hei^jhts; but he
would not sacrifice his seainen and >liijjs in doing what the finest
array of its size that ever marched could, and wish to do. . . . Wo
now know that I was very near getting possession on Sunday,
the 23rd. K I had force to go again and cannonade it, I believe X
should yet get it. My seamen are now what British seamen ought
to he, to you I may say it, almost invincible : they really mind
shot no more than peas.
Lord nood, ^7 ^ Bagusa vessel come out since your lordship's departure, I
OffBulia ^^'^ enemy are in tiie greatest apprehension of our
landing near the town, which, in my opinion, would fall on the
first VI g rous attack. That the works on the hills would annoy
the town afterwards is certain, but the enemy being cut off from
all supplies (the provisions in the town being of course in our
possession) would think of nothing but niakuig the best, t-erms
they could for theniselve!^. They are now at work on the hill
near Cardo, and are also beginning a work on a hill above it,
and have made a road to the top of the mountains. . . . The
'enemy have just begun a battery in the town, just to the north-
ward of the mole, at the place I conceived our troops might have
landed.
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17M
THE GENEIIAL REFUSES TO ASSIST
59
The relations between Lord Hood and the generaL had meantinie
become exceedingly strained. Hood was anxious to pusli on at once
and attack Bastia : Dundas refused to co-operate unless he had a rein-
fon-prnfTit of t?,0<)0 mrn from Oihraltar. Hood was urgent : Dnnrlns
was obstinate : and the bitterneKS of the letters which passed Lnnween
them was but scantily veiled by the forms of official courtesy. On
5 March, Dundas wrote : * I consider the siege of Bastia^ wnh our
present means and force, to be a most visionary and rash attempt, such
as no oiBcer could be justified in undertaking ; * and Hood replied on
the 6th : * I must take the liberty to observe that however visionary
and rash an attempt to reduce Bantin nmy be in your opininn, to me it
appears very much the reverse, and to be perfectly a ri<^'ht measure ;
and I beg here to repeat my answer to you, upon your iiayiiig two days
ago, that I should be of a different opinion to what I Imd expressed,
were the responsibility upon my shoulders — that nothing would be
more gratifying to mj feelings than to have the whole responsibility
upon me ; " as I am now ready and willing to undertake the reduction
of Bastia nt my own risk, witli the force and means at present here,
being strongly impressed with the necessity of it.'
. . . Sent ail ufUcer overlaud to Ijord Hood, with niv opinion Joum«]«
that It was yet possible to take Bastia witb 500 rei^'iilm.^ mid two •"•■^
or three ships. Received a lette r from Tx)rd Hood, to say he
would st-nd me two grmboats, according to my desire. When I
get tliem the inhabitants of Bastia sleep no more.
You mav be assured I shall nndert^e nothin^r but what I haye I^rd Hood,
moral certainty of succeeding in : had ibis day been fine it was my
intention to have towed tiie Agamemnon in-ehore, and to have
destroyed the house which the enemy has fortified for musketry,
and also the new battery which is nearly finished: I think we
should have been out of tiie range of shot firom the town. When
the gunboats arrive, they may perhaps do it better ; certainly with
lees risk than ourselves. It must be destroyed, or the Corsicans
will be obliged to give up a post wliich the enemy would immediately
possess; and of course throw us nn tluit side at a greater distance
from Bastia. 1 liope our troops will mhui
1 send this overland, and shall thank your lordship to signify 16 March,
your wishes by the bearer of my letter. We are really without
firing, wine, beef, pork, Hour, and almost without wat( r : not a
rope, canvas, twine, or naU in the ship. The ship is so liglit, she
cannot hold her side to the wind ; yet if your lordship thinks or
wishes me to remain off Bastia, I can by going to Porto Ferrajo,
get water and stores, and twenty-four hours at Leghorn will give
us provisions ; and our refitting, wliich will take some time, can be
put off a little. My wish b to be present at the attack of Bastia ;
and if your lordship intends me to command the seamen who may
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60 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1794
be landed, I aaenre yoa I shall haye the greatest pleasure in doing
it, or any other service where jon may think I can do most good :
eyen if my ship goes into port to refit, I am ready to remain. We
are certainly in a bad plight at present, not a man has slept dry
for many months.
Wn. We are still blocking np Bastia, the attack of which has been
Id M««S. given up in a most extraordinary manner ; I will make what might,
if it had not now met the sanction of men of science, have been
deemed a most un pertinent observation, viz. that l^astia, from «
place I hnd found on a much closer examination than our general
Dundas, could be attacked to great advantapce. I wrote Lord
Hood requesting an engineer and artillery oihcer might be sent
to examine. To-day I have been with them, and their report is
most favourable for an attack. Our weather is now but indifferent ;
bnt hitherto I have so close blocked up the place, that one ponnd
of coarse bread sells for three livres. If the army will not take
it, we most, by some way or other. General Dnndas baa quitted
the command,' differing in opinion with Lord Hood. . . .
ReT.W. General d'Aubant, with 2,000 as tine troops as ever marched,
26 March. thought it improper to attack Bastia, which has only 800
Off BmUa. Frenchmen to defend it, and that as to takiiiLT it, tliat is inipi >-il)le.
As I had examined the ground, perhaps more than the griirr;;!.
Sir James Erskine St. Clair,* Major Koehler, Colonel Moore, or
any other, I ventured to give my opinion very fireely to lord Hood,
that not to attack our enemy I should consider as a national
disgrace. An artillery officer of great merit, Lieutenant Duncan,
I requested his lordship would ask the general to permit to come
to me. He came with Mr. de Butts, a young engineer. They agreed
with me in opinion the place might be attacked, probably with
success. Lord Hood sent me to Fiorenao to concert measures.
The general has refused us a single soldier, and scarcely any stores.
We have only about 700 men to land, troo})s who are embarked to
serve ntarines, whilst the general has l,oOO troops and artillerj'
&c. to defend 8. Fit»i> n/o. 1 am to command the seamen landed
from the fleet. I feel ior 1 he honour of my country, and had rather
be beat than not make the attack. If w^ do not try we never can
be successt^ul. X own I have no fears for the final issue ; it will be
conquest, certain we will deserve it.
' He was succeeded by Rripadier-Gcnpral Abraham d'Aubant. Comptie
and LetUn qf Sir QUhert tUiot, first Karl of Minto, vol. ii. p. 232.
. * Adintaat-Genenl to tbs Forees ; afl«nvazd« Earl of Bosslyn.
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1794
LANDED AT BASTIA
61
The Romney, with Lieutonant Duncan on board, was tliorcfore sent
to Naples, to endeavour to procure there the necessary mortars, shells,
•nd ftitOleiy aUaw ; and Sir WiUiaiii Hamilton was requested to tiae
hia influence, so that they might be sent, and with the utmost expedition.
3 April. — Landed for the siege of Bastia. Joafnil»
4 AprtL — 10 A.H. the troope — consisting of artilleiy and gunners
66 ; of the eleventh regiment 257 ; of the twenty-fifth 123 ; of the
thirtieth 146; of the sixty-ninth 261 ; of the marines 218; and
of chassenrs 112; total 1,183, and 250 seamen — ^landed at the
tower of Miorao, three miles to the northward of Bastia, under the
coiiima,ud ui' LieutcTKint -Oolouel Villettes, and Captain Horatio
Nelson, who had under him Captains Hunt, Serocold, and liullen.
What my situation is. is not to be described. I am ever\'tliinir, Win.
yet nothing ostensihl** : - lyoying' tho confidonc<^ of Lord Hood and r'a^i^*
Colonel Villettes, and tho captains landed with the seamen obeying gjjjjj*®*'
my orders. We have been landed two days complete ; are within
700 yards of the oatworkB, and 1 ,800 of the citadel. Oar battery
will open in about two days, of eight twenty-foor pounders and
ei§^t mortars. I have little donbt of our sncoess ; and if we do,
what a disgrace to the Fiorenzo wise-heads : if we do not, it can
only be owing to their neglect in not attacking the place with ns.
We are here with a force not equal to our wishes or wants, Mn*.
and with only half of what is at present in this island. General 22 April,
d Aubant will not attack our enemy, witli two thousand as fine
troops as ever marclied, whilst we are here beating them from post
to post with one tli< msand. . . . The island, however, is to belong
to England ; reinforcements are expected, and onr generals will,
I am sure, be ordered to act. My slnp lies on tlie north side of
the town, with some frigates, and Lord Hood is on the south side.
It is very hard serTicefbr poor seamen, dragging gnns up such
heights as are scarcely credible.
Your lordship knows exactly the situation I am in here. With
Colonel Villettes I have no reason hot to suppose I am respected ^
in the highest degree ; nor have I occasion to complain of want of
attention to my wishes for the good of the service from any parties ;
but yet I am considered as not commanding the seamen landed.
My wishes may be, and are, complied with ; my orders would
possibly Ix^ disregarded : therefore, if we move from hence, I would
wish your lordship to settle tliat point. Your lordship will not,
I trust, take thii^ request amiss : I have been struggling with it
since the first day T landed.
I am happy that my ideas of the situation I am in here so per* 25 ApiU.
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62 LErrERS of lord nelson 1794
fectly fipfive with your lordship's. ... 1 don't complain of anyone,
but an idoa ha^ (Mitered into the lit'ads of* poiih* iinrler him, that
Captain Hunt's command was absolutely distinct from me; and that
I had no authority whatever over him, except as a request. It was
even donl t« whether I had a right to command the officers and
aeamen landed from the Agamemnon — that word, ^ attached to the
batteries/ was wrested to a meaning very different from yonr
lordship's thoughts. . . . When your lordship may judge it proper,!
will thank you for an order to command the seamen without any
distinction as to any particular services.
The conduct of Brigadier-General d*Anbant is so extraordinary
that anything^ he possesses * appears not sufficient to atone for such
an expression as * will not entangle himself in any co-operation.'
Mr,. Recollect that a l)rav<' m.'ni dies hut once, a coward all his life
^^^^y long. We cannot e.sca))^ d.-ath; and shouM it liaj)]iiMi to me in this
place, remember, it is the will of Him, in whose hands are the issues
of life and death. As to my health, it was never better, seldom so
well. I have no fears about the final issue of the expedition — ^it
will be victory, Bastia will be ours ; and if so, it must prove an
event to which the history of England can hardly boast an eqnal.
Time will show the enemy's force ; if it is small, the Fiorenzo
commanders ought to be blamed ; if it is l&rge, they are highly
culpable, for allowing a handful of brave men to be on service un<»
supported. Hy only fears are, that these soldiers will advance when
Bastia is about to surrender, and deprive us ul' part of our glory.
Bastia is a beautiful place, and tlie eii \ irons delightful, with
the most romantic views 1 ever beheld. ... I will tell you as a secret,
[it] will be onrs between the 20th and 24th of this nionth, if
succours do not get in. Our ships are moored across the harbour's
mouth, and three boats from each ship row guard every night.
Negotiations were, in fact, opened on the 19th, and the garrison
capitulated on the 21 st Lord Hood, in his official letter of 24 ICay,
sfter relating the circumstances, wrote :
'I am unable to give due praise to the unremitting zeal, exertion,
and judicious conduct of Lieutenant Colonel Villettes, who had the
honour of coininanding his Majesty's tr(K)})s : inner was either more
conspicuous. Major Brcreton and every olliccr and soldier under the
lieutenant-colonel's orders are justly entitlotl to my warmest acknow-
ledgments ; their persevering ardour and desire to distinguish them-
selves cannot be too highly spokm of, and which it will be my pride to
rememljer to the latest period of my life.
* Captain Nelson, of lus Majesty's ship Agamemnon, who had the
■ Nelson wrote originally : * that aajthing he poeaesseSk even his life, appeals
not** fte.
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1704 CAPTURE OF BASTIA 6S
command and directions of the seamen in landing the guns, aortara, and
stores, and Captain Hunt, who commanded at the batteries very ably
assisted by Captain Bullcr and Captain Serocold, and the Lieutenants
Gore, Hotham, Stih s, Aiulrows, and Brislxine, have an equal claim to
my gratitude, as the seanu-ji imdor their manacrement workeni the sfuns
with gn^at judgment and alacrity. Never waa an higlier spirit or
greater peraeTenuioe exhibited, and I am happy to say that no other
contention was at any time known than who should be moet forward
and indefatigable for promoting his Majesty's service ; for althon^ the
difficulties they had to struggle with were many and various, the perfect
harmony and good humour that universally prevailed throughout the
siege overcame them all. Captain Hunt, who wius on siiore in the
cominand of the batteries, from the hour the troops huided to the sur-
render of the town, will be the bearer of this despatch, and can give
any further information you may wish to know respecting the siega'
When the despatch came back to the fleet in the ' Gazette/ Nelson
considered that his services were sUgfatingly mentioned, and that Captain
Hunt's were majc^itied at Ins expense. The last paragraph, especially,
gave hitii great offence, and )ie expressed himself with a bitterness of
which the next letter is a sample.
Lord Hood and myself were never better frienda ; nor, alUioiigh Wm.
his letter does, did he wish to pat me where I never was — in ^e f " j'uiyf '
rear. Captain Hnnt, who lost his ship, he wanted to pnsh forward
for another — a young man who never was on a battery, or ever
rendered any service during the siege: if any person over says he did,
then 1 submit to the chanater of a, story-ttller. Poor Serocold,
who fell here, waa deterniiiied to publish an advertisrimut, as he
coimnandi'd a batttjrv nnder my orders. ^Plie wliol. ui>« 'rations of
the siege were carried on thixju^^li Loi*d liuod s letters to me. I
w*a8 the mover of it — I was the cause of its success. Sir GillxM't
Elliot will be my evidence, if any is required. I am not a little
vexed, bat shall not qaarrel. We shall be successful here ; and a
stranger and a landsman will probably do me that credit which a
fiiend and brother officer has not given me.
This was, however, long afterwards. At the time he was quite
satisfied with IiOrd Hood's ofticial thanks addressed to him and to the
officers and seamen, through him. This form shows clearly enough that
Nelson was, as he claimed to >)e, the commanding officer , though it suited
Hood to push Hunt into prominent notice.
All has been done by seamen, and troops embarked to serve as Rvw. W.
marines, except a few artiUeiy under the orders of Lord Hood, who ^Q^S^^y,
has given in this instance a most astonishing proof of the vigour of BuUs.
bis mind, and of his seal and judgment. His thanks to the seamen
probably will find its way into the newspapers : they are as hand-
some as can be penned. Four thoosand five hunrlred men have
laid down their arms to under 1,200 troops and seamen : it is such
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54 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1704
an event as ia hardly on record. Seventy-seven pieceg of ordnance,
with an incredible quantity of stores, are taken, witli a man-<jl-war
of 22 guns. The Fortun^e was desti-oyed at Fiorenzo, the Minerva
taken, La Fldche lif rf therefore three out of four of my antago-
nists are gone. The Melpomene is at Calvi, and will, I hope, fall
into our hands with Mignonne, a small frigate. Thus I shall still
have the satisfiiction of seeing this squadron taken, which oonld
not have happened had they not &llen in with me. They were
bound to Nice, but Melpomene being so much damaged, they were
obliged to put into Corsica. I have now on board two captains
of the frigates, twenty oflicers, and 300 seamen. All join in our
praise, but they accuse each other : the officers saying the crew
would not fight ; the people abuse their officers, and both parties
join in abusing the coniinodon', captain of Fortun^e, for uot coming
down to U8, when we were crippled. T don't think they are tlia
men who would have taken Agamemnon, but they behaved shame-
fully in not tiying.
GiL [A^ ^ ^ June, the Didoj was seen to the westward,
suiW^ with the signal flying for lihe enemy's fleet to the westward. Lord
" Hood instantly made the signal for a general chase. When the
frigate joined, Sir Charles Hamilton acquainted his lordship that
he left tlie French fleet at eight o'clock at night on the 8th, twelve
leagues off the island of 8anta Margarita, laying to with their
heads oil .shore. Lord Hond tlien made the signal for to chase
"SWy whicli we did, till dark, when the fleet was collected round
the Victory, she carrying all lier plain sails durinjjf tlie night, and
having frigates in every direction. At noon, on the 10th, being
nearly on the station where the enemy was seen, and in sight of
the French coast, Lord Hood thought fit to order Agamemnon
to Bastia, to convoy the troops to Mortella Bay, and to get every*
thing in readiness to land them at Calvi at a moment's notice. . . .
I lost sight of the Victory at half-past five o'clock on Tuesday after*
noon, with thirteen sail of the line and several frigates standing
with an easy sail in-shore .... The enemy are nine sail of the line
and seven other vessels. If Lord Hood can get hold of these
gentry, he will give a most glorious account of them I am certain.
Lord Hood, On mv arrival in Mortella BaVj un the 15th instant, General
CAlvi. Stuart was anxious to proct^ed on our expedition against Calvi, in
which I own 1 most heartily concurred with him, believing ourselves
< 6ir Ullbert Elliot, afterwaids Lord Viato ; St this tune Oomnuamy Pleui-
potentiiUT io Oonfii»» and aflerwaids Viceroy.
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17U
SIEGE OF GALVI
65
safe under your lordship's wing. T sailed ou the 16th, in the even-
ing from Morteiia Bay, and aiichured here on tlic 17tli, at niLdit.
Yesterday was taken up in looking at tlif enemy, and thi*^ Toornnig
at daylight, the troops, 1,150, were landed, together witli seventy
volunteers from the transports, thirty men which I took out of the
Inflexible, and one hundred seamen from the Agamemnon.
Oar landing-place is very bad ; the rocks break in this weather Lord Hood,
so far from the Bhore, and the monntain we have to drag the guns ciunfu^
np 80 long and so steep, that the whole of yesterday we were only
able to get one gnn up, and then we have one mile and a half at least
- to drag them. I hope before long we shall be able to land some to
the eastward of Cape Revellata ; but it being within half gun-shot
of the enemy, it cannot at present be done. Your lordship so well
knows our want of seamen here, that T am sure I need not mention
it: we sIimII linve more than forty pieces of ordnance to drag over
these mountains : my luimbers are two hundred, barely sufficient
to move a twenty-four ])onnder.
Got up two ten-inch howitzers, and were employed all the day J^^urnai,
in carrying the heavy guns and carriages about three-quarters of a
mile forward, during a constant rain. Throughout the whole time
a gale of wind cut off all intercourse vrith the ships. At one
o'clock in the afternoon, the French came out, and made an attempt
to turn both flanks of the Corsicans. A gunboat also came out to
8npx)ort their rear, and the enemy advanced under cover of a heavy
cannonade. Our light coq)s were under arms to jsupport the
Corsicans if necessary, and the seamen ^ot down t\su held-pieces
and fired at the ^ninhoat, which instantly rowed away. The
eneiriV rather forced our Corsicans to fall back, on which I went
with General Stuart to them : they kept np a snnirt firint( of
musketry, and regained their post. Colonel iSabbatini, their com-
mandant, was killed, with two or three others, and five or six were
wounded. The enemy retired to their works about four o'clock.
It was the general's intefitiun, as he tdd me yesterday, to LoidHood,
make a feint of attacking Monachesco, which of course would draw l^^^^'
off the attention of the enemy from our people making the battery.
From some cause it was eleven o'clock before the battery could be
begun ; and before twelve, from the impossibility of completing it
and p^etting the guns nito it before daylight, every bag and cask
wa.i obliired to be carried back again. The failure of any phin
must \h' distressing to him : I am sure I feel it. ^nierever it
lays, it does not rest with us. We were at our posts one hour
before any creature made their appearance. X think, from what
F
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1794
the general told me last night, oar battery will not be begun this
night. A happy degree of irregularity, I can't help thinking, is
sometimes better than all this regularity. . . .
Jonmal. Throughout the whultj of 8 July, both i^idt'H had kept up u
constant and heavy fire. They totally destroyed two of our
twenty-fonr-pouncier.-^, greatly damaged a twciity-six-pounder, and
shook our works very much. One of their shells burst in tlie
centre of our battery , amongst the general, myself^ And at least
one hundred persons, and blew up our battery magamne, bat,
wonderinl to say, not a man was much hurt. We, on our part^
did considerable damage to the Moselle and Fountain battery ; bat
when any of their guns were disabled, they had others to supply
their place. At night we repaired our works, and got two of
the Agamemnon's eighteen-pounders to replace the twenty-four-
pounder.
By ten o'clock on the 9th, we had evidently the superiority of
fire, and before nit^^ht had dismounted evers *^\n\ in the Fountain
battery and Moxelle, which bore upon ns ; but the c^iins in Saint
Francesco annoyed us considerably, being so much on our left-
flank, and at so great a distance, that we could not get our guns to
bear on it with any effect. In the night we mounted the howitzer
of ten inches, 150 yards in the rear, and a little to the left of oar
battery, both of which fired on the enemy eveiy three minutes
during the night to prevent their working. Hallowell and myself
each take twenty-four hours at the advanced battt r} .
On the 10th at daylight, we opened our fire on the Mozelle,
and occasionally a gnn on the Fount-ain battery, and found that
the enemy had not done any work in that battery during the
night, everything being exactly in the same state. At the Mozelle
they had placed p^reat nunil)in-s of sand-bags, to prevent our shot
from strikinpf unt.l«*r tlie arches of the bomb-proof of tlie cavaliere,
which we did yesterday by beating down the merlins of the lower
work. By seven o'clock in the morning the sand-bags were mostly
beat down, and our fire went on u itliout any opposition. By the
evening, the Moselle was much shaken, and I am sure a breach
may be made practicable whenever the g eneral thinks it right to
turn his attention to it.
At daylight on the 12th, the enemy opened a heavy fire firam
the town and San Francesco, which, in an extraordinary manner,
seldom missed our battery ; and at seven o'clock 1 was much
bruised in the face and eyes, by sand from tlie works struck by
shot. The Mozelle was by this time much breached. At night
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1704 WOUNDED IN TU£ £Y£ 67
replaced the guns destroyed, aud fired a gun and mortar eveiy
three minutes.
My eye is bet ter, and 1 hope not entirely to lose the sight. I Lord Hood,
ehall be able to attend my duty this eFening if a new battery is to
be erected. Ilallowelly who is a worthy good man, and myaelfy
feel ourselves fully equal to whatever dut^ can be peiformed l^onr
seamen landed : should we want assistuioe I will acquaint your
lordship.
I have the pleasure to say the breaches, for there are two, are
much enlarged this day, and the general has told me, in confidence, ^*
his plan ftjr to-morrow night, when success will attend us, I have
little doubt. The enemy, by their mode of firing this day, are
aware of our intentions, for they have tried the range of the
different grounds we are t<i ji ossess. I don*t think it is always
necessary to summons a place before an attack, nor that it pre-
cludes the besieged from honourable terms. I have served as
commanding sea-officer on shore, when we attacked, and the
besieged, when they thought proper, sent out a flag of truce. At
this place, if they had been aware of our getting so near them in
the first position we could not have done it, the ground is so very
unfavourable.
To this l>>r(l Hood replied ou the iioxt day, 17 July :
' I perfectly ti^ree with you tliat a town not being summouod does
not preclude the inhabitants from honoural)lc t<?rm8, hut according to
the rules of war generally practised, a sunuuons is sent, as it gives a
fair opening to the besieged, if they are actuated by the same principles,
that of sparing the effusion of blood, after security is ofoed to persons
and property. At the same time, in critical situations there may be
objeetioDs to it, and I was convinced they existed in the first instance,
but T am doubtful whether thoy do so now. However, T shall K:iy not
anotJior word upon the suhject, although the rapidity with wliirh the
French are getting on at Toulon makes it indispensably necessary tor
me to put tlie whole of the fleet under my command in the best possible
state fbr lervice ; and I must soon apply to the general lor those parts
of the regiments now on shore, orderad by his Majesty to serve in lieu
of marines, to be held in readiness to embark at the .shortest notice, I
fidiall delay the application as long as possible, and I am now sending
Xj'Aigle to look into Toulon. I whte this iu confidence.'
When I wrote y*>ur lordship last I had no idea I could have Lord Hood
wrote again until the Mozelle was carried; but such things are. ^•'^y-
I hope to God the general, who seems a good ofiicer and an ann-
Able man, is not led away ; but Colonel Moore is his great friend.
Yesterday, at noon, I found all was given np as last night,
t>l»at things might be got forward for the grand batteiy against the
w2 *
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TETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1794
town. In the evening the general took mo a*?ifle to nny I had ir* >t
him nearly into a scrape, for that I had wrote your lordship that
the ^fozolle was to be stormed as this night, for that a Corsican
oolonel (I think) had landed from the Victory, and been to him to
offer his services, and that he was told on board the Victory what
was to happen. I told the general that I certainly had wrote so
to you, bnt I was sare it went no farther ; and that as to the
stomning, everybody these three days past had fixed each niglit
for the st-orm. There seems a little jealonsy of my commnnicating
with you daily ; uiid I rather think the question to me last evening
was to know if I told you anything. We must go on, let Moore
say what he pleases.
Lord Hood immedkktely replied :
' I thank you for your l«'tt«'r, iiud dosirc to have a daily account how
things go on. T most earnestly entreat you will give no opinion uides^s
asked, wliat is right or not right to 1j« done ; hut wluitever that may
be, keep it to yourself, and be totally silent to everyone, except in for-
warding all proposed operations. Have no Jealousies, I beg of you, .
and avoid giving any most carefully. J have not seen a Corsican officer
to have any conversation with re^Mcting Oalvi. Colunna was here
three days ago with some gentlemen and ladies, from Algajola, and this
morniiu^' Tart^relli came on board, jnst to make his bow, and wh« ^\nt
with me five minutes, and 1 said nf)t a word to either about the siege,
and I do entreat you will not suggest the least hint to any person wlnit-
ever about the summons to the garrison. The utmost caution is neces-
sary in you to be sOent : say so to Hallowell, or you will both get Into
a difficulty. You must, I am sure, see the force of what I sby, as you
cannot ho insensible, from what you have said, that there is some of
Saint Fiorenzo leaven existing. A word to the wise is sufficient. If
you do not bring yourself into a scrape by talking, you uvav depend
upon it. r shall not do it, as 1 shall know nothing to the general of
what yoM have ever wiitten to me ; but beware of the colonel you
mention/
Lord Hood, What seems wanting is more seamen, a number sufficient to
so«)aiy* mahe the battery, and to drag the guns without any help, with all
the supplies ibr those guns. The army are harassed to death, and
the enemy have, it seems, 2,000 men in arms at Calvi. tlierefore the
general wants from your lordship tu make our number 500 working
men. From various causes we are not more, than 220 working
men, and after 120 men are deducted for the present batteiy, we
have not more than 100 working men.
The general is going to send to Bastia for 300 troops to asv^dst
the army in the land duty which they now have. Gunpowder is
wanted, as also shot in such quantities as I fear it is out of your
lordship's power to supply, for we have no chance of success bnt by
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17M
SIEQE OF OALVI
69
battering a breach, which without more ammunition could not be
done ; and it was come to the point either to go on or give it up.
I told the general that I was sure that if you had the means of
supplying his wants I was certain he would have them ; but I
believed neither shot nor powder was to be got from the ships.
The general then siud^ as San Francesco was destroyed, why oonld
not ships be laid against the walls ? I took the liberty of observ-
ing that the business of laying wood before walls was mnch altered
of late : and that even if tliey had no hot shot, which I believe
they had, that tlu' 4iiaiitity of |>owder aiid shot which would Im
fired away on such an attack could be much better directed from a
battery ou shore. All our conversation was with the greatest
politenesF?, and he thanked ine for my assistance ; but it was neces-
sary to come to the point whether the siege should be persevered
in or given up. If the former, he must be supplied with the
means, which were more troops, more seamen to work, and more
ammunition.
We will &g ourselves to death, before any blame shall lie at our n July,
doors ; and I trust it will not be forgotten, that twenty-five pieces
of heavy ordnance have been dragged to the different batteries and
mounted, and all, but three at the Royal Louis battery, have been
fought by seamen, except one artilleryman to point the guns, and,
at first, an additional gunner to stop the vent ; but, aa I did not
choose to trust a seaman's arms to any but seamen, lie was with-
drawn : all the mortars have also been worked ^ry seanum : every
man landed is actually half barefooted. I am far from well ; but
not so ill as to be confined. My eye is troublesome, and I don't >
think I shall ever have the perfect sight of it again. In one week
at farthest alter our batteries are open, I think Calvi will be ours.
You will probably have heard that flags of truce have been ttr O.
passing between us and the garrison. What the basis is I am not ^ ju^i^.
exactly in a situation to be made acquainted with ; but if I am not
mistaken, it is for a suspension of hostOities for a certain time,
when, if no succours arrived, then to enter into a capitulation. . . .
We have much more t(j> dreatl from the climate than from the fire
of the enemy ; I would not i^ive them one hour's truce. They
know their climate, that it is an enemy we can never conquer : for
if the siege is prolonged one week more, hall' this anuy will be
sick.
All we have to guard against is unnecessary delay : the climate ^j^J^."^'
is the only enemy we have to fear ; that we can never conquer. ^'
The garrison knew it, and wished to make use of their knowledge
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70
LETTEBS OF LORD NELSON
1794
Our tire iimi had aii the effect ubich could li(»j»ed for. Except
one general discharge, and a guu now and then still at us, we have
had no opposition. Eveiy creature (very few excepted) of the
troops are in the lower town, which we are to respect, it being ioh
of black flags. For be it from me to cast a reflection on the gene-
ral's humanity ; I admire it ; bnt the^ are times, and I think the
present is one, when it woald be more charitable to onr troops to
make the enemy gafler more, than for onr brave fellows to die every
hoar, four or five of a day. Why might not the general send notice,
that they must remove from the lower town all their sick to the
upper town, lor that it might bt> u necessary measure to destroy it?
in that case, they would be so crowded, the casements btMiig lilled
with sick, that a few hours must make them submit to any terms.
We cannot tire at the small emit which lav untler tbe walls, lor the
lower town, and these vessels I dare say are filled with people or
troops.
The general is very uiwell, not able to remain here last night.
I have not heard of hun this morning. This is my ague day, bnt
I hope this active scene will keep off the fit. It has shook me a
good deal ; bat I have been nsed to them, and don't mind them
maeh. Lieutenant Byron, heir to the title of Lord Byron, was
killed yesterday afternoon.
The men at this time suffered much from the heat ; more especially
those exposed to the son in the batteriso.
Lord Hood, I do not find the strong winds have lessened onr sick. We now
6 Aoguat. Q^iy jj^p iinif Quj. seamen at the batteries, yet we have sevtmty
sick on shore, and I sent thirty to the Agamemnon yesterday. The
troops are worse than ourselves by far.
On 10 August, Calvi surn iub rod, and with the town tlie Kngliah
obtained possession of the two frigates Melpomene and Mignomie.
The climate here, from July to October, is most unfavourable
for military operations. It is now what we call the dog-days, here
it is termed the lion sun ; no person can endure it : we have up-
wards of one thousand sick out of two thou.^and, and the others not
much better than so many phantoms. We have lost many men
from the season, very few froTn the enemy. 1 am here the reed
amongst the oaks : nil the prevailing disorders have attiicked me,
but I have not strength for them to fasten upon : I bow before the
storm, whilst the sturdy oak is laid low. One plan I pursue,
never to employ a doctor ; nature does all for me, and Providence
of
am
10
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17M
SURBENDER OF OALVI
71
protects me. Always happy, if my humble but bearty endearoure
can serve my king and country.
The French fleet are still in Grolfe Jouan, and so securely
moored, that it is said we cannot get at them with our ships.
They are guarded as much as possible from fire-ships by a line of
frigates outside the large ships, and a line of gunboats outside
them, and at night a line of lannches ; the whole is protected by
very formidable batteries. When they came out of Toulon, by
some mistake, they were represented to Admiral Ilutliam us niue
sail of the line, whereas time has siiown they were only seven ; which
induced a most g^alhint officer to bear up for Cn]\'i, and tliere he
intended to tight them, sooner than they should throw in succours :
had he known they were only an equal force, I am sure he would
have griven a good account of them.
I left Calvi on the 15th, and hope never to be in it again. Mm.
I was yesterday in S. Fiorensoo, and to-day shall be safe moored, is IS^^ut.
I expect, in Leghorn ; since the ship has been commissioned, this ^[J^*
will be the first resting-time we have had. As it is all past, I may
now tell you, that on 10 July, a shot having hit our battery, the
splinters and stones from it strut k me with ^reat violence in the
face and breast. Althonnrh the blow was so sev ere as to occasion
a great flow of blood from my head, yet I most fortunately escaped,
having only my right (»ye nearly deprived of its sight ; it was cut
down, but is so lar recovered as for me to be able to diatinguiiA
light from darkness. As to all the purposes of use, it is gone ;
however, the blemish is nothing, not to be perceived, unless told.
The pupil is nearly the size of the blue part, I don't know the
name. At Bastia, I got a sharp cut in the back. Yon must not
think that my hurts confined me : no, nothing but the loss of a
limb would have kept me from my duty, and I believe my exertions
conduced to preserve me in this general mortality.
When Lord Hood quits this station, I should be truly sorry to 12 Sept.
remain ; he is the greatest sea-officer I ever knew ; aiid what tan
be Saul agaiust him, T cannot conceive; it must only be envy, and
it is better to be envied than pitied. But tin's comes from the
army, who have also poisoned some few of our minds. The taking
of Bastia, contrary to all military judgment, is such an attack on
them that it is never to be forgiven.
Lord Hood is inclined to take me home with him, and turn ns Wm.
into a good sevenfy-four ; for although I have been ofiered every ^ g^tf '
seventy-four which has fallen vacant in this conntiy, yet I could teo*.
not bring myself to part with a ship's company with whom I h«v9
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72
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1794
Mrs.
OflTGolft
JottMl.
ISOeL
Capt.
Locker,
10 Oct,
OffOol/e
Jooan.
Rev. W.
Nflson,
26 Oct.
gone throu^'li sucli a ^i i ics of hard semce as has uever before, I
believe, fallen to the lot of any one ^h\p.
We are sent here to keep peace and harmony with Genoa ; and
I believe none has been injured by the blockade but ourselves ; for
I am assured here it never waa felt ; for all ships which did not
escape the vigilance of our cruisers, went into the neighbouring
portB, and small vessels carried their cargoes along shore, the under^
writers paying the expenses.
Lord Hood is gone to Leghorn to receive his despatches by a
messenger, who is arrived from England, and most probably we
shall only see him to take leave. Admiral Hotham will be com-
mander-in-chief ; and with new men, new measures are jrenerally
adopttnl. tlierefore I can at present say nothing about inyself,
exce])t that i am in most perfect health. We have here eleven
sail of the line, the enemy have fourteen j seven here and seven at
Toulon. They will probably before the wint^^T is over effect a
junction, when our fleet will be kept together; but whenever thpy
choose to give us a meetii^, the event I have no doubt will be such
as every Englishman has a right to expect.
Lord Ilood left us yesterday : therefore our hopes of my going
home at present are at an end : however, we must not i*epine : at
all events I shall cheat the winter, and, as I understand I am to
have a cruipe, it mny possibly be advantageous. Lord Hood is
very well inclined towards me; but the service must ever supersede
all private con.sideratiun,
Tlie French ships in the hay are su fortified, that we cannot get
at them without a certainty of the destruction ot our own fleet.
At Toulon, six sail of the line are r(\n(ly for sea in the outer road,
and two nearly so in the arsenal. When V^ictory is gone we shall
be thirteen sail of the line, when the enemy will keep our new
commanding officer in hot water (Hotham), who missed, unfor-
tunately, the opportunity of fighting them, last June.
The enemy have a fleet, in point of number, superior to ours,
we having only fourteen sail of the line. The junction of the two
squadrons offGolfe Jouan and Toulon may be made whenever they
please, for in the winter we cannot blockade them. What object
they may have in view no one can tell, but if it is Italy, no action
will take ])laep here lietore February, tor before their anny can risk
being cut olf, there must be a sea action to force us into port;
.when, if we are not completely victorious — I mean, able to remain
at sea whilst the enemy must retire into poi t — ^if we only make a
Lord Howe's victory, take a part, and retire into port, Italy is lost
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1794-M
LOliD HOOD GOES HOME
7a
Matters are fjist drawing to a crisis in this country. Our Wm.
transports, which hnvo been detained at Toulon, since they carried fn Nov5
over the garrison of Calvi, were liberated on 20 November ; their
Bails, whidi had been taken from tiiem, being, sent on board, and
sixteen hours allowed them to depart Not a man was allowed
to go on shore daring their stay, and the answers of Jean Bon St.
Andr6 were insolent in the highest degree to modest and proper
requests. He sent a message to Lord Hood, not knowing of his
departure, that, if he sent any mure flags to the port of tlie
mountain, he would burn the vebsels. They have fifteen sail of the
line readv for sea, with which thev say they will lii^'ht our fleet.
Now, as Admiral JJotham is gone otF Toulon with tliirtceu sail
of the line, they may if they please. I am, as you will believe,
uneasy enough, for fear they will fight, aud Agamenmon not
present — it will almost break my heart ; but I hope the best —
that they are only boasting at present, and will be qniet till I am
ready.
This letter is on the subject of oar Bastia and Calvi prize- Arthur
money. What I have got at present is nothing : what I have lost 28 Nov!
is, an eye, oOO/., aud my healtli ; with the satisfaction of my ship's W^"*"**
company bciug uumpletely ruined : so much for debtor and creditor.
It is absolutelv necessarv* vou slioiild know how the prize-money is
to be dibtributed. It may In* nccessant'^, and I think must 1)0
finally determined by the king in council. Shall those who were
present at the commencement, those who only came time enough
to HPe the enemy's flags struck, share equal to us who bore the
harden of the day ? It must be considered as veiy different to
sharing prize-money at sea. There the object, if resistance was
made, could be assisted : with ns it was quite different. Far be it
from me to be illiberal. Those ships who rowed guard the whole
time, as Victory, Princess Royal, and Fortitude, and Agamemnon,
are the only ships who remained the whole siege ; Gorgon, great
part: UlmperieuRe, certain ; and Fox cutter. How the others
are to be discriminated, I cannot say. I think you ought to get
the opinion of two good counsel, and from tlieir. oj)inion you may
form some judgment what may be nee essary to be done.
The fleet goes to sea on the 22n(l or 23rd, thirteen sail of the Duke of
line. The French have fifteen in the outer road of Toulon, and
fifty sail of large transports ready at Marseilles j therefore it is ^9i».
certain they have some expedition just ready to take place, and wuzo.
I have no doubt hnt Spezia is their object. We expect soon
to be joined by some Neapolitan ships and frigates : I have no
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74 LETTERS OF LORD WSLBON 1706
idea we shall get much good from them : they are not seamen, and 1
cannot keep the sea beyond a passage.
Wm. This day twelvemonth saw the British troops land at this j
7 FDb!°^' place, for the pnrpose of taming the French oat of the island ; and i
the more I see of it* produce, and convenient ports for our fleets, ^
the more I am satistieil of Lord HootFs pjreat wisdom in getting
possession of it : lor luul his lordsliip not come forward with a bold
plan, all our ti-adc and ])<)litic-al consequence would liavf been lost
in Italy: for, after the evacuation of Toulon, to what place were ^
wo to look for shelter for our fleet, and the numerous attendants of
victuallers, store-ships, and transports? Genoa was inimical to |
as, and, by treaty, only 6ve sail of the line could enter her porta
at the same time. If we look at Tuscany, she was little better
than forced to dedare for as, and ever since wishing to get her
nentrality again. . . . All oar trade, and of our allies, to Italy,
mast pass close to Ck>T8ica : the enemy would have had the ports
of this island fiill of row-galleys ; and, from the great calms near
tin* land, our ships of war could not have protected the trade —
they can always be taken under your eye : the Spanish portij and
Neapolitan are so distant from the scene of war that they could
not have been used, even would the dons have made us welcome,
which ] doubt. The loss to the French has been great indeed;
all the ships built at Toulon have tlicir sides, beams, decks, and
straight timbers from this island. The pine of this island is of t he
finest textnre I ever saw ; aad the tar, pitch, and hemp, although
I believe the former not equal to Norway, yet were very much used
in the yard at Toulon. So mnch for the benefit of it to as daring
the war ; and, in peace, I see no reason but it may be as beneficial
to England as any other part of the king's dominions.
Mrs. We arrived here last night after a very bad cruise. Tiii^
25^'Feb.* country, I understand, will in a vpr\' few days declare its neutrality ;
Leghorn. therefure, as all ])owei's i^ive up contest, for what h^'^ KnL»'land
to fight ? 1 wish most heartily we had peace, or that all our troops
were drawn iiom the continent, and only a naval war carried on,
the war where England can alone make a figure.
TBANSACnONS ON BOARD HTS MAJESTY's SHIP AO AMFMXON, AKD OF TBI
FLEET, AS BEEN AND KNOWN BY CAPTAIN NELSON.
8mday, 8 March, — At 5 P.M. the Mozelle [frigate] mode the
signal for a fleet to the westward. The admiral made the signal to
nnmoor, and to prepare to weigh after dark.
9 March. — 5 A.M. the signal to weigh, the wind blowing a iiae
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■ 1705 nOTHAM'S FIR8T ACTION 75
j breesBO from the eastward. At 8, every ^hip was without the
Melora. ... At 5.30 p.m. the Meleager made the signal for the
enemy's fleet, eighteen nail. At 8, the admiral made the signal
; that tlie erieiTiv's fleet were supposed to be near.
, 10 March. — iO A.M. the Mozelle made the signal for a fleet,
twenty-fivo sail, in tlie NW : signal for u general chase in that
quarter. At b/dO P.M. the Mozelle maile the signal that the
enemy were upon a wind on the starboard tuck. At G, signal to
form in two divisions. Stood to the northward till midnight, when
the admiral made the signal to form in the order of battle.
11 March. — At daylight nothing in sight. ... In the after^
noon saw a French brig to the westward making signals.
12 Mwreh. — At daylight our fleet mnch scattered. At 6 A.ii.
Princess Royal made the signal for the enemy's fleet, sonth.
We endeavoured to join the Trincess Royal, which we accomplished
. at 9. Light airs, southerly : the enemy's fleet nearing us verj'last,
our fleet nearly Ijecahned. At 9.15, Admiral Goodall [in Princess
Royal] made the signjil for the ships near to form ahead and
astern of him^ as most convenient : Admiral Hothani [in Jiritanniaj
made the same signal. Our ships endeavonring to form a junction;
the enemy pointing to separate us, but under a very easy sail.
They did not appear to me to act like officers who knew anything
of their profession. At noon, they began to form a line on the lar-
board tack, which they never accomplished. At 2 p.m. they bore
down in a line ahead, nearly before the wind, but not more than
nine sail formed. They then hauled the wind on the larboard tack ;
about three miles from us, the wind southerly, Genoa lighthouse
NNE ahout five leagues ; saw the t^wn very plain. At 3.15 P.M.
joined Admiral liotham, who made the signal to prepare for battle ;
thtj body of the enemy 's fleet about three or four miles distant. At
4.6, signal to form the order of battle on the larboard tack : 4.30,
signal for each ship to carry a light during the night. At 6.16,
; signal for each ship to ti^e suitable stations for their mutual
' sopport, and to engage the enemy as they came up. Our fleet
at this time was tolerably well formed, and with a fine breeze,
easterly ; which, had it lasted half an hour, would certainly have
' led ns through the enemy's fleet, about four riiips from the van ship,
which was separated from the centre about one mile. At 0.15, the
fleet hoisted their colonrs. At. dark, the wind came fresh from the
westward. At 0.55, the signal to we.'ir together. A fresh breeze
ail night: stood to the ^uthward all night, as did the enemy.
13 Mwrch. — At daylight, the enemy's fleet in the SW, about
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76
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1796
three or four leagues with fresh bret>ze8. Signal for a general
chase. At 8 a.m. a French ship of the .line carried away her
main and fore topmasts. At 9.15, the Inconstant frigate fired at
the disabled ship, but receiving many shot, was obliged to leave
her. At 10 a.m. tacked and stood towards the disabled ship, and
two other ships of the line. The disabled ship proved to be the (^a
Ira of 61 guns (36 ... 24 ... 1:2 pre. French weight), I.oOO men ;
[tlie others were the] Sans Culotte, 1 20 gimR ; and the Jean Bart, 74
^uns. We could hav«' frtclied the Sans Culutte, by j a-sing tlie Ca
Ira to windward, but on looking round 1 saw no .sl»ip of the line
within several miles to support ine : tlie Captain was the nearest on
our lee quarter. I then determined to direc t wy attention to the Qa
Ira, who, at 10.15, was taken in tow by a frigate ; the Sans Culotte
and Jean Bart keeping about gunshot distance on her weather bow.
At 10.20 the Qa Ira began firing her stem chasers. At 10.80 the
Inconstant passed ns to leeward, standing for the fieet. As we drew
up with the enemy, so true did she fire her stem-guns that not a
shot missed some part of the ship, and latterly the masts were struck
every shot, which obliged me to open our fire a few m in ut-ea sooner
than T intended, for it was mv intention to have touched his stc-i-n
before a ^^h(^t was lirecl. But seeing plainly from the situation of
the two fleets, the im|x)ssibility of being sup])orted, and in cus<'
any accident happened to our masts, the certainty of bt^ing severely
cut up, I resolved to fire so soon as I thought we had a certainty of
liitting. At 11.15 a.m., being within one hundred yards of the Qa
Ira's stem, 1 ordered the helm to be put a-star board, and the driver
and after-sails to be braced up and shivered, and as the ship fell oflT,
gave her our whole broadside, each gun double-shotted. Scarcely
a shot appeared to miss. The instant all were fired, braced up our
after-yards, put the helm a-port, and stood after her again. This
mancBuvre we practised till 1 P.M., never allowing the Qa Ira to get
a single gun fruui either side t^ fire on us. They attempted some of
their after-guns, but all went fur ahead of us. At this time the Ca Ira
was a perfect wreck, lier sails hanging in tatter.s, mizen top-inast,
mizeu topsail, ;iiul croys jiick yards shot away. At 1 P.M. the irigate
hove in stays, and got the Qa Ira round.
I observed the guns of the Ira to be much elevated, doubt-
less laid for our rigging and distant shots, and when she opened
her fire in passing, the elevation not being altered, almost every
shot passed over us, very few striking our hull. The captain of
the Qa Ira told Admiral Goodall and myself, that we had killed and
wounded one hundred and ten men, and so cut his rigging to
pieces that it was impossible for him to get up other topmasts.
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1705
HOTHAM'S FIRST ACnON
As the Mgate iirst, and then the i^o, Ira, got their guns to bear,
each opened her fire, and we pas^^od within half pistol-shot. As
fioon as onr after-gans ceased to bear, the ship was ho7e in stays,
keeping, as she came roond, a constant fire, and the ship was
worked with as mneh exactness as if she had been tnming into
Spithead. On getting round, I saw the Sans Calotte, who had
before wore with many of the enemy's ships, nnder onr lee bow,
and standing fco pass to leeward of us, under top-gallant sails. At
1.30 P.M. the admiral made the signal for the van-ships to join
him. I instantly bore away, and prepared to sft all our sailb, but
the enemy ha\nng saved their sliip, liauled close to the wind, and
opened their fire, but so distant as to do us no harm ; not a shot, I
believe, hitting. Our sails and rigging were very much cut, and
many shot in onr hall and betwe(^n wind and water, but, wonderful,
only seven men were wounded. The enemy as they passed our
nearest ships opened their fire, but not a shot, that I saw, reached
any ship except the Captain, who had a few passed through her
sails. Till evening, employed shifliing our topsails and splicing our
rigging. At dark, in our station : signal for each ship to carry a
light. Little wind : south-westerly aU night : stood to the west-
ward, as did the enemy.
14 March. — At daylight, taken aback with a fine breeze at N W,
which jLfave us the wt^ather-fj-a^'-e, wliilst the eneniyV fleet kept tlie
southerly "jratre. Saw the Qa Ira, nud a lin(»-ot'-batt.le ship, who
had her in tow alx)ut three and a half miles from us, the body of
the enemy's fleet about five miles. 6.15 a.m., signal ft)r the line
of battle, SE and NW ; 6.40, for the Captain an.l Bedford to
attack the enemy. At 7 A.M., signal for the Bedford to engage
close; Bedford's signal repeated for close action. 7.5, for the
Captain to engage close. Captain's and Bedford's signals repeated ;
at this time, the shot from the enemy reached us, but at a great
distance. 7.15, signal for the fleet to come to the wind on the
larl>()ard tack. This sii^nal threw us and the Princi^s^ Iloyul to the
leijward of tlie Illustrious, ( Nuiranfeux, and Hritunnia. 7.20, the
Britannia hailed, and ordered me to go to the nssi?5tance of the
Captain and Bedford. Made all sail : Captain lying like a log
on the water, all her sails and rigging shot away : Bedford on a
wind on the larboard tack. 7.15, signal to annul coming to the
wind on the larboard tack. 7.35, signal for the Jllustrions and
Courageux to make more sail. 7.42, Bedford to wear, Courageux
to get in her station. At this time, passed the Captain ; hailed
Admiral Gkx)dall, and told him Admiral Hotham's orders, and
desired to know if I should go ahead of him. Admiral Goodall
r
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1706
desired me to kopp do^<e to liis stern. The Illustrious and
Conrageux took their stations ahead of the Princess Royal, the
Britannia placed herself astern of me, and Tancredi lay on the
Britannia's lee quarter. At 8 A.M. the enemy's fleet began to pass
onr line to windward, and the Qa Ira and Le Gensear were on oar
lee side ; therefore the IHnstrionSy Courageox, Prmceas Royal, and
Agamemnon were obliged to fight on both sides of the ship. The
enemy's fleet kept the southerly wind, which enabled them to keep
their distance, which was very gfreat. From 8 to 10, engt^^ng on
both sides. About 8.45, the Illustrious lost her main aiul uiizen
masts. 9.15, the Couragcux lust her main and niizeu masts. At
9.25, the Qa Ira lost all her masts, and fired very little. At 10
Le Censeur lost her main-must. 10.5, they both struck. iSont
Lieutenant George Andrews to board them. By computation the
Qa Ira is supposed to have about 350 killed and wounded on both
days, and Le Cp»nseur about 250 killed and wounded. From the
lightness of the air of wind, the enemy's fleet and our fleet were a
very long time in passing, and it was past 1 P.M. before all firing
ceased, at which time the enemy crowded all possible sail to the
westward, onr fleet laying with their heads to south-east and east.
[Official return of English loss : 75 killed, 280 wounded.]
V"*^,^' You will have heard of our brush with tlio French fleet, a
21 March, battle it ctuiiiofc be called, as the enemy would not give u.s an
opportunity of closing with them. . . . Admiral Hotham has had
much to contend with, a fleet half manned, and in every respect
inferior to the enemy ; Italy calling him to her defence ; our newly
acquired kingdom calling might and main, our reinforcements and
conyoy hourly expec ted : aud all to be dcme without a force by any
means adequate to it. The French were sent out as Ibr certain
conquest ; their orders were positive to search out our fleet, and to
destroy us. ... I firmly believe they never would have fougbt us,
had not the ^a Ira lost her topmasts, which enabled the Agamemnon
and Inconstant to close in with her, and so cut her up that she
could not get a topmast up diiriug the night, wliich caused our
little brush the next day. All the enemy's ships arc fitted with
forges, and fired from some gnus constantly hot jsliot and i^hellf,
but they appear ashnmed of their orders, which are positive frum
the Convention, and find notliing superior to the old mode of
fighting. I only [wish] some of their own ships will suffer by
having such a furnace in their cockpit, which will end such a
diabolical practice.
Fortune in this late afiair has favoured me in a most extra-
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8 Fin-
reiuo.
1705 flOTHAM'S FIRST ACTION 79
ordinary manner, hy giving me an opportunity which seldom offers Ker. w.
of being the only line-of-battle ship who got singly into action on ^^'lurcii.
the Idth, when I had the honour of engaging the Ira, absolutely ^P"^
large enough to take Agamemnon in her hold. I never saw snch
a phip before. [God's providence protected ub] in a moBt wonderful
iiiuiiiier; . . . whole broadsides witliin luilf-pistol bhut niisaing my
little ship, wliilst ours was in tli<' fullest effect. . . . Our saiU ware
ribiA>ii>, and all our ropes were ends; [but, in tlie two days, we had
only thirteen men slightly wounded]. Had our g(xxl admiral have
followed the blow, we should probably have done more, but the
risk was thought too great.
I am absolutely at this moment in the horrors, fearing, from Mn.
our idling here, that the active enemy may send out two or three f xp^l^i]
sail of the line and some frigates to intercept our convoy, which is " '
momentarily expected. In short, I wish to be an admiral, and in
the command of the English fleet ; I should very soon either do
much, or be ruined. My disposition cannot bear tame and slow
measures. Sure I aiii. had I commanded our fleet ou the 14th,
that either the whole French fleet would have graced my triumph,
or I should have been in a confounded scrape. T went on board
Admiral llotham as soon as our firing grew shick in the van, and
the Qa Ira and Censeur had struck, to propose to him leaving our
two crippled ships, the two prizes, and four frigates, to themselves,
and to pursue the enemy ; but he, much cooler than myself, said,
^ We must be contented, we have done very well/ Now, had we
taken ten sail, and had allowed the eleventh to escape, when it
had been possible to have got at her, I could never have called it
well done. Groodall backed me ; I got him to write to the admiral,
but it would not do : we should have had such a day as, I believe,
the annals of England never produced.
*
1'lie arrival ol' a reiuibrcement from Brest, at Toulon, of six sail nuke of
ot the Uiu\ two frigates, and two cutters, has, for the present ^^'^pril*
moment, rather altered the complexion of aflairs in this countr}' ; y\<>-
but I have no doubt administration has taken care to send us at
least 4in -equal number of ships, although unfortunately they are
not yet arrived. The enemy have now actually ready to sail from
Toulon twenty sail of the line, and two sail of the line are
launched, and will be ready in fourteen days from this date. We
have ready for sea, and in perfect good order, fourteen sail of the
line, five three-deckers, six seventy-fours, and two sixty-fours,
English, one seventy-four IS'eapoiiLun. Tiie Courageux is t^eut for
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80 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1706
from Legliom, and will be ready ia aboat three weeks, as will the
Censeiir, who is to be manned, if necessary, to fight the enem^T)
superior as they are, ont of the frigates; so that we shall be
sixteen sail of the line, a force by no means possible for the enemy
to injure. [R6naudin], the late captain of the Vengeur, commands
the ships from Brest, and all our prisoners told us of tliis rein-
ibrcenicut ; but it was not thouj^'ht right to believe them. Should
the attempts of the enemy Ix' against this island, 1 have no doubt
hut tht'Y will fail. ... I own mypelf to be? rather of opinion
that the attempt of the enemy will be against Italy; their fleet to
anchor in Talamone Bay, and their troops ti> land at Orbptello,
21 April. We sailed a week past from Fiorenzo, and are to call off Minorca,
Ouii!*** ^ know what our allies, the Spaniards, intend to do with twenty*
one sail of the line, which are lying in Mahon. Contrary winds
have kept ns here, and every moment we expect the enemy's fleet
to heave in sight. We are thirteen English sail of the line, and
two Neapolitan seventy-fours, one of which joined this morning,
and, I am sorry to say, was matter of exultation to an English
fleet : the Courageux is not yet ready to join us. I liope, and
boliove, if we only get three sail from England, tliat we shall prewnt
tliii^ lici t of the enemy from doing further service in the Medltt^rra-
nean, notwitlistandiriL' tlir> rt-d-hot shot and combustibleB, of which
they have had a fair trial, and Ibund them useless. They believed
that we should give them no quarter ; and it was with some difficulty
we found the combustibles, which are fixed in a skeleton like a
carcass; they turn into a liquid, and water will not extinguish it.
They say the Convention sent them from Paris, but that they did not
use any of them, only hot shot.
Rev. w. What the new lords of the Admiralty are after, to allow such a
i/'lpriL reinforcement to get out here, surprises us all. Lord Chatham did
bett<^r than this sleeping. Nothing this war has ever been hall so
badly manaii^tMl as we find the new Admiralty.
Wnu We are put to sen, not only as being more honourable, but also
24Aj«Sl as much safer, than j^kulktng in port: nor do I tliink that our
small fleet would he a very «asy conquest ; but our zeal does not
in the least justify the gross neglect of the new Admiralty Board.
Lord Chatham was perhaps bad : in this fleet we find, from woeful
experience, that this is ten times worse. Our merchants are rained
for want of convoy, which it has never been in our power to grant
them. Had not our late action proved more distressing to the
enemy than the Admiralty had any right to suppose, we should
before this time have been driven out of the Mediterranean. Every
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HOOD RESIGNS THE COMMAND
81
moraent I expect to see the enemy's fleet ; for they inust be tus badly
managed as ourselves, if tlioy do not embrace the present favourable
moment for an\ < iiter|)ri.se they may liave in their heads.
Admii*al Hotham is very well, but 1 believe heartily tired of his Capt.
temporary oommand ; nor do I think he is intended by nature for 4May.'
a commander-in-chief, which requires a man oi more active tnm of Wbom.
mind.
Beports of this day say that the French are sailed from Toulon wm.
with eighteen or twenty sail of the line : if only the former, we f Mav?^
shall be ver) happy to meet them, and I doubt not of obtaining a
complete victory : if the latter we shall come to no harm, but cannot,
in the common course of events, expect any success against such a
great supenurity : fourteen English, and two Neapolitans, is our
force.
The Frencli have Tint yet sailed from Toulon, but all readv — 7 Jane.
. . * Off Port
twenty-one sail of the line, thirteen frigates. Truly sorry am I Mahon.
that Lord Hood does not command us : he is a great officer ; and
were he here, we should not now be skulking.
We have been cruising off here for a long month, every moment Rev.w
in expectation of reinforcements from England. Our hopes are sJnue'
now entirely dwindled away, and I give up all expectation ; then
comes accounts of Lord Hood's resignation. Oh, miserable Board
of Admiralty ! They have Ibroed the first officer in our service
away from his command. The late board may have lost a few
merchant vessels by their neglect : this board has risked a whole
fleet of men-of-war. Great good fortune has hitherto saved us,
what none in this fleet could have expected for so long a time.
Near two months we have been skulking from tljt»m. Had they
not got so much cut up on 14 March, Corsica, Home, and Naples
would at this moment have been in their possession, and may yet
if these people do not make haste to help us.
The changes and politics of ministers and men are so various, Rev. d.
that I am brought to b^eve all are alike } the loaves and fishes ^°j^une.
are all the look-out. The ins and outs are the same, let them
change places. . . .
We have just got accounts that the French fleet is at sea,
twenty-two sail of the line. Sir Sidney Smith did not bum them
all — Lord Hood mistook the man : there is an old song, 'Great
talkers do the least, we see.' Admiral liothiiiii is waiting here with
twenty English and two Neapolitan ships of the line, for our in-
valuable convoy of stores, provisions, and troops from Gibraltar.
I hope the enemy will not pass us to the westward, and take hold of
Q
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LETTERS OF LORD KELSON
1795
them. This fleet must regret the loss of Lord Hood, the best officer,
take him altogether, that England has to boast oL Lord Howe
certainly is a great officer in llie management of a fleet, but that
18 alL Lord Hood is eqaally great in all sitoationB which an
admiral can be placed in. Oar present admiral is a worthy good
man, but not by auy means equal to either Lord Hood or Lord
Howe.
Admiral Man joined us on the Mth, with six sail of the line,
an that we are now twenty sail of the line, English, and two
Ne}!|>'>1itans. We have this day accounts oi' the French fleet's being
at he« with twenty-two 8ail of the line, and innumerable frigates,
Ac. We are waiting for onr valuable convoy from Gibraltar,
expected every moment; are totally ignorant which way the enemy's
fleet are gone : hope sincerely they will not fall in with our convoy,
but our admiral takes things easy. Lord Hood's absence is a great
national loss.
The French fleet of seventeen sail of the line are out, but only
to exercise their men, at least our good admiral says so : however,
they may make a dadi, and pick np something. We have Zealous,
seventy-four, and three ordnance sliips expected daily firom Gibraltar.
I hope thej' will not look out for them. Two French iiigales were
for ten days very near us, a^i wo are informed by neutral vessels.
I request«-d the admiral to let me go after them ; but he would not
part with a ship of the line. When the fleet bore awa}' for this
place, he sent two small fri j-ntes, Dido and Lowestoft, to look into
Toulon ; and the day after they parted from us, they fell in with
the two fingates. ' It wn s a very handsome done thing in the captains,
who are Towry and Middleton, and much credit must be dae to
these officers and their ships' company.
We are now at sea, looking for the French fleet, which chased
myself and two frigates into Fiorenzo, yesterday afternoon. The
admiral had sent me, and some fngates, to co-operate with the
Austrian general in the Riviera of Genoa; when ofl' Ca])e delle
Mele, I fell in with the enemy, who, expecting to get hold < )t" us,
were induced to chase us over, not knowing, I am certain, from their
movements, that our fleet was returned into port. The chase lasted
twenty-four hours, and, owing to the fickleness of the winds in
these seas, at times was hard pressed ; but they being neither sea-
men nor officers, gave us many advantages. Our fleet had the
mortification to see me seven hours almost in their possession ; the
' Minerve and Art^mise, when the Mioerve was captured. A full and exact
aoDOOat of this wj brilliaat SGtioa is given by Jamet.
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17d5 HOTHAM'S S£CX)ND ACTION 8S
shore was our groat friend, but a calm and swell preventt^d our
fleet firom gettiug out till this morning. The enemy weufc oflf
yesterday eveninir. and T fear we sliall not overtake them ; but in
this country no person can say anything about winds. If w©
have that good fortune, I have no doubt but we shall give a yeiy
good account of them, Berenteen sail of the line, six frigates ; we
tweniy-tiiree of the line, and as fine a fleet as ever graced the seas.
Yesterday we got sight of the iVendi fleet; our flyers were t4#ai9r.
able to get near them, bat not nearer than half-gunsbot : had the
wind lasted ten minutes longer, the six ships wonld have each been
alongside six of the enemy. Man ^ commanded ns, and a good
man he is in every sense of the word. I had every expectation of
getting Agamemnon close alongside an 80-gnn ship, with a flag,
or broad pennant ; but the west wind first died away, then came
east, which jjave fhem tli*^ wind, and enabled them to reach their
own coast, from which they were not more than eight or nine miles
distant. Rt)wley [in the Cumberland] and myself were just again
getting into close action, when the admiral made our signals to call
OS off; [the wind being directly into the Gulf of Frejus, where the
enemy anchored after dark]. Thie Aldde, 74, struck, but soon after*
wards took fire, by a box of combustibles in her fi>re-top, aud* she
blew up ; about two hundred French were saved by our ships. In
the morning I was certain of taking their whole fleet, latterly of
six sail. I will say no ships could behave better than ours, none
worse than the French ; but few men are killed, but our sails and
rigginof are a g(xjd deal cut up.
i'iiiis has ended our second meeting with these gentry. In the D«ik«or
forenoon we had every prospect of taking ev^^ry ship in the fleet ; §^^35^
aud at noon^ it was almost certain that we should have had the
six near ships. The French admiral, I am sure, is not a wise num,
nor an officer: he was undetermined whether to fight or to run
away : however, I must do him the justice to say, he took the
wisest step at last.
On 16 Jnlyt 1795, Nelson received from Admiral Hotham the
following order
*You are hereby rrqnired, aud directed to proceed fortlivvith, in tlie
ship you command, wiLli tJie [Meleager, Ariadne, Tarleton, Resolution
cutter,] whose captains have my orders to follow your directions off
Ckooa, where, upon your airival, you are to confer with Mr. Drake, his
Majesty's minister at that place, on such points as may be deemed essen-
towards your co-operatiiig with Oeneral de Vins, the oommander-
^ Bear-Admiral Robert Alau, with his flag in the Victory.
o 2
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84 LETTJSKS OF LORD NELSON 1795
in-chief of the allied annieB in Italy, for the benefit of the common
cause against the enemy, carrying the same into eacecntion aa espe-
ditionaly as possible.'
Fr. Drake,* I beg to submit to your excellency whether it will not be
0900*^' proper for you to write to Admiral Hotliam, stating the absolute
necesBity of stopping all the trade which may pass between Genoa,
France, and places occnpied by the armies^ and that Yentimiglia
must be considered as a place under that description. . . . How*
ever, so sensible am I of the necessity of vigorous measnres, that
if your excellency will tell me that it is for the benefit of hia
Majesty's service, that I should atop all trade between the nentaral
towns and France, and places occupied by the armies of France,
considering Ventimigliji in that situation, I will give proper direc-
tions to the squadron under my corMuiaud for that piirj)ose.
AdmL T arrived at Genoa on the evening of the 1 7tli, and found there
•22Julv.' iVencil t'ri«^ates and two hrigs. I sailed witli ^Ir. Drake from
Vado Bay. Qenoa at daylight on the 2Uth, and arrived here yesterday morning.
I have had a conference with the Austrian general, De Vins, who
seemed extremely glad to see ns. At present I do not perceive
any immediate prospect of their getting on to the westward^ it
appearing to be the general's opinion, that the enemy must be
reduced in their provisions, before the Anstrians can make ad-
vances ; and that for the present, famine is to do more than the
sword. . . . The Austrian general having fitted out many priva-
teers, has taken several vessels laden with corn for France ; and I
tniHt, with the disposition of the Hliij).s under my conimand, I shall
be able to stop all iuttjrcourse with France from the eastward. . . ,
In respect to Vado Bay, had it not been called a hay, I should
never have named it one : it is a bend in the laud, and since I
have been here, by no means good landing. The water is deep,
good clay bottom, and plenty of fresh water ; open from E to S,
To the east the land is at a great distance ; bat I think a fleet may
ride here for a short time in the summer months*
Mn. The service I have to perform is important, and, as I informed
^iiSy ^ ago fixjm Genoa, I am acting, not only wiAoat the
Yido ttiy. orders of my commander-in-chief, but in some measure contrary to
them. However, I have not only the su])port of his Majesty's
ministers, both at Turin and Genoa, but a consciousness that T am
doing what is right and proper for the gervnce of our king and
country. Political courage ui an officer abroad is as highly uecea-
sary as military courage.
* Hiniffter at Genoa.
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1796 AGAHEBfNON OFF GENOA 85
The advanced posts of the Austrian army are at Loano, 12,000 SirG.
men; the other part is afcVado, 20,000; a finer body of men I never j^Jj^,
saw, and the general seems inclined to go forward, if £ngland will ^Agboni.
perform her part, which I hope ahe will ; bat the co-operation
expected of na is the patting a stop to all supplies going to France ;
a measure Admiral Hotham may possibly hesitate complying with.
Mr. Trevor and Mr. Drake have both wrote to him ou the absolute
necessity of the measure ; in the meantime, in consequence of
similar representations, I have directed the squadron under my
orders to detain all vessels, to whatever nation they may belong,
bound to France, or to any place occupied by the armies of France.
This good etiect has already resulted froui the inea,sure, that the
Genoese are alarmed, and will be careful how they send their
vessels to an almost certain capture. Insarance is not at present
to \)e had; the capture of a Tuscan vessel or two will stop the
lieighom trade. The only fears that seem to me to stnke England,
are of the Barbaiy States ; but is England to give up the almost
certainty of finishing this war with honour, to the fear of oflfence
to such beings ? Forbid it honour and eveiy tie which can bind a
great nation. If supplies are kept from France for six weeks, I
am told, most probably the Austrian army will be at Nice, which
will be a great event lor us.
I have not, I believe, wrote you since onr miserable action of Rev. W.
Hie 13th. To say how much we "wanted Lord Hood at that time, »
is to say, will you have all the French fleet or no action ? for the
scrambling distant fire was a &rce; but if one fell by such a
fire, what might not have been expected had our whole fleet
engaged ? Improperly as the part the fleet which fired got into
action, we took one ship : but the subject is unpleasant^ and I shall
have done with it. I am now co-operating with the Austrian
army, under Qeneral de Vins, and hope we shall do better there.
If the admiral will support the measures I have proposed, I expect,
by the middle of September, we shall be in Nice, and of course
have the harlx)ur of \ illafranca for our scjuadron. I3ut Hotham
has no hwid fr)r entei*prise, perfectly satisfied that each month
passes without any losses on our side. I almost, I assure you,
wish myself an admiral, with the command of a fle^. Probably,
when I grow older, I shall not feel all that alacrity and anxiety for
the service which I do at present. . . .
From the vigorous measures I am taking with the Genoese, I
am most unpopular here, I cannot perhaps, with safety, land
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1795
at Genoa, bat balf meaaiireB will never do when I comnuuicL All
war or aU peace is my iclea^ and the old Aastriaii general is entiielj
of my way of thinking. Hotham is ooming to look at ns, with the
fleet, but the command rests with me ; and very probably I shall
be ordered to hoist a distinguislimg pennant. Do not be surprised
if you hear thnt we are once more in pwseBsion of Tonlon. Had
Tiord Hood been liere, 1 have uo doubt but we should have been
there at this moment.
Thia stoppage of the French trade at onoe drew a vehement protest
from the Oenoeae, acting nnder Firanch influence. Their neutrality,
they said, was violated : their ports were blockadedL A great deal ol
the correspondence at this time refers to these oomplaints^ and the
measures which had been adopted.
'J'he dispoBition and acts of iny cruisers will soon prove incon-
testably that Genoa is not blockaded, as all vessels will arrive in
perfect security which are not French, or laden with French
property. It ever has been customary to endeavour to intercept
enemy's vessels coming from neutral ports, and ... I have been
most careful to give no offence to the Genoese territ<^>ry or flag.
Were I to follow the example which the Genoese allow the French,
of having some small vessels in the port of G^noa, that I have seen
towed ont of the port, and board vessels coming in, and afterwards
return into the mole, there might Ihen certainly he some reason to
say their nentral territory was insulted ; but llie conduct of the
English is very diiferent.
I had letters from good Lord Hood : however wrong he might
have been in writing so strongly (he allows he has) to the
Admimlty, the nation has snffered much by his not ooming to this
country ; for an abler bead, or heart more devoted to the service of
his coiinirv, is not readily to be met with. Admiral Hothaui is
daily ex}iected here, and my humble plans may be put aside, or
carried into execution by other officer^, which I should not altogether
like ; however, I think the admiral will stay here as little while as
possible. The strong orders which I judged it proper to give on
my first arrival, have had an extraordinary good effect ; the French
army is now supplied with almost daily bread from Marseilles ;
not a single boat has passed with com. The G^enoese are angiy,
but that does not matter.
To the Oommander of the National Corvetfce.— Sir, — ^The Frendi
having taken possession of the town and coast of Alassio. I cannot
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17W
AGAMEMNON OFF GENOA
87
but consider it as an enemy *8 coast ; therefore, to prevent destruction
to the town, I desire the immediate surrender of yonr vessel. If
yon do not oomplj with my desire, the consequences must be with
yon and not wi^ Yonr vezy humble Servant^ Horatio Nelson.
This corvette of 10 guns, together with a gunboat, two galleys, and
^ht stove ships of small siae, were taken possession of or destroyed,
without resistance ; but thinking that the Genoese mi§^t possibly
complain of a violation of their neutrality, Nelson wrote privately :
Dear Sir, — As it is perfectly und('rst< K>d bv the Genoese republic Adml.
TJ 4lk _-
that the part, of the Riviera in thr ]i<i^-ession of tlie Frencli anny ^%i|piV
will be cousidered, whilst they remain in it, as an enemy's country
by the allied powers, 1 thought it much better not to say an}i:hing
about it in my public letter, for I do not believe there will be any
representation from the deed I did yesterday, for not a boat or
inessage came fh>m the town during my stay. On my approach,
Oenoeae oolours were hoisted on a small batteiy of two brsss guns,
which I laid the Agamemnon within pistolHshot of. The French
lined the beach, with thnr colours at the head of their battalions,
but humanity to the poor inhabitants would not allow me to fire on
them. The same motivevS induced me to summons the oor\'ette to
surrender, fis our fire must liave (^eatly injured the town. My
Hummous induced the crew to abandon her. Latterly the French
cavalry fired so hot on our boats or the west end of the town that 1
was obliged to order the Meleager to tire a few shot to protect them,
and I have reason to believe the enemy suffered some loss.
The Ariadne by the great zeal of Captain Flampin to do much,
having idready taken the two small galleys, got on shore, but she
was got off without any damage.; but it retarded our operations a
little, and gave the enemy an opportunity of landing more of their
cargoes than I intended, by our boats being employed in assisting
her. The corvette is the long black polacca ship which kept close
alongside the Sans Culotte on 13 July, and outsails us all. The
galleys and gunboat 1 sliall sell to the Austrian general, or the
King of Sardinia, if he will buy them.
I have only to conclude by saying that Mr. Drake, who I left
at Vado, much approved of niy i'X|iedition.
My dear Coll. — I cannot allow a ship to leave me without a Capt
line for my old friend, who I shall rejoice to see; but 1 am afraid ^^"^
tiie admiral will not give me that pleasure at present. . . . My y^^J'^J^^
command here is so far pleasant as it relieves me from the inactivily " ^ '
of our fleet, which is great indeed, as yon will soon see. Prom the
event of Spain making peace, much may be looked for — ^perhaps
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88 XBTTERS OF LOHD NELSON 1706
a war with that country : if so, their fleet (if no better than when
our allies) will 8OO0 be done for. Heporte here say they mean to
protect Geno^ and other vessela from search by our cnuseis, in
the Gulf of Genoa. If so, the matter will soon be brought to iflsne ;
for I have given positive directions to search snob vessels, denying
the light of the Spaniard to dictate to ns what ships we shidl or
shall not search. The Genoese are going, it is said, to carry a
convoy witli provisionR to their towns in the Riviera of Gtenoa, in
possession of the French army. However cruel it may appear to
deprive poor innocent people of provisions, yet policy will not allow it
[not] to be (lone ; for if the inhabitants have plenty, so will the
enemy, and therefore I liuve directed tliem tobebrouprht into Vado.
So far have I gone ; and trust 1 have acted, and shall act, so as to
merit approbation. Our admiral, entre nom, has no political courage
whatever, and is alarmed at the mention of any strong measure ;
but, in other respects, he is as good a man as can possibly be.
Mra. We have made a small expedition with the squadron, and taken
1 s^u ^ French corvette and some other vessels, in which afihir I lost no
Yado Baj men ; bat since, I have not been so snocessfhl. I detached Mr.
Andrews to out off a ship from Oneglia : on his passage, he fell in
with three Turkish vessels, as it has since turned out, who killed
and wnundrd seventeen of my poor fellows. Seven are alreadv
dead, and more must be lost by the badness of their wounds ; and
J am sorry to add, that the Turks got into (ienoa. with six millions
of hard cash : however, they who play at Im)w18 must expect rubs ;
and the worse succe^ss now, the better, I hope, another time. Oar
fleet is still at Leghorn. Gollingwood I hear is arrived in the
Excellent, 74, with the convoy from England. I am ahnost afraid
that the campaign in this coontiy will end in a very diffmnt
manner from what might have been expected ; bat I will do mj
best until it finishes.
Sir 0. The news I can tell yon is very little. The general seemed to
24' Sept niake excuses for his not going on, apparently to me very frivolous,
Legborti. and I am sure it was his intention to have laid part, of the blaitu-
of the want of success in this campaign to the non-cooperat i* in ( f
the British liect; and, as it was, he said, im]x)ssibie to force the
enemy's works at St. Esprit, he seemed very much inclined to
rest tor the winter at Vado. However, to leave him without an
excnse on my part, I went down the coast to the westward, as fiur as
Nice, and sounded and examined every port. On my retam, I
ofiered to carry five thousand men at one time, and to land them,
bag and baggage, with their field-pieces, and to inflore their safe
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AOAHEMNON OFF GENOA
89
conToys of provisions. This would have cut o£f all supplies for the
enemj to the eastward, and they must, in my opinion, have aban-
doned their stupendous works at St. Esprit. To this paper the
general gave me another plan, which he tiionght would be better ;
but as this requires a small degree of assistance from Admiral Ho-
tham, it cannot be carrifMl into execution tOl I hear from the admiral.
I only waat transports, and if lie ^ave me one 71, I vt^rily believe
we shall yet possess Nice. Mr. Drake perhaps tells you how we are
obligefl to niananivTu about the geneml ; but the politics of courts
are so mean, that [)rivate people would be ashamed to act in the
same way ; all is trick and tinesse, to which is sacrificed the
common cause. The general wants a loophole, but I hope he will
not have one ; he shall not if I can help it, for I want Vilhifrnnca
for a good anchorage this winter. From what motives I don't
know — hope, from a good one — the general sent orders to attack
the enemy's strongest poet at St. Esprit. After an attack of ten
hours, it was earned. The general seems pleased, and says, if he
can carry one other, the enemy must rotiro, which would give us
the country as far as Oneglia.
As soon as [the French S([uadron at CeiiunJ knew of my absence, Mrs.
they made a push, nnd I fear are all got otf. Two of our frigates 5 0ct?*
were seen firing at ihrm ; but I have not mucVi expectation of their ^'^^^ ^^y*
success. It was a near touch, lor 1 came back the next morning,
after they had sailed on the preceding evening. ... In the opinion
of the Genoese^ my squadron is constantly offending: so that it
almost appears a trial between us, who shall first be tired, they of
comphuning, or me of answering them. However, my mind is
fixed ; and nothing they can say will make me alter my conduct
towards them.
My situation witli this army has convinced me of the futility of vvm.
continental alliances. The conduct of the court of Vienna, what- 97()et"^fr
ever may be snid by the House of Commons to the contrary, is Marseilles,
nothing but deception : 1 am certain, if it appears to that court to be
their interest to make peace with IVance, it will be instantly done.
What is Austria better than Prussia ? In one respect, Prussia per-
Haps may be better than Austria : the moment he got our money he
finished the fiirce: Austria, I fear, may induce us to give her
more: for to a certainty she will not cany on another campaign
without more money. But it appears to me that the continuance
or cessation of the war depends entirely on the French nation them-
selves ; it will now be seen whether they are willing to receive and
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90 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1795
join the Count d'Artois and have royalty ; or if they oppose him,
that they are determined to be a repnbiic. If the first, at this
moment of writing aU moat be nearly finished : if they destroy the
emigrants landed at Gharente, it is clear the French nation wish to
be a repnbiic ; and the best thing we can do, is to make the beet
and quickest peace we can : the landing the emigrants is onr last
trial ; and if that fail, we have done our utmost to place Louis upon
the throne. To me, 1 ow n, all Frenchnu'ii are alike : 1 despise them
all. They are (even those who are fed by us) false and treacherous:
even Lonis XVTII. receives onr money, nTid will not follow oar
advioe, and keep up the digoitj of the King of i: rauc6 at Yeroua.
Fr. Drake, Nothing will be wanting on the part of my squadron to cover
Va^^B^. general's flank by sea. . . . Flora and a brig are now cmising oS
Noli and Pietra ; bnt I fear they may be blown off the coast. The
weather is so severe, that either the French or the Anstrians most
quit the hills ; and as some Austrian soldiers have died with the
cold on their poets, the enemy cannot be very comfortable. . . .
Reports say, and I believe it is true, that Admiral Hotham has
struck his flag and given up the command, as also Admiral (Toodall ;
and that Sir Hyde Parker commands the fleet until Sir John Jer\48^8
arrival. Captain Frederick has hoisted a diatinfruishing pennant,
and commands the third division of the fleet. This cannot, my
dear 8ir, but make me feel, that T am the first oflicer commanding
a sqnadron, destined to co-operate with the Austrians and Sardi-
nians, who has been withont a distinguishing pennant : most have
had a broad pennant, bnt that I neither expected nor wished for ; yet
I think, as I have had the pleasure to give satis&ction to onr allies,
that the ministry, if you thought proper to represent it^ would order
me a distinguishing pennant from my having this command, or some
other mark of their favour.
Nelson M as senior, on the post list, to Captain Frederick, and not
unnaturally felt hurt at not liavingbeen already ordenxl a distinguishing
pemisnt. He frequently reverts to the subject in his correspondence
about this date.
Duke of Almost every day produces such changes in the prospect of our
18 N«v. ' affairs, that in relating events I hardly know where to begin. The
two armies are both so strongly posted, that neither is willing to
give the attack; each waits to see which can endure the cold
E. Nepean, l^^^^^g^S [at present it is intense, what could not httve been expected
18 KoT. ' In this country ; withont snow, but most intense frosts and northerly
winds, blowing hard]. The French general has laid an embai^on
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1796
AGAMEMNON OFF GENOA
91
all the vessels on the coast, near a liimdred bail, and it would not Duke of
surprise me if he is meditating a rctroat, in case his plans do not i^Sw»
succeed; which I hope they will not, as the prevention of them in
a great measure depends oa our UA?al force under my orders.
This has called me here, where a circumstance has arisen, that has
given UH the alarm sooner than was intended.
An Anstrian commissary was travelling from Genoa towards
Vsdo, with 10,0002. sterling, and it was known he was to sleep at a
place called Voltri, about nine miles from Genoa. This temptation
was too great for tiie French captain of the Bmne, in concert with
Ihe French minister, to keep his word of honour ; and the boats of
that frigate, with some privateers, went out of the port, lauded, and
brought back the money. The next day, 11 November, recruiting
was publicly carried on in the town of Genoa, and tiuhiImts en-
listed ; and on the 13th at niglit, as many men as could be collected
were to sail ander convoy of the Brune, and to laud, and take a
strong post of the Genoese, between Genoa and Sarona. A hundred
men were to have been sent from the French armj at Borghetto,
and an insurrection of the Genoese peasantiy was to have been
snconraged; which I believe would have succeeded ibr several
miles up the conntiy. General de Vins most have sent four or
five thousand men, probably, from his army, which would have
given the enemy a fairer prospect of success in their intended
attack. The scheme was bold, but I do not think it would have
succeeded in all points.
However, my arrival here on the 13th in the evening caused a
total change. The frigate, knowing her deserts, and what had
been done here before with the transports and privateere, hauled
from the outer to the inner mole, and is got inside the merchant
ships, with her powder out, for no ships can go into the inner mole
with powder on board ; and as I have long expected an embarka-
tion horn the French army from the westwurd, to harass General
de Yins, there I was folly on my guard. Whilst I remain here, no
harm can happen, unless, which private information says is likely
to take place, that four sail of the line and some frigates are to come
here, and take Agamemnon and her squadron. What steps the
Austrian generals, and ministers, will adopt to get redress, for this
(T fear allowed) breach of neutrality, on the part of the Genoese
Government, I cannot yet tell. It is a vt»ry extraordinary circum-
stance, but a fact, that since my arrival, respect to the neutral [)ort
has not been demanded of me : if it had, my answer was ready, * that
it wae useless and impossible for me to give it.' As the breach of the
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
17d5
lunitrality has not been noticed, I fancy they are awwre of my
answer, and therefore declined asking the question. A superior
force to the French must now always Ih» kept here; but, T own, I
think the French will make a pnsli fruin 'J'oulon to drive us away,
that the\ may do something, and they have no time to lose. Sir
Hyde I'arker is gone to the westward, and my force is very much
redaced, at a time I humbly oonceive it wants addition.
At last, on 23 November, the French made their grand attack on
the AuBtriaii position, and with complete racoea. It fonns the subject
of many letters at this period.
Sir G. My campaign is closed by the defeat of the Austrian aimy, and
4 i>ec! the consequent loss of Vado and every place in the Riviera of
AtMt. Genoa, and I am on my way to refit poor Agamemnon and her
miserable nliip's ecuijjany at Leghcrn. We are, indeed, worn out;
except six days I have never lieeu one hour off the station. I have
to regret, but mean not to c'<>iii})1ain, that my ibrce was too small
for the services which I winhed to perform. If T had lun n
favoured with the two 74-gun ships, which 1 have oft»'Ti linked lor,
I am fully persuaded that the last attack never would have been
made. Instead of tliis increase of force, my frigates were with-
drawn from me without my knowledge, and I had only Flora and
Speedy, brig, left with me ; these were, I fancy, blown off the
coast, and only Agamemnon remained. The extraordinary events
which have taken place near Genoa, and the plan which was laid
by the French to take post between Yoltri and Savona, perhaps
you are acquainted with ; if not, 1 will tell you.
Seven hundred men were enlisted and embarked ([together with]
7,000 stand of arms) on bofird the Bruue, French frigate, in Genoa,
and on board many fmall jjrivateers and one brig ; these were on a
certain night to iiave landed in a strong post between Voltri and
Savona, to be joined in small feluccas by one thouBand men fiom
Borghetta. An insurrection of the Genoese peasantry, we have
every reason to believe, would have been made for forty miles up a
valley towards Piedmont. The money going item Genoa tempted
these people to make an attack before their time, which certainly
caused the plan to miscarry. On the great preparation at Genoa,
Agamemnon was called for, might and main, to prevent the plan,
which I most effectually did ; and so fearful was the imperial nuin-
eter and general of my leaving Genoa, that I was told that if 1 quitted
Genoa, the loss of 3,000 Auatriaus was the certain cousequt^nce ;
thus 1 wa,s put in the cleft stick. If T left Genoa, the loss of 8,000
men would be laid to my charge ; if J waB not at Pietra, the gun-
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1796
DEFEAT OF THE AUSTIUANS
93
boats would, nmnolested, haniss the left flank of the army ; and
the defeat may very probably lx» laid to the want of assistauce of
the Aganieranon. However, my being at Genoa, alt lioiigli contrary
to my inclination, has been the means of saving from 8,000 to 10,000
men. and amongst others, General de Vina himself, who escaped by
the road, which, but for me, the enemy would have occnpied. I
must regret not having more forc^.
My orders 1^ at Vado, for the station of Sonthampton and In*
constant, token from me, will show that not a gnnboat, if my
ordexB had been obeyed, could have annoyed the army. Mr. Drake,
who has been on the spot, and Mr. Trevor, who has known all my
proceedings, are pleased to highly approve my condnct ; and I also
have had, to 9 November, the full approbation of every genera!
in the army. That the gunboats harassed them I am truly
sorry for j it only becomes me to show I could not help it — not
that T believe they would not have Ijeeii beaten without the guulxjats,
for the right wing, twelve miles from the shore, was entirely de-
feated, and the left retreated but not in much order. I fancy, from
what I hear, no defeat was ever more complete; on the other hand,
I know all the generals wished for nothing more than orders to
qnit the coasfc. They say, and tme, they were brought on it^ at the
express desire of the English, to co-operate with the fleet, which
fleet nor admiral they never saw. There certainly are other and
much better posts to prevent the invasion of Italy than Vado.
A few days lat^r, Nelson leanie<l tlmt complaints of tlic non-
oooperation of the English squadron actually liad been made j and on
10 Deoember, he wrote to Mr. Drake, enclosing a letter for the Austriaai
general, in defence of his conduct. Drake, however, did not forward
it ; submitting to Kelson, in a letter of 7 January, 1796, whether it
would be proper to offer any justification of their conduct to a foreign
general : and whether, in any m^o, they on'jfht not to remain silent, till
som* sp< citic charges were brought fonvanl Hf^ also said : * It certainly
was untortunate that your squadron shoui(i iiave been so reduc<*d as to
have rendered it impossible for you to provide for every bervice which
was required of you by the Austrian generals ; but I am entixely per-
eoaded, that on this, as well as on every other oocsaon, you employed
the force which you had in the manner the most beneficial to tlie
common cause ; and it is \nth great satisfaction T assure you, that
anxious as the Austrian p:<^norals are t^3 transfer the blame of the
misfortunes of 23 Nov ember from themselves to us, they have
always done ample justice to your zealous and aljle conduct : their
complaints turn upon the Insufficiency of the force under your command,
and not upon the mode in which that force was employed/
I have had letters from my poor lieutenants and niid.sliipm^ n
[who were taken prisoners at Vadoj, telling me that few of the French
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94
LETTERS OF LUiiD NELSON
1795-06
soldiers are more than twenty-lihree or tvenly-foiir years old ; a
great many do not exceed fourteen years, all withoat olothes ; and
my officers add, they are sure my barge's crew would have beat a
hunJfid of them, and that, had I seen them, I should not iiave
thoiit^ht, if the \\< n-\i] Imd heen covered with 8iieh people, that they
could have boat ihi^ Austrian army. The uldeht nffirers sav, thev
never heard of so complete a defeat^ and certainly withoat any reason.
We are getting on very fast with our caulking ; our head is
secured ; our rigging nearly overhauled ; and our other matters in
as great a state of forwardness as I could expect at this season of
the year. I hope, by the first week in January, the Agamemmon
will be as fit for sea as a rotten ship can be.
The French, I am certain, will, this spring, make a great
exertion to get into Italy, and I tliink Sir John Jervis must be
active to keep them out. By 1 February, fifteen &ail of the line
will be ready at 'I *>ulon, with 140 transports, and 200 flat boats
adapted for the coast of Italy. The prevention of the intent ious of
the enemy requires great foresight; for, if once landed, our lieet is
of no use, and theirs would retire into Toulon or some secure port:
had they done so last year, where would have been the adv^mtage
of our action ? The French will improve on their last year's folly :
I am convinced in my own mind, that I know their very landings
place. If they mean to cany on the war, they must penetrate into
Italy. Holland and Flanders, with their owii country, they haTC
entirely stripped ; Italy is the gold mine, and, if once entered, is
without the means of resistance.
We were received, not only with the greatest attention, but
with much apparent friendship. . . . T found the ndtniral anxi<ms
to know many thinsrs, which I was a goo<i deal surprised to find had
not IjetMi communicated to him from others in the fleet ; and it
would appear, that he was so well satisfied with my opinion of what
is likely to happen, and the means of prevention to be taken, that
he had no reserve with me respecting his information and ideas of
what is likely to be done.
As tlie result of this conference, Nelson ^^ ;ts ordered to resume bis
former station off Genoa, and sailed the same day.
The fleet was not a little surprised at my leaving them so soon,
and, I fancy, there was some degree of envy attached to the surprise,
for one captain told me, * Ton did just as you pleased in Lord Hood's
time, the same in Admiral Hotham's, and now again with 3ir John
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1796 JERVIS ASSUMES THE OOMBIAND 95
Jervis i it makes no differenoe to you who is commander-in-clMet*
I retumed a pretty strong answer to this speech. My command
here is to prevent any small number of men from making a descent
in Italy.
As yet, I ap|)ear to stand well with Sir John Jervis, and it shall 17 Feb.
not be my fault if I do not continue to do so : my conduct- has no h^i^
mysttn'. T freely communicate my knowledge and observations,
and only wish, that whatever admiral 1 serve under may make a
proper nse of it. God forbid, I should have any other consideration
on service, than the good of my country. I am now sent to examine
the state of the ships in Toulon ; their numbers we know foil weU,
Imt the accounts of the state they are in are so contradictoiy, as to
leave us uncertain. Sir John Jervis is at present Inferior to the
French : they have built five sail of the line since we left Toulon.
I am now on my way to Genoa, having been joined by the S8 Fdk
admiral on the 23rd, off Toulon. The French have thirteen sail
of the line and five frigates ready for sea ; and tonr or five, wliich
are in ^rreat forwarduesis, are fitting in the arsenal, bir «l uhn Jervis,
from his manner, as I plainly perceive, does not wish me to leave
this station. He seems at present to consider me more as an
associate than a subordinate officer ; for I am acting without any
orders. This may have its difficulties at a future day ; but I make
none^ knowing the uprightness of my intentions.
I think by the end of this month the enemy's fleet will be aft Capt.
taea, and as they have a great ntmiber of transports ready at Mor^ 4 MarcL
seilles, I finnly believe the fleet from Cadiz, perhaps joined by some
from UOrient or Brest, will join them, when one week's very
superior fleet will effect a landing between Spezia and Leghorn,
I mean on that coast of Italy, when they will of conrse possess
themselves of Leghorn, and there is nothing to stop their progress
to Uome and Naples : we mny fight their fleet, but unless we can
destroy them, their transports will push on and effect their landing.
What will the French care for the loss of a few men-of-war ? It is
nothing if they can get into Italy. This [isj the gold mine, and
what, depend on it, they will push for.
I arrived yesterday morning at Genoa, and held a conference sir j.
with Mr. Drake. He expressed himself pleased at your determina- i| ^vcfa.
tion to give the Austrian general a meeting, whenever he pleased to
bring his army on the coast ; but, at the same time, he said, he found
it extremely difficult to make them hear of the Riviera. . . . The
commander-in-chief of the army was not yet fixed on ; but it was
understood that the archduke was to be the nominal^ and General
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LETTERS OF LORD NELS0I7
1796
Beaulieu the active commander-in-chief, that Beaulieu wished, to
meet the French in the plains of Lombardy, and then to follow up
the blow, whidi he had no doubt would be decisive. I ooold not
help oheerving, that the veiy reason why the general wished to
meet them in a particular place woald of course be the reason why
the French would not penetrate by that route ; [and] that [respecting]
the information, which I had received, of the intention of the Direc-
tory to order the movement of their army in three columns, one by
Ceva, another by the pass of the Bocchetta, and jiiiother to march
through the Oennose territory, or be carried coastways to Spesia,
which would give t hem an easy entry into the plainR of Italy, 1
had no doubt the two first would be feints, and tlie last the renl
plan. I mu^t here observe that l>efore night Mr. Drake had this
same information communicated to him ; and also, that a body of
troops would be embarked on board the fleet, the moment Rtcheiy
amved from Cadis, and a push made for Speada. This infbimation
induced me more strongly, if possible, than ever, to press the measoze
of taking Vado or Spezia with all possible expedition ; and that
without one or the other was done, it was impossible for yon to answer
for the safety of Italy coastways ; and that it was now perfectly clear
for what the two hundred fltat boats were built, and the numerous
prunboats fitted out. Mr. Drake told me that he ]»ad already presr^ d
the meai>ure of taking Vado, and would contiiuK- it, and also would
press instantly the necessity of ]iossessinn^ Spezia if T would say
the Austrian s should be supported from attacks by sea by our naval
force ; which, I said, there could be no doubt of, for it would be
the home of our squadron employed on this coast. He then
desired me to give my opinion in writing, as the authority of a sea
officer would have more weight than all he could urge to them ;
this is the cause of my writing the letter, on which I am so anxious
to obtain your sentunents.
i« March. T wish much to have the honour of seeing you, and the moment
nT^m. I ^^^''^^ your arrival at S. Fiorenzo, I shall go there. When you
did nie the honour t <> oll'tjr me the Zealous, you was acquainted with
my reasons for not accepting' her. In any situation, if you approve
of my conduct, 1 beg leave to assure you, I shall feel pleasure in
serving under your command ; and in case a promotion of flags
should take place, I am confident that your mention of me to Lord
Spencer would be sufficient to have my flag ordered to be hoisted
in this country. The Zealous, most probably, is disposed of long
before this : if not, and yon approve of me for this command, either
as captain or admiral, I am at your disposal.
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1706 NEWS OF MONTKNOITE 97
I was favoured on the first of this month with your letter of Fr. Drake,
29 March, aud on [the 2nd] I went to Fiorenzo to talk with Sir
»l<)}m Jervis. We may rely on pvcrv support and effectual assist-
mce from him: we have only to projK>8e, and, if possil)lt', it will
bo done. T hope the ^rnlleys and ;jrunboatH will he sent in abun-
dance, and I have a plan for forcing them to he useful j which is, to
buy two tartans, fit them as heavy gunboats, and occasionally man
them from the shipping of my eqaadron. This will enable me to
go myself, or send a captain to oommand the whole, in which case
I shall be sure that the service will be performed. . . . You may
assure General Beanlien, that on whatever part of the coast he
comes, I shall never quit him. If he is able, and willing, and ex-
peditions, I am sure we shall do much. The admiral has directed
me to wear a broad pennant, and this was done in the handsomest
ijjanner.
The battle of Montenotte was fought on 12 April.
Captain Coekburn will convey to you all tlio news, cfrtainly Sir J.
none of it is pleasing ; and I own I regret more the good fortune fj^J*^,
of the enemy in getting their convoy into Vado, than all which has J^J^
happened on shore. By the time I sail, I will make myself master
of the exact force of the enemy that has escaped us ; report says,
two frigates and sixteen transports. They may be alarmed ibr a
night or two, and it may go off : if yon therefore think that the
attempt to take the frigates and transports is proper by boats, I
beg leave to offer myself for that distinguished command. The
bargea and pinnaces will be more than thirty. I think it may be
done ; at least, if you approve of the measure, nothing shall be
wanting on my part, for its complete success. My idea is, for ten
bargt's to .'ittack each frigate, one boat to be especially appointed
wifli ;i most confidential officer, to cut the cable of each frigate ; if
the wind is off the land, in ten minutes they must drive out of
soundings, and ten boats would be lefi for the attack of the trans*
ports. I should wish you to consider the matter, and I am then
certain what is proper will be done. To-morrow evening, at dark,
I shall sail from hence, and will be with you on Wednesday morn-
ing. I grieve when the French have any good fortune by sea.
This morning, having received information that a convoy, laden u Apifl.
with stores for the French army, had anchored at Loano, I lost no ^^^^
time in proceeding off that place with the [Meleager, Diadem,
Peterel]. On uiy a}>proacb, 1 was sorry to observe, that instead of
a convoy, only four vebsels were lying under the batteries, which
H
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98
LETTERS OF LOBD NELSON
1796
opt'iKMl Oil our approach, and the fire wiis returned as our sliip :
up, uiuit r eincr of which, our boats boarded the four vesseb, and
brought thriu off: the vesselH lyinsf very near the ."-Itorc a li'-avy
fire of musketry was kept up on our boats; and it is with the
greatest grief I have to mention that Lieut*?nant James Noble, of
the Agamemnon, a most worthy and gallant officer, is, I fear,
mortally wounded. I'rom our ships keeping under the fire of their
batteries, we sustained no damage ; the Agamemnon was, I believe,
the only ship struck by shot. The principal part of this service
fell on our boats, whose conduct and gallantry could not on any
occasion have been exceeded, and I wish fully to express the sense
I entertain of the gallantly of every officer and man employed on
this occasion.
J. Trevor, How I lament the prospect of affairs in Piedmont I and I hear
2a April, Genoa that the King of Sardinia is certainly negotiating a
peace with the French. How sad all this is, when we know to what
shiits the French army is put, absolutt^ly for common necessaries ;
and should the whole force of the enemy be turned against General
Beaulieu, I suppose he must retreat, and leave the enemy unmolested,
to journey to all parts of It^ily, unless, which I fear is not likely,
that double the nundjcr of lU'aulieu's urni) it> sent from (ieruiany.
It would seem that a proper number of troops bus not be^Q sent to
insure success, l)ut very few more than last year, and the enemy
have doubled their army. I still hoj^e, from the conduct of the
IVench, that the Piedmonteije will rouse to a man, and [ffic] the
French. This they may do, if they are one-half as zealous to de-
fend their country as the enemy is to plunder it. We English
have to regret that we cannot always decide the fate of empires on
the sea.
I am hunting for the French convoy, and if I find them in any
place where there is a probability of attacking them, you may de)x^nd
they shall be either taken or destnn ed at the risk of my squadron ;
for at this moment 1 feel their convoy is of luoi o consequence than
my squadron, whicli is built to be ritiked on proper uucasious.
28 AmiL ^ Want to take or destrc^ the convoy expected, and you may depend
it shall be done if there is the smallest p<^)ssibility. Yon will, and 1
wish all the allies would, give me credit for my cariR'st endeavours
to destroy the enemy. I have not a thought <^ii any subject sejm rated
I'roni the immediate object of my command, nor a wish to 1h' euj-
ployed on any other service. 8o far the allies, if I may be allowed
the expression, are fortunate iu having an officer of this character ;
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1/90 AGAMEMIsW OIT UENOA 99
but I cannot command winds and weatber. A sea officer cuimot,
like a land officer, form plans; his object is to embiact' the happy
moment which now and tht?n offers- -it may be thia day, not for a
month, and perhaps never.
Peace is concluded between tbe Sardinians and the !tVench — Capt.
most likely hostile to us. ... I think, in case of a Spanish war, J^'olld"**"
Najjles preparing to desert us al^o. and Spain is certainly going ^
to war with soT»iel>ody. Cornwallis's Irial wa8 to come on 5 April.
HfAv f.xl nwjrdinary ! he was tlip la^jf rnnn I could have supposed
would have done a wrong thing, and i cannot, with all my par-
tiality for him, bring myself to think it right that he dest^rted hia
command. But I suspect some ill-treatment of the Admiral^ after
he sailed, which induced him to return.
It is said, that on the Ist instant the French took poss(»ssion of Sir J.
AleF>arulrin. I have still liopesfrom General Beaulieu; should these f^^^l^J,'*'
people follow him into the plain, hisibrce is very respectable. Tlie
French are levying contributions of money, bread, &c. ail over Pied-
mont, and it is said the Piedmontese have paid more already than
they used to pay their king for several years.
I am sorry to say, Mr. Brame sent me a letter published by sir G.
Salicetti, saying that the French had defeated Beaulieu, on the Hth f" jj^^
Were at Lodi, and taken all the artillery and camp of the Aiistrians.
Tlie story is vt-rv ill told, and I slu>uld dniilit iiiucli had I not uiitVirtu-
• * '
nately btM U in the bal»it of believinir acioimts of French victories.
Tlie Frencli have lost great nuinb^ rs \n passin^r the Po and
another river, but they have enough left, I'nr the l!]mj)eror has not
reinforced his army. I very much believe that England, whoconi-
TTK^nced the war with all Europe for her allies, will finish it by
having nearly ail Europe for her enemies. Should all the powers
in this country make peace, the French possess themselves of
Leghorn and other places to cut off our supplies, Corsica will be the
only tie to keep our great fleet in the Mediterranean ; how far the
conduct of those islanders, taken in a general scale, deserves that a
fleet and army should bo kept for their security, is well deserving
of serious considerut ion.
We arrived here yesterday morning in a gale of wind, and I sir J.
hope Uy have my hhip remly for sea by the 20th or 21st. . . . As '{g^H^y
the French eaimot want suppliers lu be bmnght into the Gulf of i«eghorn.
Genoa, fui* their graml army, I am still ol' (ii)iiuon, that if our
frigates are wanted fur other services, they may very well be - |>;ired
u 2 ^'
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100
LETTERS OF LOUD NELSON
1790
from the Gulf. Money, provisions, and clothes the enemy have in
abundance ; and they command arsenals to supply their wants in
arms and ainniiinition.
T hnvt> {Mr, and do feel, 8ir, every den^ree of sensiliility and
gratitude for your kind and flattt riiiLT attention, in directing me
to hoist a disting-uishing pennant ; but as the service, for whicli it
was intended to be asefal, is nearly if not quite at an end, I assure
you I shall havf> no regret in striking it ; for it will afford me an
Opportunity of serving nearer your flag, and of endeavouring to show,
by my attention in a subordinate station^ that I was not unworthy
of commanding.
8t May. At 2 P.M. yesterday, seeing some vessels running along shore
OffOneglia. ^j^Jcii I believed to be French, and knowing the grt^it consequence
of intercejiting the cannon and ordnaiice stores which I had infof^
mation were expected from Toulon, to be landed at S. Pietro
d' Arena for the siege of ^lantua, i made the signal tor a genend
chasi'. wlien the vessels Gfot close under a batterv and ancliorcd.
Three o cluck, the Meleager and Aganiemmjn anciiunxl ; as, soon
afterwards, did the Peterel and Speedy, After a short resistance
from the battery and vessels, we took possession of them. It is
impossible I can dn just in- to the alacrity and gallantry ever con-
spicuous in my little squadron. Our boats boanled the National
ketch in the fire of three eighteen-pounders, and of one eighteen-
pounder in a gunboat. The Blanche and Diadem being to lee-
ward, the former could not anchor until the vessels had struck; but
the boats of all the ships were active in getting them off the shore,
thc^ enemy having cut their cables when they surrendered. The
Agamemnon's masts, sails, and rigging are u little cut, but of no
material conse«|uence.
Tlie vessels captured were the man of- war ketch, the guiil>oat, and
live transports ; two of tlitMii laden witli ,£funs, niortnrs, nnd artillery
stores ; one with wheelbarrows and intreuchiug tools ; one with brandy,
and one with Austrian prisoners.
2 June. I have sent the Diadem, with all the prizes, except the armed
Off Nice, ketch, first to San Fiorenzo, where the brig, and, if not too leaky,
the ketch, loaded with ordnance stores, are to be left ; and I have
wrote the Viceroy, that if he wants any of them for the islantl, 1
will direct ihrjii to be landed. Tht^ moiiars are W(iii<lt*rf"ully fiue,
tliirteen and a hall' inch; but the number ol" either cannon or
mortars we know not. . . . By papers found, sixt-een sail of trnii«;-
ports are destined tor V ado, with ordnance stores for the siege, and
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1790
BLOCKADB OF GENOESE COAST
101
canin>iiier.s. I wish we may get any of the otliers, hut the chauce
ia uiucii against us: 1 can only promise that I will not mifis an
oppfjrtunity. I have an account of the exact force of the enemy
on 6 February, stmt to General Bonaparte ; it consists, including the
garrison of Toulon and the whole coast, of 65,000 men. The armj,
when Bonaparte took the command, was effective 30,875. Probably
many of the 65,000 are gone forward ; bat still, on the whole, the
force is not so great as' I believed. ... I have got the charts of
Italy sent by the Directory to Bonaparte ; also Maillebois' wars in
Italy, Vauban's attack and defence of places, and Pi inci MulT' Ik 's
history; all .sent lur the general. If Bonaparte is igauraiiL, llie
Directory, it would appear, wish to instruct him : pray God he may
remain ignorant.
Two days after we took the vessel with Austrian troops on board, fi Jane,
who had 1)C(mi made })risoner8 by the French, a boat came off to
Captain Cockbnm, with a Genoese master and the cri'W oi' the vessel^
and papers^ to say they were chartered by the Spanish consul at
Savona, to carry these troops to Barcelona for the Swiss regiment.
I hate examined some of the Austrians, who say that they were
marched by a guard to the vessel, and, when on board, a person
gave them thirty sous each, and told them they were going to Spain,
where ihey would find lujiny of their comrades. 'J'lie men say it
was atjainst their inelination, find that thev wish to irfurii to their
own servire, orlo st rvo with tlie English till there is an op])ortuiiit y.
Knowing, as T do, that tlu^ Freneh .ilKSolutely sell them to the
Simniards, 1 have no difficuhy in keeping them, to be relimu d to
their own sovereign. . . . They want a change of apparel, which,
if we L'''-t no work for it, the f! on nan Government ought to pay,
and a bed each ; they are as fine healthy-looking men as I ever saw,
the oldest of one hundred and fifty-two is thirty-four years of age.
I think till we have an opportunity of sending them to General
Beaulieu, they would add to the strength of our ships, five ships
thirty each: this is 8ubmitt<ed with deference to your better
judguient.
A letter from Sir John Jervisto Mr. Jackson, Secretary of Legation
at Turin, dated off Toulon, 16 August^ 1796, puts this business in a
still clearer Virrht :
* From a Swiss dealer in liuman tlesh, the demand matle upon nie
to deliver up l')2 Austrian irrenudiers. serving on bmird his Majesty's
fleet under niy command, is natural enough ; but that a Si>aniurd, who
is a noble creature, should join in sudi a demand, I must confess
astonishes me ; and I can only account for it by the Chevalier CJamano
being ignorant that the persons in question were prisoners of war in the
r
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LETTERS OF LORD IsJiLSON
1796
last affair with General Beaulieu, and ftra not deaerterSy and they were
most basely sold l>y the French commisflaries in the Western Riviera of
Qenoa, to the vile crimps who recruit for the foreign regiments in the
service of 8pain. It is high time a stop should l)e put to this abominable
tmffio. a millioiv times moro flist»Taceful thnn the Africnn slave tnuN' :
and I trust the strong reinonstiiinces alxnit to be made by the Court of
Vienna to tlie Court of Madrid w ill produce the desired effect/
On II June, 1796, Commodore Nelson left the Agamemnon, and
hoisted his disttnguishing pennant in the Captain, of 74 guns.
For this last fortnight my destination has been so oft«n changed,
that I have been veiy uncertain whether I was to go home or stay. . . .
Orders came out for a second-rate and the worst ship of the line to
go home with the convoy : there could be no doubt but Agamemnon
mnst be the ship ; and had the com ships, which were momentarily
expected, ai i ivcd. J must have pone. However, when it was known
in tliu IK't t, many wished to ^o, and the cajjtain of this ship [the
CaptainJ hati liie pitjfereuce, he being in a very bad state of
health.
If my Hag comes out, 1 shall meet probably hoist it in the Golitith,
as she is new coppered, lu other resjiects, she is not bo desirable
as tliis shi]i, fui- I hear she is wretchedly manned, and worse disci-
plined. The latter I don't mind, if I have but the stuff to work
upon. I have selected a Captain Miller to be my captain, about
thirty-five years of age : in my opinion a most exceeding good
officer and worthy man. If we have a Spanish war, I shall ytt hope
to make somethinjof this war. At present, I believe I am worse
than when 1 set out — I mean in point of riches, for if credit and
honour in the ser\ iee are desirable. I lia\ t' my full share. Oppor-
tunities have been frequently otiered me, and J have never lost one
of ili>t iiiLTuishing' myself, not only as a gallant man. but as having
a head ; for, of the numerous plans 1 have laid, not one has failed,
nor of opinions given, has one been in the event wrong.
Sir J. The complaints of the Genoese Government [about breaches of
ii .liuie neutrality] are so ridiculous, that I hardly know what to say. If
GeiuMu we are to allow the free passage of the enemy coastways, we are
useless. . . . The beat mode, in my opinion, is to speak openly —
that so long as the French are in possession of batteries on the
coast, which fire on our ships, so lone we shnll consider it as an
enemy's coast, T have the ]>liasure U> say that our conduct has so
comjil.'tcly alai'iiit il tli(< l"'i\iic]i, that all I lieir coast iiiir t radf i> nt
ttu cud J even the corvette, gunboats, &c. which were moored under
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I uno.
S. Fio.
renzo.
ITOe BIOCKABE OF LEGHOBN 103
the fortress of Vado, have not thought tlieni selves in security, but
are all gone into Savona ole, and unbent their sails.
As I wrote you from Crenoa was my intention, I made the best 28 .Ti
of my way to this place, but from calms and contrary winds, it was B^dT"
yesteiday morning before I anchored in the northern road of
L^hom. . . . The French took possession of the town about one
o'clock, and immediately fired on the Inconstant, and a pri7ie of
Captain Hood's, loaded with timber, but without doi?i<r tli« ni any
damage. The exe rtions of Captain Freniantle niuht have Un a very
prrat. for the consul and Mr. Fonnereau tell me, that except bad
debits, and tlic loss furniture, nothing of any great cousequenco
is left in the town.'
I have received directions from the admiral to blockade the port Sir g.
of Leghorn, and to be aiding and assisting to your excellency in o /uiy.
prevmting any attempts of the French on the island of Corsica,
and in such other matters as you may wish, and is in my power.
You will give me credit, I am sure, for my fullest exertion in
the execution of this duty, and that if, on every occasion, I do not
comply with all your wi^es, it is the want of the means, and not
the want of inclination.
Ill carrying out these instructions, Nelson, on July, dcsiixid
Mr. Braine, the Englisli consul at Genoa, to give otiicial notice (»f the
blockade to the Govenuiient of Genoa antl to all the foreign uiinihters
and consuls ; on the 7th, he himself gave notice to the several consuls
at Leghorn, and, on the 10th, in accordance with the wish of Sir
Gilbert Elliot, he took possession of Porto Fenujo and the island of
Elba, the governor accepting the offered terms without resistance.
The blockmlt' of LrLrliom is complete ; not n \t s>cl ran go in or Sir J.
come out without my permission. Y(\^terday a iJane came out isTulV.
loaded with oil and wine for Genoa: I told him he must return, or
1 should send him to Corsica. His answer was, * I }«n a neutral,
and vou may take me, but I will not return,' However, I took
poss^ion, and intended giving him to a Coraican privateer ; in
* Captain FremaDtie's official report of his proceedings was published in the
londm ffarettr at 28 Angust, 1796. On transmitting it to tbe Admimlty, Sir
John Jervis »ai<l that * the retreat of the British factory with in<)i«t of their pro-
perty' was owing ' to the unparallcle<i exertions of rapt«in Fremantle.' It will
be interesting to compare with tiiis the account given by Lanfrey {IlUtoire de
Ifaiptiiony Um. i. p. 14H) : * Les Anglais avaient d£l& le^n l*4veil, et^ lotsqae nous
enframe^ flans la villc, Iciirs l-atimmt-s, au nonibrc de plus de quanint<», j)renaient
le laige sous les yeux de Murat ct des deux coniniissiiircs Gareau el Kalicetti,
accourua & la hAte pour «e saisir de cette riche proie. Le coup 6tait en partle
manqu6, si leur grand d^Bappointement. Us dorent contcntor de s'l ninarer des
marrhnndist s an^'laises |)otir nne somme d'environ 12 millions.' Frnm Nelson's
information, it would appear that they must liave made the convenient and pro-
fitable blunder of mistalong Tuscan property for English.
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104
LETTERS OF LUKD NKLSON
1796
Duke of
Clarence,
W July.
Inborn
Roads.
Mrs.
>iel8on,
2 Aqgut
Sir G.
KUiot,
6 Auffurt.
6 Angnst.
about two hours, be begged I would allow him to retum. This, I
am satisfied, was a trial of what I intended ; for he said, all the
neutrals were determined to come ont. If we are firm, the Grand
Duke will sorely rejieiit his adniissioii of the French. His repeated
pnxjlaniations tor tlie people to be quit-t, have given time to the
French to hiy ixjwtler under all the works ; and, in case of din-
turhance, they say, up shnll go tlie works. Cannon are ]><)int«Ml
from the wall to every street, and all the cannon and mortars arti
mounted.
Yon will hear of <air taking po.ssession of Porto Ferrajo : if we
had not, to a certainly the French would, and then theywonld have
been too near Corsica, where I fear we have an ungrateful set of
people ; and one party admowledged friends to the Frendi, which,
iklthough greatly outnumbered by our friends, constantly makes
disturbances.
*
Had all my actions been gazett^ not one fortnight would have
passed during the whole war without a letter firom me : one day
or other I will have a long gazette to myself ; I feel that such an
opportunity will be given me. I cannot, if I am in the field for
glor}', be kept ont of sight. Probably my services may be forgotten
by the great, by the time I get home ; but my mind will not forget,
nor cease to feel a degree of consolation and of applause superior
to undeserved rewards, AVherever there is anything to be done,
there l^i-ovidt iir.' is sure to direct my steps. Credit must be given
me ill spii«' of I'livv.
It has ever plciused iiod to prosper all my undertakings, and I
feel confident of liis blessing on this occasion. I ever consider my
motto, Fides et Opera ^
From the totid deprivation of trade in Ijt'Ljrhoni, nion* tlian
5i).(><)U people are thrown out of employnieiit, and I Ix'lieve it is
within compass when wi> includt' the whole canal trade to every
part of Italy. Hundreds have be n on lx)ard iu small boats, to beg
bread. All agree they have repeatedly represented to tlm Grand
Duke the miserable state to which they are reduced, and the answer
they have repeatedly received, was to beg of them to remain quiet.
All this, your lordship knows most probably from our minister ;
but the lower order in Leghorn assure me, that they can nor will any
' It does not api)ear tliat Nelsoti used any iinuorial Ixyirings until after he was
made a Knight of the liath, in May 17V*7, when arms were assign^ to bim, and
he then adopted this niutto. Mefure that time he ijt lu rully used a seal with the
cip}u<7'A. N./ which had probably bHonged to his sinter Anne; or a huge seat
with the head of ^tepiune engraved on it.
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1796
the: FRENCH IN LEGHORN
105
longer be put off by promises ; that the French shall quit Leghorn,
and that they are determined to rise on them if they are not out of
the town on 15 Angast, and that they shall not celebrate their fi^te
of 10 August. I do not &il to give every enconragement to these
good dispositions, and assurances of my hearty assistance in case
the French do not go off. The plans are laid, but it would be wrong
to put them on paper in this uncertain state of the safety of posts.
The French here are grown complaisant; the inhabitants, of course,
very insolent; they tell them, 'You shall go by the 15th.' The
soldiers ever\' night desert by tt^n and twenty. The other night,
an officer and twenty cavnlry went off. We will not go to Mantua
to be killed, is their common talk.
I am not sanguine without good reason, but I liave at present ^
not the smallest doubt but by the 16th Leghorn will be iiee.
A weok lator, Nelson waa busy concerting, with Sir Gilbert Elliot,
measures to drive the French out, for which purpose a detachment of
troops was to be sent from Corsica : a r^lar siege, he wrote on 11
August, was out of the question ; but though the French would say
they would die in the works, a mortar battery would prol>ably bring
them to reason. On the 15th, he was at Bastia, superintending the
shipment of the heavy stores for the little expedition : on the 1 8th he
was Imck at Leghorn : it whs not till the 19th tlnit lie received news of
the defeat which the Austrians had sustained at Lonato and ( 'astiglione ;
and though the loss was spoken of as a severe check rather tlian an
overwhelming defeat, it was still sufficient to render the contemplated
attack unseasonable.
1 have still my doubts as to a Spanish war, and if it is, with Sir J.
your management I have no fears aa to any fatal consequences ; Aug.
their fleet is ill-manned, and worse officered I iancy, and they are
slow.
Fame says we are to have a Spanish war in this country. The Rev. Edm.
only consequence it can be to us may be the necessary evacuation ^^'^^^^
of Corsica, and that our fleet will draw down the Mediterranean.
The dons will suffer in every way for their folly, if they are really
so foolhardy as to go to war to please the French. . . . As to our
news here, the Anstrianb do not se»Mti victorious anvwiiere, and <he
consenii'-nce is, the French force friends where they art; superior.
CorsRu is threatened and will probably fall, for the Fi-ench have a
very strong party in the island. This is not strange. All their
connections are with the French. Great numbers of Corsican officers
are in high stations in their army, which cannot be the case with
ours.
Our affairs in Corsica are gloomy ; there is a very strong
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106 LETTEBS OF LORD NELSON 1796
Duke of republican ])ai ty in that island, and they are well supported from
Id^Angoflt. ' fif*^^ favonnddr iiiunieiit, they will certaiidy act aL^iinst
us. TIh' l^'iYMicli are endi^avnuring to get over from the continent
twenty and thirty mea at a time, and they will accomplish it in
spite of all we can do.
As to our fleet, under snch a oommander-in-ehief as Sir John
Jervis, nobody has any fears. . . . We are now twenty-two sail of
the line, the combined fleet will not be above thirty-five sail of the
line, supposing the dons detach to the West Indies. I will venture
my life Sir John Jervis defeats them ; I do not mean by a regular
battle, but by the skill of our admiral, and the activity and spirit
of our officers and seamen. This countr}^ is the most favourable
possible for skill with an inferior fleet; for tlie winds are so vari-
nbl<». that some one time in twentv-four hours you must l>e able to
attack a part of a large fleet, and the other will be bi calnied, or
have a contrary wind ; therefore I hope Government will not }ye
alarmed for our safety — mean more than is proper. I take for
granted they will send us reinforcements as soon as possible, but
tliere is nothing we are not able to accomplish under Sir John
Jervis.
Sir G. I am on my way to the fleet ; it is a great object that the ship
27^^gust. should join, and as there is no captain joined her, I think it ad-
visable to go in her myself If the Spaniards go to war with ns,
which I own I cannot even yet bring mj'self to believe, I hope to he
in time to as«ist our worthy admiral, and at all events I shall wish
to talk a little with him.
Nelson arrived bock on his station before Leghorn on 2 September :
on the 4th he was at Genoa, wliere a number of bullocks bought for
the fleet luid been stopped by the Genoese Govennneiit, and w(^rc de-
tained in sjiito of Nelson's ^'ehemr«nt protests. Tliis juid otli»^r ncriires-
sioui) in supjxirt of tlir French funned ilw sultjcct of a loni: e«»Mt*sj)on-
dencc, which has now little interest except as marking th« ignominious
end of the once glorious republic.
Kr. Drake, The French Beem to dictate to this government what they shall
9 iiept. clo. . . . The Russian minister has just sent me word that, last
night, the Doge put the question to the senate to give me thirty
bullocks, but it was overruled, and I am not to have one. The
|>rineipal argument was, we shall otleiid tlie French, and wi» Imd
better ofl'end the English than them, for they will not injure us so
much.
J This government is in t(*rror f>f the PVench : many of its mem-
11 Sept are bought over, and all, I believe, think that the English
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1796
IX)\Y2vFALL OF GENOA
107
would be a far more peiit rous i iu iny than the French : tht refore,
thev would ratlicr ofrciid us than thorn. In niv conversation with
the Dog(\ I liint^id (on his rather msiniiatiiin^ that a nreat army close
to their gates might cut off all supplies of meat for the city) that
we had the power to cut off supplies of com and wood which come
hy fiea. His answer was, what was true, that a small country like
Genoa was in a terrihlt- situation between great powers at war. I
urged our claim to justice, hanng conformed to the laws of Genoa.
He admitted we had justice and right on our side. . . . Every day
French vessels come to Genoa laden with powder, shot, &c., and
land them at San Pietro d'Arena, where the French have large
magazines of powder, and other stores. Tliey have four guns
mounted on thu beach, for their protection, and are going to erect
a larg-e Ijattery and have one thonnand men to defend it. They
have demanded one of tlie larjji'e "ii;tlace5< for an hr)>jHtal, and taken it.
If the war continues, it must cud m tlie French taking possessiou of
Genoa (supposing their success continues).
Th<' pi-actical and continued hostility of Genoa, thus a slave to
French influence, was at lei^^ held by the Viceroy of Corsica, to de-
prive it f)f its privile<»PR as a neutral : and on 15 Sppt^'Uilx^r hv refjuested
Nelson to co-openite witli a l»0{ly of troops nrdored to take possession of
Capiuja, where an ai,'<'nt of France had lieen for some time openlv esta-
blished, and wliere French privateers had been openly received, iiic
island was quite unable to resist the force sent a^iinst it, and surren-
dered at the first summons, on 18 September. On the 20th, standing
over to Leghorn, Nelson fell in with a Spanish Ungate, to whose captain
he wrote :
Having heard that several English ships have been detained 20 Sept
in the ports of Spain, and also that the court of Spain has made an
alliance offensive and defensive,^ I desire to know of you, on your
honour, if you know that there ia war between Enerland iind Spain ?
The Spaniard answered that he had no knowledge of any declaration
of war, or of any snc li otrensivo or defensive alliance with France ; tliat,
on die contrary, his instructions were to maintain the good understand-
ing which existed between the two countries, Spain and England. To
this Nelson replied :
It is not jK).ssible for ini' to desire a Spanish officer to do what 20 Sept.
would be considered in the smallest degree dishonourable.
I am in doubt whether it is war or peace Ixtw een the two
courts. You say you are sure that all is peace, and that the most
perfect good understanding subsists between the two courts. Thus
' A treaty oSensive and defensive between France and Spain had, in fact, been
signed on 19 Angnst, 1796 ; and on 11 October* war was declared by Spain against
Gie«t Britain.
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108
LETIKilS 01' LORD NELSON
1790
circumstanced, I liave to request, as a mark of your desire to cement
that harmony, that you will attend me to Bastia, to speak with
the Viceroy of Corsica on this \cTy delicate question. Should yon
refuse to comply with this most reasonable request, the fatal con-
se(^ut utr> jaiist rest vvilli you, aiul I must do my dufv in using" i« »rc»'.
The Spaniard positively n-fused to ;;f) to Hastiii, l)ut cnnsoiited to
return to S|)aiu ; a conipmiiiise whicli. after a further iuterchau^ of
letters, NeLsoii accepted, and so the frigati^s parted company.
Sir G. I send you my letter to the admiral about a Spanish friL'att '. I
24'sept, i<^»tiK^d to takr 1ior, hut dare not. You will see that the den faiK-it s
the hiisii]oss hantrs in my refusiii<_r Inrn leave to enter Leghorn, and
nut daring he should return to bpam to make hif complaints,
without speaking to your excellency ; whereas, in truth, 1 wished
to have brought him to Bastia, to ask your advice whether I shoald
not take him. However, I liave acted on the safe side : if we are
not to have a war, this act of violence will easily be got over ; and
if we are, I hope my not taking this fine frigate will redound to the
honour of some of our active frigate commanders.
flirJ. During the course of yesterday, I received repeated infonnation
ii'bept. of the movement s of the privateers with the Corsicans on board;
the wliole nnmber of Corsicans is nine liuiidred, inelnding all the
otlieers ; six brass twplve-])<)un<lers are embarked, tliirty-tive cases
of small arms, and various otlier articles, in from tifteen to twenty
privateers, and 1 am certain they mean to sail the lirst favour-
able moment. The Corsicans behave so ill at Leghorn, that the
French are determined to send them off, upon the general principle
of action of the French — *If you sncceed, so much the better for
us ; if you do not, we get rid of a set of scoundrels.'
The point for me to consider is, where will the French land in
Corsica ? The twelve-poimdera can only be to possess a port (that
they meant to have gone by Capraja, at least to possess it, is certain).
I am on mv wav to concert with his excellencv how I can best use
my small force to his advantage, considering the other ser\-icesl
have to look to.
He then proceeded to state the difierent possibilities as they
appeared to him, and the measures which he proposed to adopt. These,
howevw, fell through, in consoquenco of the detennination, w hich liad
}»epii pome to in Km^land. to leave Corsica to itself. Sir Ji»hn .Ier\-is
had, indeed, already written to Nelson on 25 September : ' Having re-
ceived orders to co-o[>erate with the vieemv in the e\ aeiiation of the
island of Corsicii, and aftei wards to ivtreat duwii the jM editerraiitiui
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1796 EVACUATTOX OF 001K5ICA 109
with Ills ^rujesty's fl^*et under my coijiiiiand, I desire you will lose no
time in going over to Bastia, ami couiiulting with the viceroy upon the
best moans of perfonniug the operation, and to give every assistaiice in
your power towards the oompletion of it ; leaTing the blockade of Leg-
horn under the direction of Captain Goekbum.'
To whiohy on the 30th, Nelson replied :
Last night, on my arrival, I received your most 8(>crot orders ; sir J.
but I believe many jxHiple in thi*^ island lia\ <• an idea t liat something So'^SepU
like your orders is L'oing lorward. I shall nt>t fail to arrange what Baaiia.
transports may be necessary for each port, which is all that 1 can
do until matters are brought to greater maturity. The viceroy
thinks then^ will not be more than about 600 6migr6B, Corsicans
and French, and the stores I do not believe are very many ; for the
ordnance which we found in the different fortifications, tlie viceroy
will not, I fancy, think it right to take away. His excellency is
veiy mnch distressed by this measnre, and fancies the island is at
this moment in a most perfect state of loyalty to the king, and
affection for the British nation : bnt what strikes me as a greater
sacrifice than Corsica, is the King of Naples, If he has been in-
duced to keep off the peace, and has |)e]-ha])s engaged in the war
again by the expeclatiou of the continuance (A' the lleet in the
Mediterranean, liard indeed ishisfut^;; his kmgdom must inevitably
be ruined.
^Ve are all preparing to leave the Mediterranean, a meatfure Mw.
which I cannot npprove. They at home do not know what this (pjj^J'oci,
fleet is capable of performing ; anything, and eTeiything. Mnch
as I shall rejoice to see England, I lament our present orders in
sackcloth and ashes, so dishonourable to the dignity of England,
whose fleets are ( (pial to meet the world in arms ; and of all the
fleets I ever saw, I never beheld one in point of oflicers and men
equal to Sir John Jervis's, who is a commander-in-chief able to
lead them to glory.
I have the honour to acquaint you that I arrived at Bastia on Sir J.
the 1 Uh, and was joined between tliat time and the 19th by the 21*0^.
Egiuont, Captain, Excellent, and Southampton. The slups of the Jj^^
line wrre niooied opposite the town, the enibarkation of provisions
and stores eomnieneed on tlie I5tli, and was continued without
intermission till the 19fch at sunset, in that night every soldier
and other person were brought off with perfect good order from the
north end of the town.
The Corsicans sent to Leghorn for the French, as was natural Duke of
for them, in order to make their peace ; and the enemy was in one ^*oX*'
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110
LElTEiiS OF UORD NELSON
1796
end of Ua^lia, before we had quitted the otlier. . . . C^ur trotjps
are I •iilered to Porto Ferrajo, vvhieli ran t)p defended against auv
uundier of the enemy for a lenLTtli of time ; and the port, altlioucfh
small,. will bold with management our whole fleet and transports.
As soon as all our transports are arrived at Elbti, we are to go out
to look for Man, who is ordered to come up : we shall then be twenty-
two Bail of snch ships as England hardly ever produced, and com-
nuiaded by an admiral who will not fail to look the enemy in the
face, be their force what it may : I suppose it will not be more than
thirty-lbnr sail of the line. We may reasonably expect reinforoe-
nient,s from England : for whilst we can keep the combined fleet in the
^lediti'rraneiui. s(i n.;; a more advantageous to us ; and the moment
we retire, tlif whole uf Italy i^ <jiv» ii Lo tlie I'reiich. Be the
Bucce.s.ses of the Anstrians w hat I hey may, their whoh* supply of
stoit?s and provisions comes from Trieste, across the Adriatic to the
Po, and when this is cut off, they must retire. If the dons detach
their fleet out of the Meditt^rranean, we can do tlie same — however,
tliat is distant. I calculate on the certainty of Admiral Plan's
joining us, and that in fourteen days from this day we shall have
the honour of fighting these gentlemen : there is not a seaman in
the fleet who does not feel confident of success.
Towards the end of Septen»l)er, Admiral Don Juan de Lanjjfara
with the Spanish floet. consisting of nirtftrMm sail of the Hn»', ton
frigates, and some cor\cttes, put to sea tVoni ('adi/ an<l prucet-drd to
Cartiigeua, where they were joiued hy seven hne-ot- battle ships, thus
xuakiug twenty -six sail of the Une. With this force, Langara appeared
off CSape Corse on 15 October, at which time the English fleet, amounting
to only fourteen sail of the line, was at anchor in Mortella Bay.
Instead, however, of attacking it, the Spanish admiral went to Toulon,
whore lie arriverl an the t?nth. Tlie eonihinorl fleet then consisted o£
thirty-eight sail of the Hue and nearly twenty frigates.
We left S. Fiorenzo on th'' 2nd, at niirht, and are now seeing
our Smyrna roiivoy part of the way down tiie Straits, and hope to
meet Admiral Man, who has, more than a mouth past, known the
situation of our gallant admiral.
Man is certainly gone to England, and the consequences, after
Comwallis, may be guessed at.
The lU.'et arrived at Gibralttir on 1 T)ecendK;r. On the 10th, the
adnnral received instructions to eoniplete tl»e evnouation of the
Mediterranean by witlith-siwing the ^n-isou fix)m PorLo Ferrajo. Tliis
duty was entrusted to Nelson, who for the special service was ordered
to hoist his broad pennant on board the Minerve frigate add to take
the Blanche under his command. The two ships sailed from Oibndtar
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1796
CAPTURE Of SABINA
ft
on tbe 15tli. The following extnust from the Minerve's log i4>pearB to
have been written bj Nelson himself.
Tuesday, 20 December,^ off Cartagena, p.m. Fresh gales and
doody weather. At 5, spoke H.M. ship Blanche, and ordered her
to steer 20 miles NE by E. Shortened sail, 6.30, brought to on
the starboard tack. At 10, the Blanche made signal to speak ns :
bore down to her. The ca})t :iin told me he saw two Spanish frigates
to leeward : cleared for action and bore down. At 10.40, 1 passed
under tlie stern of one of them, which I hailed. KnowinLr it to l)e
a Spaniard, and not Ijeing answered, I commenced action with her
by firing a liroadside into her. At 11, saw the Blanche engage the
other. At 11.30, saw the mizen mast of the ship I was engaged
with, fall. Wore ship occasionally, to prevent her going to lee-
ward, which I saw she endeaToured to effect. At 1 .20 a.m. she hailed
us, and struck her colours. I sent the lieutenant to take possession
of her. He sent the Spanish captain on board, who surrendered
himself, and gave up his sword : told me his name was Don Jacobo
Stuart, and that the frigate was the Santa Sabina, mounting 40
guns, 20 18-pounders on the main-deck, 280 men. Took her in tow,
and iiiatle sail to the SE. Sent the second Iieut<3nant uiid 21 men
on board her to clear her decks, &c. The people on board r^a
Miner\'e employed repairing damages, At 3.30, saw another
frigate? standing towards us, which supposed to Ix? H.M. ship
Blanche : 4.15, she hailed our prize in Spanish, and fired a broad-
side into her ; in consequence of which we cast off the prize, which
stood to the eastward. At 4.30, commenced action with her. At
5, she wore ship and stood from us. Saw three other ships astern,
which, as daylight cleared away, proved to be two line-of-battle
ships and a frigate, which the ship we had last engaged joined, and
then all made sail in chase of us. Light airs and bafiding weather :
made all sail possible; our prize in sight, bearing about ENE,
Blanche heat lug west. 7, do. weather : the people employed re-
pairing damages, tishiug lower masts whieli were l»;i(lly wounded.
Sabina hoisted English rolonrs over tlie Spanish, and stoo<l to the
NE, which induced the largest line-of-battle ship to give up the
pursuit of us and follow her. At 9.30, she brought the Santa Sabina
to, when lier mizen masts went over the side, and slio was retaken.
The other line-of-battle ship and two frigates continued in chase of
us. Saw a fleet bearing E, supposed them to be the Spanish fleet.
Made signal for the Blanche to join us, which she did not answer.
> 19 December by the civil calendar.
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112
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1798-77
R«v. Edm.
1 .Inn.
2\i Dec
In tl)e first action, liad 7 seamen and marines killed, and 34
woanded : second action, 10 wounded. At noon^firesh breezes and
hazy weatlier : one line-of-battle sliip and two Spanish frigates in
chase of as.
Whilst the MiiK i vr was rii^iLjrd with the 8ahina, tlic Blanche had
also compelled the other friii!it<' to haul down h< r colours, hut was
prevented taking possession of lier by the approach of the Spanisli
squadron. On 24 December, Don Jacobo Stuart, captain of the Sabina,
was sent to Cartagena to be exchanged against Lieutenants Gulverhoaae
and Hardy, who had been taken prisoners when the Sabina was recap-
tured.
My late action will he in the ' Clazettc,' and I may venture to say
it was what I know the English like. My late prisoner, a descen-
dant from the Duke of Berwick, son of James II., was my brave
opponent ; for which I have returned him his sword, and sent him
in a flag of truce to Spain. I felt it consonant to the dignity of my
country, and I always act as I feel right, without regard to custom :
he was reputed the best officer in Si)ain, and his men were worthy
of such a coniinander ; he was the only surviving officer.
On 26 December, Nelson arrived at Porto Fenrajo, but found that
General de Burgh, in conimand of the troops, did not think himself
authorise<l to al)andon the place without positive orders : though he
wrot/e to Nflson on the 2Hth : * My only iiioti\r for iirLnn!^ drlav
arises trojii a wish to have my pro* • . dings in smiie uieasiiic saiutiou«I
sigmng
signal for departure.'
My answer will be full to the point, that my instructions, written
and verbal, are clear, that this place is not to be kept on Uie con-
sideration of its being any longer useful to his Majesty's fleet, that
the fleet has no longer any inducement to come on the coast of
Italy. 1 shall withdraw nearly all the supplies from this place
wh< th(. r tlie troops quit it or not, and reduce the naval force hc-re
as nuich as possible. The object of our llect in future is the dcf<:*nce
of Portugal, and keeping in the Mediterranean the combined fleets.
To these points my orders go, and I have no power of deviating
from them.
The whole of the sbips of war which 8ir John -liTvis has ap-
propriated for the service of the evacuat ion of this place being now
either in the port, or near approaching it, I have therefore to re-
quest that you will be pleased to inform me, with as little delay as
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1707 RETURNS TO THE FLEET 113
pr)-s!})lt\ wliotlifr if is yntir iuteutioa to embark the troops and
ston-s ii(»\v liiT«'. nr aiiv of" thorn. •
Should vour answer be in the afHrniative, every measure shall
be tiiken by me for the speedy arrival of the troops in ( ubraltar and
Portugal ; and should it be a negative, in that case I sliall, accord-
ing to my instmctions, withdraw all our naval stores and establish-
ment, and as many ships of war as I think can possibly be spared
from the service which may be required of them here, our fleet
being now particularly instructed to attend to the preservation of
Portu^l.
The general havinir declined to evacuate I*oi*to Ferrajo, as you Sir J.
will observe by the C()\)y nf the letter transmitteil h. n'with,! have, •ii'jim.
notwithstanding, witlidrawii all our naval esiablislmiciit from this yj^ob
plaf»'. Iiavincr fir*t coinpletcd every shi]) to as much stores as her
captain pleased to take. Eveiy transport is completely victualled,
and arnmged, that ever\' soldier can be eml)arkedin three days. I
mean to look into Toulon, Mahon, and Cartagena, tliat I may be
able to tell you the apparent state of the combined fleet.
With Sir Gilbert Elliot and his staff as passengers, tlie Minerve and
the frigate squadron left Porto Ferrajo on 29 January. After looking
into Toulon, and seeing that the Spanish fleet had left Cartagena,
Nelson was in feverish haste to rejoin the admiral. On 9 February he
arrived at Gibraltar, where he leanit that the Spaniarrls had pa8s«3d to
tlio westwanl four days before, though three nf thrir slii{>s h\\<] h(^n
hk'nt into Gibraltar Hay with supplies for their troops. Kroui ilieso
Nelson received his missing lieutenants, Culverhouse anil liaixly, and
sailed in the forenoon of 11 February. On the 13th the Minerve re-
joined the admiral, having* on her way from Gibraltar, passed through
the Spanish fleet. Nelson at once returned t^ his own ship, the Captain ;
and Sir Gilbert Elliot and his staff were ordered a passage to England
in the Livelv frirfate, which, at Sir Gilhort's special request, was
<1ptai)u'(i to cany liome the news of the expected engagement. It was
thus tiiat Colonel iJrinkwater, at that time .Sir Gilbert Elliot'ji aide de-
camp, was a spectator of the battle, and was afterwards led to publish
that detailed narrative' which, as we have seen,^ Nelson accepted as a
standard reference, and which, notwithstanding some exaggerations, and
some mistakes of detail, is still the best und futle.st account of the battle
that has been written. The conmiander-in -chief in his official letter,
dat^»d in Tifigos Bay, 15 February, de«!rrihed it only in the most cfoneral
tenii.s. After speaking of his certain intelligence on the night of the
13th, of the near approach of the Spanish fleet, he continued : ' I
anxiously awaited the dawn of day, when, Iw-ing on the starboard tack.
Cape St. Vincent bearing £ by N, 8 leagues, 1 had the satisfaction
' Narratire of the Jiatih' of St. Vinn nf, by rol.iiiel T>rinkwnter Hethune ; 2nd
edit. 1840. The first edition, which was |>ul»ii.slie«l anonymously iii the spring of
17i)7, is scarce, having been mostly pulped, as ansaleable.
* See«A<», p.
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114
LETTERS OF LOHD NELSON
of seeing a numl»er of ships ext^^iuling SW to S, the wind then
ill W l»y S. At 10. J9, the weather Ijeirig extr*»nioly hazy. Lsi Bonne
Citoy<'Jiiio ttkkK' thr siifnal that the ships R«'<'n uciv of the line, twoiity-
five ill liUiaU r ; \kU Majesty's squadnm under my command, consisting
of tit'teen ships of the line, liappily formed in the most compact order of
saiUng, in two lines. By carrying a press of sail, I was fortunate in
gettmg in with the enemy's fleet at 1 L30, before it had time to connect
and form a regular order of battle. Such a moment was not to be lost ;
and confident in the skill, valour, and discipline of the officers and men
I had the happiness to command, and jiidu'in^ that th'* Jion^nr of >.?«!
MnjoKty's arms, and the cinmmstances ot tiic war in these seas, required
a cuii.sideialde degree of eiiterprise, I felt myself justified iu departing
from the regular system ; and, passing through their fleet, in a line
formed with the utmost celerity, tacked and thereby separated one-third
from the main Inxly after a partial cannonade, which prevented their
re-junctlnit till tlie evening; and by the very great exertions of the
ships, which had the good fortune to arrive up with the enemy ot> tit"
larboard tack, the ships [Salvador del Mundo. 112; San Josef, i 1- ; .>au
Nicolas, 80 ; 8an Ysidro, 74] were captured, and the action ceased about
five o'clock in the evening.'
A FEW HKMAKKS UKLATIVE TO MYSELF IX THE CAPTAIN, IN WHICH MY
PBNNANT WAS FLYING ON TQS MOST GLORIOUS VALENTINB'S DAT,
[()nK5 FebriUiry,:ilG r.M. ^hi^teil niy peiiuaiit IVuni Minerve
frigate to the (':i|)f;iiu.
\aKMitiiie's Day, at dayliglit, fsi<ni?d In prepare fnr battle. At
10. saw some stnui«^e ships standing across the van of our fleer, on
thi' larboard tack, which was sailiuL' in two divisions, eight in the
wuathor, seven in the lee, on the starboard tack . About 1 1 , signal to
form the line as most conv( nient. At 11.25, the action commenoed
in the van, then passing through the enemy's line.]
At one P.M., the Captain having passed the stemmost of the
enemy's ships which formed their van and part of their centre, con-
sisting of seventeen sail of the line, they on the larboard, we on the
starboard tack, the admiral made the signal to * tack in Ruccessioii ; '
but I, perccivint]^ the Spanish ;>lups iill to boar up Ivlbre the wind,
or nearly so, evitlciitly with an intention of rorniin*,' their lin^ ^ing
large, joinini,' their separated division, at that time engaged with
some of our centre ships, or Hying from us— to prevent either ot
their scheme.^ irom taking eifect, 1 oi-dered the ship to be wore, and
passing between the Diadem and Excellent, at a quarter past one
o'clock was engaged with the headmost and of course leeward*
* There are two copies of this paper ; tho one an autogriipb di aught, tlic other
a copy prepared for pablication, MgneiX and witnessed by Captains Miller and
1^ rrv, hnt with some passajres omitted ft is this vorsinn which is bete given,
vriiL the otuiitetl paiiiia^fes iiuierted iu brackcti*. Stjc jwtt, p. 118.
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1707
BATTLE OF OAPl!: ST. VINCENT
115
moiX of ihit Spa;ii-h tiivision. I'li • siiips which I know were, the
Santissima Triuidail, 12G ; 8au Jusef, 112; Salvador del Mundo,
1 12 ; 8an Nioolaa, 80; another first-rate, and seventy-four, names
not known. I was immediately joined and most nobly supported
by the rtilloden, Captain Tronbridge. The Spanish fleet, from not
wishing (X suppose) to have a decisire battle, hauled to the wind
on the larboaid tack, which brought the ships afore-mentioned to
be the leewardmost and stemmost sliips in their fleet. For near
an hour, I believe (but do not pretend to be correct as to time),
did the CuUoden and Captain suj))M>rt- this apparently, but not
really, unequal contest; when the IJlt iiiu ini, passing between us
and the en«^my, giive us a respite, and sickeiit'd the dons. At this
time, the Salvadiir del ^ruiulo and San Ysidro dropped astern, and
were Hred into in a masterly style by the Excellent, Captain Colling-
wood, who compelled the San Ysidro to hoist Enirli'^h colours, and
I thought the large ship Salvador del Mundo had also struck; but
Captain Goilingwood, disdaining the parade of taking possession of
beaten enemies, most gallantly pushed up, with every sail set, to
save his old friend and messmate, who was to appearance in a
critical state. The Blenheim bei ng ahead, and the Culloden crippled
and astern, the Excellent ranged up within ten feet of tl^e San
Nicolas, giving a most tremendous fire. The San Nicolas lufling
np, the San Josef fell on board her, and ilie Excellent passing on
for the Santissima Trinidad, the Captain resumed her situation
abreast of them, and close al(»n(rside. At this time the Captain
having lost her Ibretop-mast, not a sail, shroud, or rope left, her
wheel shot away, and incapable of further service in the line, or in
chase, I directetl <'aptain Miller to put the helm arstarboard, and
calling for the boarders, ordered them to board.
The soldiers of the 69th Regiment, with an alacrity which will
ever do them credit, and Lieutenant Pierson of the same regiment,
were amongst the foremost on this service. The first man who
jumped into the enemy's mizen-chains was Captain Berry,' late
my first lieutenant ; (Captain Miller was in the very act of going
also, but T directed liini to remain;) he was supported from our
spritsail-yard, which hooked in the mizen-riggiug. A soldier of
the 69th Tieginient havinir ''I'okf t he njiper (piarter-gallerv window,
jumped in, followed by myself and others as fast as possible. I
found the cabin-doors fastened, and some Spanish ofiicers fired their
' Captain Berry wus then a paujsenger in the CapLaiu, haviug lately been pro-
moted to the rank of oommaiider. Ho was posted on 6 Maioh foUowing» for bis
gsUaatrj at 8t Vinoent.
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116
LETTEIIS OF LOUD NEI^N
1707
pistols [at us tlirongh the window] ; bnt ba^ng broke open the
doors, tlic soldiers fired, and the Spanish brij^ndier (commodore
witli i\ distingui>liiiij^ pennant) fell, us retiviitiiig to the (puirter
flct k, on the larboard side, near the wheel. Having" pushed on tlie
ijiiarl(T-deek. 1 fonnd Cnptain Berr\' in possession of tlu^ jMH)p. and
the 8jjaiiitth ensign hauling down. 1 juissed with niy people and
J jien tenant Pierson on the larboai*d gangway to the forecastle, where
I met two or three Spanish officers prisoners to my seamen, and
they delivered me their swords.
At this momentj a fire of pistols or muskets opened from the
admiral's stem galleiy of the San Josef [by which abont seven of
my men were killed and some few wonnded, and about twenty
Spaniards]. I directed the soldiers to fire into her stem ; and,
calling to (,'a})tain Miller, ordered him to send more men into the
San Nicolas, jiad directed niy people to boanl the iirst^rate, which
was done iii an instant, Captain i^errv assisting me into the main
chains. At this mornont a Spani>li < •Hirer looked over the rpiarter-
deck rail, and said ~* thev snrrendered ; ' from thin most w^elcome
intelligence it was not long before I was on the quarti^r-deck, when
the Spanish captain, with a bow, presented me his sword, and said
the admiral was dying of his wounds below. I asked him^ on his
honour, if the ship were surrendered ? he declared she was ; on
which I gave him my hand, and desired him to call to his officers
and ship^s company, and tell them of it — ^which he did ; and on the
quarter-deck of a Spanish first-rate, extravagant as the story may
seem, did I receive the swords of vancjuished Spaniards ; which, as
I received, I gave to ^\ illiain Fearney, one of my bargemen, who
put them with the greatest sangfroid under Ins arm. I was siir-
rniniileil l)v r'aptjiin Bfriy. Tiientennnt Pierson, (i9th 1 \ei2:i men t, John
Sykes, John Thomson, Francis Cook, all old Agamemnons, and
several other brave men, seamen and soldiers : thus fell these ships.
[The Victory passintr f^^aluted us with three cheers, as did every
ship in the Heet. '^Fhe Minerve sent a boat for me, and I hoisted
my pennant on board her, directing Captain Cookbam to pat me
on board the first uninjured ship of the line, which was done ; and
I hoisted my pennant in the Irresistible, but the day was too fiir
advanced to venture on taking possession of the Santa Trinidad,
although she had long ceased to resist, as it must have brought on
a night action with a still very superior fleet. At dusk, I went on
board the Victory, when the admiral received me on the quarter-
deck, and liaving embraced me, said he Could not sufficiently thank
me, and used every kind expression which could not fail to make
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1797 BATTLE OF CAPE ST. VINCENT 117
me happy. On my return on board the Irresistible, my bruises
were looked at, and found but trifling, and a few days found me
as weU as ever.] ^^^^
IvALril WlLLETT MiLLER,
E. Beray.
[Don Francifioo Xavier Winthnysen, Bear-Admiral, died of his
woand3 on board the San Josef. Don Tomas Geraldino, killed on
board the San Nicolas when boarded by the Captain.]
My dearest Friend, — ' A friend in need is a friend indeed,* was C«pt.
never more truly verified than by your most noble and gallant J^ood"*'
conduct yesterday in sparing the Captain iroiu lui-ther loss; and I
beg, botli as a public ollicer and a iriend, you will accept niy most
sincere thanks. 1 have not failed, by letter to the admiral, to
represent the eminent services of the Excellent.
This letter ought not to be separated from Collingwood's reply of
the same date :
' My dear good Friend, — First let me congratulate you on the success
of yesterday, on the brilliancy it attached to the British navy, and the
hunnlity it must cause to its Piieinios ; niid then let me congratulate my
dear coiiiinodore on the distinguished part which he ever takes wlion
the honour and interests of hi^ country »re at stake. It uddrd very
luuch to tlie batibfaction which I felt in thuiiiping the Spamurd^i, that
I released you a little. The highest rewards are due to you and
Ottlloden : you formed the plan of attack — we were only accessories to -
the dons' ruin ; for had they got on the other tack, they would have
been sooner joined, and the business would have been less complete.
We have come off pretty well, considering : eleven killed, and fourteen
wounded. You saw the four-decker going otf this morning to Cjuliz —
she should have come to Lagos, to make tlie thing better, but we could
not brace our yards up to get nearer.*
The Captain ia a wreck in hull and masts. We know not, ex-> sir g.
acth , but suppose near sixty killed : amongst the slightly wounded il^t'lh,
is myself, but it is only a contusion and of no consequence, unless
an inflammation takes place in my bowels, which is the part injured.
But they wIkj play at balls must expect rulibers.
I hope yon will airree with me in opinion, and if you can be 16 FeU
instrumental in keeping back what I expect will happen, it will be
an additional obligation, for very far is it from my disposition to
hold light the honours of the Crown j but I conceive to take here-
ditary honours without a fortune to support the dignity, is to lower
that honour it would be my pride to support in proper splendour.
On 1 June, 12 April, and other glorious days, baronetage has
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118 L£TT£;fi^ OF LORD N£LSON 17^
been beBtowed on the junior fltig ojfficers: this honour is wluu 1
dreud, for the n-asouft Ijvlure given, aiul whidi [ wish a Irieiid i<»
uTf^i* fnr WW tu Lonl Spf»?ic**r. or such other ot" liis MajpHty'f« mini-
Hters as are supposed to advise t lie Crown. There are oilier honours,
whicli die with the possessor, and I should be proud to accept, if
my efforts are thought worthy of the favour of my king.
On "JO I'l 111 u:u y. iiikI lonu Ik Iuh* tin* news of the batlU^ of Si. Vino*»!it
arrived in Kuglaucl, Nelson was promoted to the lunk of Rear-Adiniiul
o£ tbe Blue.
( Hilt. I send you a short detail of the transactions of the Captain ;
^Tf£ ftnd if yoQ approve of it, are at perfect liberty to insert it in the
newspapers, inserting the name of Commodore instead of '1/
Captains Miller and Berry &c. have antbenticated the truth, tilt
my quitting the iSan Jo^ief to go on board the Minerve. and farther
tlian this tlir detail shnuld imt l>e printed. As 1 do not write for
the pn'><, tlien* may jiurt.-^ of it which re(piire the pni [liii'j"-
knrfi*. which 1 desire you will use without fear. I pretend not to
Bay that these ship^ might not have fell, had I not l>o.'krded them ;
but tndy it was far from impossible but they might liave forged
into the Spanish fleet as the other two ships did. I hope for
a good account of the Santissima Trinidad ; she has been seen
without masts, and some of our frigates near her.
Mni. We got up here with our prizes this afternoon : the more I
think of our late action, the more I am astonished ; it absolutely
Liifaon. appears a dream . The Santinsima Trinidad, of four decks, lost
tive hundred killed and Avounded ; had not my shi]) Ix^en so cut up,
I would have had her; but it is well, thank God Wn- it! As to
my.self, I assure you 1 never was Letter, and rich in the praises of
every man from the highest to the lowest in the tieet. The Spanish
war will give us a cottage and a piece ef 'j-nnind, which is all 1 want.
I shall come one day or other laughing back, when we will retire
from the busy scenes of life: I do not, however, mean to be a
hermit ; the dons will give us a little money.
I go to sea the day after to-morrow in this ship [IrresistibleJ,
with a squadron to be off Cadiz, consisting of the Irresistible, Onon,
&c. Sir John Jervis has already spread the frigates ; and I shall
return by the time his fleet is ready for sea.
This squadron was under orders to cruise about 25 leagues SSW
of Cape St. Vincent, and from that towards the African coast, inhopee
of uitercepting the Viceroy of Mexico, who, with three ships ol the Une
and a laige treasure, was expected at Cadiz.
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1797
IS MADE KNIGHT OF THE BATH
119
1 iiin lookiiiu: nut with an anxious eye for the Viceroy of Mexico, Duke of
but 1 iear he will ^'o to Tenoriffe. The 8p:iiiish fleet is, fit and oi'yurX,
unfit, thirty sail (»f the line in Cadiz, and 1 siipjTose twenty will be y^^^^''
ready for sea In the first week in April, i am assured titieeu t-ail
of the line are orden d to Ferrol, and both squadrons are destined
for Brest, making thirty sail from the two {xn ta of Cadiz and Ferrol.
I trust Sir John Jervis will be reinforced ; at present his situation
18 not veiy pleasant. Eighteen two-decked idiips are to perform
two services ; at least this is what strikes me as necessary, viz.
to see our army safe from Elba, and to prevent the Spanish fleet
sailing with impunity from Cadiz. If Sir John stays off CSadiz, the
French will push out two or three sail of the line, and most pro-
bably take our army ; if he goes into the Straits, the detachment
from Cadiz gets unmolested to Ferrol : hrw i» a choice of dilliculties.
1 have ventured to propc^e to tlie adminil, letting me go with two
or thrre sail of the line, otl'Toulou, or to l^lhn, sis may be neeessary,
and for the fleet to stay outsid»'. i beg your lioyal Highness will not
think I am in the habit of advising my coumiander-in-chief ; but
8ir John Jervis has spoiled me by encouraging me to give my
opinion freely.
Ou 1 April, Nelson received a letter from Lord Spencer, acquainting
him, in the most flattering language, that his Majesty had signified his
intention of conferring on him the Most Honomuble Order of the BalJi.
This was the honour ^*hich Nelson had specially desire<l : and it appears
certain that the recognition of his services took that particular form
in consequonco of the rt ]>n-snitjition of Sir Milhert Elliot, to whom
Nelson had t-ontided his wish.' The appointment was dated 17 March,
but was not gazetted till 27 May.
i Lw^iJf vou will thank all oar friends for their kind cons^ratula- Kev. \\ m.
tions ; and 1 must he delighted, when, from the king to the oAprii.
peasant, all are willing to do mo honour. But I will partake of yj[,^^^
nothing but what shall include Colli ngwood and Troubridge. We
are the only three ships who made great exertions on that glorious
day : the others did their duty, and some not exactly to my satis-
faction. We ought to have had the Santissima Trinidad and the
Boberano, seventy-four. They belonged to ns by conquest, and
only wanted some good fellow to get alongside them, and they were
ours. But it is well ; and for that reason only we do not like to
say much.
Sir ♦Juliii Jervis is not quite contented, but siiys nothing publicly.
An anecdote in the action is honourable to the adnaml, and to
* Sec ante, p. 118*
Digitized by Gopgle
120 LETlhiib OF LOUli NlrX^i)^' 179;
Troabridge and myself. Calder [the first captain of the Vietoiy]
said, * Sir, the Captain and Calloden are separated from the fleet,
and nnBupported: shall we recall them?' — 'I will not have them
recalled. I put my faith in those ships : it is a disgrace tlmt they
are not supported and seimrated."
Sir J. I shall endeavour by fair means to accomplish your wishes in
1*1 April. l)lockH<le. 1 have niysell" no idea that tlie Spanish tleet will In*
irady tor sea tor some iii<iiith»<: and 1 uwa that my leelintjs are
alive for the saffiv nf i»iir ariii\ from Elhn. It" rhe Fn-nch «j»*t
out two sail nt' the line, which I am cKiitidiMit thev uiav do, our
troops are lot^t, and what a triumph would that be to them ! I know
yon have many difficulties to contend with, but I am anxious that
nothing should miscarry under your orders. If you think a detach-
ment can be spared, I am ready to go and do my best for their
protection.
Consequent on this letter, i\w. juluiiral sent Nelson or*.lerii to go up
to EU»a in the Captain, with the Colossus and Leander, and bring away
the garrison, if, indeed, it was not already on its way down the
Mediterranean. Before receiving these orders, however, Kelson had
again written :
12 April. Troubridge talked to me last night about the Viceroy at
Teneritie. 8ince ] first believed it was possible that his Excellency
might have gone there, 1 have endeavoured to make myself master
of the situation and means of approach by aea and land. I shall
begin by sea.
The Spanish ships generally moor with two cables to the sea,
and four cables from their sterns to the shore ; therefore, although
we might get to be masters of them, should the wind not come off
the shore, it does not appear certain we should succeed so com-
p]«'t«'ly as we might wi.>li. As to uiiy o|i})0«ition, except from
natural impediments, 1 should not think it umiid avail. 1 do not
ivckon myself t<» Blake ; but if I recollect right, he was more
obliged to the wind condng ofl' the land, than to any exertions of
his own : * fortune I'avoured the gallant attempt, and may do so
again. But it becomes my duty to state ail the difiieulties, as you
have done me the honour to desire me to enter on the subject.
* Nelson refen here to an erroneousstateoieiit in Cftmpbell's lAre^vftke AdmiraUy
voL ii. p. 108 ; according to which, Ulake succeeded in the attack, and bunit the
whole Siuiiiish fleet down to the waier'n edge, except tito abipe which tank : ' aiui
(he wind then veeiitii: to the fiouih-west, lie ]ias>e«l with the fleet safe out of the
port .'iirnitK' lint acrnrdifi!' 1(> !'!;ike's ilf-jKitcl , jirintrfl hy onler of i^iiamcnt,
the wiml did not wvi to the ttouih-wcM iili two da^s ailcrwanLi.
Digitized by Gopgle
1707
PROPOSAL TO ATTACK SANTA CRUZ
121
The approach by sea to the anchoring place is under very high
land, passing three valleys ; therefore the wind is either in from
the 8ea» or sqnally with calms from the mountains. Sometimes in
a night a ship may get in with the land-wind and moderate weather.
So much for the sea attack, which, if you approve, X am ready and
willing to look at, or to cany into execution. But now comee my
plan, which could not fail of success, would immortalise the under-
takers, rain Spun, and. W eve.y prospect of raiaing our conatiry
to a higher pitch of wealth than she ever yet attained : but here
soldiers must be consulted, and 1 know fruui experience, excepting
Geneml O'Hnra. they have not the same t)oldness in undertaking
a political mciusurt' rluir \vr have ; we look to the benrtif of our
countr}', and risk our own fame every day to save her : a soldier
obeys his orders, and no more. By saying soldiers should be con-
suited, you will guess I mean the army of 3,700 men from Elba,
with cannon, mortars, and every implement now embarked ; they
would do the business in three days, probably much less. 1 will
undertake with a very small squadron to do the naval port. The
shore, although not very easy of access, yet ia so steep, that the
transports may run in and land the army in one day. The water
is conveyed to the town in wooden troughs : tliis supply cut off,
would probably induce a very speedy surrender: t(»>od terms fur
the town, private property secured to the islanders, and only the
delivery of pul>lic stores and foreign merchandise demanded, with
thrtnits of litter destruction if one gun ia lired. la short, the
business could not miscarry.
Now it comes for me to discover wliat might induce General
de Btti^h to act in this business. Ail the risk and responsibility
must rest with you. A fair representation should also be made by
you of the great national advantages that would arise to our country,
and of the ruin that our success would occasion to Spain. Your
opinion besides should be stated, of the superior advantages a fort-
night thus employed would be of to the army, to what they could
do in Portugal ; anil tiuit of the six or seven millions sterliii«if, the
annv bliowKl have one half. If this sum wore thrown into circula-
lion in England, what uiight not be done ? It would insure an
honourable peace, with innumerable other blestiings. It haa long
occupied my thoughts.
Should General de Burgh not choose to act, after having all
these blessings for our country stated to him, which are almost put
into our hands, we must look to General O'llara. The Koyals,
about 600, are in the fleet, with artillery sufficient for the purpose.
r
Digitized by Gopgle
122 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1797
Yoa have the power of stopping tho store-flhipe ; 1,000 more men
would still insure the bmanesSy for TenenfiEe never was besieged,
therefore the hiJIs that cover the town are not forti6ed to resist
any attempt of taking them hj storm ; the rest must follow — a
fleet of sbipH, and money to reward the victors. But I know with
you, and I rim lay my liuiul on my heart ami say tlie same — It is
the iioauur aud prosperity of our country that we wish to extend.
The same day, 12 April, having i^ceired tlie admirars orders, he
turned over the command of the blockade of Cadiz to Sir James
Saumare?., then captain of the Orion, and, witli tlie adiips appointed,
sailed for Elha. On the 21.st, he met the garrison oti' the south end of
Corsica, and at once turned hack, desirin;^ to rejoin the coniniander-in-
chief without loss of time, as it was ruiiioureti that the Spanish fleet was
on the pomt of putting to sea* The getting back, however, took him
more than a month : and he did not join the admiral off Cadis till 24
May, when he was ordered to hoist his flag in the Theseus^ and to take
command of the inshore squadron.
ihur*^^ are off* Cadiz with n LTCMfi r i nCrj inrity than hefore. I am
1 June, barely out of sliot of a »Spanish rear-adiniral. We have ever\' day
flags of trace ; the dons ]io\ye for peace, but must soon f\ght us, if
the war goes on. I wish it was all over, for I cannot fao- much
longer; and, to please our fleet, I hear that a squadrcm is looking
out, in the limits of this station, for the galleons daily expected :
what a special mark of favour to us, who are enabling them to
cruise so much at their ease !
Jervb, What the intentions of the dons are, I know not ; but their
is^Jttnfl^ movements would assure me, if English, that they are on the eve
of coming out. We see that thirteen sail of the line are unmoored
and hove short. I saw Gra\nna cat his anchor, and they did it
briskly ; but tho ncconmiodation ladder of his ship wiis not in at sun-
set. The signals which they have been making this day are not
their usual harbour signals. I will give them credit for their
alertness, if they oome out in the morning. This squadron have
their bulkheads down, and in perfect readiness for battle, and to
weigh, cut, or slip, as the occasion may require. I have given out
a line of battle — ^myself to lead ; and yon may rest assured that I
will make a vigorous attack upon tiiem, the moment their noees
are outside the Diamond. Pt'ay do not send me another ship, for
they may have an idea of attacking the squadron; and if you send
any more, they may believe we are prepared, and know of their
intention.
A few nights ago a paper was dropped on the quarter deck, of
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1707
TUESEUa OFF CADIZ
123
which this is a copy : * Success att^^nd Admiral Nelson ! Hoc! bless Mrii.
Captain Miller ! We thank them for the officers they have placed 15 j^Sk
(»v*er us. We are happy and comfortable, and will shed every drop
of blood in our 7ein8 to support them, and the name of the Theaeos
shall be immortalised as high as the Captain's. Ship's Company/
We are looking at the ladies walking the walla and mall of Rev. n.
Cadis, and know of the ridicnle they make of their sea officers.
Thirty sail are now perfet 1 1 y ready, and, the first east wind, I expect
the ships from the Mediterranean, which will make them forty sail
of the line. We are now twenty ; some of our ships being always
obliged to be absent for water, provisions, SiC. However e<|ual we
may be to do the business, vet I cannot briiiij nivself to Ix^lieve
that it i.s good jiolic y to leuve us so inft'rior, wliatover lioiiour tliere
may be in it. The merchants of Cadiz have repeatedly petitioned
Ciovemment to force out the fleet ; and say truly that ten sail of
the line had better be samficed than the loss of their three ships
from lima, and their homewaid convoy, which must fall into the
hands of the English, if they are not forced from before the harbonr.
I am of opinion that some morning, when least expected, I shall
see them tumbling ont of Cadiz* We in the advance are, night
and day, prepaid for battle : our friends in England need not fear
the event. At present we are all qniet in our fleet ; and, if Oovem*
ment hang some of the Nore delegates, we shall reinrdn so. I am
entirely with the seauu'ii in tlu-ir first cnmpluint. We are a
neglected s^'t. and, when peacf conies, are feliauiefuUy treated ; but^
fur the Nore scoundrels, 1 should be happy to couuxkaud a ship
against them.
We will begin this night by ten o'clock; and 1 beg that all sirJ^
the laonches of the fleet may be with me by eight, or half-past at 3 j^p*,
farthest, with their carronades and plenty of ammunition ; also all
the baiges or pinnaces to come to me. I wish to make it a warm
night at Cadiz. The town and their fleet are prepared, and their
gonboots are advanced; so mnch the better. If they venture
from their walls, I shall give Johnny his full scope for fighting.
In obedience to your orders, the Thunderer bomb was placed 4 July.
. . . within 2,500 yards of the wall^ of Cadiz; and tlie shells were
thrown from her with inueh precision . . . but, unfortunately, it was
soon found that the large mortar was materially injured, from its
lonner services; I therefore judged it proper to order her to
return. . . . The Spaniards having sent out a great number of
Digitized by Gopgle
I
124 LETTKIiii OF LORD NKLSON 1797 I
mortar gnnlioats and armed laanoheS) I directed a vigorous attack
to be made on them, which was done with each galkmtiyy that
they were drove and pursued close to the walls of Cadiz, and must
have suflered considerable loss : and I have the pleasure to inform
jou, thiit two mortar bouts and au armed laimch remained in our
possession.
I feel iiiyself ]>artioiilarly indebted, for the successful terniiimtion
of* tills contest, to tlio irallantry of ra])t(iins Fremanlle and Miller,
the former of whom accompanied me in my barge ; and to my
coxswain, John Sykes, who, in defending my ])ersoQ, is most
severely wounded ; as was Captain Fremantle, slightly, in the
attack. And my praises are generally due to every ofiicer and man,
some of whom I saw behave in the roost noble manner ; and I
regret it is not in my power to particularise them. I must also
beg to be permitted to express my admiration of Don Miguel
Tyrason, the commander of the gunboats. In his barge, he laid
my boat alongside, and his resistance was such as did honour to a
la ave otlicer : eightet^n of the twenty-six men being killed, and
himself and all the rest wounded.
Symptoms of mutiny had shown themselves on board some of the
ships of the fleet ofl' Cadiz. On Friday, 7, and Saturday, 8 J uly, four
mutinorrK of tlie St. George wore tiled by a court-martial ; and on ,
the liitter day, Sir .fohn .lervis wrote two notes re»pecting them to
Iselson. In the tir^t he snid, * If these four unfortunate men receive
sentence of deuth, as there is every reason to heheve they will, from
the strong and direct evidence whiim came home to the bosoms of all i
yesterday, and the court-martial ends this day, they will suffer at 6
o'clock in the evening.' As the trial did not terminate until alter
sunset, the sentence was not carried into execution the same evenim,' ;
and Sir John Jervis conspqueiitly wrote to Roar-Admiinl Melson : ' Tlie
seiittMue must bo ciirritnl into execution to morrow morning, althoui^h it
is Sunday, i^nd you will take care to liave the boats of the detached
squadron up in time,' In another letter to Nelson, dated Smiday
evening, 9 July, Sir John Jerris said : * Vice- Admiral Thomjpson has
presumed to censure the execution on the Sabbath, in a pubhc letter ;
and I have insisted on his being removed from this fleet immediately,
or that T shall l»o called home ; and I have stipulated for no mcMre
admirals.' Writing to Earl Spencer on that day, the commander-in-
chief observed : *The court-martial on the mutineers of the 6t. George
did not linish before sunset yesterday, or they would have been executed
last night. The most daring and profligate of them confessed to the
clergyman who attended him, that the plan had been in contemplation
six montiiSi in concert with the Britamiia, Captain, Diadem^ and
Egmontw I hope I shall not be censured by the bench of bishops, as I
havel>eenby Vice- Admiral [Thompson,] for profaning the Sabhath : the
criminals asked live days to prepare, in which they won If I ha\ o liatched
live huiudred treasons : besides that, we are pro\okmg the 2:^paui8h
Digitized by Gopgle
1707
EXECUTION OF MUTINEERS
125
fleet to come nut by ovory m»\iiis \n our power ; anrl seven and twenty
gun and mortiir boats did actually advance, dastJirdly enough, it iiiuJst
be confessed, and cannonaded the a<lvanced squadron, now composed of
ten sail of the line, on seeing twenty bai*ges and pinnaces go to attend
the execution of the sentence.' On 22 September, the Admiralty
acknowledged the receipt of Lord St. Vincent's letter announcing the
execution of the nuitineers on tlie Sunday, and express^^d 'tlieirverv
high approbation ' of his ' conduct on that unpleasant and urgent
occasion.'
In the first place I congratulate yon on the finish, as it ought, Sir .t.
of the St. George's business, and I (if I may be permitted to say 9 juiy.
so) ver\* much approve of its being' po speedily carried into execution,
even although it is Sunday. The pai I k ular situation of the service
requires extraordin.'iry nioiusii res. T liopp this will end all the riis-
orders in our ileet : liad there been tlie same determined sjtirit at
home, I do not believe it would have been half so bad ; not but
that I think Lord Howe's keeping back the first petition was
wrong.
I am sorry that you shonid have to differ with Vice- Admiral sir r.
Thompson, bnt had it been Christmas Day instead of Sunday, I ^j^yl
would have executed them. We know not what might have been
batched by a Sunday's grog.
• Had my nnh^rs lieen mcU executed, not a Spanish vrun or (apt. J.N.
mortar boat wouhl have been left at Cadiz. Our loss of men is lijniy, '
most tritling; but, however that mi^'lit have been, I liad rather
see fifty shot by the enemy, than one hanged by us. it is good
at these times to keep the devil out of their hefids.
Maz.iredn is alarmed ; has drawn all his ships between St.
Haiy's and Cadiz ; and if you make haste with the sea-mortar, I
will bomb him out of Cadiz Bay. Three fires were seen in the
town, bnt they were got under without much difficulty. I laid
myself with the bomb on the strong face of Cadiz, seventy guns
and eight mortars. They expected me on the weak side. The
next night I took them on the soft side, and eighty shells fell in
the town, and some over it amongst their shi])ping. Yest^erday,
in the Tlieseus, I had the hononr of every gun from the southern
part of Cadiz, and of every gnn and mortar boat. 1 could not fjet
them out so far as 1 wished, or some of them should have paid me
a visit. I sent ninety-one prisoners into Tadiz, whom I took on
the night of the 3rd ; and, as to killed, I know nothing about
them : eighteen were killed in the commanding officer's boat, that
had the presumption to lay my barge aboard, manned with some of
Digitized by Gopgle
126
LEITEIIS OF LOUD NELSON
17U7
Sir J.
Jems,
24 July,
8 P.M.
Off banU
Cnu.
the Agamemnon's people. My pquadron is now ten sftU of tbe
line. It" tli< y come out, there will be no lighting beyond uiy
squadron.
Sir John Jervis having received mteHigence that a richly laden
SpiTtish ship, from Maiiillii to Cadi/., was at Santa Cruz, (Iftvnnin^Ml
curry - nt Nelson's sugL,'ostion of attacking that place; but without any
such force of soldiers as Nelson had consiflcrcd necessary. ()u 14
July, after a personal conference with the com mander- in-chief, Nelson
received the following instructions : * Toa are hereby required and
directed to take the ships [Theseus, Cnlloden, Zealous, Leander, Sea-
horse, Emerald, Terpsichore, Fox cutter] under your command, their
captains being instructed to obey your orders, and to proceed with the
utmost expedition off the inland of Trncriffe, and there make your (Us
positions for taking posiseiiijion of the town of Santa Cruz, hy a sudd' ii
and vigorous assault. In case of success, you are authoriseii to lay a
heav^ contfibutioii on the inhabitants of the town and adjaoent
district, if they do not \mt you in possession of the whole cargo of El
Pr!nci|ie d'Astunas, from Manilla, bound to Cadijs, belonging to the
Philippine Company, and all the treasure 1>elonging to the Crown of
Spain ; and you are to endeavour to take, sink, hurn, nr other\%n.«e
d<*strov, Jill vessels of every description, even those em])loyed in the
fishery, ou the coast of Africa, unless a just eontrilmtion is made for
their preservation by the iidialjitant* of the (Janary Islands ; and
having performed your mission, you are to make the best of your way
back, to join me off this port.'
I shall not eater on the subject while we are not in possession
of Santa Cruz ; yoar partiality will give credit, that all has hitherto
been done whii^ was possible, but without efleot : this night
hnmble as I am, command the whole, destined to land under the
batteries of the town, and to-morrow my head will probably be
crowned with either laurel or cypieari.
27 July.
Cntz,
In obe<lipnce to your orders to make a viir^>mns attack on Snut-a
Cruz, in the island ot Teiu riffe, I directed I'roni the ships under my
command, 1,0U0 men, including marines, to l)e prepared for landing,
under the direction of Captain Troubridge, of his Majesty's ship
Cnlloden, and Captains Hood, Thompson, Fremantle, Bowen,
Miller and Waller, who very handsomely volunteered their services ;
and although I am under the painful necessity of acqnainting yon
that we have not been able to succeed in our attack, yet it is my
daty to state that I believe more daring intrepidity was never
shown than by the captains, officers, and men yon did me the
honour to phice under my counnand.
Inclosi'd I transmit to you a list of the killed and wounded,
a^d amongst the former, it is with the deepest sorrow 1 have to
Digitized by Gopgle
1707 ATTACK ON SANTA CRUZ 127
place the name of Captain Richard Bt^weii, of his Majesty's ship
Terpsichore, than whom a mnro enterprising, able, and gallant
officer does not grace his Majesty's naval service; and with great
regret I have to mention the loss of Lieutenant John Gibeon,
oommander of the Fox cutter, and a great nnmber of gallant
offices and men.
Abttract Li»t of Killed ^ W ounded, Dfoivtwi, and .}fi.*xiiiy.
Killc'i NVouiidcd Drowned llis«iog
Offloen 6 6 1 ~
Seamen 28 90\ .
Marines 16 15/
Totol .... 60 no 98 1
A DETAIL OF THK PR0CKEi>IN(i8 OF THE EXPEDITION AGAINST TUB
TOWN OF SANTA CRUZ, IN TUK ISLAND OF TliNfiUIFFB [xftANSMITTED
TO SIR JOUN JKRVIS].
On Friday, the 2 let instant (July), I directed to be embarked
on board the Seahorse, Terpsichore, and Emerald frigates, one
thousand men (including 250 marines, under ike command of
Captain Thomas Oldfield), the whole commanded by Captain Trou-
hridge, attended by all the boots of the squadron, scaling ladders,
and every implement which I thought necessary for the success of
the enterprise. I directed that the hotits should land in tlio night,
between the fort on the north-east side of the l^ay of iSanta Cruz
and the town, and endeavour to uiak(! themselves masters of that
fort, which when done, to send in my summons, the liberal terms
of which I am confident you will approve.
Althoup^h the frigates approached within tliree miles of the
place of debarkation by twelve o'clock, yet from the unforeseen
circumstance of a strong gale of wind in the offing, and a strong
current against them in-shore, they did not approach within a mile
of the landing-place when the day dawned, which discovered to the
Spaniards our force and intentions. On my approach with thi^
line-of-battle ships, Captains Troubridge and Bowen, with Captain
Oldfiold, of the marines, came on hoard, to consult -vvith me what
wjLs host to \ye done, and were of opinion, if they could jinsvess
tlieuisrlves of the heights over the fort above Ti)pntione<i, liiaf it
could be stormed, to which I gave my assent, and directed the line-
of-battle ships to batter the fort, in order to create a diversion ;
but this was (bund impracticable, not being able to get nearer the
shore than three miles, from a calm and contrary currents, nor
could our men possess themselves of the heights, as the enemy had
taken possession of them, and seemed as anxious to retain them.
Digitized by Gopgle
128
LEITERS OF LORD NEI^SON
as we were to get them. Thus foiled in tny original plan, I con-
sidered it foT the honoor of onr king and country not to give over
the attempt to possess ourselves of tlie town, that our enemies
might 1)6 conv inced there is nothing wliich MnuHshnit n an* not
equal to: and confiUent- in tlie brnvery of thosr who would hv em-
ployed in till* senice, 1 embarked every persou from the shore oa
the 22nd at night.
On the 24th, I gut the ships to an anchor about two mile.s to
the northward of tlie town, and made every show for a disjwsition
of attacking the heights, which appeared to answer the end, frr>m
the great nnmber of people they had placed on them. The Leander,
Captain Thompson, joined this afternoon, and her marines were
added to the force before appointed, and C'aptiiin ThompHon also
volunteered his services.
At 11 o'clock at night tlie ))oats of tlie squadron, miituiiiing
between six and seven hundred men. one hundri?d and ei^^lity men
on 1x)ard tlit* Fox riitter. and a!»«.iit seventy or eiglity ni-'ii in a
boat we had taken tlie day belore, ])roceeded towards the town.
The divisions of the boats, conducted by all the captains, except
Fremantle and Bowen, who attended with me to regulate and lead
the way to the attack ; every captain being acquainted that the land-
ing was to be made on the mole, and from whence they were to pro-
ceed, as fast as possible, into the great square, where they were to
form, and proceed on such services as might be found necessary. We
were not discovered till within half gunshot of the landing-plaoe,
when I directed the boats to cast off from each other, give an hnrrah
and push for the shore. A fire of thirty or forty pieces of cannon,
with musketry, from one end of the town to the other, opened
upon us, but nothing could stop the intrepidity of the captains
leading tlie divisions. Unf'oj-t imately. flit- grcattv^t part of the
boats did not see the mole l>ut went on shore through a ra^ng
surf, which stove all the boats to the left of it.
For the detail of their proceedings, I send you a copy of Cap-
tain Troubridge's account to me, and I cannot but express my
admiration of the firmness with which he and his brave associates
supported the honour of the British flag.
Captains Fremantle, Bowen, and myself, with four or five boats,
stormed the mole, although opposed apparently by 400 or 500
men, took possession of it, and spiked the guns ; but such a h
fire of musketry and grape-shtit was kept up from tlie citadel and
Louses at the head of the mole, tliat we could not advance, and we
were all nearly killed or wounded.
Digitized by Gopgle
1797 ATTACK ON SANTA CIIUZ 129
The Fox cutter, in rowing towards the town, received a shot
under water, from one of the enemy's distiint batteries, immediatidy
Funk, and Lientenant Gibson, her commander, with ninety-aeven
men, were drowned.
Captain Troubridge's letter, dated 2d July, forms a neoewary
suppleraent t^o this.
•From the darkness of tlie night, I did not immediately hit the
mole, the spot appointed to land at, hut pushed on shore under the
enemy's battery, close to the southward of the citadel. Captain Waller
landed at the same instant, and two or three other boats. The surf was
80 hafjtif many put back : the boats were full of water in an instant, und
stove against tiie rocks, and most of the ammunition in ihe i n u's
pouchos wot. As soon as I had collected a few men, T immofiiatoly
pushe<l, witli Captain Waller, for tlic square, the place of ren<lezvous,
in hopes of tlierc mcetin;^ jou and the remainder of tlie people, and
waited alx>ut an hour, during which time I sent a sergeant with two
gentlemen of the town to summons the citadeL I fear the sergeant
was shot on his way, as I heard nothing of him afterwards^
* The ladders being all lost in the surf, or not to be found, no
immediate attempt could be made on Uie citadel. 1 therefore marched
to join Captains Hood and AFiller, who, T had intelligence, had made
gwd their lajulinij t^j the SW of the {)lace I did, with a body of men.
I ondeavoui-eii then to procure some intelligence of you and the rest of
the officers, without success. By daybreak we had collected about eighty
marines, eighty pikemen, and one hundred and eighty small-arm
seamen. These, I found, were all that were alive that had made good
their landing. With this force, having procured some ammunition
from the Spanish prisoners we had made, we were marching to try what
could he done with the citadel without ladders, hut found the wholo of
the streets commanded by lie Id pieces, and u|t\vards of eiglit thrnisand
Spaniards and one hundred French under anas, approaching by every
avenue. Am the boats were aU stove, and I saw no possibility of getting
more men on shore — the ammunition wet, and no provisions — I sent
Captain Hood with a flag of truce to the governor, to say I was pre-
pared to l)um the town, which I should immediately put in force if he
approached one ineli further : and, at the same time, T desired Captain
Hood to say it would l>e don<^ witli regret, as I had no wish to injure
the iidiabitantb : that if he would come to my terms, I was ready to
treat, which he readily agreed to : a copy of which I had the honour
to send you by Captain Waller, which, 1 hope, will meet your approba-
tion, and appear highly honourable.
* From the small body of men, and the greater part being pike and
small-arm seamen, which can he only called irregidars, with very little
ammnnition in the pouches but what was wet in the surf at landing, I
could not expect to succetxl in any attempt upon tlie enemy, whose
superior strength I hav e before mentioned. The Spanish otticers aj>sure
me they expected us, and were perfectly prepared with all the batteries,
and the number of man I have before mentioned under arms ; with the
great disadvantage of a rocky coast, high surf, and in the face of forty
pieces of (^nnon, though we were not successful, will show, what an
Knglisbman is equal to,
K
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130
LETTKRS OF LORD NELSON
'TkRMH AiUJK! I) I IMt\ WITH TnEG0VEH\O!l0FTIii:r.\V\KY Tsf.AVDS. —
That the truu[)!3 iVc. litjloiigin^ to his liriuumic Maji isiy shah eniljark
with all their anus of every kiiid, and take their boats olF, if saved, and
l>c prodded with such other as may be wanting ; in oonsidenttioti o£
which it is engaged on their part they shall not molest the town in. any
manner by the sliips of the British squadron now t>ofore it^ or any of
the islands in the Canaries ; and prisoners shall bo given up on both
sides.'
Sir J. I rejoice at being once more in sight of your flag, and with
irAu^uat. y^^^ permission will come on board the Ville tie I'aris, and j>ay
you my resprcts. A leffc-lianded admiral will never agaiu be con-
sidered us useful, therefore tlie sooner I get iv a vri y liiimble cottagi*
the better, aud make rooiu for a better man to serve tbo State.
£.Ne|ieui,
Sir A. S.
8 Sept
JMh,
Lord
Soenoer,
Memorial
tothe kiog*
I have the honour toaccjuaiut you of my arrival lu iv And I
have to request their lordships' permission to go on sliore for the
recoveiy of my woands.
Success covers a multitude of blunders, anc^ the want of it hides
the greatest gallantry and good conduct. You will see by my
journal the first attack on the 21st, under Troubridge, completely
failed ; and it was the 2oth before it could be again attacked
which gave four days for collecting a force to o])[)ose us. Had I
been with the first party, I luive reason to believe complete success
would have crowned our endeavours. ^iy ])ride sutli n-d ; :(ud
iililuaigh 1 felt tln' fvCLcaid attack a lorlorn hope, yet the honour of
our countrv called for tlie attack, and that 1 should command it.
1 nt'N t i- expected to return, and am thankful. I shall not go U*
town till tbe 20th, or my arm is well : I suiter a good deal of pain,
owing to a cold falling on it.
I take the liberty of transmitting to your Lordship certificates
of the loss of my right eye at the siege of Calvi ; and I beg also to
acquaint you that I was slightly wounded during the siege of Bastia,
and most severely bruised on 14 February last ; and I likewise
send herewith a general statement of my services this war, all
which I have to request you will have the goodness to lay before
the king, when you shall judge proper.
To llif King's most excellent Majesty, the nieTnorinl <>r Sir
Hor.itio Nt lsoii. K.H., and Kear-Admiral in your M.ijesty ts fleet,
humbly shewrth, — -that, during the present war, your niemoiialist
has been in four actions \sith the fleets of the enemy — viz. oa
13 and 14 March, 171>o, on 1 :i J uly, 1 795, and on 14 Februar) ,1 797 ;
in three actions with frigates ; in six engagements against bat-
teries ; in ten actions in boats employed in cutting out of harboon*
Digitized by Gopgle
1797-^
RETURNS TO ENGLAND
131
in destroying vessels, and in taking three towns. Your memo-
rialist has also served on shore with the army foor months, and
commanded the batteries at the sieges of Bastia and Galvi.
That during the war he has assisted at the capture of seven sail
of the line^ six frigates, four corvettes, and eleven privateers of
di^rent sizes, and taken and destroyed near fifty sail of merchant
vessels ; and your memorialist has actually Iw'en engaged against
the eneniv upwards uf one luindnMl and twenty times. In which
bervice your niemoriHlist has lost his right eye and arm, and been
severely wounded and bruised in his body. All of which services
and wounds your meniorifdist most humbly submits to your
Majesty s most gracious consideration.
Lord S]>f>ncer says, my pension will be the same as those for i on!
1 June, 7121. with the deductions. My poor arm continnes quite f OctT^"'*
as it was, the ligature still last to the nerve, and very painful l^ondoa*
at times. The moment I am cured I shall offer myself for service ;
and if you continue to hold your opinion of me, shall press to
return with all the zeal, although not with the personal ability,
I had formerly.
Any event ' which has the prospect of adding to your felicity capt.
cannot hut afford me pleasure ; and 1 most heartily congratulate JjjJSr
you on hecoming one of m<, and we sluxll have great pleasure in
being known to Mrs. Berry. I am confident nothing will alter
you for the worse, and I wish yon to be no better ; therefore we
will leave off further complimenting.
The Foudroyant will be laundied in Jannaxy, and in oomnussion
early in February.
If yon mean to marr}-, I would recommend your doing it 8 Dee,
speedily, or the to he Mrs. Berry will have very little of your
company ; for T am well, and yon may expect to be called for every
hour. We shall probably be at sea before the Foudroyant is
launched. Our ship is at Chatham, a seventy-four, and she will
be choicely mannt-d. This may not happen, but it stands so to-day.
My dear Bertie, — 1 thank you very much f<)r your early notice Cajit.
of the event of Captain Williamson's long trial,^ The court has been R^e^
a most patient, and certainly a most lenient one. As to myself, J^^*
upon the general question, that if a man does not do his utmost in fiath.
time of action, I think but one punishment ought to be inflicted.
' Captain Berry's marrias'p. which took place on 12 Dpcember, 1797.
' Diamiss^ his ship and placed at the bottom of the list o£ post-cttptHins for
mifloondact in command of this Aginconrt at Cbmpeidown,
K2 ^
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132 LKrrJiltS of lord nelson 1798
Kot that I take a man's merit from his list of kUled and woanded,
for but little may be in his power ; and if he does his utmost in
the station he is placed, he has equal merit to the man w ho may
havo his shiy) Ijoat to pieces, but not his good fortune. I dare say
there were yoine favourable circumstances on W/s trial, and it is a
virtue to lean on the side of mercy ; and I have only to hope it will
have its effect upon onicers f:foing into action. I wonld have ev^ery
man believe, 1 shall only take my chance of bein^^ shot by the
enemy, but if I do not take that chance, I am certain of being shot
by my friends.
On 29 March, Nelson hoist^Ml ]ils flac:, as Roar- Admiral of the Blue,
on board the Vanguard, at iSpitiiead j and sailed from 8t, Helens on
10 April.
Lady I joined the fleet yesterday, and fonnd Lord St. Vincent every*
f Mi^? thing I wished him ; and his friends in England have done me
justice for my zeal and affection towards him. I have my fears
that he will not he much longer in this command, for I believe he has
written to bo supoi xM ltd, which I am sineerely sorr\' for. It will con-
Ki(ler;ibly take from my pleasure in sorviut: here : but I will lio^x^
for the best. Tiie dons have, 1 find, long expected my return with
bomb-vessel fj, gunboats, and every proper implement for the de-
struction of Cadiz, and their fleet. They have prepared three float-
ing batteries to lie outside their walls, to prevent the fancied attack ;
and, lo, the mountain has brought forth a mouse : — am arrived
with a single ship, and without the means of annoying them. The
admiral probably is going to detach me with a small squadron ; not
on any fighting expedition, therefore do not be surprised if it should
be some little time before you hear from me again.
On the same 1 May, Lorrl St. Viucont wrot<^ to Lord Speneer :
'The arrival of Admiral Nelson has f,'iven me new lit> : you could Uft
have gratiiied me more than in sendinfj him ; Jiis. presence in tlif
Mediterranean is so very essential, that 1 mean to put tlie Orion and
Alexander under his command, with the addition of three or four
fr^tes, and to send him away the moment the Vanguard has delivered
her water to the inshore squadron, to endeavour to ascertain the real
object of the preparations making by the French.' And on the following
day he sent Nelson a * most secret ' order, which, aft^r recitinc^ int<-'lli-
gence that a oonsidoralilf? arniauient was preparinr^ at Toulon, an(l a
number of transports collecting at Marseilles and Genoa, for an
emharkation of troops, directed him to proceed with such of the
squadron as might be at Gibraltar, up the Mediterranean, and to
endeavour to ascertain, either on the coast of Provenoe or Genoa, the
destination of that expedition, wliidi, according to some reports, was
Sieily and Corfu, and according to others, Portugal or Ireland. If be
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1796 VANGUARD IN THE MEDITERBANEAN
133
found that tlie enemy intended to join a squadron of Spanish ships siiid
to be equipping at Curtluij^ena, to which he waa also to give his atten-
tion, he was to despatch the Bonne Citoyenne or Terpsichore witli the
infonnation to Lord St. Yinoetit, and to contmne^ with ihe rest of the
squadron, on that service as long as he might think it neoeisaiy.
If the enemy's armament was coming down the Mediterranean, he was
to take special <xLre not to suffer it to pass the Straits before him, so as
to impede liis joining T^ord St. Vincent in time to prevent a union
between it and the Spanish fleet in Cadiz Bay.*
The Vanguard arrived at Gibraltar on 4 ilay, and sailed on the 8th,
with the Orion and Alexander, the frigates Flora, Emerald, Terpsichore,
and the Bonne Oitoyenne in company.
Thir? morning, the 'I'erpsichorc ca})tiiri'd a small French corvette, ^ofd St
of six •(uris and sixty-live hk n, which came out of Toulon at 11 y^"^*"^
o'clock last night. From the general report of vessels spoke, you offCapo
will observe the uniformity of the reports — ^viz. that an expedition
is preparing to sail from Toulon. We have separately examined
the crew of this corvette, and, from the whole, I believe the follow-
ing may be depended on as near the tmth— that Bonaparte arrived
at Tonlon last Friday, and has examined the troops which are daily
embaridng in the numerous transports ; that vessels with troops
frequently arrive from Marseilles ; it is not generally believed that
Bonaparte is to embark, but no one knows to what place the
urniatnent is destined. Fifteen sail of tlie line are apparently ready
fur sea, but nineteen are in the hai i^our, and yet it is said only six
sail of the line are to sail with thf transports now ready ; that aixnit
12,000 men arc embark<^(l ; their cavalry arrived at Toulon, but I
cannot learn that any are yet embarked. Reports say they are
to sail in a few days, and others that they will not sail for a fort*
night.
I have no further particulars to tell you than are in my public |g
letter. They order their matters so well in France that all is
secret.
I am sorry to be obliged to inform yon of the accidents which ^4 ^aj.
have happened to the Vanguard. On Saturday, 19 May, it blew a.Pletio.
strong from the NVV. On Sunday it moderated so much iia to
enable us to get our top-galhmt masts and yards aloft. After dark
it began to blow strong ; but as the ship vma prepared for a ^le,
my mind was easy. At half-past one A.M. on Monday, the main-
top^mast went over the side, as did soon afterwards the mizen-mast.
As it was impossible for any night signal to be seen, I had hopes
we should be quiet till daylight, when I determined to wear, and
scud before the gale ; bat about half-past three the foremast went
in three pieces, and the bowsprit was found to spnrni; in three
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134
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
170B
places. When the day brnkf, we were fortuiKitcl} enabled to wear
the ship with a remnant of the sprit-sail. Tlie Orion, Alexander,
and Emerald wore witli us ; bat the Terpsichore, Bonne Citoyenne,
and a French Smyrna ship, eontinaed to lay to under bare poles.
Oar aitoation was twenty-five leagaes sonth of the islands of Hieres ;
and BB we were laying with our head to the Nfi, had we not wore,
which was hardly to be expected, the ship must have drifted to
Corsica. The gale blew very hard all the day, and the ship laboured
most exceedin<]fly. In tlie eveninjEf, beint^ in latitude 40° 50' N,
I det^:•^uliued to steer for OrislaiiK Bay, in the island of Sanliiiia :
(lurin<( the night, the Eincruld jiart«Hl company, for what rea-son I
am at present unacrpiaintt'd witli. lieim^' unable to get into Ori^tan,
the Alexander took us in tow, and by Captain Ball's unremitting
attention to our distress, and by Sir James Saumarez*s exertions
and ability in finding out the islaiid of S. Pietro and the proper
anchorage, the Vanguard was, on 23 May, at noon, brought safely
to an anchor into the harbour of S. Pietro.
Figure to yourself a vun man, on Sunday evening at sunset,
walking in bis cabin with a squadron about him, who looked up
to their chief to lead them to glory, and in whom this chief placed
the firmest reliance, that the proudest ships, in equal numbers,
belonging to France, wuuld have bowed their Ilags, and with a
very rich prize lying by him. Figure to yourself tlii^ prttiul, con-
ceited man, when the sun rose on Monday mornintr, his sliij) dis-
masted, his lleet dispersed, and himsolf in such distress tliat the
meanest frigate out of France would have been a very unwelcome
gfuest.
A lew days later, 29 May, Captain Berry wrote to his father-in-
law a more detailed account of the dismasting of the Vanguard, and
continued : * For want of masts we rolled dreadfally. The storm did
not abate till Tuesday afternoon, which enabled the Alexander to take
us in tow. Our situation on Tuesday night was the most alarming I
ever experienced: we stood in for the island of Sardinia, and approached
the SW side of the island, intendinff to go into Oristano liay, wliich
we were not acquainted with, but it was absolutely necessary to go
somewhere. Finding we could not fetch Oristano, the admiral determined
to try for S. Pietro, which we could have fetched had the breese
continued, but unfortunately it fell light airs, and at times almost
calm ; so Timoh 80, that we had determined to order the Alexander to
cast oil" the liawser, and de<?ireh»'r to sliift for lu rsclf - trust to our own
fate, but not involve any otln-r sliip in our dithculties. All this time
then' was a heavy western swell driving in towards the ^ht»re, so that
at miiinight we were completely embayed. You may easily figure to
yourself our situation, and the feelings of those who knew the danger,
when I tell you I could easily distinguish the surl breaking on the
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1708
VANGUABD DISMASTED
135
rocky shore : still there was hope anchorage might be found, though
we knew of none. We therefore hent our cables and prepared for do
worst, anxiously wishing for daybreak, which at length arrived, and we
found ourselves about five miles from ttie shore, the western swell still
continuing to drive us in, and no wind to enable us to get off. Indeed,
the Var>£rnard was a perfect wreck, 1>ut tlio Aloxaiulcr still had us in
tow. Fortunately, at about six o'clock on Wednesday, 23 May, a
breeze sprang up, the Alexaiuler's miilh tilled, we weathered the r* . ks
to windward of ilie island of S. Pietro, and before twelve we an-
chorad in six fathoms, and fine smooth water — a luxury to us scarcely
to be equalled, and if ever there was a satisftu^ion at being in distress,
we fdt it. The ready assistance of our friends Sir James Sauinarez,
captain of the Orion, 7 t, and Captiiiu Alexander .Jolin Ball, of the
Alexander, 74, by their united efforts, and the greatest exertion we all
used, the \^an<,'uard was equipped in four days, and actually at sea, not
bound (1 would have you observe) to Gibmitaror any English port to
be refitted, but again cruising after the enemy on their own coasts t with
a main top-mast for a fore-mast, and a topgallant-mast for a top-mast»
consequently r ^ < i \ t hing else reduced in proportion. By our superiority
of sailing with other ships, we find the loss trifling to what it would
have !)een to the generality of siiips.*
On 24 May, Lord SSt. Vincent was joine<l by 8ir Roger Curtis,
bringing with him a strong reinforcement. He had already, ou the
19th, received orders, referring to the French annameut at Toulon,
'to lose no time in detaching from your fleet a squadron, consisting of
twelve sail of the line, and a competent number of frigates, under the
command of some discreet flag officer, into the Mediterranean, with
instruct ions to liirn to proceed in quest of th(^ siiid armament ; and on
falling in with it, or any other force belonging to the enemy, to take or
destroy it.' At the same time, in a private letter, dated 29 April,
Lord fcJpencer, after dwelling on the extreme importance of carrying out
these orders, even though considerable hazard should be thereby in*
curred, continued : ' If you determine to send a detachment^ I think it
almost unnecessary to suggest to you the propriety of putting it under
the command of Sir H. Nelson, whose acquaintance with that part of
the world, as well as his activity and disposition, seem to qualify him in
a peculiar manner for that service.'
That Lord Spencer wits conlinnrnl in his selection of Nelson for this
command by Sir Gilbert Elliot, then Lord Minto, appears by a letter
from Lord Minto to Nelson, dated 25 April, in which, however, he
sdds that Lord Spencer said, < ffis opinion was already exactly the
same with mine ; he might venture to assure me there was no chance
of any other person being thought of for the ennimand, and that your
name would certainly have l)een the tirst that would have occurred to
himself ; ' • and Sir Edward Berry, in a letter to Nelson, dat^^^l 30
December, 1798, says : ' The Duke of Clarence desired 1 would tell you
from him that it was the king that sent you with the squadron up the
Mediterranean and formed the whole plan.' But as the king knew little
and 11 !idei«tood nothing about naval matters, the Duke of Clarence no
doubt meant to imply that the selection and plan were made by himself.
In point of fact, then, the propriety of the selection of Nelson for this
* Tacker's MemHtM «fih» Earl qfSe, Vineeftt, vol. !. p. 846. .
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136
LETIERS OF LORD KELSON
17B3
ocMnniAnd would seem to have occurred independently to everyone in ft
poation to judge and not biassed hy personal interests ; bat St
Vincent, writing to Nelson on 22 June, had to say : ' Sir William
Parker and Sir John Orde have written strong remonstnuic^s against
your commanding thf df»tiiche<l 8<|uadron, iiist-ead of thfrn. I did all I
could to prevent it, coiisist»'iitiy with iny situation ; but theirs i& a
fait ion fraught witli all manuor of iil will to you, that, unfortunately
iur the two baronets, doiuiiuxl over any argument or influence I could
use. Thef will both be ordered home the moment their letters arrive.'
The reinloroeimentB sent to Nelson brought him also the foUowing
instructions £rom the commander-in-chief, dated 21 May :
' In pursuance of instr net ions I have receive<l from the Lords Ooni-
miasionors of tlif Admiralty, to employ a squadron of his Majesty's ships
witliiii the Mi*<iit<.'rmnean, un<l»'r the coauuaud of a discreet officer
(copies of which are inclosed and of other papers necessary for your
guidaaee), in conformity thereto, I do hereby authorise and require
you, on being joined by the [Oulloden, Goliath, Minotaur, Deninoe^
Bellerophon, Majestic, Audacious, Zealous, Swiftsure, Theseus,] to take
them and their captains under your command, in addition to those
already with yon, and to proceod w ith them in quost of the annampnt
preparing by the eiK iny at Toulon and Genoa, the o^yect whereof
appears to l>e either an attack upon Naples and Sicily, the conveyance
of an anny to some part of the coast of Spain, for the purpose of march-
ing towards Portugal, or to pass through the Straits, with the view of
proceeding to Ireluid. On &lling in with the said armament, or any
part thereof, you are to use your utmost endeavours to take, sink, bom,
or destroy it. Should it ap|>ear to you, from good authority, on your
arrival uj) the Mediterranean, that the enemy's force eapahle of bein^;
sent to sea should be inferior to what is reportetl by the intelligence
herewith transmitted, you are in this case to direct such &lnp& to rejoin
me as may not absolutely be required to insure your superiority the
moment you shall find yourself in a situation so to do. You are to remain
upon this service so long as the provisions of your squadron will last^ or
as long as you may be enabled to obtain supplies from any of the ports
in the Mediterranean, and when, frotn the want of pr* 'visions or any
other circumstance, you shall be no longer able to reuiam within the
Straits, or that the enemy s armament should escape to the westwaixi of
you, which you will take especial care to prevent, you are to lose no
time in rejoining me, wherever I may be. On the subject of supplies,
I inclose also a copy of their lordships' order to me, and do require you
strictly to comply with the spirit of it, by considering and treating as
hostile any ports within the Me diterranean (those of Sardinia excepted),
where provisions or other articles you may l»e in want of, and wliich
they are enable»l t<» furnish, shall be i r fused ; and you are to treat in
like manner, and capture the sliips and veHsels of powei*s or states
adhering to his Majesty's enemies, or under other circumstances
enumerated in the said oraer, determining to the best of your judgment
upon the several cases under this head, that may occur during your
command.'
To these wa*? added : ' It appears that their Lordships expect
favourable neutrality from Tuscany and the Two Sieilies. In any
event, you are to exact supplies of whatever you may be in want of
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1708 IN QUEST OF TIIE FRENCH 137
from the territories of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, the King of the
Two Sicilies, tlio Ottoinau territory, ^lalta, and ci-devant "\''enetian
dominions now lieluiigiiix to the Ein])er(>r □£ Germany. The Dey [of
Algiers is repoited to be] extremely well disposed towards us. The Bey
of Tunis, by the report of Captain Thompson of his Majesty's ship the
Leander, is also pedfeetly neutral and good-hnmoured. From the Bashaw
of Tripoli, I have every reason to believe, any ships of your squadron
having occasion to touch there will be received in the most friendly
manner. In a private letter from T^ord Sjioncor. T am led to l»elieve
that you are perfectly justihable in pui-suing the French sf|uadron to
any jmrt of tlie Mediternmcmn, Adriatic, Morea, Archipelago, or even
mto tlio Black Sea, should its destination be to any of those parts ; and
thoroughly sensible of your seal, enterprise, and capacity, at the head of
a squadron of ships so well appointed, manned, and commanded, I have
the utmost omfidenoe in llie success of your operations.'
With the same northerly wind that dismasted the Yangnard, the
French had put to sea on 20 May.
The Matine, Captain Hardy, joined me on the 5tlL, at dayliglit, i^rd su
with tiie flattering account of the honour you intended rae of com- ii jui!i'
manding such a licet, ^rutiiie fell in with Alcm^ne, off Barcelona,
on the 2ml. Hope htid taken all my frigates off the rendezvous,
on the presumption that a ship which had lost her foremast must
return to an arsenal. I thought Hope would have known me
K'tter. I joined dear Troubridge [with the reinforcement of ten
sail of the Une, and the Leander] on the 7th, but it hns been nearly
calm ever since, which grieves me sorely. . . . The French hove a
long start, but 1 hop(i they will rendezvous in Talaraone Bay ; for
the 12,000 men from Genoa in 100 sail of vessels, escorted by a
frigate, had not sailed on the 2nd.
As I am not qnite clear, Irom General Acton's letters to you gr \Vin.
of 3 and 9 April, what co-operation is intended by the court of i2'ju\u °
Naples, I wish to know perfectly what is to be expected, that I may
raguUte my movements accordingly, and beg clear answers to tlie
following ([uestions and requisitions: Are the ports of Naples and
Sicily open to his Majesty's fleet ? Have the governors orders for
our free admission, and for us to be supplied with whateser we
iAiay want?
If it is convenient, 1 much wish for some IrigaLcs and other
iast-sailing vessels, for, by a fatality, all mine have left me. I want
iutbnnation of the French fleet ; for I hope they have passed Naples.
I want good pilots — say six or eigbt, for the coast of Sicily, the
Adriatic, or for whatever place the enemy's fleet may be at ; for I
mean to follow them if they go to the Black Sea.
I have heard by a vessel jnst spoke with, that the French fleet
Digitized by Gopgle
138
LKTTERS OF LORD NELSON
1798
14 June.
oirciTiu
Lord
Spencer.
I.'i June.
Off FoDza.
Sir W.
Hamilton,
17 .Tunc,
IJav.
18 JniM.
were hwn oil' tlu* luulli « inl <»t* Sicilv*, sWi^riiig to the ea.stwanl.
4 Juno. If they moan an alt^ick on Sicily, I hope by thifj
time they have barely made a landin^^, for if their flo(>t is not
moored in as strong a port a.s ^J'oulon, nothing shall hindnr me
irom attacking them ; and, with the blessing of Almighty i uidy I
hope for a most glonons victory. I send Captain Tionbridge to
communicate with your excellency, and, as Captain Tronbridge is in
full possession of my confidence, I beg that whatever he says may
be considered as coming from me. Captain Tronbridge is my
honoured acquaintance of twenty-five years, and the veiy best sea-
officer in his Majesty's service. 1 hope, pilots will be with us in a
few hours; for I will not lose one moment al'ter the brig's return,
to wait tor anything.
The last acrniint I had of \]u- French ilect was IVom a Tunisian
cruiser, who saw them on the 4th, olf Trapani, in Sicily, steering to
the eastward. If they pass Sicily, I shall believe they are going on
their scheme of possessing Alexandria, and getting trcx)ps to India —
a plan concerted with Tippoo Saib, by no means so difficult as might
at first view be imagined ; bnt be they bound to the anti}>odes,
your Lordship may rely that I will not lose a moment in bringing
them to action, and endeavour to destroy their transports. I shall
send Captain Tronbridge on shore to talk with General Acton, and
1 hope the King of Naples will send me some frigates ; for mine
parted c<»in pan y on 20 May, and have not joined me since. The
whole squadnni is remarkably healthy, and perfectly equal to meet
the French ileet.
In my present state, if I meet the enemy at sea, the convoy
will get off, for want of frigates, I submit this to you, to urge
General Acton upon. If the enemy have Malta, it is only as a safe
harbour for their fleet, and Sicily will fall the moment the king's
fleet withdraws from the coast of Sicily.
I send you an extract of the Admiralty orders to Earl St. Vin-
cent, by which it would appear as determined by the Cabinet to
keep a superior fleet to the enemy in the Mediterranean ; for the
Admiralty, you know, can give no such orders, but by an order from
the Secretaiy of State. As for what depends on me, I beg, if you
think it proper, to tell their Sicilian Majesties, and General Acton,
that they may rest assured that I shall not withdraw tlie king's
lieet but by |K)sitive orders or the impossibility of procuring
supplies. I mah them to depend upon me, and they shall not be
disappointed.
I have thought so much, and heard so much, of the French,
Digitized by Gopgle
1798
OFF CAPE PASSAI^O
139
since I left Nuplfs, that T shoukl i'eel culpable, was I for a iiionit nt io Juue.
to delay express iug my seutiments on the present situation of the Menini,
kingdom of the Two Sicilies. , . .
I shall begin by supposing myself commanding a fleet atteml-
ing an army which is to invade Sidly. If the general asked if
Malta wonld not be a most usefiil place for the dep5t of stores &c.
&c., mj answer wonld be, if you can take Malta, it secures the
safety of the fleet, transports, stores, &c., and insures your safe
retreat should that be necessaiy ; for if even a superior fleet of the
enemy should arrive, before one week posses, they will be blown to
leewartl. and you may pass with safety. This wuuld be uiy opinion.
. . . I find ])l('iity of gtxidwill towards us, with everj' hatred to-
wards th»» Fmicli ; but no assistanct* for us — no hostility to the
1' reuch. On the contrary, the French minister is allowed to send
off vessels to inform the fleet of my arrival, force, and destination,
that instead of my surprising them, they may be pn^pared for re-
sistance. But this being past, I shall endeavour briefly to state
what in my opinion is now best to be done, and what Naples ought
to do, if it is earnestly wished to save Sicily. I shall suppose the
French not advanced since the last accounts, but still on Gozo and
Comino, the fleet anchored between them. By the communication
from Naples, they will be formed in the strongest position, with
batteries and gunboats to flank them. We shall doubth-ss injure
them, but our loss must be great ; and I do not expect to force
them from th»^ anchorage, without fire-ships, bonib-vtsscls. and
gunboats, when one liour would either destroy or drive them out.
If our fleet is crippled, the blockade ends. ... It has been and
may yt t bo in the King of Naples' power, by giving me help of every
kind, directly to destroy this armament, and force the army to un-
conditional submission. . . . But not a moment must be lost — ^it
can never be regained.
The French having possessed themselves of Malta, on Friday, o.
the l5tb of this month, the next day the whole fleet, consisting of J^J*
sixteen sail of the line, frigates, bomb-vessels, &c., and near three
hundred transports, left the island. I only heard this unpleasant
news on tlie 22ad, off Cape Passaro. As Sicily was not tlx'ir ob-
ject, and tlie wind bh^v fresh from the westward, from tlie time
they sailed, it was clear that their destination was to the eastward;
antl I think their object is, to possess themselves of some port in
Egypt, and to fix themselves at the head of the Red Sea, in order
to get a formidable army into India ; and, in concert with Tippoo
* Consul at Alexandria.
Digitized by Gopgle
LEIITERS OF LORD NELSON
1706
8aib, to drive ub, if pofisible, from India. But I have reason to
believe, from not seeing a vessel, that they have heard of my
coming np the Mediterranean, and are got safe into Corfu. Bnt
still I am most exceedingly anxious to know from you if any reports
or preparations have been made in Egypt for them ; or any vessels
prepared in the Red Sea, to carry them to India, where, from the
prevailing winds at this season, they would soon arrive ; or any
other information you would be good enough to give me, I shall
hold myseli^ much obliged.
The Mttiine^ which had been sent to Alexandria with the foregoing
letter to Mr. Baldwin, rejoiiied the squadron on the 29th, but wi&out
having obtained any intelligence of the French fleet.
Lurd St. Although I rest confident that my intentions will always with
89 Jum! you have the most favourable interpretations, yet where success
l^^^' "^- does not crown an officer^s plan, it is absolutely necessary that he
should explain the motives which actuate his conduct, and therefore
I shall state them as briefly as possible.
Captain Troiibridge joined me on 7 June. From calms it was
the 12tli Ix'tbre 1 got round Cape Corse (I must here state, that
I Lad nutliing in the shape of a fri«?ate except the Mntine brig).
I then sent tlic Mutine to look into Taianionc Bay, which, as all the
French troops had not lefl Genoa on the 6th, I thought a probable
place for the rendezvous of a large fleet ; for, completely ignorant
as I was of the destination of the enemy, I felt it my duty to take
eveiy precaution not to pass them. On the 13th, the Mutine
looked into Talamone Bay, but found nothmg there. I ran the
fleet between Planosa, Elba, and Monte Christo, and on the 14th
at noon was off Civita Vecchia, when we spoke a Tunisian cruiser,
who reported that he had spoken a Greek on the 10th, who told
him that on the 4th he had passed through the French fleet off" the
K\V end of Sicily, steering to the eastward. From this moment
T was in anxious expectation of nu etiiij,' with despatch U»aLs,
Keapolitan cruisers &c. with It-ttcrs for me Irom Na])les, giving me
every information I could desire (but my hopes were vain). On
the 15th, I made the Ponza Islands, where not finding a cruiser, I
sent Captain Troubridge in the Mutine to talk with Sir William
Hamilton and General Acton, and to state my distress for
fligates.
On the 17th, in the Bay of Naples, I received my first letter
from Sir William Hamflton, and in two hours Captain Troubridge
returned with information, that the French fleet were off Malta on
Digitized by Gopgle
170S OFF ALliXANDiilA 141
the 8th) going ix> attack it, that Naples was at peace with the
French republic, therefore coald aflfordns no assistance in ships, bat
that^ under the rose, they would give ns the use of their ports, and
sincerely wished lis well, but did not give me the smallest informa-
tion of what wa.s, or likely to be, the future destination of tho
Fren^^li armament. With this conifortable account. T i^usheil for
the Faro [of\ Messina. On niy way I heard of tlic Krt'iicli landing
in Malta, and that on Tuesday tlie 1 2th they had taken the old city :
that the fleet was anchored between Gozo and Malta. On the 20tli,
off Messina, the English consul came on board to tdl me that Malta
had surrendered on the 15th, the Russian minister having arrivod
the day before from Malta, when the intelligence came over, but I
received not the smallest information or notice from the Sicilian
Government. Keeping the Sicilian shore on board, on the 2l8t,
I was close off Syracnse and hoisted onr oolonrs. A boat in tho
evening rowed ont about a mile, bnt although I brought to and sent
the Mutine in shore, she rowed back again. On the 22nd, in the
morning, being off Cape Passaroj tin" Mutine spoke a brig vvhicli
sailed from Malta the day before. The master reported that Malta
surrendered on Friday, 15 June, and that on Saturday, the Ifith,
the whole French fleet left it, as was supposed, for Sicily : that
a French garrison was left in the town, and French coloui s flying.
The wund at this time was blowing strong from the WN VV. The
vessel had been spoken three hours before, and was gone out of my
reach. I could not get to Malta till it moderated, and then I might
get no better information. Thus situated I had to make use of my
judgment. With information from Naples, that they were at peace
with the French republic, that General Bonaparte had sent on
shore to Sicily, that the King of Naples need not be alarmed at the
French armament, for it had not Sicily for its object. It was also
certain the Sicib'jm (Tovcrnmcnt were not alarmed, or they would
have sent off to me. 1 recalled all the circumstances of this arma-
ment before me, 40,000 troops in 280 transports, many hundred
pieces of artillery, waggons, draught-horses, cayalrj-, artificers,
naturalists, astronomers, mathematicians, &c. The first rendsflsvous
in case of separation was Bastia, the second Malta — this armament
could not be necessaiy for taking possession of Malta. The Nea-
politan ministers considered Naples and Sicily as safe ; Spain, after
Malta, or indeed any place to the westward, I could not think their
destination, for at this season the westerly winds so strongly prevail
between Sicily and the coast of Barbary, that I conceive it almost
im^x>»i^ible to get a fleet of transports to the westward. It then
Digitized by Gopgle
142
LLTIEKS OF LOUD NKLSON
became iIk- serious question, where are tliey prone ? Here I had
de«'|)ly tr> reirret niy want of fritfate-. ;in<l I drsiif it maybe under-
stood, lliul il" uii«*-lialf the friL^att s y«>ur lordship had ordered uiidrr
tnv command had been with ine, that I could not have wanted
inlunuation of the French Heet. If to Corfu, in consequence of niy
approach (whic h tlieykuew from Naples on the 12th or l«itii), they
were arrived by this time, the 22nd.
Upon their whole proceedings, togethr r with sach information
as I have been able to collect, it appeared clear to me, that either
they were destined to assist the rebel Fiacha and to overthrow the -
present Government of Turkey, or to settle a colony in Eg>'pt, and
to open a trade to India by way of the Red Sea; for, strange as it
may appear at first si^dit, an enterprising enemy, if they have the
ibrct' or consent of tlie Paclia of Kirypt, may with great ease ^ot an
army to the Ri-d Si-a, ami il' ili< y luivc cuiR-erted a plan with 'rij)|XK)
Sail), to have vessels jit Siir/,. three weeks at this season is a com-
mon passiige to the Malabar coa&t, when cur India possessions would
be in great danger.
I therefore determined, with tht^ opinion of those captains id
whom I place great confidence,* to go to Alexandria ; and if that
place or any otiier part of Egypt was their destination, I hoped to
arrive time enough to frustrate their plans. The only objection
I can fancy to be started is, ' Yon should not have gone such a long
voyage without more certain information of the enemy's destina-
tion : ' my answer is ready — who was I to get it from ? The
Governments of Naples and Sicily either knew not, or clios<> to
Isi t-p iih' in ignorance. \\ a» I to wait patiently till I heard « riain
iiccuiuiis : Tf Eurvpt was their object, before T cmld hear of tli<'iii
thev would lia\ c been in Indi?\. To <h> imt hiuLT, I f<'lt was disirrarcfiil •
tin ivfore I nuide use of my understaiuling, and by it 1 ought to
stand or fall. I am before your Lordship's judgment, which in the
present case I feel is the tribunal of my coantry, and if, uml' r all
circumstances, it is decided that I am wrong, I ought, for the sake
of our country, to be superseded ; for at this moment, when I know
the French are not in Alexandria, I hold the same opinioif as off
Cape Passaro— viz. that under all circumstances I was right in
steering for Alexandria, and by that opinion I must stand or fall.
However erroneous my judgment may be, I feel conscious of my
honest intentions, which I hope will bear me up under ihe greatest
* Sir Jam^s Saamaiesi Troubridgc, Bull, and Darby, who were siguaUed tooome
on board the Vanguard, immediately after the Mutine had spoken the vessel on
*22 June.
Digitized by Gopgle
irUd AT bYRACUSE 143
tnisfortnne that cotild happen to me as an officer^that of your
Lordship's tliinking me wrong.
It may be doubted whether this letter was actually sent. It stands
indeed in the Letter Book ; but CapUiin Bull, to whom the dmft was
shown, gave a strong opinion against it : feeliitf^, he wrote, * a regret*
that your too anxious zeal should mako you start an idea, tliat your
judgment was impeachable, Ijocause you have iu»t yet fallrnin with the
Fr*»nch flef»t, as it implies a doubt, and may iiiduco a suspicion, that
you are not perfectly satislieU with your own conduct. 1 hliould re-
commend a mend, never to begin a defence of his conduct before he is
accused of error.'
I arrived off Alexandria on the 28th ultimo, and found lying Lord St.
there one Turkish ship of the line, four frigates, about twelve other i ^'Tu/y .*
Turkish vessels in the old port, and about fifty sail of different J*f
nations' vessels in the Franks' port. 1 din cted Captain llai'dy, of
the Mutine, to run close in, and to smd an oilicer un fehuro with
my letter to Mr, Baldwin, and to in^t all tlio information in his
power. Herewith i send you the oilicer's report. Mr. Baldwin
had left Alexandria near three mouths. We observed the liue-of-
battle sliip to be landing her guns, and that the place was filling
with armed people. Afler r< c ri\ ing this information, I stretched
the fleet over the coast of Asia, and have passed close to the
southern side of Candia, but without seeing one vessel in our route ; .
therefore to this day I am without the smallest infiirmation of the
French fleet since their leaving Malta. I own I fully expected to
have found despatches off this end of Candia; for both Sir William
Hamilton and General Actx^n, I now know, said they believed
Egypt was their object; for that wlicu tlif French niiuister at
Naples was pressed, on the armament Hpj)eariiig off Sicily, he
declared that Eg\ {)t was their ol)ject. 1 have again to deeply
regret my want of frigates, to which I shall ever attribute my
ignorance of the situation of the French fleet.
It is an old saying, * The devil's children have the devil's luck.' Sir w.
1 cannot find, or to this moment learn, beyond vague conjecture io'julj^***
where the French fleet are gone to. All my ill-ibrtune, hitherto, ^Ji^^nue.
has proceeded from want of frigates. Off Cape Passaro, on 22
June, at daylight, I saw two frigates, which were supposed to be
French, and it has been said since that a line-of-battle ship was to
leeward of them, with the riches of Malta on board, but it was the
destruction of the enemy, not riches for myself, that I was M aking.
Tlii'x' would liavo fallen to me if I liad had frigatos, but exccjit tlie
skip of the line, 1 regard not ail the riches iu thia world. From every
Digitized by Gopgle
144
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1796
I.nily
20 J Illy.
Lord St.
Vinonik,
20 .Tuly.
Sir W.
Hamilton,
22 July.
informat ion off Malta I believed tlioy wore gone to Kg\ pt . Therefore,
on the 28th, I was oommunicating with Alexandria in Egypt, where
I fioond the Tarks preparing to resist them, bat know nothing
beyond report. From thence I stretched over to the coast of Oara-
mania, where not meeting a vessel that could give me information,
I became distressed for the kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and having
gone a ronnd of 600 leagues at this season of the year (with a
crippled ship) with an expedition incredible, here I ara as ignorant
of the situatiuu of the enemy as I was t weiity-sin'en days ago. I
sincerely hojx? that tlie despatches which I understand are at (';i|>6
Passaro will give int* full information. T shall he able for nine or
ton weeks longer to keep the lleet on active service, when we shall
want provisions and Kt*)res.
I have not been able to find the FreTuli i\vrt, to my gn\it
'niort in cation, or the event I can scarcely doubt. We have been
off Malta, to Alexandria in Egypt, Syria, and are returned here
without success: however, no person will say that it has been
for want of activity. I yet live in hopes of meeting these fellows ;
but it would have been my delight to have tried Bonaparte on a
wind, for he commands the fleet, as well as the army.
Yest^Tday 1 arrived here, where I can learn no more than vague
conjecture that the French are gone to llie eastward. Ev^err
moment T have to r.'^rn>t the frigates liuving left me, ton liieh u\u>t
Ik? .attributed my ignorance of the movements of the eneniv. \'our
Lordship deprived yourself of frigat(^s to make mine certainly the
first squadron in the world, and I feel that I have zeal and activity
to do credit to your appointment, and yet to be unsuccessful hurts
me most sensibly. But if they are above water, I will find tfaem
out, and if possible bring them to battle. You have done your part
in giving me so fine a fleet, and I hope to do mine in making use
of them. We are watering, and getting such refreshments as the
place affords, and shall get to sea by the 25th. It is my intention
to get into the mouth of the Archipelago, where, if tlie enemy are
gone towards Constantinople, we shall hear of IIhiu directly: if I
fret no inforniat Ion tliere, to go to Cyprus, when, if they are in Syria
or Eg}'pt, I must hear of them.
I have had so much said about the King of Naples' orders only
to admit three or fonr of the ships of our fleet into his port^s, that
I am astonished. I understood that private orders, at least, would
have been given for our free admission. If we are tiO be refused
supplies, pray send me by many vessels an account, that I may in
good time take the king*B fleet to Gibraltar. Our treatment is
Digitized by Gopgle
1706
BATTLE OF THE NILE
145
scandalons for a great nation to put up with, and the king's flag is
insult etl at every friendly port we look at.
The fleet is onmoored, and the moment the wind comes off the 38 Juir.
landy shall go out of this delightful harbonr, where onr present
wants have been most amply snpplied, and where every attention
has been paid to as ; but I have been tormented by no private
orders being given to the governor for onr admission. I have only
to hope that I shall still find the Frencli fleet, and be able to get
at them : the event then will be in the iiaads of IVovidence, of
whose goodness none can doubt.
Whereas I think it requisite that an officer of your rank should Capt.
have charge of my despatches to the Earl of St. Vincent, commander- 2 August,
in-chief, you are hereby required and directed to take charge of
them, and go on board the Leander, Captain Thompson, who is
ordered to carry you, witlioiit l(»ss of time, to the coiiim;iii(l<'r-iu-
chief. After having delivcrfd my df»spHtcht's;, you are to giv<' liiiii
all further information relative to the late victory over the French
fleet ofl' the mouth of the Nile.
Almighty God has blessed his ^fajesty's arms in the late battle, rx»rd St.
by a ti^reat victory over the fleet of the enemy, who I attacked at J aur°^'
sunset on 1 Auorust, off the mouth of the Nile. The enemy were ^'«nK"«rrt
. , . ' oft the
moored in a strong line of battle for defending the entrance of the inuuthof
bay (of Shoals), flanked by numerons gunboats, fonr friL'ates, and
a battery of guns and mortars on an island in their van ; but nothing
cooid withstand the squadron your Lordship did me the honour to
place under my command. Their high state of discipline is well
known to you, and with the judgment of the captains, together
with their valour, and that of the officers and men of every descrip-
tion, it was absolutely irresistible. Could anythii^ from my pen
add to the character of the captains, I would write it with pleasure,
bat that is impossible.
I have to regret the loss of Captain Westcott of the Majestic, who
was killed early in the action ; but the ship was continued to be so
well fought by her first lieutenant, Mr. Cuthbert, that I have given
him an order to command her till your Lordship's pleasure is known.
The ships of the enemy, all but their two rear ships, are nearly
dismasted ; and those two, with two frigates, I am sorry to say,
made their escape ; nor was it, I assure you, in my power to prevent
them. Captain Hood most handsomely endeavoured to do it, but I
bad no ship in a condition to support the Zealous, and I was obliged
to Call her in.
L
r
Digitized by Gopgle
146
L£TT££S OF LORD 1«£L80N
The suppDit and assistance I have received t'rum Captain Borry
cannot be suflit lently expressi^d. I was wounded in the head, and
oijlif,''t'd U) \a- carried oH' the dtjck ; bnt the service suirerod iio loss
by that event : Captain Berrj' was fully equal to the important
service then going on, and to him I must beg leave to refer you for
every information relative to this victory. Ho will present you
with the flag of the second in command^ that of the commander-
in-chief being burnt in L'Orient.
Herewith I transmit you lists of the killed and wounded, and
the lines of battle of ourselves and the French.
Of these lists the followin;; is an abstract :
C«pt.
iiftrrafeiTV.
1
Number of 1
Pranch ^
Xnmbtrof
MtTl
Ki 1. .1
VaAgiMrd
74
m
30
76
l.''iri<'iit
ISO
IfOlO
OrioD
74
$90
13
S9
Lb Frauldlii .
ao
§M
(/.iiMMl. n .
74
690
0
0
Le TomiMit «
80
800
74
HW
49
148
Le Oaerrier .
74
TOO
Bu.
]>«■(. Tu;-' ,
7 I
.Sim
1
1 )
l.r ( 'xiniu' r;iiit
74
]>i».
M iimtnur
J I
('i 1')
i
1, 1
74
7(K)
llo.
A'.ox^iJi'i' r
74
1 1
I.i- ■riiiiui. nn .
7»
7int
A nil i. i<'u^
74
'i . 1 ' '
]
l,c -.Mj V'T.iili i\;Ui^H
74
7^>'>
■. 4 ' ( 1 u - ,
74
1
[.'Id IICi''.l.\ . .
74
7.»ii
Du.
h\), uuore
74
7
I A Mrrvure , .
74
7i
IkK
Mikjevtic .
*
'i
r.,)
143
1. Art niiae • .
U
n>"i
OoilBlb .
•
74
690
21
41 1
L'Aqailon . «
L«8^rietue .
L'H«raale <liomb)
iji Fortune .
),■■ 1 i ulI.luiu.' Tiv:
1 / 1 ; .11. ri tut .
] .lu-( ii-.? . .
J .a 1 H.iue • •
74
TOO
lUtiljl
Theieu .
«
74
690
6
ao 1
tt
lOO
Li'aiider .
•
60
343
U
14
18
so
74
40
40
V)
7<t
KiM)
/INI
lluj-nt
l>rt.
t>o.
V
Total
■
t.OIS
S19
•77
Total . .
Nelson's otfjcial reference to Captain Berry for * every information
relative to tho victory,' gives a stamp of titjthenticity to the account
which Berry publishwi shortly aftt r his an in England, and which,
in tlie following year, Nelson personally appi-oved.'
Sir Horatio Nelson had been detached by Earl St. Vincent into the
Mediterranean with the Vanguard, of 74 guns, the rear- admiral's flag-
ship f the Orion and Alexander, of 74 guns each ; the Emerald and
Terpsichore, fripites ; and T>i Iinin''> (^itoyrtmr, sloop of wnr.
Nothing; iiiatiTial oci un<Hl to thu .snua(U*ua frcjiii tlif day it sailed
from (!i)«raltar, which was on 9 May, till the 22nd, when, being in the
(lulf of Lion, at 2 a.m. a most violent squall of wind took the
Vanguard, whioh earned away her topmasts, and at last her foremast.
' Seeflrtfr, p. 7. Tlir nrro-jTit was fr-t , ■iUli>hefl in 7'/ir Trtie liritonaQfi Tie Sun
nowspapers, ami aftcrwurils in (laniphlut form, imd^ the tiilc ' Authentic >iarrati>'C
of the proceedings of his Majesty's aqoadron nnder the command of Rear*Admfr«]
Sir Horatio NeLson, fn.m its sailinij frnni Clbralt.ir to (lie conclusion of the hatih-
of the Ni!<^; Mrawn up from the nsinuf« s of an oihcer of rank in the squadron,'
The edition h«. rc 4Uoted from is,JiUc 3rU \ its date of 1 7i)8 majks its rapid sale.
' ^7/1/* Digitized by Google
179B
CAPTAIN BERRY'S NARRATIVE
The other sliijis oxpon'oTirod the fury of the gale, Imt not in tlio same
degree as the Vanguard, a stronger vein of the teni|jest having tjikf^n
that ship. The three line- of- battle ships lost sight of the frigates on
the SMDe day ; and at the moment of the misfortune which fell upon
the Vanguard, tiie British squadron was not many leases distant from
the French fleet under Bonaparte, which had on that veiy day set sail
horn Toulon.
The S(|iiadron bore up for Sardinia, thf Alexander taking tlie
Vanguard in tow, and thf ()ri<)ii looking out ahead to endeavour to get
a pilot, for tiie purpoi>e of fining San Pietro K^jad. On the 24th,
with very great difficulty we reached that anchoragOi where we were in
hopes of meeting with a friendly reception, which our distresses seemed
to demand from a lu utral power ; tlie governor of S. Pietro, however,
had orders from the French not to a(hnit any British ship ; but their
utmost hostility could not prevent us from anchoring in the road. . . .
Captain Berry, with the very able assistance he receivwi from Sir
James Saumarez and Captain Ball, was enabled with great expedition
to equip the Vanguard with a jury fore-mast, jury main and mizen top-
masts, and to fish the howsprit, which was sprung in many places ; and
on the fourth day from our anchoring in S. Pietro Road, we again put
to sea with top-^kuit yards across.
The admiral, eaijerto exocut*' tlie onlcrs which he liad recoived, did
not think of sailing to Naples, or any other port where he could have
received the most open and friendly asiiistance, in getting the ship
properly refitted, which her condition evidently required, but imme-
diately steered for his appointed rendesvons ; nor did he ever express
the smallest intention of shifting his flag to either of the other idiips,
which to many officers the peculiar circumstances of his own .shij> might
have seemed to render desirable. . . . Tlie admiral and ofiicers of the
Vanguard indeed had the happiness to find that the ship sailed and
wrtrked as well as the other ships, notwithstanding her apparently
crippled condition.
Hie squadron reached the rendezvous on 4 June, and on the
following day was joined by La Mutine, Captain Hardy, who was
charged with orders to the admiral, and who brought the highly
Acceptable intelligence that Captain Troubridge had been detached witik
ten sail of the line, and a 50-gun ship, to reinforce us. . . .
On the yth, at noon, we had the happiness to discover from the
mast-head ten sail, and it was not long l>e£ore we recognised them to bo
British ships of war, standing upon a wind in close line of battle with
all sails set. Private signals were exchanged, and before sunset the so
moch wished for junction was formed. . . .
The admiral had received no instructions what course he was now
to steer, and no certain information respecting the destination of tho
enemy's Meet ; lie was left, therefore, entirely to his own judgment. He
haci the happiness, however, to tind that to the captains of his squadron
he had no necessity to give directions for being in i-eadiuess for battle.
On this point their zeal anticipated his utmost wishes, for the decks of
all the ships were kept perfectly clear night and day, and every man
was ready to start to his post at a moment's notice. It was a great
■ittsfiEkction to him, likewise, to perceive that the men of all the ships
L 2
Digitized by Gopgle
148
LETTfiBS OF LORD NELSON
170d
were (l;iily exercised iit tho ^p^at guns and small arms, and ih&i every-
tliiug wa8 in the best state of preparation tor actual bervice.
The Admixa] knew that the enemy had SKQed with a NW wind,
which natanlly led liim to oonelade that their course was up the
Medit^mnean. He sent La Miitine to Civita Vecchia, and along the
Roman coast to gain intelligence, and steered with the fleet for
Ck>rsi(^, he reacherl on 12 June. Sev^M-^il vessels had Ijeen spoken
with on tiie ])assji;;e thitlier, hut no intelligence whut^'ver had been
obtained from tiieni. lie continued his course on the 13th between
Corsica and Elba, and between Flanosa and Elba, through the latter of
which passagee largo ships or fleets had not been accustomed to pass.
"We made the Roman coast^ and \\ ere rejoined by La Miitine, witibM>nt
gaining any intelligence, notwithstanding the active exertions of
Captain Hardy. Thf adminil now determined to steer towards Naples,
in the hope of some Hatisfii( t<>rv inforjuation. It had been reported
that the plundering Algiers wius tlie object of the French armament ;
but tins account was too vague to warrant the admiral's -implicitly
adopting it. We saw Mount Vesuvius on the 16th, and detached
Captain Troubridge, in La Mutine, to obtain what information he
could from Sir William Hamilton. He returned with a report only
that the enemy had gone to Malta. The admiral now lamented that
even a day had he^n lost in visiting tlie liay of Naples, and determined,
by the sliortrst cut, to make the Faro di Messina, which the fleet passetl
thr-ougli on tlie 20th, with a fair wind. The joy with which tlie
Sicilians hailed our squadron, when it was discovered by them to be
British, gave the most sincere satisfaction to everyone on board of it.
A vast number of boats came off, and rowed round it \\ itli the loudest
congratulations, and the sincerest exultation, as the Sicilians had been
apprehensive that the French fleet was dfstnHHl to act against them,
after the capture of Malta, Here we piin 1 mtelligence from tht*
British consul that Maltii had actually surrendered. We had now
hopes of being able to attack the enemy's fleet at Gozo, where it was
reported they were anchored, and the admiral immediately formed a
plan for that purpoBe.
We were now sto^ ring with a press of sail for ^lalta, with a inA
breeze at NW. On '2J .Tune, La Miitine, at dayli^rht in the momiJlg^
spoke a Genoese brig tnnn Malta, which gave intelligence that th«
French had sailed fix>m tlienee on the ISth, with a fresh gale at NW.
The admiral was not long in tlelernuning what course he should takf\
and made the signal to bear up and steer to the SE with all possibk
sail. At this time we bad no certain means of ascertaining that the
enemy were not bound up the Adriatic.
From the day we bore up, till 29 June, only three vessels were
spoken witli. two of which had eoirie fix)m Alexandria and had not seen
anything of the enemy "s fleet ; the other had conn^ fmni the Aixhipelago,
and had likewise seen nothing of them. This day we saw the Pharos
Tower of Alexandria, and continued nearing the land with a press ti
sail, till we had a distinct view of both harbours ; and to our geneml
surprise and disappointment we saw not a fVendi ship in either of
them. La Mutine communicated with the governor of Alexandria, wbo
was as much snrprtsf r1 nt seein^^a British squadron there as he was at
the intcliigoncc that a i^ iench iieet was probably on its passage thither.
Digitized by Gopgl
1708
CAPTAIN Kerry's narbativb
It now became a subjoct of deep and anxious dplihcmtion with the
adniinil wliat could possibly have boon tlio course of tlic cnoniy, and
what their ultimate destination. His anxious and active mind, how-
ever, would not permit him to i*est a moment iu the same place ; he
tlterefore shaped his ooune to the moMwaxd, for the coast of Kara-
mania, to reach as qnicUy as possible some quarter where infonuation
could most probably be obtained, as well as to supply his ships with
water, of which they l)egan to run short.
On 4 July we made the coast of Karamania. Steering? alonpf the
soutli side of Candia, carrying a press of sail both niglit anil day with a
contrary wind, on the 18th we saw the island of Sicily, wiicn tlie admiral
determined to enter the port of Syracuse. With this harbour no per-
son in the fleet was acquainted ; but by the skill and judgment of the
officers^ eveiy ship got safely in, and iui mediately proceeded to get in
water &c. with all possible expedition. This was the first opportunity
that the Vanguard had «>f receiving water on board from 6 May, so that
not only tlie stock of that ship, but of several others of the sijuadron,
wa^ very nearly exhausted. Although there was Jio proper or regular
watering place, yet the exertions of the ollicere and men enabled us to put
to sea again in five days, and on the 25th the squadron again put to sea.
We received vague accounts while at Syracuse, that the enemy's
fleet had not been seen in the Archipelago nor tlie Adriatic, nor had
they gone down the Mediterranean ; the conclusion then seemed to be,
that the coast of KL^'vjit was still the object of t])eir destination ; and
neither uuv former disappointment, nor the hardships we had endured
from the heat of the climate, though we were still to follow an uncertain
pursuit, could deter the adndral from steering to that point where there
was a chance of finding the enemy.
Now that it is ascertained by events, that Alexandria was the object
of the enemy, it may seem strange that Uiey should liave been missed
by us, both in our ]>nKsage thitlier, and our return to Syracn.se ; but it
appearefl that the i"'iench st<'ered a direct course for Candia, by which
they made an angular pas^iage towards xUexandria, whilst we steered a
stmight course for that place, without making Candia at all, by which
we tn course very considerably shortened the distance. The smallness
of our squadron made it necessary to sail in close order, and therefore
the space which it covered was very limited ; and as the admiral had
nofri^tes that he could detacli upon the look-out, added to the constant
haze of the atmosphere in tfiat climate, our chance of descrying tho
enemy was very much cirtumscril»ed. The distance likewi.se between
Candia and the liarbary coast, al>out 35 leagues, leaves very sufficient
space for more than two of the largest fleets to pass without mutual
observation, particularly under the circumstances described.
On our return to Syracuse, the circumstance <^ our steering to the
northward, while the enemy kept a southern course for Alexandria,
makes it obvious that our chance of falling in with them was even less
than befoi e.
On 25 July we left Syracuse, still without any positive nifoiniation
respecting the enemy, but it occurred to the admiral that some authentic
intelligence might be obtained in the Morea. We steered for that
coast» and made the Gulf of Coron on the 2Sth. Captain Troubridge
W agptin employed on that important service of obtaining inteliigence^
Digitized by Gopgle
150 LBTTEBS OF LORD 1798
and was despatched in tlic Cullodca into Coron, off which place, by the
great exertions of that able officer, the fleet was not detained above three
hours. He returned with intelligence from the Turkish governor, that
the fleet had been seen steering to the S£ from Oandia about four
weeks before. ...
Upon tlio information obtained Viy Captain Troubridgo, thf adininil
determined .itrain to ^ isit Alexandria, and carried all sail, steering tor
that place, a\ liicli he had the pleasure to descry on 1 August at nuon :
but not as bet'ore, it now ap^»earingtull ot" veisHelij of various kinds ; and
we (KMm bad the satisCiustion of seeing the French flag tlying on board
some of tiie ships. The utmost joy seemed to animate every breast on
board the squadron, at sight of die enemy ; and the pleasure wliich the
admiral himself felt was perhaps more heightened than tliat of any
other man, m he bad now a certainty by which he could regulate his
future operations.
The admiral had, and it appeared most justly, tlie highest opinion
of, and placed the firmest reliance on, the TiUour and ocmdnct of e^ery
captain in his squadron. It had been his practice during the whole
of the cruise, whenever the weather and drcumstances would permit,
to have his captains on board the Vanguard, where he would fully
develop to thoni his own ideas of tlic different and best raodes of attack,
and sucli j)laiis as lio pi-ojiostd to execute upon falling in witli the
enemy, wliattsver their position or situation might bo, by day or by night.
There was no possible position in which they could be found, that he
did not take into his calculation, and for the most advantageous attack
of which he*had not digested and ananged the best possible disposition
of the force which he commanded. With the masterly ideas of their
admiral, therefore, on the subject of naval tactics, every one of the
captains of his scpmdron was most thoroughly acquainted ; and ujxin
surveying the situuti' n < t: the enciny, tlicy could ascertain with precision
w liat were the ideas and intentions of their commander, without the aid
of any farther instructions ; by which means signals became almost
unnecessary, much time was saved, and the attention of every captain
could almost undistractedly be paid to the conduct of his own pfl^*ticular
ship, a circumstance from which, upon this occasion, the advantages to
the general ser^'i<'f' \\ et-e almost incalculable.
It caimot licre be thouglit in*elevant to give some idea of what wesre
the plans which Admiral Nelson had formed, and which he explained to
his captains with such perspicuity as to render his ideas completely
their own. To the naval service, at least, they must prove not only
interesting, but useful.
Had he fallen in with the French fleet at sea, that he might make
the best impression tT]>on any psirt (if it that should ap]>far the most
vulnerable, or tiie most eligible for attack, he divided lus force into three
sub- squadrons, viz.:
Vanguard, Orion, Gulloden,
Minotaur, Goliath, Theseus,
licander, Majestic, Alexander,
Audacious, Bellerophon, Swiftsure.
Defence,
Zealous,
Two of these sub-squadrons were to attack the ships of war, while the
Digitized by Gopgle
17M
CAPTAIN BERRY'S NARRATIVB
third was to pursae the transports, and to sink and destroy as many as
it could.
The destination of the French armament was involved in doul>t and
uncertainty ; but it forcibly struck the admiral, that, as it was com-
manded by the man whom the French had dignified with the title of the
eonqiieror of Italy, and as he had with him a very lai7a;e body of troops,
an expedition had been planned which the land force might execute
without the aid of tli<'ir fleet, should the transports be pennitt«'d to
make their esciipc, and reach in safnty tlicir jilaco of rendezvous ; it
therefore hecaiue a material consideration with the admiral so to arnmire
his force as at once to engage the whole attention of their aliips ol war
and at the same time materially to annoy and ii^ure their convoy. It
will be folly admitted, from the subsequent information which has been
received upon the subject, that the ideas of the admiral upon this occa-
sion were perfectly just, and that the plan which he had arranged was
the most likely to frustrate the desijrn of the enemy.
It is almost nnnoce&sarv t^ explain his projected mode of attack at
anchor, as that was minutely and precisely executed in tlte action wliich
we now come to describe. These plans, however, were formed two
months before an opportunity presented itself of executing any of them,
and the advantage now was, that they were familiar to the understand-
ing of every captain in the fleet.
It has l>een alnwly mentioiied tliat we saw the Pharos; of Alexandria
at noon on 1 August. The Alexander and Swiftsure had been detached
ahearl uu the precedin;^ evening, to reconnoitre the ports of Alexandria,
while the main body of the squadron kept in the othng. The enemy's
ileet was first discovered by the Zealous, Captain Hood, who immediately
communicated, by signal, the number of ships^ sixteen, lying at anidior
in line of battle, in a bay upon the larboard bow, which we afterwards
found to l>e Aboukir Bay. The admiral hauled his wind that instant, a
movement which was immediately observed and followed by the whole
squadron ; and at the same time he recalled the Alexander and Switt-
sure. The wind was at this time , and blew what seamen call a
top-gallant breeze. It was necessary to take in the royals when we
hauled upon a wind. The admiral made the signal to prepare for battle
and that it was his intention to attack the enemy's van and centre, as
they lay at anchor, and according to the plan before developed. His
idea in this disposition of his force was, first to secure the victory, and
then to make the most 'vf it according to future circumstances. A bower
<a.ble of each ship was uiuiiediately got out abaft, and bent forward. We
continued carrying sail, and standing in for the enemy's fleet in a dose
tine of battle. As aU the officers of our squadron were totally un-
<u (|uainted with Aboukir Bay, each ship kept sounding as she stood in.
The enemy appeared to be moored in a strong and compact line of battle
close in with the shore, their line describing an obtuse an'jfle in its form,
flanked by numerous gunboats, four frigates, and a battery of guns and
mortars, on an island in their van. This situation of the enemy seemed
to secure to them the most decided advantages, as they had nothing to
attend to but their artillery, in their superior skill in the use of which
the French so much pride themselves, and to which indeed their ^lendid
flsries of land victories are in a great measure to be imputed.
The position of the enemy presented the most formidable obstacles ;
Digitized by Gopgle
152
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
irgB
l)Ut tho admiral viewed thnsr with the eye of a seaman f1et«^ninned
on utUick, ajul it inRtantly sti iu-k )vis ca^xtT and }>enetrat ing inmd, that
■where there was room for ati enemy s shi\* to swing, there was moin for
one of oura to anchor. Ko further signal was neoessary than those
which had alreadv been made. The admiral's designs were as fully
known to his whole squadron, as was his determination to conquer, or
perish in the attempt. The Goliath and Zealous had the honour to
leiul inside, and to receive the first tin- from the%'an ships of the enemy,
as well as from the batteries and <;un'>o;its with which their van was
strengthenetl. These two ships, witli the Unun, Audacious, and Theseus,
took their stations uiside of the enemy's line, and were immediately in
close action. The Vanguard anchored the first on the outer side the
enemy, and was opposed within half pistol-shot to Le Spcutiate, the
third in the enemy's line. In standini; in, our heading ships were uii-
avoidahly o1>liged to receive into their bows the whole fire of the broad-
sides of the French line, until they could take their respective stations ;
and it is but justice to ohsej-ve, tlisit the enemy received us with gi-^t
firmness and delil>eration, no colours having been hoisted ou either side,
nor a guu fired, till oar van ships were within half gunshot. At this
time the necessary number of onr men were employed aloft in furling
sails, and on deck, in hauling the hi^ces, Ike* preparatory to our mirtiing
anchor. As soon as this took place, a most animated fire was opened
from the V-niLT'sard, which ship covered the approach of those h\ tlie
rear, whicli were following; in a close line. The Minotaur, Deifiut*^
Bellerophou, Majestic, 8wit'tsure, and Alexander, came up in succession,
and passing within haO of {he Vanguard, took their respective stations
oppcMed to the enemy's line. All our ships anchored by the stem, by
which means the British line became invited from van to rear. Cap^
tain Thompson, of the Leander, of fifty guns, with a degree of skill and
intrepidity hi^^hly hononmble to !iis professional character, advanced
towards the enemy's line on the outside, and most judiciously dropped
his anchor athwart hawse of Le Franklin, rakiui; her witli great success,
the shot from the Leandcr's broadside which passed that sliip all striking
L'Orient^ the flag-ship of the F^ch commander-in-chief*
The action commenced at smuet, which was at 6.31 p.m., with an
ardour and vigour which it is impossible to descrilte. At about seven
o'clock total darkness had come on, but the whole hemisphere was, with
interval^, illuminated by the fire of the hostile fleets. fJur sliips, when
darkuesii came on. had all hoisted their distinguishing lights, by a signal
from the admiral. The vaii ship of the enemy, I^e Guerrier, was dis-
masted in less than twelve minutes, and, in ten minutes after, the second
ship, Le Gonqu^Font^ and the thhtl, Le Spartiate, very nearly at the
same moment were also dismasted. L'Aquilon and Le Peuple Son-
verain, the fourth and fifth ships of the enemy's line, were taken pes-
session of by the British at half pa^t eight in the evening. Captaiii
Berry, at that hour, .«?ent Lieutenant (Jahvay, of the Vanguard, with a
party of marines, to take possession of Le Spartiate, and that ofhcer
returned by the boat the Fivnch capt«iin s sword, which Captain BeiTy
immediately delivered to the admiral, who was then below, in conse-
quence of the severe wound which he had received in the head during
the'heat of tin attack. At this time it appeared that victory had
already declared itself in our favour, for although L'Orient, L'Ueurenx,
Digitized by Gopgle
CAFTAIK BERRY^ NAltRATIVE
153
and Le Tonnant were not taken possession of, they were considered as
roniplctply in our powor, which pleasing iiit*'lli<ifpncf Captain Berry had
likewiiie the satisfaction of coraraunicatini,' ui person to the adTninil.
At ten minutes after nine, a fire was observed on board L Orient,
the French iidiniTBl's ship, which seemed to proceed from the after part
of the oabiii, and which increased with ^reat rapidity, presently involv-
ing the whole of the after part of the ship in flames. This circumstance
Captain Berry immediately communicated to the admiral, who, though
sulff*ring severely from his wound, cfime up upon fleck, wliore tlic fu st
consideration tliat struck his mind was concern for the danger of so many
lives, to save as many as possible of wlioni he ordered Captain Berry to
make every practicable exertiom A boat, the only one that could swim,
was instantly despatched from the Vanguard, and other ships that were
in a condition to do so, immediately followed the example ; by which
means, from the best possible information, the lives of about seventy
Frenchmen were saved. The light thrown by the fire of L'Orient upon
the surrounding objects, en!il>1e<1 ns to perceive with more cortniTitv the
situation of tlie two fleets, the colours' of botli being clearly distinguish-
able. The cannonading wa.s partially kept up to leeward of the centre
till about ten o'clock, when L'Orient blew up witii a most tremendouft
explosion. An awful pause and death-like silence for about three
minutes ensued, when the wreck of the masts^ yards, ius., which had l>eoii
carried to a vast height, fell down into the water, and on board the
surrounding ships. A port fire from L'Orient fell into tlie main royal
of the Alexander, the tire occasioned by which was, however, extinguished
in about two minutes, by tlie active exertions of Captain Ball.
After tills awful scene, the firing was recommenced with the ships to
leeward of the centre, till twenty minutes past ten, when there was a
total cessation of firing for about ten minutes ; after which it was revived
till about three in the moming, when it again ceased.
After tlie victory had l>een 5?ecured in the van, such British ships as
were in a condition to move, had gone down upon the fresli shi{)S of the
enemy, which oct -i.^ii .ued Uies<' removals of the ti^lit, all of which ter-
minated with tiie siime happy success in favour of our flag. At tive
miiiiites past five in the morning, the two rear ships of the enemy, Le
Guilkume Tell and Le Q^^reux, were the only French ships of the
hne that had their colours flying. At fifty-four minutes past five, a
French frigate, L'Art6mise, fired a broadside and struck her colours;
but such was the unwarrantable and iiLfamous conduct of the French
captain, that after having thus siii r • udered, he set fire to his ship, and
with part of his crew made his escape on shore. Another of the French
frigates, La Serieuse, had been sunk by the fire from some of our ships ;
but ss her poop remained above water, her men were saved upon it, and
were taken off* by our boats in the moming.
The Bellerophon, whose masts and cables had lK?en entirely shot
away, could not retain her situation abreast of L'Orient, but had drifted
out of the line to the lee side of the bay, a little before that sliip blew
up. The Audacious was in the niorninLT detached to her assistance.
At eleven o'clock, Le Gonorcux and Guiiiaume Tell, with the two
' In accordance wit !i an onler from Lord St. Vincent, the English slnps, on this
occajiioD, wore tlie white cosign, notwithstandiDg Neison's being at the time Ikar-
Admin) of the Blue.
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154
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
friijatHS, Jji Justicr I >ianc, cut their cables and sUm»<1 <>ut to s<-;i,
pui*suc(i \>y the Zcuious, Captain Hood, who, as the admiral iiimselt has
stated, handsomely endeavoured to prevent their escape ; but as there
WM no other ship in a condition to support ihe Zealous, she was re-
eaUed.
The whole day of the 2nd was employed in secnringthe French ships
that had struck, and which were now all completely in our |K>ssession, Ub
Tonnant and Timoleon except<Ml ; thoso vrort' both diKiu;ist«Ml, and con-
Rpqucntly could not rsrajH', tlu'V wvw ii;it uniUy iIm' last of which we
thought of tjikiiii^ ]»i)ssc.ssi(m. On the luorniag of the ',lrd^ theTimoleon
was set tire to, and Lc 'J'oiiiiant had cut her cable and drifted on shore,
but that active officer, Captain Miller, of the Theseus, soon got her off
again, and secured her in the British line.
The British force en^god consisted of twelve ships of 74 guns, and
the Leander of 50. From the over anxiety and zeal of Captain Trou-
lu idfTf* to ^f»t into ju'tion, his ship, the Cullodfji. in standini; in for the
van of tin- cnciiiv 8 line, unfortunatf^ly sfroiindt'd upon the tail of a shoal
running oil' from tJie island, on wliich were the mortar and gun batteries
of the enemy ; and notwithstanding all the exertions of that able officer
and his ship s company, she could not be got off. TUs nnfortunate cir-
cumstance v^'as severely felt at the moment by the admiral snd all the
officers of the squadron ; but their f(-elings were nothing compared to
the anxiety and even anguish of mind which the captain of the Cul!*>d''!>
himself expt i leneed, for so many eventful hours. There was bui unr
consolation that could oiler itself to him in the midst of the distresses of
his situation, a feeble one it is true— that his ship served as a beacon
for three other ships, viz. the Alexander, Theseus, and Leander, which
were advancing with all-possible sail set close in his rear, and which
other>\'ise might have experienced a similar misfortune, and thus in a
L'r^'at*'!- proportion Ktill liave weakened our force. Tt was not till the
murnin<; of the 2n(l that the (Julloden could be ^^ot oti", and it was found
she had sud'ered very considerable damage in her bottom, that her rudder
was beat oif, and the crew could scarcely keep her afloat with all pumps
going. The resources of Captain Troubridge's mind avaOed him much,
and were admirably exerted upon this tryini; oo«;asion. In four days
he had a new rudder made upon his own deck, wltich was immediately
shipped ; and the Culloden was again in a state for actual service, though
still very leaky.
The admiral, knowing that the wounded of his own shijis had been
well taken care of, bent his first attention to those of the enenty. He
established a truce with the commandant of Abouktr, and through him
made a communication to the commandant of Alexandria, that it was
his intention to allow all the wounded Frenchmen to be taken ashore
to proper hosjtit ills, with their own surgeons to attend them: a proposal
w Inch was assented to by the French, and which was carn( <] into effect
on the folIowin<; day. The activity and generous oonsiiieration of
Captain Troubridge were again exerted at tliis time for tlie general good.
He communicated with the shore, and had the address to procure a
supply of fredi provisions, onions which were served out to the sick
and wounded, and which proved of essential utility. On the 2nd [of
August], the Arabs and Mamelukes, who during the battle had lined
tlie shores of the bay, saw with transport that the victory was deciaiveiy
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CAPTAIN MILLER'S NARRATIVE
155
ours, an ovont in which tlir y partiripatcd wHh an exultation almost
equal to our own ; and on that aiul the two following nights, the whole
coast and country were illuiiiiiiiited as tar as w e could see, in celebration
of our victory. This had a gi^eat etfect upon the minds of our prisoners, as
they oonoeived that this iUumination was the conaequenoe, not entirely
of oar miccett, but of some ngnal advantage obtained by the Arabs and
Mamdnkes over Bonaparte. . . .
Immediately after the action, some Maltese, Genoese, and Sj>aniards,
wlio had been serving on V)oard tlie Fn^u-li fleot, otfcrod thoir sorvicos
in ours, which were accepted ; and they ex|>i i'.s.sc(l the great43f»t ha}))»in«'ss
at tliuB being freed, as they themselves saitl, from the tyranny and
cruelty o£ the Fren^
On the fourth day after the action, Captain Berry, of the Vanguard,
Bailed in the Leander' of 50 guns, with the admiral's despatches to the
commander- i)i-c} lief, Earl 8t. Vincent, oil' Cadiz, eontatning intelligenoe
ol the glohous victory which he had obtained.
Tlie account of the battle, written to his wife, by Captain Miller of
the Theseus ia of almost equal authority to that by Sir Edward Beny,
and supplies some additional and most interesting details.
On 28 Jul^, being off the Gulf of Coron in the Morea, the Capt
OaUoden stood into it, and learnt from the Turkish ffovemor that th( ^^^^
enemy were at Alexandria, and brought out with her a French brig
loaded with wine. Moon after sho joined the admiral, hr horp np for
Alexandria with tlic si^Muil flying;, that he had intT'lli^^'cncf nf the enemy,
and, constantly keepin;^' the worst sjiilinj* ship under all sail, we arrived
off that port 1 August, at noon, and, seeing nothing of the French
there, stood alongshore to the eastward, when, about three-quarters
past 3, the Zealous made the signal for 16 sail of the line at an anchor,
and soon after we discovered them from this ship. * Here let me pause,
till I can make you perfertly understand the state of the fleet at that
moment. We luid a line l.reeze of north wind, smooth water, and fair
weather, the body (^xtendini,' al)out three miles easterly and westerly
without being in any order of sailing, and going about five miles an
hour under topsails generally. The CuJloden under all sail about seren
miles astern, with the wine brig in tow ; the Alexander and Swifteure
being far ahead on the look-out, and chasing when we were steering
.SE l.v E, were thrown considerably to leeward by our change of course
■aUcv iiiMki?iL' Al»'v?M!»Iria ; and at the tinu- of the enemy being dis-
covered, 1 shouhi thuik were full nine miles U^ tlie southward of us.
The Zealous and Goliath were the most a<U anct^d ships next the admiral,
and a posse of us near him ; the Majestic and Leander, I believe, the
stenunost, exelusiTe of the Culloden : the general signal of recall having
been made about 2 oVlot k, the Swiftsure and Alexiuuler standing towards
us with n]l .sail on a wind, and the Mutine within hail of the admiral.
At ;> the aclmiral made the si|^al to prepare for l)attle. At
3.30 for the Culloden to quit the prize. At 4.25 to prei>are for battle,
with the sheet cable out of the stern port, and springs on the bower
' On 1 8 August, the Leander was met near Candia by theO&a^Kiix, and captured
after a pillnnt r»'<«istnnce, in ihc conrs«» of whicli r.oiry was severely wounded,
lie was afterwarrls released on parole, but did not arrive in England till the
beginning of Deoeuber.
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LETTEBS OF LORD NELSON
anchor, itc. <lrc. At tJi it it was the admimrs intention to attack
the van and eontiv ut th<' en«'my. At 5.40 to form tlie line of l>attJe
as most couvenient ahead and astern of the adnuiui ; and imineiliatelj
after, for the leading ship to steer one point more to starboard. Tbe
Odiath was leading, the Zealous nezt^ then theYangaard ; the Theseus
followed close to her stem, having the Bellerophon dose on tlie weather
quarter, and Minotaur equally so on tlie lee quarter : I do not re< » ►lle^t
the order of the other ships Wp wore gradually round, presfr\ ini; our
order till we >)rouf;ht th<' w ind on the starboard beam, when thea4.1uiLral
Iiove to, to sjK-ak the Mutine alx)ut three miles from the enemy, who
were niaking signals and heaving on their springs. I took this oppor-
tnnity to pass the admiial to leeward, and endeavour to obtain the
honour of leading the fleet into battle, as the Culloden, the only ship
ahead of us in the regular line, was still considerably distant : but
C\ij)t;nH I?Mrry hailed as we passed, and gave me the a<]iiiirars order
<(» ' i nnir liis second ahead, in consequence of which I hove to close
alit .ul of hini, and the Oriuu and Audacious passed us. We had before
gut springs on both our bower anchors, the stimm-cable passed out of
the stem-port, and bent to its anchor ; and were now doing the same bj
the sheet, Imng in all other respects in the most perfect order for battle.
The enemy had 13 largo ships anchored in close order of battle, in the
form of a bow, with the convex part to us. L'Orient, of 120 guns, mak-
ing the centre of it, the string' of the bow ln'ing NW SE, and four
frigates a little within them, with a gun and mortar battery on a small
island about three-quarters of a niile from their van ship, and three
mortar boats placed near the frigates. In about five minutes after
bringing to, the admiral made the signal to make sail again, the leading
shi]) first, when the €U>liath, in a very gallant and masterly manner, led
alon«; the enemy's lino, ^n*adually clasing with their van, which, as well
as the battery on the island, oponod its fire.
At 6.40 the admiral made the signal to engage tlio enemy clo.^*', the
Goliath passing round, ami luking Uie enemy 's van ship (the Guerrier),
brought up with her stem anchor maide of and abieaat their second ship,
the Conqn^nuit^ Zealoua following likewiae raked the Guerrier, brought
down her foremast, and came-to with her stem anchor on her inner
bow. Tlie Orion, from her previous situation, described a little widtT
rirr-1f\ y> riss«'d tlin off side of tbr Zealous, and madf a wider sweep in
01x1(1 to coiiR -to with one of iier bowers ; in doing \\ liich she complet4*ly
knocked up the S^rieuse frigate, which lay in her way, liaving made
auoh a wreck of her, that on her driving, presently after, on a ahoal, all
her masts fell, and she filled with water. I think the Orion must have
touched the ground from the time between her passing the Zealous and
her coming-to nearly abreast the inner side of the fiftli ship (the Peuple
Souverain) ; for, tliougli she passed the Zealous before us, we had com-
pletely broui^dit up abreast the inner beam of the Spartiate, the third
ship, and iiud been in action with her four or live minutes before the
Orion came-to. In running along the enemy's line in the wake of the
Zealous and <3oliath, I observed their shot sweep juat over us, and
knowing well that at such a moment Frenchmen woiild not have cool-
ness cnougl! to change their elevation, I dosed them suddenly, and,
running under the arch of flirir sliot, reser\'ed my fire, every gun being
loaded with two and some with three round 'shot, until I had the
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CAPTAIN MlLLER^S NARKATIVE • 157
Guerrifr'-s iiinsts in a lino, aiirl hrr jni-lMwm ahout six feet cl^ar of our
rigjring ; wo tlioii opf-ntnl with such ettbct, that a socond breatli could
not be drawn boforo her main and niizen mast wore also f^one. This
was precisely at sunset, or 44 muiuu-'s past t> • then passing between
her and the Zealous, and as close as possible round the off side of the
Goliath, we anchored exactly in a line with her, and, as I have before
said, abreast the Spartiate ; the Andadous having passed between the
Guerrier and the Conquerant, came-to with her bower close upon tho
inner bow of the latter. We hafl not boon many nnnutps in action
with the Spartiate when wo observtHi one of our ships (and soon aft<'r
knew her to be the Vanguard) place herself so directly opposite to us
on the ontdde <rf her, that I desisted firing on her, that I might not do
mischief to our friends, and directed every gun before the mainmast on
the Aquilon, and all abaft it on the Con<|uerant, giving up my proper
bird to the admiral : the Minotaur, ft)l lowing the admiral, placed herself
on the outer side of the fourth ship (AfiniioTi), >nid the Defence on the
tifih, or Peuple Souverain. The Belleroplion, 1 believe, dropped her
stern anchor well on the outer l>ow of L'Orient (seventh ship), but it not
bringing her up, she became singly opposed to the fire of that enormous
ship before her own broadside completely bore, and then sustained the
greater part of her loss she then either drifted or sailed along the
French line, and came to anchor al)out six miles eastward of us, where
we discovered hor next mominj* (without a mast standing), with her
ensign on thr stamp of tho main-mast. Captain Darby was wounded
at the beginning, and poor Daniel, 1st lieutenant, as well as the 2nd
and 4th, killed. AlS well as I can learn, the Majestic, whether owing
to the thickness of the smoke at the shutting in of the evening, or that
her stem cable did not bring her up in time, ran her jib-l)oom into the
main rigging of L'Henreuz, ninth ship, and remained a long time in that
unfortunate position, suffering greatly : poor Westcott was almost the
first that fell, Ijeing killetl l)y a musket-ball in the neck. Hhe got dis-
entangled, and brought lier broadside to bear on the starboard bow of
the Mcrcure, the tentii slap, on wliom she took a severe revenge ;
ha^-ing laid that bow almost open, she also had only a foremast standing
at daylight. My noble and glorious neighbour, on 1 4 February, tiie
gallant Capt^iin Troubridge, of the Culloden, had the misfortune to
strike and stick fast, spite of all his efforts, on a shoal but little out of
gimshot of the battle, to his ineonct'ivable mortitication, though indi-
vidually it could not have Imppened l>ett€r than to him, or publicly
worse, as no naval diameter for indefatigable zeal, couiuge, and ability
stands higher than his, or is built on a broader basis ; while, on the other
hand, it was to us the loss of force of a ship that is without a superior. I
think it very likely she sav( d the three following ships from the same
Tin'schance. My worthy friends Hallowell and Ball got among us a few
minutes after 8 o'clock, the Swiftsurf* coming-to with her st(Tn anchor,
upon the outer quarter of the Franklin (the sixtli ship) and bow of
L'Orient, so as to lire iiito both, and the Alexander bringing up with her
stem anchor dose upon the inner quarter of L'Orient^ When the five
headmost ships of the enemy were completely subdued, which might
have been about nine or half-past, the Lmnder came-to with her stern
anchor upon the inner l>ow of the Franklin, being thus late by prcl-
fering assistance to the Culloden.
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LETTERS OF LOUD KELSON
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ITaving now brought all our ships into iMttle, which you are to .suj)-
po»e raging in all magnificent, awful, aiul horrific grandeur, 1 proceed
to relate the general events o£ it as I saw them. The Guerrier and
Conquerant made a very inefficient resistonee, the latter hmg mum
stripped of her main and mizen masts ; they oontiniied for a considerable
time to fiie, every now and then, a gun or two, antl about 8 o'clock, I
♦.tiiti^ irare totally silent. The Spartiat*^ rosistvd much loiijrpr, and
with srrious rfft rf , ns th» Vanguard's kilknl and wouadt-d uiin(>uiicr.s,
wlio n oeived her prim ipMl fire ; her larboard guns were fired upon u^> in
the iH'ginning witli groat quickness, but after the admiral anchored on
his starboard side, it was alow and irregular, and before or about 9
o'clock she was silenced, and had also lost her main and niLzen masts :
the Aquilou was silenced a little earlier, with the loss of all her masts,
having the whole fin* of the Minotaur nn her starboard side, and, for
some time, nenr hiilf ours on her larlxtard bow. Lf Pr uple Sonvf-miii
was, aVvont tin- same time, entirely (bsiiiastfHl and sileucetl, and drifted
between the Fninklin and Orion, when the Leander came into the
battle, and took her place immediately on the Franklin's larboard bow,
the Swiftsore having been long on her starboard quarter, and Defence,
alter Le Feuple Sou\ erain drifted away, firing upon her starboard bow.
While she was thus situated, scarcely returning any fire, L'Orient caught
fire on the poop, when the heavy caiiivoTiade from all the Alexander's
and part of the Swiftsure's gunn Ijeeame so furious, that she was soon
in a lilaze, displaying a most grand and awful spectacle, such as formerly
would have tliawn tears down the victor's cheeks ; but now pity was
stified as it rose, by the remembrance of the numerous and horrid
atrocities their unprincipled and bloodthirsty nation had and were
committing ; and when she blew up, about 11 o'clock, though I endea-
vouretl to stop the m«»ment<iry cheer of the ship's company, my lioart
scarce felt a sin^h* pang for their fate. Indeed, all its anxiety was in a
moment called forth to a degree of terror for her, at seeing the Alex-
ander on tiro in several places ; and a boat that was taking in a hawser,
in order to warp the Orion further from L'Orient, I filled with fire-
buckets, and sent instantly to her, and was putting the engine in
another just returned from sounding, when I had the unspeakable hap
piness of seeing her get before t!if» wind, and extinirnish tlie f!ames :
tlu re was now no firing, except towards the French rear, and that quite
a broken, disconnected one.
J ust after L'Orient blew up, I discovered by the moonlight a dismasted
frigate on our inner beam, and sent Lieutenant Brodie to take possession
of her if, on hailing, she surrendered, and, if not, to burn fedse fires, that
we might compel her to it ; the first took place, and he sent me the
captain and throe officers of the Serieuse nigate, which, having l>een
gjjvprely handled by the Orion, had got aground, and tilled with water
in trying' to escape, and all her masts gone : her crew, except thirty,
had abandoneil her. 1, at this time, also perceive<l a group of the
enemy's ships about a mile and a half within us, which must have moved
there after the attack ; and sent one of the mates to sound between us
and them (the master being employed sounding within US, and examining
the state of the S('rieuse) ; and being, as well as the officers and people,
greatly fatigued, I was happy to snatch halt an liour's sleep, from which,
in a littlo time, i was roused by Captain liood of the Zealous, who came
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170d CAPTAIN MILLERS NARRATIVE 159
to propose tliat our ships and the Goliath should g« > down to the group
of ships ; when, finding that my boat was sounding between us snd
thsm, it was agreed to wait the report of the officer on that service :
meanwhile we prepared for it, and were lifting our bo^\ < t- anclior, when
nn ofticer from the Swift^ure came to say, tlie admiral wisliod iis all to
to the assistance of the Alf xander and Mn i»'stic, then exchanging
an irregular fire with the eueuiy'i* rear ; and wiuie we were lifting our
stem anchor for that purpose, a lieutenant of the Alexander came from
the admiral to iis, and any other ships that could renew the action, to
desire us to go down to these ships, and slip our cable if necessary. All
firing had now ceased about ten minutes, I therefore hov(; up the stem
anchor, and ran down under stay-sjiils till I passed the Majostic, whon
we droj)j)t'd our slicet aiiclior, and having run out a cable, let go our
l>ower, so as to present our broadside to the enemy in a line with the
Alexander, and leave a clear opening for the Majestic (who appeared to
have su^red much) to fire through. We were some time before we had
our broadside to bear, our bower not at first holding ; but happily the
enemy made no use of the opportunity, thou;j;h throe of their broadsides
borp on our bow from tlio (lifTficiit distfinrfs f)f about two and a half to
fivf> r»n)'l»\s ; V>eside8 these, which wwc two MJs and two 74s, one of which
i4>[>tHrvd not to have suffered anything, tlicre wen* two 74s on our star-
board quarter that did not appear to have been at all in action, about half
gOBshot from us ; a 36-gun frigate, about the same distance, whose broad-
side bore immediately on our stem, and two others of 40 guns, at the
longest lange of shot, being the group I have before mentioned. Finding
myself thus situatod, a principal objoct to all tho French ships, and the
sole one to the group, I was resolved to romain tjuiet as long as tliey, and
the Alexander and Majestic chose to l>e so, to give time to tlie Goliath,
Zealoub, and Leander, to join us, neitlier of which were yet utoving ;
and I sent an officer to teU Hood I waited for them. My people were
also so extremely jaded, that as soon as they had hove our sheet anchor
U]^ they dropped under the capstan-bars, and were asleep in a moment
in eveiy sort of posture, havliiLC been tlii n workincr at thoir fullest exer-
tion or fighting, for nrar tw<^lvc» hours, without l>eing able to lienefit
hy tln' respite that occurred ; because, w liile L'Orient was on lire, I had
tlie ship completely sluiced, as one of our precautionary uieasui'es against
fire or combustibles billing on board us, when she blew up.
It was some time before daylight that we reached our new position :
observing the Ouillaume Tell moving, and having the G^^reuz and her
exactly in one, as she passed under our stern, I could no longer wait,
particularly as none of tho other English ships were yet in motion,
hut, precisely at sunrise, oj>eiied my fire on theso two ships, as the
Alexander and Majestic did immediately aiU'r ; this wiis directly re-
turned, principally by the GuilUiume Tell and Tonnant. After a little
time, perceiving they all increased their distance, we veered to two
cables on each anchor, and soon after the Leander came down, and
having anchored without the Alexander, commenced a very distant fire.
These four ships havini^ at length by im|)erceptible dei^-ees sfot almost to
tlie utmost rangt^ of sliot, wc turned our whole fire ujMUi tlic two liue-of-
battle ships that were on our quarter, and wljoni we had now long known
to be on sliore ; tlie Majestic and Alexander firing a few shots over us
at them, as the Leander may perhaps have done. In a short time we com-
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LETTEBS OF LORD NELSON
1708
polled L'Heureiix, 74, to strike her coloars, and I sent Lieatenant Brodie
to take possession of her, and from her to hail the other ship to strike
immediately, or she would else soon be involved in so much smoke and
fire, that we, iiot being able to see hor colours como down, might un-
intentionally dpstrny iill on board her. Just as the boat got there, the
Goliath anchoretl on our outer quai tor and l>egan to lire, but desisttd
on my hailing her ; and, preiicutly iit'ter, Mercure, of 74 guns, hauled
her colours down ; as L'Art^nuse, 36, after firing lier guns shotted, bad
also done just before. I sent Lieutenant Hawkins to tske poMessiea
of Mercure, and I>itnit('iiaiit Hoste of L'Art^miiic ; the former, on a
lieutenant of the Alexander afterwards coming, deliveretl her into his
charge, an<l n^timu^d oti board ; and when the latter got within a>>out
a cables length of L'Artcniisc, jxuccivinij she was .set on fire by a
train, and that her people had abandoned her on the opposite side, he
also returned on board : after burning about half an hour, she blew up.
This dishonourable action was not out of character for a modeni
Frencliman : the devil is beyond blackening.
We were now thus situated in the Theseus : our misen^mast so
badly wounded that it could l)ear no sail ; our fore and main yartl <:n
badly wounded that I almost expect«'(l tin m to come down about our
ears, without sail ; the fore-topmast and bowsprit woinuied ; th»^ fore
and main sail cut to pieces, and most of the other sails much torn j nine
of our main, and several fore and misen shrouds, and much of our other
standing and running rigging shot away ; eight guns disabled^ either
from tlie deck being ploughed up under themselves, or carriages struck
}»y sliot, or the axle trees l»reaking from the heat of tlic fire : and four
of tluMH lower d('( k<*rs. in men we were fortunate beyond anything I
ever 8aw or heartl of ; for though near 80 large shot struck our hull,
and some of them through both sides, we had only six men killed and
thirty-one wounded : Providence, in its goodness, seemed willing to
make up to us for our heavy loss at Santa Cruz. Hawkins and myself
were the only officers from whom blood was drawn, and ^at in a very
trifling way.
The enemy were anchored a^i^aiii at the long raiit'c nf liot, and many
large boats from the shon* were passing to and fro ainung tliem ; and
the Justice frigate was playing about under hail, and at length stood
out of the bay, as if to make her escape. The Zealous, after being
some time under way without tiie fleet, was at this time standing down
towards us, but stood out again as the admiral made her signal to chase
the frigate, who stoofl back into the bay, the Zealous remaining outside.
Hearing it w;»s the enemy's intention to take their men out of their
line-of-battl(^ bhijis and st t them on tire (for, from what information we
had, we supposeii them on shore, being ourselves in four and a half
fathoms), I caused a cool and steady fire to be opened on them from our
lower deckers only, all of which being admirably pointed by lieuteoaat
England, who commanded that deck, they soon drove the boats entirely
away from all their ships, and (Un;l tless hulled them frequently,
particularly the Timolf^on. The l>oats liaving aband<»ned them, the
OuillauHie Tell, the (lenc^reux, the Timoleon, with the Justice and
i>iaiio frigates, got under way, and sto<xl out of the bay in line of
battle ; the Timoh'on, being under our fire all the time, cast in sJiort-,
and, after appearing to make another attempt to wear, stood directly
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CAPTAIN miller's NARRATIVE
161
for tlie sliore, and as she struck, her foremast went over the bows ; the
Tonnant beiiig dismasted, remained where she was. Tiie admiral made
tiie Zealoofl, Goliath, Anclaoioiis, and Leander signals to chase the
others ; the Zealous y&y gaUsAtly pushed at them aloiie,«nd exchanged
broadsides as she past close on the different tacks ; but they had so
much the start of the other ships, and now of the Zealous, who had
suffered much in her ri^^'ing, and knowing also tliey were remarkably
fa^t sailors, the admiral made the general signal of recall, and these
four sinps were soon out of sight. The ships under way being readier,
having suffered less damage in the action^ been not half the time
engaged, or done half as mach as ourselves, I gave up all further
thoughts of the Tonnant, e \ < 1 1 sending a boat to see if she had surren-
dered, which, being menaci^d by her guns, returned. In the evening I
went on board the admiral, who I before knew was wounded. I found
him ill liis cot, weak but in good spirits, and, as T l»elieve every- ''fiy»t;n?i
did, received his warmest thanks, which I could return from my heart,
for the promptness and gallantry of the attack. I found him naturally
smdons to secure the Tonnant and Timol^on, and that the Leander was
ordered to go down for that purpose in the morning ; I told him if there
was any difficulty I would also go down in the morning, notwithstanding
the state of the ship. Seeing the L<ninder get under way we liove up
to our best bower ; sent our }>risoners and their baggage, whicli lum-
l>ered our guns, on board the Goliath, and got a slip buoy on the end of
the sheet cable. The Swiftsure's boat returning from having been witli
a flag of truce to summons the Tonnant, infoniMdus that the answer of
the captain was, tiiat he had 1,600 men on board, and unless the admiral
would give him a ship to convey them to Toulon, he would fight to the
last man — a true French gasconade ; we immediately slipped the sheet
cable, and hoisted our topsails, and seeing the admiral make the
Leauder's signal to engage the enemy, which must have been the
moment of his receiving this French replv, we hove up our best bower
and ran down directly for the Tonnant^ with the master sounding in a boat
ahead ; as we cast so as to open the view of our bfoadside to her, she
hoisted truce colours ; when we got within a cable and a half of her,
having only 25^ feet water, we let go our anchor, veered to within half
a cable of her and hauled upon our spring, wliieh was parted. It was
now, however, of no consequence, as just aft^'r we came to, she allowed
the Leandcr's boat to come on board, and was soon after under EngliUi
colours ; the Leander had brought-to about two or tliree cables without
us while we were going down. The Timol^n being aband<med by her
crew, was set on fire with her colours flyings and soon blew up. There
being no longer an enemy to contend with, we beat the retreat and
soloranly returned thanks to Almighty God, through whose mercy we
had been instrumental in obtaining so great and glorious a victory to his
Majesty's arms. . . .
I have omitted to say the Frauklin did not submit till after L'Orient
had been some tame on fire. I do not vouch for what I have said of
the Bellerophon and Majestic, as among several disagreeing I have been
unable to collect, what I could say is certainly exact history ; but speak-
ing generally, there appears to be a glorious emulation among all, to do
service to their king and count rv, and honour to themselves. On more
particular inquiries respecting the Majestic and Bellerophon, it appears
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162 LETTEKS Of LORD hEUiOS 17i» |
to me that the Majestic, as I bave meutioiifld before^ ^ not bring vp
on letting go ber ancbor, till abe got ber bowsprit foiil of tbe bowqprit
of L'Henreoa:, in which position she lay one boor, able to make use of
bat few guns, and the Tonnant firinjLc into her quarter with her stem
chase in addition to such guns as L'Heur«'iix conlrl brin^f to hear : rm fjet- j
ting disentangleil, she lay athwart the Mercun's bow, and rakt I li' i with
great effect. Oii L Orient taking tiro, the Tunnant, ilftureux, and Mcrcure |
cut their cables ; the former dropped a little way past the QaiUaume
Tell and anchored again; the other two^ each with a stay sail or twoeet,
nm aground. Tbe Timol^on, Guillanme Tell, and Generoux veered, I
Cuiey, to two cables, by which several moans, and L'Orient blowing up, a
vacancy f)f about a mile was left in the French line. Tlie Belleroph^v.
remained alon^'side L'Orient till near 8 o'clock, when Captain Darby,
who hu.il Irh^u severely wuund<Ml ia the huad, cauic on deck again, and j
seeing L'Orient on fire between decks, ordered the cable to be cut, '
anddrifted away as before described, withont main or miien mast^ and
his foremast fell soon alttf this fire was extinguished on board L'Orient
There cannot be much error in time for these roasons^a prisoner now
on board this ship who was a lieut^'nant of the Tonnant. speaks very
good English, descril)es an English ship dismasted by L'Orient and the j
Tonnant ; and says that after she cut her cable and dropped away fixm
L'Orient, two other ships (^uue, one on her bow and one under her stem : |
these ships were the Alexander and SwiftsuFB, who oame in abooft
8 o'clock.
Evun
Nepean,
7 Avgnib
SirW.
Hamiitra,
9 Aug;
The
tiovernor
of Bombay,
Motttli of
In an event of this importance, I have thongbt it right to send
Captain Capel with a copj of my letter (to the oomnumder-in-^ief)
overland, whidh I hope their Lordships will approve ; and heg leave
to refer tbem to Captain Capel, who is a tnoat excellent officer, and
fully able to pive everj' information.
I have intercepted all Bonaparte's despatches, going to France.
This aruiy is in a scrape, aud will not get out of it.
As I know Mr. Baldwin has some months lefl Alexandria, it is
possible you may not be rcLnilarly informed of the wtuation of
affairs here. I shall, therefor* , relate to you, briefly, that a French
army of 40,000 men in 300 transports, with thirteen sail of the
line, eleven frigates, bomb vessels, gunboats, &c., arrived at Aleac-
andria on 1 July : on tbe 7th, tliey left it for Cairo, where tihey
arrived on the 22iid. During their march they had some actions
with the Mamelnkes, which tbe French call great victories. As I
have Bonaparte's despatches before me (which I took yesterday),
I Bpeak positively : he says, ' I am now going to send off to take
Suez and Damietta ; * he does not speak very favonrably of either
the country or people : but there is so iimcli bombast in his letters,
that it is diflicult to p't near the truth ; but lie does not mention
India in those despatches. He is what is called organising the
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BONAPARTE'S DESPATCHES
163
ootintiy) but yon may be aflsond is master only of what his army
covers.
From all the inqniries which I have been able to make, I can-
not learn that any French vessels are at Sues, to carr) an} part of
this army to India. Bombay, if they can get there, I know is
their first object ; but, I trust, Almighty God will in Egypt over-
throw these pests of the human race. It has hoen in my power to
prevent 12,000 men from leaving Gf noa, and also to take eleven
sail of the line and two frigates ; in Bhort, only two sail of the lino
and two frigates have escaped me. This glorious battle was fought
at tlie mouth of the Nile, at anchor : it began at sunset, 1 August,
and was not finished at three the next morning ; it has been severe,
but God blessed our endeavours with a great victory. I am now
at anchor between Alexandria and Rosetta^ to prevent their com-
munication by water, and nothing under a regiment can pass by
land. The F^nch have 4,000 men posted at Bosetta to keep open
the month of the Nile. Alexandria, both town and shipping, are
80 distressed for provisions, which they can only get from the Nile
water, that I cannot guess the good success which may attend
niy holding our present position, for B()na})arte writes his distress
for stores, artillery, things for their hospitalj <.tc. All useful com-
munication is at an end between Alexandria and Cairo: you may
be assured I shall remain here as long as possible, iionapart.' liad
never yet to contend with an English officer; and I shall eudtiavour
to make him respect us.
Was I to die this moment, * Want of frigates' would \>e found Lord
stamped oti my heart. No words of mine cau express what I have giL^Jit.
and am sullermg for want of them.
I send you a packet of intercepted letters, some of them of
great importance; in particular, one from Bonaparte to his brother.
He writes snch a scrawl, no one not used to it can read ; but luckily,
we have got a man who has wrote in his office, to decipher it.
I send Sir James Sanmarez with [seven of] the ships and [six of I^rdSt.
tHe] prizes, the others not being yet ready. Although I ke -p on, Jo AiiSnt
yet I feel that I must soon leave my situation up the Mediterranean
to Troubridge ; than whom, we both know no person is more equal
the task. I should have sunk under the fatigue of refitting the
squadron, bnt for him, Ball, Hood, and Hallowell ; not but that all
We done well, bnt those are my supporters. My head is ready
^ split, and I am always so sick : in short, if there be no fracture,
^7 he^id is severely shaken.
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161 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1796
A. Davison, ^"^1' T^T'f 'f ch army is in a scrape. They are op the Nile wiUioat
11 August, gupplios. The inhabitaatB will allow nothing to pass by land, nor
H. N. by water. Their army is wasting with the flux, and not a
thoosand men will ever return to Europe.
Cftpt. Tott are hereby required and directed to take under your com-
ZeaioiiB, maud the [Swiftsure, Goliath, Alcmdne, Seahorse, Emerald] (they
16 Angwt having my instructions to follow your orders), and to cruise <^
Alexandria, or remain at anchor, as you may judge most proper for
the more effectually preventing any supplies being thrown into
that ]K)rt tor the Frencli flrct, and t^ endeavour to intercept the
French convoy with provisions, which is expected to arrive there
soon; as also to prevent, as inucli as pof^sihh^, all communication
between the French array at Ko.^etta, and tht ii Heet at Alexandria:
and you are to continue on this service until 30 September next.
But should you receive any intelligence, or anything happen which
may make it necessary for you to remain longer on this service,
you are in that case to remain so long as you may think it proper.
And on your return you are to send a boat on shore at Syracuse
for instructions ; not finding any there, you are to proceed with all
despatch to Naples.
E. Nepcan, Six of the prizes sailed yesterday under Sir James Saumarez.
ISAqgnat. rpjjj.^g othern, \ Guerrier, Heureux, and ^Icrcnre, are in the act
of repairing. In this state I received last evening' Earl St. Vincent's
most secret orders, and most secret and c<mlidential letters relative
to the important operations intended to be pursued in the Medi-
terranean. Thus situuk il, it became an important part of my duty
to do justice between my king and country, and the brave officers
and men who captured those ships at the battle of the Nile. It
would have taken one month, at least, to have fitted those ships
for a passage to Gibraltar, and not only at a great expenae to
Government^ but with the loss of the services of at least two sail of
the line. I therefore, cohfiding that the Lords Commissioners will,
under the present circumstances, direct that a fair value shall he
paid for those ships, ordered them to be burnt, after saving such
stores as would not take too much time, out of them ; and I liav.-
further thono-lit it my duty to tell the squadron the necessitv I an:
under, for tlie benefit of the kiu«^''s sen-ice, of directing their pn -
perty to be destroyed ; but that I had no doubt but Governmeut
would make them a liberal allowance, all which 1 hope their Lord-
ships will approve of.
Lord St. If I could have assured myself that Government would have
^''^^uat. ^ reasonable value for Conqu6rant and Souveraudj I would
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BUBNINO THE PRIZES
165
have ordered them to be burnt; for they will cost more in refitting,
and hy the loss of Hne-of-battle ships attending them, than they
are worth ; bat the other four are a treasure to onr navy. Yoa
will see what I baye written to Mr. Nepeon, on my ordering
Gnerrier, Henrenz, and Mercnre to be destroyed, and it will, I
hope, meet yonr approbation and support. The case is bard upon
poor fellows at a distanoe, if tbey do not pay us liberally, . . .
Whether I shall be able to stay in the Mediterranean is yet a
matter of doubt ; but if nothing very particular demands my half
head, it is my present intention to go to you, and for England.
. . . My head id so wrong, that I cannot write w^hat I wish in
such a maimer as to please myself j but I have reason to be
thankful.
To this subject of bu ruing the prices Nelson repeatedly referred, and
stated tbe case, at length, in a letter (7 Sept.) to Lord Spenoer, who
replied (24 Deo.) :
' Your letter of 7 September, which relates to the prises which you
burnt off Aboukir, has been under consideration of Government ; and
though the case is one for which there has never yet been any precedent,
and by the strict rules of the service coulrl not be admitted as a claim,
yet, I believe, I can take upon me to assure you, that the singular merits
cf your situation will have such weight as to induce us to deviate from
the unial praotke^ and an arrangement is making to allow a sum equi-
valent to the value <^ the least valuable of the other prises, as it is
reasonable to suppose, that those which you were under the necessity of
burning were the worst conditioned ships among those which were
captured.'
I have more than once thought that the Mediterranean fleet rx>rd
has been put In onr power to annihilate, therefore I had the advan- ^g^August.
tage of my predecessors. I regret that one escaped, and I think, OffRhodei.
if it had pleased God that I had not been wounded, not a boat
would have escaped to bare told the tale ; but do not believe that
soy individual in the fleet is to blame. In my conscience, I believe
greater exertions could not have been, and I only mean to say,
that if my experience conld (in person) have directed those exer-
tions of individuals, there was every appearance that Almighty
God would liuve continued to bless ray endeavours for the lionour
of our king, the advantage of our country, and for the peace and
happiness (I hope) of all Enrop(\ Tt is no small regret that
L'Orient is not in being to grace our victory. She was completely
beat, and I am sure had struck her colours before she took fire ;
far as she had lost her main and misen masts, and on her flag-
staff, which Hood cut from her wreck, was no flag, it must be true
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166 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1706
that the flag was hauled down, or it would have been entaitgled
witti the rigging, or some reinnant remained at the mast-head.
w. Wynd- She had on board near six handred thousand pounds sterling ;
SI Aug. ^ adjutant-general of the fleet, who was saved out of her,
and although he does not say she struck her colours, yet he allows
that all resistance on her part was in vain. Admiral Brueys was
killed early in the battle, and from the commencement of the
fight, declared all was lost. They were moored in a strong position
in a line of battle, with gunl)out.s, bomb ressels, frigntes, and a
gnn and mortar battery on an iblaiid in their van, but my baud of
friends waa irreaistible.
Marqnif a« It is a matter of regret to me, and, I am sure, it must be
b l^pt. ^ y^^' Excellency, that your squadron did not join me before
At NA. 1 August, when not a single French ship could have escaped us ;
but as that is past remt;dy, it is necessary to look forward to the
next important service we can render the cojnnion cause, which,
in my opinion, to ])revent the i^'rcncli army frnni ij^etting any
supplies of stores by water from Alexandria. Capiain Hood will
explain, I am confident, the whole of my ideas on that point :
Captain Hood was directed not to leare Alexandria before 30
September, longer than which his provisions will not last. I there-
fore beg leave to represent to your Excellency what advantage it
will be, if yon will take Captain Hood's station and remain on it
till 20 October, by which time I shall hope to hare the ships
now with Captain H. returned to Alexandria. This I state as the
longest period : I hope to hare ships there much sooner.
18 Sept. Being informed by Captain Hood of your return from Alex-
andria, I beg to represent to your Excellency the great benefit it
would be to the common cause should you [iroceed off Malta, and
attempt to intercept a French shij) < t' tlie line and two frigates
that made their escape from Alexandria, and which are cruising
there, having been driven out of the ports of Malta by the Maltese,
who are in arms against the French, and hare retaken several of
their towns and the castle of St. Angelo. ... By your Excellency's
cruising there for a short time, it might be the means of driving
the French ih>m the island, as well as protecting the Colossus, and
some victuallers and storeships sent up by Earl St. Vincent for the
use of the squadron under my command*
C«pt, T was in hopes the .Marquis de Niza would have stayed off
19 Sept Alexandria till the end of October, but as he is returning, we have
only to trust to ourselves. I am sensible of the great importance
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ITOd ARRIVES AT NAPLES 167
of keeping up the blockade, for we must destroy that army. I
have ordered Minotaor and Aadacious to Naples. I therefore
wish you to remain as mach longer after 30 September as you
with propriety can, X will send three ships as quickly as possible^
but 1 fear it will be late in October.
On the day Hoste lefb me^ I was taken with a ferer, which has Lota St.
very near done tny business: for eighteen hours, my life was Jj^p,*'
thought to be past liope ; i am iiuw up, but very weak both in
botl) aiici iiiiud, from my cough and this fever. I never expect,
my dear Lord, to see your face again : it may pleane God, that
this will be tlie linish to that fever of anxiety which I have en-
dured from the middle of June ; but be that as it pleases His
goodness — am resigned to His will. . . .
. • • Tour arrangements, my dear Lord, shall be, and ever
are, as punctually attended to by me, as if you were present ; for
I hold it to be the highest contempt, to alter the mode of discipline
and regulations established by the commander-in-chief. My first
order was, to pay the strictest attention to all the orders and regu-
lations of the commandei^-in-chief ; and I can truly say, that I
have endeavoured to support your orders with all my might.
The Vanguard arrived in the Bay of Naples on the 22nd. 27 Sept.
Culloden I Ibuud at Castel-^Mare, preparing to heave down. His
first side will Ije hove f>nt on the 28th. The whole ship is very
rotten, and nothing but the exertion of u Troubridge could have
kept her atloat. Alexander has a new main and mizen mast
(those which were purchased ibr Vanguard), but I hope that the
Vanguard's two masts, by good tishing, will hold fiist until I can
send her to Gibraltar, some months hence. . . .
Dear Troubridge, whom we went to visit yesterday, is bettor
than I expected ; the active business, and the scolding he is obliged
to be continually at, does him good. I am not surprised that yon
wish him near you ; but I trust you will not take him from me.
I well know he is my superior ; and I so often want his advice
and assistance.
i trust in a week we shall all be at sea. I am very unwell, so Sept.
and the miserable conduct of this Court is not likely to cool liiy
irritable t<>mper. It is a country of fiddlers and poets, whores and
scoundrels.
My dear Madam, — cannot be an indifterent spectator to what j^^m^
has [been] and is passing in the Two Sicilies, nor to the misery s Oct '
which (without being a politician) I cannot but see plainly is
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168
LETTERS OF LOAD 24ELSON
1708
n'adv to fall on those kiugduuis, uuw so luyal, by the worst of all
pv4icy that of procrastination. Since my an i\ ;d in these seas in
June last, I liavf peen in tlu* Sicilians the most loyal peviple to
their sovereign, with the utmost detestation of the Freiieli and
their principles. Since my arrival at Naples I have found all
ranks, from the very highest to the lowest, eager for war with the
French, who, all know, are preparing an army of robbers to plunder
these kingdoms and destroy the monarchy. I have seen the
minister of the insolent French pass over in silence the msnifeet
breach of the third article of the treaty between his Siciliati
Majesty and the French Republic. Ought not this eztraordinaiy
conduct to be seriously noticed ? Has not the uniform conduct
of the French been to lull goveniDR-nts into a false security, and
then to destroy them ? As I liave before stated, is it not known
to every person that Naples is the next marked object for plunder?
With tins kiKiwledj/c, and that his Sicilian Majesty has an army
re*kdy (I am told) to march into a countrj' anxious to receive them,
with the advantage of carrying the war from, instead of waiting
for it at home, I am all astonished that the army has not marched
a month ago.
I trust that the arriyal of General Mack will induce the
Government not to lose any more of the favourable time which
Pktmdence has put in their hands ; for if they do, and wait for an
attack in this country, instead of carrying the war out of it^ it
requires no gif)/ of prophecy to pronounce that these kingdoms
will be ruined, and the monarchy destroyed. But should, unfor-
tunately, this miserable ruinous system of procrastination l)e per-
sisted in, 1 Aoulii recommend that all your property aud persons
are ready to embark at a very short notice. It will be my duty
to look and ])rovide for your safety, and with it (I am sorry to
think it will be necessary) that of the amiable queen of these
kingdoms and her fiunily.
Yon are hereby required and directed to proceed in his Majesty's
ship iklezander, under your command, off the island of Malta^
taking with you the ships [Terpsichore, Bonne Citoyenne^ Incen-
diary], whose captains have my orders to follow your direddona, and
to use your endeavour to blockade the ports of that island, so as
to prevent any supplies getting in them for the French troops, as
well as to prevent the escape of the French ships now in that place.
The duties assigned to the Mediterranean fleet at this time are thus
stRtod in a letter from the Secretary to the Admiralty to Lord St. Yin-
cent, dated .3 October :
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1798 STATE OF AFFAIKS 169
* In tlie present state of aifairs in tlie Mediterranean their Lordships
conceive that the objects principally to be attended to hy the squadron
employed there, are :
* Ist The protection of the ooasts of Sicily, Naples, and the Adriatio,
and in the event of war being renewed in Itidy, an active co-operation
with the Austri ni and Neapolitan armies.
' ^ndly. The cuttiiiL; offall comrnunication hotween France and Eqypt,
that neither supplies nor reinforcements may be sent to the army at
Alexandria.
' 3rdly. The blocking-up of Malta, so as to prevent provisions from
being sent into it,
* 4thly. The co-operating with the Tnrkiflh and Russiaji aquadrons
which are to he sent into the Archipelagow'
Bv the Neapolitan courier, I am informed of the declaration of J. Spencer
" Smith 1
war of the Port« against the French. ... I have directed the
squadron blockading the transportB in Alexandria, to remain on
that service as long as possible, or till they are relieved by the
Turkish fleet. Part of my squadron sailed yesterday to blockade
Malta; myself and three sail of the line will also sail in three
days. Yon may assure the Grand Signior that I shall be happy
in co-operating to destroy the common enemy, who are the pest of
the human race. . . . Malta, Corfu, and those islands are my
object after Eg}pt, and therefore I liope ihat the Kussiau lleet will
be kept in the East; for if they establish themselves in the
Mediterranean, it will be a bad thorn in the side of the Porte.
Vanguard, Minotaur, Audacious, and (inliatli, sail on Saturday Lord
next ; Culluden will get away the week tuUuwing. I admit three i'oJt,*'*
weeks i.s a long time to refit a fleet after a battle, but when it is
considered that nearly every mast in the fleet has taken much
more time than if they had been new, that Naples Bay is subject
to a heavy swell, of whicli we have felt the inconvenience; and
that we go to sea victualled for six months, and in the highest
health and discipline, I trust some allowance will he made for
me. Every transport goes with me to Syracuse. Naples sees this
squadron no more, except the king calls for onr help, and if tiiey
go on, and lose the glorious moments, we may be called (or to save
the persons of their majesties.
[I wrote to you by the Leander] authorising you to add a para- Lord St.
graph to my pul)lic letter, if you tliouglit it more to the advantage ijJoS**
of Troubridge, but I thought it better to make no mention of his
d iii aster ; for I consider Captain Troubridge's conduct as lully en-
titled to praise as any one oflicer in the squadron, and as highly
I Minbter at GbnaUnHnople.
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170
LETTERS OF LOSD NELSON
1706
deserving reward, lie cuinmaniled a division equally with Sir
James Saamarez^ by my order of J ane ; and 1 should feel distressed
if any honour is granted to one, that is not granted to the other.
... I know the knight has wrote to the first lord, bat the
eminent Bervioes of our friend deaenre tbe ybej highest rewaidsu
I have experienced the ability and activity of his mind and body :
it was Tfonbridge that equipped the squadron so soon at Syracuse
— ^it was ke that exerted himself for me after the action — it was
Troubri^e who saved the Cnlloden, when none that I know in the
service wonld have attempted it — it was Troubridge whom I lefk
as my self at isaples to watch movements — he is, as a friend and
an oflficer, a nonpareil !
On 15 October, Nelson in the Vanguard, with Minotaur, Audacious^
Goliath, and Mutine biig in company, left Naples.
24 Oct This day, at noon, i cirrived off .Mailu, and joined the ^liii^uLi
de Niza, who very handsomely had shifted his Ihig from the Principe
to the Sebastian, in order t<^ continue the blockade, and U) j)errait
Colossus to proceed in tln' execution of your orders. The Principe
and Rainha being under the necessity of going to Naples to refit,
the marquis I have ordered to Naples, as now he is not wanted
here, to reBt, and be ready to act as the times may require, and
the King of Naples may wish him.
On 22 October, the Marrjuis de Niza had written to Lord Nelson,
representing that, as he was under Nekou'a orders, he ought to be con-
sidered as an admiral commanding an English squadron, ajid that the
oflElcers of a rank inferior to his ought to be under his orders, wheii
they weie not under Nelson's eye, adding : * I do not desire to have
the power to direct them in the smallest degree oontraiy to any com*
mands they may receive from you, or from any officer who is my senior;
T nioivly wish that they should liave tlie Siime deference for me that they
wouiti hhuw lo any officer of my rank who has the honour of serving
under you. It is not any persoiial coaHideration which has ur^ed me to
make this representation ; but it is my duty to prasenre the honour of
my nation, as well as my military rank and espiMsiaUy the good ol the
service and the support of discipline.'
This letter Nelson received on arriving off Malta, and at onoe replied:
llurqtiisde T am honoured with your Excellency's letter of this evening;
^Iq^i. and in my ])ublic situation I have the honour to ncqunint you,
that I consider your Excellency as an officer serving under my
command, and standing precisely in the same situation aa an
£nglish rear-admiral, junior to me; which is, having no power or
authority to give the smidlest order to any ship or vessel, but those
who I may think right to place, by order, under your command.
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BLOCKADE Ob' MALTA
171
To which, in a private note he added:
If your Excellency had recollected, I am confulent your know- 24 Oct.
ledge of service would not have occasioned you the trouble of
writiDg me a letter. On service with ub it ia necessary for the
conunander-in-chief, or the officer oommanding hj order from the
oommaiideivin-chief, to give the superior officer, when thought
right to detach, orders to take each ships and captains under
his command, and also an order for the captains of such ships to
ohey their superior officer serving under the oommander-in-<:hief or
detached commander. In ike present orders to your Excellency,
no ships are placed under your orders but those of her most
faithful Majesty.
Nelson now learned with astonishment that not the smallest supply
of arms or ammunition had been s<Mit from Sicily, although he had l)een
distinctly told by the Neapolitan minLsters, ' that the p^ovemor of Syra-
ciLse had orders to supply secretly the inhabitants of Malta with amis and
ammamtiofD, and that the officers were gone to Malta to encourage the
Maltese in their resistance agpunst the French ; ' and Gtoend Actcm had
declined his offer of transport^ assuring him that supplies had been
already sent.
When I come to Naples I can have nothing pleasant to say of sir w.
the conduct of his Sicilian Majesty's ministers towards the in- ^*o/.!j^"'
habitants of Malta, who wish to be under the dominion of their Off tuita.
legitimate sovemgn. The total neglect and indifference with
which they bave been treated, appears to me cruel in the extreme.
Had not the English supplied fifteen hundred stand of arms, with
bayonets, cartouch boxes, and ammunition, &c., and the marquis
supplied some few, and kept the spirit of these brave islanders
tVoni {ailing off, they mu.st long ago have bowed to the French
yoke. Could } on, my dear Sir William, have believed, after what
General Actoa and the Marquib de Ciallo had said in our various
conversations relative to this island, that nothintr had been sent
by the Governor of Syracuse secretly — was the word used to us —
or openly, to this island ? And X am fiirther assured that the
Governor of Syracuse never had any orders sent him to supply the
smallest article. I beg your Excellency will state this in confidence
to General Acton. I shall most assuredly tell it to the king.
And so, having given Captain Ball of tlie Alexander orders to take
the AudaciouSy Goliath, Terpsichore, and Incendiary under his command,
and to 'undertake a strict blockade of the island of Malta,' ' consulting
witii the Maltese delegates upon the best methods of distressing the
enemy,' and ' using every effort to cause them to quit the island, or oblige
them to capitulate ; ' and particular instructions, in the event of a
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172 LliTIKKS OF LOIO) NELSON 1786
capitulfttioii, to iiuut on the deliveiy of 'the French ihips GiuDume
Tdl, Diane, and Justice^' Nelson left Malta on the night of SO October,
and arrived at Naples on 6 November. On the 13th he commenced
a lonef letter to Lord Sj^cncer, which he continued on differrrit rlavs, till
the 18tli, and in which hedescrilKHl tl>e political situation in full detail;
bewailing tlie impossibility of stirring up the Neapolitans to active
measures: they u ould only say that they winlied tlie French to be aggivb
lors ; as if the openly and notoriously of^eotlng an enny to OTemn
Naples were not an aggression of the most serious nature. Th^ wen
also destitute of mon^.
y^^^ I see the fineRt country in the world full of resources, vet not
Spencer, •[
18 Not. enough to supply the public wants : all are plundering who can
get at public money or stores. In mj own line I can speak. A {
Neapolitan ship of the line would cost more than ten English ships |
fitting out. Five sail of the line must ruin the oountiy. Eveiy-
thing else is, I have no doabt^ going on in the same Bystem of |
thieying. I could give your Lordship so many ingtanceB of the
greatest mal-oonduct of persons in office, and of those veiy people
being rewarded. If money conld be placed in the pablic chest it
this moment, I believe it would be well used ; for the sad Uiing
in this country is, that although much is raided, yet very little
reaches the public chest.
Having taken 6,000 troops on board the ships of the English and
Portuguese squadrons, Nelson left Naples on 22 Novenil>er, and ancived
at Leghorn on the 28th. The place yielded to the first summons, and
was at once taken j)Ossession of. On the i3Uth, Nelson saile<l again for
Naples, leaving Niselli, the Neapolitan general, and Trouhridge in com- I
maud, not witliout some demur on the part of the captains of the Portu-
guese ships, who had the rank of commodore.
^ord I am 80 much in the habit of writing my mind fireely, that I
^^Sov'. cannot say what I wish in a stiff, formal letter. I am confident
L«i|iiom. ygiir Lorddiip will not expose me, should I occasionally write too
freely of what I see and know. Under this impression, I say thst
the I\>rtugaese squadron are totally useless. The Alaixjuis de
Niza lias certainly every good disposition to act well ; but he is
completely ignorant of yea affairs. 1 expect to hear ihey have all
had disasters, and that tliey are returned to Naples. All their
commanders are commodores, and it is ridiculous to hear them talk
of their rank, and of the impossibility of serving under any of my
brare and good captains. Yet these men are English.' I say
Kiza is by &r the best amongst them, and I shall keep up a good
harmony with him.
* Their nameft wero StoiM, Mitchell, and Campbell.
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1798 STATE OF NAPLES 173
I e3^pect dear Hood every moment from Egypt ; hiB proviaionfl ^rd st.
must be veiy short ; he deserves great credit for his peraeveranoe. e d^" '
I hope the good Turk will haye relieved him, bat the RnsBians ^M*^
seem to me to be more intent on taking ports in the Mediterranean
than destroying Bonaparte in Egypt.
I most heartily oongratnlate yon on the conquest of Minorca — Comre^
an aoqoiaition invalaable to Great Britain, and completely in wonb,
future prevents any movements from Toulon to the westward. My
situation in this country has had doubtless one rose, but it has
been plucked from a bed of thorns. Nor is my present state that
of e<%se ; and my health, at best but indifferent, has not mended
lately. Naplcii is just embark* d in a new war: the event, God
only knows; but, without the assistance of the Emperor, which is
not yet iriv<*n, this country cannot rt hist the power oi" France.
It is reported, and, indeed, is certain, that the Neapolitan Ciipt.
officers, and many of their men, are run away even at the sight of J n^c"*^^'
the enemy. As must ever be the case, several brave oflScers have
fiiUen. I know not the extent of the disaster, but I beUeve it is
very bad. Keep something veiy often at Leghorn, for I think it
very probable that I may be forced to send for you in a huny.
Eveiything you may send here, let them anchor cautiously if my
flag is not here.
I perfect^ agree with you that a delayed war on the part of "^ir Morton
the Emperor will be the destruction of this monarchy, and of ^Sio.
course to the new-acquired dominions of the Emperor in Italy.
Had the war commenced in September or October, all Italy would
St this moment have been liberated. This month is worse than
the last ; the next will render tlie contest doubtful, and in six
months, when the Neapolitan republic will be orp^anised, armed,
and with its numerous resources called forth, I will suffer to have
my head cut off, if the Kmperor is not only defeated in Italy, but
that he totters on his throne at Vienna.
The Neapolitan officers have not lost much honour, for God Lord
knows they have but little to lose : but they lost all they had. ^fiJ^J*
Mack has supplicated the king to f^al»re every man who ra?i from
CivitA Castellana to lionie. Ho has, we hear, torn off the epaulett^es
of some of these scoundrels, and placed them on good Serjeants.
I will, as briefly as I can, state the position of the army, and its
lost honour, for defeat they have had none. The right wing, of
t Minister at Vienna.
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174 LETTERS OF LOHD NELSON 1798
nineteen thonsand men, under General St. Philip and Michnnz
(who ran away at Toulon), were to ta]ce poet between Anoona and
Rome, to cut off all euppUes and communication. Near Fermo
they fell in with the enemy, about three thousand. After a tittle
distant firing, St. Philip adwiced to the French general, aod
returning to his men, said, * I no longer command you/ and was
going off to the enemy. A serjeant said, ^You are a traitor!
What! have you brt ii talking to the enemy ?' St. Philip replied,
'1 no loncifer comiuaiid you.' * Then you are an enemy?' and
levelling Ins inuskt t, sliot St. Philip throuirh the right arm. How-
ever, the enemy advanced ; he was amongst them. Micliaiix ran
away, as did all the infantr}-, and had it not been for the good
conduct of two regiments of cavalry, would have been destroyed.
So great was their panic, that cannon, tents, baggage, and military
chest — all were left to the French. Could you credit, but it is
true, that this loss has been sustained with the death of only forty
men?
Sir W. As I have been informed that tliis kingdom is invaded by a
ll^Dcli'^' formidable Frencli ariiiy, I think it my duty to acquaint your
Excellency, for the information of tlie Ent/Hsli niercliants and others
re?»idiiij^ at Naples, that the three English transports in tliis bay
have my directions to receive such efl'ects of the English as thry
can stow, and that the whole squadron is ready to receive their
persons, should such an event be found necessary as for them to
embark.
N.B. — I need not say that I mean valuable effects^ and not
household furniture. I also beg leave to recommend that anything
sent on board ship should be done with as little bustle and as
much secrecy as possible.
C«iJ^T«m. Things are in such a critical stat^ here, that I desire you will
16 Dec join me without one moment's loss of time, 1« aving the Terpsichore
Naplfli. Leghorn roads t^ bring off the Great Duke, should such a
nieiksure be nece.sgnr%'. . . . The king is returned here, and every-
thing is as bad as possible. For Gods sake make haste! Ap])rouch
the place with caution. Messina, probably, I shall be found at;
but you can inquire at the I>ipari Islands if we are at Palermo.
Comrt. Their Sicilian Majesties with their august family arrived in
safety on board the Vanguard last night at nine o'clock, feeling it
23 Dec s necessaiy measure in the present moment. You will therefore
acquaint all ships, that may be with you, of this circumstance,
that they may approach Naples with caution ; and if you have an
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BMBABKS TH£ BOYAL FA^LY
175
opportunity, pray tell Lord St. Vincent of this event when you
write, for I have no English veasel with me.
On the 22n(l, I wrote a line to Commodore Duckworth, telling Lord Sf.
him that the royal family of the Two Sicilies were safely embarked 2806©.''
on board the Vanguard, and requested him to take the first oppc^ FaitniKk.
tnni^ of acquainting your Lordship of this event. For many daya
previous to the embarkation it was not diflScnlt to foresee that such
a thing might happen ; I therefore sent for the Goliath from off
Malta^ and for Captain Tronbridge in the Cnlloden, and his
squadron fVom the north and west coast of Italy, the Vanguard
being the only ship in Naples Bay. On the 14th, the Marquis de
Niza, with three of tlie Portuguese squadron, arrived from Leg-
horn, as did Captain Hope in the Alcmtiiie from f^gypt : from this
time, the danger for the personal safety of their Sicilian ^Majesties
was daily increasing, and new treasons were found out, even to the
Minister of War. The whole correspondence relative to this im-
portant business was carried on with the greatest address by Lady
Hamilton and the queen, who being oonstantly in the habita of
oomspondence, no one could suspect. It would have been highly
imprudent in either Sir William Hamilton or myself to haye gone
to court, as we knew that all our morements were watched, and
even an idea by the Jacobins of arresting our persons as a hostage
(as they foolishly imagined) against the attack of Naples, should
the French get possession of it. Lady Hamilton, from this time
to the 21st, every night received the jewels of the royal family, &c.
&c., and such clothes as mij^ht be necessarj' for the very large
party to embark, to the amount, I am confident, of full two millions
five hundred thousand pounds sterling. On the 18th, General
Mack wrote that he had no prospect of stopping the progress of
the French, and entreated their Majesties to think of retiring from
Naples with their august family as expeditiously as possible. All
the Neapolitan navy were now taken out of the mole, consisting of
three sail of the line and three frigates : the seamen from the two
sail of the line in the bay left their ships and went on shore : a
party of English seamen with officers were sent from the Vanguard
to assist in navigating them to a place of safety. From the 1 8fh,
various plans were formed for the removal of the royal fcuiiily from
the palace to the water-side ; on the 19th, T received a note from
General Acton, saying, that the king approved of my plan for their
embarkation ; this day, the 20th and 2l8t, very large asseinl)lie3
of people were in commotion, and several people were killed, and
one dragged by the legs to the palace. The mob by the 20th
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176
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1708
were very unruly, and insisted the royal family should not leave
Naples ; hawever, tliey were pacified by the king and queen speaking
to them. . . .
On tli*^ 21st, at 8,30 p.m. three barges with myhelf and Captain
Ifnpe, laiiilrd at a corner of the ar'^eiml. I went into the palace
and brought (uit the whole royal I'ainily, put fhnu into the boats,
and at 9.3U tliey wore all safely on board the \' anguard, when I
gave immediate notice to all British merchants that their persona
would l)e received on board every and any ship in the squadron,
their effects of value being before embarked in the three English
transports who were partly unloaded, and I had directed that all
the condemned provisions should be thrown overboard, in order to
make room for their effects. Sir William Hamilton had also
directed two vessels to be hired for the accommodation of the
French emigrants, and provisions were supplied from our victual-
lers; ill short, everj'thing had been done for the comfort of all
persons embiirked.
I did not f( trivet, in these important moments that it was my
duty not to leavo the clianc** of any ships of war falliiifi' into the
hands of the I'n nch, thei-efore every preparation was niad<> for
burning them before I sailed; but the reasons given me by their
Sicilian Majesties induced me not to burn them till the la«t
moment. I, therefore, direct.ed the Marquis de Niza to remove all
the Neapolitan ships outside the squadron under his command,
and if it was possible, to equip some of them with jury masts and
send them to Messina ; and whenever the French advanced near
Naples, or the people revolted against their legitimate Government,
immediately to destroy the ships of war, and to join me at Palermo,
leaving one or two ships to cruise betwrcTi Tapri and Iscliia in
order to prevent the entrance of any English sliip into the B.iy of
Naples. On tlie Jord, at 7 P.M., the Vanguard, Sannite, and
Archimedes, with alxmt twenty sail of vessels left the Bay of
Naples; the next day it blew harder than I ever exjierienced since
I have been at sea. Your liordship will believe that my aiudety
was not lessened by the great charge that was with me, but not a
word of uneasiness escaped the lips of any of the royal fiunily.
On the 25th, at 9 A.M., Prince Albert^ their Majesties* youngest
child, having eat a hearty breakfast, was taken ill, and at 7 F.BC.
died in the arms of Lady Hamilton ; and here it is my duty to tell
your Lordship the obligations which the whole rojral family as well
as myself are under on this trying occasion to her Ladyship. They
necessarily came on board wiihout a bed, nor could the least pre-
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urn
THE RETREAT TO PALERMO
177
paratiou be made for their reception. Lady Ilarnilton provided
her own l>ed«. linen, &:c., and became tlieir slave ; for except one
man, no person beloii^^nnnr to royalty assisted the royal family, uor
did her Ladysliip enter a bed the wliolo time they were on board.
Good Sir William also made every sacriHce for the comfort of the
august family embarked with him. I must not omit to state the
kindnefis of Captain Hardy and every officer in the Vanguard, all
of whom readily gave their heds for the convenience of the numerous
persons attending the royal family.
At 3 P.M., being in sight of Palermo, his Sicilian Majesty's
royal standard was hoisted at the main-top-gallant*mast head of
the Vanguard, which was kept flying there till his Majesty got into
the Vanguard's barge, when it was struck in the ship and hoisted
in the baigt', and every proper honour paid to it from the shij).
As soon as his Majesty set his fcx^t on shore, it was struck from
the barge. The VaiiLfuard an< liored at 2 A.M. of the 26th ; at 5,
1 attendeil her Majesty and all the princesses on shore; her Majesty
being so much alt'ected by the death of Prince Albert that she
could not bear to go on shore in a public manner. At 9 a.m. his
Majesty went on shore, and was received with the loudest acclami^
tions and apparent joy.
I have been honoured with your letter, from off Malta, with its sir Sidney
several inc1oBni«: viz. An extracts . letter from Lorf G««yille .^i;^
to John Spencer Smith, Esq. &c., * And his Majesty has been P«tennor
graciously pleased to direct that your brother. Sir Sidney Smith,
shall proceed to Constantinople, with the 80-gun ship, Le Tigre.
j His instructions will enable him to take the eonimand of such of
i liis ^[ajesty's sliqts us lie may find in those seais, unless, by any
unforeseen accident, it should lia])[)('n that t1)«'r<^ slionld be among
them any of his Majesty's oflicera of superior rank j and he will be
directed to act with such Ibrce, in conjunction with the Russian
and Ottoman squadrons, for the defence of the Ottoman Empire,
and for the annoyance of the enemy in that quarter.' Also an
extract of another letter firom Lord Grenville to yourself and
brother. And Earl St. Vincent having sent me an extract of a
letter from Earl Spencer to him, saying that, for certain circmn-
Btanoes, you should be the officer selected for the command of a
small squadron in the Levant se^ ; and his Lordship having also
iufonned me that Captain .Miller was the oflicer of your choice, and
desiring me to give you a frigate, or a slooji of war, till Captain
Millers arrival, you may rest absured that I bhall most strictly
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17b LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1798-0)
comply with the instructions sent by Lord Grenville to your
brother : also those of Earl Spencer and Earl St. Vincent. For
this ])urpo6e I must desire that yon will lose no time in proceeding
to Alexandria, to take tipon you the command of the blockade, &c.,
which 1 shall direct to be delivered up to you : and, from my heart,
T wish you ever}' success. Tiie united pqniuirons of Turks and
Uusbiaus, and of two sail of the line undtM- your coinnuiiid, must be
siifTi('i(»nt for tin' two ships ormcs en jh''f>\i\n(\ three friirfitvs. wliich,
thank (xod, are all the enemv have left in those seas. 1 have the
honour to be, Sir, your ninsf n]>edient senrant^ Nelsox.
I nrd St. ^fy dear Lord, — I do teel, for 1 am a man, that it is im-
SllSfc** possible for me to sr rvo in these seas, with the squadron under a
junior officer. Could X have thought it ! — and finom Earl Spencer !
Never, never was I so astonished as yonr letter made me. As soon
as I can get hold of Troubridge, I shall send him to Egypt, to
endeavour to destroy the ships in Alexandria. If it can be done,
Troubridge will do it. The Swedish knight * writes Sir William
Hamilton, that ho shall go to Eg} pt, and take Captain Hood and
hiji s(|ii!iilrnn under his cnmniaud. The knight forgets the re>j>»'ct
due to hi^ suix riur otliter : he has no ordei*s from von to take niv
ships away iVoin my roniuiand ; l)ut it is all of a piccr. Is it to
be borne? J^ray grant me your permission to retire, and 1 hop<^
the Vanguard will l)e allowed to conv(»y me and my Mends, Sir
Willinin and T.ady Hamilton, to England. God bless you, my
dear Lord, nnd believe me your most affectionate friend, NELSON.
I Having left the command of the two sail of the line in the
1 JaiTnoa, ^vant seas to Sir Sidney Smith, than whom, I dare say, no one
could be so proper — Commodore Dnckworth will ably, I am sore,
watch Toulon, for I shall veiy soon, I hope, be able to send him
one or two sail of the line ; and Captain TVtrabridge, or some other
of my brave and exc+^llent commanders, being left to guard Sicily
and the coast of Italy, T trust I shall not be thouLdit hasty in
asking permission to i< ium to Enghuul lor a lew niontlis, to gather
a little of that ease otid r|ui('t 1 lia\ «' so long Ikh-u a stranger to.
Captain Troubridge goes directly to Eg\-pt, to deliver up to Sir
Sidney Smith the blockade of Alexandria, and the defimee of the
Ottoman Empire by sea ; for I should hope that Sir Sidney Smith
will not take any ship from under my command, without my orders ;
although Sir Sidney, rather hastily in my opinion, writes Sir
William Hamilton, that Captun Hood naturally fiills under his
orders. I am probably considered as having a great force ; but I
* Sir Sidney Smith, Knight Qxand Cross o£ the Order of the Sword of Sweden.
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KOe FB£NCH INVASION NAPI^S 179
always desire it to be understood, that I count the Portuguese as
nothing but trouble.
Although, from the custom of our service, you would of course rommdre.
fall under the orders of every captain senior to yourself, yet, as I portug,||^
cau not yet comprehend your rank, and this not beiii"' a time to «hip Saint
enter on that subject, 1 diri'ct vou thrrrfon*, if vou cannot bv tlio 6J«d.
rules of your service put yourself under the coinnumd of a very old
and respectable otficer, Captain Louis, that you will co-operate with
Captain Louis in the service he is ordered upon on the coast of
Italy towards Let»hom, and you will remain on this service until
further orders from me, or Captain Louis's consent for your
leaving it.
Althoncfh I could not think the Neapolitans to l>e a nation of Lieut.-G«a.
warriors, yet it wa« not possil)h' tn heli^'ve that a kingdom with Minorca,
50,0OU troops, and good-look iuLT young men, could have been over- p^^^^
run by 12,000 men, without anything which could be called a battle.
Certainly not 100 Neapolitans have been killed; but such things
are, if I am not dreaming. Poor Mack came on board the
Vanguard on the 23rd. My heart bled for him : he is worn to a
shadow. On the Srd, at night, 8,000 French attempted to force
Mack's lines at Capua, in which were 2d,000 men. They did not
succeed ; this is all we know. I do not flatter myself that all that
remains are good men and true. I pray tht^y may be. The nobles
of Naples — I speak as the queen teUs me — are endeavouring to
negotiate a truce or peace with the French, and [have] offered ^
to exclude the present king frcmi the throne, and to form a republic -^jjf
under French protection. There is another ]i:(rty who wish the
Duke of Parma's son, who is married to a Spani^iii princess, sliould
be king under Fi*cnch and Spanish protection. How it will endi
God only knows !
Aiiiongsit the many letters of congratulation which were showered
on Kelson at this period, the following from Lord Howe, dated
Ontfton Street, 3 October, 1798, has a peculiar interest, the Jmore so
from its being written so ^ort a time before Howe's death on 5 August^
1799.
'Sir, — The' consciou.<« liow many letters of contrnitnlation you are
likely to receive by thi^ s:iiue conveyance, on the suhject of your
despatches by Captnin Cap<t?i, I trust you will forgive tlie additional
trouble of my compliments on this singular occasion, not less remark*
able for the skill, than cool judgment testified under the considenble
disadvantages in the superior force and situation of the enemy, which
you liad to surmount. I am, with great esteem, Sir, your most
obedient servant, Howe.'
if
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180 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1700
Ou this letter JSelbon with his owu hand noted, on -L June,
1799 :
Sir Edward Berry informed Lord Xclson th.it on mcrtinL' Lord
Howe BOOQ after the battle of the Nile, his Lordship said, ^ It stood
nnparalteled, and singular in this instance, that every captain dis-
tingoished himself/ Ue spoke very handsomely, in eveiy respect,
about it.
His immediate answer was :
l^rd ^Iv Lord, — It was onlv this mom«^nfc that I had the inv^aluable
sJan* ap|iroli:il i'ui of the giv:it, tlie iinmortul Kjirl Howe — an honour the
Palermo. most ilat 1 1 l i iicf a nea-oflicer could receive, as it coiue.s from the
first aiitl greatoat M-a-ollirer the vvorhl has ever pn ttliiccfl. T had
the liap])iness to command a baud uf brothers ; thereiure, night was
to mv advantaiife. Each knew his dutv, aud I vvas sure each would
feel for a French ship. By attacking the enemy's van and centre,
the wind blowing directly along their liiK , I was enabled to tlm^w
what force I pleased on a few ships. This plan my friends readily
conceived by the signals (for which we are principally, if not
entirely, indebted to your Lordship), and we always kept a saperior
force to the enemy. At twenty >eight minntes past six, the sun in
the horis&on, the firing commenced. At five minutes past ten, when
L'Orient blew up, having burnt seventy minutes, the six van ships
h;ul surrendered. I then pressed further towards the n ar ; <ind
li;ul it pleased Gud that I had not been wdumlcd ajul stone l)Iind.
tlicn- caimul be a (l<'ul>l but that every ship \\oul<l have been in
our possession. But here let it nut be supposed, thnt nny riffict^r
is to blame. Ko; on my honour, 1 am satisfied each did liis very
l>est. I have never befow, my Lord, detailed the action to anyone;
but X should have thought it wrong to have kept it from one who
is our great master in naval tactics and bravery. May I presume
to present my veiy best respects to Lady Howe, and to Lady Maiy ;
and to beg that your Lordship will believe me ever your most
obligecl, Nelson.
Lords Gen<'nil Acton has just sent me notice, that General Pignatelh
j'*n. ^''^^ signed an armistice with the iVench, in which the n:iuie uf the
king is not menticmed, and that his Majesty Iims entirely disap-
proveil of this jnoceeding ; and also that the Liguriun Hepul)]ic liaJ
declared war against his Sicilian ^Majesty. What may arista tVom
day to day is perhaps dilUcult to say, but unless some great change
of measures, in my opinion, Sicily will soon be in great danger.
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1799
Till: l lilCNC il AT NAPLES
181
Commodore Campbell is just arrived from Naples. He has
burned tlie Neapolitan ships before the time specified in m^
orders to the Marqnis de Niza, of which the king has com-
plained to me, and I have entirely dtsapprored of Commodore
Campbell in this matter. The French are in full possession
of Capiia, and come to Xaple.s as a tVieiidly place. If I get a
copy of the articles before Captnin Hope sails, I shall send
tbern. In this new case, 1 liave offered to go to the Bay of
Kaples myself, but both the king and queen have so seriously
pressed me not to move, that I cannot do it; they have fears;
and have confidenm in me, for their safelv. Sicilv h in this
state— free from Jacobins, hate t]i(^ French, love the English, and
discontented with their present sitoation.
When Malta is finished, yon shall go down when yon please. ^^^''^
We have a report here that a Rnssian ship has paid yon a visit,
with proclamationfi for the island. I hate the Russians, and if she
came from their aduiiral at Corfu, he is a bhickguard. Respecting
the situation of Malta with the King of Naples, it is this — lu* is
the legitimate sovereign of the island: therefore, 1 am of opinion
his fhig should fly. At the same time, a Neapolitan garrison wouhl
betray it to the hrst man who would bribe him. I am sure the
king wonld have no difliiculty in giving his sovereignty to England ;
and I have lately, with Sir William Hamilton, got a note that
Malta should never be given to any power without the consent of
England,
Naples was perfectly quiet on the 18th. The provisional
government is placed by the people, in the hands of three very
gallant, and, fame says, loyal officers. All are turned out and
obliged to fly who made the infamous armistice with the French.
But, alas ! here is no energy in the government to profit of favour-
able moments. The mob to-day hjyal, may to-morrow turn the
contrftr^^ The Portuguese have, contrary to my orders, destroyed
the Neapolitan navy. Tliis caused much anger, both with the king
and peoph^ of all descriptions.
8ir Sidney Smith, from a letter he wrote Earl St. Vincent, off si Jan.
Malta, has given great offence, having said that he presumed all
the ships in the Levant being junior to him, he had a right to take
them under his command. His Lordship has in consequence given
him a broad hint, and has taken him down very handsomely ; and,
to prevent any further mistakes of this kind, has ordered Sir Sidney
to put himself immediately under my command, which I suppose
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182
LETTERS OF LORD KELSON
1799
the great plenipo will not like. However, he has bionght this
upon himself.
Parker,
My health is such that without a great alteration, I will venture
to say a very short space of time will send luc to that bourne from
whence none return ; but God's will be done. After tho action I
had nearly fell info n (loclinc, l)ut at Naples my invaluable frieuds
Sir William aud Lady iianiilton nursed and set me up again. I
am worse than ever : my spirita have received such a shock that
I think they cannot recover it.
Lord St
Viaocnt,
8F«U
Capr. Ball,
4 Feb.
Comir.dre.
Duck-
worth,
« t'eb.
The Incendiary ia just come from Ball, off Malta, and haa
brought me information that the attempt of the storming the city
of Valetta had failed, from (I am afraid I must call it) cowardice.
They were over the first ditch and retired — damn them ! But I
trust the zeal, judgment, and braver)^ of my friend iiuil mid hia
gailaut party will overcome all ditliciilty.
Althoucrh J re^rn^t that the malcoiiduet of tlif Maltese has caiiNed
the enter])risi' to fail, yet I trust that at a future day it will succeed.
I am satisfied, my dear friend, tluit you and your brave companions
have done all which was possiljle to do. Respecting the com
wanted for Malta, I wrf >f«' yesterday to General Acton, and received
the answer, of which I inclose you a copy. This evening I saw
the king, and he is exceedingly angry to think that his iaithfiil
Maltese subjects should want for any comforts or necessaries which it
is in lus power to bestow. I would wish you to send over to Girgenti
or Alicata, in order to secure the safe arrival of the com in Malta.
As the Vesuvian Republic is formed under the protection of
the French, there can be no doubt that it is at war with Great
Britain : therefore, the prope rty of all tho^e who liave nut
left this new stat<*, ought to be good and lawful prize, (iaeta,
and the coast to Naples, and nastellamare, with tlie islands
of Ischia, Procida, and Gapri, have flying the new flag
l' Yellow
j Hcd
; Blue
or
fll Salerao has not yet joined, nor «iy of the
coast of Calabria. I have given orders here to seize all vessels
belonging to tlu3 above-mentioned places. . . .
Everything is wanting for the defence of this countiy and
GaLabria ; and a messenger goes off this day for Vienna to point
out their deplorable situation ; but if the emperor will not act^
both Sicily and Sardinia must belong to the French.
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]'00 THE VESUVIAN REPUBLIC
183
I well know yonr own goodness of heart will make all due
aQowanoes for my present sltaation, and that^tmly I liave not the 9 pck'
time or power to answer all the letters I receive at the moment ;
but you, my old friend, after twenty-seven years' acquaintance know
that nothing can alter my attachment and gratitude to you : J luive
been vour scholar : it is von who taiiirlit me to board a Frencluiuin,
by your conduct when m the Experiment;' it is you who always
told me, * Lay a Frenchman close, and you will beat him,' and my
only marit in my profession is being a good scholar.
Whatever has been the result of your expedition to Egypt, I Cart.
am confident it is such as will do yon credit ; and if you, and my bridm
other brave friends, are well in health, aU is well« Yon will find ^
that I have ordered all our transports from Syracuse to Palermo ;
for, ill truth, I do not think this country safe from the iufectiou
which has s})reitd it«elf over Calabria, and yet I am certain the
Sicihans hate the French. I am anxious for the safety of Messinji ;
for until the tri-C(»h>ured tlag fly there, 1 am in [no] fear for the
rest of the island : therefore, T wish you to go to Messina, ajiproaeh-
ing it with caution. Look at its state, and if you think that ^UO
good marinea can be raised from the ships with you, and that they
may be of great use in defence of the citadel, I would have you
land them for the use of the citadel, under the command of Major
Oldfield) or the senior marine officer with you, if he is equally good.
I would have you remain at Messina till you can hear from me,
Iceepuig three ships with yon. ... I wish the great Sir Sidney
Smith may return with you ; for I hope he will not be wanted in
the T^vant, and we want him here. It had been my intt'ntion,
provided the citadel could liave betMi defended by 1,2<M) nieu, to
liaTe put you and some of my brave tViend.s into it with seamen
and marines ; but as 3,000 are neeeRsary for its defence, it is
beyond ray power. We can only do our best to serve the good
cause, and hope the great powers will not sufier this fine island to
lall to the French, The Russians, we know, are in the Tyrol, and
1 hope the Germans will join them on their entering Italy, when
the French yet may be drove out of the kingdom of Naples.
Tlie appointment of Sir Sidney Smith to a send- independent com-
Qiaud had been, ail along, a source of much annoyance to Kelson ; the
' Captain Locker was first lienteDant of the Bxperiment of 2o iiuus, r<mi-
laanded hy Captain Sir Jolin Strachan, on 19 June, J 757. wlu n she ft 11 in with
T^l^maquCf a French ship of 26 gims, which was boarded and cairied by the
Kxperiment*B men led hj Mr. Locker.
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184 LETT£ItS OF LORD NELSON 1700
more so, h\ reason of the vanity hikI aKsum|ttion which %ven» marked
features of Sir Sidnoy's charact<»r. Tliis aiiiios aiifo is expressed iu many
letters, especially to Lord St. Vincent, wlio was scarcely less displeitsed
than Nelson himself, not only at the manner of Sii' Sidney's ap|X)intnient,
which was a miiiisterial blander, but at Sir Sidney's arrogance and
singular want of tact.
LotA St The arrival of the Bonne Citovenne enables me to send the
8 Mweb. ministers' .letters from Constantinople ; but, in trnth, I am at a
loss to guess when Sir Sidney Smith writes to me as minister or
captain in the navy ; as the latter, they are highly indecent to
write to an officer of my rank. Yon will agree with me, that the
manner of saying the same thing makes it proper or otherwise ;
but Sir Sidney's dictatorial way of writing is what I never before
met with. I shall , my Lord, keep a sufficient force iu the Levant
for the pervice required of us, but not a ship for Captain Smith's
parade and uonsense — Commodore Smith — 1 beg his pardon, for he
wears a broad pennant — has he any orders for this presumption
over the heads of so many good and gallant officers with me ? ^
Whenever Sir Sidney Smith went on board the Tigre in state, as
he caUs it, the royal standard was hoisted at the masthead, and
twenty-one gnns fired. The Turks, however, who love solid sense
and not frippery, see into the knight, and wonder that some of Sir
Sidney's superiors were not sent to Constantinople : but I have
done with the knight.
God bless you, and ever believe me your affectionate NELSON.
Sir w. s. Sir, — have received your letters of 23 Januar}', and ot" 0, 1 0, 23
Ii MAreh February. Your situation as joint-minister at the Porte makes it
absolutely necessary that T should ki uw who writes to me — there-
fore, 1 must direct you, whenever you have ministerial affairs to
comniunicate, that it is done jointly with your respectable brother,
and not mix naval business with the other, for what may be very
proper language for a representative of majesty, may be very
subversive of that diacipline of respect from the different ranks
in our service. A representative may dictate to an admiral — a
captain of a man-of-war would be censured for' the same thing ;
therefore you will see the propriety of my steering clear between
the two situations. I have sent you my orders, which yonr
abilities as a sea-officer will lead yon to punctually execute. Not
a ship more than the service requires shall be kept on any particular
' Lord St. Vinrciit wrote in rei-ly, on 28 April, that Sir Sidney Smitli liad
DO authority to wear a di.stinguisiiiiig pennant, unles.'* Nelson had sriven it;
and lie expressed in strong terms his disapprobation of Sir Sidney's letters to
hoard Nelion. and of the ' bombast ' in those to Earl Spencer.
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i:ou CASE or siu sidney smith 185
Btatioa ; and that number mast be left to my jadgment, as an
admiral commanding the squadron detached by the commander-in*
chief to the extent of the Black Sea. I shall of course kee[) ii| a
proper communication with the Turkish and Russian admirals,
which no captain of a man-of-war under ray orders must interfere
in. 1 am, Sir, your very humble her\'ant, Nelson.
So far as Nelson was concerned, the difficulty was settled by the
lollowing letter from Lord Spencer, dated 12 March :
* On the subject of Sir Sidney Smith, there must certainly o heen
souie \erv i,'r«'ut ini.suii(l»'r.staiuliiit:, as it never was our intention here
that hv siiould cousider himself as a commandcr-irt-chief, or that ho
should be authorised to take a single gunboat even from under your
commaDd without your orders. He was sent to serre in the Mediter-
ratiesn fleet, and, of course, undor your command, as well as that of
every other officer senior to him under Lord St. Yincrnt ; but from the
circiimstanco of his connection with tho kind's TuiTiist^r at the Ottoman
Porte, anfl Ida own acquaintance with scN cral ot the principal persons at
Constantinople, it was judged advisable by government to join his name
in the full powers which had Ijeea granted to his brother, to conclude a
treaty with that court, and Lord St. Yincent was accordingly directed
to send him up in the first instance to Constantinople, as the very
uncertain state of the Continent, at the time he received his orders for
sailing, made it not improbable that he might arrive there before the
courier overland. He was, however, most s]>pcifi( ally and pointedly
told by nie, before his departure, that he would most probably find
senior otficers to him in the Levant, and I had not the most distimt
idea of his being any otherwise considered than under your Lordship's
orders, which I understand from Lord St. Yincent he haS since heen
more r^guhirly informed of, by an order from him/
At nine o'clock I was most agreeably surprised with the appear* Lord St.
ance of General Stuart, who has brought with him 1,000 English i
troops. This condact of the general most assuredly demands the Wenno.
wannest gratitude from his Sicilian Majesty, and I luive no doubt
but Sir Charles will experience it. This goodness reflects on him
the iii^'liest liononr. He has probably, by his quick decision, not
only savtd this kingdom, but may be the instrument of driving the
French out of Naples.
Captain Troubridge arrived here last evening, and has delivered H''.^^'- ^
to me all the papers he received from jou, amongst which I see a isMft'rch.
form of a passport ; and Captain Troubridge tells me it was your
intention to send into Alexandria^ that all French ships might pass '
to France. Now, as this is in direct opposition to my opinion,
which is, never to suffer any one individual Frenchman to quit
Egypt, I must therefore strictly charge and command you, never ^
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186 LFl lERS OF LORD NELSON 1799
to give any French ship or man leave to quit Egypt. And I most
also desire that you will oppose by every means in yonr power any
permission which may be attempted to be given by any foreigner,
admirali general, or other person: and you will acquaint those
persons, that I shall not pay the smallest attention to any such
passport after your notiiication ; and you are to put iny orders iu
force, not on aii} pretence to permit a f^ingle Frenchman tjo leave
Eirvpt. Of course, you will give these orders to all the shipa
under your commaud.
The following is (he form of passport referred to :
' Do par le Chevalier Sidney Smitu, Grand Croix de I'Ordre Boyal
et Militaire de l'Ep<^e de SuMe, Ministre Pl^nipotentiaire de 8a M AJBSTib
Britawiqt'e pn s la PORTB Ottomanb et Ch^ de son Escadra dans les
Mers du J>'\aiit.
*Tous Aiiiiiuux, OtWraux et Otliciers, tant Militaires que Civils de
Sa Majkst^ Bkitansk^ue, ceux de ses Allies et dei» ruibbanc^ amies,
sent pri^ de laisser Ubroment et sftrement passer le nomm^ ig6
de . . . , ana, taille de . . . . cheveuz et Bourcils .... yeux ....
nes .... bouche .... visag** .... aUant k et de lui
pret^r aide et assistance en cas de besoin, poor poursuivre sa destination.
Bon pour .... mo is.
* Donne a bord du Vaissej^u de Sa Majestk le . , , ,
'.A'o ce
' Signature du porteur. ' W. Sionbt Smith.
* Par ardrCf
* John Keith, Secretary*
Lot \ St. Troubridge arrived from Egypt the 16th. I am endeavouring^
ao'ujTch. to do little matters for his squadron, but we have not a store to give
PaieniM. ^^^^ j know youT wauts. A squadron, under Troubridge,
goes directly into the Bay of Naples. I wish first to take the
island of Procida, which will secure tolerable anchorage, and
eflRdctually blockade Naples. It must, also, have the effect of pre-
venting the French from detacbinL' any troops from Naples to the
IVovincea, who are all lovul. Tiu- (\jurt trlls me that twelve
thousand Russians and fifteen thousand Turkt? are ready to cross
the Adriatic, to lunil in t lie kinnfdom of Naj)les ; if so, our squadron
will create a powerful diversion. Sir William Sidney Smith has
the blockade of Alexandria entrusted to him. I send you copies
of my letters to him : for the vict/)ry of the Nile would in my
opinion be useless if any ship or Frenchman is suffered to return to
Europe. I hope you will approve of my conduct ; for as a captain
to an admiral, either Sir Sidney Smith or myself must give way.
Troubridge could not destroy the transports by shells, as all the
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im CASE OF SIR SIDNEY SMITH 187
mortars burst and six Are-ships were lost in a gale of wind.
Besides, Alexandria is now so well fortified, that it will be a very
difficult matter to take it, unless the plague thin their ranks.
Bonaparte is at Cairo, not more than sixtwn thousand strong.
He must and will fall sooner or lat. r, if 8ir »Siduey does not allow
him to retreat bv sea. As to iii\ »eU', 1 am at times ill at mv ease,
but it is my duty to sniHiut, aud you may be sure I shall not (juit
my post wit liout absolute necessity. It* the emperor moves, 1 hop©
yet to return the royal family to Nn])les.
The ambassador of Bonaparte [lias been] intercepted by my W. Wjrnd.
friend Troubridge, on his way to Constantinople, and amongst other sfuireh.
articles of his instructions is a very important one — ^viz. an offer
to enter on terms for his quitting Egypt with his army. This offer
is what I have long expected the glorious battle of the Nile would
produce ; but it was my determination from that moment never, if
I could help it, to permit a single Frenchman to quit Egypt.
Captain Sir William Sidney Smith, who has the present com-
mand of the squadron off Alexandria, I have reason to believe,
think.s ditr»*reiitly from me, and will grant passports for the return
of tliat part of the French anny winch God Alitiip-hty permits to
n-Tiiain. I have, tlierefore, thouglit it highly proper to send Captain
Sir Sidney Smith the order of which I transmit a copy ; for I
consider it nothing short of madm ss to permit that band of thieves
to return to Europe. No ; to Egypt they went with their own
consent, and there they shall remain whilst Nelson commands the
detached squadron ; for never, never, will he consent to the return
of one ship or Frenchman.
Whereas it is of the utmost importance that the city ^md towns Capt,
in the Bay of Naples should be immediately blockaded to prevent utiT^,
iha French forces in those places from getting any supplies of corn og 'M*fr^
or other articles by sea, and it being expedient that an otlicer of I'nitrino.
your distingniphed merit and abilities should command the block-
ade, in order to rentier it the more effectual. v<»u are hereby required
and directed to take under your command tiic [Minotaur, Zealous,
Swiftsure, Seahorse, Perseus bomb, and El Corso sloop,] embarking
on board them the governor of Procida and two hundred troops, as
also such officers as are ordered by his Sicilian Majesty to embark
with them, and proceed to the Bay of Naples. And it being necessary
that the squadron employed on this service should have some safe
anchorage, the more effectually to carry on the said blockade, and
the island of Procida affording the anchorage desired, you will use
your endeavours to seize and get possession of the said island of
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1S8 LETTERS OF rX)RD NELSON 1700
Plrocida, if possible, and reinstate the governor in tlie command
thereof, and using every means in your power to conciliate the
affections of the loyal part of the inhabitant-s ; and also those of
the islands of Ischia and Capri, and, if possible, bring them to their
former allegiance ; and also to communicate with the loyal inhabi-
tants of Naples, as much as is in your power and by every oppor-
tunity ; bnt by no means to fire upon the city without further
(•rdt'is i'vuui inn, or circumstances render it necessarj' to fire on
suine parts of it, in cu.se of the loyal taking anus ai^ainst the French.
And yon will use every effort to prevent all supplies of com, or
other articles, from entering tin- l ity and ports in the Bay of Naples ;
and also of Gaeta and its vicinity, and along the Roman coast to
Civitil Vecchia. And as it is said the Ponza Islands continue in
their allegiance to his Sicilian ^fajesty, you will direct that all
protection and assistance may be given to them, should they stand
in need. And you will consider that every means is to be used
not only by yourself, but by sll those under your conmiand, to
communicate with the inhabitants on all the northern coast of the
kingdom of Naples and the islands before mentioned, and as much
as in your power to cultivate a good understanding with them and
conciliate their affections, in order tu induce tlx in ton turn to their
allegiiUicc to hi?^ Sicilian Majesty, nrul totaki^ Mrnis t*>lil)erate their
country fi*om French tyranny and oppressive contributions.
T. r i The possession of Malta by England would be a useless and
i'/iprft enormons e\-i:)ense ; yet any expense should be incurred, rather than
let it remain in the hands of the French. Therefore, as I did not
trouble myself about the establishing again the Order of St. John
at Malta, Sir William Hamilton has the assurance from his Sicilian
Majesty that he will never cede the sovereignty of the island to
any power, without the consent of his Britannic Majesty. The
poor islanders have been so grievously oppressed by the order, that
many times liave we been pressed to accept of the island loi* Great
Britain ; and 1 know if we had, bis Sicilian Majesty would have
been contented. But, as 1 said before, I attach no value to it
for us.'
The Bashaw of Tripoli, having made a treaty with Bonaparte,
on 24 February, and received a present of a diamond, I wrote him
' Nicolag considers ttiis opiuiou extraordinary. But all the later operations
of the war shuwcnl clearly enough that, as againat France or Spain, Minorca or
Surdiuia was itifinitdy profi mblp n>- a pUice d'armet, in the days when the over-
land route or tiuGz Canal, steam and cooling stations* wore unknown and uo-
dreamt of.
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1700 TaOUBRIDQE IN TH£ HAY OF NAPL£S 189
a letter on the subject, and sent it by the Vanguard ; Oapfaiii
Hardy brouglit me back a letter of pi*omise of future good
conduct. . . .
Being sensible that a close blockade of Xnplea with the larrrost
force 1 ooold collect, must prevent any French troops from being
sent against the Italian annies (as they are called) in the Pro-
vinces, I sent my friend Troubridge, with five sail of the line, on
this service, and directed him to use every means in his power
to take Ptocida, in order to secure the anchorage : he sailed on the
Slst tiHimo. Yesterday I had the most satisfactory letters from
him, of his complete possession of all the islands in the Bay of
Naples, and of his getting possession of all Jacobin iininu ipality,
oliRtTs. Some well-tinK'<l and speedy pimishmonts will have
the happiest effects. The French are not ninr<- than 2.000 troops in
Naples, and about 2,000 civic troops; the last are weathercocks,
and will always be on the side of the contjueror. We are anxious
for the promised succours of iius&ian troops ; 10,000 would possess
Naples in twenty-four hoars.
As leudiu;; to a con rrt cstiiiiiite of sifter events in the Bay of Naples,
iji which Nelson s conduct lias iieen much criticised, Troii bridge's letters
at this time have an extreme importonoe, independent of their great
historical interest. On 3 April he wrote :
*I£ the nobility were men of principle and of respectaljility, it would
be easy to get the Neapolitiin soldiers and militia to declare for their
king. I wish we had a few thousand Knglish troops : I would
have the King of Naples on his throne m forf v-t ight horn's. I beg
your Lordship will particularly recommeiul ( apt am Chianchi ; he is a
fine hardy seaman, a good and loyal suljject, desirous of doing every-
thing for the welfare his country. If the navy of the E ing of Naples
had heen composed of such men, the people would never have revolted.
I have a villain, by name Franc or< o, on board, who commanded the
castle at Ischia, formerly a N» ajxilitan oflieer, and of property in
that island. The moment we took poHsession of the castle, the rnoh tore
this vagalx)nd's coat with the tricoloui'ed cape and cap of lilirrtv button
to pieces, and he had then the impudence to put on his Sicilian Ma-
jesty's regimentals again : upon which I tore his epaulette off, took his
eockade out^ and obliged him to throw them overboard ; I then honoured
him with double irons. The mob entirely destroyed the tree of liberty,
and tore the tricoloured flag into ten thousand pieces, so that I have
not * u able to prrn nre even a small remnant to lay at the king's feet.
I, howt ver, semi two pieers of tlu' tree of liberty for his Majesty's fire.'
On i April he addetl : ' The whole of the chief Jacol)insare quarrel-
ling about Uieir honesty. I have just received an account that a priest,
named Albavena, is preaching up revolt in Ischia ; I have sent 60
Swiss and 300 loyal subjects to hunt bi!ii, and shall have him, I expect,
dead or alive to-day. I pray your Lordship to send an iK>ne8t judge
here, to try these miscreants on the spot, that some proper oxamplop
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1709
may be made. — 2 p.m. Pi ay press the court to send the judge by the
return of the Perseus, as it wUl be impossible to go on, else ; the viUains
increase so fast on my hands, and the people are calling for justice :
eight or ten of tliem must be hung.'
And on tlie 9th : * T just learn that ( aracciolo has the honour to
mount ixnun] as a coiinn*")!! soldiVr, and was yostordav a sentinel at
tlu" ]ialaK' : ho has refused service. 1 believe, they force everyone to
do duty as militia.'
In addition to my want of power to detail events^ I am at this
moment seriously unwell ; and nothing but the very peculiar cir^
cnmstances of the times, with the confidence reposed in me, not
only by your royal father and my commander-in-chief, but also by
their Sicilian Majesties and the whole nation, could induce me to
remain. They all know that I have no desire but of approving
myself a most faithful servant to my grtusious king ; therefore,
there is nothing which I pi o])ose that is not, as far as orders grj,
implicitly complied with, liut the execution is dreadful, and
almost makes me mad. Iluwtvci", rj.s his Siciliun iMajestv has nuvv
ordiTi'd two generals to be tried for cuwanlict' and treaehery, and,
if found iruilty, thnttlu-y ^hall Ix' shot or haiiu'-cd ; t-luudd this be
effected, 1 shall have sunu' hopas that I have done good. I ever
preach that rewards and pun isliments are the foundation of all good
government: unfortunately, neither the one nor the other have
been practised here.
Difficulties had been continually arising out of the claim made by
the captains of the Portuguese ships of the line, ha\ ing the nominal rank
of commodore, to command tlie captains of English ships. Nelson had
all rtlmi;:^ reftif;rd to entertain tlie claim. Tie now wrote privately to
Commodore Mitchell, the senior of the Portuguese othcera ;
I have Lord St. Vincent^s opinion, which perfectly agrees with
mine, that every captain under my command, in a line-of-battle
ship, must command the chef-de-division in the Portuguese
service. . . . There is only one circumstance: if you cannot
remain, your ship must, and the next senior officer must necessarily
command her. The ^larquis de Niza, 1 apprehend, cannot alter
my destinatit>n of your ship; nor will he, I am sure, encourage diii-
obedieuce to my orders for the public good.
Since I wrote you last, things have been every day improving
in the kingdom of Naples ; and from appearances, I think it verv
probable that in ten days their Sicilian Majesties may be again
in Naples. . . .
The comnHmieation with Xaples is so open, that a general took
a boat from the city, and came on board Troubridge, to consult
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1709
TAOUBRIDGE IN THE BAY OF NAPLES
191
about surprising St. Elrao. Tlie civic guuni iiavc individually
declared that they assemble to keep peace in the city, and not to
figlit. Many of the principal Jacobins have fled, and Caracciolo
Has resigned his situation as head of the marine. Tliis man was
fool enough to quit his master when he thought his case desperate ;
yet, in his heart, I believe he is no Jacobin. The fishermen, a few
days ago, told him pubUcly, ^ We believe yon are loyal^ and sent by
the king ; bnt mnch as we love yon, if we find yon disloyal, yoa
shall be amongst the first to fiill.' I am not in person in these
busy scenes, more calculated for me than remaining liere giving
advice ; but their Majesties think the advice of my incompetent
judguieiit valuaitle at this moment, therefore I submit, itiid I can
only say that I <i;ive it as an honest man, one without liopt's or
fears ; therefore they get at the truth, which their ^lajesties have
aeldom heard.
Our friend Troubridge had a present made him the other day, i ord Sr.
of" the ht-ad of a Jacobin ; ami makes an apology to me, the weather q S'a^.^
being very hot, for not sending it hero !
It was sent to Troubridge with a letter, stating that it was the head
of one Giffoni, who had been employed in the adniinistn\tion of Ru<j^^i,
and be|r£rin£,' Trouhridge to accept it as a proof of thf writer's attfu li-
mpnt to the kiiii^ "s cause — ' A jolly fellow 1 * noted Troubridgeon the copy
which he forwarded to Nelson,
Three or four frigates and as many corvettes have made their it-A«imi.
escape from Alexandria. Sir William Sidney Smith having left it
on 7 March, these ships escaped between 5 and 18 April. I think » May,
they are gone to Tripoli ; if so, as 1 have sent Commodore
Campbell, I hope to hear a good account of them.
The conduct ofllie king s oflicpr sent to Orl)ctello inid I -''iiL'one Lord St.
has been so infamous, that Troubridge is almost mad witii rage, 9
and I am in a fever.
T have wrote strongly to General Acton of the infamous conduct Cn| t Trou-
of Yauoh.» i^il*^?.
General Ac ton, in fact, wrote to Nelson, on tlic sanio 0 May, 'The
conduct of Yauch deserves inquiiy, and puiiibliuieut if found guilty, as
I believe his conduct shows it evidently. Orders are given for a court-
martial. The king begs and hopes that Captain Troubridge will direct
aome of his ofiBcers to attend to it, with the officers of this service,
and order accordingly what shall be thought proper at the conclusion
* 8ee J90ff, p. 194. ^
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192 LETTEHS OF LOfiD ^£LSON 1700
^ai^- ii'iil, Tho French fleet, of ninet<'en sail of tlie line, hfive before this
Friermo. joined the Spaiiisli llret, of twenty-five sail of the line, at Cadiz.
Wliat the event of the action has been oflf Cadiz, lime onlv can
discover. When the junction is effected, Lord St. Vincent comes
up the Mediterranean to join his detached squadrons. You will,
therefore, if tlie Russian squadron is before Malta, proceed witli all
the liue-of-battle ships and the Thalia frigate, off Port Mahon,
and deliver my letter to Rear-Admiral Duckworth, and follow his
orders for your further proceedings. Should, unfortunately, the
Russian squadron not be with you, you must send the Audacious
and Goliath to Mahon, and the cutter direct with my letter to
Earl St. Vincent at Gibraltar. If V^ice-Admiral Ouschakoff is with
YOU, von will lav mv letter before him, and the Ottoman admiral
if with him, ami submit it to their consideration, to send a>s
many ships as pobaible to Minorca, in order to reinforce Earl
St. Vincent.
No time must be lost. If any of your ships meet Commodore
Campbell, tell him to go to Mahon.
r..M.i St. ^^^ght, nine, or ten sail of the line shall, in a few days, be off
liHuyl Mahon, ready to obey your orders (not in the port). I hope the
Russians are off Malta. If so, I have wrote to the admiral to send
some of his ships to Minorca. In short, you may depend upon my
exertion, and I am only sorry that I cannot move to your help :
but this island appears to hang on my stay. Nothing could con-
sole the queen this night, but my promise not to leave them unless
the battle wjis to be fought off Sardinia.
« Mpt.Trou- As ilic French llccts have passed tlie Straits ol" Gibraltar, and
i"*M.T\-. hnvolx'cn seen near ^Minorca, you are imni'diatcly, on the receipt
i'Hieiiiio. liereof, to join me, with all the ships of the line under your orders,
at this place, and if you could spare a frigate, so much the better
-Hiisposing of the small vessels to the best advantage, and leaving
whom you think proper in the command.
J ^ In consequence of the very imix)rtant intelHgenre brought me
\hn-viit, last night, of the French fleet having passed the Straits' mouth, I
i^^^y* shall alter my plan of sending such ships as I can collect, which I
hope will be ten sail of the line, off Mahon, and rendezvous with
the whole of them off the island of Maritime, hoping that Rear-
Admiral Duckworth will send his squadron to reinforce me, which
will enable me to look the enemy in the face; but should any of
the Russians and Turks be otf Malta, I hope to get a force of
(litr. H'nt nations e«pial to tli^' enemy, when not a moment shall be
lo»t iu bringing them to battle.
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TROUBRIDGE IN THE BAY OP NAPLES
103
If the line-of-battie ships have not all sailed, I desire joa will c«pt Tram-
bring them all with you immediately, and make the utmost ^j'li^y
despatch in joining me at this place. The Vanguard is under Piienno.
way, and I only wait for you to join. I am all impatience until
yon join me.
It is well here to record Troubridge's opinion of men and things, up
to the time of his turning over the command in the Bay of Naples to
Captain Fuote of the Soahorsc frigate. The following extracts from
Troubridge's lett^^rs to Nelson arc tlu'refr»ro given:
18 ApriL — * The judge made an oiler, t wo days .since, if T wished it,
to pass s»'nt»'nce ; but hintotl that it would nor ho regular on some. 1
declined having anything to do with it. Tlie trials are curious ; fre-
quently the culprit is not present. The odium I find is intended to be
thrown on us. I will out^mancenvre him there, and push him hard
too.*
25 April. — ' Oh, how I long to have a dash at tlie thieves I A
person, just from Naples, tells me tlio Jiicobins are pressing hard the
French to remain ; they begin to shake in tlicir shoes. Those of the
lower order now spi-.ik freely. The rascally nobles, tire<l of standing as
common sentinels, and going the ronnds, say, if ihey had known as
mnch as they do now, they would have acted difTerentfy.'
27 ApriL — 'I have had a long talk >vith the judge about the
villainous priests. I am ctHupletely stupid. I Iiave been all day since
four o'clock tin's morning examining vagabonds of different descriptions ;
and as no one ever ^nves a direct answer, and not l>eing possess»'d of
rauch patience, 1 am quite fagged out. . . . The work we have to do is
nothing; but the villainy we must combat is great indeed, and wears ua
all out. I shall weather all yet, I trust. I have just flogged a rascal
for loading his bread with sand ; the loaf hung round his neck all the
time, and when he was taken on shore afterwards, to be shown to the
people/
1 Mai/. — * Carticciolo, I am now satisfied, is a Jacobin. J inclose
you one of his h ttcrs. He came iu the gunboats to Casteilauiare
himself, and spirited up the Jacobins/
7 May, — * I have just had a long conversation with the judge. He
tells me he shall finish his business next week ; and that the custom
with his profession is, to return liome the moment they have condemned.
He says he must l>e embarked immediately, und hinte<I at a man-of-
war. T found also from his conversation, that the priests must be sent
to PahTino, to he (li.s£rrace<l by the kinpr's order, and tlien to ho returned
for execution to this place. An Englisii nian-of-war to perform all this !
at the same time making application to me ioT a hangman, which I
positively refused. If none could be found here, I desired he would
send for one from Palermo. I see their drift : they want to make us
the princijjals, and to throw all the odium upon us. I cannot form the
least Ml I of their law process, as carried on against the priscmers, for
the culprits an; seldom present while the trial is proceeding. . . . The
examples of villains and cowards which the archduke has made, has
driven away my melancholy fever. I send the general from Longone
and Orbotello, for the King of Naples to follow such an example. ^
O
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1709
Ho has desiml to speak to inc, l»ut I havo doclinecl having any-
thing to do with him until he clears up hm dastardly conduct to
his king.*
(?) 8 ^fnl/. — ' I am in such a rago at tin; cowanlly and treaehorons
coutluctof the general who was sent to Longone and Orbetelio, that 1
am really unable to tell the story, and therefore send Captain Oswald to
relate all. Orbetelio is sold, and I fear Longone will be the same. I
desired the general, and aU his cowanlly gang, to get out of a British
man -of war. Wo watit people to fight ; !i<> does not come under that
description. I told him plainly that his kini; would never do well until
hehango<l half his ollicers. I hope the king will order this gonenil to
give an account of himself, and not leave him hero as a nuisance. . . .
Pray, my dear Lord, hear Oswald, and ui^ the king to make an example
of this general. I am really very ill. I must go to bed* This treachery
fairly d.M\s rae up.'
11 Ai/ay. — * Much matter will come out to prove he would not land.
When the court-martial is ord(?red, whicli, hy General Acton's letter,
wo may expect immediat4>ly — as ho is in the service of another sovereifrn,
T submit to your Tjordship if w r had not Itetter leave tliciu to themselves.
Oswald and the liussian will give evidence to his refusing to land. If
this colonel, who at present commands here, is president, he will bo
shot. If that should Ite the case, shall I confirm the sentence T My
hand will not shake signing my name. Without some examples, nothing
can go well. . . . His Majosty will, I hope, tlie moment he roj^ain'?
NaploH, iiiakf somt' <^n\\t examples of his villainou.s nol»l«'S. I'ignatelli
has loiwled my man with irons for caiTviug the letter sent hy her
Majesty for him, througli Ijady llamilUjii : 1 ti ust, before long, 1 i^hall
have a pull at his nose for it. I have two or three to settle with, if we
get in.'
14 Mat/. — 'You will see, ray Lord, by the inclosed translation of
Prince Trabia's letter, that his Majesty has ordered a court-martial to
try Marshal Yauch ; but as t here are only four otiieers here of the rank
qualiried to sit, afcordini; to the Neapolitan laws. I think he eaiaiot
legally l>e tried, until liis Majesty sends over thn*e more otlicers. I
should have been happy to have sat on it, and to have directed some of
our captains to have accompanied me ; but as we are not in his Sicilian
Majesty's service, it would have caused some noise at home, and certainly
would not have been legal.'
Lord St. On the 17lh, the rullodon, ^finotjinr, Swiftsnre, and St.
2i"mTv' Sebastian, arrived ufT Paleruio, but it blow so hard from tlie ESI*]
Oil Man- that the sliips were obliged to strike vurds and top-Tnasts: this
gale continued to the 20th, when I put to sea. . . . Zealnns joined
at daylight of the 2 1st, as did the Swallow, Portuguese corvette,
with a letter from Rear- Admiral Duckworth, saying he was waiting
your Lordships arrival.
This morning 1 arrived off Maritime, and was sorry to find
neither Captain Balls squadron or any account from him ; I can
only have two queries about him — either that he has gone round to
Messina, imagining that the French fleet were close to him, or he
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1709 OFF MAIUTIMO 195
is taken. Thus situatad, 1 havi- only to remain on the north side
of Nfaritimo, to keop covering Palermo, which sjjall be ppotectcd to
the last, and to wait intrlIi<^r>noe or orders for re^mlating my further
praceedings. Tear liordship may depend that the squadron under
my command shall never fall into the hands of the enemy ; and
before we are destroyed, I have little doubt hut the enemy will
have their wings so completely clipped that they may be easily
overtaken.
Your Ijordship is acquaint*^! with my intentions of raising the 28 May.
blockade of Malta and of uniliiig my whole force off Muritimo. I p^J"'
hnve not yet heard from Captain Ball, what he has done, in conse-
ij h nre of my orders. H*' wa« apjirised, by thf* rnmeleon, of the
Frencii tleet being in the Straits, and she passed on for St. Jean
d'Acre on the 17th; therefore we are completely on onr guard.
Your I>^nli*hip having informed me of your intentions, also with
what was, at that time, the situation of the two fleets, French and
Spaniards, leavniig me to act as I thought best from the situation
of affairs, I have determined to carry the ships to the Bay of
Palermo, to complete their provisions to six months, and as much
wine as they stow, and to hold them in momentary readiness to act
as you may order or the circnmstances call for. My reason for
remaining in Sicily is the covering vbe blockiKle of Naples, and the
certainty of preserving Sicily in case of an attack. . . . But from
the tUvoural)lt' as{)<'<'t ofuHair.s in Italy, 1 urn Hure no attack will bo
rnadt' here, wliiNt the French know we hav(> snrli a fdrcc t<> act
against them. Jf Captain Ball lias not entirely given up the
bkxjkade of ^falta, and the poor islanders have not given up to the
French, 1 intend to coutinue the blockade with two ships of the
tine, a frigate, two sloops and a cutter ; for as the danger, from
your happy arrival, is not so great, I will run the risk of the ships
for a short time. The Russians will, I am told, be off there in a
week or fortnight.
I have onr dear Troubridge for my assistant ; in everything we m May.
are brothers. Hood and Hallowell areas active and good as ever:
ii"t that 1 ujcan to say any are otherwise; butyon know these are
I iicn of resources. Hardy was bred in the old school, and 1 can
assure you, that T never have hwn hcttr r satistied with the real
gCKxi discipline of a ship than the Vanguard's. I hope from my
heart that you will meet the dons alone : if the two fleets join, I
am ready, and with some of my ships in as high order as ever went
to sea. The Russian ships are blocking up Ancona; but again the
Gr*n^reux has escaped them. As to politics, they are my abomina*
o €
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
tion : the ministereof king^ and princes are as great scoundrels as
ever lived. ^ijCU^t^^f^^
Your news of the hanging ^ thirteen Jacobins gave us great
pleasure ; and the three priests, I liope, return in the Aurora, to
dangle on the tree best adapted to their weight of sins. The news
from all parts ol* the Continent is excellent, Turin v\as taki»n on
7 May, a 11(1 the kintr's i*'overnnient re-est^iblished. We know rio-
thiiig of the tleet, and are, as you will believe, all anxiety.
On 8 June, Lord Nelson shifted his Hag from the Vanguard to the
Foudroyant, taking with hiin from the Vanguard Captain Hardy,
five lieutenants, the surgeon, chaplain, and several mates and midship-
msD.
We have a report that you are going home. This distresses us
most exceedingly, and myself in particular ; so much sO) that I
have serious thoughts of returning, if that event should take place.
Ikit tor the sake of our countrj', do not quit us at this serious mo-
nn lit. 1 wish not to detract from the merit of whoever mav he \ oiir
successor; but it musL take a leiiiifth of time, whicli 1 hope the war
will not give, to be in any umuuer a St. Vincent. . . .
In consequence of the ill state of his he^ilth, Lorfl St. Vincent left
the counnand with Vice- Admiral Loixl Keith, and sailed from Mahoii
for Gihtaltir on Jinif *23. But evnn previously to this, durinf* Lord St.
Vincent s ilhieiis. Lord Keitli liad i-onunandcd (he sijuadron on a cruise,
with orders to look into Toulon and search along the coast, in the
endeavour to get some exact news fA the allied fleet. From off Monaco,
he had written to Nelson on 6 June, that not being able to learn where
the enemy was, he felt obliged to return to Minorca, which was left
defenceless, but that he sent the Bellerophon and Powerful to reinforce
him.
UrdKeith, I was honoured with your letter of 6 June, by the Bellerophon
At ««r ^'^^ Powerful, on the 13tli, being then on my way to Naples with
troops, &c., in order to finish all matters in that kingdom, and
ULr-iin place his Majesty on his throne. But considering the force
of the Fn ncli lleet on the coast of Italy, twenty-two sail ol' the line,
four of which are first-rates, and that probably the ships left at
Toulon would have joined them by the time I was reading the
letter? (the force with me being only sixteen sail of the line, not
one of whit li was of three decks, three being Port uguof^o. and one
of tht^ English a sixty-four, very short of men), 1 had no choice
left, but to return to Palermo, aud land the troops, ammunition,
&c. ; which having done, I am now at sea proceeding off Maritime,
-| where I hope to be joined by the Alexander and Goliath. . . . My
force will then be eighteen sail of the line, with the notations as
G Juuc.
Urd St.
Vintvnt,
lU Juae.
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IN THE BAY OF NAPLES
197
above mentioned. 1 shall wait oil' Maritimo, anxiously expecting
such a reinforcement as may enable me to go in search of the /
enpiny's fleet, when not one moment shall be lost in bringing them i A
to battle ; for I consider the best defence for his Sicilian Majesty's ({Ly^ {/^
dominions, is to place myself alongside the French. v ^ I
On the return of our squadron, which the Jacobins gave out R.Adn))^"| C_
was for fear of the French fleet, all is undone again, although they
had in aame measure agreed to terms : thereibre his Majesty has si
requested my immediate presence in the Bay of Naples. ^uX^-tf^'
The squadron entered the Bay of Naj^les on 21 June. Havinjr, on ^f^H (i
his passage, learned that Captjiin Foote had signed a trraty with .^^ y
garrisons of the castles of Uovo and Nuovo, in w liicli thr ])rincipal •J^^ '
iSVaj)olitiin rebels had taken refuge, Nelson, coMsidn ing any such treaty fi^^*'^
* infamous,' and tinding a Hag of truce still llynig on the castles, as well AUi^c^^ $
as on board the Seahorse, instantly annulled the truce, by signal.
Opinion delivered before I saw the treaty of armistice, &c., only Opinion
m reports met at sea. Tt^^\^
The armistice I take for granted is, that if the French and J»n<'-
rebeb are not relieved by their friends in twenty-one days from \/y* ^ ^ /i^
the signing the armistice, then that they shall evacuate Naples, in ^1 ff^^^^
this infamous manner to his Sicilian Majesty, and triumphant to yy-. ^
thrni, us stated in the article. ^ f^^M
All armistices signify that either partN nuiy renew liost ilities, /lu^ imf^.
^'In iii;^ a certain notice fixed upon by the contractility' parties. In ^ tM^^^d^
tiie present instance,! supjwsc^ the cardinal thonght that in twenty- ^ f
one days he had not the power of driving the French from the ^ ^H"-^
castle of St. P^hno, or the rebels from the lower castles of Uovo and Jf^^ f^tw
Nuovo. The French and rebels thought that if they could not be f
relieved in twenty-one days, they could, when unable to remain f^^'tMm im
any longer, covenant to be removed to a place where they may be ^^JLua^
in a situation to renew their diabolical schemes against his Sicilian ^ tf^Jjy^
Majesty and the peace and happiness of his faithful subjects, and ^7 ^
their removal to be at the expense of his Majesty; and thosQ ^'^^^^.t^
enemies and rebels to be protected by the fleet of his Sicilian kt^^
[Majesty's faithful ally, the King of (jreat Britain. Therefore evi-
dently this mrreeinent implies that both parties an; supposed to
remain m sfxfif '[ko : hnt if either party receive relief from their
situation, then the compact of course falls to the ground, and
no effect; for if one party can be liberated from the agreement,
naturally implies the oth(^r is in the same state. And I fancy
question need not be asked whether, if the French fleet arrived
this day in the Bay of Naples, whether the French and^ rebels ^i^'iii'^ Am
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198 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1799
would adhere one moment to the armistice ? ' Jio T the Frencli
tidiiiiral would say, *I am not come here to look on, but to act.'
And so Bays the British admiral ; and declares on his honour that
the arrival of either fleet, British or French, destroys the compact,
for neither can lie idle.
Therefore, the British admiral proposes to the cardinal to send,
in their joint names, to the French and rebels, that the arrival of
the British ileet has completely destroyed the compact, as would
that of the French if thev hud had the power (which, thank God,
they have not) to come to Naples.
Therefore, that it nliall be tixed that in two hours t lie Fn ncli shal I
give pos.session of the castle of St. Elmo to his Sicilian Majesty\s
faithful subjects, and the troops of his allies ; on which condition
alone, they shall be sent to France without the stipulation of their
being prisoners of war.
That as to rebels and traitors, no power on earth has a right to
stand belween their gracious king and them : they must instantly
throw themsdves on the clemency of their sovereign, for no other
terms will be allowed them ; nor will the French be allowed even
to name them in any capitulation. If these terms are not com-
plied with, in the time above mentioned — viz. two hours for
the French, and instant submission on the part of the rebels —
such very favourable conditions will never be again offered .
Kelson.
Head and explained, and rejected by the cardinal.
In writing Hub opiuiuu, Nelson was nii^Uiken as to the nature of Uie
treaty, which was not for an armistice, but a definite capitulation. The
rectification of this mistake did not, however, alter his views, and he
equally annulled the treaty.
Kotifica- Declaration sent to the Neapolitan Jacobins in the castles of
S^Jtuie. Uovo and Nuovo.
Rear- Admiral Lord Nelson, K.B., commander of his Britannic
Majesty's fleet in the Bay of Naples, acquaints the rebellious sub-
jects of his Sicilian Majesty in the castles of Uovo and Nuovo, that
he will not permit them to embark or quit those places. They
must surrender themselves to his Majesty's royal mercy.
The His eminence the Cardinal de Kutfo and the commandinpr officer
eVoio,^^ of the Kussian army having sent you a summons to surrender,
26 J line. I acquaint you, that unless the terms are acceded to within two
hours, you must take the consequences, I shall not agree to any
other.
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SURRENBEB OF TH£ FOKTS 199
As you will iM'lii'V'v the cardinal and niysflf Imvc l)t'i:;un our U.-A»!mU
career by a complete ditlfrcnce ol" opiriiun. He will send tlie rebein uoitii,
to Toiilon: I say they uhstll not go. He thinks one house in
Naples more to be prized than his 8oyereign*8 honour. Troubridge
and Ball are gone to the cardinal, for him to read my declaration
to the French and rebels, whom he persists in calling patriots —
what a prostitntion of the word ! I shall send Foote to get the
gDnboats from Prodda. I wish the fleet not to be more than two-
thirds of a cable from each other. I shall send you a sketch of
the anchoiage, in forty fathom water. The Foudroyant to be the
Tsn ship. If the French fleet should favour us with a visit, I can
easily take my station in the centre.
On 26 June, Cardinal Rufib came on board t he Foudroyant, where
a discussion of sevond hours' duration took place between him and
Lord Nelson, in the presence of Sir William and Lady Hamilton, who
acted as interpreters ; but all Nelson s argunients failed to convinee the
cardinal that the treaty was, ijjito Jitcto, termmuted by the arrival oi the
Engliih fieet^ and that as its conditions had not been executed, it
reqSired the ratification of hia Sicilian Majesty. Nelaon, therefore,
expteand his own opinion to that effect in the annexed memocandum,
and proceeded to act according to his own views, by taking possession
of the castles, and making prisoners of all tlie Neapolitans in them :
after which, he in% f «t4'd 8t. Elmo, with the seamen and marines of hia
ships, under the command of Captain Troubridge.
Rear-Admiral Lord Nelson arrived with the British fleet on 24 M^-mo.
^Jane^in the Bay of Naples, and found a treaty entered into wiih
' the rebels, which, in his opinion, cannot be carried into execution,
without the approbaliou of hib Sicilian -Ylujt&ty.
I am happy in being able to congratulate their lordships on the ^^an
possession of the city of Naples. St. Elmo is yet in the hands of 27 Sane,
the French, but the castles of Uovo and Nuoto I took possession
of last evening, and his Sicilian Majenty's colours are now flying
on them. . . . The munieut i can find the city a little quieted,
guus .shall be got uLrainst St. Ehiio, when, I am sure, the French
will be ^dud to surrender. . . . In my present position, i haN e not
tlie fJinallest alarm should the enemy I'uvour us with a vibit, inferior
as my force is to oppose them.
On the 1 7th the Alexander and Goliath joined nie from oil Malta; LordlLeith,
leaving" to look out in that quarter, three bkcips of war; — the B^ayot**
force with me was now fifteen sail of two-decked ships, English, Napl**.
and three I*ortuguese, with a fire-sliip and cutt(»r. On the 20th,
the Swallow, Portuguese corvette, brought me your Lordship's
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200 LETTERS OF LORD KELSOJ^ 1799
despatch of the 17th, acquainting me of ihv near approach of the
squadron under Sir Alan rJardn- r, and that Lord Keith was going
in search of the French fleet As 1 had now no prospect of being
in a sitaation to go in search of the eneniy^s fleet, wluch at least is
twenty-fiye sail of the line, and might be reinforced with two Vene-
tian ships, although I was firmly resolved they should not pass me
without a battle, which would so cripple them that they might be
unable to proceed on any distant service, I determined to offer my*
self for the service of Naples, where I knew the French fleet
intended going. With this determination 1 pushed for Palermo,
and on the 21st I went (tn shore for two hours, saw thfir .Majt\sties
and General Acton, wliu rep<^at<>d to me wlmt the «r*'iu ral had
wrote (hnt which I had not received), to reijucsl thut T woidd
instantly go into the Bay of Naples to endeavour to briug liis
Sicilian Majesty's afifairs in that city to a happy conclusion.
I lost not one moment in complying with the request, and
arrived in the Bay of Naples on the 2ith, when I saw a flag of
truce flying on board his Majesty's ship Seahorse, Captain Foote,
and also on the castles of Uovo and Nuovo. Having on the passage
received letters informing [me] that an infamous armistice was
entered into with the rebels in those castles, to which Captain
Foote had put his name, I instiintly made the signal to annnl the
truce, being determined never to give my approbation to any terms
with rebels, but that of iiuconditionul submission. The fli < t was
anchnrrd in n close lijic battlo, NW by N and SE by 8, from
tlif niolt^ head and a half mile distant, flanked by twenty-two
L'un and mortar boats, which 1 recalled from Procida. T seut
Captains Troubridge nnd Ball instantly to the cardinal vicar-
general, to represent to his eminence my opinion of the infa-
mous t-erms ent^ered into with the rebels, and also two papers
which I inclose. His eminence said he would send no papers,
that if I pleased I might break the armistice, for that he was tired
of his situation. Captain Troubridge then asked his eminence this
plain question : ' If Lord Nelson breaks the armistice, will your
eminence assist him in his attack on the castles ? ' His answer
was clear, 'I will ii>'ither assist him with mm or <runs.' After
much communication, his pminrnce desirod 1<i cinnt' on board to
speak with me on his situation. T nRt'd rvcrv ai'irninrni in my
powor to convince him that the treaty and armistice wtis at an end
by the arrival of the fleet; but an admiral is no match in talking
* It would appear from this senteDce that the letter was written to Loid St.
Yincent. though nddresaed to Lord Keith.
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CARACCIOLO HANGED
201
with a cardinal. I therefore gave liim niy opinion in writing —
viz. ' Reap-Admiral Lord Nelson, who arrived in the Bay of Naples
on 24- June with the British fleet, found a treaty entered into
with the rebels, which he is of opinion ought not to be carried into
ezecation wiihont the approbation of his Sicilian Majesty, Earl
St. Vincent, Lord Keith.' >
Under this opinion the rebels came out of the castles, which
were instantly occupied by the marines of the squadron. On the
27th Captains Troubridge and Ball, with 1,300 men, landed from
the ships, united with 500 Russians and a body of royalists, half
of whose officers are, 1 have every reJison to 1x^1 ieve, relx'ls —
cowards they have already proved tlieniselv»^s. Our batteries an^
opf-n on St. Klnio. and a few dnys will, I h**]).'. ndure it. The
AI( Xaii(h^r and another are just going to resuiiu' tln ir -fation off
Malta, which 1 am confident will veiy soon surrender, now all _
hopes of relief are cut off. I shall not fail to keep up a constant ^^^r^^ i
communication with your Lordship, and have the honour to be with ^ ^
greatest respect, your most obedient faithful servant, Nklsox. V^v^-* -
Caraociolo was executed on board his Sicilian Majesty's ship / f {
Minerva, on 29 June.
PROCLAMATION.
Horatio Lord Nelson, admiral of the British fleet in the Bay of 89 ^n«.
Naples, gives notice to all those who have served as officers, civil or f l/< t > i
military, in the service of the infamous Neapolitan Republic, that, % / /
if in the space of twenty-four hours for those who are in the city of ^^''t '
Kaplers, and forty-eight hours for those who ai'C within five miles ^ f '
of it, they do not give themselves up to the clemency of the ('■■.;
kiug. to the oflicfr touimaii<liiiir the castles I'ovo and Nuovo, /
Lord Nelson will consider them Btill as iu rebellion, and enemies
of his Sicilian Majesty. h *' ' ' '
To Count Tliiirn, commodore and conmiunder of his Sicilian
Majesty's frigate i^a Mincrvu.
JU' IIr>ratin Lord Nelson, &c. &c. &c.
Whereas Francisco Caracciolo, a commodore in the ser\nce of
his Sicilian Majesty, has been taken, and stands accused of rebellion
aq^iin^t his lawful sovereign, and for firing at his colours hoisted
on board his frigate the Minerva, under your command.
Yon are, therefore, hereby required and directed to asBemble
' In the original, which is autopraph, • Lord Keith ' is written in above the
line ; an evident afterthought^ probably when the postscript was added and the
Intended address changed.
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202 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1790
five of tlie beuiur officers umler \(>nr nuiinmiul, ^uuiselJ" i)rt*si(lii!<r,
and proceed to iiujuire >vlietlier tlie crime with which tlie suid
Francisco Taracciolo stands charged, can be proved against him;
and if the charge is ])rovec!, you are to report to me what punish-
ment lie ought to suiT r.
Given on board the Foudroyant, Naples Bay, 29 June, 1799.
Nelson.
To Comnmrlore Count Thurn, commander of kis Sicilian
Majesty's frigate La Minerva.
By Uoratio Lord Nelson, &c. &c. &c.
Whereas a board of naval officers of his Sicilian Majesty hath
been assembled to try Francisco Caraociolo for rebellion against
his lawful sovereign, and for firing at his Sicilian ^MmJl sty's frigate
La Minerva ;
And whereas the said hoard of naval officers have found the
charge of rebellion iully proved {iguiiist him, and have sei»tenced
the said Caraccioio to suffer dt-alli ;
You are liereby nMpiired and directed to cause the suul sentence
of dratli to b<' carried into c\t cntioii upon the J^aid Francisco
Caraccioio accordingly, by lianging hijii at the fore yard-arm of his
Sicilian Majesty's &igate La Minerva, under your command, at five
o'clock this evening ; and to cause him to hang there until sun-
set, when you will have his body cut down, and thrown into the sea.
Given on board the Foudroyaut, Naples Bay, 29 June, 1799.
Nelson,
ijord On my fortunate arrival here I found a most infamous treaty
u j1uJ\ entered into with the rebels, in direct disobedience of liis Sicilian
.Miijestys orders. I had tiie happiness of saving Ids Majesty's
honour, rejecting with disdain any terms but unconditional sub-
mission, to reliclH. Your Lordsliij) will uitsrrvc my note, and opinion
to the cardinal.' The rebels came out of the castles with this
knowledge, without any honoui*s, and tlie principal n»bels were
seized and conducted on board the ships of the squadron. The
others, embarked in fourteen polacres, w ere anchored under the
care of our ships. His Majesty has entirely approved of my con-
duct in this matter. I presume to recommend Captain Troubridge
for some mark of his Majesty's favour ; it would be supposing you,
my dear Lord, was ignorant of his merit, was I to say more than
that he is a first-rate general.
> See antet pp. 198, 201.
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17W OPERATIONS AT NAPLES 203
Lord Keith writes iiie, if certain events take place, it may
be Qecessary to draw down this squadron for the protection of
Minorca. Shoald aucli an order come at this moment, it would be
a cause for some consideration wliether Minorca is \o be risked, or
the two kingdoma of Naples and Sicily. 1 rather think my decision
<roa1d be to risk the former.
The expected orders readied him the «ame day in a letter from Lord
Kt'ith, dated 27 June.
* Events which have recently occurred render it neoesaary that as
great a force as can be eoUeeted should be assembled near the idand of
Minorca ; therefore, if your Lordship has no detachment of the French
iqiiadron in the neighbourhood of Sicily^ nor information <^ their liaving
.sent any force t<jward8 Egypt or Syria, you are lu rcby rf*f|iiir» (l iind
liin ctt'd to sriid such ships as you can jxfs.sibly spare otf the ibiand of
Minorca to wait niy orders ; and T will take care, so soon as the
eneniy's intentiuns bhall be frustrated in that cjuurteri to strengthen
jour Lordship ss soon as possible/
To this he immediately replied :
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's orders of Ld. Keitti,
27 June, and as suon as the safety of his Sicilian Kajesty's king-
doms Ib secnred, I shall not lose one moment in making the detach-
ment yon are pleased to order. At present, under God's providence,
the safely of his Sicilian Majesty and his speedy restoration to his
kingdom depends on this fleet : and the confidence inspired even by
the appearance of our ships before the city is beyond all belief ; and
I ha?6 no scruple in declaring my opinion that should any event
draw us from the kinsrdora, that if the PVench remain in any part
of it, disturbances will at^^ain aribe, for all order huviug been com-
pletely overturned, it must take a thorough cleansing, and some
little time, to restore tranquillity.
T rejoice that you gave Mr. Bolton the money, and I wish it Lady
made up oOO/. I never regarded money, nor wanted it for my own {SjJ^.
use ; therefore, as the East India Company have made me so
magniiicent a present, I beg that 2,000/. of it may be disposed of
in the following manner : five hundred pounds to my lather ; five
hundred to be made np to Mr. Bolton, and let it be a God-send,
without any restriction ; five hundred to Maurice, and five hundred
to William. And if you think my sister Matchom would be
gratified by it, do the same for her. If I were rich I would do
niore ; but it will very soon be known how poor I am, except my
yearly income. I am not surprised at my brother's death ; ' three
are now dead, younger than myself, having grown to mun n age.
* Tbe Barorend Sackling Nelaon : died in ApcU 1799.
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204 LETTKliS OF LORD NELSON 1709
Herewith I have the honour of sending you copies of my hitters
to the commander-in-chief, nnd the cnpifnlation granted to the
French in 8t. Elmo. All the chief rebels are now on board his
Majesty's fleet ; Capua and Gaeta will very soon be in our possession,
when tiie kinfifdom will be liberated from anarchy and misery.
Ciipt. Trou- WJieii vou .st iid in a summons to ihr commander of the I'n^nch
17 Jal^. troops in Capua, his Sicilian Majesty approves that, on comlLtion
the commander immediately gives up Capua and Gaeta, that after
laying down their arms, colours, &c., the French garrison shall be
peimirted to go to France without any restrictions. If this is not
complied with, prisoners of war, and as degrading terms as it is in
your power to give them — ^no covered waggons, no protection to
rebels — in short, the allies most dictate the terms.
On l*.t -Tilly, Nelson received the following from Lord Keith, dated
at Poit 3iaiion, 9 J uly :
' Having reason to believe, from the repeated information I have
received ^the latest of which is herewith inclosed), that the enemy have
no intention of attempting an imprrssion on the island of Sicily, or of
reinforcing tlieir army in K^^pt and Syria, but, on the oontfary, being
inclined to think that tlH'ir rflVirts are likely to he Hire<'t^ against
Ireland, and that they are bent towards tlic ocean, I judi^e it necessary
that all, or the greatest part of the force uuder your Ijordship's orders,
sliould quit the island of Sicily, and repair to Muiprca, for the purpose
of protecting that isUmd during the necessary absence of his Majesty 's
squadron under my command, or for the purpose of co-operating with
me against the combined force of the enemy, wherever it may be
requisite. Your Lordship is thercfoi*e hereby required and directed to
quit the island of Sicily witli the wliole of your force, or to detach the
next senior officer for the tiinc being, with the great^^st part thereof,
sliould you deem it abholut^iy necessary, for the good of his Majesty's
service, and the interest of his allies, that some part of it should con-
tinue there, under your Lordship's or any oUier officer's direction.
Your Lordship, with the whole force, or such part of it as you may bring
with you, or such senior officer, with that part to be detaehetl under his
direction, in the event of your Lorflsliip'?' JudsnTvir it absolutely nece<:sary
to leave some part of it at Sicily, as alfovc mentioned— is to proceed to
join me at this place, and in case of Uiy absence, to follow the orders
and directions which will be left in charge of the commandmg officer of
his Majesty's ships and vessels at this port.'
This order was accompanied by a private letter :
* Dear Xelson, — I came in here yesterday to get some water, and
lia l 1; )t anchored an liour, when I heard the combined lleets had left
CaitaLfena, and steered to the west. I am now unmooi inir, \s i11i very
little water in the ships ; for this island does not allbrd mucli more
than we drink. If this island is left without slnps, it will fall. The
Spaniards will send their armament, with two ships of the line, frigates,
and gunboats — a great many of which are at the different ports
opposite, to convoy and cover the landing. You must, therefore, sither
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Evnn
Nepean,
14 Jaljr.
1799
DISOBEYS ORDEK.S
205
come, or send Duckwortli, to govern }iims(;lf as circumBtuioes offer,
until I can determine to a certainty the intentions of the enemy.'
^fy Lord, — I am this moment honoured with your order of the Ld. Keith,
9th, din.»cting me to detach from the island of Sicily, the whole, or
snch part of the force, as miglit not be neoeesary in that island.
Your Lordship, at the time of sending me the order, was not in-
formed of the change of affairs in the kingdom of Nicies, and that
all our marines and a body of seamen are landed, in order to drive
the French scoandrels out of the kingdom, which with God's
Ueesing will very soon be effected, when a part of this squadron
shall be immediately sent to Minorca ; but unless the French are
at least drove from Capua, 1 think it ilL-^lit not to obey your
Lordship's ordiT for sendinsr down any p.irt of the squaxhuii
under my ord-Ts. T am [lerfocrly awari; uf the consequences of
disobeying the orders of my ronimander-in-cliief ; but, as I brlieve
the safety of the kingdom of Naples depends at the present moment
on my d* taiuing the squadron, I have no scruple in deciding that
it k better to save the kifigdom of Naples and risk Minorca, than
to risk the kingdom of Naples to save Minorca. Your Lordship
will, I hope, approve of my decision, and believe me, with the
greatest respect,
Your Lordship's faithful and obedient servant, Nelson.
With the official letter, he also sent a private note :
My dear Lord, — I grieve most exceedin^rly that you had not the 19 Jtily.
good fortune to fall in with the French fleet before they formed
their junction with the dons, although I am sure, when you are
Duited with the Channel fleet, that you wUl send them to the devil.
My answer to your order is of such a nature that I deem it im-
\nxt\)iyr in a private letter to give a reason, therefore I decline
touching on the subject.
You will ea>ily conceive my feeliriL'8 at the urd r this day Lord
received from Lord Keith ; but my uiiiid was fully prt>i)anMl for this ffjniy*
order; and more than ever is my mind made up, that, at this
moment, I will not part with a singh^ siiip, as I cannot do that
without drawing a hundred and twenty men from eacli ship now
at the siege of Capua, where our army is gone this day. I am fully
aware of the act I have committed; but, sensible of my loyal inten-
tions, I am prepared for any fate which may await my disobedience.
Capua and Gaeta will soon &11 ; and the moment the scoundrels of
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206 LETTERS OF liORB NELSON 1709
Fr(<nr>i nro out of Uie kingdom, I sliall send eight or nine ships of
the line to Minorca.
F vm I send yon copy of Lord Keith's order to me, my answer, and a
iiTjaiy. <^P7 ^ A letter I have received since my determination was made
(not at this moment to send a single man from this sqnadron).
I feel the importance of the decision I have taken, and know I
subject myself to a trial for my conduct ; but I am so confident of
the uprightn<5as of luy iiitt'iit ions for liis Majesty's sen'ice, and for
that of his Sicilian Majesty, which 1 consider as the same, that,
with all respect, I submit myself to the judgment of my superiors.
The following extract from Nepean's reply, dated 20 August, is a
necessary supplement to this remarkable correspondence :
* With respect to that partof your Lonlship's letter to the commander*
in-chirf, in which you mention that one thousand of the l>cst men were
landed froni the stpindron, to inarrh. under the command of CaptninK
Troul'ridr^e and Haliowell, a^^ainst Caj)iia, their lordships liave desinul
nic to ohberve to you, that uhhougli in oiH;ratiou.s on the sea coa.st it
may frequently be higlily expedient to land a part of the seamen of the
squadron, to co-operate with and to assist the army, when the situation
will admit of their being unmediately le < nd)ajked. if the squadron
should be called away to act elsewhere, or if infonnation of the approach
of nn enemy's flei-t slmuld he received - yet thoir lordsliips hy no meati??
approve of the seamen l>(>inglanded to form a part- of anarmy to I "'employed
in (jperatiujisiit a diiititnce from the coast, where, if they should ha\ e the
misfortune to be defeated, they might be prevented from retuiiiing to
the ships, and the squadron be thereby rendered so defective as to bo
no longer capable of performing the services n^quired of it ; and I havo
their lordships' commands to signify their directions to your Lordship
not to employ the seamen in like manner in future.
* T have also to acknowledge the v(>reipt of your L<irdship's letter ot
19 July, inclosimi; the copy of an order you had received from \'ice-
Atluiirul Lord Keitli, tlirecting you to procee<l with the whole, or to
detach a part of the squadron under your command to Minorca, and
also the copy of your letter to his lordship in answer thereto, and I
have their lordships' commands to acquaint you, that althongli the co-
operation of a British naval force with the army of his Sicilian Majesty
nn2:ht be, and it appears to have \teen necessary, yet, as from the infor-
mation vour Lordslnp hnd received from Lord Keith, vou must have
been stitished that notlung was to be apprehended from the enemy'r,
fleet, it does not appear to their lordships to have been necessary that
the whole of the squadron under your command should have been kept
for such co-operatioi\, but that a part of it would ha\ e hoen sufficient,
not only to have inspired that contidenee, which your I^ordship states to
hn^ e V>een the resuU of its appearance, but also to have afforded elTert ual
assistance to his Sicilian Majesty : and that their lordships do not,
therefore, from any inforaimtion now l»efure them, see suHicient reason
to justify your having disobeyed the orders you had received from your
commanding officer, or having left Minorca exposed to the risk of being
attacked, without having any naval force to protect it'
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17D0
ORDERS RErEATED
207
I earnestly trust that yoar exertions will be crowned with Sir W. s.
sQccess, and that Bonaparte is gone to the devil. As Lord Keith ^juw,
writes to yoa, I ehall not say mach of what is passing to the west,
except that the French fleet, united to the Spanish (43 sail of the
line) sailed from Cartagena on 29 Jane, and Lord Keith waa in
Malmn on 9 July. My belief is, that the whole force will push
into the Ta«rug, and cirrv liisU^ii, aud of course Portnpil, hy a rouj>.
Otiicrs tliiiik Trehind will their object ; \ 'iuv\ and a -li rt tiiiie,
must discover their plum to us. In the meantime, \vc can only
sincerely lament that the scoundrels have escaped the vigilance
of Lord Keith. Minorca is menaced; but I think will not be
attacked.
Yesterday brought us letters from your worthy brother; and 34 Mr.
we had the great pleasure of hearing that your truly meritorious
and wonderful exertions were in a fair train for the extirpation of
that horde of thieves who went to Egypt with that arch-thief,
Bonaparte. I beg you will express to good Captain Miller,^ and
to all the brave officers and men who have fought so nobly under
your orders, the sense I entertain ui' your and their great merit.
I am snny at pn stMit it is not in my power to send you even a
sloop of war; for Lord Kritli has ordered every ship, not absolutely
necessary for Sicily, to repair to Minorca, which is menaced with
an attack. I think Lord Keith will follow to the Channel; if so,
and wliPR T see what is left me (for at present everything from
8icily to Gibraltar has passed the Straits), 1 shall have pleasure in
giving you a small but active squadron; for, while the French
remain in any part of Egypt, I see Great Britain must do eveiy-
thing.
On 2.2 tJuty, Nelson received a more positive order dated off ITor.
mcntpm, 14 July :
* Your Lord&hip is hereby required and directed to repair to Minorca,
with the whole, or the greater part, of the force under your Lordship's
command, for the protection of that island, as I shall, in all probability,
have left thr ^loditerranean before your Lordship will receive this.'
To disobey this was too much, even for Nelson.
You are herel;v required :ui<l directed to take under vour R.-A<lml.
• • - * D c"k
command tlie [I'nwcrful. .\rnjestic, \'anL'"tiard, and Swallow con'eftc] ^"rtir
whose captains have my din cfinns to I'oilow your orders, and pro- 5^'^«-^"'.v.
ceed with them to ^fnhon, iu the island of Minorca, and on your
arrival there to take also under your orders such of his JViajesty's
ships as you may find in that port, leaving it entirely to your well-
* Captain Miller was aafortuuatcly killed on 14 May ; sec j/oH, p. 21 1.
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208
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1700
known abilities and judgment to act with them in tlie best manner
for the protection of that island and the good of his Majesty's
service.
rrivAte Mr. Lock [consul-Lr«'iitTal fit Niiple^] haviiiL'" tV)r sevt'ral days
been soliciting me lor the exclii:5ive privilege of supplying the
squadron with fresh beet', upon a due consideration T wrote the
following note, and lefY it with my secretary. Mr. Lock came to
me and s.iid that he could point out to me that Government had
been grossly imposed upon in the purchase of fresh beef — that he
knew, or had seen, one account, which was only 700/. [for] which
bills had been drawn upon Government [for] 850/. The exact
sums may not be correct, but I am sure that 150/. was the
diiference mentioned by the consul. On my saying that if it was
HO I was obliged to him for the information, but that I doubt^^d it,
as all vouchers, before th< y were brought to the captains fV>r
signature, were te.>ti(i<'d as to the ])riee by two respectable
m^Tehauts — his atisuer was, that the sigiiatiiri* of meprhnnts was
nothing, tliey CMidd be got to sign anything. I tlu'ii asked Mr.
liock wlio 1 his notorious fraud had been committed bv. which he
refused to tt II me; on which I called Captain Hardy, and told him
as he, witli all tin* captains and pursers of the fleet, were accused
by Mr. Lock of being thieves, I should leave liini to srttl.^ the
business, and that I should give out an order for inquiiy in the
morning. This order Mr. Lock b3gged me not to give out, and,
through Sir William Hamilton, saying it was only a private com-
munication. My answer to this application was, that the consul
having on his Majesty's quarter-deck, under ray flag, made such an
accusation, nothing could be more public; and tliat il' I attempted
to conceal it, the uext thing he would do would be to accuse luc of
being the clitvit — therefore, nothing should prevent my giving out
a public order. Mr. Lock s in \t reipiest was, that I would not
mention his name, which I complied with ; but, as the conversation
was heard by Imudreds, it could not be kept a secret. The manner
and languag(^ of Mr, Ijock was highly insulting to my rank and
situation, under my flag, mv\ hi the presence of his Sicilian
Majesty, his court, and his Majesty's representative.
In my situation I never have or ever will intt-rt' in the
victualling his Majesty's ships under ray command. Each captain
is at liberty to purchase the provisions and wine, when it can be
had of the best quality, and at the cheapest rate.
Whereas I have received information that most gross abuses
Ch. I^k,
28 JuljT.
Memo.
21 July.
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SUUKENDER OF CAPUA
209
have been practised in the purchase of fresh lieef for the use of the
ycjuailruii under my cnimiiand, to the great dt triirient of (lovern-
Tnent, it i»< my ])()sitive direction tliat in I'ulure the vouchers are
.strictly examiiicd, and the prices of every article purchased be
properly a.scertained by the signing officers, and attested by two
respectable merchants oa shore, before the vouchers are signed.
In coi3sequ(>nce of this order, Captaiiis Martin of the Korthutnber-
laud, Hood of the Zealous, Darby of the Bellerophon, Foley of the
Goliath, and Hardy of the Foudroyant, wrote to Lord Nolsi»n a few
days afterA% i\r(ls. statin^j that t}ie frcsli Ix-rf and wirie su]ipli('(l to their
ships had \n:vn of the Ix'st quality, and, as they believed, had been
purchased at the market prices.
I thank you truly for your letter of 9 June, containing an j.s. Smith,
extract of one from your brother, who has done so much at Acre. ^ ^^y*
It is like his former conduct ; and I can assure yon, no one admires
his gallantry and judgment more than myself. But if I know
myself, as I never have encroached on the command of others, so I
will iiul siiilcv even my friend Sir Sidney to encroach upon mine.
I dare say he thought he was to liave a separate coniniaiid in the
Levant. 1 tiiid upon inquiry it never wa3 intended to have any
one iu the Levant separate Irom me.
The French fleet passed the Straits out of the Mediterranean on 8
or 9 July. Capua surrendered on the 27tli. The capitulation of Oaeta
was sent to Naples, and was mtifird on tli*' 31st.. Nelson's letters are
merely inclosing copies of Troubridge's, with which he wrote :
I most sincerely congiatulate their Lordships on the entire Evra
liberation of the kingdom of Naples from the French robbers ; for
bv no other name can the\' be called for their conduct in this
kingdom. 'V\i\H happy event will not, 1 am siiiv, be the less
acceptable frouj being priiuij)aUy brought aliuut by part of the
crrws of his Majesty s ships under tny ordei*s, under tiiu command
of Captain Tronbridge. His merits speak for themselves. His
own modesty makes it my duty to state, that to him alone is the
chief merit due.
On the capitulation going back to Gaeta, the F^nch commandant
demanded some further concessions ; and Captain Louis, of the Mino-
taur, who had been charged to see the embarkation [ roprrly con-
ducted, forwarded the French man 'sobjeetions to Nelsfui. Xhis brought
down on him a vehement, though not mifrieudly reproof.
Yon carried with you the treaty, and, in two hours after your capt.
an ival, and the capitulation was presented, you was to tjike |>osse.s- g^'i'^o^j
biou of the gate*, and in twenty-four hours the garrison were to be
r
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210 LETTEBS OF LORD NET^ON 1790
embarked. I am hurt and Barprised that the capitulation has not
been complied with. It shall be, and the commander has agreed
to it. I haye not read your paper incloeed. You will execute
mj orders, or attack it. The fellow ought to be kicked for his
impudence. Yon will instantly take possession of the gates and
the fortress, I had reason to expect it had been done long ago.
I am vorv' much hurt that it has not.
4 August I lia\ e received your letter of yest(»rrlay, and am happy tx) find
that all matters are settled. I was sorry that you had enteivd into
any altercation with the scoimdrcl. The capitulation once sicrnod,
there could be no room for dispute. There is no way of dealing
with n Frenchman Imt to knock him down. To be civil to them is
only to be laughed at, when they are enemies.
Capt.Trott- "Whereas it is necessary for tlie ^'ood of his Majesty's Service,
6*!!u!^st. ^^^^ otlicer above the rank of ])ost^captain should command the
squadron in Naples Bay, and alon<^' the coast, especially as a number
of foreign ships of war are expected ; you are, therefore, hereby re-
quired and directed to hoist a broad red pennant at the main-top-
gallant-mast-head, of the ship you command, and to wear the same
during the coQtinuance of your services on this coast, or until
further orders.
On 5 August, the Foudroyaut sailed from Naples with the king on
boanl, and arrived at Palermo on the 8th.
R.-Adml. Whereas the commander-in-chief hath informed me, that he was
proceeding with the fleet into the Western Ocean, and perhaps, oflT
SO Ai^naf. Brest,— ryou are therefore hereby required and directed to proceed,
or send two ships of th^ line to Gibraltar, and render eveiy assist-
ance in your power to Qeneral O'Hara and the garrison there,
and by keeping the ports of the Barbary States and the Gut of
Gibraltar open, to protect the trade until the arrival of three sail
of the line more, which will be sent you with frigates, 8loo}>s, Szc.
When they have joined, you will then proceed off Cadiz and watcli
that port, keepinpr the St raits optju, and also, as far as you are able,
watcli over and protect the trade of T.isbuu and Uporto to the
utmost of your power, acquainting the Lords Cornmibsioners of the
Admiralty and me, with any ever^ts that may hap|)en, necessary for
them or me to know. And in the event of the return of the Spanish
fleet to Cadiz, or such n number of them as you may not be able
to cope with, you will be particulfirly c^M to guard against
surprise, and prevent them getting up the Mediterranean before
you, so as to surprise the squadron off Mii^orcfk ; and send a frigate
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1799 SIDNBY SMITH AT ACRE 211
or other ves.Nt l ufT Cape St. Vincent or to Tiislxin, witb tlie upws,
to provcnt any ot our trade falling' into their htiruls, and tiiako the
best of your way up to join the squadron off Minorca, sending also
some vessel to apprise me of snch event, that all tbe force may be
collected as soon as possible.
And tills ordf-r was accompaiued hj a long private letter, to the
same effect, but in greater detail.
My dear Sir, — I have received with the truest satisfaction all Sir u . s.
your very interesting letters to IG July. Tlie immense fatigue you joauku*^
have had in defending Acre against ru( li a c lioscn army of French
villains, headed hy that arch-villnin Bonaparte, has never Ix'en ex-
ceeded, iind the bravery shown by you and your brave companions
is such n6 to merit every encomium wkich all the civilised world
can bestow. As an individual, and as an admiral, will you accept of
my feeble tribute of praise and admiration, and make them accept-
able to all those under yonr command. ... I hope Alexandria is
long before this in your possession, and the fintd blow given to
Bonaparte ; but I hope no terms will ever be granted for his in-
dividual retam to Europe.
Be assured, my dear Sir Sidney, of my perfect esteem and
regard, and do not let any one persuade you to the contrary. But
mv character is, that I will not suffer the smallest tittle of mv com-
mand to be taken from nie ; but with pleasure I give wav to my
friends, amonj^ whom I b<><jr you will allow me to consider you, and
tliat 1 am, with the truest esteem and affection, your faithful humble
servant. Nelson.
It is with extreme concern I have to mention the death of s.Keiioan.
Captain Miller of his Majesty's ship Theseus, who was killed on
board that sliip on- 14 May last, by the explosion of some shells on
the quarter-deck, which killed twenty-six men, wounded forty-livt^,
and nine were drowned by jumpinir overboard. The ship is much
damaged, but has been in part lepaired.
The Russians are anxious to get to Malta, and can» for nothing Caiit. HuV,
else — therefore I hope you will get it i>efore their arrival. The
Stromboli carries a mortar, and 1 t liiiik from the number of men
which can be landed i'rom the squadron, that we shall very soon
call it ours.
Having secunMl tliP free access of the StrniKs by the force Com. Trou-
detached to Uibyaltar, and, from your account and Hood s, being j'^jj,'
f2 ' /
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
perfectly at niy vasv about Minorca, you have my full penuisfsion
to either immediately send liouis to Civit^ Vecchia, with what
vessels you can give him, or to keep under sail when you think
the Russians and Turks are approaching, and go direct to Civitft
Vecchia, and try what can be done ; and if you can get poBseBsion^
then to land not only your marines, but such other Ibrce as you
can Bpare, and not to move till further orders from me ; for, as I
have before Baid, I am perfectly easy about Minorca. Now yon
know my sentiments, you will act and arrange accordingly ; but
this must be kept secret, or we shall give jealousy to the Russians.
As for flie Turks, we can do anything with them. They are good
people, but perfectly useless.
K - v.imi. When winter gets a little more advanced, all the present ships
l>ii( k- Malta must go down the Mediterranean, and some part to
12 Sept, Kiiirlaiul ; therefore, keep no more ships below Minorca than you
ihiiik the service requires : for I had plenty of reasons lately to
write to the Admiralty, that if a iiav.il force should be wanted for
the coast of Italy, that England nmst tind it ; for the Ivussiaii
adtuiral has told me, his ships cannot keep the sea in the winter;
and I see no desire to go to sea in the summer. The Turks are
returned to Constantinople, having had a fray with the Sicilians,
in which many lives were lost.
If I am left in the command even for a few months, I shall
send those French frigates ^ which cannot be manned to England,
and for that purpose £tU' good men shall be left by those ships
going to England. The Alceste may serve for a convoy for
Leghorn or Sardinia, for provisions; but Jnnon and Courageux
cannot be made usrlat, at least 1 am told so; and to keep them
lying at Malion ajipears to me a wufete of public money. My mind
is fixed that 1 will not keep f»ne ship in the Mediterranean wliich
is not fit for an// st i vic.'. Durinu; the winter, those half-iit dniiii
us of all the stores, and render us all useless.
Tf Mr. Vaubois puts his garri^uii afloat, I have no doubt but
inc of your ships will catch him. If such an event should
happen, push ininicdiately part of your ships on the west side of
Sardinia, and part on the east side. The latter, in my opinion,
will be his route, and he will be taken ; but no time must be lost
in the pursuit.
> .Juuon (altcrwanls called Princess Charlotte), Alceste, Courageux, and two
brigs, Salamine and Alert • (afterwards called Minorca), taken off &pe Side* hy a
detadiment of Lord Keith's aqoadron, on 18 June, 1799.
Marc^uia
UeNiza,
IS Hcpt*
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17!» BLOCKADE OF MALTA 2lo
I approve veiy much of your directing guns to be landed from
the Alexander. I would have every exertion used, and every nerve
strained, to finish this tedious blockade.
They have more troops in Minorca than they know what to do Coin.Trou«
with. 1 wished Sir James St. Clair Erskine to h^t me have 1 ,200 le Sept.
for either the Roman State or for Malta ; but I have not been able
to succeed at this inoincnt — -under ])retenre that Gpnend Fox is
hourly expected, and it would not be ])n)])t'r U) h-SMMi the garrison
under these circumstances; and then Sir James enters upon the
difficulty of the undertaking in a true soldier way.
I was florry to find [by your letter of 5 September] that, under sir j. st. a
your present drcumstances, it was not in your power to make irseptT
such a detachment as I so earnestly requested, and which I am
convinced would have so much assisted the King of Naples in ro-
Btoring peace and quietness to his kingdoms, by first driving the
French out of the Roman State. Whenever yon can with pro-
priety send these troops, it will be my business to take care they
be properly conveyed ; and nothing yon will believe will Ix; want-
ing on my part to utlurd them every Mip|Ku t, either in the attack
of Civil A Wccliia, in landing them in the city of Naples, or in
sending them to iinisli tliis very tcdionR business of Malta. fVr-
tainly some small articles necessary for a siege would be desirable
to be brought. If on the continent, particularly entrenching tools;
gunpowder, &c., we can get from Gaeta. If Malta may be judged
more eligible, mortars and shells are the principal things wanted,
(runs can be landed from our ships, but shot of 32 pounds and
downwards may be wanted. I know if we could get an outwork,
Yanbois would be fi>rced to give up.
I am sure you will make every arrangement in your power c«pt
should Sir James Erskine wish to embark any troops. I am {Js^pi^
ignorant of what transports are at Mahon, but the Princess
Charlotte, if a hundred men from four different ships could be
lent to her, wnnld carry a great numlx^r of troops. . . . Totally
i^niorant as I am of the frigates and sloops left me by Lord Keith,
i cannot iix what shall be in my power to give to Minorca. But
take care of it I will, but not a ship more than is necessary. Tlie
object is to prevent troops passing from the Continent to the
Island.
I have received your letter of 20 August * conveying their E. Nepean,
Lordships' disapprobation of my conduct in having sent a part of ^
the crews of the squadron against Capua, and their direction not
» See ante, p. 206, .
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214 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1799
to employ tliem in like manner in future. And I also observe, and
with great pain, that their Lordships see no cause which conld
justify my disobeying the orders of my commanding officer, Lord
Keitli, or for leaving M iiiurca exposed to the risk of being attacked.
I have to rt rjiiest that you will have the goodness assure
their IJt)rdsbi|)^ lliat T knew when I decided on ihutie important
points, that perliaps my life, certainly iny coinniission, was at stake
by my decision ; but, being lirndy of opinion that the honour of my
king and country, the dearest object of my heart [was involved],
and that to have deserted the cause and person of his Majesty's
faithful ally, his Sicilian Majesty, would have been unworthy my
name and their Lordships' former opinion of me, I determined at all
risks to support the honour of my gracious sovereign and country,
and not to shelter myself under the letter of the law, which I shidl
never do when put in competition with the public service.
I only wish to appeal to his Sicilian Majesty, Sir John Acton,
and his Excellencv Sir William Hamilton, whether they are not
clearly of opinion, tint if 1 had drawn any part of the force landed
from the squadron from the shore, that Capua and (Jiieta would at
this moment have Ix en in the liands of tlio Fi-ench : and who can
say what p\nl consequences might not have ensued from it ?
A. Dftviion, In iny state, of what consequence is all the wealth of this world ?
1 took for granted the East India Company would pay their noble
gift to Lady Nelson, and whether she lays it out in house or land
is, I assure you, a matter of perfect indifference. I have given
away 2,0002. of it to my family, in expectation it had been paid.
Ah, my dear friend, if I have a morsel of bread and cheese in
comfort, it is all I ask of kind Heaven, until I reach the estate of
six feet by two, which I am fast approaching. I had the full tide
of honour, but little real comfort. If the war goes on, I shall be
knocked off by a ball, or killed with chagrin, ^^y conduct is
measured by the Admiralty, by the narrow rule of law, when I
think it should have been done by that of common sense. I
restored a iaithful ally by breach of orders ; Lord Keith lost a fleet
by obedience, against his own sense. Yet as one is censured the
other must be approved. Such things are.
I have certain information &om Toulon, of 15 September, that
^i'S»^ five vessels are loading salt provisions for Malta ; also that the two
old Venetian ships were loading stores for the above destination.
One frigate and two corvettes are also ready for sea. A ship of
the line which I suppose to be the G^ndreux, is heaving down, and
another old ship is repairing. I shall keep an eye to that quarter
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BLOCKADE OF MALTA
215
— not by blocking Toulon; tor, the first NW wind, they would
get out in spite of us. I shall place sldpa in the track from Toulon
to Ajaccio, for on that coast I think thej will go, and abo off the
Island of Lampedusa, stretching to Cape Bon, in Aiiica. I may
be wTcmg, but I ^1 oonfideut I am right ; for if I cannot get
ttoops, atarving is onr only hopes. ... 1 know I am a bad hand
at deBcribing my operations; I only beg your indulgence, that
my worios may speak for themselves.
I have desired Commodore Trou bridge to send you, for the
fonuatiou of their Lordships, extracts of all his letters to nn*, with
the temis entered into with the French for the evacuation of the
city of Rome and CivitA Vecchia, on which event I biucerely con-
gratulate their Lordships.
I send you General Naselli, your old Leghorn Iriend, who is Com. Troo-
gr^ing governor to Home. The court has nobody better — you may 2 Oct!*
think they can have nobody worse. The Portuguese squadron, by
letter received this day, are ordered to Lisbon. I am more than
ever anxious for your arrival, that, at least, we may lay wait for
the ships from Toulon. I have wrote again and again to Mahon
for troops, but without effect. I have this day given my opinion
in writing, that his Sicilian Majesty should desire the garrison of
Messina to go to Malta, and also to Admiral Ouschakoff to be
wrote to, for ships and troops from Naples. Nothing shall be
wanting on my pai't, but i urn aiinu^t mad with the manner of
gobg on iiere.
As the reduction of the Island of Malta is of the K^^^'^itest con- Marnaia
sequence to tlif interests of the Allied Powers at war with i'rance, g^OctT**
aiid the withdrawing the sqaadron of his Most Faithful ^lajosty
under your command, at this time, from the blockade of that
island, will be of the most ruinous consequences to their interests,
(^cnlarly when an enemy's fleet of thirteen sail of the line are
^y expected in those seas, and two sail of the line and several
other ships with provisions and stores, for the relief of Malta, are
now lading at Toulon ; you are hereby required and directed, in
oonsideration of the above circumstances, and notwithstanding the
orders yoi I may have received from your court to return to Lisbon,
iioL uii uiiv consideration whut&uever to withdraw one man from
tiiat inland, which may luive been landed from the squadron from
under your Excellency 'h command, or detach one ship dt .wn the
Mediterranean, until further orders from me lor that purpo^ie.
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216 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON l7iYA
And this order was accompanied by a private letter to the same
effect.
5 Oct Haying this day received information tliat the French ships
from Toulon are at sea, with trans])orts, bound to Malta, 1 am
anxious in the rxtivnie to know the resiilL of ihcir npitroarli. 1
pray Owl it may liavc Immmi ltI^tIous to you, hy the dcslructiun of
all the sfdundrelH; therefore J beg your Kxcellency will send me
the account by the Salamine, who is ordered to join me at Mahon.
Sir J. St C I have with great difliculty induced his Sicilian Majesty to
u Oci^* ])ermit Sir John Acton to writ^? to C<jlon(»l Graham, that he
Atm. might take r>()0 men from the citadel of Messina, for the iiii])orf ;nit
service of Malta; and Sir .Inhn has wrote in the saiiH' irnLr
manner b) the Russian admiral at Naples, for 700 troops. 1 iia\ '
500 English and Portuguese marines on shore on the island ; and if
1 am so happy as for you and General Fox to agree to the sending
1,000 or 1 ,200 men, I am sure we shall have it ; and without their
assistance 1 fear we shall miscany in spite of all our exertions.
Duke of Having on 1 October received the terms on which the French
were to evacuate the city of iiome and Oiviti\ Vecchia on the 2nd,
Mobmi Phaeton arrived bringing me an acconnt, that, on 8 and 9
September, thirteen large ships, supposed to be of the line, had
been seen off Cape Ortega!. On this information, in case they
should be bonnd into the Mediterranean, I directed the Culloden
and Minotaur, with some small vessels that were off Civitik Vecchia,
to proceed immediately, and join me off Mahon harbour; the
Poudroyant arriving the same day, I ^iled from Palermo on the
morning of the 5th. 1 had hanlly got clear of the gulf when I met
the Salamine with inl'oniuition from Ma}imi,that on 28 SepteniU r,
a Vfsst'l Irom Tunis to Minorca had fallen iii with two strange sail of
the line, frigates and otluM- v(\sst'ls, to the amount of twenty, sLeeiing
towards Malta. As I have seven sail ot the line, one frigate, and
three sloops on the service there, 1 had to send the brig to ascer-
tain the event. This new s w hich I ntill hope is false, did not t^nd
to make me easy, as in truth 1 required, being vt^ry unwell; how-
ever, the more difliculty, the more exertion is called for.
On the 12th, I got off Mahon, and, having given all necessary
directions for the ships on that station, I made sail for Gibraltar.
In the evening, between this island and Majorca, I fell in with the
Bnlldog, having on board Sir Edward Berry, who brought m©
lettei*a from Rear-Admiral Duckworth, discrediting the account of
the enemy's ships being off the coast of Por tugal j with this kuow-
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1700
IJLOCKADK OF MALTA
217
ledge I instantly retnrned to Mahon, where so much has required
doing, that, except to pay my visit to the General, and to the navul
yard, 1 have not been out of the ship. General Fox \xm\<^ liourly
exj:)ect<M3, it has ii<»t been in my power to arranjje n plan ol' ujx^ra-
tioMj^ for the immediate rednction of ]\tnlta, sIkuiKI it not b<- cffec-
tualiy n-lirvfd l»y tlif.se .sliipH ; wliicli is an oliji'ct of very great
importance to us and his Majesty's allies : but tis neither the brig
aor any vessel is arrived, I am in total darkness ; nor are the ships
from Ciyiti Vecchia corao in. However, I sail to-morrow for
Pfllenno, to see what is going on, and prepare all the force I can
spare for Malta.
Lord Nelsou sailed from Mahon in the Foudroyant on the 18th,
and arrived'at Palermo on 22 October.
1 earnestly desire that your Excellency will not think of Mflrqui^
quitting Malta till i liave a proper force to relieve you. We shall ^4 Oct!^
soon have an army against it, and 1 am yet in hopes that you will
be there, with the ships of her Most Faithful Majesty, when it
surrenders. You was the first at the blockade, and I hope will be
at its surrender.
The details yon have given me, although unsucce^bfui at sir W.a
Aboukir, will, by all military men, ever reflect upon you and your jjoct
brave companions the highest honour ; and I beg yon will tell all
those whose conduct you have so highly approved, that their merits
(even of the lowest) will be duly appreciated by us, and for which
reason I have given all the promotion, and shall continue to do it,
if they deserve it, amongst them. All the arrangements for your
young men are filled up as you desired, and, you shall ever find,
that although 1 am jealous of having' a particle of my honour
abridged, yet that no commanding (tlliccr will be so rejuly to do
everythinf? you can \vi«?h. We have but little here of stores ; but
I have stripped the Foudroyant of everj'thing. At Mahon there
is nothing ; but your demands, with a bare proportion for the
Theseus, go to-morrow for Gibraltar; and although I am pretty
sure you will not receive half what your ships want, I shall urge
Inglefield to send you everything he can.
You will have heard, probably, that Lord St. Vincent still re>
tains the Mediterranean command, and that I am, by order, acting
till his return — ^therefore, I have not the power of giving com-
missions, or anything more than acting orders. As to getting
Neapolitan gunboats to you, there are nniny reasons against it.
lu the hist, they have none for such a voyage : this is enough j
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218 LETTERS OF LOUD NELSON 1799
bat, was not this sufficient, it would be a thing impossible. I
believe we are as bad a set to deal with, for real service, as yonr Tnrka.
I have just irot u report that appears to have some foundation,
that Bonaparte has ])asscd Corsica in a boinbanl, steering for
France. No cnisadcr ever returned with more huniility — contnwt
hia going in L' Orient.
<'ii<'v. Malta is in my thoDghts, sleeping and waking. I have talked
94 ol^^* fully to Sir John Acton on the subject, and his Excellency will
write to you fully upon it. . . . Could I order British troops
from Minorca, they should have been at Malta, ready to co-operate
most cordially with the Russian troops ; bat, alas, they are under
the orders of General Fox, who is not yet arrived fiom England.
General Sir James St. Clair Erskine, the present commanding
officer, has prepared 1,500 excellent troops, besides the garrison of
Messina, with stores of every description, shouUl (ieiirral Fox ap-
prove of the plan we liave made ; but they will not move without
knowino" when, and how many Russian troops will l>e there to
co-operuu with them. No time should be lost. The Portuguese
squadron is ordered home, and I have no ships to relieve them at
present. I wish I could be with you and the admiral for a few
minutes to fix all matters. Believe me, there is not a thing that
the admiral could propose, that I would not meet him half-way.
The honour and glory of the Emperor Paul is as dear to me, both
from my duty and inclination, as that of my own sovereign ; and
I am sure that we shall disoblige our royal masters, if we do not
as cordially unite together for the destruction of the French villains,
as they are happily doing in the North Seas, both at sea and on
shore. I beg the admiral will consider this letter as jointly wrote
- to him and you, as it is more pleasant to me tor your upright and
houou i al le heart to interpret for me than a stranger.
Sir J. St. c. I am in desperation about ^lalta. We shall lose it, I am afraid
a^TocL* P"^^ redemption. ... If Ball can hardly kee]) the inhabitants in
Jiope of relief by the 500 men landed from our ships, what must be
expected when 400 of them, and four sail of the line, will be with-
drawn ? and if the islanders are forced again to join the French,
we may not find even landing a vor^- easy task, much less to get
again our present advantageous position. I therefore entreat for
the honour of our king, and for the advantage of the common
cause, that, whether General Fox is arrived or not, at least the
garrison of Messina may be ordered to hold post in Malta until
a sufficient force can be collected to attack it^ which I flatter myself
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TltOUPS lUli ALiLTA
219
will in time be got together; but whUe that is effecting, I fear our
being obliged to qait the Iflland ; therefoTe, I am forced to make
this representation. I know well enough of what officers in your
situation can do ; the delicacy ol'your feelings on the near approach
of General Fox I can readily conceive ; but the time you know
nothing about ; this is a great and important moment, and the
only thing to be considered, Is his Majesty's service to stand still
for an instant ? ... If we lose this opportunity it will be impoa-
sible to recall it. If possible, I wish to take all tho responsibility.
I know, my dear Sir James, your zeal and ability, and that
delicai^ to General Fox has been yonr sole motive for not altering
the dic^Kisition of the troops ; bat I hope General Fox is with yon,
and I am snre, firom his character, lie will approve of my feelings on
the subject. If be is not, I must again earnestly entreat that,
at least, yoa will give directions for Colonel Graham to hold Malta
till we can get troops to attack La Valetta. May God direct
your counsels for the honour of our king and iiiii allies, and to the
destruction of the French.
Erskine could noty however, be induced to see the matter in this
light ; and writing to Lard Nelson on 31 October, said : *■ The proba-
bility of General Fox Wing abln to form and (h'taeh such a corps nsmay
l>e adequate to undertuke the siego of.M alta, becomes now much more
doubtful : a few days, howo\ er, must clear up all these points. 1 lind
that the Marquis de Niza, Captain Ball, and General Acton, have all
written, to tiy to induce C^enml Graham to ombark with a part of his
corps for Malta : in answer to which he has aeted in strict obedience to
his instmctions, and in my opinion with the most perfect propriety ; for
no officer would have been justified, even if h ft to his discretion, in
forming a project for besiegirsg '»,000 men, and proceeding on active
0{>erations, witli a corps of 500 men only. T mention this, hecause I
collect from (Jiuham's letter that the last application was pi'essed, even
after his answer that he mmld not take any step without orders from
Minoroa.'
T received your letters relative tn vfuir j.roiiiL^ down the Medi- Marijuia
t4*rranean. By every tie of honour to your court, the ally of my jlortf*
gracious Sovereign, do not quit the blockade of Malta, or withdraw
a man from the island, until I can get troops and ships to relieve
them, for which purpose I have sent an express both to Naples and
Minorca, pressing for orders for l^e garrison of Messina to go
directljr to Malta. If yon quit yonr most important station till I
con get these things, depend upon it^ yonr illustrious Prince wDI
disapprove of (in this instance) your punctilious execution of
orders. Ever believe me your obliged and affectionate friend,
Bronte Nelson.
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LETTKUS OF LOUD NEf^N 17»0
Emppror of Biie^ — As Grand Master of the Order of Malta, I presume to
8iOct! detail to your Majesty what has been done to prevent the Frendi
from re-possessing themselves of the island, blockading them
closely in La Valetta, and what means are now pursuing to force
them to surrender.
On 2 September, 1 708, tlie inhabitnnts of Malta rose a«Tainst
the Fr.'iicli robbt^rs, wli.*. It. 4\ inor taken all i he nioiit-y in the i>hin(l,
levied e< Hit ributidus ; aiid \'iiiilM>is. us ii l;ist act ot'vilhiiiiy, said, as
Uipti*^iri wa.s of no use, be had sefit for all the churcli plate. On
the 9th, 1 received a letter from the deputies of the island, praying
assistjinco to drive the I'rencli frorn La Valetta. I immediately
directed the Manpiis de Niza, with four sail of the line, to support
the islanders. At this time, the crippled ships from Egypt were
passing near it, and 2,000 stand of arms, complete, with all the
musket-ball cartridges, were landed from them, and 200 barrels of
powder. On 24 October, I relieved the marquis &om the station,
and took the island of Gozo — a measure absolutely necessary, in
order to form the complete blockade of La Valetta, the garrison of
which, at this time, was composed of 7,000 French, including the
seamen, and some few Maltese ; the inhabitants in the town, about
30,000 ; the Maltese in arms, volunteers, never exceeded 3,000, I
entrusted the blockade to ('a|)tain Alexander John Ball, of the
Alexaniier, 71, an oflicer nut only of the greatest merit, ljut f)f the
most conciliating manners. From that period to this time, it has
fell to my lot to arrange for the feeding of 00,000 people, the
population of ^lalta and Gozo, the arming the peasantry , and, the
most difficult task, that of keeping up harmony between the
deputies of the island. Hunger, &tigue, and corruption appeared
several times in the island, and amongst the deputies. The
situation of Italy, in particular this kingdom, oftentimes reduced
me to the greatest difficulties where to find food. Their Sicilian
Majesties, at different times, have given more, I b^eve, than
40,000/. in money and com. The blockade has, in the expense of
keeping the ships destined alone for this service, [cost] full
180,000/. sterling. It has pleased God In'therto to bless onr
endeavours to jmn'ent supplies getting to the Frcncli exce]it
one frigate and two small vessels, with a small portion ot salt
provisions.
Your Majesty will have the goodness to observe, that, nntil it
was known that you were elected Grand ^fa^it'er, and that the
Order was to be restored in Malta, I never allowed an idea to go
abroad that Great Britain had any wish to keep it. I therefore
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1700 SIEGE OF MALTA 221
directed his SiciliHti Majesty's flag to lioist.d, a^., 1 am loM, had
the ()r<l<M' not 1)i'(mi r*'.stored, that he is the It\t^n'i imate 8tjvereign of
the island. Never less tlian oUU men have been landed froTii the
squadron, which, although, with the volunteers, not suiiioiant to
coinmence a siege, have yet kept posts and batteiy not more than
400 yanls from the works. The quarrels of the nobles, and mis-
conduct of the chiefs, rendered it absolutely necessary that some
proper person should be placed at the head of the island. His
Sicilian Majesty, therefore, by the united request of the whole
island, named Captain Ball for their chief director, and he will
hold it till yoor Majesty, as Grand Master, appoints a person to
the oflSce. Now the French are nearly expelled from Italy by the
valour and skill of your generals aTid army, all my thoughts are
turned towards the plaeing the Grand Ma.stor and tlu* Order of
Malta in security in La Valetta, for wlnCli purpose, T have just
been at Minorca, and arranged with the l\lnLrlish general a force of
2,500 British troops, cannon, Iwmbs, &c. &c., for the siege. I
have wrote to your Majesty's admiral, and his Sicilian Majesty
joins cordially in the good work of endeayonring to drive the
French from Malta.
T deferred writing in expectation of rec eiving the plan of the 8ir I.
arms you sent to Ix)rd Greiivilli', l)ut which has never reached me. ffj^Jr
T should be much obliged to you for them, but now I suppose the
ducal arms of Bronte must have a place. If his Majesty approves i Nov.
of my taking the title of Bronte, I must have your opinion how I
am to sign my name. At present I describe myself * Lord Nelson,
Duke of Bronte in Sicily/ As the pelisses given to me and Sir
Sidney Smith are novel, I must beg yon will turn in your mind
how I am to wear it when I first go to the king ; and, as the
aigrette is directed to be worn, where am I to put it ? In my hat,
having only one arm, is impossible, as I must have my hand at
liberty; therefore, 1 think, on my outward garment.
I have just received the Imperial Order of the Crescent from tlie
Grand Signior, a diamond star ; in the centre, the crescent and a
small star.
[^f y hopo of obtaining troops from Minorca is much diminished Lmd
by a letter from General Sir James Erskine writing me word] that e'^oy,'*
the 28th Regiment was ordered for Engluud, and tiuil he expected
( ieiieral Fox every moment, and that [till] he wa,s here, the General
would not on any consideration break his orders for any object.
Much as I approve of strict obedience to orders — even to a
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I
222 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1700
court-martial to inquire wlietlier tlie object justified the measure
— yet siiy that mi officer is never, for any object, to alter his
orders, is what 1 caimuL Ciunprehend. The circumstances of this
war 80 often vary, that an officer ha=; almost every inoint iit to con-
sider— What would my superiors direct, did they know what is
passing under my nose ? The great object of the war is — Down,
down with the French ! To accomplish this, eyeiy nenre, and by
both services, ought to be strained.
The services o£ Captain Ball will not, I am confident, be forgot
by yon, bnt I feel sensible that my pen is far unequal to do justice
to the merit of my friends ; for could I have described the wonder^
fnl merit of Sir Thomas Troubridge and his gallant party in the
kingdom of Naples — ^how he placed his battery, as he would his
ship, close alongside the enemy — how the French commander said,
* This man fancies he is on board bhip — this is not tlie mode a
geneml would adopt;' in what a few days tliis baud went to tlie
siege of Capna, wln rc, whatever wasdotie, was tlone by the English
and Port UL'iH'se, for the Riis«iiaiis would tight, but not work. Tlie
Neapolitan (X)rp.s were in air, and (iOO Swiss were all whoTruubridge
could depend upon. Tf I had, as their chief, a looker-on, a pen to
describe their extraordinary merits, they would not be diminished
by the comparison nf onr success in Holland, or by the gallant exer-
tions of my friend, Sidney Smith — of whose seal, judgment, and
gallantly, no man is more sensible than myself — and be equally
entitled to the thanks of their country, by its representativeB in
Parliament.
Ditke of Oenend Koehler does not approve of such irregular ' proceedings
9 Sw^* as naval officers attacking and defending fortifications. We ha^e
but one idea — to get close alongside. None but a sailor would have
placed a battery only a hundred and eighty yards from the Cjistle
of »St. KItho ; a soldier must have gone according to art, and tlie
ZZ way ; my brave Sir Tliouias Troubridge went straight, for we
have had no time to spare.
IvXepcan, Yesterdav tlie Vinroi<j briuf, who 1 liad .sent to look into Toulon
10 Not. jo'
on the IGth, joined me with an account tliat the two Veneti.m
ships arnws en flute, two frigates and two con'ettes, sailed from
Toulon on the 16th, in the evening, loaded with provisions ; and
that the G6n(;reux and three frigates were ready for sea. As Captain
Long judged Malta their object, he made sail for that island and
' See auiet p. 60.
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1799 CASE OF MK. LOCK 223
gave the Marquis de Niza that information. As I have placed for
the moment nine sail of the lino, one frigate, and three corvettes
in the tnirk to that island, I hope they cannot relievo it: for if
they do, we shall all have to begin acrain, and T helieve worse, for
we shall \je drove off the island ; but it has been no fault of the
navy that it has not been attacked by land, but we had neither the
means onrselres, or the mflaenoe with others who had the power.
T have received by poit your answer to my letter fn:>ni the Bay Commi»-
of Naples, in which you beg me to accept your acknowledgments fh^^vTo^
for the trouble 1 had taken in investigating the re|)ort made by J{J,"'Jjj"''
Mr* Lock, on the subject of the purchase of fresh beef. I must H Hor,
own, that I conceived your letter couched in terms of such cold-
ness, as a little surprised me ; but it was not till this moment of the
departure of Captain Hardy, that I have heard a report, circulated
by Mr. Lock, that you had received a letter from him on this sub-
ject, and that yon had thanked him for having saved Government
40 per cent. If it is true, which I cannot believe, tliat you had
wrote Mr. Lock any letters on this subject, I desire to say, and not
to be misunderstood, that the conduct of the Board is very repre-
hensible, and scandalous in its treatment to me, the conimandinor
officer of his ^fajesty's fleet in the Mediterranean. I hop(> you will
send tiiese expressions to our superiors, the Board of Adniiralty;
for if it is true, which 1 cannrit believe, it would make it more
^caadaioos not to have sent me copies of these letters. I will never,
for any power on earth, retract a syllable of what I have wrote in
this letter. I defy any insinuations against my honour. Nelson
is as far from doing a scandalous or mean action as the heavens
are above the earth. I will now tell you the result of the inquiry
of an honest man, a faithful servant of his king and oountiy, was
(from the papers I sent to your Board), that the accusation of Mr.
Lock was malicious and scandalous ; and if any board or indivi-
doal apply any softer terms to the papers sent you by me, I desire
to apply the same term*? to them.
I have ever treati-tl rtU lx)ards, and evt'iy individual with the
greatest respect and consuleration ; but wlicn niy honour, or that
of my brave friends is concerned, J will never stop till the examina-
tion is made : for Mr. I^ock would not, or could not (which I be-
lieve), but both are equally criminal, bring forward any single point
of accusation. I therefore demand that you will direct (subject to
my inspection) a strict and impartial inquiry to be made into this
saving of 40 per cent. J have only to observe, that Mr. Lock
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224 LElTElti) OF LOUD NEI^OX 1790
never made any complaint of the price, until I wrote a note to say
that 1 slioulcl not int/crfere in the purchase — ^thafc he that -sold
tliH iK'st and clieupest, would, of course, be the seller. ' I havo
desiifd Captein Hardy to call on yuur Board on this subject, fis he
was captain of tlie ?'oudroyaut at thia time, and knowB perfectly
my opioiou oi' idr. Lock.
Tn roi>lyinL? to tliis Ifttor, on 20 Deceutber, the Ct)nnuissioner of the
Victualling Board said, ' After declaring to your Lordship that we never
had any correspondence with Mr. Lock on the subject to which it re-
lates» we submit to your Lordship's own reflection the manner in which
you have thought proper to armign the conduct of this Board merely
upon a rumour, the authenticity of which you twice profess yourself to
disbelieve.'
It was iM'\ »'rllu'](\s.s true, and the coiuinissioner's denial of thecnrre-
spondence was as gmss an eijuivocation as any member of even a pul»iic
board ever perpetrated. Their message to if r. Lock had been trans-
mitted verbally through his fi&ther and sister; the former of whom
^vrott' to him tli if Air. Marsh, one of the commissioners of the Vic-
tualling Board, had mid that the Board ' felt very much obliged to Mr.
Txick's interference, bcinij pprsiiadcd that it luis occasioned the fleet's
l)eini< \ ictiiallt'd forty per cent, lower than it would otherwise have
been ; ' ami ius sister wrote on 8 September, that Sir William Bel ling-
ham (the Chairman of the Board), who had dined with them on t£e
preceding day, had repeated the same statement, and said that * they
are greatly obliged to you, and feel themselves so, ' with more to the
same purports
Grnhlml" Coiumodore Sir Thomas TruubridLfe is the otlicer destined bv
2i>Nov. me to co-operate with you for the reduction of Malta. One more
able and active cou]<l not be selected from our service; and as the
commodore is in full possession of my sentinu'nts ou every point,
there can no doubt arise on any subject, which he cannot im-
mediately clear up. Ball has been, by his Sicilian Majesty, the
legitimate sovereign of the island, placed at the head of the Maltese,
in both a civil, and, as I nnderatand, military capacity. His con-
ciliating manners will overcome all difficulty with the inhabitants.
They adore him ; therefore, I think, in any capitulation, he should
sign. I will not state the necessity of a most cordial co-operation
with tlie Uussian general. It is the desire of our LTovernmeut to
gnitiiy the Emperor iu every wish about the order of Malta.
The orders to Sir Thomas Troubridge to proceed on this service are
dated the same day.
\v. Wynd- Yesterday, an order came from General Fox for the garrison of
ham,
*2& Kov. • See ante^ p. 208.
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1709
THE ALGERINE CORSAIRS
225
Messina to proceed to Malta, aad as the Rassiaiis are destined for
the same object, I hope we shall very soon be in possession of it.
The situation of our uffiilrs with the Barbary States calls for ^ ^
porions attontion ; for, from the circumstances of the war, it lias Sp^noer,
been iinpu.-i>ii)le to make them fe4ir us as they ouprht, particularly
Al«jriers ; niid that state is now ofotting to such a pitch of insolence
that cannot much longer go unchai<tised. iiut 1 well know in Eng-
land how an ofiicer would be repn>bated, was he to permit this, and in
the contest, which could not Ije long, any English vessels be t^ken.
These states have taken many Maltese vessels and Neapolitans, hav-
ing a pass, as they call it, from me. As no vessel, either at Malta
or Naples, on our first going there, would go to sea, without a paper
signed by roe, his Sicilian Majesty desired me many times nnder his
own hand, to sign the passport, which was a recommendation to the
allies of Great Britain to the vessel described, she being employed
to carry provisions for the use of those fighting the connnon enemy.
I never signed one of those papere that I did iint declare that it
could be of no use for protect ion. and that I thoiiLdit it was coii-
Fiirninir seamen, potir creatures, to slavery. ^Wo answer always
was, we are not worse for your signing, may be better, and our sea-
men will not go to sea without it. Many of these passes were re-
spected by Tripoli and Tunis; but the Algerine cruisers paid not
the smallest attention, and several vessels loaded with salt, for the
supply of the capital, have been taken, and their crews, sixty-five
in number, are now in slavery.
As the greatest number of their papers were signed on board
the Foudroyant at Naples, by desire of General Acton, and the
goyemment of the city, at whose head was Cardinal Rufib, it was
not known nnder what circumstances the papers were signed —
therefore, Prince Luzzi, Secretary of State, addressed a despatch
to Sir William Hanullon, a copy of which, and his excellency's
aufewer, I seiul yni. I also send some papers, sent me by Major
Mnpra, also an account nf an Algerine firing, in the J^ay of Tunis,
at an English vessel. 1 do not say, or think, that the papers signed
by me, ought, by the laws of nations, to protect traders, but under,
all circumstances the Barbary States ought to be made sensible of
the attention which is due to the signature of an English admiral,
and that, at least, the poor people ought to be liberated.
The Dej of Algiers has been several times very impertinent
about giving supplies for Minorca, and is getting finom one insolence
to another, which, if not checked by vigorous measures, will end in
Q
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226
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1799
a qnnrrol. Aty idea in for mo to go to him, and settle the business,
and if I find that he will be insolent, to show him in the moment
that he cannot go robbing in the Mediterranean withont the con-
sent of Britain. I think the greatest part of his cruisers would be
seized in a month, and then bring him to reason. Terror is the
only weapon to wield against these people. To talk kindly to them
is only to encourage them. Demand nothing that is not just, and
never n'ceili', and settle the whole in half un hour. I should say
U) him that * I expected that, being embarked in the same cansp»,
you would not have t^ken vessels only carrying provi.si<»ii.s [in-
people lighting apfainst the bl'ench, but you had not humanity
enough to do this. However, I insist that you sliall not keep the
poor people in slavery. It was by niy having too good an opinion
of you that tliey fell into your hands. With respect to fhr pre-
suming to fire at any vessel in a neutral port bearing the £ngliah
flag, the most ample satisfaction must be made.' I hope we shall
soon be rid of Malta, and then our ships for a little time cannot be
BO well employed. If tlus letter ought to be addressed to the board,
I beg of yon to lay it before them ; but I consider it, and its in-
closure, jea a letter for the Cabinet Minister.
Letters which had pjissed between Mr. Lock and myself,
bn)ught forward yesterday, in the presence of Sir William Hamilton,
a meeting between us ; and as it turns out that false friends in this
country, and nonseusical ones in l^^ngland, have been the cause of
Mr. Lock's highly improper conduct, and as any inquiry can only
end in the ruin of Mr. Lock's character, I consent not to desire
the inquiry demanded in my letter of 14 November, by Captaini
Hardy. It was justice to the public and a vindication of my own
honour, that I sought, and not ruin to a young man setting off ia
life with a family of children. This lesson will, I trust, and believe,
be of more uae to Mr. Lock than the approbation of ignorant
people. I do not mean to withdraw a syllable of my last letter to
the board, for they will see that I did not believe them capable of
such conduct; only to that part- which gives up the demand for
inquiry. Tf there are those residing in Somerset riace who merit
the full forci' of some of my words, let them have it. One of my
greatest boasts is, that no man can ever say 1 have told a lie.
All our Mediterranean operations are pretty nearly at a stand-
still ; for the enemy have no fleet at this moment to make us keep
a good look-^ut, although I should not be surprised if the whole
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17W BLOCKADE OF MALTA 227
combined fleet should again pay us a visit this winter. They were
perfectly ready for sea the latter end of October^ forty-eight sail of
the line. Admiral Duckworth, with all the ships, frigates, &c., is
ordered by the Admiralty from Gibraltar, to go off Ferrol ; and I
think from thenoe will be called to the Ghaonel ; therefore, at this
moment I have only two sail of the line, and not more than two
frigates, in a condition to sfo to sea. Our Government naturally
look to the llub.siaii.s for aid liere, but they will liud their niisUike:
the Uusi^ian ships aro not able to keep the sea. I am now trying
to briui^ «inr loTi<jf lilfM-k.-idc of Malta to a close ; the garrison (»f
Afessina hjis been pt^'ruutted to embark for that service, and 2,500
Russians are, I hope, at this moment at Malta. The French ships
destined for the relief of Malta went to Villafranca, and landed ihoir
provisions and stores for the army, which has since been defeated
by General Melas.
The Austrians are calling out for a naval co-operation on the oen. Pox, ■
coast of Genoa. They complain that the Russian ships never oome ^*
near them. Our Government think, naturally, that eleven sail of
the line, frigates, &c. should do something : I find they do nothing.
I cannot allow you to pass from under my command witliout Marquis
assuring you of my sinc'ir and cordial lhank.s for your (••>nstant JSdJI^
anr! rcadv olx-dicncc to ovoi-v oidfi- and wish I have dircftt'd to
yuur i^irdship for tlio public st rvicc, ... I have, in particular,
to express to your jjordship my approbation of your judgment in
continuing to obey my ordei*8 for the public service in remaining
at Malta till I could get ships to relieve you, instead of an inmiediate
obedience to your orders from the Court of Portugal, wlnt h, had
you obeyed, the French vrould, most probably, [have] been in
poesesrion of the whole island, and the allies might not have been
able to even effect a landing. Tour orders, which it would be no
longer proper to diflobey, force me with regret to part from you.
Lord Elgin presses me, if it can be done, to send a larger Lord
squadron into the lit v.'int seas. But your Lordshi]) knows that is
not possil)lc-, [nor], indeed, except to grutiiy the Turks is there any
8er\nce for a large squadron, Malta having kept ever^thinL' notwant/ed
for other particnlar services. If I could have [hadj any cruisers,
as was my plan, otf Cape Bon in Africa, and between Corsica and
TruTlou,Mr. Bonaparte could not probably have got to France ; but
it it bring on a confusion at Paris, I hope it will be for the best.
Not knowing whether Rear- Admiral Duckworth liath left any E. Xrpe«n,
ahip to cruise between Cape Spartel and Cape St. Vincent, I have ^
Q 2
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228
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1799
pnt the Penelope' under Captain Morris's* orders, and directed
him to cmise in snch a position between those capes m he may
think most eligible for annoying the enemy, as well as to keep a
good look-out for the fi])]iroach of the combined fleets, whom 1
have reason to suppose, fmm the information I have received, are
destined for the Jyiediterranean ; and, in case of their approach, to
run for Minorca and Malta, to put them on their guard.
M Dee!**"* ^ have regretted sincerely the escape of Bonaparte ; but those
ships which were destined by me for the two places where he
would certainly have been intercepted, were, from the Admiralty
thinking, donbtless, that the Rossians would do scanething at ses,
obliged to be at Malta, and other services which I thought the
Russian admiral would have assisted me in — ^therefore, no blame
lays at my door. The Vincejo, a few days ago, took a yessel from
EgA'pt with General Voix and seventy-five officers, mostly of
Bona])arte's staff ; and also Captain Long was happy enough to
save the despatches, wliich were thrown overboard, but with an in-
sufficient weight to instantly sink them. T send you copies of all
those which you have not got. ... I f)wn niy liopo yet is, that
the Sublime Porte will nevw permit a single Frenclnn.in to quit
Eg\'pt ; and T own myself wicked enough to wish them all to die
in that country they chose to invade. We have scoundrels of
French enough in Europe witlimit them.
J s Stiiith, I have read with pleasure all that has passed in Egypt between
2^ Dec. Bonaparte, Kleber, and the Grand Vizir ; and I send Lord Elgin
some very important papers, which will show their very deplorable
situation. But T cannot bring myself to believe they would entirely
quit Egypt; and, if they would, I never would consent to one of
them returning to the continent of Europe during the war. T wish
them to perish in Egyjit, and give a grejit lesson to the world of
the justice of the Ahni|jlify. . . . Admiral Ouschakoff cannot be
got tr) niovp ; and by his carelessness, the fall of Malta is not only
retarded, but (!)•> i.sland mav be lost. The shipii in the harbour
are ready for sea, and will try to esca]>e. Four days ago three shells
tell into the Guillaume Tell, and her poop is blown up.
£.K€pean, The Culloden, on going into the Bay of Marsa 8cii*occo, in the
island of Malta, to land the cannon, ammunition, &c., taken on
board that siiip at Messina for the siege, struck on a rock, and
Commodore Sir Thomas Troubridge has informed me that tlie rud-
der and greatest part of the false keel are carried away, and the
' Cttpluiu liliickwood. • Of Ujc Tbaeton.
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1790.1880 BLOCKADE OF MALTA 229
niflder would have been lost but for the timely exertion in getting
■a liawser secured through it ; the pintles are all broke, and tlif ship
was steered to the anchorage with her sails, where she is now iii
safety, but very leaky. If I can get her, the Alexander, and Lion,
to England a few months hence, it is all that I can expect from
them, as they are not fit to keep the aea.
You will see with some sorrow the accident which has befell the Lord
Cullodeuj and now it only remains for you to decide whether the jJdS'*
services of Troubridge are to be lost in the Mediterranean : he mast
evidently have anotiier ship, or be an established commodore. . . .
I wish to have a squadron of two or three vessels off Cape Bon, in
Africa, and another to assist the Anstrians in the Riviera of Genoa ;
but I absolately want more than I have for the blockade of Malta.
The ships are ready to sail, and will probably try to escape as a last
elfurt. The RLissiaiis, even if at sea, of which T see no pn^spect,
cannot sail, or b«' of the least service. I huvf \vruii» very phiinly
to the llusbian minister, that in my opinion the Euiptjror will not
be well pleased with Admiral Ouschakoff. (Julloden, Alexander,
and Lion, cannot go to sea, and all I hope for is to get them to
England a few motiths hence.
[Five Tessels laden with com or flour for Malta are actually sir t.
on their way.] General Acton assures me that there is a great brijL
scarcity <^ com in this island, and that the granaries at Qirgenti si» cSnL
sre not full of com, and I must believe the want, when so large a
bounty is given for the importation. ... A general order for sup-
plying onr troops and ships will be repeated, but not for the supply
of Malta, for General Acton declares they have it not to give ; but
that everything shall be done to give us content.
I send voii orders for tlie different i?overnors. Yon will see 2 Jon.
they are for the sup])ly of the army and navy — therefore, whatever
Graham and yon >r\id for, will, if puHsible, he crraiited.
Sir Wiiliani is just come from (reueral Actoii, and has the 7 Jan,
promise^ that the com bought by the Senate of Palermo at Girgenti
shall go to Malta, and the com here be landed for Palermo ; and
that an express shall be sent this day to Girgenti. I cannot do
more than get these orders. . . . Yon had better send a vessel to
Girgenti ; and as it is veiy possible, after all, that no orders sent
may be obeyed, I wish yon would, if that should be the case, direct
sa express to be sent to me.
Whilst the Neapolitans were promising, the Maltese were dying.
The foU(^wing are some extracts from Sir Thomas Troubridge's letters to
Iiord Nekon :
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230
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1 Janx. — ' We are dying off fust for want. I leani, by letters from
Messinii, tliat Sir William Ilainiltoii says, Princo Luzzi refused com
some time ago, and Sir William does not think it worth while making
another application. If that he the rnse, T wish he commanded at this
distressing scene instead of me. Puglia had an intmeiise harvest, nt^r
thirty Bail left Mesaina befcnre I did« to load com ; — ^wUl they let us have
any f If not, a short time wUl decide the business. The Qerman in-
terest prevails. I wish I was at your Lordship's elbow for an hour — uM^
cUl will be thrown on you, rely on it.
5 Jan. — * I have this day saved .'^0,000 people from dyiiii^ ; Imt with
this day my iiV»ility ceaiies. As tlie Kiiii; of Naples, or ratlu-r the Queen
and her party, are bent on starving us, 1 see no aitoruative, hut to leave
these poor unhappy people to stanre^ without our beiiu; witnesses to thdr
distress. I curae the day lever served the Kingof Naples. ... If the
Neapolitan government will not supply com, I pray your Ix)rd8hip to
recall us. We are of no use. Tlie Maltese soldiers must call on the
French in Valetta, wlio have the ability to r<'lit>\o tlH in. Tlie con-
spquonce will Ik', (mmu ral Gmliani and his troops vv ill he i ut up to a man,
if 1 do not withdraw them. I hourly expect hini to apply to me for
that purpose. All we brought, I shiall leave^I mean the guns, &c,
belonging to his Sicilian Majesty. I never expected to be toeatod in
this manner by General Acton, who certainly influences the king's
council : he complaiiu} he cannot get his orders put in force : how can
lie expect it, when he never punishes any of the traito)-** ^ On the
contrary, is hr not daily promoting' the traitors we exposed to him ?
We have chaiucters, my Lord, to lose ; these people have none. Da
not suffer their infunous conduct to fall on us. Our country is just,
but severe. I foresee we shall forfeit the little we have gained. Before
supplies can possibly come, many thousands must perish, even if the^
supplies arrive in two days. The situation is worse than ever ; th< re
are not even locusts. Sudi is tho fr vfr of my brain tliis minute, that
I nssnrf yon, on my honour, if the Pal* r i traitors wen' here, I would
shoot them hrst, and then myself. Oii -^enti, I beg to inform you, is full
of com — the money is ready to pay for it— we do not ask it as a gift.*
On 6 January Nelson received Lord Keith's order, dated off Vigo^
30 November, announcing his commission as commander-in-chief in Uie
Mediterranean.
To get to Malta — which has kept for sixteen months everj' ship
Keith, I could lay iny hands on fully einjdoyed, and has, in truth, alinoHt
bixike my sjiirifs for cv* r— T have been begunnLT of his Siciliau
Majesty small supplies of money mid corn to kct jj the Maltest^ in
anna, and barely to keep from starving the poor iiiiiabitaubs.
Sicily has this year a very bad crop, and the exportatiou of com
is prohibited. Both Graham and Troubridge are in desperation at
the prospect of a famine. Vessels are here loading with com for
Malta; but I can neither get the Neapolitan men-of-war or
merchaat-yessels to move. Yon will see by the report of the dis-
position of the ships, what a wretched state we are in. In tmth^
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BJLOCKAD£ OF MALTA
231
uiily the lYiudroyaiit and NOrthuinberlaiid an- lit U) keep tlit* sea.
The iiusriiaus ure on the 4th urrivt'd at Mes.^iiia ; six sail of the
Ime, frigates, <fec., with two thousand five hunditnl troops. It is
not to be expected that any one Russian man-of-war can or will
keep the sea : therefore, the blockade bv can only l)e kept up
by our ships ; and it ia my intention, if tlie Foudroyaut, or even a
frigate, conies soon, to go for two days to MaltA, to give the Russian
adnural and general, Graham, Troubridge, and Governor Ball, a
meeting — ^not only on the most probable means of getting the
French out, bat also of arranging various matters, if it should fiill
to our exertions. The MaLtese have, Graham says, two thousand
ezoellent troops ; we have, soldiers and sailors, fifteen hundred ;
the Russians will land full three thousand. I hope the Ricasoli
may be carried ; and if it is, I think the French general will no
longer hold out. What a relief t liis would be to us.
This uioment hius brouj^lit ino your and Rail's letters of the 4th SirT.
and t>th. I have sent to ( JeiuTal Acton for an order for an in)iiie- bridge,
diate supply, and 1 hope to send it by the express. Tiie frigate
was to sail last night alone for Girgenti for some vessels loaded
with com, and to carry them to Malta ; but she is not yet out of
tho mole. Nothing has been neglected on my part to get supplies
for Malta, and by the greatest exertions, for this country is in
absolnte want. Mr. Noble, two days ago, went to Termini, twenty-
four miles from Palermo, the greatest com country in this Island.
The granaries here are really empty, and what was in them of a
very bad quality. The kingdom of Naples is full of com, but, as
we know, the Neapolitan seamen will not go to sea in the winter.
. . . I send vou Acton's letter to Sir \\ illiaui. If such lies can
be told under my nose, wliat must be expected at a distance? . . . •
You must in tlie^ last extremity seize vessels loaded with com : the
inhabitants cannot starve. If, unfortunately, you are forced to this
measure, I am confident it will be exercised with great discretion.
Troubridge had in fact anticipated this permlssioa, and had sent ^e
Stromboli, Captain Broughton, to Girgenti, where she had seized two
vessels laden with com. Of this summary proceeding, formal complaint
was made through Aoton and Hamilton, to which last Nelson replied :
I beg leave to express to your fixcellency my real concern that sir w.
even the appearance of the slightest disrespect should be offered, by lu
any officers under my command, to the flag of his Sicilian Majesty ;
and I must request your Excellency to state fully to General Acton,
that the act ought not to be considered as any intended disrespect
to his Sicilian Majesty^ but as an act of the most absolute and
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232
L£TT£RS OF U)RD NELSON
ISOO
Sir T.
Trott-
brid^c,
14 iiaa.
Sir W. S.
Smithy
16 Jan.
Lord
Spencer,
2a Jan.
Leghorn.
imperious necessity, either that the island of ^laltu slmuld hav\'
been drlivcn'd up to the French, or that the king's orders should
be anticipated tor tlu's*^ vessels carrying their carg^oes of com to
Malta. I trust, that the government of this country will never
again force any of our royal Master's servants to so unpleasant an
alternative.
I have been this morning with General Acton, and I have
spoke fully to him — plainer than I have always done is impossible.
He has prepared a paper to lay before the king, respecting send-
ing 2,600 troops from Sicily to Malta. This will, we know, be a
work of some time ; but if Graham thinks it will ease his soldiers,
he might get 500 at a time. I told him fairly whatever troops
were sent, they must only look to this [Government] for supplies,
for that we should never ask what they liad to eat. ... I am
sensible of the necessity you were under (jf gettint:^ provif=iionp, but
you will now know that no blame uttachets it&elf to the King of
Naples, or to Actou. The measure of sending iuin a port was
strong ; but at sea there could be no ditUcuIty. 1 hope the urgency
of the case will not happen again.
The French army in Egypt is not to be allowed to return to
Europe, but to a prison in some of the States at war with l^'rance;
therefore, if snch an event should have happened, the French troops
are to be seized and conducted to either Mahon, some of the States
of the Allies, or even to England ; and you will, therefore, if they
should fall in yovar way, cause them to be seized, even if they are
embarked in any Turkish, or any other nation's ships of war, or
escorted by them.
Lord Keith is anxious to know your state and condition, with
un account of what is going on in I'lgypt. 1 liuvo wrote to Lord
Keitli, and lioiiu', that T did not give credit that it was possible for
you to give any passport for a single Frenchman, much less the
army, after my positive tirder of 18 March, 1 799.
T came here in order to meet Lord Keith, and we are going
together to Palermo and Malta. If Sir James St. Clair Krskine
or General Fox had felt themselves authorised to have given us two
thousand troops, I think Malta by this time would have fiUlen, and
our poor ships released from the hardest service I have ever seen.
The going away of the Russians has almost done me up, but the
King of Naples has ordered two thousand six hundred troops from
Sicily to assist Graham, and they are to be nnder our command.
It is true they are not good soldiers, but they will ease ours in the
iatigues of duty. The feeding the iniiubitants of Malta and paying
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1800 BLOCKADE 0^ MALTA 2;>3
* two thoDsa&d of the people who bear anns, has been a oontinned
aouroe of aneasmess to uiy mind. His Sicilian Majesty has done
more than it was possible to expect he had the ability of i>erform-
in^ ; for the revenucH uf hia kiiitrdom are liiirdly yet come round,
and hia demands are excessive from all tjuarters of his dominions.
M7 heart rejoices to hear you are so well recovered^ and that y^^^^^'
there are hopes of jour being employed in the home fleet, when i >^»'-
our gentlemen will not find it so necessary, as it has been, to go cbrbto^'
into harbonr to be refitted. But you will have an herculean labour
to make them what you had brought the Mediterranean fleet to.
IVers and jMeinbura uf railiain.»nt must iitti'nd their duty in Lon-
don ; but the nation will be In tt. r taken care of by their beinj^* off
Brest. Yon taught us to keep tlir srani»'n healthy without g<'in<^
into port, and to stiiy at sea for years without a retit. We know
not the meaning of the word. The Audacious, Alexander, and
others^ have never seen an arsenal since they have been under my
command. Louis, to his great comfort, has had a treat of shifting
his masts, and stayed six weeks in harbour ; but he sees not a port
again, if I had the command, for the next year. Our friend Trou-
bridge is as fall of resources as his Onlloden is full of accidents ;
but I am now satisfied, that if his ship's bottom were entirely out,
he would find means to make her swim. He mu^^t go home this
sammer, for he never can now go to sea, except for a fine passage,
without being hove down.
Yonng men will be young men, and we must make allowances. |ern%^^
If you expect to find anything like perfection in this world yon p^^^
will be mistaken : therefore do not think of little nonsenses too
much. Such strictness as you show to your duty falls to the lot'
of few, and no ])erson in this world is more sensible of your worth
and «jr<Kxlness in every way than myself. Let all ])ass over, and
c<init) and dine here. As vnn are ready to execute; my ordei*8, take
this of coming to t liis hou-r as a positive and lawful one. When T
see a ship l)etter ordered than the Foudroyant, I will allow you to
confine yourself on board.
On 20 January Nelson had joined Lord K^th at Leghorn. On
3 February the two arrived together at Palermo, and on the 11th pro-
ceeded off Malta, where, on the ISth, Lcml Keith receive<l intelligence
of the approach of an enemy's squadron, intending, it inii,'lit Im- snpposod,
to l)renk the blockade. He accordingly, as he wrote to the Admiralty
on the L'Otli, spread his squadron round Malta, with the success relatefl
by Nekoii iii u le tter dated, ' Foudroyant, at sea off Capo di Corvu,
eight leagues west of Cape PossarOi off sliorc four miles.'
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234
LETiiili^ OF LOUD ISEL80N
ISOO
This morning at daylight, being in company with the [North-
nmberland, Audacious, and El Gorao brig], I saw the Alexander
in cluise of a line-of-battle ship, three frigates, and a corvette.
At about eight u cluck she fired several shot at one of t lie eiieiny's
frigates, wliich stnick her colours, and leaving her to Ix' seen red
by the ships ahtt-ni, cnntiimt'd the chase. I directed ('jiptaiii
Gould of the Audticious, and the El Corso brig, to take charge uf
this prize. At half-past one P.M. the frigates and corvette
tacked to the westward j bat the line-of-battle ship not being
able to tack without coming to action with the Alexander,
bore up. The Success being to leeward, Captain Peard, with great
judgment and gallantry, lay across his hawse, and raked him with
several broadsides. In passing the French ship's broadside, several
shot struck the Success, by which one man was killed, and the
master and seven men wounded. At half-past four, the Foudroyant
and Northumberland coming up, the former fired two shot, when
the Freuch ship fired her broadside, and struck her colours. She
proved to be the Gen6reux, of seventy-four guns, heaiing the ling
of [{ear-Admiral l*err6e, Comniaiider-in-Chief ot'Mie French naval
iorce in the M edit erranean, having a number of troops on board
from Toulon, bound tor the relief of Malta.
By inference, Lord Keith churned so much of the credit of this
capture as was due to the disposal of the ships by which it was effected.
This Nelson did not allow, and wrote to his brother Maurice :
I have written to Lord Spencer, and sent him my journal, to
prove that the G^nereux was taken by me, and owing to my plan ;
that my (jiiitting Lord Keith was at my own risk, and for which,
if T had not succeeded, I might have been broke. If I had nut,
the Gen6reux would never have been taken.
On 24 February, lord Keith directed Kelson to take on himself
the immediate command of the squadron off Malta, with Syracuse,
Agosta, or Messina as a rendezvous. On receipt of the order, Nelson
wrote :
My state of health is such, that it is impossible I can mach
longer remain here. Without some rest, I am gone. I must
therefore, whenever I find the service will admit of it, request
your permission to go to my friends, at Palermo, for a few weeks,
and leave the command here to Commodore Troubridgc. Nothing
but absolute necessity obliges me to write this letter.
And in a private note of the same date he added :
I could uo more stay fourteen days longer here, than fourteen
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CAPXUK£ OF TilE UENKKEUX
285
years. I nm absolutely exhaosted, therefore I liave been obliged
to write you a public letter.
It has \yeei\ mv t»\t rannjin:ir\ (nHMl f'nrtunc to capture the ■ l-onl
fli'in'-rcux, 71", VK-ariiiLT tli'* fl i'^ ul" Kear-Acliiiiral IVrrw, and a very 26f«b.
large stx)re.ship, with i!,(M)(> t roups and provisions and ston-s tor the
relief of La Valette. X came oif Malta with my conunander-iii-
chief, Lord Keith ; we parted company in bad weather the same
(lay. Having information that Buch a squadron had sailed from
Toulon, Lord K. remained off Malta ; but my knowledge of their
track (raider my knowledge of this country from seven years' ex-
perience), I went towards the coast of Barbary, where t^iree days
afterwards I fell in with the gentlemen; those .ships which fell in
with me after our separation from the commander-in-chief attached
then»selve.s to my fortune. We took them ailer a long chase, four
miles only from Sicily, aud a few leagues from Cape Passaro.
Perree was kill< d l»y a shot from the Success frigjite, ('aj)(aiu
IVard. His ship struck wlien the FniKlioynTit firrd oiily two
shot; this makes ninettx'u sail of the line and four admirals I
have been present at the capture of, this war. Ought I to trust
Dame Fortune any more ? her daughter may wish to step in and
tear the mother from me. I have in truth serious thoughts of
giving up active service — Greenwich Hospital seems a fit retreat
for me after being evidently thought unfit to command in the
Mediterranean. The Emperor of Russia has just granted my re-
quest for a cross of Malta to our dear and invaluable Lady Hamilton,
also, of an honorary commandery to Captain Ball of the Alexander,
who has with so mnch ability governed Malta for these last sixteen
luonthy. This lurtunate capture I considerso inuchfor the interest
of the Grand Master, that I have presumed to send Adtiiiral
l^errt'c's sword to V>e laid at his feet. . . . We have heen, and arc,
trying everything to induce the king to go to Naples, but hitherto
in vain. I almost doubt Acton's sincerity as t-o wishing him, yet
he appears as anxious as any of us : the Junto of State are as bad
as the cardinal — all are open to the foulest corruption, and the
presence of a monarch was never more necessary to heal the dis-
orders of a kingdom. For some cause, which I do not understand,
the pardon and act of oblivion is not yet issued, although I know
it has been signed near three months; the heads of a whole
kingdom cannot be cut off, be they ever such rascals.
The French ships are perfectly ready to put to sea : six hundred ^^^^
Maltese have been raised to complete their complements, and Ball 2» k'vL
/■■
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23G
LErrEIlS OF LORD NELSON
1800
thinks they will aflsuredly attempt It the first fiur wind. With the
Alexander, who is just arrived, I shall anchor off La Valetta, and
prevent their escape, if poenble. The intended movements of their
ships is a conviuciii<^ proof to me that the garrison has lost all
ho])cs of a successful resistance, and I wish that General Graham
would uiake false attacks ; but 1 am no soldier, therefore ought not
to hazard an opinion. But if I commauded, I wonld torment the
scoundrels night and day.
My state of health is very precarious. Two days ago I dropped
with a pain in my heart, and I am always in a fever ; bnt the
hopes of these gentry coming out shall support me for a few days
longer. I ardently desire to see this Malta business finished.
u«ii. I beg leave, with all dne deference to your superior judgment,
3 Mardb'. ^ Submit whether it would not be possible, by false attacks at
niifht, and by a constant linng" of guns and mortars, so to harass
a half-starved garrison, as to induce them to give in, before some
one of tlie vi'sscls may arrive ; for if the French Government
pem'vere in tlirir mtieuvours, at all risk nl" capture, to relieve
by small vessels the distresses of the garrison, they must iu time
succeed.
Kcitb,
SMuch.
The fever still increases in the Northumberland, although every
man is sent on shore the moment he is seized. The French
prisoners are put into the Fame transport, and I shall soon try and
remove them to the Island of Comino. I dread to hear of the
ships with you ; the disorder is, as you said, a jail fever, and of
the worst kind.
I am sorry t-o t^dl you that my health continues to be so very
indifferent, that I am obliged, in justice to myself, to retire to
Palermo for a few weeks, and to tlirect Troubridge to carry on the
service during my necessary absence.
SirT.
2U March.
Palermo.
We arrived here on the IGth, havin<^ had a very tedious pas-
sage. As yet it is too soon to form an opinion whether I can
be cured of my complaint, which appears to me growing some-
thing like Oakes's. At present, I see but glimmering hopes, and
probably my career of service is at an end, unless the French fleet
shall come into the Mediterranean, when nothing shall prevent my
dying at my post.
By my patent of creation, I find that my family name of Nelson
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1800 CAPTURE OF THE GLiLLAUME TELL 237
has been leogthened hj the worcb, < of the Nile.* Therefore, in um»
fatore my ognatnre will be, 21 Mmb.
< Bronte Nelson of the Nile.'
I have this moment a courier from Constantinople stating, tliat sii x.
the French treaty for quitting Egypt is ratified by the Porte, and
that the ministers of England and Russia have acquainted the 28ifa^h
Porte of the determination of tlie allies not to suffer the French
army to return to Europe, which the Turks have notified hy a
conritT to Geneml Kleher. The liiissian squadron is on its way to
rruise otl' Cape Bon for that purj>ose, and 1 again direct you to
repeat the orders already given, for inaking the Trench from
Egypt, under whatever protection they may be, of passports, or
ehips of war, come into some of the ports of the allies ; for on no
coQBideration must tliey be allowed to return to France, either in
mass, or in separate ships.
I have reoeired no official reports ; but I have letters from E. Nepe*n,
Commodore Troubridge, Captain Dixon, and Sir Edward Berry, *
telling me of the capture of the William Tell on the mom of
30 Mareh, after a gallant defence of three hours. The Lion and
Fondroyant lost each about forty killed and wounded ; the French
ship is dismasted; the French Admiral Decr^s wonnded ; thf>
Pmidroyant much shattered. I send Sir Edward Berry's hasty
note.
ITius, owing to my bravo friends, is the entire rapture and
destruction of the French Mediterranean fleet to he attributed, and
my ortlers from the great Earl of St. Vincent fulfilled. Captain
Blackwood of the i^enelope, and Captain Jjong of the Vincejo, have
tlie greatest merit. My task is don-, my health is finished, and
prohahly my retreat for ever fixed, unless another French fleet
should be placed for me to look after.
The following is Sir Edward Berry's note, dated 'In great haste
Foudroyant, 30 March, 1800 :
'My dear Lord, — I had but one wish this morning— it waa for you.
After a most gallant defence, Le Gnillaume Tell surrendered. She is
they
^ . al)out
lorty men are badly wounded, besides the killed, which you shall know
liereafter.
' AU hands behaved as you oould have wished. How we prayed
feryou, God knows, and your sincere and faithful friend, E. Bbrrt.
' Love to all. Pray send this to my wife, or write Admiralty.
'Within hail before I fired.'
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238 LETTERS OF LORD NEI^ON 1800
Cnpf. My dear Blackwood, — Is there a sympathy which ties men
5 Ap^rii?'"'' t<^gether in the bonds of friendship without having a personal
knowledge of each other ? If so (and, I believe, it was so to you),
I was your friend and acquaintance before I saw you. Your con-
duct and cluinictor on the lat^* glorious occasion stamps your &me
b<\vonrl the reach of envy : it was like yourself — it was like the
IViu'lf*))''. Thanks; and say cvirythiiig kimi for nie to your
brave otlicers and men. WIumi 1 receive any official lett(T on the
subject, I shall notice your aud their gallant services in the way
they merit.
J ^,^,1 I have the happine^^s to send you a copy of Captain Dixon s
K^th^ letter to Commoil r Sir Thomas Troubridge, informing him of
the captum of the William Tell ; the circumstances attending this
glorious finish to the whole French Mediterranean Fleet, are such
as must ever reflect the highest honour to all concerned in it. The
attention of the Commodore in placing officers and men to attend
the movements of the French ships, and the exactness with which
his orders were executed, are a proof that the same vigour of mind
remains, although the body, I am truly sorry to say, is almost worn
away. '^I'hen came the alacrity of the Vincejo, Captain Long, and
other sloo]>s of war; the gallantry and excellent iiianiigeinent of
Cnphun Blackwood of the Penelope frigate, who, liy r arrying away
the enemy's main and uiizen k)pmasts, <'nal>led tlie iJonto o-i»t up,
when Captain Dixon showed the greatest courage and ollicer-like
conduct in placing his ship on the enemy's bow, as she had only
300 men on board, and the enemy 1,220. The condn -t of these
excellent officers enabled Sir Edward Berry to place tlu^ l^uudroyant
where she ought, and is the fittest ship in the world to be, close
alongside the William Tell — one of the largest and finest two-
decked ships in the world — where he showed that matchless intre-
pidity and able conduct, as a seaman and officer, which I have often
had the happiness to experience in many trying situations. I
thank God I was not present, for it would finish me could I have
taken a sprig of these brave men's laurels : they are, and I glory
in them, my darling children, served in my suliool, and all of us
caught our professional zeal and fire from tiio great and good iiiarl
of St. Vincent.
Sir w. Reports are brought to mo, that the Spanish ships nf war in
io*Ai!rii"* ^^^^ preparing to put to sea — a circumst^i f whicii must
Palermo* be productive of very unpleasant consequences, to both Enghuid
and this country. It is fully known, with what exactness I have
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1800
'THE INFAMOUS ARMISTICE'
239
adherwl to the neutrality oi' tliis port; for, upon our arrival hen>,
horn Naples, in December 1 708, from the conduct of his Catholic
Mftjeety*s minister, I should have lieen fully justified in seizing
these 8hi|>s. . . . Profiting by my forbearance, they are fitting for
sea. It is not possible, if they persist in their preparations^ that
I can avoid attacking them, even in the port of Palermo ; for they
never can or shall be snlfered to go to sea, and placed in a situation
of assisting the French, against not only Great Britain, but also
the Two Sicilies. I have, therefore, to request, that your Excel-
lency win convey my sentiments on this very delicate subject, to
his Sicilian Majesty's ministers, that tliey may take tneasures to
prevent snch a truly iiupleasant event happening, which woukl be
as much against my wish as it can be against theirs.
Mr. Fox haviiiLT, in the House of Commons, in February, made A.Davijwn,
nn nccnsation against somebody, for what he calls a breach of a jiJJ^J
treaty with rebels, which had been entered into witli a British
officer; and having used language unbecoming either tlie wisdom
of a senator, or the politeness of a gentleman, or an Englishman,
who ought ever to sappoee that his Majesty's ofiioers would always
act with honour and openness in all their transactions ; and as the
whole affairs of the kingdom of Naples were, at the time alluded
to, absdntely placed in my hands, it is I who am called upon to
explain my conduct, and therefore send yon my observations on the
in&mous armistice entered into by the cardinal ; and on his re-
fusal to send in a joint declaration to the French and rebels, I sent
in my note, and on which tlie rebels came out of the castles, iis
they ought, and as I hope all those who arc false to their king and
country will, to han^fod, or otherwise disposed of, as their sove-
reign thought [jfoper. The terms granted by raptaiii I'\>(>t(' of the
Seahorse, at Castellamare, were all strictly o)in]>lied with, the
rebels having surrendered before my arrival. There has been
nothing promised by a British officer, that his Sicilian ^fajesty has
not complied with, even in disobedience to his orders to the
cardinal. Show these papers to Mr. Rose, or some other; and, if
thought right, yon will pat them in the papers.
When I laid claim to my right of prize-money, as commanding
admiral of the Mediterranean fleet, I had not an idea of Lord St.
Vincent attempting to lay in any claim, for I have ever considered
him as far from attempting, notwithstanding any law opinion, to
take away my undoubted property. I am confident it will be
j^iven up, the moment you show his loriLship my maimer of thinking
respecting the Nile prize money. No lawyer in Europe can, I am
Digitized by Google
240 LETfKRS OF LORD NELSON laoo
confident, make either the earl or myself do a dishonourable act,
which this claim, if persisted in, would be ; let my earl lay his
hand on his heart, and say. whether his Nelson, subject to all the
res})onsibility ot this coTiiinand, is not entitled to tin- jiittance of
prize-money — be it or 50,000^ it makes no difference. No
admiral ever yet received prize-muney, going for the benefit of his
health from a foreign station, and Lord St. Vincent was certainly
not eligible to have given me any order till his rt^turn to this
station ; and so think the Board of Admiralty, by their directions
to me of 20 August, and many subsequent ones, which would have
passed through Lord St. Vincent, had they considered him eligible
to give orders; but whether they did or not 1 could not haye
obeyed. I trust I shall hear no more of this business, which I
blush to think should have been brought forward.
Tlie question, which w as ultimately dociflorl in Nelson's favour, was
as Ui Lord St. Vincents claim to share, coinmandor-in-chief, in all
Mediterranean pi ize-mouey up to the time of I^jrti Keith assuming the
command on 30 Nov«nber, 1799 ; although, in point of fact, he had loft
the station some months before. Nelson, on the other band, maintained
that he, on the departure of Lord St. Vincent' and also of Lord Keith,
was left senior officer, and was de fn/^lo commander-in-chief, a?ul u-i t
to share as sucli. His statoiTient of the case, apparently for Mr.
Davison's guidance in the legal proceetlings, is :
Lord Nelson received a letter from Mr. Nepean, dated
20 Angust, 1799, stating, that as the Earl of St. Vincent had
returned to England, and Lord Keitii, with the other flag-officers,
having c^uitted the Mediterranean station, in pursuit of the enemy.
Lord Nelson had become the senior officer of his Majesty's ships
there, and that he had all the important duties of the station to
attend [to] ; and proceeds to direct his lordship's attention to the
different point h of the war, and of the operations to be carried on
by tlu" sijuuilron umh r his command, lioni Nelson considei*s this
order aloin^ tn be snllicitMif. to entitle him to share for nil raptures,
us the coiiiniriii(ltM-in-c'l)icr for the tiine beinnr, j,s hf^ had all tliP
responsibility ; and in no inst^uKv before, have admirals claimed to
share when they left the station where they commanded, on ac-
count of ill-health, or otherwise ; and, ns an instance, Lord Hood's
going home for his health, as well as Lord Hotham, who were both
retained in pay, but were not allowed to share any prize-money ;
and in the case of Lord Hood and Admiral Hotham, there was no
claim whatever made by Lord Hood, because neither he nor any
sea-officer thought he could have a shadow of claim for such. . .
If the Earl of St. Vincent was considered as oommander^in-chief
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1800 MEDtrEURANEAN PRIZE-MONEY 241
«
as Mr. Tacker states him to be, why were not all \\iv Admiralty
orders sent to Lord Nelson addressed to the Earl of 8t. Vincent, as
is usaal, and by him transmitted to Lord Nelson ? On the con-
traiy, all orders from the Admiralty were addressed to Lord Nelson,
as the commanding officer in the Mediterranean ; and in no instance
whatsoever did Ijord Nelson receive any orders from the Earl of
St. Vincent from the time he left the Mediterranean ; and it is
presumed that the Earl of St, V^iiiceiit did not interfere in the
command, or give any orders or directions for the carrying on any
)?#»rviee on the station. . . . Lord Nelson had it in his powt'r to
^ivv directions tn any of his Majest v s ships on the statioTi, in eon-
trddietion to any »»rdtM's given by the llarl oi St. Vincent : on the
coutrary, the Earl of St. Vincent had it not in his power to give
any orders in contradiction of those given by Lord Nelson, until
his return within the limits of the Mediterranean station.
On 9 May the Admiralty sent orders to Lord Keith, that if LotyI
Nebon'a health rendered him incapabk of doing his duty, and he aliould
be desirous of retnming to England, he was to be permitted to do so,
and to take his passage in the first ship Lord Keit h might have occasion
to s«'nd home, unless he should prefer returning by land, in which case
Ih; was to l>o at lil>erty to strike his flag in tho Mccliteminean, and
tonio on shore. On the same day, Lord iSpeucer wrpte to Kelson the
following private letter :
* My dear Lord,—! have only time to write you a line hy the mes-
senger, who is just going, which I am desirous of doing, in order that
the eventual permission, which we now send out for you to come home,
in case your health should makeitni « t ssary, maynot be inisimderstood,
Tt \h hy no nipnns n)y wish or intention to call y^'i away from service ;
but lia\ iiit; f)l. served tliat you havp )m9n under the iiecoRsity of qnittinj?
your stiitiou off Malta, on aceouiit of the sbite of your In ildi. \vlii( h I
am pcrsuatled you could not have thought of doing without sucli neces-
sity, it appeared to me much more advisable for you to come home at
enoe, than to be obliged to remain inactive at Palermo^ white acdve
serv ice was going on in other parts of the station. I should still nmch
jivfer your rPTtiaining to complete the retluction of Malta, which I
tlatter mys< lf cannot l»e very far distant, and I still look with anyious
expectation to the Guillaunie Tell striking to your flag. But if, unfor-
tunately, these agreeable events are to be prevt utetl by your lia\ iii;> too
niach exhausted yourself in the service to be equal to follow them up, I
sm quite clear, and I believe I am joined in opinion by all your friends
jiere, that you will be mon; likely to recover your health and strength
in En^irlaiid than in an inactive situation at a foreign court^ however
pleasing tlio rc»^|>«^rf and gratitude shown to you for your servicps mny
U', and no trstnnonics of respect and gratitude from that coui t to you
tau t»e, 1 au» convinced, too great for the very essential services you
bave rendered it.
' I trust that you will take in good part what I have taken the
liberty to write to you as a friend, and believe me, when I assure yon jm
K
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242 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1800
that you have none wlio is more sincerely and faithfully so than your
obedient humble servant, Spencek.'
Lord
Keilh.
I feel sensibly your kind intentions of accommodating us to
(?)"6 iiunc. England. The state of the Poudroyant renders it, I believe you
will think it, right for her to go to England, when she has liad
some refit ; for in lu r present state she would not be trusted at
sea except fur a passage of a few leagues. Where she put inf()
port, if it blew f'n sh, I should have cut down her main and fore-
masts ; hut we have nt'ithcr spars or cordatj^e for to fit her. . . .
T have not been able to man the William Tell to Minorca,, nor, till
300 or 250 men are found for her, do I see how it can be eifected.
Troubridge says the Culloden is able to go to England. I say she
ought not to be trusted. Fourteen days would heave her down at
Mahon, and stop her leaks : 100 men from her, for she is full-
manned, and good men, would greatly assist in navigating the
William Tell to England ; for she is well fitted with jury-masts.
Most sincerely do we congratulate you on the success of the
navy, I may say, in the Riviera of Genoa; and you will now Ixar
me out in my assertion, when I say that the British 11 eel could
have provented the invasion of Italy, and at that time we had
notliiiig to do; and if our friend Hotham had kept his Heet on
that coabt, I assert, anil you will agree with me, no atmy from
France could have been furnished with stores or provisions; even,
men could not have marched. I hope our next account from yon
will be the surrender of Genoa.
Ou 10 June the Foudroyaut, in company with the Alexander, Prin-
cess Charlotte, and a Neapolitan packet, sailed for Lcgliom; having ou
board the Queen of Naples and her family, Sir William »nd Lady
Hamilton, and Muss Knight.
I,,,r.i Arrived here on the 14th, after a passage of five days ; but it
irTune ^^^^ ^^^^ ^ before the weather would permit her Majesty to land.
Lcj^horn. AH the honours which his Majesty's ships could show to the queen
have, I trust, been shown her — and too much to so great and good
a monarch could not be done. The situation of the two armies
renders the queen a little anxious ; but her great mind is superior
to all difficulties. I am waiting tlie orders of Lord Keith, and
expect he will order the Poudroyant to carry me to England : for
in this country she cannot be refitted. Four days out of seven 1
am confined to my bed, but I hope for Ix^tter times.
In this wish as to the Foudroyant, Nelson was disappointed. On
19 June, Lord Keith sent liim a positive order not to employ the line-
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ldOO-1801 RETURNS TO ENGLAND 243
of liattlc slrips in conveying Kack fho Queen of Naplos to Paloinio (in
case her Majesty did not proceed to Vienna); iuu\ authorising liini to
stiike his flag, and proceed Uj England by laud, or in the Priucess Char-
lotte, or in any troop ship at Mahon, or in the SeahorM; but if» on his
arrival at Mahon, he determined to remain on the station, he was to
take upon him the duties of senior officer there.
Tliis was accompanied l)y a private note :
* My dear Lonl, - It is not iiiattfr of ca|»riep, but of actual dut v and
necessity, which has obliged lue to snid tlie order, which T niu.si, (h'sire
to be tiual. Her Majesty is too Just, and too well-informed, to place
anything like neglect to me. Witii her good understanding I am sure
to stand acquitted. So, my dear friend, let me insist that the ships
instantly follow my public orders. The wiTU;hed situation to which we
ai-e reduced distracts me. I am told from Englan<l there is not a ship
to be sent out. I am directed to uttdertake many and distant important
s*>rvices, which renders it impossilil< to let the Foudroyant go to Eng-
land : her nuiblh ar-e niatle at Muhou.'
Tht) idea of removing the Foudroyant has created an id arm at I'-^ ni
the i'alace, and I send you a letter from thence. If Sir William ^/liiine.
and Lady Hamilton go home by land, it is my intention to go with
thorn ; if by water, we shall be happy in taking the beet ship we
can (^et ; but we are all pledged not to quit the royal family till they
are in perfect security.
On quitting tlit- Foudroyant, Lord Nelson received this letter from
hLt» barge's crew, dated 2G »Jun<' :
* My Lord, — It is with extreine grief that we find that you are about
to leave us. We have been along with you (although not in the same
ship) in every engagement your lordship has been in, both by sea and
land ; and most Iiumbly beg of your Loidship to permit us to go to Eng-
land as your boat's crew in any ship or vessel, or in any way that may
seom most plonsin^* to your T>or<lsliip. My T/irrl, pardon the ru(]i> style
of sea men, \s hn nrr Knit little acquainted with writing, and believe US
to tx?, ray Lord, your ever humble and obedient sel•^ ants,
Baroe's Crew of thk Foudroyant.'
In company with the queen and her party, inciiuling Sir William
and Lady Hamilton, Nelson left Leghorn on 17 July, and travelling by
easy stages through Ancona, and thence in a Russian frigate to Trieste,
rc^hed Vienna towards the end of August. He left Vienna on
26 September, and passing through Prague, Dresden, and Hambuig,
arrived at Yarmouth on 6 November.
I beg yon will acquaint their Lordships of my arrival here this Evan
day, and that my heal! h being perfectly re-established, it is my gNov."'
wi.sh to spr\'e ininiediately ; and I trust that my necessarj' journey YarmottUi.
by luiul li\>ia the Mediterranean will not be considered as a wish to
be a moment out of active service.
On 17 January, 1801, Nelson, now Vice- Admiral of the Blue,
hoisted his flag on board the San Josef at Plymouth.
a 2
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244 LETTBBS OF LORD NELSON 1801
ix)rd My dear Lord, — I was with Lord St. Viucent yesterday, when
iHiS!' Sir Hyde Parker's letter arrived, annonncing his appointment to
the North Sea command. This naturally led to a confidential
communication as to my views and present situation, and he gave
me leave to tell you our conversation. Next to getting a command
which I was a candidate for, whenever Lord Keith gave up his, ot
course my pleasure would liave been to serve under him, but that
circumstances had so altered since my an ix il, that it was almost
c**rtain 1 should go to the Baltic ; and I relah dour coniniiiiiication
on this siil)ject. The Ilarl was vorv handsome to mf% and hoped
that, by a temporary absence of a few months, I sliould not lose
my 8an Josef, the finest ship in the world ; and only one voice
points out the Formidable as the ship fittest for me, for real and
active service. . . . He mentioned several other ship^, degrees
below the Formidable, but entreated I would not go in the Windsor
Castle; that she was such a leewardly ship that he knew she
would break my heart ; for that I should often be forced to anchor
on a lee shore, and never could lead a division in a narrow sea
like the Baltic. Having related this conversation, I shall leave
the subject as far as relates to myself. It naturally enlarged on
the best means of destroying the Danes, Sdc. Sdc,, and I found him
clearly of opinion that 10,000 troops ought to be enibarked, to get
at the Danisli arsenal. 1 tuld him this matter had l^een canvassi^d
with your Lordship, but the difficulty was, where to tind such a
^ general as was tit for tlie service. . . .
Th{^ San Josef, as far as relat-es to Captain Hardy, is ready for
sea, but the dockyard have not dune with her. My cabin is not
yet Hnished, of course, nor even painted; but that I do not care
about : 1 shall live in (japtain Hardy's.
Lord 8t, May this day, my dear Lord, which T am told is your birtlulay,
Jfj^^** come round as of^en as life is comfortable, an<i nniy yonr days be
comfortable lor many, many years. Almost my only ungratitLod
wish is, to see you alongside the French admiral, and myself sup-
posing yon in the Ban Josef. We may be beat, but I am confident
the world will believe we could not help it.
SirE. I Yesterday received vour kind letter of the 20th, ;^nd I bt'ir, if
26 Jan. y^^^ think the 200/, is t iioii^rli fop poor dear Millei-'s inonnment,
that you will direct Fiaxman to instantly proceed about it, and ns
far as that sum, if no one subscribes, I will be answerable. If
those of I t Februar}' are to be allowed the honour of subsi-ribitig,
I then think we ought to subscribe 500/. — a less sum would not be
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1801 U:iD£R ORDERS FOR TUB BALTIC 24d
prop(»r for such a body. I'ray let me know the iuUnded insciij*-
tion, tur we must tukc curt' not to siiy too iniirh or too little. Tht^
IniiL^ujigtt mujsL ije ])lain, as if flowing from the heart ol' uue oi' us
i»ailors who have tbught with hiiu.
I should hope our Baltic trip could not last eight weeks, for Lord St.
we must either get at some of the fleets before that time, or we 2BiKa^
shall be crijjpled, and not lit to seek new enemies. If we suc-
ceed, and succeed we must, or show stroui/ reasons why w<» eoidd
not. the other powers will think s.M-ionsly of their situation. 1 find
Lord Spencer will not hear of any troops even for a sudden tle-
faarkation to storm a battery, and as I am only an underling I
have only to obey, and do my utmost to fulfil the wishes and expec-
tations of my superiors. Lord Spencer will get my letter where I
again strongly request that the San Josef may be held for me till
my return to yon, and I shall feel grateful for your seconding me,
for I have not the smallest interest. As &r as relates to Captain
Hardy the ship is ready, the Namar's all paid the advance and the
marines, and every woman out of the ship ; we can do no more,
and I hope this post will produce orders to man us and to proceed
to Torbay. The marines, I believe, will want a very serious inspec-
tion : tliey liave no strength, and half of them cannot look over the
lHK>|j iianiniocks ; but more of this when we meet. 1 did not wish
to begiii a scene here ; I shonhl perhaps have been thought imper-
tinent and troublesome, for, except in two or three captains, 1 see
such slackness that in the Mediterranean 1 have not been used to ; ^
and it requires a man of our friend Collingwood's firmness to keep r
some of ihem to their duty. '
Pray tell Sir Lsaiic Heard that 1 cannot attbrd to pay for any A.Davison,
honours conferred upon me. rh^ y are intended to do honour to
this country, and to mark the gratitude f)f his Sicilian Majesty to
his faithful ally, our gracious King, in my person, liis faithful s(*r-
vant. As far as relates to the personal trouble of Sir Isaac, or
any other friend, I am not backward in payment of thanks or
money as the case requires ; and for personal trouble I have
already paid 4U., and have had no answer relative to the Imperial
Order of the Crescent. Sir Isaac is bound in honour to fi)llow up
this application ; for my wish is to have all my honours gazetted
together ; but paying those fees to Secretaries of State, Earl Mar-
shals, &c. Ac., without which I am told the king's orders will not
be obeyed, it would in my opinion be veiy wrong to do it. I
could say more on this subject, but I think it better not at present.
SSJmu
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24G LE'JTKRS OF LOlU) NELSuN ItiOl
17 Feb. The Earl being at the head of the Admiralty, will, I hope, give
a new spur to otir just cause.
The higher the earl, the more we must attempt to wrest justice
from him; and I hope your courage will lu.t ilanr in the cause of
an oppressed friend, even airaiust much higher nu^n than a First
Lord of the Adniiralty. 1 would sooner He turned on shore than
«riv(' up an inch. But the earl has wrote me the moment he
came tVom the king a very iiatteriug lett<'r, asking for my support :
BO 1 will support him as a great seu-officer ; but was he forty times
as great, I will not suffer him to rob me with impunity.
Lord St. J have the order to put myself under Sir Hyde's command, but
20 Feb. none from him yet to go to Puitsmouth ; but i take fur granted 1 shall
have them to-niurrow. and we shall be ready to start at the moment.
1^ March. Tlie wind Was yesterday at SSW, which ha« prevrntecl
month. Warrior, Defence, and Agincourt from sailing. Time' is our bi\st
ally, and 1 hope we shall not give her up, as all our allies have
given us up. Our friend here is a little nei-vous about dark
nights and fields of ice, but we must brace up ; these are not times
for nervous systems. I w ant peace, which is only to be had through,
I trust, our still invincible navy.
^t'R' As to the plan for pointing a gun truer than we do at present,
9 Marah. if the person comes I shall of course look at it, and be happy, if
Tannootb* necessary, to use it ; but I hope we shall be able as usual to get.
so close to our enemies that our shot cannot miss their object, and
that we shall again give our northern enemies that hail-storm of
bullets which is 80 emphatically described in the Naval Chronicle,
and which gives our dear country the dominion of the seas. We
have it, and all the devils in hell cannot take it from us, if our
wooden walls have fair play.
A T>nvison, J have not yet seen my commander-in-chief, and have had no
i,at.67°N. official communicatiuii whatever. All 1 have g ithen d of our first
plans T disapprove most exceedingly ; honour may arise from them,
good cannot. 1 hear we are likely to anchor outside Kronborg
Castle, instead of Copenhagen, whieh would give weight to our
negotiation : a Danish Minister would think twice before he would
put his name to war with England, when the next moment he
would probably see his master's fleet in flames, and his capital in
ruins ; but ' out of sight out of mind,' is an old saying. The Dane
should see our flag waving every moment he lifted up his head.
' On another occasion, in convprsati(m with Perioral Twiss, Lor«l Nelson
Ib said to have observed : 'Time, Twijw —time is every tiling ; live minutes luakeii
the difltoranee betw«eti a victoiy and a d«f«at.*
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ADMIRALTY ORDERS
247
The Admiralty orders to Sir Hyde Parker to •'ntfr the Baltic seem
to have reached him al)out 22 March, though dattxl on the 1 Titli. Tliey
were as follows :
*The Right Honourable Henry Dimiks, one of his Majestjr's Prin-
cipal Secretaries of State, having, in bis letter of yesterday's date,
signified to us his Majesty's pleasure that whether the discussion sup-
posed to be now pending witli tlio Court of Donniark should trrmi-
nated hy an amicable arrangeiiient, or by actual hostilities, tlic otliocr
commanding the fleet in the Baltic should, in either coMi (a« niton an
the fleet can be withdrawn from before Copenhagen consistently with
the attainment of one or the other of the objects for which he is now
instructed to take that station), proceed to Reval ; and if he should
find the division of the Russian navy usually stationed at that port
still there, to make ;in i?n»nf'f1i;itr> :\nd viii^oroijs attack upon it, provided
the measure slioulii a[>|)ear to iiiin pnictical'le, and .surh as in his judg-
meikt would atrm d a n-asonable prospect of success iu dcistroying the
arsenal, or in capturing or destroying tlie ships, without exposing to too
great a risk the fleet under his command.
' And Mr. Bundas having further signified to us his Majesty's p1ea>
sure that, consistently with this precaution, the said oHicer should be
authorised and directed to proceed successively, and as the season and
other o]>eratinns will permit, at;ainst Cronstadt, and in general by every
means in his j>ower to atUick and endeavour to capture or destroy any
ships of war or othei-s belonging to Russia, wherever he can meet with
them, and to annoy that power as &r as his means will admit, in every
manner not incompatible with the fair and acknowledged usages of
war ; and that with respect to Sweden, should the Court of Stockholm
persist in her hostile engagements with that of Petersburg against
this country, the same general line of conduct as hath been stated with
respect to the ships and ports of the latt<^r, should govern the said
oflicer commanding the fleet in his proceedings against those of
Sweden; but that, in the contrary supposition (conceived not to be
impossible) of this power relinquishing her present hostile plans against
the rii^ts and interests of this country, and of her renewing, either
singly or in concert with Denmark, her ancient engagements with his
Majesty, it will in such case be the duty of the said officer to afTord to
Sweden every protection in his power acpiinst the resentment and
attacks of Russia. ^Vnd Mr. Dundas having also signified that his
Majesty being no less desirous of bringing tlie existing dispute with
Sweden to Saa latter issue than he luw shown himself so disposed
with respect to Denmark, and upon the same principles, it will there-
fore be requisite that the said officer commanding in the Baltic should
make such n (h'sposition of his force as may appear best adapted to
faciiitiit<' and give weight to the arninu'euient in ([uestion, provided it
should be concluded with the Court of Denmark witliin the forty-eight
liours allowed for this purpose, and the proposal of acceding to it
which will be made to that of Sweden should be entertained by the
latter, you are, in pursusnce of his Majest3r's pleasure, signified as
above mentioned, hereby required and directed to proceed without a
moment's loss of time into the Baltic, and to govern yourself under
the fHtfr rent circumstances before st^ited to the ^<'st of your judgment
and discretion, in the manner therein pointed out, transmitting from
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248
LETTERS OF LOUD NELSON
time to time to our secretary, for our informaUon, an account of your
proceedings, and such infotmation' as you may conceive to l>e proper
for our Jcnowledge. Given under our liands and soals, the ir>t]i ^Tarch,
1801. St. YiNCKNT, T. Troubridge, J. Markuam.'
Sir Hydb Mv dear Sir Hyde, — The conversation we had yesterday has
2i March, naturally, from its importance, been the subject of my thoughts ;
and the more 1 have reflected, the more I am conlinned in opinion,
that not u moment should be lost in attacking/ the enemv : thev
will t^ tTV day and hour be stronirfr ; never shall he so <^ood a
match for them as at thin moment. 'J'he only consideration in my
mind is, how to get at them with the least risk to our ships. By
>Ir. V'ansittart's ' account, the Danes have taken evei-y means in
their power to prevent our getting to attack Copenhagen by
the passage of the Sound. Kronborg has been strengthened, the
Crown Islands fortified, on the outermost of which are twenty guns
pointing niostly downwards, and only eight hundred yards from
very formidable batteries placed under the citadel, supported by
five sail of the line, seven floating batteries of fifty guns each, be-
sides small craft, gunboats, A'c. &c. ; and that the Reval squadron
of twelve or fourt^^en sail of tin* line are soon expected, lus also five
sail of Swedes. It would appear l)y what yon have told me of your
iri-1 nictions, that ( lovernnicnt took for ^Tanted you would find no
ditiicuUy in ir^^ttin^^ nfV ( 'openhageu, and in the event of a failure of
negotiation, you might instantly attack : and that there would be
scarcely a doubt but the Danish fleet w<nild be destroyed, and the
capital made so hot that Denmark would listen to reason and its
true interest. By Mr. Vansittart's account, their stat(> of prepara-
tion exceeds what he conceives our Government thought possible,
and that the Danish Government is hostile to ns in the greatest
possible degree. Therefore here you are, with almost the safety,
certainly wiUi the honour of England more entrusted to you, than '
ever yet fell to the lot of any British officer. On your decision
depends whether our country shall be degraded in the eyes of
Europe, or whether she shall rear her head higher than ever : again
do I repeat, never did onr country depend so much on the success
of any fleet as on this. How best to honour our country and abate
the pride of her eueinics by defeating their schemes must be the
snl)ject of your deepest consideration as commander-in-chief; and
if what I have to offer can be the least useful in forming yonr
decision, you are most heartily welcome.
' Mr. Nicholas \'ansitiart (afterwards Lord Be:clcj) had been sent on a special
embassy to Copenhagen in the hope of preventing hostilities.
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IHOI
PIIOPOSAL FOK AX ATTACK
249
I ahall begin with soppoBing you tut/ iletermined to enter by
the passagti of the Sound, as there are those who think, if you
leave that passage open, that the Danish fleet may sail from Cr>pen*
hagen and join the Dutch or French. I own I have no fears on
that snbject ; for it is not likely that whilst their capital is menaced
with an attack, 9,000 of her best men hIiouIiI be sent (ait of the
kingdom. 1 sup|K)se that soinf (laiiia«re nuiy arise ani(in«^st uur
iMjists ami yards ; yet perliaps tliere will not Ix? one ot tln ni but
could be iiiad(» serviceable again. You are now alxnii K r< >mI« irij; :
if the wind be fair, and yon d -t imiue to attack the shijjs and ( rowu
Islands, you must expect the natural issue of such a battl(>—
ships crippled, and perhaps one or two lost} for the wind which
carries you in will most probably not bring out a crippled shi]).
This mode I call taking the bull by the horns. It, however, will
not prevent the Reval ships, or Swedes, from joining the Danes :
and to prevent this from taking effect, is, in my humble opinion, a
measure absolutely necessary — and still to attack Copenhagen.
Two modes are in my view ; one to pass Kronborg, taking the
risk of daniai/e, and to pass up the deepest and straiglitest channel
alxjve the Middle Grounds: and conung down tlu* (laibar or King's
Channel, to attack their lloating batteries, tlx. ikv., as we find it
convenient. It must have the eftcct of preventing a junction be-
tween the Russians, Swedes, and Danes, and may give us an
op|>ortunity of bombarding Copenhagen. 1 am also pretty certain
that a passage couid be found to the northward of iSaltholm for all
our ships; perhaps it might be necessary to warp a short distance
in the very narrow part. Should this mode of attack be ineligible,
the passage of the Belt, I have no doubt, would be accomplished in
ibnr or five days, and then the attack by DragOr could be carried
into effect, and the junction of the Russians prevented, with eveiv
probability of success against the Danish floating batteries. What
effect a bombardment miLdit have I am not called upon to giv^e an
opinion ; but tliink the way would be clean d lor the trial. Sup-
posing us tlnouLdi tin' \]e\i with the wind first west«*rly. would it
not 1"' ])os>il)le to eitht'i- go with th<» fleet, or detach ten ships of
three and two (h'cks, with one bomb and two tir. -ships, to Reval,
to de.stroy the Russian squadron at that place ? I do not see the
great risk of such a detachment, and with the remainder to attempt
thn business at Co]>enhagen. The measure may be thought bold,
but I am of opinion the boldest measures are the safest ; and our
country demands a most vigorous exertion of her force, directed
with judgment. In 8upi>orting you, my dear Sir Hyde, through
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Siewaft**
2oU LEITEKS OF LOUD NELSON im
the arduous and important tnsk you liavc initlertakcii, no exertion
of head or heart shall be wanting I'rom your most obedient and
faithfal aervant, Nelson and Bkonte.
Lord Nelson's official letter to Sir TT}(1e Parker, dated 3 April,
descrihen tlie actinn (if the 2nd only in general t^^mis, the details
referring' to the eon(iuct of different officers whom he wished to com-
mend. A more detailed account of the battle is tJiat written by Colonel
Stewart) the commandant of the soldiers embarked in the fleet, and
during the action actually on board the Elephant. The narrative begins
with the embarkation at Portsmouth, and having described the voyage
round to Yarmouth Roads, goes on :
C<d, * Lord Nelson's plan would have heen to have proc eeded with thp
utmost despatch, and with sucli ships as were in readiness, to the mr-uth
of Copenhagen Harbour ; then and there to have insisted on amity ur
war, and have brought tike objects of Messrs. Drummond and Van-
sittart's n^ttation to a speedy decision. He would have left orders
for Uie zemaifader of the ffeet to have followed in succession, as they
were ready, and by the rapidity of his proceedings have anticiptitM the
formi(hible preparations for defence which the Danes had scarcely
thought of at that early season. The delay in Yarmouth Roads did
not accord with his views. An order from tlic Admiralty urrivetl on
11 Marchf in consequence of which the fleet put to sea on the suc-
ceeding day. . . . Our fleet consisted of about fifty sail ; of these
forty wei'' jH iinantfi, sixteen being of the line. On the 15th we en-
countered a hea\^ gale of wind, which in some nieasnre scatteml the
ffeet and |>revented our reaching the Naze until tl»e 18th. On the next
day, when oil' the Seaw, the whole were nearly collected ; a north-west
wind blew, and an opportunity appeare<l to have been lost of proceeding
through tlie Cattegat. Every delay, however trifling, gave cause for
regret, and favoured the views of the Northern Coalition. . . . The
commander in-chief had probably, however, instructions by which he
acted ; and if so, this, in addition to numerous instances of a similar
nature, proves the propriety of discretionary powers whenever success
is to depend on energy and activity. Lord Kelson was, as 1 understood,
greatly vexed at tlie delay.
*0n the 21st it blew hard ; we anchored for twenty-four hours, and
did not arrive ofl* the point of Elsinore until the 24th. The Blanche
frigate, with Mr. Vansittart on board, preceded the fleet from the
Scaw, and, landing him at Elsinore on the 20th, he joined Mr. Drum-
jHond at (\>penha!]fon. The terms demanded by these gentlemen having
hvrn rejected, they returned to our tit-et on tin? iMth, and left us for
England on the suucemling day. The wind was again strong and favour-
able, and expectation was alive that we should have sailed through the
Sound on the 25th ; it was, however, generally understood, that the
formidable reports which had been made by Mr. Vansittart, and by the
pilots whom we had brought with us, as to the state of the batteries at
Klsinore, and of the defensive situation of Copenluigen, indueed the
commander-in-chief to prefer the circuitous pasRag<' by the Cirent Belt.
I>iord Nelson, who was impatient for action, was not much deterred by
these alarming repi*esentations ; his ohject was to go to Copenliogen,
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BATTLE OF COl'K^N llAGEN
2ol
and he nidi " Let it be bj the Sound, by the Belt, or anyhow, onlj lose
not an hoar.^ On the 26th the whole fl(H>t accordingly sailed (or the
Grt>at r^-lt . hut aft«r proceetling for a few leagues along tlio coast
lit' Zralami, the plan was s^ifldcnlv chanirod .... [ami] thf» Hoot
rtrtuiuetl to its foinuT anoliDni'^e b<*t*or«' sunscf. A«s if a more than
surticieat time hacl uot l>eeii given for the Daiieb to prepare their defence,
another message was sent, on 27 March, to the (Joveruor of Elsinore,
I to discoTer his intentions relative to opposing our fleet, if it were to
' pan the Sound. He replied, " As a soldier I cannot intermeddle with
politics; but I am not at lil^ei-ty to suffer a fleet, whose int^'ntion is
not yet known, to approach the guns of the Castle of Kronborg,
which T have the honour to coinniand. In case your Excellency shouhl
think proper to make any ]>r<ij>usals to the King of Denmark, I wish
to be informed thereof before the fleet approaches nearer to the Castle."
, Sir Hyde Parker replied, that " finding the intentions of the Court of
Denmark to be hostile againat his Britannic Majesty, he regarded his
Excellency's answer as a declaration of war ; and, therefore, agreeably
*o his instructions, could no longer refrain from hostilities, however
reluctant it might be to his feelincr;^."
'On the 29th Tjonl Nelson shitted iu's fla^^ tVom the 8t. Ueort^e to the
Elephant, commanded by his intimate friend. Captain Foley, in order
to carry on operations in a lighter ahip. Both 28 and 29 March were
unfortunately calm : orders had, however, been given to the fleet to
{*a$s through the Sound as soon as the wind should p<rmit. At day -
'ij^ht, on the rooming of the 30th, it V>1» w a topsail breeze from NVV.
The signal was made, and the fleet proceeded in the ordr)- of battle pre-
viously arranged ; T/)rd Nelson's ision in the van, the commander-
in-eiaef's in the ctiitre, and Admnai Uraves's in the rear: Captain
Murray in the Edgar, with the fleet of bomb and gun vessels, took their
station off Kronboiff CSastle on the preceding morning; and, upon the
first Danish 8hot> opened their fire upon the castle. ... It had lieen
' our intention to have kept in inid>channel; the forbearance of the
' J^wedes not having been eoimu d upon, tho li^diter vpssels wpre oti the
larl>oard side of our line of l-attic, ami were to ha\t' engaged the Hel-
dugborg shore : not a shot, however, was tired, nor any batteries
apparent, and our fleet inclined accordingly to tlmt side, so as completely
to avoid the Danish shot which fell in showers, but at least a cable's
length from our ships. The Danish batteries opened a fire, as we under-
stood, of nearly one hundred pieces of cannon and mortars, as soon as
) our loading shij>, thr Monarch, came abreast of them; and they con-
tinued in one unuiti'rrupted bla'/e during the passage of thn fleet, to the
, no aniall amusement of our cri*\vs ; none of whom reeeis rd injury,
I except from the bursting of one of our t)\v ji guns. Some of our leading
I ships at first returned a few rounds, but, perceiving the inutility, de-
I sisted. The whole came to anchor about mid-day, between the island
of Hveenaad Copenhagen ; the division under Captain Murray following
as soon M <; the main body had passed. . . .
) '( >ur lleet was ?io sooner at anchor than the commander-in-chief,
'iccom]>ani» <l l>y I^ord iSelson, two or three senior captains, tlx* eoni-
I uiandiiig otlicer of the artillery and of tlie troops, proceeded in a schooner
to reoonnottre the harbour and channels. We soon percmved that our
delay had been of important advantage to the enemy, who had lined
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LETXEUS OF LOUD KICLSON
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ilio northern edge of the flhoals near the Crown batteries, and the front
of the harbour and arsenal, with a formidable flotilla. The TVekroner
battery appeared, in particular, to }iave been strengtlu ncd, and all the
buoys of the Nortliem and the King's Cliaimels had been removed.
HaTing examined these points with some attention, ihe party returned
to the London.
' The night of 30 March was omjiloyu(i by soiih' ot the intelligent
masters and pilots, under the direction of Captain Brisliane, in ascer-
taining the channels round the great shoal called the Middle Ground,
anil in laying down fresh buoys, the Danes having either removed or
mi8pla«;*>(] the former ones. On the next day, the commander-in-cliirf
and Tyord Nelson, iittfiu]»Hl us iH-foro, with the addition of all the
artill'Tv •>tli( (Ms, ]in»< ('«'(l»'(| in flic Aniiizoii frigate, Captain Riou, to the
exauuiiation of tln' iioi tlimi channel, and of the flotilla from the east-
warcL Captain Kiou biH^ame on this occiUiion hrst known to Lord
Nelson, who was struck with admiration at the superior discipline and
seamanship that were observable on board the Amason during the pro*
ceedings of this day. The Danish line of defence was formed in a
(liit'c t line ejistward from the Trekroner battery, and extended at least
two niilos aloTi!^ the coast of Amager : it was asc rtuinod to consist ot
thf ludls of s»'Vf»n li in- of- battle ships with ']\iry ina&ts, two only hein;:
fully rigge<l, ten pontoons or floating l>altonet>, one bomb-ship rigged, and
two or three smaller craft. On the Trekroner i^peared to be nearly
seventy guns ; on the smaller battery, In-shore, six or seven guns ; and
on the coast of Amager several batteries which were within a long range
of the King's Channel. Oft' the harbour's mouth, which was to the
westward of the Trekroner, were moored four line of batth' '^liips and a
frigate ; two of the former and the latter were fully rigged. Their
whole line of defence, from oiit^ (;xtreme point to the other, might em-
brace an extent of nearly four miles. The dockyard and arsenal were
in tine neariy south, within the Trekroner, about half a mile distant. A
fewsliot were tired at the Amazon whenever we approached the leading
ship of their line. The officers of artillery wore desired to ascertain
whether, in the event of the line of defence being in part or wholly
removed, tlu y could place their }>ond> '-liips, of which there were seven,
Koaii to play with effect on the dockyanis and arsenal. After some hours'
survey, the Amazon returned to the fleet, when the opinions of the
artillery officers were given in the affirmative, if the flotilla to the east*
ward of the Crown batteries were only removed. A council of war
was held in the afternoon, and the motie which might be advisable for
the attack wa<? conf?idered : that from the eastward appeared to be pre-
ferred. Ivord Nelson ofl'ered his services, rf.'quiring ten line of-battle
hhips, and the whole of the snmller craft. The commander-in-chief,
with sound discretion, and in a handiiouie manner, not oidy left every
thing to Lord Nelson for thia detadied service, but gave two more line-
of'battle ships than he demanded. During this council of war, the
energy of Lord Nelson's character wag remarked : certain difficulties
had been start^-d by some of the members, relative to each of the three
Powers we should eillier have to engage, in succession or united, m
those seiis. The number of the Russians wa«?, in particular, represented
as formidable. Lord Nelson kept pacing the cabin, mortified at every-
thing which savoured either of akirm or irresolution. When the above
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remark was ap}»]ied to tlio Swcdos, he sliarply observed, "The more
numerous the bettor ; " and when to the Russians, he rppe^te<ny said,
"So much the better, 1 wish they were twice as many, the easier the
victory, depend on it." He alluded, as he afterwards explained in pri«
vate» to the total want of tactique among the northern fleets, and to his
intention, whenever he should bring either the Swedes or Russians to
action, of attacking the lirad of their line, and confusing their move-
' ifients as much as possil>le. He used to SJiy, Close with a Frenchman,
Inir Out-Tuaiiujuvre a llussian." The night of 31 March was employed,
as the preceding, lu ascertaining the coui-sc of the upper channel. Captain
Brisbane was particularly active on this service, conducted under Lord
Nelson's immediato directions.
' On the forenoon of 1 April tlic whole fleet removed to an anchorago
within two leagues of the town, oft' the NW end of the Middle Ground.
, Tt was intendefl that the division nnfU^r Lord Nelson shouhl proceed
troiii tliis jx>int tlirough the northern channel. His lordship, accom-
panied by a few chosen friends, made his last obs(»rvations during that
rooming on board the Amazon, and about one o'clock, returning to the
Elephant, he threw out the signal to weigli. The ships then weighed,
(ltd followed the Amazon in succession through the narrow channel.
The wind was light, but favourable, and not one accident occurred. The
^ buoys were accurately laid down, and the smaller craft distinedy pointed
' nnt the i-ourse. About dark, the whole fleet was at its ancliurage oiY
Diugor point; the headmost of the enemy's line not more than two miles
distant. The small extent of the tuichoring- ground, as the fleet did not
consist of less than thirty-three pennants, caused the ships to he so
' much crowded, which the calmness of the evening increased, that had
the enemy but taken due advantage of it by shells from mortar-boats,
or from Atiin'_'»"r Island, the greatest mischief micfht have ensncd. They
threw two or three about eiirlit which served to show that we were
within ran^^e. The Danes were, however, too mnci) occupied during
^ this night in manning theii* slxips and strengthening their line ; not
from immediate expectation, as we afterwards learned, of our attack —
conceiving the channel impracticable to so large a fleet, but as a pre-
caution against our neai-er approach. Our guard-boats were actively
•Muployed lietween us and the enemy, and Captain Hardy even rowed to
th'Mv lending ship; sounding,' lound her, and using a pole when he was
apprehensive of being heard. lUa chief object was to ascertain the
bearing of tlie eastern end of the Middle Ground— the greatest obstacle,
f ts it proved, that we had to contend with.
'On board the Elephant, the night of 1 April was an important one.
As soon as the fleet was at anchor, the gallant Kelson sat down to table
with a large party of his comrades in arms. He was in the highest
spirits, anfl drank to a leading wind, and to tlie snccesR of the ensuing
day. Ca|)tuins Foley, Tfardy, Fremantle, Rimi, lunian. Admiral Graves,
and a few others to wiiom he was particularly attached, were of this
interesting party ; from which every man separated with feelings of
' admiration for their great leader, and with anxious impatience to follow
liim to the approaehinij battle. The signal to prepare for action had
l)een made early in the evening. All the captains retired to their re-
spccti^ e ships, Riou excepted, who Avith Lord Nelson and Foley nrmnged
the order of battle, and those iustructiotis that were to bo issued to each
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LETTEl^ OF LOUD NELSON
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ship o^i 1 1;*' succeinliii^ <l!\y. Tlie sc tlim' oHicers rctir(*«l Wtwt'fii mm
aiul U-U to the aftf'r caUin, uml dn vv up ilios« orders. Fn»iii the pr«*vi<His
fatigue of this tla^, autl of tlie two precediug, Lord Nelson was ko
much exhausted while dictating his instructions^ that it was recooi-
mended to him by us all, and, indetnl, insisted upon by his old servant,
Allen, who assumed much comuiand on tliese occasions, that lie should
j^o to his cot. It was placed on the floor, but from it he still continued
to dictate. Captsiin Hardy rcttiriifd ahout (dcven, and rnportrd the
practical ality of the channel, and tin depth of watrr {\\> io tli*- sliips nf
the enemy's line. Hatl we abided by thin report, in lieu of cf)nhfiitig in our
masters and pilots, we should have acted -bietter The orders were com-
pleted aljout one o'clock, when half a dozen clerks in the foremost cabin
proceeded tO transcribe them. l<ord Nel.son's impsiticnce a;jpaiii showt-d
itself; for insteiul of sleeping un<listurl>edly, as he mi;rhi have done, he
>vas every half hour callin;; fiom liis voi to these clerks to liastt-n their
work, for that th<' wind Avas becoming; tail ; Im was cimsluntly r«*c#*i\ in;;
a report of iliis during tin? niglit. Their work In ing finished a>)out six
in the mornijig, his lordship, who was previously up and dresswl, break-
fasted, and aliout seven made the signal for all captains. The instructions
were delivered to ea< h by eight o'clock ; and a special command was
;;i>en to Captain Kiou to act as circumstances nu'ght require. The
land fi'ic-(>s and a ImhIv "f r)00 s<»ateen wore to lia\<? U-en united unch'r
the coiiunand of Captain Fn'mant)-' and ('<>If)iu l Stewart, and as
as tlu' firt' of the Crown battery should be silence<l, they were to storm
the work and dt stroy it. The division under the commander in chief
was to menace the ships at the entrance of the harbour; the intricacy of
the channel would, however, have prevented their entering. Oaptahi
Murray in tlu' Kdgar was to lead.
' With tilt n turning light, the wind had bci-n announced as beconi
ing perfectly fair. Tho pilots, who were in general mates of trading
vt'ssels from the pori.s of Scotland and norih of England to the Haltie,
ajid several of the uuvstcrs in the navy were ordered on l>oai'd the
Elephant between eight and nine o'clock. A most unpleasant degree
of hesitation prevailed amongst them all, when they came to the point
almut the bearing of the e^ist end of the Middle (t round, and about
the i'wxr.t line of deep water in the King's ('hannel. Not a moment
was t") lost ; the winil was fair, antl the signal made for Rotion.
Lord Nelson urged thoni to be hicatly, to be resolutr, and to ilrcidf.
At length Mr. lirierly, the master of the Bellona, declareci imusell
pi epared to lead the fleet ; his example was quickly followed by the
rest, they repaired on board of their respc»ctive ships, and at half-past
nine the signal was given to weigh in succession. This was quickly
obeyed by the Edgar, wlm proceeded in a noble manner for the channel.
Tli»» Aq:aniemnon was to follow, but happened to take a course m a
direct line for the end of the slioal. The Polyphemus' signal. Captain
Jjaw^ford, was then made, and this change in the order of S4iiling was
most promptly executed. The Edgar was, however, unsupported for a
considerable time ; when within range of the Provesteen, she was fired
at, but returned not a sliot until she was nearly opposite to the num-
T>er which was destined for her by the instructions; she then ponre<l in
her broadsides with prcit nl". . t. The Polyphemus was follow»'il )iy the
Isis, Bellona, and EusscU ; the former, commanded by Captain Walker,
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BATTL£ OF COPENHAGEN
took lier station most gallantly, and haci the s« \ i i' st Iwrtii this rjay of
any ship, the Monarch perhaps not excepted. The iiellona and Russell,
in gtjiiig down the channel, kept too ckwe on the Btarboard efaoa), and
mn agroond ; they were, however, within range of shot, ajid continiied
to fire with much spirit upon such of the enemy's ehips as they could
roach. ... In uoinfj down tho chmmel the water was supposed to
shoal on the larlnjard s1h>ii' ; each slii]> had been ordered to pass hor
leader on the starl>o;ird side. ^\ lien it came to the turn of ihc
Elephant, his lordship, tlunking tliat the two ahovc-mentiontxl ships
had kept too &r in that direction, made the signal to cloee with the
enemy. Perceiving that this was not done, which their being aground
unknown to him was the caust; of, hr ordered the Elephant's ludm to
starboard, quitteil the int<Mided onler of sailing, and went within those
ships. The same course was consequent 1v f. .llnw. d l.y tho siiccee<ling
ships ; as each ship arrived n<^nrly o]'p<»sUf to ht r nuiiil»er in tlie
Danisli line, she let her anchor go by the stern, the wind noiirly aft,
and presented her broadside to the enemy.
* The action b^an at five minutes past ton. In about half an hour
afterwards the first half of our floet was < ?ig:igi'«l, and iMjfore half- past
eleven the brittle becanu? general. Thei Elephant's station was in tlur
centre, opposite to tho Danish conmiodoi-e, wh<. «*Mnman(hM! in the
T>aTir»ehro^T, 62, Commodore Fisehor. Captain F. ,\. lii aun. Our distance
WHS nmrly a cable's length, and this was the average disUinc<^ at which
the action was fought ; its being so great caused the loiig duration of
it. liord Nelson was most anxioils to get nearer ; but the same error
which had led the two ships on the siioal, induced our master and
pUots to dread shoaling their water on the larboard shore : they, there-
fort*, when the lead was a quarter less five, refused to approach nearer,
aTui insistetl on the anchor being det go. We afterwards found that
had we but approached the enemy's line we sJiould liavf deepened our
water up to their very side, ai^^l closed with them : as it was, tlic
Elephant engaged in little more/tlian four fathom. TheGIattonhad
her station immediately astern;of us ; the Ganges, Monarch, and
Defiance ahead ; the distance bijtwern each not exceeding a half cable.
The judgment witli whirh each .sliij> ral«'ulatt><I her station in that intri-
cate channel was adniiral>l»' tbiouijliout. The t'.iih;i<' of the three
ships thai were agi*ound, and ^hose force was to liavii Imich opposffi to
the Trekroner battery, left this djiy, as glorious for seamanship as for
courage, incomplete. The IKmI was in many ships confided to the
master alone ; cmd the contest that arose ou hoard the Elephant, which,
of the two officers who att^'tKled the heavinj: of it should stand in the
larlxwird chain??, was a noViles. . ompt tition, and greatly pleased the heart
of Nelson as he pared th<^ (luarter-deck. The gallant Riou, perceiv-
ing the blank in the original plan for the attack of the Crown brtttory,
proce^etl down the line with his squadron of frigates, and atteuqited,
but in vain, to fulfil the duty of the absent ships of the line. His
force was unequal to it ; and the general signal of recall, which was
made about mid-action by the commander-in-chief, had the good efiSpct
of, at least, saving Kiou'^ squadron from destruction.
'About I P.M. tow if any of tho enemy's Iirixy ships and prnams
had cf^sed to tire. Tin- Isis had i^reatly sulincd by the superior
weight of the Provesteen s fire ; and if it had not been for the judi-
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J.ElTEttS OP LORD
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cious diversion of it by the J )esiree, Captain Iniii.iii, who mked her,
and for other assistance trom the Polyphemus, the Isis would have
hcen destroy eil. Both the Isis and Bellona had received aerious injury
by the bursting of some of their gtins. The Monarch was also 8idfer>
ing severely under the united fire of the Holsteen and Sjelland ; and
only two of oiir bomb-vessels could get to their station on tlie Middle
Ground, and open tln-ir mortnrs on tlie >ir«e!i;il. dinctinf,' tiirir slu-lls
ovor bdth fleets. Our Sijuaciron «>f mii»-ljri«ijs, iinpcdrd Ity cui-ivnt.s,
could not, with the exception of ont;, although comnianded l»y Caj>Uiin
Rose iu the Jamaica, weather the eastern end of the Middle CJ round,
or come into action. The division of the commander-in'Chief acted
according to the preconcerted plan, but could only menace the on«
trance of the harbour. The Elephant was warmly engaged by the
Diinneliro^;, and by two heavy pnianis on her bow and ipiartor. Sig-
nals of distre.ss wen» on boaid tlie Bellona and Russell, and of inabilitv
fron» the Agamemnon. The (•(•ntcst, in «;enenil, althou^di from tlic
rela.xed state of the en<'Uiy"s hre it miglit not have given much ri.H»ni
for apprehension as to the result, had certainly, at one P.M., not de-
clared itself in favour of either side. About this juncture, and in this
posture of ai&irs^ the signal was thrown out on board the Iiondon for
the action to cease.
' Lord Nelson was at tliih time, as he had been during the whole '
action, walking the starlward side of the <|uartei- dt t k ; .sometimes
much animated, and at others heroically fine iu hi^ observatiijns. A
shot through the mainmast knocked a few splinters alx)ut us. lie
observed to me, with a smile, ** It is warm woric, and this day may be ^
the last to any of us at a moment ; " and then stopping short at the
gang^vay, he used an expression never to be enised from my memory,
aTifl said with ertiotion, "but mark you, I would not be elst'where for
tlionsiinds. " Wlien tlie sii^nal. No. 39 [to discontinue the eiiiraut^'Hfut],
was made, the signal lieutenant i*eported it him. He c«)nlinurd his
walk, and did not appear to take notice of it. The lieutenant meet-
ing his lordship at the next turn asked " whether he should repeat
itl" Lord Nelson answeretl, "No, acknowledge it.** On the officer
returning to the poop, his lordship called after him, "Is No. 16 [for
close action] still hoist^Kl ? " Tlie lieutenant answeriTig in the affirmative.
Lord Nelson said, " Mind you keep it so." He now walked the rloek
considerably agitated, whicli was always known l)y liis moving tlie
stump of liis right arm. After a turn or two, he said to me, iu a i
quick manner, *' Do you know what's shown on board of the com-
mander-in-chief t No. 39.** On asking him what that meant, he
answered, " Why, to leave off action." " Leave off action ! " he re-
peated, and then added, with a sbniir, *' Now, damn me if I do." H©
also ob=;erved, T believe to Captain Foley, *' You know, Folev, T liave
only one eye — 1 lia\e a right to be blind sometimes : " and tlien with
an archness peculiar to his character, putting the glass to his blind eye,
he exclaimed, " I really do not see the signal.** * This remarkable
* It f*oetiis i|uite possible that tlie importance of this incident is commonly
exaptrer.-itcrl. Tlicrc is r( ;t-<>n to \)r]'\c\r th;it the signal was hoi<1(-<l by Sir lly<!e
raikt-r, in accorila»u-o u itii a i.nvau: im-U i>t an<ling with Lord Nelson that it was
to be con«iderecl oi>tional ; thai Foley was in the secret ; and Uwt Ne1son*6 pan-
tomime was merely a little joke, or playing to the galleiy, which, it muAt be
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I*ET1'ER TO TIIH CllOW.N PUINCK
257
signal was, therefore, only acknowledged on board the Elephant, not
repeated. Admiral Graves did the latter, not being able to distinguidi
the E1('{>hant'8 conduct : either by a fortunate accident, or intention*
ally, ^^o. 16 was not displaced. Tlio squadron of frigates obeyed the
signal, and hauled off. That brave otticer, Captain Riou, was killed
by a raking shot when the Ainazoti showed hor stem to the
Tft^kroner. . . .
*The action now continued with unabated vigour. Al>out 2 p.m. the
greater part of the Danish line had ceased to fire : some of the lighter
ships were adrift, and the carnage on board of the enemy, who rein-
forced their crews from the shore, was dreadful. The taking possession
of such ships as had struck was, howpvfr. at(»'ii(]< <l with difticiilty ;
partly }»y reaiioii of the hatt(^ri»'S on AniM^jn- Islaiul protret ini,' tlH'in, :iiid
partly becjiuse an irregular tire was uuuif on our hoaU at* tliey appn>ai h( d,
from the ships themselves. The Dannebroy acteil in this manner, and
fivRd at our l)oat, although that ship was not only on fire and had struck,
but the commodore, Fischer, had removed his [nninant, and had deserted
her. A renewed attack o!i her by the ?2h'p]iant and (Jlatton, for a
quart^^r of an hour, not only (•f)nipletcly siK'nced and disiibled the
DaiiTiohroif. 1)iit )>y the use of grape, nearly killrrl c ry man who was
in thu praams alirad and astern of that unf*»rtunat«' ship. (hi our
suioke clearing away, the Dannebrog was found to l>e drilt ing in llamrs
before the wind, spreading terror throughout the eneiny's line. The
usual lamentable scene then ensued ; and our Itoats rowed in every
direction to save the crew, who were throwing thmisrlves from her at
every porthole ; few, liowcver, were left unwounded in her after our
last broadsides, or could be saved. She drifted to leeward, and about
half- past three blew up.
*The time of half-past two hrings me to a nio.st iiuportant part of
Lord Nelson's conduct on this day, and about which so much discussion
has arisen ; his sending a flag of truce on shore. To the best of my
recollection, the facts were as follow. Aft^ r the Dannebrog was adrift,
and had ceased to lire, the action was found to l>e over along the
wholf> of the line astern of ns, l»ut tio( so with the shi] s nl < arl and
witli the CVown hatteries. \V liether from i^nonnice of the custom of
war, or from contusion on boaid the prizes, our boats wer(% as before
mentioned, repulsed from the sliips themselves, or fired at from Amager
Island. Lord Kelson naturally lost temper at this, and observed,
**that he must either sei\d on shore, and stop this irregular procetHling,
or send in our fire-ships and bum them." lie accordingly retired into
the stem p^allorv, and wrote, with great (Icspatcli, that well-known letter
to the Cro^vn Prince, with the address, " To the brothers o£ Englishmen,
the Banes."*
TiOrd Nelson lias diroetions to spare Denmark, when iif> lunger
rt ^i,>liiig ; but if the iirins? is cotitimied on the part of JJennnirk,
Lord NeUou will he obligfil to set fin fire jdl the float iiii' batterie.s
he hafi taken, without having the power of saving the brave JJane.s
admitt^, he w^a fomclimcs guilty of. See JticitlhciinHS of thf Lt/c of the Ilev.
A. J, 8ectt (I8i2), p. 70 ; and Ralfe's Xavat Ji'tograjtkif, wL iv, p. 12.
S
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1801 THE FLAG OF TRUCE 259
fhp follrvwing answer was returned to the Crown Prince by Cmtain Sir
Frederick Thesiger ; '
Lord Nelson's object in sending on shore a flag of truce is
humanity; he, therefore, consents that hostilities shall cease till
Lord Nelson can take his prisoners out of the i^rizes, and he con-
sents to land all the wounded Danes, and to I nu n or remove his
prizes. Lord Nelson, with, humblo duty to his Royal Highness,
begs leave to say, that he will ever esteem it the greatest victory
he ever gained, if this Hug of truce may he flit- happy forerunner
of a lasting and happy imvm Ih twccn my mo^t gracious Sovereign
and liis Majesty the King of JJemnark.
* His Lordship, having finishr d t his letter, referred the adjutant^ c<A
gf^neml to the comTnaridcr in-chief, who was at anchor at least four Siewarfa
miles otV, for a ('oiifpn-Ttf p on the important points wliich fhf latter part
of the luessiige had alluded to; and to this General Liiidholm did not
object, but proceeded to the London.
• lindholm returned to Copenhagen tho same evening, when it was
agreed that all prizes should be surrendered, and the suspension of
I hostiiities continue for twenty-four hours ; the whole of the Danish
wounded were to be received on shore. I^ord Nelson then repaired on
l>oard the St. George, and the ni^rht was actively parsed by the boats
of the division whiclr had not been t*n::ai<('d, in getting afloat the ships
that were ashore and in liriii<i^iiig out tli(> prizes.'
Abstract of English loss.
Killed.— OtTicers .20
Boainen, marine^, and soldiers . .234
254
Wounded. — Oilicers ...... 48
Seamen, marines, and sddiers . . Q 1 1
689
Total killed and wounded . . 94^
Tlic official account of the battle^ transmitted to his Koyal Highness
the Crown Prince by the Danish connnander-in chief, Olfert Fischer, is
interesting not only in itself, but by reason of the oonvspondence
b«»twepn l^>rd Nelson and the £)auLsh adjutant-general Lindholm, to
which it gave rise.
•On 1 April, at 3,30 p.m., two divisions of the EJnglish fleet, under Commo-
the command of Vice- Admiral Lord Nelson and a rear-admiral, weighed dnre
anchor, and stood eastwards and by south of the Middle Passage of the ^ ' ' '^^'^'^ ^
Road, where they anchored. This force consisted of twelve ships of ^®****'*^'**
the line, and Revoral large frigates, gunboats, and other smaller vessels,
in all thirty-f)iio sail.
' On 2 April, at 9.45 a.m., the winrl SE. both the vessels to the
south and the vessels to the north of the Middle Road weighed anchor.
The ships of the line and heavy frigates under Lord Nelson steered for
• The original is in • Danske og Norske hu-ileltes Bcdrivtcr Ir.i Aar 171)7 tU
1813,* ved J. P. With.
« 2
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260
LETTERS OF LOUD NEI^ON
1801
the King's Deep, t o take their atatioii in order along the line of defence
confided to n\o. Th«' LjuTihoats and smaller v<»^<^o1r took their st^ition
nearer t<> tlu* town ; and tli<' division of Admiral Parker, consisting of
eight ships of the line and some small vessels, steered with a press of
sail southwards to the right wing of defence. At 10.30 the foremost
ships of Admiral Nelson's division passed the southernmost ships of the
line of defence. I gave those ships that were within shot the signal for
hattle. The block s]n[)s Prdvesteen and Vagrien, and inimecliately after
these the .Jylland, between whirli and tlie block shij) Dannebrog the
leading' Kniclish ship (of 74 guns) lixed her station by tlirowint,' out one
of lM*r rear uiu hors, obeye<l the siiriial by a well-directed and woll-siip-
portcd tire. By degrees the rest of the ships came up, and a^i they sjiiletl
past on hoth sides of the ships already at anchor, they formed a thick
fine, which, as it stretched northwards to tlie ship ti the line, the
Sjelland, engaged not more than two-thirds of the line of defence com-
mitt(»d to me ; while the Three Crowns battery, and the block ships
Elephatiteti and Mars, with the frij^ate Tljelperen, did not come at all into
the action. I n half an hour the battle was general. Ten ships of the biie,
among which was one ot ^0 guns, the rest chielly 74"s, and from six to
eight frigates, on the one side. On the other, seven block ships, of which
oiSy one of 74 guns ; the rest of 64 and under, two frigates, and six
small vessels. This was the respective strength of the two parties.
The enonjy had on the whole two ships to one, and the block ship Prove-
steen had, besides a ship of the line and the rf»ar-admiral, two fnirites
af^ainst her, by which she was raked the whole time, witliout being able
to return a shot.
* if 1 only recapitulate historically what your Highness, and along
with you a great portion of the citizens of Denmark and Europe, have
seen, I may venture to call that an unequal ( ombat, which was main*
tiiined and sujiported for four hours and ahalf with unexampled courage
and ellect, in which the fin» of tite superior force was so much weakened
for an hour before the end of tli<' battle, that several Knglish ships, and
particularly Lord Nelson's. w« re obliged to tire only single shots ; that
this hero hiras<dt', in tlie middle and very heat of the battle, sent a flag
of truce on shore to propose a cessation of hostilities ; if I add, that it
was announced to me that two English ships of the line had struck, but
b h i supported by the assistance of fresh ships, again hoisted their
flags, 1 may. in s ich circumstiinces, Iw permitted to say. and I believe
I may ;ip]M ,il to the enemy's own confes.sion, that in tiiis engagement
l)»'uni ark s ancient naval reputation blaze<l forth with such in<'redibh>
splendtmr, tliat I thank heav en all Europe are the witnesses of it. Yet
the scale, if not equal, did not decline far to the disadvantage of Denmark.
The ships that were first and most obstinately attacked, even surrounded
by the enemy, the incomparable Provesteen fought till almost all her
guns were dismounted. But these vessels were obliged to give way to
supenor fon e, and the i)ani8h lire ceased along the whole line from
north to .south.
'At 11. HO the Danneiirog, which lay alongside Adminil Nelson,
was set on tire. 1 repaired with my flag on board the Holsteen, of the
line belonging to the north wing. But the Dannebrog long kept her flag
flying in spite of this disast4'r. A t t\w end of the battle she had 270
men killed and wounded. At half-past two, the Uolsteen was so shat-
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BATTLE OF COPENHAGEN
261
tered, and had so many killed aiid wounded, and so many fji'''"^ ^'is-
inount<Ml, that I tJien caused the pennant to he hoisted, iubteud ot my
flag, ttud went on shore to the batteiy of the Three Crowns, from which
I oommanded the noTth wing, whioh was slightly engaged with the
division of Admiral Purker, till about four adock, when I received
orden from your Royal Highness to put an end to the engagement.
Thus the quarter of the line of defence from the Three Crowns to the
frigate Hjelperen was in thn power of the enemy; and tlie !fj»*lperen
thus finding lier.self alone, slipped Iier cables and steered to Stuljlx ii.
The ship Elven, after she had receiveil many shots in tlie hull, and ha*!
her masts and rigging sliot away, and a great number killed and wounded,
retreated within the Crowns. The gunboats Nyborg and Aggershuus,
which last towed the former away when near sinking, ran ashore ; and
the Gerner floating battery, which had sufTei-ed much, together with
the block ship Dannebroij, sJirtrtiy after the battle blew up. Besides the
visible loss the enemy have huticrcd, I am convinced their loss in killed
and wounded is considemble. ^'he advantage the enemy have gained
by their victory, too, consists merely in sliips which are not tit for use,
in spiked cannon, and gunpowder damaged by sea water. The number
of killed and wounded cannot yet be exactly ascertained, but I calculate
it from sixteen to eighteen hundred men.'
]t was by your own de.Niiethat I trouble vou with a lett^^r. after H. Adding-
baviiiif tried the contest aHoat with Denmark. I shall nut trouble *
Vou with a history ol" buttles. Suffice it to say, as far as we could,
we Imve, by the Idessintj^ of (rod. been completely victorious. (Cir-
cumstances threw me in the way of communicating with tlie ]*rinee
Hoyal of Denmark, and it has led to sonie messages passing between
the shore and Sir Hyde Parker. I own 1 did not build much hopes
on the success of negotiation, as it appears clearly to me that Den-
mark woald at this moment renonnoe all her alliances to be friends
with us, if fear was not the preponderating consideration. Sir
Hyde Parker thonght that probably some good might arise if I
went on shore to converse with his Boval Highness ; I therefore
went yesterday noon, dined in the Palace, and, afber dinner, had a
conversation of two hours alone with the Prince (that is, no minis-
ter was present), only his adjutant-general, Lindliolm, was in the
rooni.
His Royal Highness l)egan the conversation by saying how
happy he was to see me, mid thanked me for niy humanity to the
wounded Danes. I then said it was to me, and would be the
greatest afliiction to every man in England, from the king to the
lowest person, to think that Denmark had fired on the British flag,
and became leagued with her enemies. His Royal Highness
stopped me by saying, that Admiral Parker had declared war
agunst Denmark. This I denied, and requested his Royal High-
ness to send for the papers, and he would find the direct contrary.
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LBTTERS OF L0IIT> NELSON
1801
and that it was tlie lurtlK'.st IVon! the thoiiirlitp of the British ad-
miral. I then a«ked if his Royal Highness would jiermit me to
speak my mind fireely on the present situation of Denmark, to which
he haying acquiesced, I stated to him the sensation which was
caused in £nglaad by such an unnatural alliance with, at the pre-
sent moment, the furious enemy of England. His answer was,
that when he made the alliance, it was for the protection of their
trade, and that Denmark would never be the enemy of England,
and that the Emperor of Russia was not the enemy of England
when this treaty was formed; that he never would join Russia
against England, and his declaration to that effect was the cause of
the emperor (I think he said) sending away his minister; that
Denmuik was u traclinL? nation, and liad only to look to the protrac-
tion (A' ifs Tawt'ul c< )iinii('rce. flis Roval Hii^hness then rnlai-jred
on the iinpos.sihih'ty of Dauisli sliij)s under convoy having on board
any contraband trade; but to l)e sid)jected to be stopped — even a
Danish fleet by a pitiful privateer, and that she should search ail
the ships, and take out of the fleet any vessels she might please —
was what Denmark would not permit. To this my answer was
simply, ' What occasion for convoy to fair trade ? ' To which he
answered, * Did you find anything in the convoy of the Freya? *
[I said] ' That no commander could tell what contraband goods might
be in his convoy, &c. &c. ; and as to merchants, they would always
sell what was most saleable; that as to swearing to property, I
would get anything sworn to which I pleased.* I then said, ' Sup-
pose that England, wliich slu' never will, was to consent to this
freedom and nonsense of navigation, T will UAl your Royal IliLrlmesa
what the result would be— ruination to Denmark ; for the present
commerce of Denmark with the warring'- powers was half the neu-
tral carrying trade, and any merchant in Copenhagen would tell
you the same. If all this freedom was allowed, Dt>nmark would
not have more than the sixth part ; for the State of Hamburg was
as good as the State of Denmark in that case ; and it would soon
be said, we will not be stopped in the Sound— our flag is our pro-
tection ; and Denmark would lose a great source of her present
revenue, and the Baltic would soon change its name to the Russiaa
Sea.' He said this was a delicate subject ; to which I replied
that his Royal Highness had permitted me to speak out. He
then said, * Pray answer me a question ; for what is the I^ritish
fleet come into the Baltic?' My answer — 'To crush a most for-
midable and unprovoked coalition against (J reat Hritain.* He then
went on to say that his uncle £King George] had been deceived;
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1801 INTERVIEW WITH THE CROWN PRINCE 263
that it was a misunderstanding, and that nothing should ever make
him take a part against Great Britain ; for that it could not be his
interest to see ns crushed, nor, he trusted, ours to see him : to
which I acquieaoed. I then said there could not be a doubt of the
hostility of Denmark; for if her fleet had been joined with Russia
and Sweden, they would assuredly have gone into the North Sea,
menaced the coast of England, and probably have joined the French,
if they had btvn able. His Royal iiighnass said his ships never
should join jiny Power ai^ainst Kiitdand ; ])iit it required not much
argument to satisfy him that he could not help it.
In speaking ol' tbe pretended union of the nortliern l^nvers, I
could not help saying that his Royal Highness must be sensible
that it was nonsense to talk of a mutual protection of tradt*, with a
Power who had none, and that he must be sensible that the Kmperor
of Russia would never have thought of offering to protect the trade
of Denmark, if he had not had hostility against Great Britain. He
said repeatedly, ' I have offered to-day, and do ofkr my mediation
between Great Britain and Russia/ My answer was, * A mediator
must be at peace with both parties. Yon must settle your matter
with Great Britain. At present you are leagued with our enemies, and
are considered naturally as ii part of the rtfective force to fight us/
Talking much on this subject, his Ko\ al Hiirlmess said, ' What
must I do to make myself ecjual ? ' Answer^ — 'Sign an alliance
with rjreat Britain, and join your lleet to onrs.' His Hoyal High-
ness— ' 'J'hen Russia will go to war with us ; and my desire, as a
commercial nation, is to be at peace with all the world/ I told
him he knew the offer of Great Britain, either to join us, or disarm.
* I pray, f/ord Nelson, what do you call disarming ? ' My answer
was, ' That I was not authorised to give an opinion on the subject,
but I considered it as not having on foot any force beyond the cus-
tomaiy establishment.' Question — <Do you consider the guard-
ships in the Sound as beyond that common establishment ? ' An-
swer— * I do not.* Question — ' We have always had five sail of the
line in the Cattegat and coast of Norway.' Answer — *I am not
authorised to define what is exactly disai uiui^^, but 1 do nut think
.such a force will be allowed.' His Royal Highness — 'When all
Europe is in such a dreadful state of coti fusion it is absolutely
necessary tlmt States should be on their guard.' Answer—' Your
Royal ilighness knows the offers of England to keep twenty saiV
of the line in the Baltic' He then said, ' I am sure my intentions
are very much misunderstood ; * to which I replied, that Sir Hyde
Parker had anthonaed me to say, that upon certain conditions his
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LETTERS OP LORD XKLSON
1801
Royal Highness might have an opportunity of explaining liis seu-
timents at tlie Court, of l^ondon — ' I am not authorised to say on
what conditions exactly.' Question — ' But what do you think?'
Answer — * First, a free entry of the British fleet iiito Copenhagen,
and the free ose of everything we may want from it.* Before I
could get on, he replied quick, * That you shall have with pleasnre/
' The next is, whilst this explanation is going on, a total suspension
of your treaties with Russia. These, I believe, are the foundation
on which Sir Hyde Parker only can buUd other articles for his jns-
tification in suspending his orders, which are plain and positive.'
nis J{oval lliirlniess then desired me to repeat what 1 liud vaiil,
which huviuL,^ tlniir', he tlianke<l nie for my open conversal iuii ; and
I haviu<^ made an a})ol()fn' if T had said anything which he miirht
think too stntng, his Royal Highness very handsomely did the same,
and we parted ; he saying that he hoped we would cease from hos-
tilities to-morrow, as on such an important occasion he must call a
Council. My reception was such as I have always found it — far
beyond my deserts.
I saw CV>unt BemstofT' for a moment, and could not help saying
he had acted a very wrong part in my opinion, in involving the j
two countries in their present melancholy situation, for that our
countries ought never to quarrel. I had not time to say more, as
the prince sent fbr me, and Count BemstofT was called the moment
I came out of the room. The king s hrother and his son desired
1 might be presented to thcin, which 1 was, and then returned on |
hoard. Yesterday evening T received froni (ItMii'ral Adjutant Liud-
holm the Knglisli jiajH-i-B to 2i March, willi a Impi' that \vht\t I
had said tn the prince would make peac«;. 1 liud ail tlxv couutry
hate both tlie Russians and Swedes.
Lord St. Whether Sir Hyde Parker luay mention the subject to you I
(?)5AprU. know not, for he is rich, and does not want it. Nor is it, yon will
believe me, from any desire I ]X)ssess to get a few hundred pounds,
that actuates me to address this Iriter to you ; but, niy dear Ixird,
justice to the l)rave officers and nu n wlio fought on that day. It
is true, our opponents were in hulks .ind tl(»ats only ailaj>trd fur the
position tilt y were placed in ; but tliat made our battle so much the
harder, and victorv so much the more difficult to obtain. Belii vf
me, 1 have weighed all circumstances, and in my conscience I think
that the king should send a gnicious message to the House of Com-
mons, for a gift to this fleet : for what must be the natural feelings
of the officers and men belonging to it, to see their rich commander-
> Danish Minister for Foreigti Afbira*
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TEllMS OF THE ABMISTICE
2G5
ill-chief burn all the fruits of their victory, which, if fittt^d up and
sent to Eiigluud, as many of them might have been by dismuutling
part of our fleet, would have sold for a good round sum ? Having
mentioned tlie subject, I shall leave it to the better judgment of
your Lordship and Mr, Addington.
On 9 April an armi&tico was agreed ou, the stipulatioua of which
were:
1. The iimuediate cessation of hostiUties.
2. The Danish ships to ' remain in their present actual dtnation as
to armament^ equipment^ and hostile position/ The * Armed Neutn*
lity/ so far as relat^'s to Denmark, to Ik? suspendetl. Sir Hyde Parker
not to |>orriiit his i^liips to molest Danish territory or ships, or to ap-
proach ill sucli a way as in <-;! usp unfasiiipss or joa lousy.
3. This last clause to ujij^tly equally to any otlier English Hoot.
4. Sir Hyde Parker's fleet to be permitted to provide itself at Copen-
hagen and elsewhere in Danish territory ' with everything which it may
require for the health and comfort of the crews.'
5. The Damsh prisoners to \>e landed, and a rectfipt to be given for
them and the wounded which were landed after the action of the 2nd.
6. The Danish coastiiiif trade not to be niolt sted.
7. The armistice to continue tor fourteen weeks.
A negotiator is certainly out of my line, but being thrown into
it, I have endeavoured to acquit myself as well as I was able, and '
in such a manner as I hope will not entirely merit your diwippro-
bation. If it unfortuuati ly does, I have only to recpu'st that I may
now be pt rniittfd to retire, which my state of health, and ineon-
veuieuce from the lu.^s df inv lind) hiLS lonj' rendered necessary. I
trust you will take into consideration all the circumstnTires which
have presented themstdves to my view. 1st. We had beat the
JJames. 2nd. We wish to make thorn feel that we are their real
friends, tlierefbre have spannl their town, which we can always set
on Bxe ; and 1 do not think, if we burnt Copenhagen it would have
the effect of attaching them to us ; on the contrary, they would
hate tts. 3rd. They understand perfectly that we are at war with
them for their treaty of armed neutrulity made last year. 4th.
We have made them suspend the operations of that treaty. 5th.
It has given our fleet free scope to act against Russia and Sweden ;
6th, which we never should have done, although Copenliagcn would
have been Inirnt, for Sir Hyde Parker was determined not to have
Denmark hostile in his rear. Ouv passaiife over the (irounds might
have l)(M>n very seriously interrupted by the batteries near Dragor.
7th. livery reinforcement, even a cutter, can join us without mo-
lestation, and also provisions, .stores, &C. 8th. Great Britain is left;
with the stake of all the Danish property in her hands, her colonies, ^
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LETTEBS OF LORD KELSON
1801
&c., if she reftises peace. 9bh. The hands of Denmark are tied up ;
ours are free to act against her confederate allies. 10th. Although
we might have burnt the city, I hare my doubts whether we could
their ships, [which lie moored in a single line in rear of a range of
empty store-houses, and at a distance of at least 2,800 yards from
our bombs] ; therefore our sheUa have only the width of a line-of-
battle ship, and every sliip must be separately burnt, for they have
plenty of room to haul any ship on lire clear of the others. All
these considorntions weighed deeply in niy mind ; added to which,
lifiving shown tlifin thnt it was not because wo feared hgl t iml'' tliem
that we neirotiated, but for the cause of humanity towards Denmark,
i4!id the wish to conciliate their affections ; all these matters have
affected my mind, norshall I have araonient s rest, tilllkiiow,at least,
that I am not thought to have done mischief. After we had forced
the expression of the suspension of the treaty of armed neutrality,
a point very difficult for fear of Russia, I said to the prince, ' Now,
Sir, this is settled, suppose we write peace instead of armistice ? '
to which he replied, that he should be happy to have a peace, but
he must bring it about slowly, so as not to make new wars. We
talked whether some method could not be thought of, to prevent
the inortilications to wliicli ships of war witli convoys were liable,
I)y l)einLr btopped ; to which I answered, i thono^ht there might
very (\'isily. I did not enter further on the anltject with him,
although 1 did to Ins adjutant-general of th(» flrrt, Lindholm, W'ho
seems mncli in his confidence. My idea is, that no convoys shall
bo granted to any vessels bound to poi ts at war with us ; and that
if any such convoy is granted, that it shall be considered as an act
of hostility ; and that if any vessel under convoy proceeds to an
enemy of England's port, that the owner shall lose tiie value of his
ship and cargo, and the master be severely punished. On those
foundations I would build a prevention against future disputes ;
but all these matters I leave to wiser heads. . . .
I have tiie pleasure to tell yon that Count Bemstoff was too ill
to make me a visit yesterday. I had sent him a message to leave
off his ministerial duplicity, and to recollect he had now British
ailmirals to deal with, who came with their hearts in their hands.
1 hate the fellow.
Colonel Stewart, a very fine gallant man, will give you every
information.
r.cncrni sjj, — ^Commodore Fischer having, in a public letter,
22 April, given an account to the world of the battle of the 2nd, ana caUed
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THE DANISH DESPATCH
2C7
upon In^ l{u\ ui iiighuL-ss as a wituesh to tlif truth ol' it. I thereibi*e
think it right to address myself to you, for the inforuitttion of his
tioyal Highnesfiy as, 1 assure you, hail tliis officer confined himself
to his own veracity, 1 BbouM liave treated his official letter with the
contempt it deserved, and allc»wed the world to appreciate the
mmts of the two contending officers. I shall make a few, and
very few, observations on liis letter. He asserts the superiority of
uombers on the part of the British ; it will turn oat, if that is of
any conseqaence, that the Danish line of defence, to the southward
of the Crown Islands, was much stronger, and more numerous, than
the British. We had only livt^ sail of 7Vii, two 6 ^'s, two 50*8, and
one frip^te engaged; a l>iiiiih-v»»sf;el town nli the latter end threw
s..tii<* sliells into the ar^cnai. Two 74's aiu.l one ^»i,l)y an accident,
groundt'd; or the Crown J>hin(ls and the l^lfplniiit ami Mars would
have had full employment, and, by the assistance of the frigates,
who went to try alone what I had directed the thrt^'e sail of thtf
line that grounded to assist them in. I have reason to hope they
would have been equally successful as that part of the British
line engaged.
, I am ready to admit that many of the Danish officers and men
I behaved as well as men could do, and deserved not to be abandoned
' by their commander. I am justified in saying this, from Commo-
i dore Fischer s own declaration. In his letter he states that, after
he quitted the Dannebrog, she long contested the battle. If so,
more shame for him to quit so many I n ave fclluvv.«i. Here was no
UKtno-'nvring : it was downright lighting, and it was his duty to
have shown an example of firmness heconuiig tlie high trust re-
\)'><fd in him. He went in such a hurry, if hf went hrfon' sin?
-iriit k, which but Htr his own dex-laration I can hardly believe, that
lie forgot to take his broad pennant with hhn ; for both pennant and
ensign were struck together, and it is from this circumstance that
1 claimed the commodore as a prisoner of war. He then went, as
be said, on board the Holsteen, the brave captain of which did not
want him, where he did not hoist his pennant. From this ship he
went on shore, either before or after she struck, or he would have
been again a prisoner. As to his nonsense about vict( )r\ , lus Royal
* Highness will not much credit him. I sunk, burnt, captured, or
drove into the harbour the whule line of defence to the southward
of the Crown Islands.
He says he is told that two British ships struck. Why did he
not takf possession of thfin ? I took possession of his as fjist as
they atruck. The reason is clear — that he did not believe it. He
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LETTJOtS OF LOUD NELSON
1801
must have known tin' falsity of the report, find that uo fIv^]l British
ships did come near tlie ships engaged. He states, that the ship
in which 1 had the lionour to hoist my flag fired latterly only single
guns. It is true ; for steady and cool were ray brave fellows, and
did not wish to throw away a single shot. He seems to exult that
I sent on shore a flag of truce. Men of his description, if they ever
are victorious, know not the feeling of humanity. You know, and
his Royal Highness knows, that the guns fired from the shore could
only fire through the Danish ships, which had surrendered, and
that if I fired at the shore it could only be in the same manner.
CJod forbid I should (It.^lroy a non-resisting Dane! When they
Im'cuiiil' uiy prisoners, I became their prott^tor. lluiuaiiity aloiiL'
cdiilil Imve bcoii my obji'ct, but Mr. Fischer's carcase wa.s safe, aud
hf ri'-rardi'd n(»t the sacred call of humanity. His Roval Ili'i-luK S-s
ihuught as I did. It has brought about an armistice, which, 1 pray
the Almighty, nuiy bring about a happy reconciliation between the
two kingdonjs. As 1 have not the names of all the ships correct,
only of the thirteen, including the seven sail of the lino which
struck, remained at anchor, and fell into my possession after the
battle, I shall therefore be very much obliged to yon for a correct
list of their names, aud the number of men, if possible to be ob-
tained, on board each, and the numbers sent from the shore during
the action ; my earnest wish is to be correct ; and believe me, dear
Sir, with great esteem, your most obedient servant,
Nelson a>'d BiioNTt:.
To this letter, Adjutant-General Lindholm replied on 2 May:
* My Lord, — Your Lordship has imposed upon me a very painful
task, by desiring me to oomraunicate to his Royal Highness tite Crown
Prince the contents of that letter with which your T^)n]sliip has favoured
me on 22 April, and in which you have treated Commodore Fischer
with a severity which, as a brotlirr officor, T cannot but think too great
indeed. T oonceivp that your Loriltship hab felt a certain dcju^ivt' of dis-
pleitsure at that incorrect iit'i»s winch you have tliouglit to tind in Com
modore Fiacher^s official report, out your Lordship did not fully consider
at that moment^ that he himself might have received [an] incorrect
re|wrt, a ffttality to which every commander-in-chief is exposed. I
flatter myself, from your Lordship's well-known candour and indulgence,
that you will not think it presumin*^ in me, or contrary to the respect
I feel for your Lordship, if I take the opportunity of oileriiig you some
few observations, in vindication of the conduct of Commodore Fischer.
But> first, let me have the honour to assure your Lordship, that I have
not communicated to that officer your letter of 22 April, and that what
I take the liberty of offering your Lordship is absolutely my private and
individual opinion.
' Your Lordship thinks that Commodore Fischer has overrated the
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THE DANISH DESPATCH
260
forces by which he was attacked, and underrated his own ; or thxt he
wrongly asserts the superiority of numbers on the part of the British.
I must confess that I am now, as I have always been, of opinion, that
the squadron wiih which your Iiordship attacked our southern line of
defence, bbj all those ships and vessels lying to the southward of the
Crown batteiy, was stronger than that line. I will say nothing about
our not haNnn? hnd tlmo sufficient to man our ships in the manner it was
intended, tin y Itr ing badly manned, both ns to nunil>er unH as to quaHty
of their crews, the greatest part of whii-li were lan<l.sinrn. peoplp that
had been pressed, and who never before had been on Itoard a siiip, or
nsed to the exercise of guns. I will not mention our ships being old and
rotten, and not having one-third of their usual complement of officers.
I will confine myself to the number of gu)is, and from the ships named
in your Lor(1s]ii{)'8 official report, and there I find that your squadron
carried IjOo.S guns, of much c^^rr ;itor calibre than ours-. oxcbjHive of car-
ronadrs (which did our shij>s so much injury), also exclusive of your
gun-brigs and bomb-vessels.
* Now, I can assure your Lordship, upon my honour, that to my cer-
tain knowledge the number of guns on board of those eighteen ships and
vessels of ours which were engaged (including the small ship, the Elbe,
wliich raino into the harl>our towards tl)e • ml of tho action), amount to
♦>3i. I liave not im lndrrl our elcv<!n gunboats, carrying each two guns,
as a couple of them had only an opportunity of tiring a few shot. Nor
need I to mention the Crown b{itt<»ry, on which sixty-six guns wen?
mounted, as that battery did not fairly get into action, and only fired a
few random shot. When Commodore Fischer left the Dannebrog, that
dup was on fire, had many killed, several of its officers wounded, and
others suffered much. It was, I conceive, the duty of thecommander to
remove hi."^ hroatl pennant to another ship, jind iie went on boai.l the
Holsfeen, from whence lie connnamled the line of defence, and wliero
he reiuaiuetl two hours, hib bioad pennant flying on l>oard the said slnp.
When this ship was mostly disabled, the commodore went to the Crown
batteiy, which also was under his command. He would, in my humble
opinion, have been justified, from the wound he received on his head, to
quit the command altogether when he left tlie Dannebrog, and no
blame coulfl ever have at faclied tor i< in his character as a soldier. I
have given myself r vcry |Mjssibl« pains to be informed whether ( V)mmo-
dore Fi.s<"her's pennant hn/1 l>een l emos ed U;foreor after the ship struck,
and the officers all agree in declaring, that the broad pennant luwl lieeu
replaced by a captain's pennant^ botii on board the Dannebrog and the
Holsteen, previous to those ships hauling down their ensign. It is even
remarkable that on board the Dannebrog, the man who had taken down
the broad pennant, and hoisted tlie captain's ]K^nnant, was killed when
coming down the fthixiuds, and fell upon deck with the commodore's
pennant in his hand.
' I do not conceive that Commodore Fi.scher had the least idea of
claiming as a victory, what, to every intent ami purpose, was a defeat.
He hsa only thought that this defeat was not an inglorious one, and
that oiir officers and men displayed much bravery and firmness, against
force so superior in every respect. Your Lordship's report., and your
letter to me, prove it. I eonfe.ss that your Lordship took all the vessels
opposed to you, except live, carrying together eighty -six guns. 1 am of
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270 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1801
opinion, with your Lordship, that three ships of seventy-four guns each
would have been a hard match for the Three Crowns battery, but they
certainly would have been forced to go away. As to your Lordship's
motives for sending a flag of tnioe to ovr Qovemment, it can never be
misconstrued, and your subsequent oondnct has sufficiently shown that
humanity is always the fomp;\nion of true valour. Yon have done moir ;
you lia\ (> shown yourself a friend of tlie re-ost^blishnient of peace and
good hiiniiony between this country and (Jreat Britain. It is therefore
with the iiincerest esteem I shall always feel myself attached to your
liOrdship, and it is with the greatest respect I have the honour to sub*
scribe myself, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient and most humble
servant, H. Lindholm/
(„.,„,rai My dear Sir, — I w.is yesterday evening favoTir< d with yonr reply
8 Mijr^^'"' to my letter of 22 April, and I have no scruple in assuring you,
that if Commodore Fischer's letter had been couched in the same
manly and honourable manner, that I should have been the last
man to have noticed any little inaccuracies which might get into a
commandei^in-chierB public letter ; and if the commodore had not
called upon his Royal Highness for the truth of his assertions, I
iiover should have noticed his letter. You have 8tat<»4 truly^ the
litii i which would have Ix'en brought into .iction, l)ut for the acci-
dents of their getting aground, and, except the Df'siiY^e frigate, no
t)ther frigate or ylo<»]> fired a gun to the south wan I tlie Crown
Ishinds. I hnvf (h»nt' aiiiph' juHtire to the bravery of nearly a1]
your oflicers and nu»n ; and as it is not niy intention to hurt your
feelings or those of his Royal 11 iL'^lmi^ss, hut on the contrary, to
try and merit your esteem, I will only say, that I am confident you
would not have wrote such a letter. Nothing, I flatter myself, in
my conduct ought to have drawn ridicule on my character from
the commodore's pen ; and you have borne the handsomest testi-
mony of it, in contradiction to his. I thought then, as I did be-
fore the action and do now, that it is not the interest of our eoun-
ti ies to injure each other. I am sorry that I was forced to writ*
you Ro unpleasant a letter ; but for the future I ti ust that none
hut pleasant ones will j^ass between us, fori assure you tliat 1 hope
to merit the contimiatiou of your e^tt^eni, and of having frequent
nppvirtunities df assuring you how 1 feel interested in being your
sincere and faithful frieud, Nelson and I^ronte.
A.DATifon, You will, at a pn;pt«r time, and liefore my arrival in England,
23 April.
Biguify to Lady N. that I expect, and for which I have made such
a verv liberal allowance to her. to be left to iii\>.elf. and without
any inquiries fioni her; for sooner than live the inih ippy life I did
when last I came to England, 1 would stay abroad for ever, ^ly
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1801 OOMMANDEU-IN-CUIEF 271
mind 18 fixed as fate : therefore you will send mj determination in
any way you may judge j)n»j)er.
On 5 May (lespatclics anivrfl, dated 21 April, appointing Lortl
Nelson successor to Sir Ilydu Tarker, as commander-in-chief. Accord-
ing to Colonel Stewart's narrative : ' The Erst signal which Ijord
Nelson made^ as commander-in-chief, was to hoist in all launches and
prepare to weigh. This at onoe showed how different a system was
about to be pursued ; it having )>een intended that the fleet should
await at anchor fresh instructions from England relative to the state
of tho northern afTiiirs, an account of which had but lately l>een de-
^[l;ltche(]. Jy)n\ Ncls<m, who f<»ifs;i\v every bad consequence from this
inactive motle of proceeding, owe*! his* bad health more to ciiagrin than
to any other cause. The joy with which the signal was received not
only manifested what are the customary feelings on those occasions,
but was intended as peculiarly complimentary to the admiral. On
7 May, 1801, the fleet left Kjoge Bay, and, proceeding towards Bom-
holm, anchored, in blowini* weather, ofl' th.it islaiul. The greater
part was here left to watch the motions of the Swnh's ; and with a
chosen squadron, consisting of his tea be^t siiiling jscv en ty- fours, two
frigatt's, a brig, and a schooner, Lord NeJson siiilcd for the jiort
cf RevaL
A cummand never wjus, I believe, more imwclcomely received A.navimm,
hy any person than by myself. It nniy l>e at the expense of my ^ ^*"^*
life; and therefore, for G(kVs sake, at least for mine, try if I
cannot be relieved. The time was, a few months ago, that I
should have felt the hononr, and I really believe that I shonld
have seen more of the Baltic, the consequence of which I can guess.
But nothing, I believe, bat change of climate can cure me, and
having my mind tranquil.
I am sorry that the armistice is only approved under aU con- n. AiKiin^-
siderations. Now I own myself of opinion that every part of the
all was to the advantage of our king and country. I stated many
of my reasons for thinking it advantageous. We knew not of the
death of Paul,* or a change of sentiments in the Court of Prassia,
if her sentiments are changed. My object was to get at Beval
before the frost broke up at Cronstadt, that the twelve sail of the
iiue might be destroyed I shall now go there as a friend, but tho
two fleets shall not fonn a junction, if not already accomplished,
unless my orders permit it. My health is gone, and alfrhonn-h I
should be happy to try and hold out a month or six weeks loii^i i ,
yet death is no respecter of persons. I own, at preiieut, I should
not wish to die a natural death.
I have thought it right to address a letter to tho Swedish
» On 24 Match, 1801.
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272
LETTEltis OF LORD NELSON
1801
E.^N«pean^ adTiiiral in respectful terms, signifyiiit^ my wish, tliat the Swedish
Falster- lleet would not come to sea, as I should bo sorry, out of respect to
the PJiiip^Tor of KusHia, to see hosti]iti«\s coiiuaitted, which must bo
the case if they p\it to sea. . . . AVitli elf^v^n sail of tli.^ line, a
frigati', and two slnr>]^s. it is my inft-ntion to sliow invHelf in the
(lulf of Finland ; but in such a manner as 1 trust will be taken as
a compliment by the Emperor of Russia, anfl at the same time with
the precaution, that if the whoh^ empire of Russia was hosti!.' to
as, their Lordships may be perfectly at ease for the safety of the
squadron, in 8pit<e of all the power of Russia.
H.AiMin^'- go much having been said, both by friends and enemies, why I
UMt ^ May. ^ shore a flag of truce on 2 April, and but few seemed
pleased with the armistice, I take the liberty of sending the reasons
why I sent the (lag of truce, and also my reasons why I think the
armistice was a proper measure.
As both my friends and enemies seem not U} know why 1 sent
on shore i\ llaj^ of truce — the former, many of them, thouu^ht it was
a nisr. do. ijuen'f^ and not tjnite justiliable ; the latter, 1 Indieve,
aftribnt<"d it t^) a d<'sire to have no more tig^htiuL'", and few, very
few, to the (*;iii'><(» tliMt 1 felt, aJid which I trust in (iu<l 1 shall
retain to the last moment, h>nnonHif. 1 know it must to the world
1)0 proved, and therefore 1 will suppose you idl the world to me.
First, no ship was on shore near the Crown batteries, or anywhere
else, within reach (4' any shore, when my flag of truce went on
shore. The Crown batteries, and the batteries on Amager and in
the dockyard, were firing at us, one-half their shot necessarily
striking the ships who had surrendered, and our iire did the same,
and worse, for the surrendered ships had four of them got cloee
together, and it was a massacre. This caused my note. It was a
sight which no real man could have enjoyed. I felt when the
Danes became my prii-oners, 1 became their protector ; imd if that
liail not been a suHicient reason, the momt nt of a c(*iuplele victory-
wa.s surely the proper time to nuiko au opening with the nation
we had Ix-ni light ing with.
When the truce was settled, and full possession taken of our
prizes, the ships were ordered, except two, to proceed and join Sir
Hyde Parker, and in performing this service, the Elephant and
Defiance grounded on the ^fiddle Ground. I give you, verbatim,
an answer to a pai*t of a letter from a person high in rank ^ about
the Prince Royal, which will bear testimony to the truth of my
' Adjutant-General Lindholm. Sec ante, p. 270.
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1801 CONSIDEKATIONS ON THE AKMISTICE 273
asaertioiu: 'As to your Lordship's motives for sending a fiag of
trace to onr government, it never can be misconstrued ; and yonr
sabseqnent condnct lias sufficiently shown that hamanity is always
the compamon of tme valour. You have done more. Ton have
shown yourself a friend of the re-establishment of peace and good
harmony between this conntr}' ami (in^iit Britain."
Oil the Armistice .—^sUiu]! having' Iwen said relative to the bad
tenns of the arniistice made with Dnininrk. 1 wisli to observe, first,
that the ai'mistice was only intended |_to be] a military^ one, and
that all political subjects were left for the discussion of the mim»-
ters of the two powers. Peace, Denmark could not in the moment
make with you, as the moment she made it with you, she would
lose all her possessions except the Island of Zealand, and that also,
the moment the frost set in ; therefore there was no damage we
could do her equal to the loss of everything. Onr destruction
would have been Copenhagen and her fleet ; then we had done our
worst, and not much nearer being friends. By the armistice we
tied the arms of Denmark for four months from assisting onr ene-
mies and her allies, wlulsl we liad every part of Denmark and its
J)! I \ iiu es open to give us everything we wanted. Great Britain
was left the power of taking Danish ])ossessu)iis and ships in all
parts of the world, whilst we had locked up the Danish navy, and
put the key iu our pocket ; tirtie was afforded the two countries to
arrange matters on an amicable tooting ; besides, to say the truth,
I look upon the Northern League to be like a tree, of which Paul
was the trunk, and Sweden and Denmark the branches. If I can
get at the trunk, and hew it down, the branches fall of course ; but
I may lop the branches, and yet not be able to fell the tree, and
my power must be weaker when its greatest strength is required.
If we could have cut up the Russian fleet, that was my object.
Denmark and Sweden deserved whipping, but Paul deserved
punishment. I own I consider it as a wise measure, ^d I wish my
reputation to stand upon its merits.
It is my intention to send into Carlscrona a letter to the Swedish Lord
admiral ; for, under present circumstances, it would be unpleasant 8 Ma^^^ '
to have a battle with the Swedes ; therefore, if anything happens
after the receipt of my letter, the blame will rest with them.
The lat^e comniander-in-cliief of the British ili t in the Baltic The
bavincr. by requebt of the Emperor of Russia, allowed the Swedish Admiral
trade ui the Baltic to pass unmolested, I should be sorry that any ^
* Envoy Bxtnoidmary to the Kix^ of Prusoia.
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274 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1801
event could happen which might disturb for a moment the return-
ing amity (T hope) between Sweden and Great Britain. 1 beg
leave, therefore, to apprisi^ yt)ur Excellency, that I have no orders
to abstain from hostilities, should I meet the Swedish fleet at sea,
which, as it lies in yonr power to prevent, Tnm sure you must take
this communication as the most friendly proceeding on my part,
and oomnnnnicate it to jonr august Sovereign.
Count 1 am happy in this opportunity of assuring your Excellency,
Jjjjjf' that my orders towards Russia from Eu^Haiul are of the most
pacific and friendly nature ; and I have to retjuest, that you will
assure liis Imperial Majesty, that my inclination so perfectly accords
with my orders, that I had determined to show myself with a
squadron in the Bay of Beval (or at Cronstadt, if the £mperor
would rather wish me to go there), Uy mark the friendship which,
I trust in God, will ever subsist between our two gracious Sove-
reigns; and it will likewise be of great service in assisting to
navigate to England many of the English merchant-vessels who
have remained all the winter in Bussia. I have taken care in the
squadron which I bring up with me, that there shall be neither
bomb^hip, flre-iahip, nor any of the flotilla, in order to mark the
more strongly, that I wish it to be considered as a mark of the
greatest personal respect to liis Imperial Majesty.
N. Van- ^ ^'^h ^ M8<ire you, most infinitely obliged by your truly kind
satisfactory letter of 8 April, for I know from experience how
Gulf of difficult it is for an officer to have his feelings properly represented at
Fmimid. ^ome^ You did me full justice that I wanted to get at an enemy as
soon as possible to strike a home stroke, and that Paul was the enemy
most vulnerable, and of the greatest consequence for us to hnmble.
On 2 April we could have been at Reval, and T know nothing at
present which could have prevented our destroying the wholr*
Russian force at that port. It would have brought, if not Paul to
his senses, yet most probably both Sweden and Denmark ; hut
mankind form opinions on what has happened, and seldom do that
justice which both you and Mr. Addington did to my opinion,
formed on the information and circumstances before me. The diffi-
culty was to get our commander-in-chief to either go past Kren-
hoTg or through the Belt ; because, what Sir Hyde thought best,
and what I believe was settled before I came on board the London,
was to stay in the Cattegat, and there wait the time when the
whole naval force of the Baltic might choose to come out and
fight— a measure, in my opinion, disgraceful to our country. I
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1601 THE FLEET OFF KEVAL 275
can only ag-ain repeat how iiiucli I i't t l your goodness in explaining
tho motives which actuated my conduct.
I hope aootlier adminl is on hiB way to supersede me ; for A.D4Tiwa»
why am I to be kept here to die a natural death ? I did not bar^
gain for that when I came to the Baltic. It is now sixteen days
that I have not been able to get out of my cabin ; and Admiral
Graves hai> been as many in bed. The country may do very well
to hght a battle, but no man of common st'iise would remain ; but,
fiq-ht or not fitrht, as thpy please, I stay no longer than 1 ^etdown,
which I hope will be by 1 June, if I live so long. In forty-eight
hoars I shall have formed my opinion of the future plans of
Alexander towards as; and I hope our ministry, from tlie papers
1 shall send them of my reception and treatment, will he fully equal
to decide every [thingj which the Russian ministry intend doing
in the present state of afiairs.
I shall confine myself to what we clearly could have done with i^d se.
our Baltic fleet, such as it was after the conclusion of the armistice nl Mi^
with Denmark. I shall not say more of the Swedes, than as we B«vai bbj.
saw their force at Carlscrona, where they had wisely retired when
they saw onr frigates in the Baltic. On 19 April we had eighteen
sail of the line and a fair wind. . . . The Rassian fleet here was, I
decidedly say, at oar mercy. Nothing, if it had been right to make
the attack, could have saved one ship. of them in two hours after
our entering the bay. ... On Wednesday, 29 April, the l^ay of
Keval WHJR clear of firm ico ; and, on that day, the ice in the mole,
aUjut six feet thick, was cut, and three sail of the linepfot out, and
iiioorerl on the eastern side of the bay, absolutely unproti cted
except by a battery of six guns. By the Sunday they were all
out, fourteen sail of ships; but I am not certain yet whether the
fleet was ten, eleven, or twelve ships of the line— two were three-
decked ships ; they sailed for Cronstadt the same day. I hope you
will approve of oar coming here ; we now know the navigation,
should circumstances call us here again.
On 16 May T,ord Nrlson recfuvcd a letter from Count Palilen, rlat<^il
2-14 May, which, lefeniu^j to Nelson's suppobeti intention of coming
ofl* Keval or Cronstadt with his whole fleet, went on to say : ' The
ESmperor, my master, does not consider such a step consistent with the
desire professed by his Britannic Majesty of re-establishing the good
feeling which has so long existed between the two monarchies. His
Imperial Majesty thinks it, on the contrary, utterly opposed to the
spirit of the instructions of the Court of London, an represcTited to him
by Lord Hawkesbury. His Majesty has consequently ordered me to
T 2 /
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276
LETTEIiS OF LORD NELSON
idOi
rount
Pahleu,
16Majr,
Lord St.
Vincent,
17 Maj.
Col.
Stewart's
acf^uaint you that the only guarantee of the loyalty of your intentions
which he can accept, ia the immediate withdrawal of your fleet ; and
that all negotiation with your court is impossible as long as a naval
force is in sight of his ports. . . . His Majesty will have pleasure in
yielding to sucli jnst domands as your king shall put forward in
friendly negotiati on . but anything which would give to these demands
the appearance ot conditions can oidy lead to the failure of the pro-
posed result.' And much more to the same purport.
It was to this letter that Nelson answered :
I am this moment honoured witb your Excellency's letter ; and
I only beg leave to refer you again to my letter of 9 May. You
will there see, that not one seventh part of the fleet in point of
numbers were ooming into the Gulf of Finland; and that, as my
intention was to pay a very particular respect to his Imperial
Majesty, I submitted it to his pleasure which port he would wish
me to come to, Reval or Oronstadt. Your Excellency will have the
fjoodness to observe to the Emperor, that I did not even enter into
the outiT l)ay of Utnal without the coiist'ot of their excellencies
the gfoveriior and admiral. My conduct, I feel, is so entirely
fUfferent to what your Kxi tOliMn'j has expressed in your letter, that
I have only to regret that my desire to pay a marked attention to
his Imperial Majesty has been so entirely misunderstood. That^
being the case, I shall sail immediately into the Baltic.
The answer from Count Pahlen, with all my correspondence, is
under cover to Mr. Nepean ; after such an answer, I had no fur-
ther business here. Has the Crount any meaning in his gross ^ae-
hoods, or has it been an entire misunderstanding of my letter ?
Time vdll show ; but I do not believe he would have written such
a letter if the Russian fleet had been in Reval. A word for nu -
self : since 27 April I have not been out of my cabin, except in
Ixnng oblijSfed to do the civil thing at Reval ; nor do I expect to go
out until 1 laud in England, or am carriud out of the ship. I
therefore most earnestly hope that some worthy adtniral will be
aiiived to commaiul this fleet, which 1 can truly say is deserving of
any ullicer; for more zcui and desire to distinguish themselves 1
never saw.
'The keeping his fleet continually on the alert, and the amply
famishing it with fresh water and provisions, were the objects of Iiord
Nelson's tmremitted care ; and to this mapr in a great meamre he
ascribed the uniform good health and discipline which prevailed.
Another point to which 1ir gave nearly eqnid attention wbm lus eco-
nomy of the resoiirros of his fleet in regara to stores ; their consump-
tion was as remarkable for its smallness in the Baltic as it was in the
fleet that was aftcnvards under his command in the Mediterranean.
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1801
COUUESPOXDKNCE WITH TAllLEN
277.
His hour of rising was four or five o'clock, and of going to rest about
ten ; breakfast was never later than six, and generally nearer to live
o'clock. A Tiiiflsliipman or two were always of tho party ; and I have
known him Nnid luring the middle watch to invite the little fellows to
hr^kfast witli him when relieved. At table with them he would
enter into their boyish jokes, and be the most youthful of the party.
At dinner he invariably had every officer of his ship in their turn, and
was both a polite and hospitable host. The whole ordinary business of
the fleet was invariably despatched, as it had l)een by Earl St. Vincent>
liefore ei£;]it o'clock. The great command of tiiiio which Lord N«'lson
thus gave liiuiself, and the alertness which tliis ♦•vninple im]nirt«"d
throuj^hout the fleet, can oidy be undcrstoml by tlios*- wlm witnessed it
or who know the value of early hours. The Uusbiaii frigate Venus,
with Admiral Tchitchagoff on board, met us on our return to Bom-
holm ; she had been in search of u^ with the answw to some pacific
overtures that had passed between Sir Hyde Parker and the Russian
i^iovrmment, and wliieh was of the most friendly description. Lord
St. H< Ions also met us in the Latona, on liis way to Pet«rsltur<; on a
special mission. At Rostock not an hour was lost in procuring,' fresli
provisions for the tleet. The greatest veneration was here shown to
the name of Kelson ; and some distant inland towns of Mecklenburg
sent even deputations, with their public books of record, to have his
name written in them by himself. Boats were constantly rowing
round his tlag ship, the St. George, with persons of respectability in
them, anxious to catch a sight of this illustrious man. He did not
again land whilst in the Baltic ; his health was not ^o(k\, and his mind
was not at ease : with him, mind and health invariably syuipiiilusod.'
I hope Lord St. Helens will arrange amicably oar affairs with Wiiiinm
the northern powers ; and as to France, if she dares to stir off her 201!^.^
shores, I only wish our seamen to meet them half seas over. As Koatock.
to myself, I am knocked np, and only want to enjoy, during this
negotiation, a litUe repose, to enable me, if better men will not
come ibrtii, to meet these northern blades. They do not want for
courage, that is certain ; but in the management of their fleet they
would, 1 am [sure,] miserably fail; and two-thir<ls of their nnm-
bers must \yent them, if we make use of the skill Uod Almighty
has blessed with.
On the evening of 26 May, Nelson received a letter horn Count
Pahlen, dated 6-18 May :
' Mylord,— If ne .saurai.s domier k votre Excellence un t^moignage
plus ^clatant de la contiance que I'Empf'reur, mon inaitre, lui accorde
qu'en lui atmon9ant I'effet qu'a produit sa lettre uu 1 G de ce mois. Sa
Majesty Imp^riale a ordonn4 sur le champ la lev^ de Tembargo mis sur
ks navires anglais. Cette mesure anrait M remplie depuis lo^gtemps si
des drconstances ant^eures k sonrbgne n'eussent pas donn^ Ueu k une
demonstration hostile de votre gouvemement dans le nord, et mon
auguste maitre se livre avec plaisir k I'impulsion de son amour pour la
justice d^s rinsta,nt ou TEurope ne peut plus etre abus^ par lea appa-
rences sur les motifs qui le font agir.
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1801
' Je regrette -vivement, Mylonl, 4ue voire lettre pr^oM^te ait pro-
doit on m^aentendu, mais oelui qui connatt oomme voxa lea loix de
llionneur et de la vnie dignity ne peut en ^tre Sttrpria. Sa Majesty
Imp^riale me charge de mander k votre Excellence, qu'elle sem charm^
do faire la connaissance personnelle dii h(5ros d'l yil. df vous voir k
8<i cour, si vos instructions vous ponnettcnt de tjuitter la flotte et
d'aborder avec un seul vaisseau dans uu de nos portis. J'ai I'honneur
d'etre, avee la plus haute oonaidteAion, Mylord, de votre Excellence, le
trte humble et trte ob^iaaant aervitenr, Lb Cohtb db Pahlbn.'
To this he i^eplieii immediately, dating his letter ten o'clock at
night :
I am this moment honoured with your ExceUency's flattering
letter of 6 May, O.S., and I assure you that liis Imperial Majesty's
justice has filled the idea I had formed of his excellent heart and
head ; and I am sure the handsome maimer in which the embargo
has been taken off the British shipping will give the greatest
pleasure to my good and gracious sovereign. I am truly sensible
of the great honour done me by the invitation of his Imperial
Majesty, and at a future time I hope to have the pleasure of pre-
senting my humble duty. I have now only to pniy, that a per-
manent (which must be liuiiounible) peace iiiay be established
between our gracious sovereigns, and that our juii^ust masters*
reigns may be blessed with every happiness which this world can
afford.
I do not trouble you often with letters, as your time must be
much more essentially employed than in reading any opinions of
mine. As I send the facts themselves to the Admiraltv, ministers
can draw much better conclusions from them than a mere sea-
officer ; but as it was the wisli of Lord St. Helens tor nie to
g^ve my ojjinion, I'roni what 1 had seen in Russia and my com-
munication with them, I readily i^nve it — viz. The Emperor of
Uussia and liis ministers wish for peace with us, but at the same
time it is wished to hold up his character, therefore it is wished that
he should have the appearance of arranging the peace of the North,
and I am confident more would be given up by paying the Emperor
that compliment than if we attempted to lay down the law; and
his Lordship was pleased to say that he should let the negotiation
take that turn. Respecting privateers, I own I am decidedly of
opinion that with very few exceptions they are a disgrace to our
country ; and it would be truly honourable never to permit one
after this war. Such horrid robberies have been committed by
them ill all parts of the world, that iL is really a disgrace to the
country which tolerates them ; and the conduct of too many of our
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im BSmiATE OF PRIVATEERS 279
vice-admiralty courts has no wonder made neutral nations think of
preventing such iniquitous proceedings. . . .
My complaint, I flatter myself, is better within these last two
days; but we have lost so many of oor finest yonng men by the
disorder, and I know it is so deceitful, and no one will tell me any-
thing of my disorder, that I only rely on Providence ; I own I
have no inclination to die a natural death at present.
My dear invaluable Friend, — Believe me, my heart entertains Ci}.f Bali,
the very warmest afl^ion for yon, and it has been no fitult of mine, ^
and not a little mortification, that yon have not the red ribbon and
other rewards that would have kept you afloat, and not to have
made yon a commissioner ; but as, I trust, the war is at a close,
you must, like Lord Hood, take your flag when it comes to you,
for who is to cnmniand our fleets in a future war? for whatever
peace we inuy iuake under the present goveninient of France can-
not be lasting. I pity the poor Maltese; they have sustained an
irroparabl^> loss in your friendly counsel and an able director in
tlieir public concerns: you was truly their father, and, 1 agree
with you, they may not like 8tep»&therB; however, I hope that
you will iind as much pleasure in your new office as it is possible
for it to aiford, although I am sure it will not be equal to your
merit. . . .
I am just returned from the Gulf of Finland, Reval ; and met
Lord St. Helens at the entrance; by this, I am sure peace must be
signed with Russia, and Denmark and Sweden have so completely
lost their consequence by joining against us, that they must sub-
mit to what we settle with Russia. The northern fleets are only
formidable in point of numbers ; in every other respect they are
insignificant ; and if our fleet in active in the spring of the year
may be got at separately; late in tbe sunnner they have their
numerous flotilla, who can join in spit<' of all our efforts to prevei»t
them, for there is a complete navigation inside, and amongst 10,0U0
islands. . . . Believe me at all times and places, for ever your
sincere, affectionate, and faithful friend, Nelson and Bkonte.
Having received information that a ship is bound from Copen- ^^'^
hagen to Norway, loaded with cannon, and also that some other Aimuonr*
vessels are about sailing from Copenhagen, loaded with naval
stores, contrary to the terms and spirit of not only the armistioe,
but also to the kindness of Sir Hyde Parker and the BritiBh Govern-
* At this time Coauniaaioner of the Navy at Qibxaltar,
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280 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1801
ment, wJio allowed provisious to pass from Denmark iuto Norway, I
therefore desire that you will proceed through the Belt, and cruise
between the KoU and the Island of Zealand, and endeavour to in-
tercept the ahips and TesseU above described, as also all other
vessels which may be bound from Copenhagen, or other parte of
the Danish dominions, to Norway, Iceland, Faroe, or Greenland,
loaded with warlike stores or naval 8tx)res ; and you will send such
ships as you may seize of the ubove description to Knglund. And,
as there is a squadron ol' Danish ships of war in Norway who may
wish to get to Copenlia^'-en, it in iny directions that you do your
utmost in endeavouring to ])revent their cnnnnfr to Copeiiliat»'en ;
but you are to acquaint the commander of your orders ; and if he
consents to remain with you till you receive directions from roe or
any other your superior officer for your conduct, in that case you
are to allow him or them to keep their colours flying. But if they
refuse your reasonable request, it is my directions that you use your
utmost endeavours to take possession of him or them, and acquaint
me, or the Secretary of the Admiralty, as the case may require, of
your proceedings.
?indhoim Respecting my permitting a Danish frigate to pass from Norway
12 June. ' to Copenhagen, I beg leave to inform his Royal Highness, that I
liave no power whatever to grant f?nch permission. On the con-
trary, the Government of Denmark hax'intjr refused to allow of Nor-
way beinpr inchided in the armistice, 1 believe that there would
be no impropriety in any Englisli man-of-war attacking them in
the ports of Norway, much less if they put to sea, as Denmark
has reftised the temporary neutrality for that kingdom; but
I have no doubt the British Government will do evezything of
that nature which his Royal Highness may think proper to
ask.
Being on the subject of Norway, I think it my duty to ask that
it may be given in the name and by the authority of the Prince,
an assurance that during the time which Sir Hyde Parker, and
since the Britit^ Government, have given permission for provisions
to be sent to Norway, that no warlike stores have been or will be
sent into Norway, and that no gun-vessels have or will be sent
from Norway to Copenhagen duri!ij^ the time the kindness of the
British Govei oment is coutiuued to be received by the Danish
Government.
E. Nepean, 1 am to acquaint you, for the intbrmation of the Lords Com-
12 June, miaaioners of the Admiralty, that the general conduct of Denmark
has been so entirely dilferent from what the armistice points out,
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RETURNS TO ENGLAND
281
that I do not think myself at liberty to proceed as I sliould lliink
right, nntillget their Lordships' instrintions, which 1 trust will
be aoon. The armistice, except their ships being absolutely liauled
out, has been totally disregarded. Ships have been masted, guns
taken on board, floating batteries prepared ; in short, everything is
doing, as my reporters say, in defiance of the treaty, except hanl-
ing out and completing their rigging.
The moment 1 receive information that peace is made with
Russia, I shall go over the (iruunds, luul anchor in Copenhagen
Roads, ready to act as t ircninstances iiiay r<'(iuiro and their I/ord-
ships may direct, leaving eight sail of the line to watch the
Swedes*
I hope the reply of the Admiralty to my letter of tliis (lay will
be clear and expUcit, whether the commander-in-chief is at liberty n jane,
to hold the language becoming a British admiral? which very
probably, if I am here, will break the armistice, and set Copen-
hagen in a blaze. I see everything which is dirty and mean going
OD, and the Prince Royal at the head of it ; but your astonishment
will cease when I assure [you] that a French republican officer, in
his uniform, feathers, Ac., is always with his Royal Highness. The
measure is so indelicate tow^ards England, that you will not be
surprised if everj thing which is sacred amongst nations of honour
bhouid be broken.
Lord Nelson cannot allow himself to leave the fleet without
expressing to the admirals, captains, officers, and men, how sensibly in .hmc!
be has felt, and does feel, all their kindness to him, and also how
nobly and honourably they have supported him in the hour of
battle, and the readiness which they have shown to maintain the
honour of their king and country on many occasions which have
oflered.
In the summer of 1801, Bonaparte collected a flotilla and large
army at Bo\ilo»rue, with the avowed design of invading England. It
was therpf r f (letermined to place a large fon e consisting of fri^tes,
bri^, and binaller vessels, under theccmimand of Lord Nelson, between
Or&rdness and Beachy Head. Lord St» Vincent's views on the subject
were thus stated in a letter to Admiral Lutwidge, the comniander-in-
chief in the Downs, dated Admiralty, 24 July, 1801. 'The enemy's
praparationB on ditierent parts of the coast, in the Channel, particularly
opposite to you, beginning to wear a very serious appearance, and all
our intelligence agreeing that a floscent on some part of the coast is
actually inteiided, it has naturally l)ccn matter of consideration, what
measures would be most advisable to be taken for our defence; and after
viewing the subject in every shape in which it could present itself no
plan appears to me to be so effectual for frustrathig the enemy's designs
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LElTElid UF LORD NELSUX
1801
OA that of ulacixig the whole of the force applicable to that particukir
flervice under the command of » flag officer who will have no oUier duty
to perform than that of attending to this important object. I am aware
that the measure I have mentioned will materially interfere with your
comnmnd in the Downs; and I can assure you, with great truth, that I
have so much resppct both for your puV)lic' and private character, that I
should not liave taken this, or anv other measure that might l>e in any
respect unpleasant to you, if I hati tiiought it could have been avoided
witnout detriment to the pnUio service. The officer I have fixed upon is
Viscount Nelson, who will, I think, hoist his flag in one of the fir^tes,
and proceed immediately to the coast oi France, to settle the necessary
arrangements with the officers now employed there. The command in
the Downs will of course bo loft in your hands, with the superintendence
of what is generally understood to lie the port-duty, while it may be re-
quisite to continue Lord Nelson in this situation.'
Lord Nelson hoisted his flag in L'lJnit^ frigaU^;, at Sheemees, on
27 July.
Memo. Besi(l<»s the statioiitnl shipH at the tliil'erent posts bt'twecu the
Hubnritted North Foreland and Orfordness, as niuny gun-vessela as can be
Adn'riraitv '^P^^'^ froui tlip verj' necessary protection of* the coast of Sussex
26 July. ' and of Keut to the westward of Dover should be collected, for this
part of the coast most be serioasly attended to ; for supposing
London the object of surprise, I am of opinion that the enemy's
object oughi to be the getting on shore as speedily as possible, for
the dangers of a navigation of forty-eight hours appear to me to
be an insurmountable objection to the rowing from Boulogne to
the coast of Essex. It is therefore most probable (for it is certainly
proper to believe the French are cumiiig lu at t uck London, and
therefore to be prepared) that from Hniilogne, Calais, and even
Havre, the enemy will try and land in Sussex or the lowt i part
of Kent; and from lJunkirk, Ostend, and the other ports of
Flanders, to laud on the coast of Essex or Suffolk ; for I own
myself of opinion tliat, f]H- object being to get on shore somewhere
within 100 miles of Loudon as speedily as possible, the flats in
the mouth of the Thames will not be the only place nocessaiy
to attend to ; added to this, the enemy will create a powerful diver-
sion by the sailing of the oombined fleet, and the either sailing, or
(abating such an appearance of Bailing, of the Dutch fleet, as will
prevent Admiral Dickson from sending anything from off the great
Dutch ports, whilst the smaller ports will spew forth its flotilla —
viz. Plushiiig, Sic, &c. It must be pretty well ascertained what
number of small vessels are in each port.
T will suppose that 40,000 men are destined for this attack, or
ratlu-r surprise, of Loudon : 20,000 will land on the west side of
Dover, sixty or seventy miles from Londou, and the same number
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COMMANDS THE DEFENCE FT/)TILLA
on the east side : tliey are too knowing to let ns have but one
point of alarm for London. Sapposing 200 craft, or 250, collected
at Boulogne, &c., they are supposed equal to carry 20,000 men.
In veiy calm weather they might row over, suppoeing no impedi-
ment, in twelve hours ; at tiie same instant, by telegraph, the same
number of troops would be rowed out of DuiJrirk, Ostend, &c. Ac.
These are the two great objects to attend to from Dover and the
Downs, and perhaps one of the small ports to the westward.
Boulogne (which I call the central point of the western attack)
mnst be attended to. If it is calm when the enemy row out, all
our ve&seU and boats ap]>ninttMl to watch them must gft into llu?
Channel, and meet them as soon as possible : if not strong enough
for the attack, they must watch, and keep them company till a
favourable opportunity offers. If a breeze springs up, oar ships
are to deal de»irudimi ; no delicacy can be observed on this great
occagion. But should it remain calm, and our flotilla not fancy
itself strong enough to attack the enemy on their passi^, the mo-
ment that they begin to touch our shore, strong or weak, our flotilla
of boats must attack as much of the enemy's flotilla as they are
able — say only one^half or two-thirds it will create a most power-
ful diversion, for the bows of our flotilla will lie opposed to their
unarmed sterns, and the courage of Britons will ncs er, I beli(?ve,
allow ont' Frenchman to leave the beach. A great num!)er of IVul
and Dover boats to be on board our vessels off t he ])ort of Boulogne,
t<j give notice of the direction taken by the enemy. Tf it is calm,
vessels in the Channel can make signals of intelligence to our
shores from the North Foreland to Drfbrdness, and even as far as
8olebay, not an improbable place, about seventy or eighty miles
from London.
A flotilla to be kept near Margate and Kamsgate, to consist of
gunboats and flat-boats; another squadron to be stationed near
the centre, between Qrfordness and North Foreland, and the third
in HoUesley Bay. The floating batteries are stationed in all proper
positions for defending the difl^erent channels, and the smaller
vessels will always have a resort in tlie support of the stationed
ships. The moment r)f the enemy's movement fi*oiu Bonloi^ne is to
be considered as the movement of the enemy from Uimkirk. Sup-
posing it calm, the flotillas are to be rowed, and the heavy ones
towed (except the stationed ships) ; those near Margate, three or
four leagues to the north of the North Foreland; those trom
Hollesiey Bay, a little approaching the centre division, but always
keeping an eye towaids Solebay ; the centre division to advance
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LKlTKliS OF UniD NELSON
halfway between the two. The more fast rowing boats, called
Thames galleys, which can be procured the better, to carry orders,
information, &c. &c.
Wlii iiever the enemy's flotilla can be seen, our divisions are to
unite, ])ut- not intermix, and to he reudy to execute such orders as
may \wi deeuu'd iiecessury, or lis the indis])('iisablr rirciiinslaiifes
may require. Fi>r this purpose, men of such conlidence in eacli
Other shouki be looked for, that (as far as human foresight can go)
no little jealousy may creep into any man*8 mind, but to be all
animated with the same desire of preventing the descent of the
enemy on our coasts. Stationaiy floating batteries are not, from
any apparent advantage^ to be moved, for the tide may prevent
their resuming the very important stations assigned them : they
are on no account to be supposed neglected, even should the enemy
surround them, for they may rely on support, and reflect that perhaps
their gallant conduct may prevent the mischievous designs of the
enciiiy. Whatever plans uuiy be adopted, the moment the enemy
touch our coast, be it where it mav, thev are to be attacked hv
every man aHoat and on shore: this must be perfectly under^toud.
Never fear the event. The flat-boats can probably be manned
(partly, at least) with the sea fencibles (the numbers or fixed places
of whom T am entirely ignorant of), but the flat-boats they may
man to be in grand and sub-divisions, commanded by their own
captains and lieutenants as far as is possible. The number of flat-
boats is unknown to me, as also the other means of defence in small
craft ; but I am clearly of opinion that a proportion of the small
force should be kept to watch the flat-boats from Boulogne, and
the others in the way I have presumed to suggest. These are
offered as merelvthe rude ideas of the moment, and are onlv meant
as a sea plan <tt' di'trnce for the city of London; but 1 IxlievtJ
<ither parts may likewise be menaced, if the Brest fleet, and those
from Hotliefort and Holland put to sea; altliougli I feel confident
that the fleets of the enemy will meet tlie same fate which lias
always attended them, yet their sailing will facilitate the coming
over of their flotilla, as they will naturally suppose our attention
will be called only to the fleets.
Lord St. Eveiything must have a beginning, and we are literally at the
28 Jui"\ foundation of our fabric of defence. I agree perfectly with you,
that we must keep the enemy as far from our own coasts as possible,
and be able to att-ack them the moment they come out of their
ports. . . . Should t he enemy approach our coasts near the Thames,
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1801 OFF BOULOGNE 285
oar dockyards can man flat-boats if they are kept in readiness ; and
this yard lias 100 men who can man two flats which are ordered
to be fitted oat. If the Unitd arrives at the Nore this day, I shall
go on board her, in order to show that we must all get to our posts
as speedily as possihle.
I had sent Captain Shepard to desire that a Mr. Salisbury ^ojni^.
would meet me ; as he was a person of re.^pectability, rich (got it
by the fair tradi ), and of great influence amongst the spafarin*:,'
m**n on that part of the coast, particularly about WhitsUible. 1
made Iutu sensible of tlio necessity of our ships which wf»rc to be
stationed oft" the JSandhcads being luaiined. He thought if the
Adoiiralty, tlirough me, gave the men assurances that they should
be returned to their homes when the danger of the invasion was
passed, tliat the seafolk would go ; but that they were always afraid
of some trick.
To-morrow I am going to the coast of France, and shall take H. Ad-
an artillery officer with me, who will be able to form a judgment s/'jlij".'
as to the possibility of the effect of shells on the enemy's vessels
at Boulogne. Our means of defence so rapidly increase, that it
will soon be almost improbable tliat the enemy should attempt to
come out of their ports f)n the cf)asts near us.
I have been lookiii*' at Boulo'j'iie this morninj;, and si!e tlii-ir F-ordSt."
line of vessels, all armed, which lie outside the port. Captain 2 August.
Fyers, of the artillery, thinks that they are statiouerl to add strength
to the place. The French are erecting batteries both for guns and
mortars on each side of the town, as if fearful of an attack. All
accounts agree, that fifty or sixty is the full number of boats, large
and small, at Boulogne, and that these can be moved out of l^e
reach of shells ; however, I have sent for the bombs, and will try
what can be done.
The enemy have twenty-four armed vessels anchored outside e. Xci>can,
the port of Boulogne. These appear to be incapable in the ^^"^^"^
smoothest water of being rowed more than one and a half per
hour.
Tlw enemy's vessels, briu^s, and flats (luLT^^'r-i-it^ged), and a 4 Aui^iwt.
8cho<jner, twenty-four in numl>er, were this morning, at daylight,
anchored in a line, in front of the town of Boulogne. The wind
being favourable for the bombs to act, I made the signal for tliem
to weigh, and to throw shells at the vessels : but as little as possi-
ble to annoy the town. The captains placed their ships in the
best possible position, and in a few hours three of the flats and a
brig were sunk ; and in the course of the morning six were on
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286
LETTEBS OF LORD NELSON
1801
Lord St.
Vincent,
7 Au^u^t,
shore, evidently much tlainaged. At six this evenintr. 1)oing high
water, five of the vessels which had beeii af^rroiind li nled with
difficulty into the mole; the utlier.s remained under water. 1
believe the whole of the vessels would have gone inside the pier,
but for want of water. What damage the enemy may have sua-
tained beyond what we eee is impoasible to tell. The whole of
this afiair is of no further consequence than to show the enemy
that they cannot with impunity come outside their ports. The
officers of the artilleiy threw the shells with great skill.
As Margate will probably serve as a model for the situation of
all the sea-fencibleSj I shall confine myself to it ; and submit with
deference, what in my humble opinion is best to be done. But as
they are only the thoughts of the moment, you must make due
allowances, and much must require arranging. Of the 2,600 sea-
feneililes enmlled lietween Orfordness and Beach\ Head, only o8o
have ull'ered tliemsidves to gD on board a ship and serve at the
8undhea(ls. &c. The sea-fencibles of Margat<^, for instance, coti-
sist of 118 men, their occupation is pieriuen belonging to tiie
Margate hoys, and some few who assist ships up and down the
river. These men say, * Our employment will not allow us to go from
our homes beyond a day or two, and for actual service ; ' but they
profess their readiness to fly on board, or on any other duty ordered,
when the enemy are announced as actually coming on the sea.
This we must take for granted is the situation of all other sea-fenci-
bles. When we cannot do all we wish, we must do as well as we can.
Our ships fitted for the service, on both shores, between Orfordness
and the North F'oreland, want 1,1)00 men, the nver barges two or
three hundred. Shall T try and arrange that, wlien the invasion
is coming, tliese s]ii|» shall hr n\anTied from particular places? In
that case we must get as many volunteers as we can at present to
take care of our ships, and trust to their being manned at the last
moment by the (almost) scrambling manner I have pointed out ;
in which case the unmanned ships must be brought from the end
of Margate Sand into the Roads, and kept as safe as possible with
a few men. Respecting the river barges, out of the twelve ordered
to the Nore, I propose placing four on Whitstable Flat, and the
others on the Essex side, about Mersea Island ; these must be con-
sidered as belonging to the sea-fencibles, and in a certain degree
under the orders of those captains, and the men exercised on board
them. It is my intention to get over, if possible, to-morrow to
Hollesley Bay or Harwich, and to have a meeting with Captains
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THE DEFENCE FLOTILLA
287
hJchnmberg and Edore. My flotilla, 1 hope, will ho finislied by
Wednesday, and 1 am vain enough to expect a great deal ui' lais-
cliief to the enemy from it. J am sure that the French are trj'ing
to ^et from Boulotfiie ; yvi least wind at WNW, and they
are lost. I pronounce that no embarkation can take place at
Boulogne ; whenever it comes forth, it will be from Flanders, and
what a forlorn undertaking ! consider cross tides, &c. &c. As for
rowing, that is impossible. It is perfectly right to be prepared
against a mad Qovenunent ; but with the active force year Lord-
ship has given me, I may pronounce it almost impracticable.
I shall be at the Nore by sunset. Mr. Spence, the maritime lo August,
surveyor of this coast, is going to carry the Medusa out by a new
channel. It is necessary I should Imow all that is to be known
of the navigation ; and I have been a tolerable pilot for the mouth
of the Thames in my younger days.
Great preparations at Ostend : Augereau commands that part Sn L.
of the army. I hope to let him feel the bottom of the Uoodwiu lo Augiut.
Sand.
[The several captains of tlie si :i.fenoibles] ananimously agree in e. Nrp^rin.
one thing, of the loyalty of the men and of their readiness to -^"Ji"'**-
fight in defence of their king and country ; but as they represent
that the sea-fencibles are composed of a description of men not
generally liable to be impressed, and that they have all an occupa-
tion in the several places where they are enrolled ; that to the
majority of them it would be little short of ruin were they to pfive
up their business ; [that] many of them are merchants and mast<M's
of ships, who have come forward very handsomely in order to
encourage their men; therefore, with deference to Ihfir T^rdsliips'
bt ftcr judgment. 1 bpo* le.ivc to statr that 1 have direck'd eutfers
to go to such places and receive such volunteers as iwc to be nrot,
and to remove our ships now at the Nore into the Bay of Hollesley,
Wallet, and Margate Roads, tliat they may be ready to receive the
f^a-fencibles whenever the time arrives that every man must come
forth, as when it comes to that point the business cannot last three '
days. 1 am led to believe that all our sea&ring men would come
fonratd with the greatest cheerfulness.
With respect to the river barges, it seems by all the captains'
Aooount to be a species of defence which the sea-fencibles will attend
to with pleasure; therefore supposing' that there are only twelve
of these vessels now at the Nore, I propose that four sliould be
stationed on Whitstable Flats, under the direction (as to the
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288 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1801
manning and exercising them) of Captain Hamilton and the
captains under his directions ; that six should instantly be sent to
the mouth of Colchester and Maiden river, under the direction of
Captain Schomberg, and one in Woodbridge, and one in Oiford
river, nnder Captain Edge. Except from the necessity of placini,'
large ships in the channels, the defence of our numerous landing-
places is better adapted to our river barges than any other which
we coulfl ndopt, for they require few men to take care of them,
and wouhi always he iiiamHMl in a ffw iiuiiult\s i'vom the fencible j
corj)s. I am led tn Impn thiit -{tlO vuluutt'crB may be olitaiiied
from H«sex and SutVnlk. Fn>iii iSuse^ex and Kent, not a man litis <
oli'ered. The fencibles of Ram^iirHtt? said to Captain Kudsdell, ' If \
two gun-brigs are assigned to us, we will man tliem on the spur
of the moment ; ' but our first defence is close to the enemy's ports^ '
and wlirn tliat is broke, others will come forth on our own coasts;
but the Board have taken such precautions by having assigned j
such a respectable force under my orders, that I venture to express -
a well-grounded hope, that the enemy would be annihilated before
they get ten miles from their own shores. ^
n.Ad- In my command I cim tell you with truth, that I find much
WAu^st 2eal andg(x>d humom- ; and should Mr. Bonaparte put himself in
our way, I believe he will wisli himself even in Corsica. I only
hope, if he means to come, that it will be before 14 September,
for my stamina is but ill-suited for equinoctial gales and cold
weather. \
T. 1,1 St, I send you the reports of the sea-fencible captains in Sussex J
13 August. lower Kent, that you may give them, if you please, to Nepean, '
Downi. but I thought it as well not to lay them before the Board ; for the
clerks in all the public offices chatter so much, that notlung is a j
secret. I have reports from our ships off Boulogne by a neutral *
just arrived : the account of troops given by the I?>ench scoundrels
in our pay is as false as they are. I am certain that in the towns
of Boulogne and the surrounding Jiills, the total number could
not exceed 2,000 men. The Galgo arrived in the night fruni off
Ostend. Captain Hawkins assures me that the boats collected at
Ostend and Blankenlx'rg may amount to sixty or seventy, that he
is sure they ronld not cany more than fifty or sixty mon each ; he
understood that the poor devils of Hshermen are sent otf for Brest.
Where is our invasion to come iiom ? The time is gone ; owing
to the prern lit ions of Government, it cannot hap])en at this mo-
ment, and I hope that we shall always be as much on the alert as
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REPULSE AT BOULCXjINE
289
our enemies. We must constantly guard our coasts and tlie ilai.s ;
for ^lalden River and the Flats of Whitstabie should always be
ready for Berrioe.
I now oome to consider of an attack. Flashing is my grand
olject ; but so many obstacles are in the way, and the risk is so
«great of the loss of some vessels, that, under all circumstances,
I could hardly venture without a consultation with you, and an
arranged plan, with the Board's orders. Miglit not a grand con-
sultation be held for getting at the Dutch ships at Hellevoet, or to
take possession of Flushing ? But this must be a week's expedi-
tion for 1,000 or 5,000 troops. To crush the enemy at home was
the favourite plan of Lord Cliatliam, and I am sure yon tliink it
the wisest measure to cany tho war from our own doors. I pur-
pose, if to be done, to take all the gun-vessels outside the pier of
Boulogne — I should like your approbation. I own that this lx>at
warfare is not exactly congenial to my feelings, and i find I -f
laughed at for my puny mode of attack. I shall be happy to lead
the way into Hellevoet or Flushing, if Government will turn their
thoughts to it : whilst I serve, I will do it actively, and to the
very best of my abilities.
I have all night had a fever, which is very little abated this
morning ; my mind carries me beyond my strength, and will do
ine up ; but such is my nature. I have serious doubts whether I
eIiuII be able, from my ])resent feelings, to go to the Mediterranean ;
but I will do what i can — I require nursing like a child.
Having judged it proper to attempt bringing oil' t he enemy's
flotilla moored in the front of Boulogne, I directed the att.ack to
be made by four divisions of boats for boarders, under the com-
rnund of Captains Somerville, Cotgrave, Jones, and Parker, and a
division of howitzer boats under Captain Conn. The boats put
off from the Medusa at half-past eleven o^clock last night, in the
best possible order, and beibre one o'clock this morning the firing
began, and I had, from the judgment of the officers and the zeal
Bud gallantry of every man, the most perfect confidence of com-
plete success ; but the darkness of th(» night, with the tide an<l
half-tide, separated the divisi«uis ; and I'roin all not arriving at the
same luippy moment with Captain Parker, is to be attributed the
failure of success. But I beg to he peri'erdy under>tood that n^t
the smallest blame attaches itself tx) any person ; for althoiii^li the
divisions did not arrive together, yet each (except the fourth divi-
sion, which could not be got up before day) made a successful
u
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1601
attack on that part of the enemy they fell in with, and actually
took possession of many brigs and Hats, and cut tlieir cables; but
luany of tlieni being aground, and the moment of the battle's
ceasing on hoard tliem the vespols were filled with volleys upon
volleys of musketry, thr . nemy being ]ierfectly reirardless of their
own men, who must have suli'ered equally wirh us. It was there-
fore impossible to remain on board, even to bum them ; bat allow
me to say, who have seen mnch service this war, that more de-
termined, persevering courage, I never witnessed, and that nothing
but the impossibility of being saccessful, from the causes I have
mentioned, could have prevented me from having to congratulate
their Lordships. But although, in valae, the loss of such gallant
and good men is incalculable, yet in point of numbers it has &llen
short of my expectations. I must also beg leave to state that
greater zeal and ardent desire to distinguish themselves by an attack
on the enemy was never shown than by all the captains, officers, and
crews of all the different descriptions of vessels under my cominaiid.
I am sorry to tell you that 1 Imve Tiot succeeded in brin^^iiig
Lord St. out or destroying the enemy's flotilla iuoore<l in the mouth of the
IBA^ga^ harbour of Boulogne. The most astoni.shing bravery was evinced
by many of our officers and men, and Captains Somerville, Cot-
grave, and Parker exerted themselves to the utmost. We have
lost many bravo officers and men : upwards of one hundred killed
and wounded. Dear little Parker, his thigh very much shattered ;
I have fears for his life. Langford shot through the leg. The loss
has been heavy, and the object was great. The flotilla, brigs and
flats, were moored by the bottom to the shore and to each other
with chains ; therefore, although several of them were carried, yet
the heavy fire of musketry from the shore which overlooked tlioni
forced our people to leave them, without being able, us 1 am told,
to set them on fire. No person (*an be blamed for sending them to
the attack but myself; I knew the diiliculty of the undertaking,
therefore I ventured to ask your opinion.
Your kind letter I received half an hour before the attack ;
but, although T disapprove of unnecessary consultations as much
as any man, yet [being] close to the Admiralty, I should not feel
myself justified in risking our ships through the channels of
Flushing without buoys and pilots, without a consultation of such
men as your Lordship, and also I believe you would think an order
absolutely necessary ; but that must stand flist, for both Leyden
and Medusa have lost aU their best men — none else, of course,
being sent.
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EXAMINES FLUSHING
291
Captain Somerville, who I never saw till a few days ago,
showed all the courage and good conduct which was possible, and
succeeded completely in the fighting part of the basisess. Conn,
in the command of the howiteer-boata, did everything which was
possible ; indeed all behaved well, and it was their misfortnne to
be sent on a service which the precantions of the enemy rendered
impossible to succeed in.
1 have real thoughts of attacking the entMiiy at Flushingr, if it 17 Auguai.
be possible tu be doae, the inr)iiifnt fieydenand Medusa an^ iii;mned.
In that event I must run irreaf risk, and onlv l>«»(f to \}o supported
in case of failure. I'.m. 1 find by Captain Oweii s letters oiY Flush-
ing, three days ago, that all the Dutch vessels have moved lower
down the Doerlog Channel, evidently to defend it : I will go and
look at them; bat attack I cannot, without pilots, nor without
sanction. I own I shall never bring myself again to allow any
attack to go forward, where I am not personally concerned ; my
mind suffers much more than if I had a leg shot off in this late
business. Had our force arrived, as I intended, 'twas not all the
chains in France that conld have prevented oar folks from bringing
off the whole of the vessels. . . .
I am fixed to lfM)k at Flushing, and prepared to attack it, if the l« Angust.
pilots can be persuaded to take T.eyden up ; if it be within the pale
of possibility, it shall be attempted. . . .
r believe Calais could be liombnrded, lnit do you think it is nn 19 August,
object ? r should not like the bondis to go witliout me. Heavy
sea, sick to death — this sea-sickness I nhall never get over.
I puqiose looking at Flushing, and if it is possible, I will go if Ad^-
ap and attack tlv> ships in that road ; but I fear no pilots will t^e si^ivgoflt.
cbai^ of our ships, and it is a melancholy thing when the honour
of onr country is obliged to be submitted to a man of that class.
Lord St. Vincent tells me he hates councils ; so do I, between mili-
tary men ; for if a man consults whether he is to fight, when he
has the power in his own hands, it is certain that his opinion is
against fighting ; but that is not the case i^t present, and I own I
do want good counsel. Lord St. Vincent is for keeping the enemy
closely blockaded; but I see that tluy ^-^t t along shore inside their
sandbanks, and niidfr their guns, wliicli line the coast of France.
Lord lluod i.s tor kf<'[)i?itj: our squadrons of defence stationary on
our own shore (except liLfbt cutters, to o-ive information of every
movement of the enemy) ; tor the time is a])])ro;iching when a gale
of westerly wind will disperse our light squadrons. . . .
When men of snch good sense, such great sea-oflScers, differ so
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
16D1
widely, is it not natural that 1 ehould wish the mode of defence to
be well arranged by the mature consideratioa of men of judgment ?
I mean not to detract from my judgment ; even as it is, it is well
known : liut I boast of nothing but my zeal ; in that I will give
way to no man npon earth,
irai Six pilots say that it is impossible, withont buoys or beacons,
August (Mpn to go to Mnshing ; and that if all the bnoys and
beacons were as nsaal, that we could not return without a fair wind
and flowing water. Had I known as much before I sailed from the
Downs, I would not have come such a wild-goose chase ; but Cap-
tain Owen is close to us, and 1 shall know all Captain Owen's ideas.
His zeal, I am afraid, hns made him overleap sandbanks and tides,
a!id laid hiiu aboard the enemy ; but I must clear away these little
obstacleJJ before T can give him pcoih^ for intentions. I admire his
«le>ire, and could join most heartily in it ; but we cannot do impos-
sibilities, and I am as little used to tind out the impossibles as most
folks ; and I think I can discriminate between the impracticable
and the fair prospect of success.
I sailed from the Downs on Sunday, and off the North Foreland
August, joined by the squadron from Margate, making in the whole,
when united off Westkapelle, thirty sail, from 64 guns to 14, in-
cluding three bombs and three fire-vessels. From my consultation
with the pilots on Sunday afternoon, I had not much hopes of
being able to get at the enemy, sn])posing they lay even below
l-'liisliiiig ; and yesterday afternoon, upon a further consuliatiuu
with the pilots, I found that the attempt would be improper, for
therp were so many ifs necessar\ to bring us out again, that I gave
the matter up. But further to satisfy my own mind, 1 this morn-
ing went on board the King Geor ge hired cutter, Mr. Yawkins,
master, who carried me up the Welling Channel, four or five leagues
from our ships, and near three from the enemy; the tide nmning
strong up, and the wind falling, it was necessaiy to get out again.
From this distant observation of Captain Gore and myself, with the
local knowledge of Mr, Yawkins, I believe that the enemy's whole
force consisted of a ship of the line (Dutch), French frigate, another
small ship, and two or three brigs lying close to the town of Flush-
iug, and abreast of it; which position being likewise abreast of the
Dog Sand, would render a successful iittjiek almost impossible ; for
even supposing- ourselves able to get alongside the enemy, they
could, whenever they plea.«ed, with the flood tide, cut their cables
and retrt'at tijwards tht^ liannnekens. and leave us with the iuipos-
Bibility of anything else than silencing the fire from Flashing.
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1801 ATTEMPTED DEFAMATION AND EXTORTION
293
Under these circnmstances, I hesitated not one moment to direct
the ships and Tesaels with me to proceed to the several stati<ms
assigned them. ... I cannot bat admire Captain Oweu s zeal in
his anxious desire to get at the enemy, hat ander all the circam«
stances which I haye stated, I ooald not think myself jnstifiable in
acting against my own judgment.
Not one soa-fencible has come forth from either Kent or Sussex, sir k.
The establishment of them was originally bad : for no man liable s 8ept.
to be impressed should have been enrolled, unless they had large
families. The threat of invasion is still kept up, and the French
are trying to make their grand collection of boats at Boulogne;
but I find it difficult to believe that they can ever get half-way
over.
On or about 6 September, Lord Nelson received a paper entitled,
' Remarks l^ a Seaman on the Attack at Boulogne,* containing r« \ t ro
strictures on Lord Nelson's Official Despatch; to which was iuhlcd,
* Should Lord Nelson wish the inclosed not to be inserted in the news-
papers, he will please to inclose by return of post a bank note of IQQL,
to Mr. HUl, to be left at the Post Office till called for, London.*
Hr. Hill, — Veiy likely I am unfit for my present command, Mr. nm.
and whenever Government change me, I hope they will find no dif-
ficnlfy in selecting an officer of greater abilities ; bnt you will, I
trust, be punished for threatenin^jf my character. But I have not
been brought up iu the school of tear, and, therefore, care not what
you do. I defy you and yuur inalic«. Nelson AM) liRONTE.
T send you a paper, and a note at the bottom. I liavr answi-red E. Nepean,
Mr. Hill's note, and it will be in Tx)ndon on Tuesdnv Tnoriiinsj^. If ®^P**
their Lordships think it proper to save me from huch letters, they
will be pleased to send proper people to take up whoever comes for
Mr. Hill's letter. I have franked it with the following direction :
* Mr. Hill,
' To be left at the Post OflBce till called for.*
A man, a few days ago, sent me a letter demanding a bank note A.Dnvi«on,
of 1001., or he would abuse me in the papers : I sent it of course to
Nepean ; the porter who went to the Post Office for my answer has
beentaki a up, but he knew not his employer, [who] probably never
will be caught.
The people at tlie watering-places have been very free in their
conversations, and 1 believe the Mayor of Deal either put a vaga-
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1801
Lord St. Umd \n prison, or Bent liiiii (»ut of town, for ;iiTai«^iiiiig niy conduct
28^1^ in being careless of poor seamen's lives ; but i trouble not my head
on thefie matters ; my conj^cience tells me that I do my best. You
will easily believe that I should have liked to have tried the business
at €k>ree, but the objections to it were innumerable. You would
have had Dickson and all of as, ike service. If success attended it,
it would be said, * Ay, the Admiraltj gave from partiality this to
their favourite ' (for I do flatter myself I am a favourite). If it
miscarried, then it would be said, ' That vain man, Nelson, thought
he could do what no one else could, and his friends at ike Admiralty
had folly enough to believe his impossible schemes.'
I feel myself, my dear Lord, as anxious to got a medal or a
step in the peerage as it^ I never liad got either, — for * if it be a sin
to covet glf'ry, I am the most offending soul alive' — 1 could lose
only a few lx)ats. If I surceeded and burnt the Dutch fleet, pro-
bably medals and an earldom. I must have had every desire to
try the matter, regardless of the feelings of others ; but I should
not have been your Nelson, that wants not to take honours or rewards
from any man ; and if ever I feel great, it is, my dear Lord, in
never having, in thought, word, or deed, robbed any man of his
fair fame.
That wardrooms will prate, I believe none of us can doubt, and it
has its bad eflects. The boat service I believe is got very unpo-
pular. G floggod some of his chaps severely for some very im-
proper expressions. They belonged to the Unit6, who was, I fancy,
in very bad order. I assure you, my dear Lord, that I do not
believe any admiral could be better supported than 1 am by all the
captains under me.
(?)29Sept I have experienced in the Sound the misery of having the
honour of our country intrusted to pilots, who have no other thought
than to keep tlie ship clear of danger, and their own silly heads
clear of shot. At eight in the moniing of 2 April, not one pilot
would take charge of a ship. Brierly, who was Davidge Gould's
master in the Audacious, placed boats for me, and fixed my order.
Everybody knows what I must have suffered ; and if any merit
attaches itself to me, it was in combating the dangers of the shal-
lows in defiance of the pilots. . . .
I have answered Hawkins about the pilots exactly as you see
it, thai he was to go where he was ordered, without consulting
pilots, and that when the ship wati standing into danger, they were
to point it out; but that it was not allowaVile for them to dictate
where it was proper for a ship to be stationed iu the Chaimel. . . .
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IdOl PEACE PROOLAIMED 295
This boat hiiHinesB must be over: it may be a part of a great
plaa of invasion, but can never be the only one ; therefore^ as our
ships cannot act any more in lying off the French coast, I own I
do not think it is now a command for a vice-admiral. Turn it in
your mind. It is not that I want to get a more Incrative sitnation
— &r from it : I do not know, if the Mediternmean were vacant
to-morrow, that I am equal to undertake it.
I am prepared to ran a fire-brig into Boulogne harbour the i>ord sr.
first fresh wind at from WNW to N. But I shall stop until the zoSSbit,
assent or dissent comes by telegraph to-morrow. I intended not to
have mentioned this matter to anyone, even to you, until the trial
had been made. However, if we are on the eve of peace, which is
Dnii^ness news, it would be a bad reconciliation. If I fail in this
plaiij I purpose to make au infernal of one of the bombs, and to
have fire-boats, &c. &c., to keep them lor ever in hot water.
I am tr}4ng to ^ot rid of my command, but I am to be forced A.l>iviion,
to hold it, to kec]) tlie men bfnits «'.Hf<y till h<)>tilitie8 ceaBo in the
Channel. I must submit; lur 1 du not wish to quarrel with the
very great folks at the Admiralty the last moment. I have had
hitherto one happiness under my command, that not one Eng-
lish boat has been captured by the enemy during the time of my
conunand, within the limits of my station ; this is a comfort, and
I hope none will be captured during the short time we have to stay.
I see you did not know of the peace when you wroto ; England
called loudly for it, and now I see it is to be abused ; but English-
men never are satisfied, full nor fasting.
Can you cure madness ? for I am mad to read that our damned i>r. nnir<i.
scoundrels dragged a Frenchman's carnages. I am ashamed for my
country.
About this time, and at intervals during the next tw^^lve months,
Nelson wrute a vf«ry great many letters complaining that the victory at
Copenhagen had not been duly recognised; there had been neither
medals, nor thanks of the City of London: even the thanks of Parlia-
ment were given rather to Sir Hyde Paricer t&r permitting the action,
than to him and his comrades for fitting it. He was very angry, and
he did not scruple to say so. The question continued to be mooted long
nft^T Nelson's death, and was not, indwd, finally settled till after the
uc< ^^sslon of William IV., when, on 6 October, 1830, the Secretary of the
Adminilty wrote, by the King's orders, to Sir Thomas Foley and the
other memorialists, that ' sensible as his Majesty is of your and their dis-
tinguished merit» there are general omiBiderations connected with the
subject which prevent his Majesty from complying with the request
contained in the memorial/
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
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Thei>ojd My Lord, — A few days past, 1 saw iu the in v ] capers that a
•nyuae motioii had been made in a Court of Common Council, to thank me
1802. ' for mj conduct in taking the command of a force destined to pre-
vent any designs our enemies might have of approaching the City
of London, bat which motion stands over for some future Court.
I have therefore to entreat that your Lordship will use your in-
fluence that no such motion may be brought forward.
There is not, my Lord, one individual in the world who appre-
ciates the honour of having their conduct approved by the City of
London I Higher than myself. I was desired to take the command
in question iu a very indifferent state of health, as I was flattered
with the opinion that it would keep quiet tlie minds of all iu
London, and the cojist between Bejichy Head and OrfordnesjS.
This would have been a suftioieut reaKon {\)r me to have laid down
my lite, much less to suffer a Uttle iVuni ill-health ; and, my Lord,
his Majesty's Government gave me such a powerful force that the
gallant ofHcers and men 1 had the honour to command almost
regretted that the enemy did not make the attemi)t of invasion.
Therefore, you see, my Lord, 1 have no merit — I only tlid my
duty with alacrity, which I shall always be ready to do when
directed.
But, my Lord, if any other reason was wanting to prevent the
City of London from thanking me for only showing an alacrity in
stepping forth in time of danger, it is this^ — not four months before
1 was appointed to this coniinand, I had the ha[>piiies3 of wit-
nessing, under all its circumstances, the most liard-fought battle,
and the most complete victory (iks far as my reading goes), that ever
was fought and obtained by the navy of this country. 'J'his battle,
my Lord, had not the honour of being a))proved in the w ay which
the City of London has usually marked their approbation : there-
fore I entreat that you will use your influence that no vote of
approbation may ever be given to me for any services since
2 April, 1801 ; for I should feel much mortified when I reflected
on the noble support 1 that day received, at any honour which
could separate me from them, for I am bold to say, that they de-
serve every honour and favour which a grateful country can bestow.
I entreat your Lordship's indulgence for thus expressing my
feelings, and again request that the intended motion of thanks may
be withdraw n. 1 trust your Lordship will give [me] full credit for
the high estimation in which I hold the City of London, and with
what respect I am your Lordship's most obedient liumljle servant,
Nelson aud Broute,
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1808 THE COPENHAGEN ORIEVANCE 297
If the victoiy of the 2nd [April] was real, the admirale, oflScers, A.DaviMa,
and men J who fought and obtained the victory, are from custom ^^^y*
entitled to the thanks of the City of London. Custom has never
gone back to the first causers of victories, but simply to the victors.
Lord St. Vincent had no thanks given him for the victoiy of the
Nile, and Sir Hyde Parker, except being nearer the scene oi action,
bad no more to do with that of Copenhagen than Lord St. Vincent.
I cannot object to any thanks or rewards being bestowed on any
man ; hot I have a fair claim from custom to be alone considered,
through the whole of the battle, as the commander of the ships
fighting. The thanks of Parliament went only to Sir llyde'-s con-
duct in phinnin<^. not for the fighting ; therefore I look forward
with corifi(]«'nct' to a swonl from the City of London, and their
thanks, unci tht* frct'dum in a gold box to Admiral (J raves. The
City of London has never yet failed noticing sea victories, and I
tru-st, Bs the first commercial city in the world, never will. I re-
member, a few year^ ^ ick, on my noticing t>o a Lord Mayor, that
if the City continued its genenjsity, we should min them by their
gifts, his Lordship put his hand on my shoulder and said — ay, the
Lord Mayor of London said — ' Do you find victories, and we will
find rewards/ I have since that time found two complete victories.
I have kept my word, and shall I have the power of saying that the
City of London, which exists by victories at sea, has not kept its
promise- — a promise madf by a Lord ^^ayo^ lu his robes, and almost
inthero\ai presence? I have a fair and honourable claim: my
part of the honourable contract has been now doubly fulfilled.
In the months of July and August, 1802, Lord Nelson, acoompanied
hy Sir William and Lidy Hamilton, made a tour into Wales, consequent
Oil which lie submitted t he following * Memoranda respecting the Forest
of Dean ' to Mr. Addiiigton :
llie Forest of Dean contains about 23,000 acres of the finest
land in the kingdom, which, I am informed, if in a high state of
cultivation of oak, wonld produce about 9,200 loads of timber, fit
for building ships of the line, every year — ^that is, the forest
would grow in full vigour 920,000 oak trees. The state of the
forest at this moment is deplorable ; for, if my information is tme,
there is not 3,500 load of timber in the whole forest fit for building,
and none coming forward. It is useless, 1 admit, to state the
causes of such a want of timber where so much could be produced,
except that, l)y knowing the faults, we may be better enabled to
amend ourselves.
First, the generality of trees, for these last filly years, have
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LETTERS OF LORD NEI^N
been allowed to stand too long. They are pas.sed by instead of
n^moved, and thus occupy a space which ought to have been re-
planted with young trees.
Secondly, that where good timber is felled, nothing is planted,
and nothing can grow Belf-Bown ; for the deer (of which now only
a few remain) bark all the young trees. Vast droves of hogs are
allowed to gu into the woods in the autumn ; and if any fortunate
acorn escapes their search and takes root, then flocks of sheep are
allowed to go into the forest, and they bite off the tender shoot.
Tik'6f are suilicieiit retusons why timber does not grow in the Forest
of Dejin.
Of the wastt^ of timber in foniier times I can say nothing, but
of late year's it has been, I am told, shameful. Trees cut down
in swampy places, as the carriage is done by contract, are left to
rot, and are cut up by people in the neighbourhood. Another
abuse is, the contractors, as they can cany more measurement, are
allowed to cut the trees to their advantage of carriage, by which
means the invaluable crooked timber is lost for the service of the
navy. There are also — ^another cause of the failure of timber — a
set of people called forest &ee miners, who consider themselves as
having a right to dig for coal in any part they please. These
people, in many places, inclose pieces of ground, which is daily
increasing by tlie inattention, to call it by no worse name, of the
surveyors, verderprs. <fec., who have the charge of the fore?ft.
Of late yeai - -ouie apparently vigorous measnr<'> w- ic taken
for preserving and encouraging the growth of timber m the Kmg's
forests, and pai-t of the Forest of Dean has been inclosed : but it is
so very ill attended to, that it is little, if anything, better than the
other part.
There is another abuse which I omitted to mention. Trees
which die of themselves are considered as of no value. A gentle-
man told me, that in shooting on foot, for on horseback it cannot
be seen, hid by the fern, which grows a great height, the trees of
fifty years' growth, fit for buildings, fencing, Ac., are cut just above
ground entirely through the bark: in two years the tree dies, and
it becomes either a perquisite, or is allowed to be taken aw;iy by
favoured people. These shameful abuses are probably [not] known
to those high in power ; but I have gathered the information of
them from peo]1]^^ of all descriptions, and jxM-fectly disinterested
in telling me, or i<nowing that I had any view in a transient
inquiry. But knowing the abuses, it is for the serious ocm*
sideration of every lover of his oountiy, how they can either be
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1803
STATE OF THE FOn]:sr OF DE.VN
done awaj, or, afc leasfc, lessened — perhaps a very difficult or im-
possible task.
If the Forest of Dean is to be preserved as a nsefnl forest for the
coimtrY, strong measures must be pursued. First, the guardian
of this support of our navy must be an intelligent, honest man,
who will srive up his time to his employment ; therefore he must
live Hi Uie iorcat, have a house, a small farm, and an adequate
salnry. I omitted to mention that the expense of a surveyor of
w<»h1s. as far as relates to tins forest, [ought] to be done away:
venJerer, as at present, also. Tlie guardian to have proper verderers
under him who understand the planting, thinning, and manage-
ment of timber trees. These places shoidd be so comfoi'table, that
the fear of being turned out should be a great object of terror, and,
of course, an inducement for them to exert themselves in their
different stations. The first thing necessary in the Forest of Dean
is to plant some acres of acorns ; and I saw plenty of clear fields
with cattle grazing in my voyage down the Wye. In two years
these will be fit for transplanting.
N.B.-I am aware tliat objections have been made to the
transplanting of oak. 1 am n it kauwing enough iu this uiattcr to
how far this is triu- when so yi>iin<r a.s two to five or six years.
The next thins^ is to he careful to thin tlie trees; for more timljer
IS lo.st l>y being t(H> tV-jirtul of ciittiiiLf down, than l)y l)a(lly thinning.
A tree from ten years of age ought by a scale given to me by a
very able man, to be as follows, viz. :
Number of trees that such land as the Forest of Dean may oon-
UuQ at di£ferent periods from their being first set :
Tcan after
number of
Nninlier o(
ifoQciclioiber.
Iwen net.
Trei'-i ill an
Tree* to be
Number.
acre.
thinned.
0
10
1,200
10
ao
430
770
lo
40
lao
240
20
60
100
90
2r>
80
f.0
40
30
100
46
16
In forty years
these forests
will produce
I great value
tiinl)er fit for many uses in the iiavy — indeed all, except for
skips (*f the line.
it, on a due consideration, it is found not to be practicable for
(Government to arrange a plan for growing their own timber^ then £
would recommend at once selling the forests, and enoonmge the
growth of oak timber. I calculate, that taking away the 3,500
loadof timber at present fit for catting, (or be it more or less),
r
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
that the Forest of Dean will sell for 4(»t'.<H )0/. 1 am sensible that
what T have thrown together upon piijxr ia so loose, that no plan
can bo drawn from it ; but if these tacts, which I have learnt from
my late f our, may be in the least degree insfcrameatal in benefitiiig
onr oountiy, I shall be traly happy.
8K(nr. Lord Nelson ^etu^ll^ his most respectful compliments to the
Lord Mayor elect, and the sherifVs, mid is most exceedingly sorry
that it is not in liis power to do himself the honour and pleasure
of dining with them at Guildhall on Lord Mayors Day, for the
following reasons :
Lord Nelson having waited with the greatest patience until
every indi\ndual who had rendered the smallest servioe to the
country had been marked by the Citf of London, wrote a letter to
the Lord Mayor (Sir John Earner), stating his sorrow that those
under his command, who fought the most bloody battle, and ob-
tained the most complete victory of any naval battle in this, or,
Lord Nelson believes, in any war, had not had the honour to
receive from the great City of London the same mark of approbsr
tiou as liad been bestowed on others ; but Lord Nelson, being
advised of the impropriety of ])ointiug oat what the City of London
ought to have done, wrote another letter to the Lord Mayor, desir-
ing to withdraw his letter.
But Lord Nelson's sentiments being precisely the same, and
f(*eling for the situation of those brave captains, oflBcers, and men,
who BO bravely fought, profusely bled, and obtained such a glorious,
complete, and most important victory for their King and country,
cannot do himself the honour and happiness of meeting his feUow*
citizens on 9 November.
Lord Nelson flatters himself that the Lord Mayor elect, and the
sheriffs, will approve of his feelings on this occasion, and consider
that if Lord Nelson could forget the services of those who have
fonght under his command, that he would ill deserve to be so sup-
ported us he always lias been.
ste lieaa,* ^^^^ letter, I believe that you wish to be correct in your
to ^eb. history, and therefore wish to be informed of a transaction relative
to Naples. I cannot enter at large into the subject to which yon
allude. I shall briefly say, that neither Cardinal Rnffo, or Captaia
Foote, or any other person, had any power to enter into any treaty
with the rebels — ^that even the paper which they signed was not
acted upon, as I very happily arrived at Naples, and prevented
* Author of Butory ef the Wan ^ the Hvnek BorauHm, 2 toIs., 1803.
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PLAN FOR MANNING THE NAVY
301
flQch an inikmons transaction from taking place ; therefore, when
the rebels surrendered, they came ont of the castles as they ought,
without any honuurs of war, aud trusting to the judgment uf their
s<jvereign. I put aside, and sent tlieni notice of it, the infamous
treaty, and tlie rebels yurrendered, us 1 Imve bt-fbre said. If you
attend to that Mrs. Williams' book, 1 can assnrr you that nearly
all relative to Naples is either destitute of fouudatiou or falsely
reprooented.
The following' raemoranduni of apian for Tiiauumg the navy was sab-
mitted to Lord St. Vincent and Mr. Addington:
At a time when^ I have been repeatedly told, the seamen, not- ^ Feb.
withstanding their good pay, and abondance of the veiy best
provisions, manifest a reluctance to enter into the naval service, it
becomes, in my hnmble opinion, a duty for people conversant with
the manners and disposition of seamen, to turn their thoughts on
the mode of inducing the seamen to be fond, aud even desirous of
serving in the navy, in preference to the merchant service. Their
J)ay and provisions cannot possibly be improved from what tbey
are at present ; but I think apian could be brought forward to
register the certificates given to seamen ; and a form of certificate
' to be general, and filled according to regulations issued by the
! Admiralty under the authority of an Act of Parliament. The
greatest good woald result from such a regulation to the seamen,
who are by hundreds in distress in London, for want of certificates
aathenticating their persons ; for want of which so many wrong
seamen have been paid, that neither the Pay Office, nor any
prise^ent, will venture to pay the seaman his just due : and the
benefit to the seamen producing good characters, &c., never been
concerned in mutinies, or deserted, &c., would much benefit them
in getting good bi i l bs in the merchant service.
When we calculate by figures on the expense of raising seamen,
, I think it is said, 20/. per man, that 42,000 seamen deserted
durinff the late war, the loss in ]nnnoy,in that point alone, amounts
• to 840,000^.; without taking into consideration the great(>r expense
of raising more men — and certainly not so good a.s those who have
been used to the king s naval service. I shall therefore propose,
that every seaman who has served faithfully five years in war, and
I by his certificates never been concerned in mutinies, nor deserted,
shall receive every New Tear's Day, or on the king's birthday, the
BQm of two guineas ; and if he serves eight years, shall have four
guineas, exclusive (k any pension for wounds. It may appear at
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LETTfiHS OF LOBD NELSON
1803
first Bight, for the State to pay, an enormous sum ; bat when it is
considcrtd that the average life of a seaman is, from old age,
finished at forty-five years, he cannot many years enjoy the
annuity ; to assist the paying which, the interest of the money
saved by their not deserting would go very far, and perhaps aa
the merchants give large wages in war, a tax might be imposed
when wages are above sncfa a sum. It would answer one of these
two purposes, either making the increase of wages in the mer-
chants' service beneficial to those who serve their king and count ry
in the navy ; or, by kwping down the merchants' wajj^es, render
desertion the less desir.iltlo. iMucli, very much, can ]>o said, and is
necessary to be coiisiiK red on this subject; l)ut the more I think
of it, the easier it apjxws to me Uy be put in prnrtice. Priz*^-
money to be as regularly paid in London, Portsniout li, Plymouth,
&c.,as seamen's wages : this is so easy and simple, that a very few
days would, in my opinion, complete such a plan.
But the great thing necessary to guard against is desertion ;
for notwithstanding all that I have proposed to induce seamen to
serve faithfully, yet a sum of money, and liquor, held out to a sea-
man, are too much for him ; he allows himself to be seduced and
hid, he first becomes fearful of apprehension, and tlien wishes and
exerts himself to get out of the country in the merchants' employ.
It will be found (if necessary t/O be inquired into at the Kavy Office),
and I know it, tliat whenevoi- a large convoy is assembled at Ports-
mouth, and our fleet in port, not less than 1,000 men deisert tnun
the navy ; and 1 am sure that one-third of t liis number, fi*om lu.>3
of clothes, drinking, and other debauclici ics, are lost by death to
the kingdom. I shall only relnte one fact of a thousand which
could be brought forward. A ship from London clears at Gravesend
for her voyage to India, Amongst other papers, the names of her
crew and number aro necessary ; the names, qualities, &c., are
properly filled up ; the ship, to a common observer, is fully manned ;
but the fact is this, the ship is navigated to Portsmouth by ticket-
men (men who are protected from the impress for some cause or
other). The owner or captain sends to Portsmouth (to crimps) I
have been told in one instance as far as fifty men — ^twenty-five able
seamen, fifteen ordinary', and ten landsmen — ^the bounty being, of
course, different according to their qualifications ; the ticket-raen
leave the ship, the deserters to take up the names, and away
they go.
Knowing the i:n>(\ an Art of Parliament would, if not entirely,
very nearly prevent this iniamous conduct ; the regulation, 1 think,
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180S ' THE NAME OF RODNEY ' 303
would be very plain and easy. I am sensible that no plan for
these very important purposes can bo matured by any one head,
much less by mine ; bat as the ideas flow from a pare source, and
a sincere desire to benefit oar king and coontry, I submit them,
with deference, to mach wiser and abler men than
Nelson amb BsoirrE.
I have only a moment to answer yonr qnestions'^war or peace ? vSir E.
Eveiy person has a different opinion. I fear pprhap^ tlie former, se^^A.
as I hope so mach the latter. If war, I go to the Mediterranean
in Hardy's frigate : the Victory is to be my ship — Sam Sutton to
fit her oat. Yon know how happy I should be to have yon in any
fleet I command, particularly on the day of battle: I should be sure
of being well supported. Ton must judge for yourself about
applying for employment ; but I should think you will have no
fears for a ship being forced upon you. In peace, mids may be
difficult to got on l>n;ircl ship ; but our establishment, even if
blessed peace continues, wHl be large.
I agree with your Boyal Highness most entirely, that the son Dnke of
, of a Rodney^ ought to be a prot^gS of every person in the king- ^^j'^i^ju]
dom, and particularly of the sea-officers ; had I known that there
had been this claimant, some of my own lieutenants must have
given way to such a name, and he should Lave been placed in the
Victory. She is lull, and I have twenty on my list; but wlintovpr
numbers I have, the name of Rodney must cut many of them out.
Tou was so kind as to put in your pocket my crude ideas on sir w.
the situation of our navy respecting the seamen.' The importance 2 Ma/.
of the subject everyone must admit, and woeful experience tells us
that sonit iliiiig must be done on the occasion. 1 am sensible that
lay abilities are unef|ual to the ttusk ; but I should do injustice to
my own feelings, and, I think, betray the coiifidt^nce which has so
otten been reposed in me, was T not to bi-infj them forward. One
, good effect must result from it, that in proving them bad, better
will be brought forward. The mainspring of all my plan is that
of certificates fully descriptive of the persons ; the very greatest
good must result from it. Names cannot be changed, as the
grataity will be looked forward to, therefore desertion will be less
freqaent, and easier detected. Pay, prize-money, &c. Ac., could
' ' Lieutenant the Honnnrnblo Kfhv.ml Tlndney, youngest son of Afimiral Lord
Rofliiey : he wan mmlc a Cojumiiuder in April 1805; posted in January 1806; an<!
died in November 1828.
* See anU, p. 801.
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04 LETTEIiS OF LOKD KELSON 180:]
rarely be paid to wrong persons ; the seaman would have his money
without the very great difficulty he meets with at present, and
many executions would be avoided by the almost impossibility of
the fraud of personification being committed (two, ala.s! suffrre*!
last week for this crime). If, my dear Sir William, you think, a?
1 do, that sometliing should be attempted at these times to make
our seamen, at tlie din of war, fly to our navy, instead of flying
from it, 1 am sure it could not be brought forward by anyone so
ably as yourself; and if my feeble endeavours in so great a
cause can be of the least use, I shall be too happy in offering my
assistance.
Long before this armament, the paper was deliyered to Mr.
Addington and Lord St. Vincent: but I suppose they have not
time to attend so much to this subject as, in my opinion, it merits.
I^rdSc Your mention of the Victory remaining some time in Eng-
Jn^Jf land, so much according with what I am told of Lord Keith's
saying that he was to have her for the present — induces me to
hope that if the Victory is ready, or as soon as she is, that I may
have her; £ot all my things, servants, wines, &c. &c,, are ordered
to be sent to her, be where she will — even my sheep, poultry, hay,
com, and every comfort are ordered to her. But if Lord Keith, or
any other man, is to have her for a given time, I must nn-order all
these things. I trust, my dear Lord, that I can take a French
admiral as well as any of them, and have as much chance of falling
in with one. I will call this morning for one moment on this
subject.
Sir E. I arrived here al^mt one o'clock aticrnoon, and have lioisfcetl
ifM?*?' flftg board his Majesty'n ship Vietory. Captain Suttim
informs me that she will be in every respect ready fur sea on Friday
morning.
The following orders were sent to Lord Nelson on 1 8 May :
* Whereas by our commission, bearing date the 1 6th instant, we have
appointed your Lordship commaiider*in>chief of his Majesty's ships and
vessels employed and to be employed in the Mediterranean; you are
hcn'hy required and directed to proceed forthwitli to Poilsmouth, and.
hoisting your flag on hoard his Majesty's ship Aniphion, make the best
of your wny to the island of Malta, where you may expert tofuid Hear-
Admiral iSa iiicliard Bickerton; and on meeting the rear-adoiiral, take
him and the ships and Teasels there, as well as in the Meditaraaean,
under your command.
* On your Lordship's arrival at Malta, you are to lose no time in con-
certing with Sir Alexander Ball, his Majesty's commissioner at that
island, such arrangements as may be necessary with a view to the pro-
tection and security of that island; you are then to proceed off Touiou,
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1803
ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS
305
with such part of the squadron under your command as you may judge
to }yc, adequate to the service, and take such a position as may, in your
D)r(]sliij)'.s opinion, ho most proper for enabling you to take, sink, burn,
or otiiei'w ise destroy, any ships or vossols belonging to France, "or the
citizens of tliat Republic, and also for dotaining and sending into port
any ships or vessels belonging to the Batnvian Republic, or the citizens
thereof, that you may happen to fall in with. Your Ididship is to be
very attentiye to the pvo(»eding8 of the French at Genoa, Leghorn, and
other [>r)i ts on that side of Italy, for the purpose of gaining the most
early information of any armaments that nmy be forming tlierc, either
with a view to an attack upon E<jy])t or any other part of the Turkish
dominions, or a;^ainst the kiufjilonis of Naples and Sicily, or the islands
ol Corfu; and in the event of your having reason to believe that any
such plan shall be in contemplation, your Lordship is to exert your best
endeavours to counteract it, and to take, sank, bum, or destroy any ships
or vessels which may be so employed ; as well as to afford to the Sublime
Porte an 1 his Sicilian Msjesty and their subjects, any protection or as-
sistance which may ho rr\ vour power, consistently with a due attention
to the other important objects entrusttnl to your care.
'As it is highly important that your Lordship should l*e watchful
of the conduct of the Court of Spain in the present moment, you are to
direct your attention to the naval preparations that may be making in
the several porto of that kingdom in the Mediterranean, as also at CiMtz,
and to take ev^y practicable means of obtaining, from time tn time, all
the int<^lliij;ence yon may be able to rollert on that subject. Your Lord-
slii|' i"^ to take i-are tliat nc) interruption !»<' ofltTrd l»y any of the ships
or v« i?sels under your command to any Spanish sliips of war or trade,
while they conduct themselves in a maimer becoming a neutral nation;
but, at l£e same time, your Loidship is to understand, that however
desirable it may be to avoid any measure of hostility against that
country, you are not to suffer any squadron of Spanish ships qf war to
enter a Frencli port, or to form a junction with any squadron or ships
or vessels of that, or tlie Bata\ ian Republic. Your Lordship is also to
Ije careful not to infringe the neutrality of other powers, so long as
tlieir cond uct tovvards his Majesty and ^he eouinierce of his subjects
shall be actuated by a similar principle. And whereas there is reason
to believe that some of tiie French line-of -battle ships which have re-
rently been employed in conveying troops to the French West India
Islands may, on their return to Europe, attempt to proceed to the ports
in the Mediterranean, your Lordship is to detach such pari of (ho
squadron under your command as you can spare from other more im-
portant services, as soon as possible, to Gibraltar, with orders to the
senior officer of such detachment, after obtaining the bc^ information
he may be able to collect at that place, to take such a position as he
may conceive to be most convenient, with a view to the intercepting the
said ships, and any others belonging to the French or Batavian Repub-
lics, which may attempt to pass or repass the Straits ; and your Lord-
ship is to apprise the .senior officer, from time to time, of your move-
ments, to the end that no delay that can be prevente<l may take place
in the furnishing your Lordship with any orders or instructions which
we may have occasion to send you, for the further regulation of your
conduct ; a^d, finally, you are to transmit to our secretary, for our
X
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306 LETTliKS OF LORD- NELSON ia03
information^ frequent accounts of your proceedings, and every intelli>
gence y<^>u may have ohuinod, proper for our knowledge. Given under
our hands, the 18th May, 1S03
St. YiNCBNT, Ph. Stepuicns, T. Tboubbidqb.'
With further instructions to join Admiral Comwallis off Brest^ and
to leave the Victory there should Comwallis think it neoessaiy. Nelson
put to sea on the afternoon ol the 20th.
I.or.i sl Close to Usiiant — 1 am looking out for roriiwallis. Itliink we
5j"mrv^ must liiin ht-iorc one, if lie is this side the »Saiiits, and 1 hope
that lie will not want the Victory.
3 We are inside Ushant, but where is Comwallis ? However, I
shall block up Brest till he comes to liberate me.
5.30 P.1I. In siglit of Saint Matthew's. Murray says, if the fleet was off
Brest, that they must be seen. Blows strong at north. What a
wind, for canying us to Portugal !
6 r.ii. Just got hold of the Sirias. Captain Prowse tells me that
the admiral is cruising WNW from the Saints* Bridge twenty
leagues. I have demonstrated the Victory off Brest, and am now
l^oing to seek the admiral in the ocean.
i'3Ma.v. If I do not find him by six oV lock, if the weather will allow me
[I skcJlj sliil't myself into the Amphion, and leave the Victory to
look for Coi-nwallis. I am clear, hy his conduct, tliat there can be
nothing in Bivst to demand liis attention. It blows veiy strong,
and a heavy sea.
e P.M, Captain Neve [of the Hazard] is on board. He supposes the
admiral ten leagues oft' Ushant : therefore there is no looking for
him, and I am embarking in the Amphion.
Admiral T have the honour to transmit you the directions of the Admi-
mTv"' * ''^^^y i^^^^^S y^" Brest ; but as I have not been so
(iji) P.M. fortunate as to meet you, and the whole business of the Medi-
terranean waiting my arrival, I have judged it proper to shift my
flag to the Amphion, and to proceed in her. If you have no com-
mands for the Victory, I trust yon will order her to join me without
a moment's loss of time.
Sir ,1. 3Ir. Klliot and myself both concur on the advantages which must
io Jnne. accrue, could the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily be kept perfectly
neutral, but we doubt of the French allowing the advantage of such
a neutrality ; and therefore, although it may not be in the power of
Great Britain to keep the French troops out of the kingdom of
Naples, yet that [it] is perfectly easy for ns to keep them out of
Sicily, which if they were once to get a footing in, it would be
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180:3 DISPUTE Willi THE DL Y Ob ALGIEIIS 807
totally lost for ever. Therefore we must natunUIy look on this
ohject, and never allow the poeaibility of such an event happening,
so ruinous to their Majestieii, and difiadvantagoous to Ureat Britain.
Mr. Falcon, our Consul at Algiers, ha\ iii^^ Ijcrn scut ;i\v;iv in a Sir K.
very improptT iiianuer Iroiii Al;j-i.TS. I have not, as I havt.- done to juiii
the Statrs of Tunis and Tripoli, sent any civ il ni<»sMHi»'<> or notifi-
cation of my arrival in tht'sc soas ; it must ilcjx-nd on tli.- wisdom
of administration what line of conduct they mean to purssue, for, as
is known to many Lords of your Board, our conduct must be de-
cisive, whether it is under all circumstances to force the present
consul on the Dey, or to submit to tlic D. y's having another
consul named. . . . All I wish and submit to their Lordships, with
great respect, is, that if the business is left to me, my orders may
be decisive. The insolence of the Dey's cruisers is beyond what-
ever I have known, and if we give up one tittle of what we origi-
nally demand, we shall always be troubled with his insolence.
The strikins? a sudden blow on his nmnerous cruisers is the onlv
Way we have of bringing him to terms. Should the business be*
left to me, I shall go to Algiers, and if the Dey refuses a complete
acquiescence in our demands, instantly take all his cruisers.
It is a most import;int jx^int to decide (tlie l*'i*ench having h. Filiot,
invaded the kingdom, altlionirli with a pretence not just or honour- Q^-'^JJ^p^
able,) when Sicily ondit to be placed in a state of security. For
the present, I am content to say that Messina n(>ed not be taken
possession of ; but the strictest watch must be kept by Sir John
Acton, that we are not lulled into a fatal security, and thus lose
both the kingdoms. If the French assemble a gn^ater number of
troops than usual at Brindisi, Otrauto, and Tarento, or assemble
any number of large boats at those places, particularly Tarento,
then T think that not a moment should be lost to secure Sicilv. In
a ^ni.iU degree we risk it every day, in hopes of preserving the
kingdom of Naples ; but for the present nionieiit I am, if Sir .Inlm
Acton coincides with me, induced to participate in the risk. I
shall instantly send two sliij^s of war to cniisc off Cape Sparti-
vento, and towards the Gulf of Tarento, to give a check to the
movements of troops by sea. By land I cannot judge of the time,
but a r-w boats would very Boon bring over fi*om Beggio some
thousands of troops ; nor could all the navy of £urope prevent the
passage, the current running seven miles an hour. Therefore I
shall only observe again, that to save for the moment Naples, we m
X 2
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308
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1803
Capt.
Kichard-
Eon, Juno,
26 Ji
H.Ad-
26 June.
risk the two kingdoms, and General Acton most join mo in tkiB
heavy responsibility.
Whereas the French have taken possession of Pescara, Brin-
disi, Otranto, and Tarento, and it being apprehended tliat they will
convoy their troops along shore either into Sicily or the coa.st of
Calabria opposite to it, you are therefore hereby required and
directed (notwithstanding former onlors) to proceed with his
Majesty's ship under your command, and crnise very dilicfcntly off
Cape 8partivento and on the coast towards Tarento, for the pur-
pose of intercepting any French troops, which 1 have reason to
believe will be attempted to be convoyed along shore ; and in the
event of your falling in with them, to take, sink, bnm, and destroy
them, without regard to their being in any ship or vessel bearing
a neutral flag. You are to continue on this service until you are
relieved, or receive my further orders.
Knowing how very much you are pressed for time, I shall
[write] as briefly as possible, consistent with telling you my senti-
ments on all the topics which I shall necessarily touch upon, with
that siucerity which becomes me to you, be my opinion right or
wrong.
T shall only say one word of Gibmltar, on which 1 had a
serious conversiition with Sir Thomas Trigge, on the impropriety
of placing Dillon's regiment' as part of the garrison of Gibraltar.
When we reflect how that regiment is composed, an<i that fifty
men, the usnai ^niard at Land Port Gate, by being c(^rrn])ted
might lose the place, who sliall say Gibraltar is secure with those
troops? If it is said, do not trust them with the guard, then you
sho^ your distrust, and naturally they become your enemies.
The regiment of BoUe is a fine corps, and will serve faithfully,
but I would not trust them at Gibraltar.
The next point I come to is Algiers. Mr. Falcon the consul
having sent home his owd account of the transaction, it rests wil^
Government to determine what steps are to be taken. All that I
entreat, if the matters are left to me to settle, [is] that our demands
for satisfoction be fixed ; for if we give way in the smallest thing,
the indolence of the Dey will but increase. Whatever tlie wisdom
of Gov<M nim'iit directs sliall be attended to. The alternative must
be instantaneous war on a relusal to our demands, or an entire
acquiescence. Mr. F. thinks that the Dey never will receive him.
He knows best the reasons why he thinks so. . . .
* That regiment, as also De RoUe*s» was fonned entirely of fbzetgners.
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1803
MEDITERRAN£AN POUUCS
309
The Maltese aie in the highest spirits, and sincerely hope that
thej will now be never separated from England. My opinion of
Malta, as a naval station for watching the French in Toulon, is well
known ; and mj present experience of what will be a three weeks'
passage, moat faSlj confirms me in it. The fleet can never go there
if I can find any other comer to put them in : but having said this,
I now declare, that I consider Malta as a most important outwork
to India, that it will ever ^ivi- us great iuUuunce iu the lievant, and
indeed all the southern parts of Italy. In this view, I hope we
shall never give it up. I carried out orders from Lord llubart
that General Villettfs wa.s to hold 2,(>U() men at my retjuisition, if
they could be spared I'rom the defence of Malta, for the servic** of
SicUy. The language of General Villettes was natural : * The gar-
rison appointed for Malta is not more than on the most economical
number of men was jndged sufficient:, and, looking to the assistance
of the Maltese in case of a siege, that these numbers of British
troops were only sufficient for the ordinary duties, and that, when
the Neapolitan troops went away (and he was ordered to send
them away), the duty would be very severe ; that the addition of
Maltiese troops, when trained and formed, would be little better
than a wel]-fi>rmed militia ; and, however mudi they undoubtedly
would assist, yet they could not be counted as British troops ; how-
ever, that he should not liesitate iu providing 1,2U0 men and a
coii)s of artillery for the sen ice of Messina, whenever I might C4ill
for them : ' and the general wished that I hhuiild mention this
conversation when I had any opportunity of communicating' with
ministers. . . . Sir Alexander Ball thinks, that if half the troops
were gone on other services, particularly to Sicily, that the Maltese
would defend the island against any force the French could send,
supported by our fleet. Truth probably lies between ; but these
sort of orders should never be left dismtionaiy. You make an
officer responsible for the safety of the place, yet tell him in the
same breath, ' Send away so many men, if you can spare them
without evident risk.' The conduct of the officer must be naturally
to secure himself from the very great responsibility thrown upon
him by such an order.
The stiite of Sicily is almost as bad us a civilised country' can
be. Tliere are no Lruupn fit to be called Huch, with a scarcity of
corn never known, and of course bread so dear that the lower class
of people are discont* ntcd. The nohh's are oppressors, and the
middle rank wish for a change ; and although they would prefer us
to the French, yet I believe they would receive the French rather
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
180S
than not chaiigt^ froni tin' oppression of the nohh^s. The citadel of
Mcssinii is strong and in good order, but witli a few miserable
troops badly paid, if paid at all ; therefore what could be expected
from them ? A French frigate has been there lately, a French
aide-de-camp to the Grand blaster, and, lastly, (leneral Vial: they
have good eyes, and many at Messina are seduced by them ; and if
the Neapolitan troops at Malt^ were removed there, I fear we should
lind more enemies and the French more friends. ... I send yon
copies of my letters to Sir John Acton, the king and qoeen, with
their answers, Mr. Elliot's, and likewise those I have sent to Lord
St. Vincent, for him to lay them before the Cabinet. Here it is
necessary to observe to you, that a sea-oflRcer cannot hold any
official correspondence but with the secretary of the Admiralty,
without au unler for that purpos.-, which is often given; thei-efore
1 have certfiinly irrej^nilarly sent ihom to Tiord St. Vincent, as a
cabinet iiiini>tt-r— coiit civii u tli 'v are on isubjeots which the Board
oi' Adiniraltv can liav(3 uothin<x t') do witli, much less the clerks of
that office, through whose hands tlu v imist pass. . . .
Sardinia is declared neutral, but that no foreign troops would
be allowed to land. I wish they may ke«»]) off the French. We
have no troops to assist them, if* they wanted our assistance.
liome. — A letter from Mr. Jackson, his Majesty's minister to
the King of Sardinia, of 17 June, says: ' I have seen the Secre-
tary of State of this Government, and his Eminence told me there
was no doubt that this State would be suffared to remain neuter,
and consequently, that the ships of the belligerent powers will be
received in the ports of the Pope's States.' This may be the case
for the moment, but if we were to receive the least advantage by
it, I am ^^ure we should be turned out as heretofore.
'I'liscany. — It is difficult to know how to consider this State ;
tlioy are not our friends, and it would, perhaps. ))e hard to consider
theui as ein niit^s. Yet why should France use tliem a<^aiiist us,
and we suffer Leghorn to enjoy its commerce for the advantage,
ultimately, of the French ? for it is they who receive the fruits of
the Tuscan labour and commerce. And as the French have de-
clared Leghorn in a state of siege, I can see no impropriety of
considering it so likewise, and for our Gh>vemment to place it in a
state of blockade whilst the French remain in it.
Genoa or Liguria. — ^The same as the Italian Republic; it is
France as much as Toulon ; it has not even a name of independence.
Therefore I sliall, as far as I see at this present moment, have no
hesitation in considering all Genoese vessels as French. Eveiy thing
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1-03 STATE OF THE MEDITERKAXEAN ^ill
afc Qenoa is French ; there&re I hope that not a moment will be
lost in declaring Genoa so considered. The blockade of Genoa
ought to be declared instantly ; if not, it will be what it always has
been, the granary of the south of France and the north part of
Italy. ... I do not tliink tluit we ought to allow the French
armies aud friends to be maintained and enriched by nur not block-
ading all the (ienoeik^ ports. I therefore hope tliat this will in- j .
stantly be done. The imperial and Greek flag are tilling it and 0 '** if^S
Leghorn with corn.
Morea. — It is perfectly clear that the French are at work in
that country, either to prepare for their own reception, or to indnce
the Greeks to revolt against the Porte, and either way, it is a chain
for their getting again to £gypt. If the French or their friends
conqaer the Morea, Egypt wonid be the price of retaming it,
unless by an alliance with the Mamelukes they can possess both.
To this long letter, I shall only l)eg to call your attention for s July,
what purpose the French are collecting such an army in Italy,
where at present there can be no prospect of an army able to face
them : 13,000 are in the kingdom of Naples, 8,000 are at this
luunieiit iu Leghorn, 6,000 marched in on 28 June, the other jiiii ts
of Italy are filling with troops, even drawing tliem from 8 wit /.er-
laud. The objects must be the conqu< v^l of Naples (perhaps
Sicily), and certainly getting over to the Morea ; therefore 1 regret
the removal of our Egyptian army, which in any of these enter-
prises have kept the French in check.
I joined our fleet yesterday. With the ctusual absence of one SJoly.
or two ships, we shall be always eeven sail of the line ; and as the
French have at least seven — I believe nine — nearly ready, we are
in hopes that Bonaparte may be angry, and order them out, which,
I have no doubt, will put our ships in high feather ; for I never
knew any wants alter a victory, although we are always full of
them b^ore.
Another great plan of Bonapart^e's is now perfectly clear ; he }^^^
will attempt the Morea, either by assisting the Gret ks in nu iusiir- 2 July,
rectiou against the Port<e, or this may l>e done in concert with
Russia. On this iinixji-tant snbject we are buth agreed, t hat it is
very probable those two powers may have in view, bv conctTt. tlin
downfall of the Tnrki.'ili Empire in Europe. Candia and Egypt
would, of course, if this plan is followed, be given to the French,
when, sooner or later, farewell India ! But even supposing Russia
has nothing to do with this plan, it would equally answer Bona-
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312 LETTERS OF LOIU) NELSON 180.3
parte's purpose of alanning the Porte, to do it hj the Greeks or by
assiatiiig Ali Viair in throwing off his dependence on the Porte ;
he would be equally ready to suppress or supi)ort even rebellion,
provided the reward, Egypt, wen* the sauic. That is his great
object at present, and fur it he would sacrifice either (ireeks, ilus-
siaus, or Turks. know he is not very Fciupidous ill the
honoiirablt' means of accomplisliini!; his darling object. . . . My
firm opinion is, tliat the Mediterranean will again be an lictive
scene; and if Ministers do not look out, I shall have the Brest fleet
to pay me a visit ; lor as the arniy can oidy b(^ moved by the pro-
tection of a superior fleet, that fleet they will try to have, and a
month's start of us wonld do all the mischief.
Duke of Owing to the frequent calms at this season in the Medi-
5 Ju^v^' terranean, we have not yet joined Sir Richard, but I hope to see
OffMbnMo. them to-morrow. Reports say that the fleet is in very good order
as to discipline, but miserably off in respect to numbers ; we have
only to hope that the French will soon give us an upportnnily of
trying our strength with them. It is perhaps very difficult for
anyone to say what are the plans of Bonaparte : he is itssembling
a very kirge army in Italy, and has already pUiced 13,000 men
in the kingdom ot Naples. T think it can only be with a view to
conquer it, when it may, on some pretence or other, suit his con-
venience. The Morea. and ultimately Egypt, ai'e in his view :
therefore his assembling so many troops in Xtal} — they say full
80,000 — can only be for the purpose of removing them across the
Adriatic. With this idea, I fully expect that the French fleet
from Brest will assuredly come into the Mediterranean, to protect
this army across the water, and alongshore from Genoa, Leghorn,
&c., which are 'full of troops. We must keep, a good look out, both
here and off Brest ; and if I have the means, I shall try and flgbt
one party or the other before they form a junction,
i.nrd St. I joined the fleet this morning, and as far as outside show goes,
SJuiv!** they look very well; but they complain of their bottoms, and, as
OffTottkn, you will see, ai'e very short of men. By the Toulon report, your
Lortlship will see that we are not very superior, if anything, in
])oirit of numbers; for it seems uncertain whether there are not
more than the seven clearly in a state of forwardness. My reports
from Italy say nine, five frigates and some corvettes. Seven of
the line and five frigates are clearly to be seen, with two admirals
and a commodore, and a commodore in the frigate. However,
your Lordship may rely that I shall make the best of what I have ;
but you will see that I cannot detach any ships of the line for the
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im OFF TOULON 313
Straits' mouth. The Monmouth mul ALrliicourt suil very ill, and
in these tiim s ure Imrdly to be rt'ckniird. T cainiot seiifl them to
watcli either Genoa or Lt-^diorn ; and it' these geutry ahuuid come
forth, I sliall want all tin- 7 !'s.
The French in Toulon arc equal to me at thia moment, hni i A.Daviaon,
do not think th(^y will come oat till they have a greater suj>eriority.
If they do, I shall bt; agreeably disappointed. The event, 1 trust,
although we are miserably short of men, would be glorious, and
hasten a peace. . . .
1 will not say more about securing Sicily than I have done. I ir. Klliot,
send the Superb, 74, Captain Keats, one of the very best officers •'"^-J*
in his Majesty's navy. I have directed him to retnain fourteen
days at Naples, and if you represent by letter that it is, from
extraordinary circumstances, nece.s-sary that he should remain
longer, Captain Keats has directions to acquiesce. But 1 trust
your Excellency will not do this unless such necessity does exist ;
for you will recollect that I am left with six sail of the line opposed
to aeren or nine — in which number are two 64rgan ships. But I
take every responsibility to show my attention to the safety of the
royal Sftmily of Naples.
Give me leave to introduce Captain Keats to your particular ii juiy.
notice. His health has not been very good, but I hope he will
soon recover ; for his loss would, I assure you, be a serious one to
our navy, and jjarticularly to nie ; for I esteem his person alone
iisi equal to one French 74, mnl tho Siipt'rh and her captain equal
to two 7i-gTm ships : tlieret'ore, if it is noL necessan", you will not
keep him, lor another ship will be on her way to Naples at the
time I guess slie will be near her departure ; and although I should
be glad to see the French out, even six to nine, yet these are odds
which, although I should not avoid, yet ought not to be seeking.
The ships having come on I un the expectation of a three weeks' Lord St.
cruise, I am, in turn, sending them into port, to prepare lur a war lii^y*
cruise. Many of (lie ships have much scurvy in them, l)ut onions
and lemons 1 hope will eradicate that complaint, and a sight of the
French s(|uadron twenty leagues at sea will cure all our complaints.
The Monmouth and Agincourt are certainly, for the men they is July,
have, most extraordinarily well-manued ships ; but in point of
sailing, the Britannia was, in her last days, a flyer compared to
them. I verily believe that a French seventy-four, main-topsail
to the mast) would beat them in turning to windward, but their
men wotdd be a sufficient number, filled up with landsmen, to man ^
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314 LETTERS OF LOBB NELSON 1809
a three-decker: therefore if the Admiralty direct particular ships
to be sent home when others are sent out, I hope these two will
be amongst the first. When a winter's cruise comes, they never
can keep company with the squadron.
Capt Gore, Whereas there is reason to believ e that a squadron ot" the enemy's
U^B^, ships of war are coming firom the West Indies or from Brest, to
join the fleet in Tonlon ; you are therefore hereby required and
directed to take your route from Cape Spartel towards Madeira^
from thence to Gape St. Vincent, and to Gape Spartel, and to use
evexy possible endeavour to gain such intelligence of the enemy's
movements and intentions as yon may judge necessary for my
information, which yon are to forward to me by a sloop of war
from Gibraltar ; but should you fall in with an enemy's squadron
steering for the Mediterranean, you are in that case to join me on
ray rendezvous off Toulon without a niotnent'a loss of time, send-
ing a boat into Gibraltar to acquaint any ot the squadrun which
may be there with such information, that if ot the line they may
join me immediately.
H.EUiot, I sincerely hope that the Superb has not been detained at
MJi43r> Naples, for I can very ill spare the services of such a ship. The
French squadron — seven sail of the line, five or six frigates, and
six or seven corvettes — in the whole eighteen sail, are in appear-
ance ready for sea, every sail bent. At this moment I am here
with five sail of the line, and, when Monmouth ^oeii to Naples,
only fonr, to oppose this force. However, notliiriL'^ shall induce me
to neglect the personal safety of the royal family, and Monmouth
shall go. Your Excellency is aware that I can send no ship to
Naples which wants refitting, and, therefore, that parting with a
perlect ship of the line is a serious thing. The Kent and Agin-
court are gone to Malta, the Triumph to Gibraltar, and the Gib*
raltar wants to go into port to refit, having sprung her mhsen-mast
and main-yard. I wished to have sent her to Naples, but I am
obliged to keep her and send a sound ship. However, this state
of suspense will very soon be over. I only hope that Sicily will
be guarded ; that the French will demand it I am sure.
I have lu'urd no rumours of a war with Algiers, nor do I
believe a word of it ; therefore I cannot begin with them. The
French fleet from St. Domingo, I think, will come to the Mediter-
ranean— perlui])S, first to Cadiz, to get the Spaniards to escort
tlu^m. If so, J may have two fleets to tight ^ but if I have the
ships, the more the better.
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1803 KELSON'S FLAG IN THE VICTORY 315
We have a report throagh Italy of negotiations for peace and a D^^ i^oll,
changes of administraliion. Aa for peace, we cannot have one bat
on degrading and dishonoarable terms — sooner than which, we
had better spend the last shilling in resisting like men. The
Italian papers mention Mr. Yorke as First Lord of the Admiralty.
If 8o, what becomes of the virtuons Sir T. T. and Tncker ? Bat
I care not who is in or out — I shall endeavoar to do my duty to
the country.
Oil 30 July the Victory joiiH il the fleet, and Nelson at once hoiste d
his flag on board her, taking with him Captain Hardy, who superbeileti
Sutton.
Whereas I have received information that there is a French
serenty-foor and some frigates at Cadiz, that may attempt the lo Angott.
blocking np oar trade entering the Straits, yon are therefore
hereby required and directed to proceed immediately with his
Majesty's ship Donegal under your command, and take your station
outside the Straits in such situation aa you may judjg^e most likely
to tall in with the enemy's force above mentioned or any of their
privateerR or cruisers, as well as for the protection of the trade of
his Majesty's subjects.
And on the 11th, anmilar order was sent to Captain Cracraft of the
Anson, to keep the Adriatic open to the tmdo, and prevent the enemy
conTeying troops across to the Morea &om the heel o£ Italy.
I shall be truly thankful if you will have the goodness to put A.Gibbs,
" lermo,
AngtuL
my Bronte estate in a train, that if 1 cannot receive the value of J*^*^®"™**'
it, and have done with it, that, at least, I may receive the full
rental regularly : for 1 never will layout anotlier sixpence on it,
but am content to pay a certain sum for the attention of some
respectable person to receive the rents and to remit them to
ix>ndon. As you are so good as to ofifer to attend to this serious
concern to me, I will enter at large into the snbject. I told
Grajfer, on first setting oat, that I would give up two years' rent
for fitting np a house and improving. I paid more attention to
another sovereign than my own ; therefore the king of Naples*
gift of Bronte to me, if it is not now eettled to my advantage, and
to be permanent, has ooet me a fortune, and a great deal of fiivour
which I might have enjoyed, and [much] jealousy which I should
have avoided. I repine not on those accounts. I did my duty, to
' the Sicilifying my own conscience, and I am easy. It will be
necessary, before you can take any steps beyond inquiry, to know
from Sir John Acton what has been done, and what is intended.
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1803
AH tliat 1 beg is, that the juBt thing may l)e done immediatelj,
and that. I may have it permanent. I shall never again write an
order «bout the estate. II* the estate cannot be returned, [on] my
receiving the whole value, the income nett ought to be paid ma,
which the ho^ital received; [and this] as d^vered to me, was
6,700 ouncM on the average ibr seven years preceding.
Dr Bairt], The fleet is healthy ; but the last ships out, although they came
August. ^ wretches, are, generally speaking, in the most heal^y con-
dition : they an> in the best humour, which is a great condacer to
health. I am obliged to turn myself to every comer which is open
to us for supplies — from Malta the passage is so very long, that
everything we have sent for has spoiled. I am now at work in
Spain, and have procured some bullocks and a good supply of
onions — the latter we have found the greatest advantage from. It
has appeared odd to me, but all the ships' companies who have
served here under the war (I mean that have not been paid off')
are full of the iscurvy. 1 nin sure, Ironi the high opinion which 1
entertain of your judgment, that wliatrver regulations you have
recommendt'd will be of great iim ; the liealtk of our seamen is
iuvaluabie ; and to purchase that, uo expense ought to be spared.
hoti Bad- I have had the pleasure of making acquaintance with your son.
22 Auguat. He sent me a drawing of the Esquerques as a present. Whenever
the Medusa joins I will consult with Goiv as to his coiiiuig directly
int<j the Vict<»ry ; but you may rely that he shall l>e made ai> soon
after he has ser\'ed his time as is in my power. The sons of
brother-officers have an niuloubted claim to our ])rotection, and
when to that is added the son of a very old friend, notliing can,
my dear Lord, weigh stronger with me. Your conduct to me on
14 February * has proved you a noble man ; and I am sorry to say
that I fear we have some peers who do not answer that description.
We are watching the coming of the French squadron : they are
ready, and I do not think Bonaparte will allow them to remain
longer in port.
n.Ad- I am looking out for the French squadron — ^perhaps you may
ftiv^iuu ^^^^^^ impatiently ; but I have made up my mind never to go into
port till after the battle, if they make me wait a year, provided the
Admiralty change the ships, who cannot keep the sea in the winter,
except X'ictory, Cauopua, Donegal, and Belleisle. The Admiralty
knows the state of the others, and will relieve them soon as they
can. The Triumph, bupcrb, Monmouth, Agiucourt, Kent, Gibral-
* When Lord Bacbtook «vas tbixd in oominand.
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OFF TOULON
317
tar, and Rt iiown, are cortainly amongst the vory tinost ships in our
service— the best cominandt'd, and the verv ln'st manned, vet I
wish thorn safe in En^d.'ind, where tliry would man, tilled np with
landsmen, fourteen sail of the line, and that I had ships not half
8o well manned in their room ; for it is not a store-ship a week
which could keep them in repair. This daj, only six men are con*
fined to their lieds in the whole squadron.
At Marseilles are now ready to sail — the troops on board — a 25 Augut
frigate, a conrette, and two armed transports, with 1,000 or 1,500
men under a General Ceroni, or Veroni. I believe they are bound
to Corsica, to go over with the 5,000 Ck^rsicans — if they get to Sar*
dinia, it is gone. I am sending two frigates, the only ones I have
with me, to cmise off Ajaccio, in Corsica, to try and intercept
them ; but what I mention these circumstances for is, that it may
be necessary to mention it to tlie JUissian Minister, for we may bo
accused of a breach of nentnility in Sardinia ; for, beinpf satisfied
of the intention of the French invadin;^^ Sardinia, I liav(» directed
the friirates to pursue tliem, ovou should they chase into Sardinia,
and to take or destroy tliem, and also the Corsican troops; for if 1
wait till the island is taken I should feel deserving of reprobation.
Of course they will say that we have broken the neutrality if we
attack them in the ports of Sardinia Ijefore their conquest, and if
we do not I shall be laughed at for a fool. Prevention is better
than core. . . . My station to the westward of Toulon, an unusual
one, has been taken upon an idea that the Erench fleet is bound
out of the Straits, and probably to Ireland. It is said 10,000 men
are collecting at Toulon. I shall follow them to the Antipodes.
The French fleet being perfectly ready for sea, seven of the sir R.
line, six frigates, and some corvettes — two sail of the line are now 26'Augttst.
rigging in the arsenal — I tliink it more than probable that they
are bound t/O the westwanl. uit of the Mediterranean. Therefore,
as I am determined to ii>lln\v them, go where they may. I wish
yon, in case they f»scap«^ me, to send a frigate or sloop affer tliem
to tind out their route, i^ivinir her a station where I may find her,
and keep yourself either at the mouth of the Straits or otf Europa
Point, for I certainly shall not anchor at Gibraltar. You will, of
course, keep this to yourself.
Having received information that there is an embarkation of Citpi,
troops at Toulon (or Marseilles), intended to join the Corsicans, JJ'^cl^lj^
with a view to invade the island of Sardinia, and as I think Ajaccio ^ Auguat,
is the most likely place iu Corsica for their forming such junction,
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LETIERS OF LOUU NELSON
you are hereby required and directed to take his Majesty's ship
Activt' under your command (whose criptain lm>^ received my
orders for that ])ur])osr), and proi'ced with all possil)hMlespat'Chj and
take 8uch atatioii as you may judge most likely to intercept them,
and prevent their lauding or f'urniinL^^ a junction with the Corsicans at
Ajaccio or elfeewhere ; but sliould you \'n\\ in with them at sea, you
are to use your utmost endeavours to take, sink, burn, or destroy
the whole of them. If, however, the enemy should escape into
any port of the Island of Sardinia, yon are to proceed and attack
them wherever you may fall in with them, without paying regard
to any pretended flag of neutrality (except under the guns of
Cagliari), or considering such port or place entitled to the respect
of neutrality, but as an invaded country by the enemy. In the
event of your finding them at Cagliari, that fort being sufficient to
prevent the enemy's landing, you are to afford the viceroy every
assistance in your power to enable him to destroy the enemy, and
frustrate their designs against tlie dominions of his Most 8acred
jNLajesty the King of Sardinia.
J I) You will have the goodness to present my respectful compli-
Ca^^* ments to the captain-general, and assure him t hat the return of
deserters sUall be reciprocal ou my part^, and that T have forgiven
them at his request. You will also inform his excellency that I
have read with no small sur|)nRe a paper purporrin<»' tn have Ih cu
given in during the year 1771, and now ordered to be put in force.
I am ready to admit that the king of Spain may order us to bo
refused admittance into liis ports, may refuse ur, even when there,
the rights of hospitality, as his excellency has done those of civility,
in not even asking Captain Whitby to sit down, although there
were others in his presence seated. His sovereign may certainly,
if he pleases, go to war with us — deny none of these rights ; but
I claim every indulgence which is shown to tiie ships of our
enemies. The French squadron at Corunna are acting almost as
they please ; the Aigle French ship of war is not turned out of
Cadiz, the French frigate Revenge is permitted to go out of that
port, cruise, and return with prizes, and sell them. I will not
6t>ate that every Spanish port is a home fur 1 rench privateers, for
this is well known; and 1 am informed that even at Barcelona
English vessels captured by the Fretich have been sold tliere.
You will acquaint his excellency that 1 claim for every British
ship, or squadron, the right of lying as long as I please in the
' ConBttl at Barcelona.
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ISOS DESERTERS DISGRACED 319
ports of Spain, whiltit it is allowed to other powers; that I claim
the rights of hospitality and civility, and every other right wliich
the hannony sabeistiiig between our sovereigns entitles ns to. You
will acquaint hia excellency that I can mean no disrespect per-
sonally to himself; bat that it is a British admiral lettuming an
answer to a Spaniali captain-general, through the same channel
which conveyed the message.
When British seamen and marines so far degrade themselves in General
time of war m to desert from the service of tht ir own country JaSit.
and enter into that of Spain ; when they leave one shilling per day,
aiul |)]riiTy of the very best provisions, with every comfort that can
Ih.' thought of for them — for two{)enee a day, black bread, horse-beans,
and stinking oil for their food ; — when British seamen or marines
tnm Spanish soldiers, I blush for them : they forfeit in their own
opinion, I am snre, that character of love of their own country
which foreigners are taught to admire. A Briton to put himself
under tiie lash of a Frenchman or Spaniard must be more degrading
to any man of spirit than any punishment I could inflict on their
bodies. I shall leave the punishment to their own feelings, which^
if they have any, and are still Englishmen, must be very great.
Bat as they thought proper to abandon, voluntarily, their wives,
fathers, mothers, and every endearing tie, and also all prospect of
returning to their uative country, 1 shall make them remain out of
that country which they do not wish to see, and allow others, who
love their eoimtrv. and are attached to their families, to return in
their stead. And, as they have also thought proper t/) resign all
their pay, 1 shall take care that it is not returned to them, nor
their * R.' taken off ; but it shall be noted against their names,
' Deserted to the Spaniards,* or ' Entered as a Spanish soldier/ as
the case was.
The above memorandum respecting the desertion of British
seamen or marines is to be read to the respective companies of his
Majesty's ships and vessels under my command, and copies thereof
to be stuck up in the most public places of the ships, in order that
the magnitude of the crime may be properly impressed on their
minds.
I am nnich obliged to you for your goodness about the shells. Gerpml
I sliiill be very glad of a hundred for 1 2-|>oundera. 1 do not mean le'sepu*
to use them at sea, for that I hope to consider burniug our own
ships ; but in case they run ashore, then a few put into their sides
will do their business.
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320 LETTEIIS OF LORD NEI^ON 1809
SirA^J, T Ix^nr up for evrrv g-ale. T must not in aur present state
HBapt quarrel with the north-westers -- wit li cra/.y iiuists and no port
or spars near us. Indeed, in thu whule .station, there is not a top-
mast for a seventy-four. On the Ilthy a ship of the line and some
frigates were outside Sepet; a rear-admiral, chef d'escadre, and
another ship of the line, four in the whole, &c. Eight were nnder
sail; bnt seeing Ganopus stand nnder Sicie, they hanled their
wind and worked in again. On the 12th and 13th they were at
anchor. That night I sent Belleisle to work off the port, wind
blowing strong out ESE and SE, which has drove us to twenty
leagues west of Sicie. I am a little anxious at her not joining,
but they must have more than common luck to gt t liold of her.
'J'li«^ squadron has health beyond what I have ahnoi^t ever seen,
cxc' pt our '/"ing to the Nile; and I ho{)e, if the French will give
us the opportunity, that our beef and pudding will be as well
applied. ,
Sir K. As it is more tiian probable that the fleet under my command
wSipt*. ^ obliged to keep the seas during the whole of the winter
season, for the purpose of watching the enemy's ships at Toulon,
and as there is in the Gulf of Lion, and its vicinity, upon an
average, three days' gale of severe blowing weather out of the
seven, which frequently comes on suddenly, and thereby exposes
the topmasts, topsail-yards, and sails, to great hazard, under every
care and attention; I am therefore to desire you will foe
pleased to communicate this circumstance to the Lords Com-
missioners of the Admiralty, and suggest to their Lordships
the propriety of sending out a sufficient number of topmast
topsail-yards, and spare sails for the ships they may judge
necessary f<>r the service befori'-iiK iit inned as early as possible,
there In ing none of the tvyo former in store, either at Gibraltar
or Malta.
Sir R. The occ urnMic s w liic li pass every day in Spain forebode, 1 fancy,
«l*&pt"* a speedy war with England ; therefore it becomes proper for me
to put you upon your guard, and advise you how to act nnder
particular circumstances. By looking at the former line of conduct
on the part of Spain, which she followedjust before the commence-
ment of the last war, we may naturally expect the same events to
happen. The French Admiral Richeiy was in Cadiz, blocked up
by Admiral Man : on 22 Angust they came to sea, attended by the
Spanish fleet, which saw the French safe beyond St. Vincent, and
returned into Cadiz, Admiral Man very properly did not chooso
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PROBABLE WAR WITH SPAIN
321
to attack Admiral Bicheiy under such an escort.' Tliis is a prelude
to what I must requeet your strict attention to ; at the same time^
I am follj aware that jaa must be guided, in some measnrei by
actual circumstances.
I think it very probable, even before Spain breaks with us,
that they may send a ship or two of the line to see L*Aigle round
Cape St. Vincent ; and that if yon attack her in their presence,
they may attack you ; and giving them possession of the Donegal
would be more tliaii eitlier you or I should wiyli, therefore 1 am
certain it must be very conil'ui tuble for you to know my sentiments.
Fn>iii what you hear in Cadiz, you will ju(l<jfp how far }uu may
wiitiire yourself in company with a Spanish S(jiia<lron; but if you
art' of opinion that you may trust yourself near tbt iii, kfppiiiLr cer-
tainly out of gun-shot, send your boat with a letter to tlie Spanish
ooQUDodore, and desire to know whether he means to defend the
F^nch ships ; and get his answer in writing, and have it as plain
as possible. If it be ' yes, that he will fire at you if you attack the
French under his protection,' then, if you have force enough, make
your attack on the whole body, and take them all if you can, for
I should consider such an answer as a perfect declaration of war.
If you are too weak for such an attack, you must desist ; but you
certainly are fully authorised to take the ships of Spain whenever
you meet them. Should the answer bo anibij^nious, you must then
act as your judgment may direct you, and 1 am sure tlnit will be
Very proper. Only recollect, that it would 1)0 mneh bel ter to let
the French sliips esca]i(\ than to run too great a risk of losing the
Donegal, yourself, and ship's company.
It is now near three months since my last letters were dated Lord at
from England ; and but for a French newspaper, which hitherto 27Xpu
we have procured through Spain from Paris, we should not have
known huw the world went on ; and reports have su often changed
the First Lord of the Admiralty, that I know not if I am now
writing to him; but that does not matter; I trust I am writing
to an old friend, who sincerelv wishes me as well as I do him.
I have said all my say long ago on the subject of the ships
here; therefore I shall not bore you on that subject again. The
&ct is this — all the ships have expected every day before the war
to go to England ; therefore, when the war came, they wanted for
everything — more espedally to go to England. However, a good
' Another case in point bad occurred in 1741, when, on 7 December, the
French sqnadron, undef De Oonrt* protected the Spaniards from the attaok of
Ua4dock oft Cape Qata.
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322 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1803
deal of tbat fever i& wore off, and we are really got to a state of
health which is rarely witnessed. I have exerted myself to get all
the good things we could from Spain, and latterly our cattle and
onions have been procured from France ; but from the apparent
incivilities of the Spaniards, I suppose we are on the eve of being
sliui our. Our leugtli of pas.sage from Malta is terrible. We have
not procured one single article of refreshment from thence since
the ilect sailed, 18 May; tln^rcfore, if a fleet here had only Malta to
trust to, the fleet must go to ]\Ialta, for tlie good tilings of Malta
could never come to us ; and in that case the French might do as
they pleased between here and Gibraltar, for two months together.
At this moment I think the squadron, as far as relates to me, are
fit to go to Madras. Their halls want docking. I hope to be able
to keep the sea all the winter — ^in short, to stay at sea till the
French choose to come to sea ; and then I hope to send many of
our ships who want what I cannot give them, to England, tow-
ing a line-of-battle ship. I believe we are uncommonly well die*
posed to give the French a thrashing, and we are keen ; for I have
not seen a French flag on the sea since I joined the squadron. A
fortnight ago, three or four sail of the line were under siiil, and
some had got a few miles fnjni Sepet, but I believe it wo^ only for
an exercise. ReportnH say they are hard at work, fitting out two
new 80-gun ships. Their low r riL'i^ing is over the mast-heads. I
wish they would make haste, for our gales of wind, Admiral Camp-
bell says, are harder and more frequent than ever. I believe theoi.
much the same — always very violent, and a heavy sea.
H.Ad- We are at this moment the healthiest squadron I ever served
is we have no sick, and are all in good humonr.
The Spaniards are now so very uncivil to onr ships, that I suppose
we shall not be much longer friends. ... I sent a few days ago to
Minorca, but the Spaniards would not give our ship pratique ; bat
Captain Donnelly learnt that there are three Frenchmen taking
an account of the revenue and how it is raised, and making every
minute inquiry. Does this portend a cession of that island?^ I
fear it does, and the Minorquins think so. I should be very sori*y
to see that ha]:>pen ; foi-, however valuable and important Malta
may be in oilier respects, and no man rates its value more than T
do, yet as a place to •^'•et refreshments from, for a fleet off Toulou,
it is useless ; I always thought it, and now I know it. • • • Minorca
may have its inconveniences, but its oonveniences are so great
that I trust at the moment a Spanish war is certain, that we shall
be able to secure it.
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MEASURES AGAINST ALGIEBS
We are healtliy beyond example, find in t/reat good humour A.PnviMm,
with oui-selves ; and so sharp-setj that 1 would not be a French
admiral in the way of any of our ships for aomething. I believe
W6 are in the right fighting trim, let them cnme as soon as they
please. I never saw a fleet altogether so well ofBcered and manned.
Woold to God the ships were half as good, but thej are what we
call crazy.
On 4 October orders were issued for the blockade of Genoa and
8pezin, on the receipt of the following letter trom Lord Hobart, dated
23 August.
< In oonBeqiience of the information contained in your Lordship's
letter to Mr. Addington of the 28 June— 9 July,^ and confirmed by
various circumstances, it has been judged indispensably necessary for
his Majesty's service, to jjive immediate orders that the ports of (lenoa
and Spezia should be placed in a state of blockade; and the regular
notification thereof having been made to the ministers of the different
neutral powers residiiig at this Courts your Lordship will receive the
necessary instructions for your guidance by this opportunity from the
Iiords Commissioners of the Admiralty.
*The hostile conduct ol the Qovenuuent of Algiers towai-ds the
Malte^^r', «;ince they have been under tlie prot^^i tion of liis Majesty,
renders it necessary that your Lordship should immediately tnko
measures for demanding that all Maltese captured by tlie Alg<M-ino
cruisers during that period 8hf)uld be forthwith releabcd, and delivered
up to whomsoever you may depute to receive them; and in the event of
the Regency of Algiers refusing to comply with your demand, I am
commanded hy his Majesty to direct that your Lordship do adopt tiie
most vigorous and effectual measures for taking or destroying all ships
and vessels belonging to the said Kpfrrnrv, or to thr ^^ubjcets thereof;
and that you do piirKUP ovprv mode ot distressing tiiKt State, until the
Dey simii manifest a tiisp<jsiLion to comply with the just demaud which
your Lordship is hereby directed to make, in his Majesty's name, on
hehalf of the Maltese people living under the protection of his Majesiys
Government.
* The very judicious observations contained in your Ix^rdship's l*'tt^^r
to ">fr. Addington upon the political state of the South of Italy, and the
opinions which you have detailed in your correspondence with his
Majesty's minister at the Court of Naples, ha\ e been fully considered
by his Majesty's confidential servants ; and I have much satis&etion in
acquainting your Lordship that the line of conduct which you have
suggested for the Court of Naples to pursue, under the criticid dicum-
stances of its present situation, has been highly approved ; and Mr.
Elliot will be instructed by Lord Hawkesbury to continue to communi-
cate with your lordship upon every occasion relative to that subject.
' 1 am likewise to desire that your Lordship's correspondence upon
those, and all other political subjects, should be addressed to me, that I
may be enabled to lay them before the king, and to convey to you his
Majesty's commands theroon.'
* bee anU, p. 308. ^
r 2
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o24
LETIERS OF LORD KELSON
1803
n. A«i-
dinf^ton,
6 October.
Sir A. J.
6 October.
Nohom-
hcrj;.
7 October.
11. Elliot,
9 October.
The French admiral monnted yofiterday.mommg las sea-vatie,
a thing which a landsman would not notice ; but it gives a cer-
tainty to my mind that they wish to put to sea, and never was a
squadron of British ships more anxious to meet them. I can have
no excuse, nor do I want niy country to make any for me : if I see
the enemy, ray exertions sliall be used to lay the squadron well in,
aud the event, with the blessing of Providence on a just cause, we
have no reason to fear.
1 had intended stMnliiiL^'- Sir Richard Bickerton to Malta, but
I believe, from appearances, that the French fleet are so near
putting to sea, that it would be cruel in me to send so excellent
an officer and friend away, at a moment we may expect bo glorious
a hanrest. Iwou^ l 'slve a good deal for a copy of the French
admiral's orders, lieport says it is Decrds, as he fought the Gnil*
laume Tell so well. If he is a fighting man so much the belter.
I hope he will not ran away ; we may want heels to catch [him] —
that is the only fear I have.
At this distance it is im{X)ssible for me to regulate everything
with exactness. We must all in our several stations exert ourselves
to the utmost, and not be nonsensical in saying, ' I have an order
for this, that, or the other,* if the king's service clearly marks
what ought to be done.
I feel truly sensll)l0 of your kindness, and the trouble you have
taken in detailing to me all the means of precaution which his
Excellency Sir John Acton has taken respecting Sicily, and I fully
rely that those mea^tnres will be continued, and that neither Sicily
nor Naples will want our assistance. God knows, we have occa-
sion enough for our troops without begging them to be received,
and nothing but the strong order I brought out would have in-
duced General ViUettes to part with a man from Malta. General
Villettes writes me the same good accounts from Messina as you
have done. ...
I assure your Excellency that I would not, upon any considera-
tion, have a Frenclunau in the fleet, except as a jjiisoner. I }>ut
no coutidence in thtMn. You think yours good, tlie queen thinks
hers the same : I believe they are all alike. Whatever inforniation
you can ^ret me, I shall be very thankful for, l)ut not a Frenchman
comes here, loririve nio : but my inotlior hated the French. . . .
Two French frigates have had a narrow escape. They have
been chased twice — once into Corsica with the troops, by the Agin*-
court, 64 : and on Sunday last, by two frigates, Active and Phoebe,
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FBIENDLINESS OF TRIPOLI
325
into St. Tropez ; but these fellows will not {]<r\it if they can help
it. Never was health equal to this squadron. It has been within
ten days of five months at sea, and we have not a man confined to
his bed : therefore if these fellows wait till we are forced into port,
they mast wait some time.
May I presame to request of yoor Excellency to present my
hnmble dnty to the king and qneen, and assure them of my eternal
attachment to their royal persons and to all their family, and any
other civil speeches you may be so good as to say £>r me. To be a
oonrtier is yoar trade, and I know myself to be a cobbler at that
work.
I send you ray correspondence with the Bashaw of Tripoli, and i^rd
your Lordship will observe that he ifl, as usual, most IritMully dis- {5"^tetJ
posed toward- us. During the time of Bonaparte's greatest succos
in Egypt, he gave up to me as pnsoners, tin' Fn-neli consul and
every Frenchman in his dominions, ainouuting to fifty-seven, and
his arsenal was always open for the supply of our ships. I have
not thoogfat it, however, proper to notice the indirect application
for gunpowder and grapenshot, on account of his war with the
Americans, without the approbation of Government. Although the
bashaw is fully entitled to eveiy act of kindness from us, yet it
will strike your Lordship, as it has me, that it might give cause for
& discontent on the part of the Americans, which it must be our
wish to avoid. . . .
By letters from Mr. Elliot and Sir John Acton, I am glad to
find that some active measures are taking fur the securitv of
SiciJy, and putting Messina in such a state of defence that it ean-
not be taken by surprise. ... I have always kept a ship at
Naples for the personal >eeuri(y of the royal family ; and I have
strengthened the squadron which watehes the French army in the
heel of Italy, in case they should wish to cross to the Morea, which
many think is their intention. What the real destination of the
Prench fleet may be is very diflicult for me to guess. Mr. Elliot
thinks they will try to have Sicily previous to their going to Egypt ;
others think they may go direct to cover the army across to the
Morea ; others, that in the present unsettled state of Egypt, they
may push with ten tihousand men to Alexandria ; and they may be
bound outside the Mediterranean. Plausible reasons may certainly
be given for every one of these plana, but I think one of the two
last is their preat object ; and to those two points my whole atten-
tion is turned. If they put to sea, I hope to fall in with them,
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326 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 180a
aud then I have every reason to believe that all their plana will be
frustrated.
Kov. w. I Binoexely hope that Canterbniy will prove as profitable to yon
i80ct! to year predecessor last year ; perhaps, if I take another French
fleet, they may make yoa a bishop : therefore I shall try hard when-
ever they give me the opportunity. They are our superiors in
numbers — they being eight to six, which is the force I can count
upon being off Toulon ; for one must be in turn in harbour water-
ing, and I have ( -adiz to watch with another, and one always at
Naples, in case ol* accidents, for the security of the royal fanuly ;
thoro fore, although the Admiralty may say T have ten at my orders,
tht» tact is T can never count upon more than six. If I am so
fortunate on the day of battle to have the seventh, 1 shall be very
fortunate. For two days last week I was in a fever. A frigate
spoke a Spanish vessel in the night, who said that he had seen a
fleet of twelve sail of men-of-war off Minorca, steering to the west-
ward. It was thick for two days, and our frigates could not look
into Toulon ; however, I was relieved, for the first time in my life,
by being informed the French were still in port. They have a
number of troops ready for embarkation ; but as to their destination,
that is a secret I am not entrusted with. The fleet has been five
months at sea this day, and in two days I [shall] have been ^ long,
but we are remarkably heal thy, aud m line order to give the French
a dressing. I shall try and do a little better with the Victory than
Admiral Keppel. We are not remarkably well manned, but very
well-disposed people.
Co unt The Ck>unt M ocenigo has sent me a com plaint that three vesaelsi,
12 Oct under Kussian colours and two under those of the Hepublic of
the Seven Islands, liave been taken by some English ships, and
carried into Malta, and that the only answer the consul at ^lalrn
hap obtained was, *Tlie Judge of the Vice-Admiralty Court is not
y*'f arrived.' Without entering into the merits of the ca.se, of which
1 can know nothing but from the reports sent mo of ships det;iiTied
or captured, whereof I send you a copy, your Excellency may rely
there was great cause of suspicion that the vessels or- cargoes, or
both, were belonging to enemies, and were merely covered with
neutral papers ; and it even strikes me as odd in the complaint,
they are stated as only bound to Messina, and that the other
optional destination, Genoa, should be omitted. What occasion was
there for concealing anything in an upright transaction? And
there is another curious circumstance lately come to light, which is,
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SURVEY OF AGINGOURT SOUND
327
1 believe, that on board the ship carrying Russian colours, a whole
set of French papers have been foimd ; hoirever, your Excellency
knows, tliat under snch suspicious circumstances none but a judge
can decide. My orders are positive for llie respect due to the
neatral fiag; and with regard to Russia, I have repeated the orders
for the strict observance of the seventh article of the treaty signed
at St. Petersburg, the 5-17 June, 1801. I shall only lastly ob-
seire, that one hundred and seventy fVench vessels were in the
Black Sea at the commencement of hostilities, and that by a magic
touch of merchants, tliey became in a moment Russians, Imperials,
lonians, llagutians, and not one French vessel remained !- -Bravo!
I have 8ent to Sicily for the arms of Bront<% and the lieralds' G. Navler,
Yoric
College there has sent for my English arms, in order that they may HeraiJ,
be enrolled amongst those of the Sicilian nobility ; therefore you
will be so good as to send me out the same sort of thing which I
sent to Germany. I very much doubt that I ever paid for that
and several other things which you have done for me ; therefore
I desire (for in a num's trade there are no compliments) that you
will send me out your regular bill, for I suppose you cannot live
upon air, and if you are never paid, how is the pot to boil ? When
I take the French fleet, which I hope to do before Christmas, I
suppose there will be more alterations.
The fleet being very much in want of watt-r, I liave taken the II. Eiiiut,
opportunity of the moonlight nit^hts to come litTc in order to MMUlenft
obtain it, aud some refreshments for our crews, who have now been Wiadi.
upwards of five months at sea. But our health and good liunioiir is
perfection, and we only want the i^Vench Meet out. This day week
they had eight sail of the line ready, and a ninth fittings so that
we shall surely meet them some happy day, and I have no doubt
but that we shall be amply repaid for all our cares and watchings.
I have left fingates to watch them.
We anchored in Agtncourt Sound yesterday evening, and I Capt^
assure you that I individually feel all the obligation due to you for efbriatar,
your most correct chart toad directions for these islands. We
worked the Victory every foot of the way from Asinara to this
anchorage, the wind blowing from Longo Snrdo, under double-
reefed top-sails. I shall write to the Admiralty, stating how much
they oiifflit to feel obliged to your very great skill aud attention in
making this survey. This is absolutely one of the finest harbours
1 have ever seen.
r~
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328 LETTERS OF IX)RD NEUSON 1803
Sir A. J. I do not think a Spanish war so near. We are more likely to
7 Not. ^ Spain for her complaiaanoe to the French ; but the
French can gain nothing, but be great losers, b^ forcing Spain to
go to war with ns ; therefore I never expect that the Spaniards
will begin, unless Bonaparte is absolutely mad, as many say he is.
What! he begins to find excoses! I thonght he would invade
England in the face of the sun ! Now he wants a three-days' fog,
that never yet happened ! and if it did, how are his craft to be kept
together ? He will soon find more excuses or there will be an end
of Bonaparte, and mny the devil take him !
Our two la?fc n'ronnoitrinpr?? ' 'J'oul<„)n has eight sail of the line,
appaitintly ready for s«\i, live or six fri^Mti'P, and as many corvettes
— they count twenty-two sail of ships of war ; a 74 is repairing.
Whether they intend waiting for her 1 can't tell, but I expect them
every 1 ar to put to sea, and with troops ; but their destination ?
— ^is it Ireland or the Levant ? That is what I want to know.
However, ont they will come, and I trust we shall meet them.
The event, with God's blessing on our exertions, we ought not to
doubt ; I really believe that we are the ' strong pull and pull
together.' With this force opposed to me, I cannot with prudence
leave myself with less than six sail of the line, and from various
circumstances, ships ,£?oing to water, &c., I am too often with only
five frigates, and smaller vessels 1 am most distressed for. How-
ever, I send the Raven to be under Captain Schoiiibprir's particular
orders, for upon every occasion I had rather leave my li bare than
have my friends conii)lain. Lord Rfc. VinceTit's words are,
can send you neither ships or men, and with the resources of your
mind, you will do without them very well.' Bravo, my Lord ! I
have all the inclination in the world to send Sir Kichard Bickerton
to Malta, but T dare not do it at this moment — not so much for the
want of the ship, but from my sincere esteem for the admiral, and
in charity to them both ; for if the battle took place and Sir Richard
absent, they would have reason to curse me for ever. But you
may assure her ladyship that I know what attachment is, and Uiat
the admiral shall be tlie first detached after the battle ; and if I
can, on any belief that the enemy are not coming immediately to
sea, he shall go before the battle.
Gtntral Lord Nelson is very sorry to find that notwithstanding his fo^
7^Ngv.' giveness of the men who deserted in Spain, it has failed to have its
proper effect, and that there are still men wlio so far forget their
duty to their king and country as to desert the service at a time
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SPANISH PARTUXITY
329
when every man in England is in arma to defend it agatnat the
Frencli. Therefore Lord Nelson desirefl that it may be perfectly
nndmtood, that if any man be so infamoiui as to desert fifom tiie
senrioe in fntnie, he will not only be brought to a ooort-martial,
bat that if the sentence should be death, it will be most assoredly
carried into execution.
If a pennant be shown over Signal No. 36, ^Engage the Memo,
enemy on their starboard or weather side/ it signifies that ships ^
are to engage on the enemy s starboard side, whether going large
or upon the wind.
If a pennant be shown in the like manner over Signal No.
37, ' Engage the enemy on their larboard or lee side,' it signifies
that bhips are to engage on the enemy's larboard side, whether
going large or upon a wind. These additions to be noted in the
signal book in ])eiicil only.
Saint George's ensigns are to be worn by every ship in
action.
The French force, yesterday, at two o'clock, was correctly as- ^-^^^
oertained — eight sail of the line, eight frigates, and five or six cor- off Touion.
vettes, perfectly ready, and as fine as paint can make them. A
ninth sliij) is visibly getting for^vard. 1 only hope in God we shall
meet them. Our weather-beaten ships, I have no fears, will make
their sides like a plum-pudding.
I have the honour to inclose, for yotir Excellency's information, J. H.
two letters which will mark the conduct of the Spaniards towards fo^y.
us, and of which I donbt not but yon will seriously complain. I
trust that we shall be received in the Spanish ports in the same
iii.iiiuer as the French. I am ready to make large allowances tor
the miseral)le situation Spain has placed herself in, but there is a
certain line l)eyond whicli 1 cannot tiubmit to be treated with dis-
respect. We have given up French vessels taken witliin gun-shot
of the Spanish bhore, and yet French vessels are permitted to attack
our ships from the Spanish shore. Your £zcellency may assure
the Spanish Government, that in whatever place the Spaniards
allow the French to attack us, in that place I shall order the French
to be attacked. The old order of 1771, now put in force against
us, is infamous ; and I trust your Excellency will take proper steps
that the present mode of enforcing it be done away. It is gross
partiality, and not neutrality.
I herewith transmit you a report of survey on the main and
r
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1808
sir E. misen rigging belonging to his Majesty s ship Excellent, together
4 SiMb^ with a memorandiun from Captain Sotheron, attached to the mid
report, which you will please to lay before the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiialty fiir their information. It is much to be lamented
that a ship bo recently from England, and coming direct abroad
from a king's yard, ahonld have sailed in anch a state ; the master-
attendant at Portsmonth mnst either have been blind to the situa-
tion of the rigging, or not have given himsdf trouble to discover
its miserable state.
Dokeef The French fleet keep us waiting for them during a long and
7 Dtc ' severe winter's cruise ; and sucli a place aa all the Gulf of Lion,
for galea of wind from the NW to NE, I never saw, but by
always going away large, we generally lose much of tlieir force and
the heavy sea of the gulf. However, by the great care and atten-
tion of every captain, we have 8ii£fered mach less than could have
been expected.
A^Drvijon, My crazy fleet are getting in a very indiff*erent state, and others
G air of wHl soon follow. The finest ships in the service will soon be de-
^^"^ stroyed. I know well enough tiiat if I was to go into Malta, I
shonld save the ships during this bad season. Bat if I am to watch
the IVench, I most be at sea, and if at sea, mast have bad weather;
and if the ships are not fit to stand bad weather, they are
I do not say much, but I do not believe that Lord St. Vincent
would have kept the sea with such ships. But my time of ser\ice
is neaily over. A natural anxiety, of course, must attend my sta-
tion; but, my dear friend, my eyesight fails nw most dreadfully.
I firmly believe that, in a very few years, I Bhall be stoue-biind.
It is this only, of all my maladies, that makes me unhappy ^ but
God's will be done.
Lord St. The station I chose to the westward of Sicie, was to answer t wo
12 Dm.^ important pnrpoees : one to prevent the junction of a Spanish fleet
from the westward, and the other to be to windward, so as to
enable me, if the northerly gale came on to the NNW or NNE,
to take shelter in a few hoars either onder the Hidres Islands or
Cape St. Sebastian ; and I have hitherto fonnd the advantage of
the position. Now Spain, having settled her nentrolity, I am
taking my winter^s station under St. Sebastian, to avoid the heavy
seas in the gulf, and keep frigates oft' U'oulon. From September
we have experienced such a series of bud weather that is rarely met
With, and I am sorry to say that all the ships which have been
from England in the late war severely feel it.
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1^ WANT OF BIORES 331
The Kent lias suffered so severely that she is going to Malta,
and I much doubt our getting her to wa :igain under six weeks or
two months, and the passage from Malta is hardly to be made with
my ship. The Amazon, who I have not seen, bat heard of, was
three weeks from Malta as far as Minorca. In fihort, my dear Lord,
if I was to allow this fleet to get into Buck a port as Malta, they
had better be at Spithead. I know no way of watohing the enemy
bat to be at sea, and therefore good ships aro neoeflsary. The
Saperb is in a yeiy weak state, bat ber captain is so superior to
any difficnltiee, that I bear bnt little from her. Trinmpb and Be»
nown complain a good deal.
At Tottlon tbe enemy are perfectly ready to put to sea, and
they must soon come out, but who shall [say] where they are
bound ? My opinion is, certainly out of the Mediterranean. Malta
is useless to me, and when I nm forced to send a ship there, I
never see her under two ninntli>, T nm sure Toulon would be
better watched from St. Helens than Irom Malta. Our ships are
not in very good plight, and we want sails and spars for topmasts
for 74s. There is not, I beliere, one in this ooontiy.
As you from tliis day start, in the world as a man, I trust that C. Connor,
your future conduct in life will prove you botli an officer and a
gentleman, liecollect that you must be a seaman to be an oiiicer,
and also that you cannot be a good officer without being a
gentleman.
Were I to begin describing all the complaints and wants of this W'T.
fleet, it would be exactly the same, I dare say, as } uii receive from urLJ^e,
all other stations , but as it can be attended with no good effect,
I shall save myself tlie trouble of writing, and you of reading them.
The storekeeper has sent two ships to the Adriatic [for] hemp, and
tlierefore I hope that we shall in time get rope to supply our wants.
Every bit of twice-laid stofiT belonging to the Canopus is condemned,
and all the running-rigging in the fleet, except tbe Victory's. We
have fitted the Excellent with new main and miasen rigging ; it
was shameful for the dockyard to send a sbip to sea with sacb rig-
ging. The Kent is gone to Malta, fit only ibr a summer's paasage.
They are still mider sncb alarm at Naples, that I cannot withdraw
the Gibraltar. I have submitted to Sir Bicbard Stracban, wbetber
tbe state of the French shipe at Cadiz would allow of bis coming
to me Ibr six weeks 5 for although I have no fears of the event of a
battle with six to their eigliL yet if I can have eight to their eight,
I shall not despise the equality. We are not stoutly, or in any
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.LETTEBS OF LORD NELSON
1808
inanner well-inainipfl in the Victory, but she is in very excellent
order, thanks to Hjirdy ; and I think, woe be to the Frenchmaa
she gets alongside of.
YoTi will see the reports respecting a naval hospital at Malta.
It is carions that in a place taken Viy the close blockade of the
navy, and when the only reason for keeping it was to have a naval
station, that no spot has been allotted for a naval hospital ; and we
are npon snffeiance from day to dsy. Bighi is certainly the only
proper place, as it stands insulated with grounds, and has every
means of comfort ; but to complete it for 150 men would cost, besides
theporchase of honse and grounds, 1,000/., and 2,0002. more to put
it in order. Ball says 5,000/. would do the whole, but I say for
5, read 10,UU0/.
Lord Tf we could possess Sardinia, we should want neither Malta nor
sSTdocJ any other. This, which is the finest i:>land in the Mediterranean,
possesses harbours fit for arsenals, and oi* a capacity to hold our
navy, within twenty-four hours' sail of Toulon ; bays to ride onr
fleets in, and to watch both Italy and Toulon. No fleet could pass to
the eastward between SicUy and the coast of Barbery, nor through
the Faro of Messina. Malta, in point of position, is not to be named
the same year with Sardinia. All the fine ports of Sicily are
situated on the eastern side of the island, consequently of no use to
watch anything but the Faro of Messina. And I venture to pre-
dict, that if we do not, the French will, get possession of that island.
Sardinia is very little known. It was the policy of I'iedmont to
keep it in the background, Jind whoever it has belonged to, it seems
to have been their niaxiin to rule the inhnhitants with severity, in
loading itis produce with huch duties as prcventi-d the growth. I
will only mention one circumstance as a proof: half a cheese
was seized, because the poor man was selling it to our boats, and
it had not paid the duty. Fowls, eggs, beef, and every article, are
most heavily taxed. The [Court] of Sardinia certainly wants eveiy
penny to maintain itself ^ and yet I am told, after tiie wretched
establishment of the island is paid, that the king does not receive
bfiOOl. sterling a year. The country is fruitful beyond idea, and
abounds in cattle and sIk « p— and would in com, wine, and oil. It
has no manufactories. In the hands of a liberal Government, and
freed from the dread of the Barbary States, there is no telling what
its produce would not amount to. It is worth any money to obtain,
and I pledge my existence it could be held for as little as Malta in
its establishment, and produce a large revenue.
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1803-4 THREATENED INVASION OF SARDINIA 333
I have wrote to General Acton respect in;,' tliu Gibraltar's join- The King
ing me, yet your ^fajeaty and family are the great objects of my JeiiSL**'
care and attention : nnd althoui,'li she wonld be acceptable on the
day of battle, yet 1 trust, with the blessing of God on our just
cause, that w© shall give a very good accoont of the enemy without
her. Therefore, whether the ship comes or not, entirely depends
npon yonr Majesty's pleasure.
I leaTe it to tiie king's pleasnre to send the Gibraltar for the The Qaeen
hattle or not. The safety of your royal family is one of the objects m oS&^
neaiest my heart, and the destmction of the French fleet, in my
opinion, more certainly assures that safety which is so dear to me.
The Kent being done up, and gone to Malta, has reduced me h. Riiiot,
from seven sail of the line to six, therefore I have lef> it to the jji^^Sm.
kin[^"s pleasure to send me the Gibraltar or not: and so entirely do
T wish it to be left to the kinj*, that I recjucst your Excellency will
11' t urge it, as you misrht miturally be supposed to do wii* li (ho
superiority is looked at; but the safety of the royal family shall not
be risked one moment by me.
We have had a most terrible winter : it has almost knocked me
up. I have been very ill, and am now far from recovered, but 1
hope to hold out till the battle is over, when I must recruit myself
for some future exertion.
An invasion of Sardinia is intended, immediately on our depar- c^pt.
tnre, by the Fk«nch from Corsica. It is therefore my direction that ^man^n,
you remain at your present anchorage, and use your utmost endea- ^lo iaiena,
yours in preventing the iuTasion of the French, and give eveiy aid lao^*
and assistance in yonr power to the inhabitants, should it be at-
tempted.
Tin's order was given at the request of the local aiithoritioK, and con-
sequent on the capture of the mail from Antibes to Corsica, which be*
trajed the design of the French.
However [great] my distress is, and greater it cannot well be, l^nl
fbr frigates and sloops, yet I could not allow the most important Tjan!*'
island and naval station in the Mediterranean to &11, whilst I have
any means of preventing it.
The ships in general, at present under my command, are very Nnvy
mnch in want of cordage, sails, and other stores, and the tern- fo Jul.
porary supplies which have hitherto arrived firom England are by
no means adequate to their indispensable necessities. Comrais-
biouer Otway informs me, that they are so bare of stores at Gib-
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1601
raltar as to bo unable to supply the ships cniisiiify in tliat vicinity ;
and Malta, from the storekeeper's account, is equally bare. 1 must
here desire to mention, in justice to the storektH'pers, that blame is
not impotable to them on that account, as the ships that were in
this oountiy prerious to and daiing the short interval of peace,
being now obliged to keep the sea, have entirely eat np the stores,
and their real wants not half complied with. I have applications
fiom the diflferent line-of-batUe ships for surveys on most of their
sails and mnning rigging, which cannot be complied with, as there
is neither cordage nor sails to replace the unserviceable stores,
and therefore the evil mnst be combated in the best manner pos-
sible. I have some time ago directed the naval storekeeper at
Malta t^ purchase a (juautity of hemp in the Adiiatic for the
piirpt>se of making cordage, which shall be done as far as is prac*
ticable.
Lord St. I had not forgot to notice the son of Lord Duncan. I con-»
UJiuu^ sider the near relations of brother officers as legacies to the sen- ice.
On the subject of promotions, I beg leave to say a few words, be-
cause I feel now exactly as yon have felt in a similar situation to
mine ; and I rejoice that you are not only alive, but in office to
bear witness to the truth of my words, which I should have quoted,
even if you had not been in office, ' that it was absolutely necessary
merit should be rewarded on the moment, and that the officers of
the fleet should look up to the commander-in-chief for their reward :
for that otherwise the good or bad opinion of the commander-in-
chief would be of no consequence.' You always promoted merito-
rious officers out of the Victory and Ville de Paris and many private
ships, f^>r their merit. The good effect was, that whatever was
undertaken, succeedt»d. 1 trust you will be so good as to state
what you thought proper for the benefit of the service to the Ad-
miralty, and be my friend at the Board. I have said enough for
any friend to act upon, and I rely on your kind support. I sliall
certainly endeavour to imitate you, when you commanded here
with so much advantage to your country. I shall not trouble you
with complaints of ships, the Board shall be answered. Thank
God, the health of the 0eet has been wonderful, and I wish I could
add my own ; however, I hope to hold out to meet the French fleet,
and after that I believe my career will finish.
In addition to my other cares, Sardinia must be guarded. Tlie
French most assuredly mean to invade it, first, I suppose, under n
pretext for keeping us out of it, and then they will have it ceded
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1804 GREAT IMl'ORTANOE OF SARDINIA
335
to them. I have written to Lord Hoburt on the iinportanco of
Sardinia- It is worth a hundred Maltas in position, and has the
finest man-of-war harbour in Europe ; they tell me it is superior to
Beerhavea. In short, it luis notliing but advantage**. The mode of
getting it is to be considered by ministers, but money will do
anything in these days.
Sardinia, if we do not take it very soon, the French will have r^'jrd
it, and then we lose the most important island, as a naval and njuu
military station, in the Mediterranean. It possesses, at the northern
end, the finest harbour in the world ; it eqoals Trinoomalee. It
is twenty-four hours' sail from Tonlon; it covers Italy; it is a
position that the wind which carries the French to the westward is
&ir Ibr yon to follow. In passing to the sonthward they go close
to yon. In short, it covers Egypt, Italy, and Torkey. Malta
must not be mentioned in the same century. I delivered my
upiuion on the inutility of Malta as a naval station for watching
Toulon. A fleet would M>uaer pass from St. Helens to Toulon than
from Malta. If I lose Sardinia, 1 lose the French fleet.
As I thought the appearance of the squadron might add weight Lord
to the mission (and the French fleet being in Toulon on the (ith),
I stood over to Algiers, and made my appearance on the 17th. By OffAigiew.
Captain Keats' letters your Lordship will observe that the Dey was
inunovable, both as to receiving Mr. Falcon or giving np those
persons the Government of Malta churned as Maltese. . . . The
insolence of the Dey is only to he checked (with due snbmissionto
whatever his Majesty may please to direct) by blockading Algiers,
and his other ports of Bona and Oran, and to captnre his cnusera,
for the more that is given np to him the more he will demand
with insolence in future. Therefore I should propiose that, on
28 April next, when, if he means to send lii.s cruisers to sea
they will be out, that on that day every ship under my command
sli old have strict orders (to open on that day) to take, sink, bum,
and destroy every Algerine, and that on that day the ports of
Algiei*8 should be declared in a state of blockade. Thus the Dey
conld get neither commerce, presents, or plunder ; and although
the other powers may rejoice at the war with us, yet I am firmly
persuaded that it will be most advantageous to us (and humiliating
to the other powers whom he will squeeze) for the next one hundred
years. If I should find his cruisers at sea before that time, in con-
sequence of what has passed, I shall of course take them, but my
wish is to make a grand coup.
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336 I^TTEBS OF LORD NELSON
1804
T.Jackaon.i The'stomi is l)rewir»cr, and tlicre can Ix* little donT)t but that
10 Feb. Sardinia is one of the first objects of its violence. Apropos — we
have a report that the visit of Lucien Bonaparte is to effect an
amicable exchange of Sardinia for Parma and Piacenza. Tina mnst
not take place, or Sicily, Malta, E^ypt, &c. &c., is lost, sooner or
later. What I can do to ward off the blow shall be done, as I have
already assured his Royal Highness the Viceroy. From Marseilles
and Nice there are not less than 30,000 men ready for embarkation.
Should Russia gu to war with France, from that moment I consider
the mask as being thrown off with respect to any nentrality of his
Sariliiiiuii Majesty: therefore, if that should be the case, would the
king consent to two or three liundn-d T^ritish troops taking post ,
upon the Madalena? It would be a mumpntary cht»ck against an
invasion from Corsica, and enable us to assist the noi-thevn |);irt of
Sardinia. You will touch upon this matter in the way you think
most prudent, or entirely omit it. But there is only this choice —
to lose the whole of Sardinia, or to allow a small body of friendly
troops to hold a post at the northern end of the island. We may '
prevent : we cannot retake. Sardinia is the most important post
in the Mediterranean. It covers Naples, Sicily, Malta, Egypt, and
aU the Tarldsh dominions ; it blockades Toulon ; the wind which
would carry a French fleet to the westward is fair from Sardinia ;
and Madalena is the most important station in this most important
island. I am told that the revenues, after paying the expenses j
of the island, do not give the king 5,000i. sterling a year. If it is
80, I would give him 500,000/. to cede it, which wuuhl give him j
25,000/. a year for ever. This is only my conversation, and not to '
be noticed — but th(» king cannot long hold Sardinia.
With respect to the lustory about the French privateers from
Ancona, and the oondurt of the English privateers at Fiumicino, I
believe you are correct, but our enemies never adhere to it. They
go in and out of the Spanish and Sicilian ports at all times, night
and day — ^in short, to examine all vessels passing. But all pri-
vateers are very incorrect, and I sincerely wish there was no soch
vessels allowed. They are only one degree removed from pirates ;
but I believe an English armed vessel never yet trusted his cause
to any Court but an English Court of Admiralty. However, I
have no power over them. But certainly, if the custom of the port
of Fiumicino has invariably been not to allow any corsair to sail out
of the port until the twenty-four hours^after|the sailing of a neutral,
> Minister Plenipotentiary at tlie Court of Sardinia.
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1804 OFF TOULON 337
then onr privateer miglit to have been forced to confoma. But I
dtre Bay the French go in and out of Ancoua as they please, and
if 80 the Court of Rome has no great cause of complaint. I can
onlj again repeat, that over privateers I have no control.
All mj force, except Gibraltar, is united, and for our numbers sir a. J.
none better can be. If the Ferrol squadron joins the Toulon, they ni'eb.
will much outnumber us, but in that case I shall never lose sight
of them, uiid Sir Edward Pellew will soon be after them. The loss
of the Raven is very great, and tlu Admiralty seem determined not
to iucreatie my force. I, at this moment, want ten frigates or
Floops, when T believe neither the Ferrol or Toulon squadron could
escape me. The Diana is ordered home tnim Gibraltar. Tt is shame-
ful— Lord St. Vincent was not treated so. The moment I can
possibly part with a vessel, you shall have another in the room of
the Raven. We are, my dear friend, on the eve of great events ;
the sooner they come the better; 12,000 men are ready for
embarkation at Toulon, and 16,000 at Nice, and as they have not
transports, they must naturally expect more ships of war. Hie
Admiralty teJls me nothing, they know nothing ; but my private
letters say that the Brest squadron, as well as Ferrol, is bound here.
If so, we shall have work enough upon otu* hands. But I am
8\ire of my present fbrce as far as it will go ; we shall come to no
Iitiiin.
If the French unite their fleets outside of the Mediterranean The Grand
with that at Toulon, it is not the Sublime l*urtt-"s beincr at peace r«k
witli Bonaparte that will prevent an invasion of botli tlie Morea
and Egypt.' Your Higliness knows them too well to put any confi-
dence in what they say. Bonaparte's tongne is that of a serpent
oiled. Nothing shall be wanting on my part to frustrate the designs
of this common disturber of the human race.
Most cordially do I hail and congratulate you on the return of Lord St.
St. Valentine ; and may yon, my dear Lord, live in health to receive i4fS.^
them for many many years. This morning also, your nephew.
Captain Parker, has very much pleased [me], (as indeed he alw ays
does). On Sunday, the 12th, I sent him to look into Toulon. As
he was reconnoitring under 8epet, he saw a frigate rounding
Porquerolle ; the wind was right out of the harbour at north. At
first the frigate neemed desirous to bring him to action, but the
determined approach of the Amazon made him fly with every rac^
of sail : he ran through the Grand Paiss, and got under Bregauyon j
t Compare Mevue Maritime et Colonialc, Kor. 1884 ; torn. Ixuiii. p. 261.
Z
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338
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1804
soiuo of tlie ships lioisted their yards up. I am rather glad that
I'arker did not bring her to nrtion. for I think they mmt have
come out and taken him ; but 1 aduiire lii^ spirit and reaohition to
attack her uader all the disadvantages of situation, aud sack con-
duct will, some liappy day, meet its reward.
W e have not a aick man in the fleet, except Kent, who has been
to Malta.
Memo, As it is my intention to engiige the enemy as soon as possible,
2J Feb. should we fall in with them during the night, the fleet may expect
that signal No. 63 or 64 will be made. Lord Nelson has no dotibt
bat that great attention will be paid, that none bat ships of the
enemy will be fired into, for which purpose it is recommended not
only to be careful that the signal-lights for knowing each other are
clear, and well placed on the signal-etaflT, bat also that the ship
shoald be hailed, if there is the smallest doubt of her being a
French ship.
i.orii 8t. ^ f^l confident that there is not an officer in the servioe that
^tt^S^ bows with more respect to the orders of the Admiralty than myself;
but I am sure yon will agree with me, that if I form plans for the
sending home omr convoys, and the clearing the different parts of
•the station from privaiteeTB, and the other services requisite, and
that the Admiralty in some respects makes their arrangements, w«
must clash. For infltanoe, I judged it necessary, from the force of
the enemy in Toulon, to call the Donegal from watching L'Aigle
at Cadiz, and I din^oted Cyaptain Gore to take the Agincourt, and
with 'her to attend to tho French ship; for althougli the Aginconrt
could not catch her in rumiinjj, yet sh- would protect the trade
coming to and from the ^fcditerrantnin ; but [lier] being takea
away, 1 admit on an important service, has left L'Aigle at liberty,
although Gore has collected the three frigate?, ^ledu^a, Amphion,
and Maidstone, and means to attack her if she puts to sea. Bat
this laudable purpose interferes with the protection it is necessary
to give to the mouth of the Tagas ; and I much fear the Amphion^
who was ordered to lisbon, not going, has exposed our commerce
to the depredations of a large French privateer. Lord Robert Fits*
Gerald calls out, but I have not the means of doing all that is
necessary.
He then jcrooB on to Kyi-.d: r>f othor instances in which the Admiralty
arrangements bad clashed with his ; aud concludes :
I hope the Gibraltar when fitted will answer the Board's expect a-
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Ib04
HEALTH OF FLKETS
330
tion, but I finnly believe, when done, she will only be fit for a
s\Hiuju r s passage to England. I shall send her to Otway when
she can be si>ared from Naples. She La a very fiue ship, and in
excf'lU'nt order. My Irttor to Sir Hvan Nepeati, on my first arrival,
I i\nd every day was perlV-ctly corrrct. Tlic K^'ut is imder jur)'-
masts. 1 had rather have bestowed new masts upon her than the
other. However, we must very soon have a battle, and then we
shall all want new masts, &c*
Yesterday I received the favour of the fourth edition of your Dr.
i ii\ aluablf work on tropical disejises,' and with it your most kind iiHa^ii,
letter; and tiiough T know inyself not c(\\m\ to your praises, yet I
feel that my honest intentions for the good of the service have ever
been the same, and as I rise in rank, so do my exertions. The
great thing in all military sernce is health ; and you will agree
with me that it is easier for an officer to keep men healthy, than
fat a physictaii to cme them. Situated as this fleet has been,
withoat a friendly port where we coold get all the things so neces-
sary for ns, yet I hare, by ohanging the cruising ground, not
allowed the sameness of prospect to satiate the mind-^sometmies
by looking at Tonlon, Villafranca, Barcelona, and Rosas, then
♦ running round Minorca, Majorca, Sardinia, and Corsica : and two
or three times anchoring for a few days, and st nding a ship to the
lafet place for onions, which I find the best thing that can he given
to seamen ; having always g(3od mutton for the sick, cattle when
I wp can get them, and plenty of fresh water. In the winter it is
I the best plan to give half the allowance of grog, instead of all wine.
I These things are for the commander-in-chief to look to, but shut
' very nearly out from Spain, and only getting refreshments by stealth
from other places, my command has been an ardnons one.
I Comwailis has great merit for his persevering cruise, but he
has everything sent him, we have nothing. We seem forgotten
by the great folks at home. Our men*8 minds, however, are always
kept up with the daily hopes of meeting the enemy. I send you,
I as a curiosity, an account of our deaths, and sent to the hospital,
I out of six thousand men. The fleet put to sea on 18 May, 1803,
I and is still at sea ; not a ship has been refitted or recruited, ex-
ce{)tiTig what has been done at sea. You will readily believe that
all this must have shaken me. My sight is getting very bad, but
/ most not be sick until after the French tleet is taken.
I regret that I did not know of the Diana's being ordered to
» See pp. 4, 11. /
s 2
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LETTEIiS OF LORD NELSON
1804
Capt. Gore,
Med una,
17 MmnOi.
SIrJ.T.
Dnok-
19UMC1I.
Dr. Baird,
19 March.
Liout.
Wuotliuan,
31 Mardi.
England with the trade, as I wonld have detained the Braakel to
have assisted in the blockade of L'Aigle. Your intentions of at-
tacking that ship with the small squadron under your command
are certainly very laudable, but I do not consider your force by
any meuu^^ > i l al to it. I must, however, leave your judgment to
determine iijion this |H)int, as well as wilL rctrard to the future
an'Mii"'* 'incut of the slni)s iindt^r vonr orders ; and onlv observe that
the protection of our conimerce, and the destruction of the enemy's
privateers and cruisers, are most essential objects for your con-
sideration.
I hope to liold out, to beat your friend Admiral la Touche Tro-
ville, who took the command at Toulon the moment of his arrival
there. He was sent for on purpose, as he beat me at Boulogne, to
beat me again, but he seems very loth to try.
I am sure no man is more able to place our hospitals in a
proper state than yourself, and that you always bear in mind not
to be penny-wise and pontid-foolish. A small sum, well laid
out. will keep fleets healthy, but it requires large sums to mske a
sickly fleet healthy, besides the immense loss of personal services.
Health cannot be dearly bought at any price, if the fleet is never
sickly. By general exertions we have done well, but we have not
a place that we can be sure of supplies from, Spain will not give
as a live animal ; Naples dare not ; and Sardinia ought not : but
that is the only place we have a chance for frec^ provisions. God
knows how many days — it will not be many — that island will be
out of the hands oi' the French.
Admiral HoUoway having acquainted me by letter of your •
arrival in this country as an agent of transports, and also of your
being very equal to any important service, from your intelligence f
and observation; and the Lords Commissioners of the Admiraltv ,
having recommended me to send an officer of that description in
charge of the transports, I have llierefore thought proper to send i
you, and must recomuuiid to your serious attention the circum-
gtances in «reneral that are pa^siiiL,' in the Black Sea on the part of
Kubsia, who, it is said, is foriiiiug an aniiaTnont to a very consider-
able extent ; and although there is not the most distant idea that f
this armament will direct its operations against the interests of
Gn it Britain, yet it is essentially necessary that Its real intentions
should be discovered as early hh pnssil)Ie, and therefore you will]
let no opportunity escape you of obtaining all the information you
may be able to collect on this important subject.
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1804
LA TOUCH£ TRI^.V1LL£
And I must desire you will endeavour to f^ain a particular ac-
count of the naval force which Russia may have at Sebastopol and
Cherson (their two principal naval porta in the Black Sea), and to
what extent they are arming' tliprp. You will likewise endeavour
to obtain a knowledge of their fortifications, and what number of
guns is mounted on their different batteries, and whether they are
ftble to protect their trade. It will be advisable to ascertain
whether these armamcntf: are with a Tiew to check and oppose the
measDies of the French, should they attempt to poasess themselYeB
of the Morea. You will also endeayour to gain information of the
trade and manofactures carried on by tihe Russians in tihe ports
aboTe mentioned — what supplies of provisions and naval stores
might be drawn from that country, and upon what terms. In order
to obtain a perfect knowledge of the local situation of the Russian
territory in the Black Sea, you are to procure a chart of their
couutiy, which will assist you in fc^rming a more clear idea of the
places of principal importance, and endeavour by every me^ns to
obtain information of their present ami future intentions with reg-ard
to England, transmitting me a very full and correct account of your
observations on your return to Malta.
My reports say that the French have taken up at Leghorn a H. KlUot,
number of Greek vessels as transports. If they leave Leghorn
without troops, it is natural to suppose they are destined to take
the French troops from the coast of the Adriatic. If so, they must
either be destined for the Morea or Egypt. Information upon these
points is so important, to enable me to ibrm a probable guess at
the destination of the Toulon fleet, that no money or trouble ought
to be spared to obtain it. At eight o'clock yesterday morning, our
frigates saw the French fleet quite safe. I am going to Madalena
to get some refreshments^ for I am sorzy to say the scurvy has
made its appearance in several ships.
We are on the eve of rnreat events. Last week, at different ^?<?ft. Hoae,
times, two sail of the line put their heads outside Toulon ; and on ^ ^"
Thursday the 5th, in the afternoon, they all came out. We have
had a gale of wind and calm since ; therefore I do not know
whether they are returned to port or hn\o kept the sea. I have
only to wish to get alongside of them with the present fleet under
my command ; so highly officered and manned, the event ought
not to be doubted.
If we go on playing oat and in, we shall some day get at J.H.Fm.
them.
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342 LETTEBS OF LOBD NELSON 1804
Sir R. Ab tbe c'lieniy .s flevt has been out, and may still be at i^ea, and
7 April?"' ^ sbonld be very sorry to banlk their inclinations of a battle by
your superiority of numbers, you will, therefore, whenever I make
the signal, haul from as to the south ward, furl your top-gallant
sails so as not to be discovered from the shore, and just keep sio^bt
of U8 from the masthead ; and make the signal for your division
(except Excellent, who is going towards Tonlon), and do yon call
in Belleisle, tmlees I should call her by signal to me.
The irinilostan storo-ship, commanded hy Commander Le Gros,
cau*;ht tin\ and was totally destroyeil in the Bay of Rosas on 2 April;
and on tiie next day, 3 April, the Swift hired cutter, of eight 4-pounders
and 23 men, commanded by Lieutenant I^eake, was oaptamid by tiie
French privateer L'Esp^ranoe. Mr. Leake was killed in the action, but
the bulk of the despatches seem to have been thrown overboard, though
uncertainty as to their ftito gave Nelson great anxiety.
A.Davisou, Whatever I niiglit have had in the Hindostan is ^one, and also
10 April. j^ii f^jjp i^jtters in the Swift cutter. She was taken the 5th, and all
our despatches, letters, S:c. »^'c., are gone to Paris. I have only
had two despatches sent rae since my leaving England. One, the
British Fair, was very near taken in the Gut. The Swift, of the
force of twenty-three men and lx>y8, is taken by a thing of fifty-
three men and boys. How Government can think of sending
papers of consequence in such a vessel I cannot imagine. I snp-
pose we shall have a book of intercepted correspondence, with such
additions as the ingenious head of a Frenchman can invent.
Lord St. The loss of the Hindostan has been great; but from our care
^9 Apru. attention, I may truly say of every captain in the fleet, we
shall get on for the summer. It is an accident such a ship must
bo liable to; and if Captain Le Gros' account is correct (he is now
on his trial) he had great merit in the order in which the ship was
kept, and it must haye arose from either some of the medicine-
chests breaking, or from wet getting down, which caused thintrs to
heat. The preeervation of the crew seems little short of a miracle ;
I never read such a journal of exertions.
Misfortunes seldom come alone. The Juno very properly,
hearing of the accident, quitted her stotion off Cape St. Sebastian
the very day the Swift was taken, or that would have been pre*
vented. I send the account I have of that event to the Admiralty.
I only hope that no despatches of any consequence were entrusted
in such a veaseL Whatever they are, they are this day before
Bonaparte.
1 rely with confidence that, although the Admiralty for ever
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1804 BURNING OF THE HINDOBTAN 343
wnd tilieir despntohite, of whatom oonaeqnenoe, witiioiit the use of Loid
cipher, aoid trust to their being thzown OTerboard in ease of cap- Sii^i^
tore, yet, as I know the other departments of Chnreniment always
use cipher if of importanoe^ and although admirals are never
entrusted with capthers, yet I rely that yoor Lordship woald not
trust any despatch of consequence in a vessel with twenty-three
men, much les.s commit the interests and schemes of other powers
to such a conveyance. This is the only consolation I derive from
all the despatches being thiii day read by the First. Consul ; I wish
they were in his throat. T think a great deal on this matter, but
it may be prudent to hold my tongue.
In tnuumitting to the Admiralty the minutes of the oourt-martial
on Captain Le Qros, who washononrahly acquitted, Nelson added :
From every iuforrnjttion which T have received, the exertions of
(_aptain Le Cjros, his oihcer.s and sinps company, in the late un- ly April,
fortuniite business, des<:'rve p;reat comnicndution, and that to the
cool and collected conduct of Captain Le Gros is to be attributed
the preservation of their lives.
I expect the French ships from Ferrol, if thoy can escape our Lor.i
squadron, and then, probably, they will fight us. Till then they ^j^JJ-L*
will only tr}' to escape this squadron — certainly, I believe, the
finest we have at sea. You will have heard they have been playing
in and out of Toulon. They may carry their play further some
day than they intend.
As it is my determination to attack the French lleet in any place Memona»
where there is a reasonable prospect of getting fairly alongside of 28 April,
them, and as I think that in Hidres Bay, Golfe Jouan, Spezia, Leg-
horn Hoods, Ajaccio, and many other places, opportunities may
offer of attacking them, I therefore recommend that every captain
will make himself, by inquiries, as ^ly acquainted with the above-
mentioned places as possible — ^viz. for Hidres Bay, the Petite
Passe, Grande Passe, and passage from the eastward; Golfe Jouan
(of which I send a chart firom the latest surveys made), Spezia,
and, in particular, the northern passage into Leghorn Roads, from
which side it is only, in my opinion, possible to attack an enemy's
fleet to advantage; and with the Gnlf of Ajaccio.
In going in to attack an enemy's fleet, it is recommended, if
possible, to have the launch out, and hawsers and sireani-auchors
in her; and, with any other boats, to lay out of gun-shot, ready to
act as circumstances may require. Ships, in bringing up, will
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344
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1804
anchor as the captains may think best, from circnmstances of wind
and weather, and the position of the enemy ; bat I would recom-
mend strongly having the four largo anchors clear for letting go,
becaose I inow, from experience, the great difficulty, with crippled
masts and yards, getting an anchor over the side; and it is pro-*
bttble that it may be necessary to remove the ship after an action,
and to leave some of her anchors behind. The ships will anchor
in such a manner as to give each other mutual support for the
destruction of the enpmy.
A chart of Golle Jouan to be delivered to each ime-of-battle
ship.
Your letter of 10 April, notwithstanding it has been afloat in
the Mediterranean six days, conveys to us very late news. I wish
onr Government in their important communications with mewonld
direct their despatches to Mr. Frere at Madrid, and direct him to
forward them by a confidential person to Barcelona, where almost
every week I send a fVijrute for information : then such distressing
circumstances as liave happt iiod to the cutter could not take place.
Bonaparte rend all the public despatches on 16 April. I wish they
had choked him.
T wisli T was sure that our letters are not read by the way ;
howcNcr, what I am going to say cannot do mnch harm. The
French have 14,000 men ready for embarkation at Toulon ; as many
more in the heel of Italy. They only want more ships ; and my
information leads me to suppose that certainly the [? Rochefort]
squadron is destined for the Mediterranean, and also the Brest fleet,
either before or after they may have thrown their cargo of troops
on shore in Ireland. Egypt and the Morea supposed to be their
next object after their English and Irish schemes. Onr force here
is not equal to such a force united to the Toulon fleet, which is ten
sail of the line, seven of which are full manned. . . . Our ships,
hulks many of them, are but iu a very iudillerent state ; however,
we can [? muster] nine sail of the line at sea. 1 do not choose to
say more upon this subject, but this 1 may pride myself upon, that
no man ever commanded a fleet better mnnned, more healthy, or
where greater unanimity prevailed, than the one 1 have the h«inour
of commanding. I believe the Jiussian fleet from the Black tSea
is by, this time in the Mediterranean: their object I can only
guess^at, for I have not a word of information or a scrap of a pen
from England since the end of January.
' Of this Ictlor, Nicolas has given only a short extract. It is priuted at full
length In lady Chatterton's lA/e qf Lord Qamhier, vol. ii. p. 2.
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1801
OFF TOULON
I am trnly sensible of the hotionr you do me in expressing a
wish to serve nnder me, bnt you have always proved yourself so
equal to command a fleet, that it would be a sin to place yon in
any other situation.; and my services are very uearly at an end, for
in addition to other infirmities, I am nearly blind. However, I hope
to fight one more battle^ and then, unless my health and sight mend,
which is not very likely, I ought, perhaps, to lay down the cudgels,
and coiisok* myself with the idea that ther<^ art' - it any mun- able
officers than ever I could pretend to be, ready lo take them up.
On 3 May, vSir William Bolton in tho Oiiklf-rs, with the Swift ^loop,
was ordered to cruiso oil' Tunis for three Ki pncli privateers reported as
in that neighiioui lioud. To the orders was added the following memo-
randum, the draught of which wajs written by Lord Nelson's own hand:
In looking for these privateers mentioned in my order of this
date, I would recommend, if the wind is favourable, sending a boat
into 8. Fietro, sonth-west end of Sardinia, for information, as last
year that was their place of great resort ; bnt it is possible tiiey
may lay under the Isle of Vaoea or Toro^ and keep people on the
top to give them information.
From S. Pietro, or Toro, I would advise making Galita,
running close round it. This island I do not consider as belong-
ing to any state which can give it neutrality. From thence, passing
imder the l iianes, and either pass between IHuno Island and the
pMint of T'orto I'iirina, or outside of it, steer for the islands of
Zi inbra, from which place last year one of these captains of I-'rench
privateers made captures of our slujis passintjr. usioL'" tlie Tunisian
flag, and dressing their men with turbans, &c. ; and on represeutmg
the capture, to the Bey of Tunis, his answer was that the islands
of Zembra were rocks in the sea, from which the English might
look out, as well as the French, but that prizes must not be taken
within gun-shot of his coast. It is therefore evident that the Bey
did not consider the Zembras as part of his coast, and therefore that
yon may take vessels dose to Zembra, and you may do the same
close to the rocks called Cannes, which are several mUes from the
shore ; but you will be very careful not to infringe the neutrality
of Tunis by making captures within cannon-shot of the shore.
Should you gain no intbnuation of the privat<3ers, you will stand
over to Pantellaria, and from thence to Maritimo, incpiiring at those
places, and Trapani, for information ; and not bein»( abln to get
such information as may lead you to suppose it in your power to
get at them, you will return and join me.
I would recommend disguising both the bngs from the moment
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LETTERS OF LORD KELSON
1804
of Beparaticm, and' I rely upon your exertionB in getting bold of
these gentry ; and^ if yon do, take tbem to Malta, and take care
the captains and officeia of the privateerB are not liberated npon
any accoant.
On 10 May Nelson sailed with the squadron for the Madalena
Islands, leavinp^ Captain Mouhray of the Active with a squadroTi of
four frifi^tes to koep watch on Toulon. Captain Moubray's instructions
were very detailed ; but the following sentences contain tlie gi^t of the
whole :
rnpf, Yoa will take an early opportanity of reconnoitring the enemy's
10 Mayf ' f<H^ <kt the above-mentioned placCi and as they are occasionally in
the habit of sending out two or three of their frigates (sometbaes
under cover of a ship of the line), you will perform this service with
proper caution, so as to enable you to ascertain their real dtnation
without the risk of being captured. And you will on the first
examination of Toulon, after my leaving you, send a frigate to
!Madalena with jm account [of the eut iny's motions], and continue
frequently with the rest of your ships to reconnoitre them during
my absence.
Memo, It is my directions that the artilleiy embaiked on board the
13 May. bomb-ships do, when in port, keep watch as sentinels, and when
at sea, in the same manner as the ship's company.
( .ipt. L. I am to desire you will proceed with his Majesty's ship Thisbe,
lu May!^*^* together with the victuallers under your charge, and join me on
rendezvous No. 102 [off Toulon]. In joining I must reconmsend you
will proceed tlirough the Straits of Bonifacio, passing on the west
side of the island of Corsica, and not attenij)t to go round Cape
Corse, as in the event of the wind conun^ strong from the NW,
it would l)e an awkward passage for a stranger, particularly with
victuallers under his charge.
From representations made to me, it appears that the officers
of artillery embarked on board his Majesty's bombs Thunder, Etna,
and Acheron, are entirely itrnornnt of the Act of I'arliament for
the regulation of his ^lajesty s ships, vessels, and forces by sea. Tt
is therefore my directions that you fieliver to theotricer of artillery
embarked to serve on board his Majesty's bomb Thunder, under
your command, the Act of l^arliament inclosed in a letter, in order
that in future he may not plead ignorance of the Act above
mentioned, as he will be made answerable for a breach of it.
Yon will direct the officer of artillery to muster, when you think
Cnpt.
('ocka.
Thunder,
19 May.
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1804 INSUBORDINATION OF SOJLDI£RH)FFIC£BS 347
necessary, the clothes of tlie artillery, RTi<i direct liiui to take care
that the men are kept in cleuuliuess and discipline, becoming Puoh
a fine body of men. Yon will give dir*^rtions tluit the mortal's and
artillery stores are examined occasioiiullv, in order timt thev may
be always tit for service, and direct the officer of artillery to report
ta you any defect in tliem, that saoh directions may be given as the
case shall require. Aud in every respect yon will pay the same
attention to the artillery embarked on board the bomb under your
command aa is paid to officers and men of the navy of like rank.
N.B. — letter of the abo^e tenor and date was delivered to the
commanders of tbe Etna and Acheron bomb-vessels.
On being joined by the bomb-vessels [Thander, Etna, and ^m-
Acheron], I was informed that on coming to sea, the artillerymen ^^yiJy!
were ordered to keep watch the same as the people comjwsing their
conipitiues, but were prevented from it l)y their officers, who \iuj1
directed them not to keep watch. Tlie conmianderb of the.^e vessels
not judging it prudent to enforce tlu-ir compliance, in conse(|uence,
I presume, of their Lordships* instructions to them respecting the
artillery^ allowed this measure, so sabversive of discipline, to remain
Ibr my directions ; and in consequence of such communication, I
gave out an order, dated the 13th inst., a copy of which is herewith
transmitted. [On the l^th], I found [it] necessary, from the con-
duct of the artiliery officers, to give [an order] to the respective com-
manders of the said bomb-vessels, [a copy of) which I desire yon
will please to li^ before the Lords Onnmissioners of the Admiralty
for their information ; and at the same time acqnaint their Lord-
ships that I have read their instmctions which have been given to
the commanders of the bombs, which may l)e interpreted as not ren-
dering the officers and soldiers embarked in the bomb-vessel.-, liable
to be tried by court-martial. I am, however, decidedly of opinion that
nothing short of an Act of the Leijfislaturp can lay aside the Acts
of Parliament by which our naval service is directed to be governed ;
and as these Acts clearly point out that soldiers are (with the excep-
tion of their being embarked in transport ships) as liable to the
regulations of that Act of Parliament as any seaman, and as it is
impossible that two commanders can exist in the same ship, and
the veiy salvation of our navy, perhaps of our countiy, depends
upon the perfect subordination of every individual to the com-
mander thereof, I have to request their Lordships will take this
most important subject into their serious consideration, that such
directionB may be given thereupon as the wisdom of Parliament
shall think proper j for, until the Act of rarliament is altered, I
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34S
LETTERS OF LORD KELSON
sliall lioKl it my in(lispt<nsal>le duty to enforce obedience from the
artillery officers hefore ment ioned to tlie orders (^f their respective
commanders, Ix^ it hy conrt-niartial or otlierwise, and comnuuiicate
the result to the coinniander-in-chief of the army in the Mediter-
ranean, in order that it may be laid before the king.
I lament that is necessary for me to call their Lordships'
attention to this very recent circumstiince of the army serving on
board his Majesty's fleet; the sea-lords, to whom 1 particularly
address myself on this most serioas subject, are well aware of the
dangerous tendency of insubordination, and of the consequences
which would result from placing the army, who serre in tbe
different ships, independent of the officers who command them.
On 24 Hay, as Rear-Admiral Campbell in the Canopus, with
Donegal and Amazon frigate, was close in with Cape Sepet, the main
l>ody of tho flf^ot heiiicr out of sight to seaward, five Fn^v lf ^hips of the
line, three frigates, and several gunboats came out of the harbour with
the evident intention of cutting oft' the small reconnoitring squadron.
OampheU of course made lail away from them; and the French, imwill-
ing to risk even the possibility of being drawn too £ar from the shelter
of their port, gave up the pursuit at 3.30 p.m. It was not till six houxB
later that the Ganopus and her consorts rejoined the fleet
B.-Aiiiuirai I am morc obliged to yon than I can express, for your not
24 ilfij/** allowing the very superior force of the enemy to bring you to
action. Whatever credit would have accrued to your own and
your gallant companions' exertions, no aonnd advantages could
have arisen to our country ; for so close to their own harbour they
could always have returned, and left your ships unfit, probably, to
keep the sea. I again, my dear admiral, thank you for your
conduct. Some day, very soon, I have no doubt but an opportunity
will offer of giving them fair battle.
G.R(Me» I have read with attention Mr. Pitt's speech respecting the
25M«y. Admiralty. My mind has been long fonned npoii that bul^ject ; and
with all my personal regard for Lord St. A inecnt, I am sorry to
see that he has l)een led astray by the opinion of ignorant ])eople.
^Jliere is scarcely a thing he has done since he has been at the
Admiralty that 1 have not heard him reprobate before he came to
the Board. X do not mean but that the attempt to prevent the
gross abnses in onr dockyards, &c. t^c, was laudable, but it is the
mode of reforming those abuses which 1 disapprove of ; but this is
too long a subject for me to enter into upon paper.
I had wrote a memoir, many months ago, upon the propriety
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1804 INSUBORDINATION OF SOLDIEB-OfTlCERS' 349
of a flotilla. T bad tlmt command at the end of last war, and I
know the necessity of it, even hiul you, and which you ought to
have, thirty or forty sail of the line in the Downs and North Sea,
besides frigates, &c, ; but having failed so entirely in submitting
my thoughts upon three points, I was disheartened. They were
upon tlie speedy manning the navy at the ^mmencement of a
war — the inducing the seamen to fly into the naval service instead
of from it — and for the better payment of prize-money. I have
not the vanity to think that any of my plans were perfect ; but
they were intended, by contradicting my plans, to bring forth
better : but nothing has been done, and something was and is
necessary.
Tliere is no real happiness in this world. With all content Lord Su
and snnles around me, up start these artillery hoys, T understand ^^jJJ^
they are not beyond that age, and 8«^t us all at detiance- sj^tviking
in the most disrespectful manner of the navy and its commanders,
&c. With your quickness, the matter w^ould have been settled,
and perhaps some of them been broke. I am perhaps more patient,
but I do assure yon not less resolved, if my plan of conciliation is
not attended to. You and I are on the eve of quitting the theatre
of our exploits, but we owe it to our successors, never, whilst we
have a tongue to speak, or a hand to write, to allow the navy to be
in the smaUest degree injured in its discipline by our conduct. If
these continued attacks upon the navy are to be carried on every
two or three years, it would be much better for the navy to have
its own corps of artillery'.
I have Ix'en olilij^^ed to write a letter to the Admiralty on the ^-j.-^
sidn'ect of soldiers embarked on board ships of war ; and I have Tr.m-
■ , bri'ic",
written it strong, as T know it must go further than yonr Hoard. (?)2oM»j,
It is the old history — trying to do away the Act of Parliament.
But I trust they will never succeed, for when they do, farewell to
our naval superiority ! We should be prettily command* d ! You
may say, 'they are not intended to command the navy, but that the
navy is not to command soldiers on board a ship.' Let them once
gain the step of being independent of the navy on board a ship,
and they will soon have the other, and conmiand us. It may be
said, * if the soldiers behave improperly, they would be tried by a
court-martial on shore.' Were that possible, of what members
could that court be composed? Mostly subalterns, I fancy, who
although we mijrht think the officer had behaved very improperly,
might, and probably would, think that he had behaved very properly.
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350 LETTESfiS OF LOBD NELSON 18M
to us soa-brutes. But thauk God, my dear Tronbridge, the king
himself cannot do away the Act of Parliament. Although my
career is nearly run, yet it would embitter my future days and ex-
piring moments to hear of our nayy being sacrificed to the army.
I can readily conceive the attempts of the army at this moment,
when they think themselveB of each great importance. The
Admiralty order might lead those wrong who do not know that
nothing but an Act of Parliament can do away an Act of Ptolia-
ment.
SirC M. I assure you that I most sincerely wish to promote Brown, who
26Mflj. ^ oriiaiiiLiit to our service; but alas! nobody will bo so good as
to die, nor will tlic Fiviinh kill us. What can I do? But I live in
hopi'S, ns the Fi-i'iu li keep playinnf al)<)iit the uionfh of Toulou
harlx)ur, that some ha]i])y day I sliall able to get a blow at tlu'in.
My system is the very contrary of blockadino', tlierefore T for on©
shall not be entitled to those thanks which the newspapers say the
Cit^ of London mean to give the blockading squadrons. I would
no more accept thanks for what T was conscious I did not merit,
than I would refuse them, and feel hurt at their not being giren
for a great victory, and it is cnrions I am likely to be plaoed in
both situations ; but such things are.
I am sure Lord St. Vincent ought to feel grateful for your
siealous support of his measnres; and I hope yon will stand by the
navy against all attempts to have soldiers plaoed in our ships inde-
pendent of the naval Act of Parliament, from whatever quarter it
may be attempted. When that takes place there is an end of our
navy — there cannot be two commanders in one ship.
His Majesty's ship Victory, on her passage to the Mediterranean,
. JJ*jJ^y°» captured th e Ambuscade French fiigate, manned her with a sufficient
nnmlx^r of officers and seamen, and directed her to proceed to
Gibraltar. On her way there, and after she had parted company
with the Victory, she fell in with and captured tihe Marie Th6rtee,
a French merchantman, and carried her with her to that place. On
the Ambuscade's arrival off the mole with her priae^ as above, the
Beyolntionnaire and Bittom, who were lying there, sent oat their
boats to the said merchant ship (knowing her to be the Ambuscade's
prize), and afterwards laid in their claim as joint captors in the
Vice-Admiralty Court at Gibraltar; but upon trial of tlie said
veSHel, their claim was thrown out, and the Marie Th^rdse con-
demned as sole and lei^al prize to the Victory. The a^rent con-
sequently (after keeping the proceeds a considerable time in his
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1004
DBorr OF adbokalt;
to meet the claims of those ships, in the event of any
having been estaUiahed by them in Engiand), not hearing of any
chum being made, sent the pfrize-money to the Victory for diatri-
botion, but has since acquainted the ctQ>tain of that ahip that the
Marie Th6r6ae is claimed as a droit of Admiralty. I therefore
request yon will be pleased to lay this particular case before the
Lords Comniissionera of the Admiralty, and move their Iy>rd!»hip8,
under the circumstances before nientioned, to order the Admiralty
claim (if any has been made) to Im withdrawn, ns I consider it a
very great hardship upon the officers and seamen of the Victory.'
The health of this fleet cannot be exceeded ; and i really believe Dr. Raini.
til at my shattered carcase is in the worst plight of the whole fleet. ^*^*
I have had a aort of rheumatic fever, they tell me ; but I have felt
the blood gashing np the left side of my head, and the moment it
covers the brain, I am fast asleep. I am now better of that ; and
with Tiolent pain in my side, and nightnaweats, with heat in the
evening, and qnite flnshed. The pain in my head, nor spasms,
I have not had for some time. Mr. Magrath, whom I admire for
his great abilities every day I live, gives me excellent remedies,
but we must lose such men from our service if the army goes on
in encouraging medical men whilst we do nothing. I am nure
much ought to be done for our naval surgeons, or how can we ex-
pect to keep valuable men ?
Expecting your Lordship's answer, I did not, of course, com- Lord
mence hostilities against the Day's cruisers. I meant that the £"m^,
28th of April was about the time of their sailing, and when an
effective blow might be struck. I do not think the Dey has
ventored to send his cmisers to sea. I have sent Captain Keats
to Algiers ; and nnless the Dey is set on, and supported by the
French against ns, I have every hope, that now Mr. Falcon is ont
of the question, matters will be amicably settled. As for three
bombs going against Algiers, I conld as soon whistle the walls
down. If force is to be used, not less than ten or twelve sail of
the line, and as niaiiy bombs as possible, could, in my opinion,
produce the proper effect of humbling hiin ; and T feel that a fleet
is not at this moment to be crippled on such a service.
• V. ! ■ in's opinion on this point was not lu-ld poo<l in a court of law. On
5 April, ISOo, the Lords of Appeal reversed tiie t<entence by which thn ^fnrie
Th6reso had been adjudged a prise to the Victory, and condemned the bhip aud
caigo at a droit of Admiial^.
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So2
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1804
H. EUIol^ You may safely rely tbat I ik ver trust n Oorsican or a Prrnch-
^ man. I would give the devil ail the good ones to take the re-
mainder.
I wonder tliat General Acton should for one moment believe
the professions of General St. Cyr, more especially coming through
the mouth of Micheroux, who I know of old. Did the Ereiich
ever appear friendly but for the purpose of more readily destroying
those whom they can cajole ? This word is English, although it
writes yery bad.
Sir A. J. The going on in the routine of a station, if interrupted, is like
7 June. stopping a watch — the whole machine gets wrong. . . . Mr. Elliot
wanted to send me a good Frenchman, that I might land and take
on board occasionally. My answer was, No ! I knew the forco nt
Toulon, and lliat nothingr would br of any use to me but a copy of
the French admiral's sailing' ordei"i». . . .
I send ynii (uir last I'aris papers; in addition to their contents,
the French fleet in Toulon lired a feu-de-joie, dressed ship, &c. on
the 3rd, for his taking upon himself the title of emperor. At Mar-
seilles they talk of peace, and yon will Bee the probability of a
chanfT*^ of administration. . . .
The Victory, in June 1803, captured a French tartan ; and, to
avoid being put into quarantine, he sunk her, and, as the captfiin
conceived, French property to the amount of several thousand
pounds. It was so truly disinterested a measure that it met my
most sincere approbation. . • .
Do not think I am tired of watching Mr. La Tonche Tr^ville.
I have now taken up a method of making bim angry. I have left
Sir Richard Bickerton, with pari of the fleet, twont y leatrueii from
hence, and, with five of the line, am preventing his cutting capers,
which he had dniu> for somo time past, off Tape Ricie. Mr. La
Touche has several times hoisttd his topsail-yards up; and on
4 June, we having hoisted the standard and saluted, he sent out-
side Sepet, about one mile, five sail of the line and two frigates,
and kept three sail and three frigates with their yards aloft, himself
one of them and the reaMdmiral another, therefore I did not
believe him in earnest ; however, we run as near as was proper,
and brought to. They formed a pretty line at sunset, and then
stood into iihe harbour. A ship of the line and frigate every
morning weigh, and stand between Sepet and La Malgue. Some
happy day I expect to see his eight sail, which are in the outer
road, come out ; and if he will get abreast of Porquerolle, 1 will
try what stuff he is made of; therefore you see I have no occasion
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1604 COWLAINIS AGAINST PRIVATEERS 353
to he fretful ; on the contran'', I am full of hopes, aud cuinmaud a
fleet whick never givea me an uneasy moment.
In October 1803, a complamt had been made hy the Neapolitan
minister in London, that lieatenant Shaw, eommanding the Spider
brig, had violated the nentrality of Oiigenti, by recapturing there three
English merchant ships, prizes of two French privateers. The case was
rpfeiTed to Nelson for investicration, but it was not till 8 June that he
was able fully to report on it ; when, inclosing the several letters and
affidavits, he added :
I oonsider Lieatenant Shaw's condact on this occasion very w.
meritorions and praiseworthy ; and I have to hope that their Lord- s^jll^^"'
ships' approbation of his conduct will be signified to liiiii ; for
while the Sicilian Government and that of the Republic of the
Seven Isles hold forth such retreatB, and. allow such pii'atical pro-
ceeding? by tlio enemy's privat/eers, from their ports, in violation
of the laws of neutrality, it certainly becomes the duty of every
British officer to captuie or destroy any enemy's vessel that attacks
Idm, wherever the attack is made. The piratical condact of the
enemy's privateers, which are allowed to use the harbours, bays,
creeks, Sbc,, of the Republic of the Seven Isles, from whence they
capture oar trade, and, when attacked, complain of a violation of
the neatrality, is so notoriously practised, to the great annoyance -
and destraction of oar trade, that I sabmit to their Lordships die
necessity of a veiy strong remonstrance being made to the govern*
ment of tbe Seven Islands, in order to prevent those privateers the
u&e of their harbours and ports, Sic.j fbr sach piratical purposes.
It was not only the enemy's privateers whose oondnot Nelson thus
stagmatlsed. An English privateer had apparently violated the neutra-
lity of Tunis. In forwarding the Bey's letter, NeLson wrote :
The disgraceful conduct of the pi u ateer in question calls loudly Lord
for redress, and nuiy involve unpleasant consequences between our JJ^jJjjJ
country and the Bey of Tunis, who yery justly demands redress,
and oonsiders that my power is not only equal to this measure, but
to prevent similar conduct in these pirates in future, I have ex-
ceedingly to lament that this line of conduct, so disgraceful to the
character of the British nation, is practised by the Gibraltar priva-
teers in these seas every day, as complaints are constantly laid
before me from the government of Sardinia of their nefarious con-
ducty which I have transmitted to tbe governor of Gibraltar for his
interference, as naval commanders have no authority whatever over
those pirates.
A A
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854
LETTEBS OF LOfiD NELSON
1804
\\ ith respect to sending prisoners of war to England in ships
charged with convoys, or in unoccupied transports, as nientioued
in your lettf*r, T must desire to observe tliat but ver^' few could
be pent in the ships of war; and certaiidy a very small num-
ber of deteruiiued prisoners, on board of any trans|>ort, might
at pleasure, by taking advantage of ilie night, rise upon her com-
pany and nm away with her. It therefore strikes me as a very
improper way of sending them to England, and I do not feel justi-
fied in acqaiescing in it without directions from the Admiralty for
that purpose. Bat ahoold Sir Alexander Ball wish to have any of
the officers sent from Malta to England in the manner before
mentioned, I have no objeotions to yonr doing so, as there cannot
be any consequences apprehended from two or three, nnder strict
watchfulness, being sent in any of the ships of war or transports.
I am in hopes to shame La Tonche ont of his nest ; and when
I reflect on his insult to my sovereigns, at Naples, in 1793, it will
V / V. « yjgoQf fjQ mj attack. My first object must ever be to keep
the French fleet in check, and if they put to sea, to have force
enongh with me to annihilate them ; and that, with Gfod's blessing,
I have no fbar of being able to perform. That wonld keep the Two
Sicilies free from any attack fixmi sea. If the French fleet could carry
12,000 men into the Bay of Naples, whilst their army was march-
ing by land, the consequences would be fatal to that capital. . . .
I am ghitl to find Russia thinks properly, and I trust there will
be no jealousies, but that both countries wH] try who can l)est
serve and save the Two Sicilies, Temporising may be necessary in,
small states, in large ones it ought not to happen — it is humiliat-
ing. Either peace, or 100,000 Russians and as many Austrians in
Italy; but I cannot help thinking that Bonaparte will wish for
peace rather than a war with two empires.
H. EUiot, ^0 ^ ^ nsnal : the French fleet safe in Tonlon, bnt, npon
18 Jiia«. 14th, Monsieur La Touche came ont with eight sail of the line
and six frigates, cut a caper off Sepet, and went in again. I was
off with five ships of the line, and brought to for his attack, although
I did not believe that anything was meant serious, but merely a
gasconade.
The French admiral's account of this ' caper * wasouriouBly diflbremt,
and on being published, not unnaturally drew some angry comments
from Ijord Nelson. The letter, dated ' le 26 prairial ' (lb Juue) *k bord
du Bucentaure,' ran :
*Gen^ral,--J'ail'honneurdcvousrendreconipte de la sortie de toute
Tescadre k mes ordres. Sur Tavis que .j'avaiB re9u que plurieurs corsaires
Capt.
Lftinb,
Transport
M.ilt.i.
b June.
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1804 LA TOUOHE TRlSviLLE'S LETTER 866
anglais infcstaient la cCAfi et lf'=^ ilcs criTit'i-os, je domni rorflm, il y a
trois jours, aux frt'f^ates Tlncorruptilile ot la Syit'iif, ct lo brick lo Fun t,
de se rendre dans la baie d'Hi^res. vent d est les ayant contrariees,
elles mouillerent t»ous le chateau ile Porc^ueroles. Uier matin, le8 en-
aemis en eforent oonnaissanoe. Yen midi, Us d^taehimii deux fr^tes
6t an Tftinflooo, qui entrimit par la grande passe, dans Fintention de
ocmper la letraite k nos frigates. Du moment ou je m'aper^us de sa
man<ru\'TP, jo fis signal d'apparoiller k toute roscadie ; cf qui fut exe-
CTit^. En 14 minutes, tout rtait sous voiles, et je tis porter surl ennenii
pour lui coupor le chimin de la })etite passe, et dans le dessein de I'y
suivre, s'il avait tent<^ d'y passer; mais I'amiral anglais ne tarda pas a
venonoer k son projet, rappela ion vaiBsean et see deux fin^tes engages
dans les Oes et prit chaase. Je I'ai poursuivi jnaqu'li la nuit ; fl conFait
an snd-est. Le matin, an jour, je n en ai en aucune connaissanoe. Je
Toos salne avee tespeot^ La. Tovchb TbAvilul'
The oondnct of all priyateers is, as far as I have seen, so near T. Jaduon,
piracy, that I only wonder any civilised nation can allow them.
The law t ill as well as unlawful commerce of the neutral flag is
subject to every violation and spoliatiou.
In case Earl St. Vincent and Sir Thomas Troubridge should Lord
not send yon mj letters to them respecting lihe condnct of soldiers uJmia!
embarked to aerra in his Majeat/s shipe, I tiiink it of great con-
sequence to the naval service yon should be informed of mj senti-
ments npon that subject. It requires not the gift of prescience to
assert, if soldiers embarked in ships of war are not, as heretofore,
left subject to the Act of Parliament for the government of his
Majesty's ships, vessels, and forces hy sea, whereon, as our fore-
fathers said, *the safety, wealth, and prosperity of the kingdom
chiefly depend,' that the navy, which we have all heretofore looked
tip to, will ]je ruined. The absolute power must remain ; there
cannot be two commanders in one ship, nor two sets of laws to
regulate the conduct of those embarked in the same bottom. I
will not, my Lord, take up your time in debating, whether it would
be better for the navy to be subject to the same Articles of War as
the army, but we may take a lesson from the epitaph, * I was
well ; I would be betted, and here I am.' My opinion is, ' Let well
alone.'
The loss [of Sardinia] to us will be great indeed. I do not Lord
think that the fleet can then be kept at sea. IVom Sardinia we J/i'v^**"
get water and fresh provisions; the loss of it would cut us oti ^i^June.
from Naples except by a circuitous route, for nil tlip purposes of
getting refreshments, even were Naples able to supply us. I have
hitherto watched Sardinia ; but at this moment^ when from the bad
condition of many of the ships under my command, I can barely
A AS ^
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356 LETTERS OF LOliD NELSON 1804
keep a safficient force at sea to attend to the French fleet, I have
not shipe to send to Madalena : not lees^ mj Lord, than ten frigates,
and as many good sloops, would enable me to do what I wish, and
wlmt, of course, I think absolntely necessary. But I am aware of
the great want of them in Englaiid, and that other services must
be starved to take care of home. If I w»>re iit your Lordships
elbow, I til ink I conld say so much upon the subject of Sardinia,
that attempts would be made to obtain it ; for thin I hold as clear,
that th(^ Kini^ of Sardinia cfinnot keep it, and, if he could, that it
is of no use to him ; that if IVance gets it, she commands the
Mediterranean ; and that by us it would be kept at a much smaller
expense than Malta : from its position, it is worth fifty Maltas.
Should the war continue, the blockade of Marseilles is a measure
absolutely essential, and the points necessary for us to occupy are
to be considered, and I think I conld satisfy yonr Lordship of the
probability of holding those positions : nothing could distress France
so mnch, and make her wish for peace with ns at present. Kot less
than forty sail a week go into MarseOles.
Marixiea, Commissioner Otway having informed me that by the present
80 Jm plan of haying the mail brougli t from Lisbon to Faro by land, the
letters become liable to a veiy heavy postage, and that there are
now many letters in the post-office for the seamen and petty
officers of the fleet unredeemed, I therefore request you will please
to couiniunicate to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that
from the very high charge of postage from i^isbon, it is impossible
that the seameu and i)etty officers can redeem their letters, and
pnbmit to their Lordships the propriety of directing the postage
thereof being paid by Government, as I understand has been done
on some former occasions.^
Donnelly ^ believe your orders are to cruise or anchor as you mav judg^
jN'arciMtu, best for carrying on the service entrusted to you, therefore vou
2 ^^-jj ^^j. ^ y^^^j . best. Your boats can be inside at night in
moderate weather, and in day-time you can work between the
islands, but I should wish you not to be out of the reach of
the fleet in case Monsienr La Toache should come oat of
his nest. I am obliged by yonr accounts of Hidres Bay. When
' On 27 April, 1771>, Rear- Admiral T' u rinLjton, in forwarding a memorial to a
similar effect, from the seamen of the West India fleet, said that the indulgence
had been granted in North America. At his request it was then also granted u*
the West Indies. No doubt there w«re later inetanoee to which Nelma here
more immediately aUades.
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DESIGNS OF RUSSIA
357
our fleets occupied it, the islands were not furtitied. The enemy,
I am sure, want to get some small ships of war to the eastward,
probably for the invasion of Sardinia ; and by disappointment for
some time, I think the fleet will be ordered out to fight close to
Toulon, that they may get iheir crippled ships in again, and that
we most then qnit the coast to repair our damages, and thus leave
the coast dear ; but my mind is fixed not to fight them, unless
with a westerly wind, outside the Hidres, and with an eis»terly
wind to the westward of Sicie. I am snre one of these days they
win come ont ; for, besides their degradation to all Europe, MarseilleB
must suffer for want of lier usual counnerce. I liave oiilv uf'ain to
repeat that you will keep under sail or aucliur as you please, and
I am sure you will always be upon your guard against a surprise
£rom a superior force.
We have nothing but incessant gales of wind, and I am abso- h KUiot,
lately worn out. From Gantheaume's having hoisted his flag at ' "**
Bresty I have no doubt but that an attempt will be made to get a
saperiority of force into the Mediterranean. However, our force is
diminishing daily. Kent, Eenown, and Gibraltar are gone for
any further use ; Superb and Triumph must go. Several <^ the
ships want to go into port to refit, and if I was to do as they do
in the Channel, I have not, by that mode of judging, four sidl fit
to keep the sea. I absolutely keep them out by management ; but
the time must come when we shall break up, unless the new Admi-
ralty act very differently from the old, and send out six sail of the
line and fifteen i'l igates and sloops ; and 1 do not l>elieve that the
late Admiralty have left them one to send. But I must not indulge
these thoughts, or I should say much more, but I pay it off with
thinking.
If Bussia goes to war with France, I hope it will be her own ^ Jnly*
war, and not joined with us. Such alliances have never benefited
our country. If the Emperor of Germany joins against France,
something good may arise. If not, Russia's going to war in the
way I am sure she will, wiU cause the loss of Naples and Sardiuia,
for that court will not send 100,000 men into Italy, and less are
useless for any grand purpose. No ; Russia will take care of the
Ionian Republic, the Morea, and, in the end, Constantinople. The
yiews of Russia are perfectly clear.
The French navy is daily increasing, both at Toulon and Brest,
whilst ours is as clearly going down-hill. It will require all Lord
Melville's abilitie.s to get our fleet ahead of that of the French. We
made use of the peace, not to recruit our navy, but to be the cause
r
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358
LETTERS OF LORD Nfil^SON
iao4
of its ruin. Nothing but a speedy battle, a complete aniuiiilatiou
of the enemy's fleets, and a seven years' peace, can get our Heet in
the order it ought to be ; therefore I, for one, do not wish to be
shackled with allies. I am for assisting Europe to the utmost of
oiur power, hat no treaties, which fingiand only keeps.
I hope your next letters from Kaples will give me the news to
alter my opinion of degenerate Eorope, for I am sick at heart at
the miseraUe cringing condnct of the great powers.
The fleet is as healthy as nsnal, bnt if the Admiralty do not
very largely reinforce this fleet, so as to enable me to send some
ship^s lionie and ot/liers into port to refit, it cannot be kept at sea
another winter.
y July. I luwl a letter yesterday from Kear-Adiniral Cockrane, who
commands off Ferrol. The French fleet at Brest, Kochefort, and
Ferrol are perfectly ready for sea, and we know they are ready at
Ubulon, and I have no doubt but that the Mediterranean will be
the scene of action. I only hope that it will very soon happen, or
1 shall have nothing to do with it, for I do assure yon that every
part of my constitation is broke up. ... A great expedition seems
fitting ont. I fear it iff to send abroad, when I think it might be
much more asefblly employed in the Mediterranean, and in tsidng
Belleisle.
Q. of It would be presnmptnons on my part to ventore to speak of
lu'ju^ political matters in a letter to yoor Majesty, but I cannot help
wishing that Europe was like a handful of rods against France. If
it be proper to give way to the times, let us temporise : if to make
war, let us all make it. On this principle I could have wished that
Russia had avoided war, nnless blie had l)een joined by Austria.
Then, acting lionourably side by aide, there would liave been some
hope from such a coalition. If Rnssia sends men and vessels to the
Ionian Kepnblic, and into the Morea only, 1 have no hesitation in
saying that she compromises Naples much more than if she had,
for the moment, bent to the storm. At least 50,000 troops (it
should be 100,000) are necessary to answer for the safety of ItaJy.
To say the trath, I do not believe we had in the last war, and,
according to all iq[ipearancey we shall not have in the present one
either, plans of a sufficiently grand scale to force France to keep
within her proper limits. Small measnres prodnce only small
results. I dare not let my pen run on. The intelligent mind of
your Majesty will readily comprehend the great things which
might be effected in the ^lediterraaean. On tliis side Bonaparte
is the most vulnerable. It is from here that it would be most easy
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1804 PKlVATJiEIlS AllE PUiATES 3oU
to mortify his pride, and ao &r humble Him as to make him accept
reasonable conditions of peace.
I have received your letter of 5 June, giving an account Capt.
of your having, on the 3rtl of that month, destroyed, and set fire to
a French privateer under the island of Fano. The destruction of '^^^^^y-
the t il -niy's privateers, who are so numerous in tin >e seas (and
contrary to all known laws of neutrality, shelter themselves, and
make a convenience of the neutral tenitoiy of the powers at amity
with Great Britain, from whence they commit the most nn warrant-
able depredations on our commerce), beoomoB an olvject of eerions
consideration, and certainly jostifiee an attack npon these pirates.
I therefore feel pleased with yonr oondnct in the destmction of the
privateer before mentioned, and shall write Mr. Foiesti, his Majesty's
minister at Corfu, to remonstrate against the conduct of those nn*
preoedented and sanctioned pirates, as I did in the instance of the
Thisbe ; for certainly the neutral territory that does not aflbrd
protection cannot be allowed to give it to the original breaker of
the neutraliu , and therefore, from the offenisive state of the priva-
teer in question, and her firing upon the Arrow's boats, T cannot
bnt apiip ivt' (if your having destroyed her ; but J must beg to be
perfectly understood, that 1 would on no account have the neu-
trality broken or disturbed by his Mafesty's ships or vessels, under
my command, firing upon any of the enemy's privateers or endea-
vooring to destroy them under the protection of a neutral port,
unless such privateers shall first use such offensive measures and
fire upon his Majesty's subjects, in which case they forfeit the
protection of the neutral port, and ought to be destroyed, if
possible.
As canvas was to be had at Naples, I cannot account for your N. Taylor,
having ordered such a quantity of it, and other stores, from Fiume, officer,
on your return to Naples from Malta, as there appears no nece.s!,it y
for '^nch a measure, and my instructions only justify your making
inquiry where naval stores may be had in case of emergency, and
not to purchase, except small quantities, and that in cases only
of absolute necessity, with the concurrence and authority of the
senior officer. I hope your conduct on this occasion will meet the
approbation of the Navy Board, and that the disbursement of the
public money in your department for every article purchased may
be perfectly correct, and entirely to their satis&ction.
In future, it is my directions that previous to the purchase of
any description of stores, yon consult with the senior officer on the
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360 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1804
necessity thereofi as well as to the exact qnantity of every article
wanted ; and upon Ids being perfectly and fiiUy satisfied of the
absolute and indispensable necessity of such temporary purchase,
yon are to obtain from him an order for that purpose, which mnst
specify the particnlar qnantity of every article intended to be ppo-
cnred, a copy of which order Sdc, yon will transmit to me imn^
diately (in the event of there not being time to make application
to me in the first instance, which is always to be done when prac-
ticable), and also an acconnt from the person of whom the purchase
is made, setting forth the (quantity and price of every article, in
order that T may, on any future occasion, satisfy myself with the
correctness thereof.
The jolly-boat for the Childers has been received, and also the
Victory's hammock-cloths, but I am extremely concerned to observe
the inattention which tbey have met witli in Malta yard. They
have been badly painted (if it may be called painting), as it is all
run in flecks, and peels off with the least touch. In addition to
this, a considerable part of one of them is entirely rotten. The
want of these hammock cloths will be severely felt, and thero ia
none on board to cover the men's bedding. A survey shall be
ordered upon them, and a report thereof sent to the Admiralty for
their Lordships' consideration.
On 31 July, Lord Nelson changed his flag from blue at the fore to
white.
The Lord Lord, — This day 1 nm honoured with yonr Lordship's letter
l^^agu»t ^ '^P"^ ^^^"^"^^tt'i^K r \ I lilt ions of the Corporation of
London, tliankinpr me as commandnig tiie fleet blockadinor Toulon.
I do assure your Lordship that there is not a man breathing who
sets a higher value upon the thanks of his fellow-citizens of London
than myself, but I should feel as much ashamed to receive them
for a particular service marked in the resolution, if I felt that I did
not come within that line of service, as I should feel hurt at having
a great victory passed over without notice. I beg to inform yonr
Lordship that the port of Toulon has never been blockaded by me,
quite the roverse ; every opportunity has been offbred the enemy
to put to sea, for it is there that we hope to realise the hopes and
expectations of our country, and I trust that they will not be
disappointed.
Your Ijordship will judge of my feelings upon seeing that all
the junior flag-officers of other fleets, and even some of the captains,
have received the thanks oi' the Corporation of London, whilst the
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1804
TOULON NOT BLOCKADED
361
jnxiior flag-officers of tha Mediterranean fleet are entirely omitted.
I own it baa strack me yery forcibly ; for, where tbe information of
the jnnior flagn^fficers and captains of other fleetfi was obtained, the
same information could hare been given of the flag-officers of this
fleet and the captains ; and it is my duty to state, that more able
and zealous flag-ofiicers and captains do not grace the British navy
than thuse I have the honour ami happiuetis to coniniand.
It likewise appears, my Lord, a most extraordinary circum-
stance, that Sir Richard Bickprton should have been, as second in
coiuniand in the Mediterranean tl rts. twice parsed over by the
Corporation of London : once alter the Egyptian expedition, when
the first and third in command were thanked, and now again!
Oonsdons of high desert instead of neglect, the rear-admiral
resolved to let the matter rest until he ooold have an opportanity
personally to call npon the Lord Mayor to account for snch an
eartraordinaiy omission, bat from this second omiasion I owe it to
that excellent officer not to pass it by. I do assure your Lordship,
that the constant, aeslons, and cordial support I have had in my
command, from both Rear*Admiral Sir Bichard Bickerton and
Rear-Admiral Campbell, has been such as calls forth all my thanks
and admiration. We liave shared to<>:etht'r tlie constant attention
of being fourteen months at sea, and are ready to share the dangers
and glory of a day of battle ; therefore it is impossible that I can
ever allow myself to be separated in thanks from such supporters.
My opinion of the views of Russia has long been formed, and
to this moment I see everythin<^ she does works to the same end —
the possession of all European Turkey. I have delivered my
opinion when in England how this plan of Russia might be turned
to much advantage for U8, and how it would operate againet France.
T kiinsv the importance of Malta, but T fancy I also know how
Itir its importance extends. On this point we may differ, but we
both agree that it never most be even risked falling into the hands
of liVance. . . . Look at the position of Sardinia ; I have tonched,
I recollect, before upon that subject, and yon should be viceroy. I
have warned the folks at home, bnt I fear in vain. Algiers will be
IVenoh in one year after a peace : yon see it, and a man may ran
and read, that is the plan of Bonaparte. And now I will not
plague yon with my nonsensical ideas any more, and have only to
hope Monsieur La Tonche, who says, in his letter to Paris,' that I
ran away from him on June 14, will give me an opportunity of
* Seetffiftf, p. 366.
362
LETTERS OF LOiU> ^nEL^JON
1804
Sir R.
4 Aygiist.
W.
7 Aagast.
W.
Maradcn,
7 Attgtut.
Bettling my acooant before I go home, wliich oaimot be macb
longer deferred.
I am sorry to tell you that my health, or rather oonstitottoi], is
BO much shook, that I doubt the possibility of my holding out
another winter without asses' milk and some months' quiet ; then
I may fjet on another campaign or two. But wlien I run over the
undermculioned wounds, eye in Corsica, belly off Cape St. Vin-
cent, arm at Teneriffe, head in Egypt, I ought to be thankful
that I am what 1 am. If Monsieur La Touche will give me the
meeting before I go home, it will probably finish my naval career.
He is ready, and^ by their handling their ships, apparently well
manned; but I command, for captains and crews, such a fleet as
I never have before seen, and it is impossible that any admiral
can be happier situated. Rotten ships neither rests with me nbr
them.
Two pursers who have been dismissed their situations for
improper conduct are both employed at Malta ; one as agent to
the hospital, and the other as agent to the contractors for pri<-
soners of war. The conduct of the former has already been ex-
tremely improper, as represented by Dr. Snipe to the sick and
hurt board, and it will naturally occur to their Lordships the
impropriety of appointing such characters to public situations
abroad.
I am informed it is the intention of the agent to the contractor
for prisoners of war to discontinue giving them fresh beef, and to
supply theui with salt in lieu, on account of the latter being so
much more reasonable than the former. I must therefore beg
to observe to their Lordships, that as prisoners of war are not
allowed wine, the giving them salt beef instead of fresh will, from
their long and close coniinement, naturally produce disease and
very dangerous consequences; and it is with much deference I
take the liberty of mentioning to their Lordships (as frenchmen
are in the habit of drinking Small wine in their own country)
the propriety of allowing prisoners of war a certain quantity each
per day.
In another letter of the same date, after acknowledmng a complaint
made by the Spanish minister of the misconductof an Knglish privateer,
he added:
Tf I had the least authority >vhatovcr in controlling the priva-
teers, whose conduct is so disgraceful to the British nation, I
would instantly take their commissions Irom them, but as naval
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1804 LA TOUCilE TKi\1LLE'S LETTER 363
commanders have no power over them whatever, I am obliged to
hear from the Sardinian Government and others of their daily de-
predations, without being able either to check or put n stup to it.
The only thing I can, therefore, do in the prei^ent instance (as 1 have
in several other similar ones) is to transmit your letter and its inclo-
Bure to the Governor of Gibraltar, that he may take such steps as
mskj appear to him proper to put a stop to the piratical proceed-
ings of such a horde of sanctioned robbers.
It is not necessaiy for me to point oat the disgracefol conduct s>r r.
of the Gibraltar privateers in these seaa, ae so many circumstances 7 x^^t,
most long ago have satisfied yon with this truth. I shall there-
fore say no more on the subject, and only beg to express a hope
that the most exemplary punishment may be inflicted upon the
delinquents, when the enormity of their crimes can be proved to
oonvictiony in order to deter them from future depredations.
I sincerely hope, now a change has taken place, that you will e.
get a ship. I attvibute none of the tyrannical conduct of the late a A^put
Board to Lord St, Vincent. For the earl I have a sincere regard,
bat he was dreadfully ill-advised, and I fear the service has
snflfezed much from their conduct.
X have been expecting Monsieur La Touche to give me the Rev. w.
meeting every day for this year past, and only hope he will come g A^ut
out before I go hence. • . . Ton will have seen his letter of how
he chased me and how I nm. I keep it ; and, by God, if I take
him he shall eat it !
Although I most certainly never thought of writing a line upon \v.
Monsieur La Touche's having cut a caper a few miles outside of ^'a^u
Toulon on 14 June, where he well knew I could not get at him
without placing the ships under the batteries which surround that
port, and that, liaJ i ctttacked him m that position, hv could re-
tire into his secure nest whenever he pleased, yet as that gentle-
man has thought proper to write a letter stating that the fleet
under my cdriimaiid ran away, and that he pursued it, perhaps it
may be thought necessaiy for me to say something. But I do
assure you that I know not what to say, except by a flat contra-
diction, for if my character is not established by this time for not
being apt to run away, it is not worth my time to attempt to put
the world right. It is not, therefore, with any such intention that
X stain my paper with a vaunting man's name, and therefore I
shall only state that the fleet I have the honour and happiness
to command is in the highest state of discipline, good order, good ^
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^64
LETTEBS OF LORD NELSON
1804
humour, uiitl good health, and tliat the united wiwhes of all are, I
am sure, to meet ^fonsieur La Touclie at sea : then I oiiL^ht not to
doubt that I slionld Ije a})le to write a letter equally satMactorj to
my king, my country, and myself.
I send you a copy of the ship's log. I observe that even the
retnm of MonBienr La Touche into Toulon is not noticed, so little
miut have been thought of the French returning into port that
day more than any othcnr. I send yon the bearings of the land
for the 14th and 15th, and the movements of the squadron on the
evening of the 14th June*
French fleet under Monsieur La Touche, eight sail of the line
and four frigates ; two fi-igates and a brig in Hidres Bay, who
joined in the night.
British fleet — five sail of the line and two frigates, one of
which, the Excellent, 74, and two frigates, did not join till the
middle of the night, having been sent into Hidres Bay.
{Canopus,
Belleisle,
Donegal,
Victory.
Movements of the squadron on the evening of 14 June, 1804.
At 5.43 P.M. — Prepared tor battle.
5.49 . . Eecalled the Excellent,
r 6.10 . . Formed the line of hattle.
Laying to< 7.28 . • Game to the wind together on the larboard
tack.
7.45 , . Tacked togetli^^r.
7.59 . . Formed tin < <rdor of sailing.
With which was inclosed the copy of the log :
* At 5 observed the enemj^s ship coming out of Toulon. In tteerin^
nllfl and royals and hauled in a line of battle on the starboard tack
(wind WNW). The enemy's ships consisting of eight sa i] of the line
find four frigati^s. (6-8 ; wind SW by W : up S by E, off SE by S.)
Wore ship. At 7.35 in let and 2d reefs of topsails. Moderate breezes
and clt^ar. At 8 Cape Sicie bore N\V l)y W 7 leagues : NW end of
Porquerolle, N 7 miles ; SE end of do. NE by E ^ E 7 miles. . » .
At noon, NW end of PorqueroUe, E by N ^ N 11 miles.
The Diligent transport has brought out frocks and trowsers for
the nse of the fleet under ray command, bat instead of their being
made of good Russia duck, formerly supplied the seamen of
his Majesty's navy, the frocks at is. Sd. each, and the trowsers at
4«. per pair, those sent out are made of coarse wrapper-stuti, uiid
w.
Mftrsden,
12 Augubt.
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1804
BADNESS OF SLOPS
3G5
the price increased — the firocks twopence each, and the trowsera
threepence per pair, which makes the former 4«. lOd. and the
latter 4«. 3d. I therefore think it necessary to send you one of
each, in order that their Lordships may judge of their quality
and price, and at the same time beg to observe, for their
information, that the issuing such coarse stuti to the people, who
have been accustomed to good Russia duck cheaper, will no doubt
occasion murmur and discontent, and may serious consequences.
I therefore am most decidedly of opinion that the contractor who
furnished such stuff ought to be hanged ; and little less, if any-
thing, is dae to those who have received them firom him. I shall
eaj no more on the subject, as their Lordships will natnraUj see
the propriety of this evil being remedied as early as possible.
We have an nnifi>rm sameness, day after day and month after Duke of
month — gales of wind for ever; m July we had seventeen days liTug^t.
Tery severe weather. The Mediterranean seems altered. However,
with nursing onr ships, we have roughed it out better than could
have been expected. I have always made it a rule never to con-
tend with the gales, and either ruu to the southward to escape
its violence, or furl all the sails and make the ships as easy as pos-
sible.
It is with much uneasiness of mind that I feel it my duty to w.
State to you, for the information of their Lordships, that I consider il"^^^!^^
my state of health to be such as to make it absolutely necessary
that I should return to England to re-establish it. Another winter
ench as the last I feel myself unable to stand against. A few
months of qniet may enable me to serve again next spring, and I
believe that no officer is more anxious to serve than myself. No
officer could be placed in a more enviable command than the one
I have the honour of being placed in, and no command ever pro-
duced so much happiness to a commander-in-chief, whether in the
flag-officers, the captains, or the good conduct of the crews of every
ship in this fleet ; and the constant marks of approbation for my
conduct which I have received from every court in the Mediter-
ranean leave me nothing to wish for but a better st;irt^ of liealth.
I have thought it necessary to state thus much, that their Lord-
ships might not for a moment suppose that I had any uneasiness
of mind upon any account. On the contrary, every person, of all
ranks and descriptions, seems only desirous to meet my wishes and
to give me satisfaction. I must therefore entreat their Lordships'
permission to return to England for the re-establishment of my
r
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306 LETT£BS OF LORD NELSON
hea3tii, and that their consent may reach me as soon as possible,
for I have deferred my application already too lung.
Mdville ^ kanw there are many admirals desirous of this comniaml, with
(?>l6Aug. better health and probably witli ^'reater abilities than myself, bnt
none who will serve with more zeal ; therefore T can hardly exp)ect,
Fhonld even my health be peribct, to be allowed to return to this,
iriy favourite command. But should any such plan occur to your
Lordship, it is my duty to state, and it is well known to the Board,
that the second in command here, who has held tlmt |)ost, and the
command of the fleet, for four years, Sir Richard Bickerton, is an
officer of not only distinguished merit, but also a most perfectly
coirect and safe officer, and fit to command any fleet.
Sir E. Yon will, I am sure, see with regret, that my shattered carcase
(?7io^Aug. requires rest. The leaving this fleet, whm everyone wishes to
please me, and where I am as happy as it is possible for a man
to be in a command, must make mo feel ; but I owe to my king
and country, and to myself, not to let the service suffer upon my
account. I have not interest, nor can I expect to be permitted to
return in the f^pring to this command. Vet is tins place, perhaps,
more fitted for me than any other — but I subnnt. All my wishes
now rest that I may meet Monsieur La Touche before October ia
over.
Sir A. J. The French ships have been out a few miles, but they see so
i9Aiigttit ^ coast is clear, that there is but very little prospect of
getting at them. They are now reported nine sail of the line in the
outer road, and seven or eight frigates. I am keeping as many
frigates as possible round me, fbr I know the value of them on tl]^
day of battle, and compared with that day, what signifies any prises
they might take ? I yet hope to get hold of them before my suc-
cessor arrives, then ten years will be added to my life. Althongh
I have uo particular complaint, my general constitution has suf-
fered much the last winter, anJ 1 ought not, in justice to myself,
to encounter another. 1 think either Sir Roger Curtis or Young
are likely to rome liere : either will do well, but they may leave
the command with Sir Richard Bickerton. . . ,
I send you, in confidence, a copy of my letter to the Admiralty
about Monsieur La Touche : they may do as they please, I care
not. Snch a liar is below my notice, except to thrash him,
which will be done, if in the power of, my dear Ball, your sincere
friend, Nbuson and Broktb.
I have every reason to tiliink, that if this fleet gets fairly up
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1804 mis AND HERMIONE 367
with Monsieur La Toucho, lu3 letter, with all his ingennitjj must Capt.
he different from his last. We had fancied that we had chased (}')iijAtig.
him into Toulon ; for blind as I am, I could see his water-line when
lie clued his topsails up, shutting in Sepet ; bat from the time of
Ilia meeting Captain Hawker in the Iris, I never heard of bis acting
oUierwise than as a poltroon and a liar.' Contempt is the best
mode of treating such a miscreant.
I dare say Monsieur La Touche will have a different sort of A.'O^viim,
letter to write, if I can once get a shake at him. Whether the
world thinks that I ran away or no, is to me a matter of great
indiff*erence. If my character is not fixed by this time, it is useless
for me to try to fix it at my time of life.
I have wrote to Lord Melville mj desire to return to this com- h. Riuot,
mand in March, or April, if I am removed, but the Administration
may have so many other admirals looking to them, that I may very
possibly be laid upon the shelf. I dare not presume to think that
with all my zeal aud attachment to their Sicilian Majesties, that I
am of sufficient importance for the king to express his wish to
England for my return. That must be lor bim to consider ; and
if he thinks proper to do it. nothing, I suppose, but a letter to his
brother George can do it, aud that must not go through me, but
through his minister Castelcicala*
With respect to the line of conduct necessary to be observ^ed Capt.
with the enemy's privateers under similar circumstances, it is 2^?*'*'
impossible for me to name any precise mode of proceeding; for if
the laws of neutrality are nob adhered to aud enforced by the powers
in amity with all the world, it will, T fear, if remonstrancf^s are not
attended to by those powen?, become necessary to destroy the
enemy's privateers wherever they may be found. But this measure
must not be resorted to until proofs of misconduct on the part of
our enemies have been made manifest. In that case I am clearly
* Beatsvn's Naml and MUUa/ry Memoirs, voL v. p. 47. Perhaps the most
aeoomte aocoiuit of the affair now attaumble U the foUo^rfng eztract firom the
Iris's log, 7 Junp, 1780, Sandy Hook, West, 28 leagues. 'At 7 a m ^.nv n'frtpate
beariog NW. Left off obasing the above vessels and chased the £rigate. Koon
after, she tacked and stood towards ns. Cleared ship for action. At about a
musket shot she hollfeed Fueoch coloars. Proved to be La Hermione, of 36 gans.
At 9 we bepraTi a close action, which continued an hour and twenty minntes, when
the French frigate made sail from us, with all the sail she could make. We
foUowed her for three-quarters of an hour, when another sail was seen ahead,
and we were obliged to haal our wind, when our fore-topsitil-yard wt nt ivxny,
and being very much damaged in our sails and rigging. We bad 7 men kiUud
and 9 wounded. Employed knotting, splicing, and reeving ntnning rigging.'
'Thursday, 8th, fresh breezes. Sec, kc' 'Friday, 9th, ditto.* *8etaid«j, 10th.
Inside the Hook. Unbent sail^ and moored ship.'
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1604
c>f opinion, that on the spot wlit're thf brracli of neutrality has
beexi committed by the French, tlie enemy has no right to claim
the protection of neutrality if he should be overpowered. I am
ante it is the furthest from the wish of our GU>venimeiit to break
the neutrality of an^ state, although the French may ; but it is no
longer a nentra) spot if the French are permitted to commit hos-
tilities against us.
Tho Sardinian Government had claimed as a deserter a man who
had eidiat«d at Madaleua. Nelson at once sent back the man, with a
request that, if found not to he a deserter, he might be returned. And
to Genenil VUletteB he wrote :
M. Ccnoral It is but an act of common justice, as they give up all ours.
And, to say the truth, I had rather that not one Corsican or Italian
was raised, if it is to be at the expense of perhaps losing double
the ntmiber of English seamen, for such is the love for roaming of
our men, that I am sure they would desert from heaven to hell,
merely for the sake of change. . . .
I never wish to see an Italian recruit. If they come, I most
receive them ; but I give no encouragement to the raising Italians.
Good Germans I cannot have any objections to. If the Russians
continue increasing their naval force in this country, I do not
think the French will venture t^ the eastward ; therefore I rather
expect they will, as the year advances, try to get out of the Straits,
and should they accomplish it with 7,000 troops on board, I am
sure we should lose half our West India Islands, for i think they
would go there^ and not to Ireland. Whatever may be their desti-
nation, I shall certainly follow, be it even to the East Indies.
Such a pursuit would do more, perhaps, towards restoring me to
health than all the doctors ; but I fear this is reserved for some
happier man. Not that I can complain ; I have had a good race
of glory, but we are never satisfied, altJiough I hope I am duly
thankAil for the past, but one cannot help, being at sea, longing
for a little more. La Tonche has given me the slip — ^he died of
the colic ; perhaps Bonaparte's, for they say he was a rank repu blican.
Dumanoir is the rear-admiral at present in Toulon.
I cannot bring myself to suppose but that one half of ike
admirals on tihe list will perform the duty of the Mediterranean
command as well, at least, as myself, and if the other half of
the admiral's list was to hear of my vanity they would think me
a fool; but be that as it may, I am very far from well. At
the same time, if I was to get better, nothing could please me so
Sir A. J.
Ball,
6 Sept
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1S04
THE GOOD IjKENCIIAIEN
3G9
much as rdtnming to this command ; bat I have no interest and
another will come, and I think yery probably Orde or Curtis —
Toung seems fixed at Plymouth.
I have read the account of the Marqnis Dasserto. I never in-
tended to hold anv communication with him. I considered him u.s
a French spy, and for that reason rpferred him to di])lomatic cha-
racters if lie had anything to communicate. Mr. Elliot wanted to
send me some good Frenchmen' to p-o ashore and to rrvt me infor-
mation. My [answer] to all these offers [is], ^ I can be told nothing
of any consequence to me ; but a co])y of the French admiral*8
orders, when lie is to pat to sea, and where he is destined to, is the
only oseful information I can care about. I can see the numhc^r
and force at Toulon any day I please, and as for the names of the
captains or admirals, I care not what they are called ; ' therefore,
as yon may suppose, I have none of these 'good Frenchmen'
about me.
I wish I had any sloops of war ; but you have them all to the
eastward and at Gibraltar; the Childers is the only one I can call
upon. The Termatrant is going to Gibraltar to be hove down. I
wrote to the Admiralty nntil I am tired, and tlu v have left off
answerini^ those parib ol'my letters. The late Admiralty thonu-htT
kept too many to the eastward of Sicily ; the Smyrna folks com])laiii
of me, so do the Adriatic, so they do between Cape Hata and ( iil)rttl-
tar. If I had them, 1 do assure you not one of them should go prize-
hunting — that I never have done ; and to this day, I can solemnly
assure you, that I am a poorer man than the day. I ly as ordered to
the Mediterranean command, by upwards of 1,000^. ; but money
I despise, except as it is useful, and I expect my prize-money is
embarked in the Toulon fleet. I should think, now the Russians
are getting so large a naval force into the Mediterranean, that the
Toulon fleet will not think of going to the eastward. I should
rather think the West Indies more likely for them to succeed in.
Suppose this fleet escapes, and gets out of the Straits, I rather
think I should bend my course to tlie westward ; for if they carry
7,000 men — with what Lhey have at Martinitpie and Guadeloupe —
St. r.ucia, Grenada, St. Vincent, Antigua, and St. Kitts would fall,
and in that case En<?land would be so clamorous for pt^ace that
we should humble ourselves. What do you think? Tell me. I
have weighed Ireland against the West Indies. With me the
latter throws the beam up to the ceiling ; but I may be wrong. It
■ See anie, pp. 824» 852.
B B ^
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370 LETXEBS OF LORD NELSON 1804
is at best l)ut a guesS| and the world attaches wisdom to him that
guesseB right.
Cnpt. Whereas I wish very much to be made acquainted with the
U^Svpt* anchorage and Grulf of Palma, in the island of Majorca, and as a
most favoarable opportanity now presents itself by the circum-
stance of the Cardinal Despuig wanting a passport from me, and
as he is brother to the viceroy, the Marquis de Monte Negro,
yon are therefore hereby required and directed to proceed to
Palma, and first by offering to salute the place upon the assurance
of an equal number of guns being returned, deliver my letter to
the cardinal, aud personally assure his eminence of my earnest
desire to meet his wishes ; so much so, that even should he wish to
go to Italy in the Ambuscade, that you are at liljerty to carry him
to eitlier CivitA Vecchia or Naples witliout any furtlior order from
me, provided his eminence ia ready to embark in forty -eight hours,
to which time 1 must limit your stay ; during which time you are
to examine not only everything laid down in the printed orders of
the Admiralty, but examine the general state of the island, its
forts, and the probability of its being taken in case of a Spanish
war. Yon will examine in the environs of Palma the best place
for landing troops, the situation of the forte or towers which are in
the gulf, the best mode of approaching the town, the strength of
ito fortifications, both on the land and sea side ; whether tiiere is
a ditch ; how deep ; and what is the probable height of the wall ;
whether ships could approacli near enough to batter the fortifica-
tions ; how bomb-vessols could act; what is the general pfarrison ;
in short, everything which my opinion of your gtjud ^^en.^e aud
abilities leads me to expect from you. Wliether, if the fleet was
to anchor there, that it would be ill or well received ; the cattle or
other refreshments it could obtain. Having made the observa-
tions Sec. at Palma as before mentioned, which must not detain
the Ambuscade more than two or three days, yon will leave that
place, and return and join the squadron on Bendesvons No. 97,
under Cape St. Sebastian, with all possible despatch, where yon
will find me, or orders for yotir further proceedings. But should
Cardinal Despuig express a desire to be conveyed to Italy in the
Ambuscade, you will receive his eminence and suite on board, and
proceed with them, with all convenient expedition, either to Civitii
Vecchia or Naples, where you will land theiiij and afterwards ro-
tum and join me on Rendezvous No. 97 without delay, as bef; »re
directed. You are not to wait for his eminence at Taloia, iii
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1804 SAVINGS FOB PROVISIONS 371
the event of his going with yon, longer than the time ahove
mentioned.
My complaints have not been so violent, but are siifficienf to Dr. Bnird
make me reqaire a few moiitbs' rest. Since 16 June, 1803, ^^J*^
I have never set my foot outside the ship. Experience teaches UB
that this climate is the worst in the world for hectic complaints —
at least it is bo at sea. Of the few men we have lost, nine in ten
are dead of consumption. Upon the hest mode of keeping a fleet
healthy much may be said and much must be done — ^there are
varioas opinions ; suffice it for me, that although other places may
be better, yet that we have no sick. We shall talk of this and
many other matters before any great length of time.
The measure of payini? for such provisions which the seamen ^v.
do not either take np, or which is not issued to them, either from 22 skpL '
scarcity or from its not being in the fleet, is so just that it cannot
be controverted, but upon the present case there seems doubts
whether the men have u right to be paid for the half allo%vanee of
oatmeal when no mohisses is to be priK iired. T am sure t)io\r
Lordships will s»»p the justness of the case as plainly ns I do. Eiudi
man was formerly allowed a pint of oatmeal ou certain days. As .
it was found tliat fjenerally a man could not got a pint of dry oat*-
meal down his throat, and, I suppose, thinking it no longer neces-
saiy to present this saving to the purser, half a pint of oatmeal
was issued instead of the pint, and in lieu of the other half-pint,
a proportion of molasses. It has sometimes occurred in the
Channel fleet that no molasses could be procured, nor was there
any allowance made for such temporary omissions. In the West
Indies cocoa and sugar are allowed ; in the Channel, I hear, tea
and sugar. In the Mediterranean we have no molasses, nor any
substitute, nor is our want of molasses temporary, but lasting.
I beg, therefore, with all due respect, to call their Lordships'
attention to the circumstance, and to propose that win 11 molasses
cannot be obtained, a proportion of sugar should be allowrd to be
mixed witli the ontmeal in lien of molasses; and that it" snpir
cannot be obtained, the men having no substitute in lieu, should
be paid the saving, ^& in all other species of provisions.
I have received von r letter of the Gth ultimo, aefiuaini int^ nie Lieut,
with the circnmstnnct' ofyonr having flnmjrpd Jol in ("art* r, seaman, spij^J.^
belonging to tlie Spider, on t lie 5th of that niontli; tliat soon after 4 October,
a shot was ilung from ibrward by some of the people, which fell
B B 2
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o —
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1804
Sir A. J.
Ball,
4 Ovtobor.
Lieut. R.
Spencer,
4 October.
close by you and Mr. Langdon, the master ; and in order to dis*
corer tlie offender you judged it necessary to threaten them with
individual pimishraent, which, as they wonld not confess, you had
inflicted upon each of your company, by calHii^^ tlieni over by the
w ;ilrli-l»ilij aiid giving them ado/.t-ii caeli. In answer to wliich, I
cannot approve of a measure so iuifiL''n to the ruleB of good disci-
pline and the iiccustoraed [practice of liis Majesty's nax'y'. and tliei-e-
fore caut ion you against a similar line of conduct. Had you Hxed
upon one or nioi e guilty individuals, and punished them severely,
it might have had the desired effect, or put them into oonfinement
and brought them to a court-mai-tial. I trust your watchful con-
duct will prevent any such confusion or disposition to riot from
happening again.
I sincerely hope that the Russians will not act 80 as to have
the Anstrians united with the French and Turks against them and
ns ; but Russia must be careful how she conducts herself in the
Ionian Republic and the Morea. I have great fears ; 1 think I
see mnch too close a connection between France and Austria, and
we know the Turks would jump to join such an alliance. The
times are big with great events. I wish my health was better. I
have mentioned to Lord Melville what you have thought about Sir
Itichard liickerton in case I slionld ))e able to return, but I do
not expect sncli a compliance. Time will show. Toulon was safe
on Sunday last, a^i Boyle will tell you. No admiral has hoisted
his flauf in tlie n)om of La Touche ; ' he is gone, and all his
lies with him. The French jmpers say he died in conse-
quence of walking so often up to the signal-post upon Sepet
to watch ns; I always pronounced that that would be his
death.
I have received your letter of 30 Tidy, acquainting me that,
on account of the weather, you judged it necessary to let the
four small vessels under your convoy on the 28th of that month
anchor to the southward of Gape Mnrro di Poroo, and took that
occasion to reconnoitre a vessel to leeward. In the meantime a
strange vessel came round the cape from Syracuse, which the
masters of those four vessels judging to be a privateer, cut their
cable, and ran down to you ; that on the sidd privateer observing
you stand towards her, she ran upon the rocks and landed her
men ; and that, from the frequent violations of neutrality which
* Died, 18 August.
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DEATH OF LOBD DUNCAN
373
the enemy's privateers had been p-nilty of, ymi jiirlged it a ^ond
occasion to chastise them. In answer to which, however much
the destruction of the enemy's privateers under the violation of
the laws of nentrality may be desired, I caanot, in the present in-
stance, justify yonr leaving the vessels nnder jonr convoy exposed
to the risk of capture, nnder any circnmstanoes whatever. Had
yon been in company with yonr convoy, a legal opportunity might
have offered for capturing or destroying the privateer allnded to.
The instroctions for officers charged with convoys are so strict and
well known, that I am sorry it becomes necessary for me to call
your most strict attention to them in future.
There is no man who more sincerely laments the heavy loss Lirut. h.
yon have sustained than myself; but the name of Duncan will 4 olil^"'^
never be forgot by Britain, and in particular by its navy, in
which service the remembrance of your worthy father will, I am
sure, grow up in you. I am sorry not to have a good sloop to
give you, but still an opening offers which I think will insure
your contirmation iis a commander. It is occitoiuiied by the very
ill state of health of Captain Corbet of the Bittern, who has re-
quested a few weeks' leave to reside on bhure at the hospital. You
will be cuntirmed before he resumes his command.
Mr. Elliot had written to Lord Kelson under date 8 September :
' My Lord, — I cannot sufficiently express the infinite regret with
whidi their Sicilian Maje.sti< .shave learnt your deteriDination of quitting
your command in the Mediterranean, uid of going to l^'^np:land this
winter for the re-establishment of your health. Their Sicilian Majesties
are in this not more conceniecl for your indisix)sitioii, tliau tliey are
anxious from the evil effects which they apprehend must ensue to their
interest, in consequence of your Lordship s absence from the Mediter-
ranean. I know it is the king's intention to write to the PriiKc of
CSastelcicala, to apply to the Britisli Qovemment for your Lordship's
speedy return to these seas, in orrler to resume the lii 'I1 command you
liave hitherto exercised, with no less credit to yourst-lt tliaii advantiigu
to the many countries whose future security rests t-ntirely upon the
skill by which a British admiral may be enabled to niaintaiu the supe-
riority of the British fleet over that of the enemy in the Mediterranean.
When such great interests are concerned, I shall not presume to dwell
upon my own feelings, although I cannot but recall to your Lordsliip,
that I only consented to depart as aVtrujitly ns I did from EiiLrland, to
undertake this arduous and ruinous niissio!), from the expectation that
my efforts to direct the councils of this Ivjngiloni would iiave l)een
seconded by your pre-eminent talents and judgment. Allow me, how-
ever, my Lord, in this emergency, to propose to your cimsideration a
' SccmihI f^tm of A<linir;il I.otiI T>nnv:iu. Tlic letter was accompanied by a
newspaper aanouncing the death of Lord Duacaa on 4 August.
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374
LBITERS OF LORD NELSON
1804
plan, concf^rning which 1 have already had much conversation with the
queen, and wliich, if it cau be adopted, will obviate many of the mis-
fortunes to which we should be exposed by your absence. As your
Lordship's health reqoiree that jou should not be expoeedto the rigours
of another winter^s cruise in the Gall of Lyons, it is the sincere wish of
this court that you would spend the aeyete months of the year either
here f»r at Palermo, without al)aiiflonin<jf your chief command in the
Mediterninean. 1 only do luy duty in suggesting this idea to your
Lordsliip, w ithout ventui ing to pres« upon you the many arguments by
which, 1 think, 1 could pixjve its expediency. You must be sensible,
my Lordf that no admiral who is not as well acquainted as yourself with
the political state of these kingdoms, or other eastern countries, and of
Russia, can possibly act with the same effect that you can do, when
there is every reason to expei't that the Kniperorof Russia, and perhaps
even the Ottoman Porte, will ultimately co-oporate with us in our
endeavours to set bounds to the lawless ambition of France. May my
representations upon this subject not come too late, as I am certain that
your departure fnnsk the Mediterranean will not less tend to encourage
our enemies, than to diminish the confidence of thoee friendly powers
who look towards your Lordship's abilities as to the surest means of
success.'
H. EUiotv I am truly sensible of the kind concern you exprees for the
7 October* health ; but you might be sure that, if I had not
found it indispensably nece>ssary, I should nut have made the ap-
j)lication for a few mouths' rest. If I am able, it is my wish to
return ; for where such liiibuuudud confidence is placed, I should
feel n ymist not to exert myself. Lonu^ l^efore this time. Lord
Melville has fixed upon whether 1 am to return ; or another
admiral ia, most probably, at this moment upon his passage.
Being on shore, either in Sicily or Naples, would not relieve my
mind of the charge entrusted to me, for my thoughts would al-
ways be off Toulon, and I should feel answerable for measures
which I do not direct. If the Admiralty choose to leave Sir
Richard Bickertun, the Mediterranean cannot be left in the hands
of a more correct and discreet officer. I beg yon will express to
their Majesties my true sense of all their gracious goodness
towards me.
On the afternoon of 23 August, an oflicer and boat's crew from the
Bittern boarded three Dutch vessels in the mole at Niiples, in search
of four deserters. Not finding thoni, t)i< y |)roceeded to a French brig,
the master of which positively refu^5e(i to allow his vessel to be examined
without an order from the French ambassador. The oflBcer on this le-
tumed to the Bittern for further orders. Nothing more, however, took
place ; but the Neapolitan Government made a fonnal complaint to
Nelson, which drew from him the following reply :
The trivial, although certainly irregular conduct of the Bit-
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18M INFAMOUS CONDUCT OF PRIVATEEBS 375
tern 8 boat, was not wortli the time of your Excellency to wTite to JJjJJ^^
a public minister. In the first instance, if the captain of the port, 7 oetobw.
or naval officer, had gone with the complaint to Captain Malcolm,
he would, in the first instance, hare not only disapproTed the pro-
ceeding, bnt reprimanded the officer, as he has done when com*
mnnicated to Idm, for his conduct. The searching for deserters,
or for men absent from their ships, has in all countries been
tolerated. If improper conduct is pursued, certainly it is cause
for just offence ; but none is stated to h;i\ c liapjx^ned. All vessels
intlu' mole of Naples are neutrals, as lar as relates to any of the
bt'lliL't^nMit powers ; tlu'rclore no ofit-nce could h*- •rivon to i-itber
1' reach or Dutch. It may be an irregularity searching fur absent
seamen, but it is tolerated by all nations. Do not other nations
look for their men eveiy day at Naples ? Certainly they do. But
it is my wish to have our conduct so correct, that envy and malice
itself should not be able to find &ult with us, and to contrast our
conduct with that of French armed vessels in the mole of Naples
to the British officers and men.
I have sent Mr. Elliot the officer's * report of his destroying
the privateer upon the coast of Sicily, and I have already directed
a strict inquiry into the transaction ; for although the conduct of
the enemy's privateers is so infanious, and in deiiauce of all lawsof
neutrality, yet their doing wrong is no rule why we sliould. There
is a general principle which I have laid down for the regidation of
the officers' conduct under my command — which is never to break
the neutrality of any port or place. But never to cnnsiiler as
neutral any place from whence an attack m allowed to be made—
the attacker forfeits all neutrality.
The result of this inquiry shall be sent to Naples as soon as
possible ; and I beg leave to request that your E.\cellency will
assure his Sicilian Majesty that the strictest justice shall be done^
as far as is in the power of your Excellency's most obedient, humble
servant, NELSON and Bbontb.
The fault of the Bittern's officer was nothing if he conducted H. EiUot,
liiniself properly. It is an irregularity committed by all nations,
every day, in every ])ort. But certainly Captain Malcolm's repfi-
mand was full and ainplo for every hurt which the foot of a British
officer could do in tramp]in<^ upon the deck of a Trench or Dutch
ship. I certainly wish nothing to be done which could in any
> Lieutenant Robert Spencer^ oommanding the Benard ecliooner.
ante, p. S72.
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376
L£TT£fiS OF LORD NELSON
1804
manner commit the good King ot Naples with the French. They
wish for nothing better. I send your Exctjlleucy Lieutenant
Spencer's letter. I have not approve<i of his conduct, for althoucrh
I have no doubt but that this vessel would have committed herself,
yet as she does not appear to have done it, under that presumption
Mr. Spencer was hasty. This privateer has before, I dare say,
broke tlio neatitdity ; at least, I hope, for Mr. Spencer's sake, thafc
it will appear so in the inquiry I have ordered. The conduct of the
French in Sicily, and of many of the govemorB, has been shame-
ful. Nothing would prevent their being complained of but the
consideration of the very delicate eituation of his Sicilian Majesty,
Capt Gore, Last night I received your letter of 1 October, with a copy of
is^uT* Captain Graham Moore's orders from Admiral Comwallis, whidi
has filled me with astonishment. But without presuming to set
myself in opposition to the Honourable Admiral's orders, there is
a duty which I owe my countr)- tliat, althouirh 1 risk the most
precious thing" to me in tlie world — my commission — I feel it my
duty to give you my full opinion of the line of conduct you ouglit
to pursue on this most extraordinary occasion ; and to enable you
iAj form a complete judgment of the conclusion 1 sliall draw for
your guidance, I shEill detail to you what I think may have led
Admiral Cornwallis to have given this most extraordinary order of
sending a frigate to cruise upon this station.
It is reported to me by Mr. Hunter, oonsnl-general at Madrid,
that [? IBj September, the Spanish squadron at Ferrol dropped
down the harbour, having on board a number of Spanish troops, in-
tendingtocarry them to theprovince of Biscay, then in insurrection.
(N.B. The passes by land into Biscay are very difficult, and
probably in the hands of the insurgents.) On 14 September
Admiral Cochrane wrote the Spanish admiral, that as the French
openly dechued that they should sail with the Spanish smuuirou,
that he should attack [them], and that he hoped nothing would
happen to interrupt the neutrality, &c. Admiral Cochrane, in his
letter to Mr. HiiiittM' of the 15th [said], 'the pretext to carry
trcK)ps to Biscay is too flimsy to go down ' (I use Mr. Hunter's own
words). Mr. Hunter goes on to say, in consequence of what he
has written by the Naitid, an 1 a liat, of coarse, Mr. Frere will
represent personally, the admiral expects instructions and a rein*
foroement. This letter is dated Madrid, 22 September. On tiie
26th Mr. H. writes, ' Admiral Cochrane's letter seems to have had
an almost instantaneous effect.' It was dated the 14th, and on
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OFF FERBOL
the 17th the ships retorned to tlie arsenal, or inner liarboar, and
the troops were landed and ordertd to go by land. Now, sup-
posing the Naiad lelt Ferrol the 14th} she could not have got to
England, and orders be sent oat to Admiral Comwallis by the
22nd ; therefore it is my decided opinion that the orders emanated
from Admiral Comwallis in oonaeqaence of Admiral Gochrane's
letter. But, upon the whole proceedings of Spain, as far as have
come to my knowledge, and from the best consideration which my
abilities enable nie to give to this most important subject, I am
clearly of opinion that Spain has no wish to go to war with Eng-
land, nor can I think that En«<Iand has any wish to go to war
uunecesHtirily with Spain. Tlu n fore, unlrss you have much
weightier reasons than the ord<*r ol" Admiral Comwallis, ov that
you receive orders from the Admiralty, it is my most jxjsitive
directions that neither yon, or any ship under yonr orders, do
molest or interrupt in any manner the lawful commerce of Spain,
with whom we are at perfect peace and amity.
This letter, which is interesting as showing the writer's correct views
of the circumstances preceding the seizure of the Spanish treasure ships
on 5 October and the war with Spain, was not fnnvarded, Nelsort Iriving
received Marsden's letter, dated 19 September, a few hours later. It
ran:
' My Lord, — I have it in oommaud from my Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty, to send you herewith a copy of their Lordships' order,
of yestenlay's date, to Admiral Comwallis, respecting the blockade of
the port of Ferroi, and to signify their direction to you to take such
ra«isures of precaution as may he necessary for opposing or countemct-
ing any hostile attempts of the gox ( rnmcnt or subjects of Spain against
his Majesty's dominions, or the tratle of his Majesty's subjects, within
the limits of your command. Your Lordship is, however, not to suffer
any act of hoetUity or aggression (with the exception of detaming for
further orders ships having treasure on hoard belonging to the Spanish
Government) to be conimitted by thesliips under your command towards
the dominions; or subjects of Spain, until you receive further onlers, or
until your Lordship sluill have received, from uiKiiH stionabie autherity,
positive information of hostilities having been committed by the subjects
of Spain against his Majesty's interests,'
And thb inclosed a copy of the orders which had been sent to Com*
wall is.
' M(^ Secret :■— You are hereby reqnired and directed to give im-
mediate* orders to Tlear-xVdiniral Cochrane, to continue the Moi kade of
the port of Ferrol with tlie utmost vi£»ilanet', not rmly w ith tin' view of
preventing the French s<{ua<^lroit from escjiping fruui that port, hut like-
wise with a view of preventing any of the Spanish ships of war from
sailing from Ferrol, or any ad£tional ships of war from entering that
port : and if, in consequence of your correspondence with Rear- Admiral
Cochrane, yon should be of opinion that the force under the rear-admiral
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LETTEB8 OF LOSD KELSON
1804
is not adequate to tlic puq^oscs aT)Ovc mpntioiuHl, you are without dolay
to reinforce tlie squadron under liis c-oiuinniid, and measures will be
taken witli all possible expedition to send out to you asutticient number
of skips to replace the force which you may so detach. You are to send
intnnation to the Spanuh GoTernment^ through Bear- Admiral Ooob-
rane, of the inBtructioiis yoa have given to tine re&r-admiral, and of
your determination, in consequence thereof, to resist, under the present
circumstances, tlie sailing either of the French or Spanisli fleets, if any
attempt for that purpose should be made hy either of them. And
whereas information has l>eeii received that some frigates are speedily
expected to arrive at Cadiz, loaded with treasure from South America,
yon are to loee no time in detadung two of the frigates under yoor com-
mand, with orders to their captains to proceed wil£ all pcesible despatch
off Cadiz, and the entrance of the Straits, and to use their best endea-
vours, in conjunction witli any of his Majesty's sMps they may find there,
to intercept, if possible, the vessels in which the above-mentioned
treasure may be contained, and to detain them until his Majesty's
pleasure shall be further known. Given under our hands, the 18th
September, 1804. J. Gambibb, Jno. Colpots, Fb. Patton.'
And thns instead of the cancelled lettelr to Captaan Goie^ a letter
was sent to Sir Richard Stracban inclosing a copy Ot these papers, and
directing him to attend to them.
L1«nnH.F. I have read with mucli satisfaction your letter of 8 October,
..ui man, i^^^^ giving the account of the Black Sea, of its ports, and what
you think may be procured from thence ; the clearness with which
everj'thing is stated dot^s you the greatest credit.
I shall not fail to tn\n?!nit von r very interesting: letter to Lord
^lelville, and frotn his Lortlship s liberal way of thinking, I flatter
myself he will be induced to notice, in a satisfactory manner, your
indefatigable and important exertions. For myseii", I selected you
for this service of observation from the character 1 had heard of
you, and which your conduct has most fully justified, and I beg
you will accept my sincere thanks for your services. As you must
necessarily have been at some expenses, I desire you will send me
an account of them, that they may be paid. In addition to your
other interesting papers, I beg you will send me a copy of your
log-book, that courses, distances, marks for anchorage &c. dec. may
be known.
Hallowell thinks the ministers will not name another com-
mander-in-chief, but see if I am able to return. I do not think so,
for they are so beset by admirals. Sir John Orde, I am told, is
likely. Lord Radstock is trying, so is Sir Boger Onrtis ; and if a
Spanish war comes, Lord Keith loves a little money, and a great
deal much better. Time will bring many strange things to
■ See anU, p. 840.
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2U Oct.
Sir A. J.
22 Oct.
804
WAU WITH SPAiX
379
lasB, bat I betiere can never alter the slnoere, affectionate regard
if your most attached and aincere friend, Nelson and Bbonte.
The weather was rerj thick when I looked into Totdon, but I ^Jj'J
relieve a vice-admiral has hoisted his flag, his name I have not so Oct.
'et heard. They now amuse themselves with night-.^i^n als, and
)y the quantity of rocketii uud blue lights they show witli every
lignal, they plainly riuirk their position. Tlit se gentlemen must
f^on be so perfect in theory, that they will com*' to sea to put their
. iH)\\ ledge into practice. Could I bee that day, it would ixiuke me
lappy.
On 5 November, Mr. Frere demanded his passports: on the 27th, the
>mrt of Madrid issued a decree, stating that the English having attacked
Spanish ships of war, and detained merchant vessels, reprisals were to
>e made on British property; and on 12 Becemher, Spain declared war
jgainst England.
The appearances of a rupture with Spain induced me to pro- W._^
!eed off this place, in hopes of hearing from his Majesty's minister S"SJr!**
X the Court of Mjidrid ; or, should he not think it proper to write ^^^^^
1^ me, that I might be able to form a judgment whether war or
eaoe was likely to take place of the uncertainty which for some
^eeks past has prevailed. For this purpose I sent the Fisgard to
losas for the purpose of watching, and desiring water and refresh-
aents. The governor seemed veiy anxious that he should anchor
letween the forts, when he told the officer the ship should be
urnished with whatever she wanted. In short, his conduct, from
•udeness, was so polite, that no doubt was entr : Ui- ii.* 1 in Lord
slark Kerr's mind of the views of the ^Spanish governor, and he
oined me last night.
The Ambuscade, which I stationed off Barcelona, joineti me
his morning, with a merchant brig which was lying i" f^arcelona
loads. She was j-esterday, on her attempting to join the Ambus-
!ade, fired at by the batteries, and very niuch damaged, but she
sscaped.
The fleet is perfection itself. We have just captured a com-
plete regiment going to Minorca.
In consequence of this firing at the brig by the Barcelona batteries,
kelson at once issued a general order to ' The rcsjx'ctivf* On ptaiTis and
Commanders,' wlu'ch. premisin^^ that hostilities liad conmipuct'd betwrt n
ireat Britain and 8pain, required and directed them on falling in with
»ny Spanish ship or vessel of war, or merchantman belonging to the
nibjects of lus Gktholic Majesty, or having Spanish property on board,
o use theur utmost endeavour to capture, seize^ bum, sink, or destroy
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1804
W.
M»r!«dcn,
23 Hov.
ConimLsar.
Otway,
Gibraltar,
24 ^OT.
Sir A. J.
Ball.
8ft Nov.
5 Dec.
them. Merchaut ships, if captured, were to be sent iu to await hia
Majesty's pleasure. The order was premature; for it afterwards ap-
peared that the mfbnuation was inexiftct, and Nelson wrote a few days
later :
I have since been infonned that the l^ujrlish vessel alluded to
was st^nt irouj Barci huia to perform (|uarautiiie at Mahoo, but on
her attempting to enter that place, she was fired upon by the
batteries and very much damaged — perhaps from its being con-
sidered she had the plague aboard, or come from some place where
it was raging. The said vessel afterwards fell in with the Ambus*
cade, and joined the squadron iu company with her. I judge it
proper to clear up this mistake, lest hereafter it may become a
matter of public discussion with Spain.
You ai*e so attentive to all our wants, that I am sure vou will
very soon procure canvas for us. Captain Hardy has a mizen-
topsail made of Neapolitan canvas. It has been five months iu
wear, and as we have the custom of laying-to with that sail, it has
had much wear^ and we find it very excellent, and far preferable
to English canvas ; for as there is no gum or size to fill up the
poreSy it does not mildew. Captain Haidy desires me to say that
our top-lining is of Neapolitan canvas, which bears the beating
much better than the harsh English canvas.
A lieut/enant, late of the Bitt<^m, who came down in the
Childers, told me, that in the mouth of the Adriatic they fell in
with the Algerine fleet, consisting of three frigates and nine cor-
vettes; but as Captain Corbet hss not mentioned it, I should
almost doubt it but from the drcumstantial account Lieutenant
Nicholas gave. Now, if this is really so, I should like to know it,
and if they are still at sea, for I have the very gi^eatest inclination,
if I could lay my hands upon the whole fleet, to waylay them,
for they have, in my opinion, insulted us Ijeyond what we ought to
have suilered. I iic\ cr would have given up a single point, for it
only encourages them in their more insolent demumis. But if you
can tell me that his cruisers have this year takeii a single Maltese
vessel, I will try and take or destroy his whoh' lleet, for 1 can
stretch over to tlie coast of Barbnry, between Tunis and Algiers ;
but I will not strike unless I can hit him hard, for I would sooner
allow two or tliree of his small cruisers to pass unmolested than to
give the scoundrel an idea of my intentions.
No Sir John Orde, uo orders, no letters from England ; very
extraordinary. I almost begin to think that he is sent off Cadiz to
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1804 ORDE OFF CADIZ 381
reap the golden harvest, as Campbell was sent off Cadiz by Corn-
wallis (by orders from England) to reap my sugar harvest. It's
very odd, two Admiralties to treat me so : surely 1 have dreamt that
I have 'done the State some service/ But never mind; I am
snperior to those who could treat me so. When am I to be re-
lieved? Seventy-six days since my last letter from the Admiralty.
Poor Admiral Campbell sailed yesterday for England, very ill with
debility, hectic fever, &c,, bat he cheered np on going away. I
shall not trouble yon with all my conjectures about Sir John Orders
never communicating with me for the three weeks he has been off
Cadiz.
Sir John Orde had in fact written on 1 7 November, announcing his
arrival in command of a squadron off Cadiz. The letter, however, did
not reach Nelson till 15 December.
Since the Spanish hostilities — ^for I hardly know whether I am ii. KiHot,
to call it war — have not had the smallest communication with ^
the continent ; therefore I am in most total darkness. I received
yesterday tlie inclosed from Sir John Orde. I have learnt not to
be surprised at anything ; but the senrliuir an officer to such a point,
to tako, if it is a Spanish war, the whole liarvest, aft-pr all my toils
(God knows unprofilal)le enough! for lam a much iioorer man than
when we started in tlie Ampliioii), seems a little hard ; but pfizienza.
I suppose iSir John, in the end, will command here. I am but very
very so-so. My cough, if not soon removed, will stay by me for
ever. On the 12th, the French fleet were safe in Toulon, but I
am firmly of opinion before this day forttiight they will be at sea.
What would I give to know their destination ! But I must take
my chance, and I hope my usual good fortune will attend me. On
14 Januaiy I shall be at Madalena; therefore if you want to
send over in a Neapolitan corvette any despatches, it will be sure
to find me there for some days — ^perhaps a fortnight or upwards.
That position secures Sicily and Naples, and you will assure their
Majesties that must be an object ever most near my heart. It is
now ninety days Bince I have heard from England ; it is rather
long at these critical times. Sir John Orde has three cutters and
four or five fine brigs atttvched to his squadron; but no — ^not one
for me. Such things are.
The Swiftsure joined the squadron yesterday evening, off Cape vv.
St. Sebastian, in my way to reconnoitre the enemy's force at Se^"*
Toulon, which, from every information I have received, are em-
barking troops and preparing for some immediate expedition.
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LEITEIIS OF LOUD NKLSON
1804
I shall, agreeable tlieir Lordships' orders, take <Jie said ship
under my comniantl, and also the Tribune on her jv>iiii!vg the
squadron from Malta, to which place she has proceeded with the
cMuvoy from England. The fleet is in perfect good hcaltli and good
liiimour, unequalled by anytluiiL^ which lias ever come within my
knowledge, and equal to the moat active service which the times
may call for or the country expect of them.*
t^^iiee^ I believe you oould liave hardly thought it possible that any
man could have been sent to toke the chance of a few pounds
prize-money from me, in return for all my hard service. At this
muiiient, I am a6 poor as when 1 h ft you at Portsmouth ; but my
spirit is above riches, and nothing can shake my firm resolution to
do my duty to my country. I respect T^ord ^^elvill(^ and shall
pTObal)ly give him my support, when the great Sir John Orde will
not thank him for his great favour. Lord Melville is a liberal-
minded man, and he may oblige me some other way, in giving me
something for some of my relatione. God knows, in my own
person I spend as little money as any man ; but you know I love
to give away. The moment an admiral arrives in the room of
Admiral Campbell, I shall sail; for although this winter is hitherto
so much milder than the last, yet I feel it pretty severely.
'i'he business of an English commander-in-chief being first to
bring an enemy's fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms
to himself (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the
enemy as expeditiously as possible), and secondly to contlnnp
them there, without separating, until the business is decided ; I
am sensible beyond this object it is not necessary that I should say
a word, being fully assured that the admirals and captains of the
fleet I have the honour to command will, knowing my pi ecise
object, that of a close and decisive battle, supply any deficiency in
I It IB not uDinterestiog to notice ihh use of tbLs plirase.
< The exact date of this memoniiiduin is quite imoertsiD. Clarke and
McArthur, from whose work it is taken (vol. ii. p, 427), assigm it to the period of
the West Indian voyapc, Bfrty— July lSOr>. But ns at that time tho enemy's
fleet consisted of 18 ships uf the line, and even in tho earlier outbreak from
Toalon in January it consisted of 1 1, whilst this memorandum provides specially
for the attack on an enemy's fleet of 8, it must l>e referred U> a rlatc at whirh a
battle with a fleet of 8 seemed imminent. Now it was with 8 ships of the line
that I* ToQcbe *eat his caper' outside Toulon on 14 June, 1804 : and for two
months after that the strength of the French fleet in Toulon rested at 8. Tho
memorandum thprefore probably belongs to June Augu«t 1804 ; possibly earlier;
certainly not later. On 9 August, 1801, the French were reported as haviug a
ninth ^ip rradyforsea; nor<l>M s t heir namber» after that date, seem to have
been ever smaller. Clarke and Me Arthur fi{>eak of several copies nf the pa]>.T.
and of one especially sent to Lord Barham, at the Admiralty ; but hearcii in the
Public Reoocd Office has failed to discover either thig or any other copy.
^\
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Meino-
rhn(lutn«
(?) June-
August
1804.*
1804
TACTICAL SPECULATIONS
my not making signals ; which may, if not extended beyond these
objects, either be misnnderstood, or, if waited for, very probably,
from varions canses, be impossible for the commander-in-chief to
make. Therefore it will only be requisite for me to state, in as few
words as possible, the various modes in which it may be necessary
for me to obtain my object, on which depends not only the honour
and L^lory of onr country, but possibly its safety, and with it that
of all Europe, from French tyranny and oppression.
If the two fleets are both willing to fight, bat little manoeuv-
ring is necessary ; the less the better — a day is floon lost in tliat
business. Therefore I will only suppose that tlie enemy's fleet being
to leeward, standing close upon a wind on the starboard tack, and
that I am nearly ahead of them, standing on the larboard tack ; of
course I should weather them. The weather must be supposed to be
moderate, for if it be a gale of wind, the manoeuvring of both fleets
is but of little avail, and probably no decisive action would take
place with the whole fleet. Two modes present themselves. One
to stand on, just out of gun-shot, until the van-ship of Tiiy line
would be about the centre ship of the enemy, then nuikc the signal
to wear together, then bear up, engage with all our force the six
or five van-ships of the enemy, passinsr, certainly, if opportunity
offered, thronp^h their line. This would prevent their bearing up,
and the action, from the known bravery and conduct of the admirals
and captains, would certainly be decisive ; the [two or three] rear-
ships of the enemy would act as they please, and our ships would
give a good account of them should they persist in mixing with
oar ships. The other mode would be to stand under an easy but
commanding sail, directly for their heiCdmost ship, so as to prevent
the enemy from knowing whether I should pass to leeward or
windward of him. In that situation I would make the signal to
engnge the enemy to leeward, and to cut through their fleet at>out
the sixth ship from the van, passing very close ; they being on a
wind and you going large, coulil cut their line when you please.
Thi^ van-ships of the enemy would, by the time our rear came
abreast of tlio van-ship, be severely cut up, and our van could not
expect to escape damage. 1 would then have our rear-ship, and
every ship in succession, wear, continue the action with either the
van-ship or second ship, as it might appear most eligible from her
crippled state ; and this mode pursued, I see nothing to prevent
the capture of the five or six ships of the enemy's van. The two
or three ships of the enemy's rear must either bear up or wear, and
in either case, although they would be in a bett3r plight probably
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384 LETTERS OF LOKD KELSON IdOS
than our two van-.^lii|» (now the rear) yet they would be separated,
and at a di.stance to leeward, so as to irive our ships time to rt^tit ;
and by tliat time, T Ix licvo. tlic l>attle would, from the judgment
of the ttdiriiral ain] captains, be over with the rest of them.
Signals from these moments are useless, when every man is dip-
posed to do his duty. The great object is for hp to support each
other, and to keep close to the enemy, and to leeward of him.
If the enemy are running away, then the only signals necessary
will be, to engage the enemy as arriving up with them ; and the
other ships to pass on for the second, third, &c., giving, if possible,
a close fire into the enemy in passing, taking care to give oar
ships engaged notice of your intention.
Sir John Orde brought me ottt my leave to go to England for
ii-^inu*^ the re-establishment of my health, and many suppose that, the
1S06. moment I had passed the Straits, he would take upon him the
command. Others suppose Sir John Golpoys will he my successor,
and there are others that think I shall return, if my health permits,
and that my services will continue to be acceptable. However, I
have kept my permission a profound secret in the fleet. Ever} body
expects that it will come, therefore do not mention my having
received it t>o either Captain Sotheron or Captain Malcolm, although
you may to the king and queen. 1 do assure you that notliiug has
kept me here but the fear for the escape of the French fleet, and
til at they should get to either Naples or Sicily in the short days ;
and that when I go I shall h'ave such instruction*' with Sir Richard
Bickerton (who I am sure will follow them well up) to guard the
Two Sicilies as he would the apple of his eye ; and nothing but
gratitude to those good sovereigns could have induced me to stay
one moment after Sir John Orde's extraordinary command, for
his general conduct towards me is not such as I had a right to
expect.
The French fleet sailed from Toulon on Friday last, the 18th.
Our frigates saw part of them all day, and were chased by some of
the ships. At ten o'clock the same night they were in the French
fleet, then nearly in the latitude of Ajaccio, steering south, or
S by W, the direct course for the island of Toro, south end of
Sardinia, it blowing a strong gale at NW and a heavy sea. The
French were then, by Captain Moubray's account, carrying a heavy
press of sail. At three o'clock in the afternoon of the 19th,
Captain Moubray made his report to me at Madalena, and at six
the whole fleet was at sea, with a fresh breeze at WNW, steering to
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Sir J.
22 Jan.
1806
SEARCH FOR THE FRENCH FLEET
885
the soutJiward along the Sardinian shore, intending to push for
the south end of Sardinia, where I could have little fear but that I
should meet them ; for, finom all I have heard from the captains of
the frigates, the enemy must be bound round the south end of
Sardinia, but whether to Oagliari, Sicilj, the Morea, or Kgypt, I
am most completely in ignorance. I believe they have six or
seven thousand troops on board. On the 20th we were taken with
a heavy gale at SSW, which has arrested our progress. It is now
(eight o'clock on the morning of the 22nd) at W by S, and we are
sixteen leagues east from Cape Carbonara, blowing fresh, with a
heavy sea, so tliat 1 staiul no cliance of closing with ^Sardinia
to-day. I have sent a frigate to both Cuglimi and the island of
St. Pierre, to try and get information; and although I have only
one frigate with me, I send her to your Excellency, that you
may be put upon your guard in case the enemy are bound to
Hicily ; and I beg that you will send likewise to Naples, in case
their passing the south end of Sardinia should be a feint in order
to deceive me. But I rather think they believe I am off Cape
^ St. Sebastian, where I am often forced to take shelter. If the
French have had similar winds to ns, it was impossible they could
be round Toro before the morning of the 20th ; and since that
time, tUl this morning, they have had no winds which would allow
them to weather Maritimo, if they are destined for either Egypt or
the Morea. It is alniost ini|)088ible they can have passed us and
gone to Naples, and I am at this moment in the best possible
position for int^»rcepting them, should that ]je their destination.
I must U' ^aiided in all my future movements by information
which i may receive; therefore T can only assure your Excellency
of my ardent desire to fall in with them, and that no exertion of
mine shall be wanting to annihilate them.
From the middle of December, I had information from various w.
places, and amongst others from the King of Sardinia, that the |f^J|J^
French were assembling troops near Toulon, and had taken some ^Hro of
of the best troops and a corps of cavalry from the Riviera of Genoa.
Captain Gapel obtained information that every seaman was pressed
and sent to Toulon. On the 16th the Active spoke a vessel from
Marseilles, who reported that seven thousand troops were em*
barked on board the French fleet. The wind had been near four-
teen days easterly, from NE to SE ; therefore, if the enemy had Ix^en
bound to the westward, they could have gone with a lair wind.
On the 18tli the enemy put to sea, st^erin^^ for the south end of
Sardinia. On the 19th X was informed of it, and put to sea
GC
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SS6
LETTKliS OF LOKD KELSON
1605
from the Madalena Islands that evening. On the 2l8t a French
frigate was seen off the south end of Sardinia hy the Seahorse,
but the wtather was so thick and gale so strong, that Captain
Boylp could not see thi'ir fleet, and she joined me the 22nd with
the intbrination : but it wns, Irom heavy gales, the 26th K-fore I
could communicate with Cagliari, at which plat r (lipy knew no-
thing of the enemy. On the same day the Phccbe joined with in-
formation that a French ship of eighty guns had put into Ajaccio
on the 19th, in tlie evening, with the loss of her topmasts and
otherwise much crippled. Tlie Soahoi-so was detached to Naples
the 25th with information. On the 27th I was off Palermo and
communicated with Sir John Acton; and the news which the
Court of Naples has from Paris of 5 January makes them fear
that Sicily might be the object of the enemy's armament.
One 0^ two things must have hap]>ened, that either the French
fleet must have put back crippled, or that they are gone to the east-
ward, probably to Kirypt, therefore I find no difficulty in pursuing
the line ul' conduct I have mlnptt'd. If the enemy have put \mck
cripples], T could never '»vertake them, and therefore I can do no
hann in g'>ii)^' to the eastward; and if the enemy are gone to the
eastward, 1 am right.
12 Febu I now know that th(» enemy's fleet came out of Toulon on
17 January, with a gentle breeze from the NW, and waited
between that and the Hidres Islands until the breeze freshened on
the 18th, when they proceeded with a strong gale.
grA. J. French fleet may possibly be severely crippled, and put
SI Jan. into various ports. On the 22nd, in the evening, in a gale WSW,
the Hydra saw three large ships running along shore toward St.
Fiorenzo, but as Captain Mundy did not know the enemy's fleet
had sailed, lie thou^dit they might be some of our ships.
I have sent ^lurgiana t<j look into Elba and St. Fiorenzo, then
to drop a letter fi-r me either at Madalenji, St. Piern>, or CaLdiari,
and pnx^eed to Malta; Bittern to Tunis and Pantellaria, then to
^lalta ; Seahorse round Cape Corse, or through the Madaleua
Islands, off Toulon. Hydra round the south end of Sardinia, or
Madalena off Toulon. Active, orders left at Messina, round either
end of the islands or through Bonifacio, off Toulon. Each ordered
to send letters for me to St. Pierre, I^ladalena, and Cagliari, and
to Malta. Termagant to cruise off Toro fourteen days ; PhcBbe to
Coron, round by Gozo of Candia. I shall proceed as winds, or
information, or the getting no information may make me judge
proi>er ; you shall hear of me. If I return I shall call perhaps off
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1805 SE.1RCII FOR THE FKENCH FLEET 387
IXalta, but that mast be very ttncertain. Celerity, in my move-
ments may catch these fellows yet. By reports of veasels firou
Toulon, taken by Termagant, eleven sail of the line and nine
frigates and corvettes — ^twenty sail of ships in the whole. I shall
only hope to fall in with them. I should be nnworthy of my com-
mand if I dared to doubt the event with such a fine fleet as 1 have
the happiness of commaiidiug.
On the evening ol 7 February the fleet was off Alexandria, but did
not anchor.
Although I have not yet heard of the French fleet and remain n Feb.
in total ignorance where they are got to, yet to this moment I am 2'^^^!^^
more confirmed in my opinion, from communicating with Alex*
andria, that Egypt was the destination of the French armament
from Toulon ; and when I call all the circumstances which I know
at this moment, I approve (if nobody else does) of my own con-
duct in acting as I have done. We know the saocess of a man's
measures is the criterion by which we judge of the wisdom or folly
of his measures. I have done my best. I feel I have done riu:ht ;
and should ministers think otherwise, they must get bomebudy
else of more wisdom ; for greater zeal I will turn my back on no
man. The following are the circumstances which made me form
my opinion, and the situation in which I found Eg}'pt warrants
the judgment I had formed. On these points it is fair to judge
me, and not upon what it is now known the French fleet have done.
The winds had blown from NE to SE for a fortnight before they
sailed : therefore it was fair to presume they were not bound to
the westward. On the 17th they came ont of Toulon with gentle
breezes at NNW, and lay between Giens and the Hidres Islands
till the gale set in on the 18th, in the afternoon. Had they been
bound to Naples, it would have been better for them to have gone to
the eastward, along their own coast, in fine weather, with friendly
ports open to them. If Cagliari was their object, although I
think of very great importance, yet their fleet ran the risk of a
battle, and the event, I fancy, they hardly doubt. Almost as much
micrht be said of Sicily, for if the French army took Naples, the
king would, I think, sul).->ci ibe to such terms as Bonaparte would
dictate : however, I did not choose to run that risk, but assured
myself they had neither gone to Sardinia, Naples, nor Sicily. The
French sailed with a strong gale at NW and NNW, steering south
or SW, on the 19th. One of their ships put into Ajaccio, crippled.
On the 2l8t Boyle saw a French frigate off the south end of
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LETTERS OF LOIU) NELSON
1805
Sardinia, probably looking for stragglers ; tbey might have been
crippled and dispersed in the very heavy gale in which they left
their own shore. On the 25th I was off T'a Lilian; on the 30th
the Seahorse joined from Naples ; the same day I passed the Faro.
On 2 February was off the Morea; on the 7th was off Alex-
andria, where we found three Turkish frigates, not more than
800 bad soldiers, and, in short, not the least probability of making
a defence had they been so inclined, but 600 troops would, with-
out any difficulty, have taken the place. The consul told Captain
llallowell that, taking us for the Frt'iicli fleet, tlie Governor and
Capitan Bey ^ave all up for lost. Tlie frigates intended to fire
their guns. 'I'he works are precisely in the state we left them, and
one week's work of the PVencli would make it as strong as ever.
The Turks and Mamelukes are at war in Upper Egypt ; and the
Albanians have left the Mamelukes, who would not pay them, and
are now with the Turks. These troops would certainly join (at least,
the greater number) the French army. Thns, the Mamelukes for
their friends (at least for the moment), no Turkish army which
would oppose them, Cairo would fiill as easily as Alexandria, and I
calculate the French, with the junction of part of the Albanians,
would, within a week, have an army of 18,000 men ; and we know
there would be no difficulty for single polaocas to sail from the
shores of Italy with 800 or 400 men in each (single ships) ; and
that, in the northerly winds, they would have a fair cLauee of not
being seen, and even if seen, not be overtaken by tlie Russian
ships. Thus, 20,000 men would ho fixed again in Egypt, witli the
whole |)e<)ple in their favour. Who would turn them out? There-
fore, from the whole wliich T know, 1 have not a shade of doubt but
that Egypt was the original destination of the Toulon fleet, when
they sailed 17 January, 1805. You are tired of my reasoning,
but I naturally am anxious that my friends should spf^ fairly beforo
them what has guided my proceedings, and be I right or wrong,
I have acted to the best of my judgment,
i^rd I have consulted no man, therefore the whole blame of igno-
H^eb!^ ranee in forming my judgment must rest with me. I would allow
no man to take from me an atom of my glory had I fallen in with
the French fleet, nor do I desire any man to partake of any of the
responsibility — all is min* , ught or wrong. Therefore I shuU
now state my reasons, after seeing' that Sardinia, Naples, and
Sicily were ?nfe, for believing that Kgypt was the destination of the
Frencli fi^ et, and at this moment of sorrow 1 still feel that I have
acted right.
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SEARCH FOR THE FREKCB FLEET
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1. The wind hud blowo from NE to SE for fourteen days before
they sailed ; therefore they Slight without difficulty have gone to
the westward. 2. They came out with gentle braem at NW and
NNW. Had they been bound to Naples, the moat natural
thing for them to have done woold have been to ran along their
own shore to the eastward, where they wonld have had ports every
twenty leagnes of coast to take shelter in. 3. They bore away in
the evening of the 18th, with a strong gale at NW or NNW,
steering S or S hy W. It blew so hard that the Seahorse went
more than thirteen knots an hour to get out of their way. Desir-
able as Sardinia is for thetn, they could get it without risking
their fleet, although certainly not so ciuickly us by attar'kiiig
Cagliari. . . , However, I leffc nothing to chanee in tlmt respect,
and therefore went off Cagliari. . . . Having allerwardfei gone
to Sicily, both to Palermo and Messina, and thereby given encou-
ragement for a defence, and knowing all was safe at Naples, I had
only the Morea and Egypt to look to : for although I knew one of
the French ships was crippled, yet I considered the character of
Bonaparte, and that the orders given by him on the banks of the
Seine wonld not take into consideration winds or weather; nor
indeed conld the accident of even three or four ships alter, in my
opinion, a destination of importance : therefore such an accident did
not weigh in my mind, and I went first to the Morea and then to
Egypt. The result of my inquiries at Coron and Alexandria confirms
me in my former opinion, and therefore, my Lord, if my obstinacy or
i,irri( ) ranee is so gross, I should be the first to recommend your super-
seding me; but on the contrar)^, if, as I flatter myj^elf, it should bo
found that my ideas of the probable destination of the French lleet
were well founded, in the opinion of his Majesty's ministers, then I
shall hope for the consolation of having my conduct approved by his
Majesty, who will, I am sore, weigh my whole proceedings in the
scale of justice.
I arrived with the fleet off Malta on the morning of the 19th
instant, and received information from Captain Schomberg of the
enemy's fleet having put back to Tonlon in a very crippled state.
The fleet ander my command is in excellent good health, and the
ships, although we have experienced a great deal of bad weather,
have received no damage, and not a yard or mast sprung or crippled,
or scarcely a sail split.
I herewith transmit you tlie Hcntt iict* of a court-martial, held
on Captain Layman, the officers and the company of his Majesty's
390
LETTERS Of LORD NEI^N
1605
Uitf sloop Baven, for the loss of th(* snid sloop on 30 Jannarr last,
which 1 request you will be pleased to lay befon^ the Lords Com-
missioners of the Admiralty for their information; and at same
time acqnaint their Lordships that I feel it my duty, in justice to
Captain Layman, to state, from the information I have received of
this nnfortanate circamstance from Mr. Duff, consul at Cadiz, and
also the Maiqnis de la Solano, captain-genml at that place, that the
exertions of Captain Layman, after the Raven was in a dangerous
situation, were nneqnalled by anything they ever witnessed ^ and
that, notwithstanding the heavy gale of wind which she encountered,
the Raven would have twice got clear off, had she not, in the first
instance, carried away her mainyard, and afterwards parted from
her anchors. I have exceedingly to lament Captain Layman s
misfortune, as 1 consider his ])resent loss to the service a very jsrreat
rmt^ indeed, knowing from experience the abilities and exertions of
that ofhcer.
I inclost' some remarks made by Captain Layman whilst he
was in Spain, after the very unfortunate loss of that fine sloop
u liich your Lordship was so good as to give him the command of.
Your Lordship will find the remarks flow from a most int«lligent
and active mind, and may be useful should any expedition take
place against Cadiz ; and, my dear Lord, give me leave to recom-
mend Captain Layman to yonr kind protection ; for, notwithstand-
ing the court-martial has thought him deserving of censure for his
running in with the land, yet, my Lord, allow me to say that
Captain I^yman^s misfortune was, perhaps, conceiving tliat other
people's abilities were eijuai to his own, which indeed very few
people s are.
I own myself one of those wlio do n<»t I'ear llu^ sliore, for
hanlly any great things {ire done in a small ship by a man that
is; therefore I make ver}' greut allowance for him. Indeed his
station was intended never to be from the shore in the Straits;
and if he did not every day risk his sloop, he would be useless
upon that station. Captain Layman has served with me in
three ships, and I am well acquainted with his bravery, seal,
judgment, and activity; nor do I regret the loss of the Raven
compared to the value of Captain Layman's services, which are
a national loss.
Yon must, my dear Lord, forgive the warmth which T express
for Captain Layman, but he is in adversity, and therefore has the
more claim to my attention and regard. If I had been censured
every time I have run my ship, or fleets under my command, into
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CASE OF CAPTAIN LAVMAN
391
great danger, I should long ago have been out of the service, and
never in the House of Peers.
The iVench fleet are reported not to have disembarked their >.DaTi^,
troops, and I am in hourly liopes of getting at them ; after which, March.
I shall certainly return to England. But I shall never quit my
post when the French fleet is at pea, as a commander-in-chief of
great celebrity once did." I would sooner die at my post tlian
have such a sti^a upon my memory. To mend matters, poor
Capt.4iin Ijayman came to me in a cartel, liaving lost his fine sloop,
and I only hope that all deR]iatches are lost ; but I much fear, as
they were not thrown overboard till the vessel struck, that they
may wash on shore. Lay^Tirin says it is impossible. He was tried
by a court-martial the day before yesterday, and, to my great
surprise, severely censured, for running incautiously in with the
land. The testimonies of his exertions to save the sloop are incon-
trovertible, and were never exceeded. I know too well to comment
upon a sentence, but if running in with the land, to rocks, passing
narrow and dangerous passages, where my ship, or fleets entrusted
to my care, might liave been lost, is a fault, I have been guilty of a
thousand. I would employ Layman to-morrow if! could.
I shall, if i)<i-si!)le, make mv appearance off Barceloua, in order 9^^*^*,
to induce the enemv to believe that 1 am fixed upon the coast of Leviathan,
Spain, when T have every reason to believe they will put to pea, as
I ail! told the troops are still embarked. From off Barcelona I
shall proceed direct to Rendezvous 98. Should the Leviathan be
at 98 before me, and find there either 'J'ermagant or Bittern, it
would be very desirable to have a vessel fixed ten leagues west of
St. Pierre, in case the French fleet should not steer close to the
island, for I think Egypt is still their object.
Their Lordships are fully aware of my reasons for not attend- ^ l^^ie^
ing to my own health since I received their permission to return ^^^.^^
to England fbr its re-establishment. I do as.sure you that no con-
sideration for self could coTue into mv mind when the enemv's
fleet was sure of putting to sea, aiul t hey are now perfectly u .uly
in appearance to put to sea a^aiu. Therefore, althou<^h I have
suffered verv much from an.xietv and a verv stormv winter, vet I
shall either stay to fight them, which i expect every hour, or until
I believe they will not come to sea for the summer, when I shall
embrace their Lordships' permission and return to England for a
few months for the re-establishment of a very shattered constitution.
* The reference U probably to Rodney's going home ftoiu the West Indies, in
the •amnier of 1781.
r
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392
LETTEBa OF LORD NBLSON
ldO&
T.-Adml.
Colling,
wood,
13 Mftrcb.
W.
Mars den,
14 March.
Capt.
8utton,
MlfMeh.
Mj constitution is much shook, and nothing baa kept me here
so long but the expectation of getting at the French fleet. I am
told the Rochefort squadron sailed the same day as that from Tonloa.
Bonaparte has often made his brags that our fleet would be worn
out by keeping the sea — ^that his was kept in order, and increasing
by staying in port ; but be now finds, I fancy, if emperors hear
truth, that bis fleet suffers more in one night than ours in one
year. However, thank God, tbe Toulon fleet is got in order again,
and, I bear, the troops embarked ; and I hope they will come to
sea in fine weather. The moment the battle is over, I shall cut ;
and I iiiiist du the saiiu^ if I think, afW some weeks, that they do
not intend to come out for the unniier. We have had a very ilull
war, but 1 agree with you that it must chanjje for a more active
one. We are in a sad jumble with Sir John Onle off Cadiz ; hut
let him do as absurd things as he pleases al>out blockading the ships
under my command — even to be angry at my sending ships to
Lisbon with my despatches, and angry at my sending ships to a
part of the station under my orders, before I knew of his arrival
to take that lucrative part of ray station from me — I shall never
enter into a paper war with bim or any one else. We have lost
one convoy, I think, by it, and we shall lose more ; between two
stools, Ac. Ac. &c.
The fleet under my command arrived off Toulon yesterday
evening, and by the information I have received from the fri-
gates stationed to watch the enemy, tlieir fleet is all in the above
harbour, apparently in perfect i . :uliness to put t<> sea. Whether
their tr(K)ps, who were ditsembarkeil on their lat^ return, are again
put on boanl, has not been learnt, but there is reason to believe
they are. Tlieir Lordships may rest assured, in the event oi' the
enemy putting to sea again, that I shall use every possible means
to fall in with them and bring them to action.
I hope your expectations of gain by the galleons will be realised ;
and I hope ynu will get enormously rich, for your own and good
Captain Hardy's sake, although an admiral of more interest than I
have will take what ought to belong to me. I should think that
the whole of this fleet will be put under Su* John Orde's com-
mand ; or, when he has made money enough, be will be removed,
and the responsibility left where it was before.
We have had a long run to Egypt and back ; but as the French
fleet are now ready for sea again, I fully expect we shall meet them ;
and then I would change with no man living. My health is but
so-so, and the moment after the battle I shall go home for a few
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im OKDE OFF CADIZ 393
inoiiths. I think you will soon be drove off your cruisiii*^- ground ;
the Rochefort squadroti will be with you before long, tkcrcfore make
hay wliilst the sun slniu's.
If Sir John Orde condescends to ask after me, make ray re-
spectful compliments.
The affait^ of the Renard and Bittern' continued to be the subject of
complaint and misrepresentation; and a fresh letter from Mr* Marsden
drew from Nelson:
The neutrality of his Sicilian Majesty's dommions has been w.
most shamefully violated by the French privateers and row-boats, iJ^juS,
which have beMsn suffered to shelter themselves in the different
ports of his kingdom, from whence they have issued forth and
captured our coasting trade under their forts. I am perfectlj
aware of the delicate situation of the king of Naples, and, conse-
quently, gave the most strict orders to the commanders of his
Majesty's ships on no account to commit the least violation of
neutrality in any part of his kingdoms; but where French pri-
vateers have so daringly and piratically captured our trade, his
Majesty's officers would have been higlily reprehensible to have
■vvit!it >sed it without atteuiptin<»' to destroy the unwarrantable
ofieiulers. It is but justice for me to repeat, what I have fre-
quently mentioned, that the ships under my command have in-
variably adhered to the strictest neutrality, and that they cannot,
without being guilty of a breach of my most positive orders,
commit the least violation of neutrality in any place.
It is worikj of remark, that the French minister'a complaint
relative to the Bittern (even by his own account) has no founda-
tion, as no French vessel was boarded by any of her boats. This
circumstance would have been noticed by me to Mr. Elliot had I
been in possession of Captain Corbet's statement, which was per-
fectly correct, and shows his conduct to have been otBcer-like and
regular in the search for the seamen who had deserted from the
Bittern at Naples, so that the French minister has taken up the
alfait - t htK^e oi" other courts which he had nothing to do with,
and made the concern his own.
The original destination of the French fleet, I am every day n. Kiii >t,
moie and more confirmed, was Egypt. To what other oountiy * ^
should they cany 5,000 saddles &c. ice. and flying artillery ? The
commander of the bomb, who was a prisoner on board the Hor-
tensia (one of the ships who miglit, but did not, take our convoy —
only six sail being taken and destroyed), says the frigates had each
* See atUe, pp. 372, 374.
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394 LETTEUS OF LORD NETJ50X Km
300 troops, Swiss, on board. He coald never learn their destina-
tion. However, they are ready ibr sea again, and I hope tiiej will
come forth ; for, if they defer it one month from this time, they
will not come forth thia sammer, unless the Brest fleet comes into
the Mediterranean. I shall, therefore, when I believe the danger
from the fleet is passed, take the opportunity of getting a few
months' rest, and return here before the next winter, wliicli is the
dnni^^erous time for a run. Rcfir-Admiral Louis, who was in the
Minotanr, nud is known to their Majesties, is arrived in the room
of Arlmiral Campbell.
1 write a line to their Majesties to tell them that, from October,
when I got my permission to go home for a few months' rest, I
had, in oonseqiionco of my belief of the French fleet intending to
put to sea, and ailerwards their having come to sea, and my beliei
that they may this spring pnt to sea again, deferred my departure
through all the winter months. I can solemnly declare that nothing
but my most particular g^titude to their Sicilian Majesties, with a
due sense of what I owe to my own character, could have induced
me to remain in the Mediterranean after my leave arrived ; and I
believe the French fleet will not move until my return in the
autuiiiii, should my health permit. I leave the finest fleet in the
world, with every officer and man attached to me ; therefore yon
may easily believe that notliino- but absolute' necessity could in-
duce me to go home for one iiist.-int. Sir Uiehani Bickerton will
take a most active interest in the safety of their ^fajesties and
their kingdoms, and I feel confident that I may very essentially
serve the good cause by my personal communications in England.
Sir A. J. I atn glad you approved of my voyage to Egypt, and that may
be their futniB destination. I shall remain here a very iew weeks
longer, when, if the French do not put to sea, I think it veiy pro-
bable they will lay up for the summer, unless the Brest or Ferrol
and Cadiz fleet should come into the Mediterranean. I am fully
aware that more sloops of war are wanted for the service of Malta
and the convoys to the eastward than I have in the Mediterranean;
but none are sent me, and mv force decreases every day. Gib-
raltar is in absolute distress ; they have not force sutiicieut to eon-
voy over their bnl lock-vessels. Fox has called upon Sir John
Orde, who tells him he must refer to me, whirli Ik- lia> dunf^, and
I have been forced to answer him, that i regretted the otlieer at
the Straits' mouth was not junior to me, when I should order him
to take care of Gibraltar. But this cannot go on. I have, on
7 January, wrote home of what would happen ; and I dare say
Hull.
2y March.
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1805 tHR FRENCH PUT TO SFA 395
Orde bas a trimmer before this time. He will nor be sutfered to
reraain much longer ; he will go to tho Chsmiel ; he will be the
richest admiral thafc England ever had, and I one of the poorest.
Sir John Orde did, in fact, write on 27 March, requesting pennission
to resign his command, as he felt unequal to perform its arduous duties
with ni!8fia4Stion to employers and to his own feelings, extremely
hurt by recent treatment.
The arrival of Admiral Louia will enable me to get a little rest,
which I shall take as soon as I am satisfied in my own mind that aOMavch.
the French will not pnt to sea. Ou 25 March they either entirely
disembarked their troops, or re^embarked them : I sincerely hope
the latter, and if so, I think a few days will settle all my business
in the Mediterranean.
Report says that Sir John Orde will be the richest admiral Lord
that England ever saw. It cannot be pleasing to me to have every i A|,nK '
per?»on tell me this ; but my soul soars above tliis consideration,
altiiougli 1 cannot help tliinkinj^ that I couhl have made as good a
use of a larg-e fortune as 8ir John Orde or any other admiral, I
should like to have tried.
The FVench fleet is at sea, steering to tlie southward. Proceed c ipt.
off Cagliari, fire guns, and call out the Seahorse, and desire Captain Ktn«!^**
Boyle to join mo. I am now standing to the westward, as 1 do not ^ April,
think the French will make Toro. I can tell him no more, as my
movements must be very nneertain; but 1 believe the French, ii
they do not make Toro, will make Galit«.
The Fr ench fleet put to sea in the night of Saturday, 30 March, W.
and on Sunday morning, the 31st, at eight o'clock, they were seen J^April?*
by the Active and Pha be, with a light breeze at NE, steering SSW,
with all sail set ; their force is supposed by the frigates to be
eleven sail of the line, seven frigates, and two brigs. At eight
o'clock in the evening Captain Monbray detached the Phcebe
(Cape Sicie then bearing N by E, tme bearing, twenty leagues) to
join me, which she did off Toro yesterday morning, 4 April, and
the Active joined at three o'clock in the afternoon. Captain Mou-
bruy, the night of the 3l8t ultimo, having kept his wind, with fresh
breezes from the WNW, lost sight of the enemy : and therefore
thinks they either bore away to the eastward or steered SSW, as
tliey were going when first seen. From the morning of 1 A])ril,
the winds have been very variable and mostly southerly and
easterly, till tlm night of the 3rd, when it set in fresh at NW. I
have placed frigates on the coast of Barbary and oif Toro, and am
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896
LETTERS OF LORD NET^N
1806
lying liall'-wuy l^etween Galita and Sardinia; for I am sure, if
they are bound this route, that they could not pass befqre this day*
The Minister of the Marine is said to command them. . • •
Although I feel so far comfi)rt«bIe that the French fleet is at
sea, yet I must have a natural, and I hope a laudable anxiety of
mind, until I liaye the happiness of seeing them. However^ I
have covered the Channel from Barbary to Toro with frigates and
the fleet. The French could not pass before to-day, if this be their
route. I must leave as little as possible to chance, and I shall
iiiuke sure tliev are to the eastward of me before I risk either
Sardinia, Sicily, or Naples ; for they may delay their time of coming
even this di^lance, from an expectation that J shall push for Egypt,
and thus leave them at liberty to act against Sardinia, Sicily, or
Naples.
I must be guided in my further movements by such informa-
tion as I may be able to obtain, but I shall neither go to the
eastward of Sicllv or to the westward of Sardinia until I know
something positive. I am uneasy enough, but I must bear it as
well as I can.
We have a report from the vessel spoke by Leviathan, that the
Fk^nch fleet (at least a fleet) was seen on Sunday, 7 April, off Cape
Gata^ with the wind easterly, steering to the westward ; therefore
you must tell any ships in search of me that I am going to asoertun
that the French fleet is not in Toulon, and tlien to ])roceed to the
westward, and tltis is all I can tell at ])resent. I would have you
continue until further orders on the station off Toro, to wliich place
I aluill send information, when I am sure wlicre the French fleet
i.H gone, or that I am likely to leave the ^fedit(*rranean idler them.
I am going out of the Mediterranean after the French fleet. It
may be thought that I have protected too well Sardinia, Naples,
SidUy, the Morea, and Egypt, from the French ; but I feel I have
done right, and am therefore ea^ about any fate which may await
me for having missed the French fleet. I have left five flngates,
besides the sloops stationed at Malta for the present service of
the Mediterranean, and with the Neapolitan squadron will, of course,
be fully able to prevent any force the French have left to convoy
troops to Sicily.
Under the severe affliction which I feel at the escape of the
French fleet out of the Mediterranean, I hope that their Lordships
will not impute it to any want of due attention on my part; but
on the contrary, that by ray vigilance the enemy found it was
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im SEARCH FOR THE FRENCH FLEET
397
impossible to uxiclertake any expedition in the Mediternmean. I
was obliged to come to Palma to meet the transports with pro^
visions, and hy the report of the first captain, I trust it oqnld not
with propriety be longer deferred ; however, I showed myself off
Bazcelona and the coast of Spain, and the islands of Majorca and
Minorca, till 21 March. The frigates which I appointed to watch
them unfortunately lost sight of them the night of 81 March; and
from i April, when they joined, we have had nothing but strong
and sometimois liard giiles of westerl y and NW winds (and it appears
that the French fleet must have had strong gales eastf rly). After
allow in or forty-eight hours for the possibility of the enemy passing
round the south end of Sardinia, I proceeded off Sicily, sending
ships to Palermo and Naples for information.
On Tuesday the 9tli I made sail from the west end of Sicily
for the westwu*d, bat to tins moment I have only advanced sixty-
five leagaee, being only off Toro, owing to very bad weather, and
have jost received the account of the enemy having passed the
Straits on 8 April. I am pursuing my ronte to the westward,
and must he guided by what I hear when I get off Gibraltar.
Whereas, from the information I have received that the enemv s ( -^pt;
fleet, which was seen off Gape Gata on the 7th inst., passed through \i ApriL
the Straits on the day following, I am proceeding with the fleet
under my command as expeditiously as possible to the westward
in pursuit of them ; and it being very ])robable that they may
have left some frigates and other vessels of war at Toulon, for the
piirfK^se of convoying troops either to Sardinia, Naples, Sicily, or
Egypt, you are hereby required and directed to take his Majesty 8
ships [Hydra, Juno, Ambuscade, Niger, Thunder] under your
command, and station yourself off the island of Toio, and between
that and Maritime, for the purpose of intercepting any expedition
which the enemy may attempt against Sardinia, Sicily, or Egypt.
With regard to the limitation of your squadron between Toro and
Maritime, I only mention it as the most likely place to iall in
with any expedition which the enemy may attempt against those
places from Toulon, but must leave this important trust to your
judgment, and to iiet as from certain circumstances of information
you sliall judge best, to prevent their effecting a lauding at
Sardinia, Sicily, or E«^ypt.
You will guess at my uneasiness at not iiavitig met the French Commr.
fleet, but I could not quit my charge of Egypt, Morea, Sicily, ^A^il,
Naples, and Sardinia, until I was sure that the enemy were gone
to the westward ; for any of these countries would have been lost
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398
LEi rEIiS OF LORD ^'IuLSON
laos
Sir A. J.
lUU,
19 ApriU
W.
10 April.
10 lj;s. \Y
of Tvro.
Coimnr.
<Mwav»
4 Mnv.
uirxotiuuL
for ever if the French had twenty-four hours* start of me. Wo
have hcvn nine days coming" sixty-fiv^e leagues. We have had
nothing hut gales of westerly winds. I now hope that you will
soou ser ns paps tlie iiuck.
My good tbrtunt* seems flown away. T cannot ^et a fair wind,
or even a side wind. Dead foul !— dead loul I But my mind is
fully made up what to do when I leave the Straits, supposing there
is no certain information of the enemy's destination.
The enemy 8 fleet having so very long ago pa^ed the Straits,
and formed a junction with some Spanish ships from Cadia, I think
it my duty, which must be satisfactory to their Lordships, to Qet
them] know exactly my intentions. I have detached the Amazon
to Lisbon for information, and I am proceeding off Cape 8t Vin-
cent as expeditiously as possible, and I hope the Amazon will join
me there, or that I shall obtain some positive information of the
destination of the enemy. The circumstance of tln ir luiving taken
the Spanish ships which were [ready] for sea from Cadiz, satisfies
my minrl that tin y are not bound to the West Indies (nor pro-
bahly tlir Hrazils) ; hut intend formin<r a junetion with the squadron
at Ferrol, and pushing direct for Ireland or Brest, as 1 believe the
Trench have troops on board; therefore, if I receive no intelli-
gence to do away my present belief, I shall proceed from Cape
8t. Vincent, and take my position fifty leagues west from Sdlly,
approaching that island slowly, that X may not miss any vessels
sent in search of the squadron with orders. My reason for this
position is, that it is equally easy to get to either the fleet off Brest
or to go to Ireland, should the fleet be wanted at either station. I
trust this plan will meet their Lordships' approbation, and I have
the pli asure to say that I shall bring with me eleven as fine ships
of war, as ably c\)mmanded, and in as perfect order, and in health,
U6 ever went to sea.
I shall send to both Ireland and the Channel fleet an extract
of this letter, uctjuainting the connuander-in-chief wdirre to find me.
I believe my ill-luck is to go on fur a longer time, and I now
much fear that Sir John Orde has not sent his small ships to watch
the enemy's fleet, and ordered them to return to the Straits' moutih
to give me information, that I m^ht know how to dii*ect my pro-
ceedings ; for I cannot very properly run to the West Indies with-
out something beyond mere surmise ; and if I defer my departure,
Jamaica may be lost. Indeed, as they have a month's start of me,
I see no prospect of getting out time enough to prevent much
mischief &om being done.
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1805
TU£ FHEXCU PASS THE STRAITS
Accord i I i^'ly, on tlio fo11o\v'm«( day, 5 May, he «fave Sir Richard
Bickerfcon an oixier to remain Iwhmd, in order to carry on the business
of the station, in the event of his liaving to leave it, and pushed out to
sea, hoping to get more definite information from some of the frigates.
God only knovB, my dear friend, what I have suffered by not A. DavUoo,
getting at the enemy's fleet ; and when I natarally consoled myself ^
that, at least, time would be given for Sir John Orde's frigates,
who were naturally sent affcer them, to return to Gibraltar with
information for me, I had the mortification yesterday to find that
none had been sent there. Nor wjus it generally believed that Sir
John Orde had sent after tlieui ; but this 1 cannot believe, and I
must suppose that they liave all been unfortunately captured. I
think it more than ])robable 1 shall go to the West Indies ; for
I believd from what 1 have yet heard of their course &c. that is
their destination, and there I hope to get hold of them, and to save
our valuable West India possessions, and then I shall immediately
return to England. But my health, or even my life, must not come
into consideration at this important crisis ; for, however I may be
called unibrtunate, it never shall be said that I have been neglectful
of my duty or spared myself.
I have just heard that Lord Melville has left the Admiralty,
owing to the tenth report of the navy inquiries. His Lordship was
doinj^ much for the service, and now we have to look forwai'd to
some one else.
Ail my lettei-s by Niger and Avenger are gone up the Medi-
terranean, and will never be received bv nie. }]iit salt beef and
the French fleet is far preferable to roast beef and champagne
without them.
After a heavy beat down the Mediterranean I reached Tetuan yy
Bay on the 4th, and completed the water of the fleet, and cleared J*j|J^*"'
a transport with wine, and sailed on the 5th. Yesterday at 2 P.M.
we anchored in Gibraltar Bay, with fresh breezes westerly, and
began to clear transports with fuel and provisions ; but before the
whole fleet had anchored, there was every appearance of a Levanter
coming on. The fleet was unmoored, the transports taken in tow,
and at 6 o'clock the whole fleet was under sail, steering through
the Gut. I was in great liopes that sonic of Sir John Orde's
frigatcii wouui have arrived at Gibraltar from watching the destina-
tion of the enemy, from whom 1 should have derived mtbrmation
of the rout^ the enemy had taken, but none had arrived. The
Halcyon, which left Lisbon on 27 April in the evening, reports to
me that nothing had been heard of them at Lisbon when the
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1606
Halcyon nulecL I am now ptubing off Cape St. Vincent, and
hope that is the station to which Sir John Orde may have directed
his frif^'-ates to return from watchini,' tlio route of tlie enemy, and I
shall aloojoin the Amazon from LLsbou. If nothing is lieard of
them from Libb;n or frvjui the frigatt^ I may find offOape St. Xin-
ctMit, I shall probably think the rumours which are spread are
tru»', that their destination is the West Indies, and in that case
think it my duty to follow them, or to the antipodes, should I
believe that to be their destination. I shall detach a sloop of war
to England from off the Cape, when my mind is made up from
either information or the want of it.
Off Gape St. Vincent he received intelligenoe from different quarters,
including, amongst others, his old acquaintance at Kaples, Commodore
now Ilear-AdiinV.l1 Campbell, of the Portu^niese navy, and all agreeing
that thf comljint'd French-Spanish licet had gone to the West Indies.
His mind was alretidy made up, and on 9 May he wrote :
I shall wait here until Admiral Knight joins, and then proceed
to Barbadoes. I am now clearing transports and victualling the
fleet to five months, and shall bear away the moment! can get hold
of the convoy. Should the enemy not have gone to the West
Indies, I shall return off Cape St. Vincent's and then act as I
may find orders ; or, if I receive none, according to the best of my
judgment.
^fy lot is cast, and I am going to the West Indies, where,
although I am late, yet chance may have given tliem a badpa^i^age
• and me a good one. 1 niual hope the best.
And so with a squadron consisting of ten sail of the line, Nelson
wcicfl^orl from Lagos Biv on the tth, leaving the followin*? order
addressed to 'The Commander of any n{ his Majesty's ships or vessels
in search of the Mediterranean squatUon: *
Most Secret — I desire to acquaint you that I am proceeding,
with the squadron under my command, to the West Indies, in
search of the enemy's fleet ; and request that yon will, without a
moment's loss of time, communicate the same to the Lords Com«
missioners of the Admiralty, and to the commander-in-chief of
the Channel fleet, in the event of your falling in with him.
I am fearful that you may think that the Superb does not go so
fast as I could wish. However that may be (fur if wc all uent ten
knots, I should not think it fast enough), yet I would liavc you he
assured that 1 know and ft-e'l that the Superb does all which is pos-
sible for fi ship to accomplish ; and I desire that you will not fret
upon the occasion. ... I think we have been from Cape St»
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1806
VOYAGE TO THE WE8T INDIES
401
Vincent, very fnrhiiiatf, and shall Lh- in tlu- West Indies time euough
to secure Jamaica, wliich I thiuk is their object.
We shall be at Barbadoes on 3 or 4 June ; and I hope Coch- 27 May.
rane will be able to give us eveiy information about the enemy.
I still think Jamaica is their object, but many think Surinam or
Trinidad ; and Bayntan, that they will land their troops at the
city of San Domingo. In abort, eveiyone has an opinion, but it
will soon be beyond doubt. Oar passage, although not very quidc,
has been far from a bad one. They started from Cadiz thirty«one
days before we did from St. Vincent, and I think we shall gain
fi>nrteen days upon them in the passage ; therefore they will only
anive seventeen days before us at Martinique, for I suppose them
bound there. I shall not anchor at Barbadoes. Martin, yon know,
is gone there ; and I have ])rayBd Lord Seaforth to lay an embargo,
tliat the French may not know uf niy approach, and thus again
elude our vigilance. My mind is not altered that Egypt was their
destination last January.
*
I arrived off here at noon this dav, where! found Kear-Admiral W.
Cochrane in the Northumberland, and the Spartiate is just joining. \ jiin.\ *
I send you some letters of information, which the rear-admiral ^y,"*'**
and Sir William Myers have received from Dominica and from St.
Lncia. There is not a doubt in any of the admirals' or generals'
minds, but that Tobago and Trinidad are the enemy's objects ; and
although I am anxions in the extreme to get at their eighteen sail
of the line, yet, as Sir William Myers has offered to embark him-
self with 2,000 troops, I cannot refuse such a handsome offer ; and,
with the blessing of God on a just cause, I see no cause to doubt
of the annihilation of both the enemy's fleet and army.
In this letter Lord Nelson inclosed the followiTicr extract from a
letter from Brigadier- General Brereton to Sir Wiiiiam Myers, dated
St. Lucia, 29 May, 1 1 kJVL. ' I have this moment received a report from
the windward side of Gros Islet that the enemy's fleet, of 28 sail In all,
pasied there last night. Their destination, I should suppose, must be
eitJier Barbadoes or Trinidad.' On which Nelson added in his own
hand:
Written by Major Myers, Sir William Myers's secretary, and 4 jm
exteaoted from the general's letter ; and Major Myers has no doubt
bat that the intelligence may be relied upon.
The information from St. Lnda of the combined squadron having
been off that island to windward must have been very incorrect.' ^^^^[^^
S Jvno.
* Tt is a cnrious coinn'rlence that in 1778 Dominica lo«t by the governor'*?
sending to Rear-Admirai Barrington at Barbadoes similar ialse intelligence of au
imagiiiaiy Freaoh fleet.
1) D
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402 L£XT£BS 0¥ LORD NELSON 1£05
1 have my d(jubts respecting the certainty of the arrival of the
Ferrol squadron, as I have always understood tliat nothing could
pass in or out of Fort Royal withont being .seen ; but powerful as
their force may Ix-, they nhall not with impunity make any gre^it
attacks. Mine is compact, theirs must be unwieldy ; and altliough
a very pretty fiddle. T don t believe that either Gravina or Ville-
neuve know how to play upon it.
LordB. The combined squadrons passed to leeward of Antigua on the
Genid, ^^^) standing to the northward, and when I left St. John's Road
Lisbon, in that island on the 13th, nothinir had been beard of them ; there-
fore 1 believe they are on their return to hurope*
Ab my trip to the West Indies most have greatly interested
your Lordship, I shall briefly ran over the occnrrenoee. I arriyed
at Barbadoes 4 June, where I ibtind Lientenant-General Sir William
Myers, who the night before hadreceived information from Brigadier-
General Brereton, at St. Imda, that twenty-eight saU of the enemy^s
fleet had been seen to windward of St. Lncia, steering to the soath*
ward. As there was no reason to doubt this information, the
general offered to embark himself with 2,000 troo})s, for the relief
of either Tobago or Trinidad, wineh were supposed to l>e the
int(Mid(Hl objects of the enemy's attjick. On the 6th we were off
Tobaf^^o, on the 7th at Trinidad, on the 8th I received an account
that the enemy ha*! not moved on the 1th from Fort Royal, but
wt»re expected to sail that night for the attack of Grenada. On
the 9th I was at Grenada, when I received a letter from General
Ptevost to say, that the enemy had passed Dominica on the 6th,
standing to the northward, to the leeward of Antigua, and took
that day a convoy of fourteen sail of sngar-loaded ships, which
unfortunately left St. John's in the night for England. On the 1 1 tk
I was at Montserrat, and at sunset on the 12th anchored at St.
John's, Antigoa, to land the troops, which was done on the morn-
ing of the 13th, and at noon I sailed in my pursuit of the enemy;
and I do not yet despair of getting up with them before they arrive
at Cadiz or Toulon, to which ports I think they are bound, or at
least in time to prevent them from having a moment's superiority.
I have no reason to blame Dame Fortune. If either General
Brereton could not have wrote, or his look-out man had been blind,
nothing could have prevented niy fighting them on 0 June ; but
such information, and from such a quarter. clo.^e to the enemy,
could not be doubted. 'J'he frigate is directed to join me off Cape
St. Vincent ; and if Sir John Orde, inv senior officer, is not off
Cadi^ X shall anchor in Lagos Bay, and try to get both water and
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FRENCH INTENTIONS
refreshmeuts. If he has resumed his former station, I niir t f^-o
iiuiide the Mediterranean, as I know he is exceedingly displeased
if any of the Mediterranean ships are a moment upon his station,
and I have too great a respect for the wishes of my superiors to
act contrary to them.
So fiur from being infallible, like the Pope, I believe my opinions mr b.
to be very &llible, and therefore I may be mistaken that the f^^l^
enemy's fleet is gone to Enrope, but I cannot bring myself to
think otherwise, notwithstanding the variety of opinions which
different people of good judgment form. But I have called every
circumstauce which I have heard of their proceedings before me —
I have considered the approaching season, the sickly state of their
tro<)])r^ kind ehipfj, the means and time for defence which have been
given to our islands, and the certainty the enemy must expect of
our reinforcements' arrival ; and therefore, if they were not able to
make an attack for the three weeks atlber their arrival, they
could not hope for greater success after our means of resistance in*
creased, and their means of offence were diminished ; and it is to
be considered that the enemy will not give me credit for quitting
the West Indies for this month to come. As this is a letter of
reasoning for my condnct, I may perhaps be prdiz, but I am
anxious to stand well in your opinion ; and if my conduct is taken
into consideration by Mr. Htt, I will thank you to show him tiiis
letter. A frigate certainly arrived from France 31 May — from
that mometit all was hurry : on 1 June, I believe, the Faret arrived
with an account of my being on the passage. — N.B. A corvette
watched us two days, when loO leagues to the westward of Madeira.
J t liarbadoes is the object of the enemy's attack, a fleet of men-of-
war could get there, ou the average, in four or five days from
Martinique ; therefore why should they make a passage of nt leavst
fifteen or sixteen days, by going to the northward ? If Tobago or
IVinidad was their object, they had only to weather St. Lucia, and
they could fetch them with ease ; to St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and
Grenada they had a fair wind, therefore it must be unnecessary to go
to the northward. K, therefore, any of those islands are the objects
of their attack, as some people suppose, they are playing a game
which, I own, is incomprehensible to my weBik understanding, and
I am completely deceived.
What impression could they expect to make npon Jamaica with
4,000 or 5,000 men ; and if tiiat was their object, why not steer
direct from Martinique? Some think they may be going to St.
John's, Porto Rico, and wait to be joined tiiere by reinforcements,
O D 2
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404
LETTERS OF LORD I^fELSON
1805
bat tihe season is passed ; nor, if fifteen sail of tlie line are coming
out to join tbem, is there occasion to hide themselves from oar
observations. My opinion is firm as a rock, that some canse,
orders, or inability to perform any service in these seaR, has made
them resolve to proceed direct for Europe, sending tiie Spanish
ships to the Havana.
There would have been no occasion for opinions, had not
General Brereton sent his damned intellij:^ence from St. Lucia ;
nor would I have received it to have acted bv it, hut T was assured
that his information was very correct. It has almost broke my
heart, but I mast not despair,
w. I send you a report of a vessel spoke, which, with the circum-
il^Jwh* stances attending it, can leave me no room to doubt but that I am
hard upon the heels of the enemy's fleet. In addition, Captain
Parker reports to me that there was a note in the American's log*,
that they supposed them the French fleet from Martinique. The
master was anxious to know if the French had taken Antigua, as
he was bound there, and had traded to that island many yearn.
The remark of seeing tins fleet in the log of the vessel, with the
difference of the course the master and mate supposed the fleet to
be steering, satisfies my mind that there could be no intended
deceit in the information (which sometimes happens) ; nor did the
vessel see our fleet until she had been spoke by the Amazon. I
think we cannot be more than eighty leagues from them at this
ni()tn.'nt, and by carrying every sail, and using my utmost effortn,
1 shall hope to close with them before they get to either Cadiz or
Toulon.
Inclosed in which was : — ^The vessel Sally, of North Carolina, bound
to Antigua, boarded on 17 June 1805, by Captain Parker, H.M.S.
Amazon, 17 days out, gave the following intelligence: — " At 7 P.M., on
Sunday evening last, ??;iw about 22 sail of large ships steering, master's
account, NNE ; mau .s account, NNW, in latitude, on Saturday noon,
27° 28', longitude, G0° 58' W." '
Diary, OuT wholo mn from Barbuda, day by day, was 3459 miles ;
17 inly. run from Cape St. Vincent to Barbadoes was 3,227 milea, to
that onr ran back waa only 232 miles more than onr rnn ont —
allowance being made for the difierenoe of the latitudes and
longitudes of Barbadoes and Barbuda ; average per day, thirty-four
leagues, wanting nine miles.
■ I see no reason to doubt that this is the vexy slight foandation for the
Tomantio and oertainly fioUtioiui stoiy of a half-bnmt pilvateef felatod bjr
Clarke anri MoArthur (vot il. p. 417) ; and after then by aoQUi»y» Iqr Jamn^ and
many others.
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1805 UETUKN OFF CADIZ 4Uo
Cape Spartel in sight, but no French fleet, nor any inlbnnation 16 inly,
about them: how Borrowful this makes me, but I cannot help
myself!
The same day he fell in with the squadron l>efore Gadi2| commanded
by Vice- Admiral Coliingwood, to whom he wrote :
I am, as yon may suppose, miserable at not having fallen in 18 Joljr.
with the enemy's fleet. The name of General Brereton will not
soon be foigot. But for his false inibrmation, the battle wonld
have been fought where Rodney Ibnght his, on 6 Jnne. I most
now only hope that the enemy have not tricked me, and gone to
Jamaica ; bat if the account, of which I send yon a copy, is correct,
it is more than probable they are either gone to the northward, or,
if bound to the Mediterranean, not yet arrived. The Spaniards, or
the greatest part of tlietn, 1 take for granted, are gone to the
Havana, and I suppose have taken fourteen sail of Antigua sugar-
loaded sliips with them. The mo?Tient the fleet is watered and got
some refreshments, of which we are in great want, T shall come
out and make you a visit ; not, my df^ar friend, to take your com-
mnnd from you (for I may probably add mine to you), but to con-
sult how we can best serve our country by detaching a part of
this lai^ force.
CoUingwood had meantime written to Nelson :
* I congratulate your Lordship on your return from the long chase
you have had to the West Indies, and widied sui€erely I could have had
the pleasure of seeing you, and of t^llinjof you how truly dear you are to
my friendship. We apprcmched you with caution, not knowing whether
we were to expect your Lordship or the Frenchmen first.
*I had been for some time under orders for foreign service before
the Toulon ships saUed, and my ships were increased or dimimshed as
the apparent service seemed to require. The sailing of the Toulon ships
determined my route. But I have always had an idea that Ireland
alone was the object they have in view, and still Iveliovethat to be their
ultimate destination — that they will now h^erutc tlui Ferrol squadron
from Calder, make the round of the bay, and, taking the Rochefort
people with them, appear off ITshant— perhaps, with thir^-four sail,
there to be joined by twentv more. Adiniial Comwallis oouectmg his
out squadrons may have thirty and upwards. This appears to be a
probable plan: for unless it is to bring their great fleets and armies to
some point of serv ice— some m^h attpmpt at conquest — they have been
only subjecting them to chance ot losa, which I do not believe the Cor-
sican would do, without the hope of an adequate reward. This summer
Is big with events. We may all, perhaps, have an active share in them*
and sincerely I wish your Lordship strength of body to go through —
and to all others, your strength of mind.'
I have to acquaint you that I anchored in this bay yestei'day
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406 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1806
monung, without ha?ing obtained the smallest intelligence of the
enemy's fleet, except what is contained in the inclosed paper.'
The squadron is in tiie most perfect health, except some symptoms
of Bcmrj which I hope to eradicate by bullocks and refreehments
from Tetuan, to which I shall proceed to-morrow.
I went on shore for the first time once 16 June, 1803 ; and
from having my feot out of the Victory, two years, wanting^
ten days.
On 19 July GoUingwood wrote in reply to Nelson's letter of the
18th :
VT well know what your Lordship's disappointment is, andsliare the
mortihcation of it. It would liave b^n a happy day for England, could
you have met them; smaU as your force was, I tmst it would haveheen
found enough. Truly glad wOl I he to see you, my dear friend, and to
give you my l>ost opinion on the present state of affiurs, which are in
the liighest degree intricfitf*; >>ut reasoning on the policy of the present
French Government, who never aim at little tliiiiLfs while great objects
are in view, I have considered the invasion of Ireiaud as the real mark
and butt of all their operations. The flight to the W^t Indies was to
take off the nairal force, which is the great impediment to their under-
taking. The Bochefort squadron's return confirmed me. I think they
will now collect their force at Ferrol, which Calder tells me are in
motion — pick up those at Rochefort, who, I am told, are equally ready,
and w^ill make them al>ove thirty sail; and then, without ^omg near
Ushant, or the Channel fleet, proceed to Ireland. Detachments must go
from the Channel fleet to suooour Ireland, when tiie Brest fleet — twenty-
one, I helieve^ of them, will sail, either to another part of Ireland, or up
the Channel — a sort of force that has not heen seen in those seas,
perhaps, ever.'
I rather think uioat of the Spanish sliips are <;one to the
Havana. Both French and Spaniards are dreadliilly siVkly. Tliey
landed iOUO sick when they arrived at Martinique, and buried ftiU
that number during their stay. The fleet under my command,
thank God, has lost neither officer or man hy sickness since I
left the Mediterranean.
The fleet is complete, and the first easterly wind I shall pass
the Straits. I have yet not a word of information of the enemy's
fleet ; it has almost broke my heart. But the name of Gtoneral
Brereton will never he forgot hy this generation; hat for him
oar battle wonld have been foaght on 6 Jane. The event woald
have been in the hands of Providence ; but we may without, I hope,
vanity, believe that the enemy wonld have been fit fbr no active
' Tlie Sally's boarding^ report ; amU, p. 40i : tbetefore, the half-buint privatesr
bad not been seen up to 20 Jul/.
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1805
FIRST NEWS OF THE FRENCH
407
flemce atler such a battle. All our losses which have happened,
or may happen, sra entirely to be attribnted to his information. I
ehall take my position most convenient for receiving intelligence;
and if I find the enemy gone to the bay, I shall go off Ferrol or
Uahant, as the case appears to me to require.
I am aa miflerable as yon can conceive. Bnt for General A. Davison,
Brereton'a damned information, Nelson would have been, living or ^
dead, the greatest man in his profeaaion that England ever saw.
Now, alas! I am nothing — perhaps Bhall incnr censnre for mis-
fbrttmea which may happen and have happened. When I follow
my own head, I am, in general, much more correct in my judgment
than following the opinion of others. I resisted the opinion of
General Brereton's informatiou till it would have been the height
of presumption to have carried niy disbelief further. I coukl not,
in the face of jjenerala and admirals, go NW, when it was apparently
clear that the enemv had c'one south. But T am miserable. T now
long to hear that they are arrived in some port in the bay ; for
antil they are arrived somewhere, I can do nothing bat fret. Then
I shall proceed to England. I can say nothing, or think of any-
thing, but the loss my country has sustained by Qeneral Brereton's
unfortunate, ill-timed, false information.
Having received information that the combined fleet was seen Cnpt.
on the 19th nit., steering to the northward, I am proceeding with ^iSy,
the fleet in pursuit of them with all despatch. You are therefore
hereby r^uiied and directed to repair immediately in search of me
off Cape St. Vincent ; or, not finding me there, you will make the
best of your way off Ferrol, if you shall judge, from information,
that I have g ne there; otherwise yon will proceed direct off
Ushant or Ireland, where you will fall in with me, or gain intelli-
gence where I am gone to.
On 24 July, the Decade frigate joined from Admiral Oollingwood,
yet still no information of the enemy. On the 25th the Term a^nt joined
with an account that the combined deet had been seen by the Curieux
brig on 19 J one, standing to the northward.^
The enemy's fleet from Ihe West Indies being certainly gone to Admi.
some port in the bay, I am proceeding to the northward with 27 7uTy.
eleven sail of the line. I shall either call off Cape Clear, or pro-
ceed direct off Ushant, to form a junction with you, as circum-
* The first news of the enany^fl flMi since the Sally. I call attention to this
because the half-burnt privateer 5»tory is one of the many silly galley yarns which
have been accepted as history, and it is satisfactory to demolish it thus
nttwly.
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LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1805
stances may, in my judgment, (from intelligence,) require. I shall
only hope, after all my long pursuit of my enemy, that I may
arrive at the moment they are meeting you ; for my ver^- wretched
state oi health will force me to get on shore for a little while.
jy* . The Lords Commissioueni of the Admirnltv haviusr directed
i2A«g. me, by their order dated 26 Ootober 1804, to take the Tribune
under my command, I beg leaye to acquaint you for their Lordships'
information, that Captain Bezmett airived at Gibraltar in December
following ; that aflber giving orders to the ships at tiiat plaoe nnder
my command, directing tiiem to perform diflerent serTioes, he
judged proper to proceed and croise, and afterwards to proceed to
England ; and (heir Lordships, by yoor letter of 15 Fel^ary last,
haying disapproved of his conduct, and acquainted me that it was
their intention to bring him to a court-martial for not proceeding
and putting himself under my command (which afterwards took
place), I must, in justice to myself and the other flag oflScers con-
cerned, beg to represent to their Lor«i.Nliii)s tliat the Tribune captured
some valunlile prizes on ber cruise from Gibraltar to England,
three-eighths of which, T understand. Captain Bennett ha« claimed
as his own exclusive right, by which means myself, and the other
flag ofticers on the Mediterranean station, are excluded from what
certainly justice, and as far as I interpret [it], the proclamation for
the distribution of prize-money, entitle us to.
I need not point oat to their Lordships the serious ill-conse-
quences that may arise to the service, if junior officers, in disobe-
dience of their orders to join a commander-in-chief, judge proper
to consider the performance of any other service necessary, in
preference to that on which they are particularly ordered, (and
that tin y are to receive a reward of one-eighth of all the captures
they may make, for such disobedience of their orders,) as they are
too evident to escape their notice ; and if, in one instance, the point
is given up, a private captain may find many excuses, and cruise
for any length of time without joiuing his commander-in-chief.
I am not much in the lialiit of interfering in prize concerns,
but the present appears a proper instance for flaj,' officers d(»ing
justice to the sen'ice, as well as for preventing junior oflicers from
being guilty of a similar line of imprudence. This case coming
60 perfectly within the spirit of the proclamation and their Lord-
ships' particular cognisance, affords me reason to hope that they
will be pleased to give such directions as will make any interference
of the law unnecessary.
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180& RETURN TO ENGLAND
I oonld not last night sit down to thank yon for joor truly kind ^^^^^^
letter, and for your large packet of newspapers, for T was in truth i^Av^, '
bewildered by the account of Sir Robert Caldcr's victory, and the
joy of the event ; together witli the liearing that John Bull was
not content, which T am sorrj^ for. ^^'ho can, my dear Fremantle,
cominand all the success which uur country may wish? We have
fought toj^ether, and then'foro well know what it is. I have luul
the best disposed fleet of friends, but who can say what will be the
event of a battle ? and it most sincerely grieves me, that in any of
the papers it should be insinuated that Lord Nelson could have
done better. I should have fonght the enemy; so did my friend
Calder ; but who can say that he will be more flnoiBessinl than
another ? I only wish to stand npon my own merits^ and not by
oomparison, one way or the other, npon the oondnct of a brother
officer.
You will be pleased to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of w.
the Admirally, that on the evening of the l&th inst., I joined the
Honourable Admiral Comwallis off Ushant, with [the Yictoiy, S|»iUiMd.
Canopns, Superb, Spencer, Belleisle, Spartiate, Conqueror, Tigre,
Leviathan, Donegal, Swiftsnre] ; that on doing so I received an
order from him to proceed immediately with the Victoiy and
Snperb to Spithead, where I arrived this morning.
Another letter, > of the same date, inclosed :
* Abstract of the weekly returns of the physician to the fleet (under Re|x»rt
the cominand of Lord Nolson) between 13 Au'^^ikI 1^0?. nnri 4 August pj,^*^!^^^
1805, during which Liuie the said fleet geiunully cousiated of ten or to the Fleet,
twelve ships of the line and two or three frigates, luajmed by froui G,000 14 Au^;.
to 8,000 seamen and marines,
1803— From 1 3 Augnst mitil the end of the year:
Number of men deceased on board . . .18
NuTiiIxT sent to hospitals
Medium nunil>er of men on the sick lists
1804 — Number deceased on board .
Number sent to hospitals
Medium number of men on the sick lists
1805*~To 4 August:
Number deceased on board ,
Nuni>>^r sent to hospitals
Medium number of men on the sick lists
Total number of denths on hoard . ,
Total number sent to lio.-spitals
Medium number of men on the sick lists
or 18 to each ship, nearly.
19
185
43
46
190
49
76
200
110
141
190
t Koi given by Nioolaa. P. R. O. ; Admirmrs Despatches. MeditetnuiaiB» ixxi. 272.
r
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410
LETTEllS OF LOllD NELSON
* The abore statement ezMbite the meet c(mvmcing and aataalactory
proo&of the advantages arising from the practice of the improTements
adopted ia this fleet for the purpose of preserving the crews in good
health and tlif ?^liips wholesome; and if compam! with the accounts of
the state of hoaitli of fleets or squadrons on tor i^u stations in former
wars, the result will be found to sliow tlie iioportauce of the regulations
now used in preserving the health and lives A British seamen.
* Thus we find Dr. Blane, physician to the fleet in the West Indies in
the year 1781, in a memorial presented by him, in October of that year,
to the Lords of the Admiralty, on the health of seamen, deploring the
rapid expenditurp of sf»amen in the navy, and stating that during one
year, in a fleet of twenty sail of the line, manned by 12,000 seamen,
there died on board 715 men; and in the hospitals 862 men; forming a
total of 1,577 men, of which number onlj fif^ men died in oonseqnenoe
ofwonnds. I>iiring the same period 360 men were invalided. . . .
' The following causes may be assigned for the high state of health in
which the fleet under the comniand of lyird Nelson has been preserved,
for upwards of two years, unexampled perhaps iuany fleet or squadron
heretofore employed on a foreign station.
' 1. The attention paid by his Lordship to the victualling and pur-
veying for the fleet; in causing good wholesome wine to be umd in room
of spirits; fresh beef as often as it could possibly be procured; vege>
tables and fruit were always provided in sufficient quantity, when they
could be purchased, and an abundant supply of excellent sweet water
was always allowed to the ships' companies.
* 2. The ships were preserved as free as possible from the banefol
effects of humidity, by avoiding the wetting decks (at least between the
decks) and by the use of stoves sad yentilation below.
* 3. The constant activity and motion in which tJie fleet was pre-
served, being always at sea and never exposed to the consequences of the
idleness and intemperance which too often take place on board of ships
lying in harbour, may doubtless be assigned as a principal cause of the
good state of health of the crews of this fleet.
' 4. Intemperance and skulking were never perhaps so little practised
in any fleet as in this. As ships were never in port^ the opportunity of
procuring spirits or of going to an hospital by imposing onwesnigeons,
was difficult or impossible. Hence these causes of disease were sub*
tracts 'd.
* T). The promoting? cheerfulness amongst the mt ii was encuurageti hy
music, dancing, and theatrical aumsements, the example of which was
given by the commander-in-chief in the Victory, and may with reason
be reckoned amongst the causes of the preiervation of the health of the
men.
' 6. The sick were in general very comfortably f\rc<^mmodated, lodged
in airy sick-berths, in many ships placed on a regular sick diet, and sup-
plied with live stock, vegetables, fruit, soft bread, maccaroni, and other
articles of diet and refreshment, whenever the circumstances of the ser-
vice would admit of these supplies being furnished.
'7. By a standing order of the commander-in-chief, Peruvian bark,
mixed in wine or spirits, was regularly served to the men employed on
the service of wooding and watering. . . . By the returns made by the
Burgeons to the physician to the fleet ... it fully appears that this
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im HEALTH OF THE FLEET 411
praedoe entirely obviated any ill efibcte wliicli might have been oc-
casioned with regard to the health of the wooding and watering parties,
and that it effectually prevented the occnirenoe of levem, whether
Intermittent or continued.
* Leonard Gillbspie, Physician to the Fleet.*
On 19 August, Lord Kelson stmck his fls|r and went to Merton,
where he resided daring the few weeks he remained ashore.
I cannot mt until the importance of Sardinia, in every point w. Pitt.
of view, is taken into consideration. If my letters to the Afferent ^
Secretaries of State cannot be fonnd, I can bring them with me.
My belief is, that if France possesses Sardinia, which she may
do any moment she pleases, oor commerce mnst BxtSst most se-
verely, if possible to be carried on when France possesses that
island. Many and many most important reasons conld be given
why the French must uut be sufiered to possess Sardinia, but your
time is too precious to read more wordb than is necessary ; there-
fore I have only stated two stronjL' ]>oint8 to call your attention to
the subject ; tliat lam [sure] our tiett would find a ditliculty, if not
impossibility, of keeping any station off Toulon for want of that
island to supply cattle, water, and refreshments, in the present
state of the Mediterranean, and that we can have no certainty of
commerce at any time but what France chooses to allow ns, to
either Italy or the Levant.
My time and movements must depend upon Bonaparte. We A. Dnviaoii,
are at present ignorant of his intentions, and whether the sqnad-
rons from Fenol are coming to join the Brest fleet, going to the
Mediterranean, or croising for onr homeward-bound fleets. With
respect to yonr kind ofifer of money, I shall try and settle my
account with you, even should I feel it necessary to begin a new
one; for long accounts ought to be closed between the dearest
friends.
On I September Captain Blackwood of the Euryalus arrived with
intelligence that the combined fleet had put into Cadiz. On his way to
TjOTulon, at 5 a.m. on the 2nfl, he called on Lord Nelson at Merton, and
found him already np and dressed. Triiiiirfhatf^y on seeing Captain
Blackwood, he excifuined, * I am sure yuu Lring luo news of the French
and Spanish fleets, and I think I shall yet liave to beat them.' Later
in the day Nelson followed him to London, and in taUn^ over Uie
operations that were intended, on returning to the Mediterranean, is
said to have repeated, ' Depend upon it, Hiackwood, T shall yet ^ve
Mr. Villeneuvp a drubbing.' It was at once ftrrangod that hp should go
out in the Victory and resume the command of the fleet oflf Cadiz.
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LETTERS OF LOIU) KELSON
1605
A^DftTiMB, I much fear that I shall not have the pleasure of seeing you
before my departure, and to thank you for all yoiir kind attentions.
... I hope my absence will not be long, and that I shall soon
meet the combined fleets, with a force sufficient to do tlie job well ;
for half a victory would but half content me. But I do n )t be-
lieve the Admiralty can give me a force within fifteen or sixteen
sail of the line of the enemy ; and therefore, if every sliip took her
opponaiiti we should have to contend with a fresh fleet of fifteen or
sixteen sail of the line. Bat I will do my best ; and I hope God
Almighty will go with me. I have TTuich to lose, but little to crain ;
and I go becaiue it's tight, and I will serve the country fiuthfally.
v.-Admifii I shall be with you in a wy few dajs^ and I hope yon will
lemam second in command. Ton will change the Dreadnonght for
7 Sept Boyal Sorereign, which I hope yon will like.
DUiy, At half-past ten drove from dear dear Merton, where I left nil
Sept. ^jjich I hold dear in this world, to go to serve my king and coun-
try. May the great God whom I adore enable me to folfil the
expectations of my country ; and if it is His good pleasure that I
should rettom, my thanks wiU never cease being offered up to die
throne of His mercy. If it is His good providence to cut short
my days upon eartii, I bow with the greatest submission, relying
that He will protect those so dear to me that I may leave behind.
His will be done : Amen, Amen, Amen.
14 Sept. At six o'clock arrived at Portsmouth, and having arranged all
my business, embarked at the bathing machines with Mr. Rose and
Mr. Canning at two ; got on board the Victory at St. Helens, who
dined with me j preparing for sea.
Tlie Victory, with the Euiyalus in company, sailed at 8 on
Sunday, 15 September.
A.Dftvieon, I am, my dear friend, so truly sensible of all your goodness to
15 Sept. I can only say, thanks, thanks : therefore I will to busi-
ness. I wish I could have been rich enough, with ease to myself,
to have settled my account with you ; but as tliat is not done, I
wish for my sake that you would have it closed, and receipts pass
between us ; and then I will give you a bond for the balance, as
for money lent. Those bouda relative to Tucker, beina all settled,
should be returned to me. He so trodd ;i> tn give them to Hasle-
wood. If you and I live, no harm can happen; but should either
of us drop, much confusion may arise to those we may leave behind.
I have said enough. Haslewood will settle the account with all l^gal
exactness.
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RESUMES THE COMMAND OFF CADIZ
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With respect to your petitiomng for your rank on the list of ^
admiralB, I shall answer yon, my dear Sir Andrew, to the best of 17 s«pt '
my opinion ; and if it shonld not meet exactly your ideas, yet I
tmst yon will believe that no one has a higher opinion d your
naval abilities, as a captain or admiral, than myself.
If uiy memory serves nie right, when you passed your flat^, I
wrote my regret that the service was to lose your abilities at sea.
You would long since have commanded the fleets of Britain, with
the whole service lookinof up to your abilities. But, with what you
may deem precedents;. Lord Bariiam, Sir John Laforey, Lord Hood,
Admiral Gambier, and lately. Admiral Sterling, yet these gentle-
men contended for their flags. We will not [they said] hold our
civil employments (Lord Barham, Sir John Laforey, and Admiral
Sterling, in a stronger degree than the other two). You allowed ,
it to pass over, and holding your civil employment for many years,
desire to take your place on the list of admirals. Yoor pension ought
to be equal to your wishes, and much more, in addition to your
comptroller's pension, than an admiral's half-pay. But I fear, that
if ^e precedent was established, however properly in your person,
that such a field would be opened for officers getting on the list of
adminilB, after being long out of the service, tiiat the ministry
would never get clear of applications ; nor could the service know
who were likely to command tliem. Having given you, my dear
Sir Andrew, my full opinion, allow me to say, and to offer, that if
the kincr is pleased to place you on the list of udmirals, that I shall
be ready, and offer myself to serve as secoTid under you for a given
time, to mark, at leapt in myself, to the service, that T receive you
with open arms as a most valuable officer restored to us.
I send [the Euryalus] forward to announce my approacli ; and V.^Admiral
to reqiit Ht that if you are in sight of Cadiz, that not only no Ralute Jj^IdU*"
may take place, but also that no colours may be hoisted, for it is 26 Sept.
as well not to proclaim to the enemy evexy ship which may join the
fleet.
I would not have any salute even if you are out of sight o£
land.
It is my particular directions that no junior flag officer salutes General
on joining the fleet under my command, nor any ship show their tssagL
colours.
I i^ot t'tiirh into the fleet yesterdav. and under all circumstances Mr a.
I find them as perfect as could be expected. . . . The force is at so s||pt»
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LETTERS OF LORD KELSON
1606
present not so large aB might be wished, bat I will do my best with
it ; they will give me mm when they can, and I am not oome forth
to find diffietdties, bat to remove them. I know not a word of Sir
James Cndg or his troops, or what they are going abont, except as
the man said of the parson, * he preached abont doing good/ and so
ministers talked of oar troops doing good to the common cause ;
bat I was so little a time in England, and not more tiian Ibar tamea
in London, that really I coald hardly talk of anything seriouslj
but naval inatt4?r8.
Lord I dill nut fail, iimnediately on my nrrivjil, to deliver your message
M Bept' ^ Robert Calder ; and il will gi\ e your Lordship pleasure to
find, a.s it has me, that an inquiry is what the vice-admiral wi.shes,
and that he had written to vou bv the Nautilus, which I detained,
to say so. Sir Robert thinks that he can clearly prove, that it
was not in hiB power to bring the combined sqoadrons again to
battle. It would be only taking up your time, were I to enter
more at large on all our conversation ; but Sir Robert felt so mnch,
even at the idea of being removed from his own ship which he com-
manded, in the face of the fleet, that I mach fear I shall incar the
censare of the Board of Admiralty, witiioat your Lordship's infla-
ence with the members of it. I may be thonght wrong, as an
officer, to disobey the orders of the Admiralty, by not insisting on
Sir Robert Calder's qoitting the Prince of Wales ibr the Dread-
nought, and for parting with aOO-gun ship, before the force arrives
which their Lordships have judged necessary ; but I trust that I
phall be considered to have done right as a mau, and to a brother
uflicer in aflliction — my heart could not stand it, and so the thing
must rest. 1 shall submit to the wisdom of the Board to censure
me or not, as to them may seeni best for the service j I shall bow
with all due respect to their decision.
V.-Admiiai I rather that all the ships burnt a blue light or false fire ;
wood*" must olten happen that the cause of wearing is change of
3u S«pt. wind, and often a very confused sea, and ships may be very anxious,
from various circumstances, to be assured that her neighbour asU^rii
has wore, as the line from the above circumstances would be
entirely broke. It is perfectly understood that, unless in very
fine weather, or extraordinary circumstances, the fleet will not be
directed to wear in succession. We have found the comfort of
blue lights and false fires in the Mediterranean, where the wind
changes so often.
The far greater part of the combined fleets is in the harbour,
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1805 OFF CADIZ 415
and indeed none can be caUed in the Bay of Cadiz ; tliey lie in
aoch a poeition aineaat of the town, and many entirely open, over
the narrow strip of land, that Gongreve's rockets, if they will go ^ ^
one mile and a half, mnst do execution. Even should no ships be
burnt, jet it would make Cadiz so very disayreeable, that they
would rather risk an action than remain in port. I do assure
your Lordship, that myself and many thousands in tlie fleet will
ft'el under the greatest obligations to Colonel Congreve. But T
think, with your Lordship's assistanc(\ we have a hotter chance of
forcing them out by want of provisions: it is said hunger will
break through stone walla— ours is only a wall of wood. The
French are sending provisions of all kinds from Nanto^, Bordeaux,
and other ports in the bay, in Danish vessels, called of course
Danish property, to Ayamonte, Conil, Algeziras, and other little
ports from Gape St. Mary's to Algesiras ; whence it would be con-
veyed in theb coasting boats without the smallest interruption to
Cadiz, and thus the fleets be supplied with provisions for any
expedition. Vice-Admind C!ollingwood has most properly directed
their being detained and sent to Gibraltar, to be libelled in the
Vice-Court of Admiralty. I have followed so good an example.
1 am able enough to see the propriety and necessity of the meaisure,
without which the blockade of Cadiz is nugatory, and we should
only have the odium of the measure, without any benefit to ua or
real distress to our enemies. There never was a place so proper
to be blockaded, at this moment, as Cadiz. I have therefore
to request that your Lordship will take the proper measures, that
the officers under my orders may not get into any pecuniary scrape
by their obedience ; and, should it be thought proper to allow the
enemy's fleet to be victualled, that I may be informed as soon as
possible. ... I can have nothing, as an admiral, to say upon
the propriety of granting licences ; but from what your Lordship
told me of the intentions of ministers respecting the neutral trade,
it strikes me, some day it may be uiged that it was not for the
sake of blockade, but for the purpose of taking all the trsde into
our own hands, that Great Britain excluded the neutrals. Your
Lordship's wisdom will readily conceive all that neutral courts
may urge at this apparent injustice, and of might overcoming
right.
The ships are getimg phort in tlieir water and provisions : I W.
sliall therefore send Kear-Admiral Louis with six sail of the line
immediately to Gibraltar and Tetuan to complete in everything ;
Matidai,
2 Oak
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LETfERS OF LORD NELSON
1806
and the moment be returns, I ahall send others to those places^
in order that the fleet may be all prepared for sernoe before the
winter sets in. The Zealous having come out from England with
a bad mainmast, which has been found, upon survey, to be sprang,
and decayed in several places, is just ordered to Gibraltar to get
a new one, and otherwiee completed Ibr immediate service. The
Endyniiori must also go into Gibraltar, having this day joined the
fleet with her mainmast badly sprung.
The fleet is in very fair condition and good humour, and their
Lordships may be assured tlmt every exertion of mine shall be
used to keep it so, and in a state to meet the combined fleet in
Cadiz whenever they come out.
On t1i^ evening of 3 0{ to}>f>r, the Queen, Canopus, Spencer, Z
TigT^, and Kndymion, paitwl company. Louis had dined on board tYw
Victory, and on takuig leave said, ' You are sending us away, my Lord
—"the enemy will come out, and we shall have no imare in the battle.'
Nelson replied, * My dear Louis, I bave no other means of keeping my
fleet com|Mete in provisions and water, but by sending them in detach-
ments to Gibraltar. The enemy will come out, and we shall fight them;
but there will be time for you to get bacl? first. I lof>k upon Canopus
as ray right hand and I send you first to msure your l>emg here to help
to heat them.' The story is told on the authority of Bir Francis Austen,
then Louis's flag-captain, and one of tlie party at dimier.
\v. In consequence of the inclosed letter from Vice- Admiral Sir
2*^**°* Robert Calder, requeNiing, for the reasons therein mentioned,
that I Will allow the captains of his Majesty's ships named to
return to iMigland, you will please to ac(|uaint the Lord- ('nni-
missioners of the Admiralty, that the captains of the Thunderer
and Ajax having sifynified to me their willingness to attend as
evidences at the court-martial required by the vice-admiral, I
shall permit them to return with him to England, and appoint
acting captains to their ships till they rejoin them ; and should
Captain Durham, on the Defiance joining the fleet, wish to return
to England for the above purpose, I shall also permit him, and
appoint an acting captain during bis absence ; but I do not feel
authorised to order him, or any others, who may not wish to go
home on tbis sendee, without tiieir Lordships' direction, although
I am at the same time satisfied that thej would not deprive Sir
Robert Calder of any evidence he might think necessary to have
on the occasion. I trust their Lordships will approve of this
measure.
The officers who came on board to welcome my return forgot
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PORTUGUESE NEUTRALITY
417
my rank as commander-in-chief in the enthnfiiaem with which they if)i Oct^
' greeted me. Ab soon as these emotions were past, I laid before
them the plan I had preyionsly arranged for attacking the enemy ;
and it was not only my pleasnre to find it generally approved, bnt
clearly perceived and nnderstood. The enemy are still in port,
but Bomething mast immediately be done to provoke or Inre ^em
to a battle. My duty to my countr}' demands it, and the hopes
centred in me, I hope in CJod, will be realised. In less than a
fortnight expect to hear from me, or of me j for who can foresee
the fate of battle ?
T have the honour to inform you that I have taken the com- Loid
inaiid of his Majesty's fleet in the Mediterranean station; and I Usbo?"*"**
am very sorry that T must begin my eorrespoiidcnce by a com- sucu
plaint a<»iiinst the conduct of the Portnt^uese government at
Lagos. They say, at h'ast ])y their conduct, that, by their secret
treaty with Spain^ they are to throw ever} obstacle in the way of
our remaining in their ports or on their coasts, by refusing ns water
and refreshments, [except] in such a manner as is disgraceful to
the Portuguese government whicli offers, or the British govern-
ment which allows. Great Britain can have nothing to do with
their infamoos or degrading treaties : she looks to her treaty being
fulfilled in the most liberal manner.
I shall state my complaint of the circnmstances which gene-
rally happen at Lagos. A ship of war goes there for water and
refreshments, which, by treaty, she has a right to : from her com-
jnunications, she seems placed under the direction of tlie consul of
one of our enemies, and very improper language is held by our
enemies to the British officers and seamen, and inducements lield
out to tliem to desei-t.. The enemy's consul then directs that only
so many cabbages, or bullocks, or sliet^p, shall go on board — and, at
his will aud pleasure, so much water : and it has been carried so
* This letter was published anooymoosly in the Mival Chronicle^ vol xv.
p. S7. Whatever credit it may be entitled to, as far as ite matter goes, it needs
but a very slight acxjuaintancc with Nelson's epistolary style, to thnt as to its
language, it is none of bis. The plan of attack was not issued until 9 October,
but it may have been talked of some days befoie. Twenty-four years later it was
said by 8ur Richard Keats to have been discussed at Merton ; and that some con-
versation on the subject did then lake place is hii'lily probable; but the details,
related from memory after twenty-four years, cannot be trusted. I would
equally refuse to accept the story that, when dining with Lord 8idmouth, shortly
hefore Icavinfr England. Nelson drew his plan on the table and said, *! shall
attack in two lines, led by myself and Coilingwood, and I am confident I shall
capttue either tliefr van and centre or their centre and rear,* Sidneiy's Life of
Lord JffUl, p. 868. Rod ney is said to have done something of the same kind. My
own opinion is that neither of them did it.
£ £
r
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LETTEBS OP LORD NELSON
1806
far that a captain, whose ship was complete with water, giving his
people water to wash the linen, on Bending ashore for more, was
threatened hj the Portugoese sentiy to be fired upon if thej pre-
somed to attempt to take a drop. To this degradation no nation
can snbmit. Now, what I demand ia, that onr officers and men,
whilst in the neutral port, shall be under the protection of the
neutral flag, and not be permitted to be insulted by the interference,
either secret or open, of our enemies ; and that every ship which
goes into Lagos, or other ports, shall have such refreshments as are
reasonable. And as to water, I never before heard that any limited
quantity was allowed, much less that if a dirty shirt was washed,
any French or Spanish consul should be allowed to say, * You
English shall either wear a dirty shirt, or go without water to
drink : and that a sentinel of a neutral power should presume to
thn'nh ii to fire, if an ally presumed to take water? I shall send a
ship or ships to take in water at Lagos. They shall wash, or let it
run overboard, if they please ; and 1 rely that the Portuguese
government will direct that our enemies shall not insult our people,
much less dictate to the Portuguese governor for his treatment
of us. However degraded the Portuguese may allow themselves to
become, it is hardly fair that they should expect us to be insulted
by our enemies on their neutral ground ; for if, by words, or any
other mode of warfare, they do permit it, I shall certainly retaliate.
I should get warm was I to go any farther, therefore I shaD leave
the business in much better hands — ^those of your Lordriiip ; only
repeating, tiliafc all we want is, that when onr ships go to Lagos, we
may not be allowed to be insulted by our enemies (unless we have
permission to retaliate) ; that we shall take either one ton, or one
thousand tons of water, as we ple^ise, and be allowed the free use
of the market?, as by friendship we had a most unquestionable
right to expect ; and that the Portuguese governor may be called
to a most severe account for his conduct in allowing a sentinel to
threaten to fire on an English boat going for water, or any other
purpose, to the shore of friendly powers.
c«pt.Daflr,« As the enemy's fleets may be hourly expected to put to sea from
4 Oct. Cadi/, I have to desire that you will keep, with the Mars, Defence,
and Colossus, firom three to four leagues between the fleet and
' It is an interesting ooiucidcnoe that Captain Duff's great^unde, Bobert
Duff, then in the Rochester of 60 gan«, oommanded the inshore equadron at
Qaiberon Bay (20 Nov. 17nn); the only baftlo in modf^rn Ensrlish naval history
which for its magnitude, its importance, and its results can be compared with «
Trafalgar.
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1805 OFF CADIZ 419
Cadiz, in order iliat I may get the mrormation from the frigates
stationed off that port as expeditiously as possible. Distant sig-
nals to be used, when flapfH, from the state of the weather, may not
readily be distiugui^ai d in tlieir coluiirs. If the enemy be out, or
coming out, fire ^'uns by day or night, in order to draw my atten-
tion. In thick weather, the sliips are to close witliin signal of the
Victory : one of the ships to be placed to wiiidwaixl, or rather to
the eastward of the other two, to extend the distance of seeing ;
and 1 have desired Captain Blackwood to throw a frigate to the
westward of Cadiz, for the purpose of an easy and early communi-
cation.
I have received from Bear-Admiral Louis your information Cnpt.
respecting the intended movements of the enemy, which strengthens f^^^^"^'
my conviction that you estimate as I do the importance of not
letting these rogues escape us without a fair fight, which I pant for
by day and dream of by night. I am momentarily expecting the
Phcebe, Sirius, Naiad, and Niger, firom Gibraltar ; two of them
shall be with yon directly, as I get hold of them ; and if yon meet
them, and there is any way of sending information and their des-
patches from Gibraltar, keep Naiad and Phoebe. Juno is a fixture
between Cape Spartel and Gibraltar ; Mars, Colossus, and Defence
will \)e stationed four leagues east from tlie fleet, and one of them
advanced to the east towards Cadiz, and as near as possible in the
latitude. The fleet will be from sixteen to eighteen leagues west
of Cadiz ; therefore, if you throw a frigate west from you, most
probably in fine weather we shall communicate daily. In fresh
breezes easterly, I shall work up for Cadiz, never getting to the
northward of it : and in the event of hearing they are standing out •
of Cadiz I shall carry a press of sail to the southward towards Cape
Spartel and Larache, so that you will always know where to find
me. I am writing out regular instructions for the firxgatee under
your orders, but I am confident yon will not let these gentry slip
through our fingers, and then we shall give a good account of
them, although they may be very superior in numbers. TheBoyal
Sovereign and Defiance were to sail affcer the 24th. Belleisle^ too,
is ordered here.
"^i'lie French and Spanish ships have taken the troops on board Lord
which had been landed on their arrival, and it is said that they socu"**
mean to sail the first fresh Levant wmdj and as the Cartagena
ships are r^ady, and when seen a few days ago had their topsail-
yards hoisted up. it looks like a junction. The position I have taken
for this month is from sixteen to eighteen leagues west of Cadiz ;
« « 2
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LEXTfiltS OF L0K1> NiOiSON
1805
for althnu^rli it is most desirable that the fleet should lie well up in
the easterly winds, yet I must guard against being caught with a
westerly wind near Cadiz, as a fleet of nliips with so many three-
deckel's would inevitably be forced into the JStraits, and then Cadiz
would be perfectly free for tlic enemy to come out with a westerly
wind, as they served Lonl Keith in the late war. I am most
anxious for the an ival of frigates ; less than eight, with the brigs
&c., as we settled, I find are absolutely inadequate for this service
and to be with the fleet, and Capes Spartel, Cantin, or Blanco, and
the Salvages, mnst be watched by fast-sailing vessels, in case any
squadron should escape. I have been obliged to send six sail of
the line to water and get stores at Tetnan and Gibraltar, for if I
did not begin, I should be very soon obliged to take the whole
fleet into the Straits. I have twenty-three sail with me, and should
they come out I shall immediately bring them to battle. But
although I should not doubt of sjioiling any voyage they may
attempt, yet I hope for the arri\ al of the ships from England, that
as an enemy's fleet they may be annihilated.
G. Rose, 1 verily believe the country will soon be put to some expanse
for my account, eitlipr a monument, or a new pension and lionuurs;
for I have not the very smallest doubt but that a very few days,
almost hours, >viU put us in battle; the success no man can ensure,
but the fighting them, if they are to be got at, I pledge myself,
and if the force arrives which is intended. I am very, very, very
anxious for its arrival, for the thing >vill be done if a few more days
elapse ; and I want for the sake of our country that it should be
done so effectually as to have nothing to wish for ; and what will
signify the force the day afl»r the battle ? It is, as Mr, Pitt knows,
annihilation that the country wants, and not merely a splendid
victoiy of twenty-three to thirty-six, — ^honourable to the parties
concerned, but absolutely useless in the ext^ended scale to bring
Bonaparte to his niarrow-boncB : iniinbcrs can only annihilate. I
think, not for myself but the country; therefore I hope the Ad-
miralty vriW send the fix(>d force as soon as {x>ssible, and frigates
and sluupa ut svar, for 1 am very destitute. 1 do not mean tliis as
any complaint, quite the contrary ; I believe they are domg all
they can, if interest does not interfere ; therefore, if Mr. Pitt
would hint to Lord Barham that he shall be anxious until I get
the force proposed, and plenty of frigates and sloops in order to
watch them closely, it may be advantageous to the country. You
are at liberty to mention this to Mr. Pitt, but I would not wish it
to go farther.
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Thinking it almost impossible to bring a fleet of forty sail Memo-
of t&e line into a line of battle in variable winds, thick weather, g^oct!""*
and other circnmstances which most oocnr, witiiont sach a loss
of time that the opportunity would probably be lost of bringing
the enemy to battle in siicli a manuer as to make the business
decisive, I have therefore vn.nlr ip my mind to keep the fleet in
that poHitioii of sailing (witk tht* exception of the first and second
in coniniand) tliat the order of sailing is to be the order of battle,
placing the Heet in two lines of sixteen ships each, with an advanced
squadron of eight of the fastest sailing two-decked ships, which
will always make, if wanted, a line of twenty-four sail, on whichever
line the commander-ia-chief may direct.
The second in command will, after my intentions are made
known to him^ have the entire direction of his line to make the
attadc npon the enemy, and to follow np the blow until they are
captured or destroyed.
If the enemy's fleet should be seen to windward in line of
battle, and that the two lines and the advanced squadron can fetch
them, they will probably be so extended that their van could not
sncconr their rear. I should therefore probably make the second
in command's signal to lead through about their twelfth ship fr<»ni
their rear (or wherever he conld fetch, if not able to get so far
advanced) ; my line would lead througii about their centre, and the
advanced fequadroa to cut two or three or four shij)s ahead of tlit-ir
centre, so as to ensure getting at tlieir commander-in-cliief, on
whom every effort must be made to capture.
The whole impression of the British fleet must be to overpower
from two or three ships ahead of their commander-in-chief, sup*
posed to be in the centre, to the rear of their flci t. I will suppose
twenty sail of the enemy's line to be untouched ; it must be some
time before they could perform a manoeuvre to bring their force
compact to attack any part of the British fleet engaged, or to
succour their own ships, which indeed would be impossible without
mixing with the ships engaged. The enemy's fleet is supposed to
oonsiBt of forty-six sail of the line, British fleet of forty. If either
is less, only a proportionate number of enemy's ships are to be cut
off ; British to be one-fourth superior to the enemy cut off.
Something must be lefl to chance ; nothing is sure in a sea
fight beyond all others. Shot will carry away the masts and yards
of friends as well as foes, but I look with conlldence to a victory
Wfofp tlie van of the enemy could succour their rear, and then
that the British Ueet would most of them, be ready to receive their
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LETTEnS OF LORD NELSOX
1806
twenty sail of the line or to pursne them sbonld thej endeayoar to
make off.
If the van of the enemy tacka, the captared ahipa most run to
leeward of the British fleet; if the enemy wean, the British must
place themselyea between the enemy and the captared and dis-
abled British ships ; and should the enemy dose, I have no fears
as to the result.
The second in coiiniiand will in all possible things direct the
movements ot his line by kee})in'r tlieiu as compact as the natiiro
of the circumstances will aviiuit. Captains are to look to their par-
ticular line as their rallying point. But, in case signals can neither
be seen or perfectly understood, no l aptain can do very wrong if
he plnee^i his ship alongside that of an enemy.
Of the intended attack from to windward, the enemy in line of
battle ready to receive an attack :
The divisions of the British fleet will be brought nearly within
gunshot of the enemy's centre. The signal will most probably then
be made for the lee line to bear up together, to set all their sails,
even steering sails, in order to get as quickly as possible to the
enemy's line, and to cut through, beginning from the twelfth ship
from the enemy's rear. Some ships may not get through their
exact place, but they will always be at hand to assist their friends,
and if any are thrown round the rear of the enemy, they will
effectually complete the business of twelve sail of the enemy.
Sliould tlie enemy wrar together, or bear up and sail large,
still the twelve ships coiujxjsing, in the first position, the enemy's
rear, are to be the object of attack of the lee line, unless otherwi.se
directed from the commander-in-chief, which is Hcarcelv to be
ex|3ected, as the entire nianaijrenient of the lee line, after the
intentions of the commander-in-chief [are] signified, is intended to
be left to the judgment of the admiral commanding- that line.
The remamder of the enemy's fleet, tliirty-four sail, are to be
left to the management of the commander-in-chief, ^^ ho will endea-
Your to take care that the movements of the second in command
are as little interrupted as is possible.*
Vamng^ The Koyal Sovereign is very deep. She has eleven cables,
wood,
8 Oct. * It can soaroely be doubted that the leading Idea of this « Intended attack
from to windward ' is taken from Clerk's Kssa y ; but it soems tu have i'soa})ed
observation timt in the battle of Trafalg&r, the attack, tliough made from the
position to windward, was made rather in the manner here prescribed for the
attack from the position to leeward. We must suppose that this alternative
metyiod had been discussed vir4 voce with the aeveral offlcen who bo glorionaly
curded ii into execution.
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three of whidi shall go to Gibraltar^ and the money will go on
board of a frigate. I am sure joa mH admire her aa a ftr better
ship than the Victory. Too need not hurry yourself, but change
at your leisure.
I shall be glad to see you inounted in her. I send you my 9 Oct.
plan of attack, as far as n laan dare venture to guess at the very
uncertain position the t iu my may be found in. But, my dear
Iriendj it is to place you perfectly at ease respecting my intentions,
and to give full scope to your judgment for carrying them into
effect. We can, my dear Coll., have no little jealoosies. We have
only one great object in view, that of annihilating our enemies,
and getting a glorions peace for our country. No man has more
confidence in another than I have in yon : and no man will render
yonr services more jnatice than your very old friend,
Nelson and Bbonte.
Keep the schooner; she will be useful in the night close in Cnpf
shore; and as Weasel sails faster, you can send her to me with 9 o^t.""
accounts when you can*t communicate by signals ; I should never {Jj^*
wish to be more than forty-eight hours without hearing from you.
Hydra you can victual and water out of the other fngates, who are
aUfbll.
Those who know more of Cadiz than either yon or I do say,
that after those Levanters come several days of fine weather, sea-
breezes westerly, land wind at night ; and that if the enemy are
bound into the Mediterranean they would come out at night, which
they have always done, placing frigates on the Porpoises and Dia-
mond, and the shoal ott' Ciuliz, run to the southward, and catch the
sea-breezes at the mouth of the Gut, and push through whilst we
might have little wind in the offing. In short, watch all points,
and all winds and weathers, for I shall depend upon you.
Fresh breezes easterly. Received an account from Blackwood, Diary,
that the French ships had all bent their top-gulhuit sails. Sent *
the Pickle to him, with orders to keep a good look-out. Sent
Admiral Collingwood the Nelson touch. At night, wind westerly.
The ships and vessels of the fleet under my command are Oenemi
directed not to show their colours on joining, unless the com- iQO^i
mander-in-ehief should yhow his.
When in presence of an enemy, all the ships under my command
are to bear white colours, and a uuion jack is to be suspended from
the fore top-gallant stay.
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424 LETTERS OF LORD NELSOX 1805
It is expected in fine weather that the ships in order of sailutg
do not keep more than two cables' length from each other.
As praleB of wind increase so suddenly in tliis country, the ships
of the fleet are directed, particularly in the night, to shorten sail,
and get top-gallant yards and masts down, and take such other
precautions as the captains may judge necessary, without waiting
for the admirars motions.
V.-Adml. I tiiink we are near enough, for the weather if it is fine, [the
^?!!!"^" wind] serves, and we are in siglit, they never will move ; and
10 Oct. should it turn bad, we may be forced into the Mediterranean, and
thus leave them at liberty to go to the westward, although at pre-
sent I am sure Mediterranean is their destination. I shall make
the signal at half-past four or five for boats to repair on board,
and make sail under top-sails, and perhaps fore-sail ; supposing the
wind to remain, stand into the latitude of Cadis, and then wear to
the southward for the night.
Should the enemy move, I have directed the vessels coming
with the information to fire a gun every three minutes, and
burn a rocket from the nuisti-head every half-hour. It is tlien
proluiblc that 1 shall make the signal, bear up, and steer for the
entrance of the Straits.
Ctft I rely on yon that sve can't miss y-cttinf? hold of them, and
?(^oS!!**** ^ ^^^^ them such a shaking as tlu'v never yet experienced ;
at least I will lay down my life in the attempt. We are a very
powerful fleet, and not to be held cheap.
Sir A. J. I have five frigates, a brig, and a schooner watching them
u'oet. closely, an advanced squadron of fast-sailing ships between ma
and the frigates, and the body of the fleet from fift;een to eighteen
leagues west of Cadis. I am aware there will be moments when
it might be wished we were closer ; but I have considered all possible
circumstances, and believe there will often be times, in strong gales
of westerly \s iud, when we may often wish ourselves farther off, as
we shall be in danger of being driven into the Mediterranean ;
when, if they choose to go westward, they will have no interrup-
tion. However, whether T am right or wrong, I act from the best
of my judgment. A lniirul Murray is in Knglaud, settling the
affairs of his father-in-law, lately dead : he might have had his
flag, ii' he pleased, in this fleet.
w. His Majesty's ships Agamemnon and UAimable joined this
la'o^t!'^ f(»enoon, and the Prince of Wales, bearing the flag of Vice-
Admiral Sir Robert Calder, leaves the fleet this evening with
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OFF CADIZ
425
orders to proceed direct to Spithead. The vice-admiral takes
with him the captains of his Majesty's ships Thunderer and Ajax,
whom I have permitted to accompany him, for the purpose of
attending the court requested by that officer on his late conduct
between the 22nd and 25th of July last, which I hope, for the
reasons I hare More stated, their Lordships will be pleased to
approve of.
1 hope we shall soon get our Cadiz iVienda out, and then we C«pt.
may (i hope) flatter ourselves that some of them will cruise on i4 0ct.
our side ; but if they do not come forth soon, I shall then rather
incline to think they will detach squadrons; but I trust, either
in tlie whole or in part, we shall get at them.
I am confident in your look-out upon them. I expect three
stout fire-ships from England; then, with a good breeze, so that
the gun-boats cannot move, and yet not so much but that a gig
can with ease row out, I should hope that at the least the gentry
may be disturbed ; and I should not be surprised if Mr. Francis
and his catamarans were sent, and Colonel CSongreve and his
rockets. But all this keep to yourself, for officers will talk, and
there is no occasion for putting the enemy on their guard. When
these arrive, we will consult how to manage them, and I shall hftve
the two bombs ready by that time.
You will, with the Agamemnon, take a station west from Cadiz Capt,
from seven to ten leagues, by wliicli means, if the enemy should {J^ence,
move, I hope to have instant iuformation, as twu or three ships 15 Oct.
will be kept, as at present, between the fleet and your two ships ;
and it seems tliuitght by Captain Blackwood that a ship or two
may attempt to drive the frigates off, and if that should be the
case you will be at hand to assist.
I want to send ten sail of the line, two frigates and two sloops, sir a. j.
off Toulon, Genoa, and that coast, to cover our army and to prevent i^^^
any stores, provisions, &c., from moving alongshore, and to save
Sardinia ; but as yet I have not the means But when the ships
are released from the expedition, and the frigates carrying the
money return, I shall have a veiy respectable squadron in that
part of the Mediterranean — probably under our friend Keats, if he
will accept it, and give up the certainty of fighting with the fleet,
as my second.
Sir Robert Calder has just lefb us to stand his trial, which I ^^-^^
think of a very serious nature. God send him a good deliverance, n, ua. '
426
LETTER OF LORD NELSON
1805
Diarv,
19 Oct.
Fine weather, wind easterljr. At half-past lune, the Mars
being one of the look-out ships, repeated the signal, ^ that the
enemy was coming out of |x>rt.' Made the signal for a ' genefal
chase SE;' wind at aouth, Cadiz bearing EN£ by compass,
distant sixteen leagues. At three the Colossus made the signal,
< that the enemy's fleet was at sea/ In the evening directed the
fleet to observe my motions dnring the night, and for Britannia,
Prince, and Dreadnought^ they being heavy sailers, to take their
stations as convenient ; and for Mars, Orion, BeHeisle, Leviathan,
Bellerophon, and Polyphemus to go ahead during the night, and
to carry a light, standing for the Straits' mouth.
ll.'iniilton,
la Ucu
Hilt
Homtift
Kelflon
Thompson,
19 Oct.
My dearest beloved l linma, the dear friend of my bosom, — ^The
signal lias been made that the enemy's combined lieet are cominL''
out of })ort. Wo have very little wind, so that I have no hopes of
seeing them before to-morrow. May the God of battles crown
my endeavours with success ; at all events I will take care that
my name shall ever be most dear to you and Horatia, both of
whom I love as much as my own life. And as my last writing
before the battle will be to you, so I hope in God that I shall live
to finish my letter after the battle. May Heaven bless yon prays
yoor Nelson and Bboots.
My dearest angel, — was made happy by the pleasnze of
receiving your letter of 19 September, and I rejoice to hear that
yon axe so very good a girl, and love my dear Lady Hamilton,
who most dearly loves yoa. Give her a kiss for me. The com-
bined fleets of tiie enemy are now reported to be coming oat of
Cadiz ; and therefore I answer your letter, my dearest Horatia, to
mark to you that you are ever uppermost in my thoughts. I
shall be sure of your jiravi rs for my safety, conquest, and speedy
return to dear Merton, and onr dearest good Lady iiainilton. Be
a good girl ; mind what ^li.s.s Connor says to you, Receive, my
dearest Uor^tia, the affectionate parental blessing of your father,
Nelson and Bronte.
Memo-
randttm,
20Oet.
Captain Blackwood to keep with two frigates in sight of the
enemy in the night. Two other frigates to be placed between him
and the Defence, Captain Hope. Colossns will take her station be-
tween Defence and Mara. Mars to communicate with tiie Victory.
Signals by night — If the enemy are standing to the southward,
or towards the Straits, bum two blue lights together every hour,
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NELSON'S LAST WISHES
427
in order to make the greater blaze. If the enemy are standing to
the westward three guns, quick, e?erj hoar.
Fresh breessee 8SW, and rainy. Gommnnicated with Fhcebe,
Defence, and Colossus, who saw near fort}- sail of ships of war out-
side of Cadiz yesterday evening ; but the wind being southerly,
they could not get to the mouth of the Straits. We were between
Trafalgar and Cnpc S]iartel. The frigati-s made the signal that
they saw nine sail outside the lun bour ; pive the frigates instruc-
tions for their gnidance, and placed Defence, Gulos8us, and Mars
between Tnt'and the frigates. At noon fresh gales and heavy rain;
Cadiz, NK H leagues. In tlie afternoon Captain Blackwood tele-
graphed that the enemy seemed detennined to go to the westward ;
and that they shall not do if in the power of Nelson and Bronte to
prevent them. At 5, telegraphed Captain Blackwood that I relied
npon his ker'|)ing sight of the enemy. At 6 o'clock Naiad made
the signal for 31 sail of the enemy NNK. The frigates and
look-out ships kept sight of the enemy most admirably all nighty
and told me by signals which tack they were upon. At 8 we
wore, and stood to SW, and at 4 am* wore, stood to the NE.
At daylight saw the enemy's combined fleet from east to 21 Oet
ESE ; bore away ; made the signal for order of sailing, and to
prepare for battle ; the enemy with their heads to the southward :
at seven the enemy wearing in succession. May the great God,
whom 1 worship, gmnt to my country, and for the benefit of
Europe in general, a grt'at and glorious victory ; and may no mis-
co!iduct in any one tarnish it; and may humanity aft^er victory
be the predominant feature in the British fleet. For myself in-
dividually,.! commit my life to Him who made nie, and may
His blessing light upon my endeavours for serving my country
faithfully. To Him I resign myself and the just cause which is
entrusted to me to defend. Amen. Amen. Amen.
October the twenty-first, one thousand eight hundred and five,
then in sight of the combined fleets of J?^ranoe and
Spain, distant about ten miles.
Whereas the eminent serncee of Emma Hamilton, widow of
the Right Honourable Sir William Hamilton, have been of the
very greatest service to our king and country, to my knowledge,
without her receiving any reward from either our king or country ;
— first, that she obtained the King of Spain*s letter, in 1796, to
his brother, the King of Naples, acquaint mg him uf his intention
to declare war against England ; from which letter the ministry
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LETTEHS OF LORD NELSON
1805
sent out orders to then Sir John Jen is, to strike a stroke, if
opportunity offered, against either the arsenals of Spain or her
fleets. That neither of these was done is not the fault of Lady
Hamilton. Tlie opportunity mi^ht have been offered. Secondly,
the British fleet under my command could never have returned
the Becond time to Es^-pt,}ind not Lady Hamilton's influence wiUi
the Queen of Naplea caused letters to be wrote to the Governor of
Syracuse, ' that he was to encourage the fleet being supplied with
everything should they put into any port in Sicily. We put into
Syracuse, and received every supply, went to Egypt, and de-
stroyed the French fleet. Could I have rewarded these services I
would not now call upon my country ; but as that has not been
in my power, I leave Emma Lady Hamilton, therefore, a legacy
to my king and country, that they will give her an ample pro-
vision to maintain her rank in life. I also leave to the beneficence
of my country my adopted daughter, Horatia Nelson Thompson ;
and I desire she will use in future the name of Nelson only.*
These are the only favours I ask of my king and country at this
moment when I am going to figlit tlieir battle. ]Mav (4od bless
my king and country, and all those who 1 hold dear. My
relations it is needless to mention : they will of course be amply
provided for.
Nelson and Bboxte.
Witness — Henrv Blackwood.
T. M. Hardy.
The rest of the story must be told by otlier pens.
Xitborj't ' A.M. Mo(h i*ate breezes. At 4 wore ship. At 6 observed the enemy's
3 hairing E by 8, distant ten or twelve miles — bore up to the east-
^ ward and made all possible sail, out reefs, to|i.sail8, set steering sails,
and royals and stay sails— cleared for quarters. At 6 light breezes and
* rf such letters were written, they did not arrive in time to be of any use,
(sec (nitr, ]). 14.")); hut in fact (liere is no evidence, except the word of a vnin
woman, tlmt tbey were written. Nelson knew nothing about the matter* but
believed what Lady Hamilton told him.
* How disgracefully these, NeliOli'B last wishes, were ignored, is matter of
painful notoriety. La<!y Hamilton was left to die in the extreme of penury and
want, in a wretched lodging at Calais; Horatia Nelson, then still a mere child,
afterwarda lired with the Boltons or Matchams, till abe married in 1822; but not
one penny was given to either of them by that king- or that country to which
Nelson, in his last hours, so touchingly bequeathed them. It matters not in the
least who or what tUa woman and th^ child weie : it is mfBdeiit tliat tticy wen
the objects of Nelsonls love, and that he left them a legtey to his king and
country.
* I'his and the other logs ore here given from the official originals in the
P.R.O. Uany of tbcme given by Nicolas seem to bavc been tak«i from other
copies* and are often very inaccaiate.
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DEATH OF NELSON
429
cloudy. Body of the enemy's fleet £ by S, niue or ten miles— enemy's
line from NN£ to SSW, consisting of 33 sail of the line, 6 frigates,
and 2 brigs — still standing for the enemy's van — ^the Royal Sovereign
I and her lino of battl»^ st-c*'! !]);; for tlio centn' f)f the enemy's line. At
1 1.30 the rnir-Tiiy openetl upon tlic Royal Sovereign. At 1 1.40 the Royal
SoviToi^u ( niimicncetl tiring on the onemy. At 11.50 the enemy began
tiring upon us and the T^t^raire. At noon, standing for the enemy's
tenth snip with all possible [sail] set. light breezes and hazy weather.
Swell from the WNW.
' Light airs and cloudy, standing towards the enemy's van with all Oct
Kail set. At I Tninutfs past 12 opened otir fire on the enemy's van, in
keeping down their line. At 20 minutes past 12, in attfinpting to pasii
through the enemy's line we fell on board the tenth and eleventh ship,
when the action became general. About 1.15 [lord Nelson] was
wounded in tiie shoulder. At 1.30, the Bedoutable having struck her
colours, we ceased firing our starboard guns but continued enga^^ with
the Santissiraa Trinidad and some of the enemy's ships on tlie larboard
Rid<\ Obsemed the T^m^raire between the Redou table and another
French sliip of the line, both of wliu li bad struck. The action continued
general until 3 o'clock^ when suverai of the enemy's ships around us
had struck. Observed the Royal Sovereign with the loss of her main
and misen-mastSi and some of the enemy's ships around her dismasted.
At 3.10 observed 4 sail of tlie enemy's van tack, and stood along our
line to windward, fired our larboard guns at those which could reach
. them. At 3. 10 made the signal for our ships to keep their wind and
engage the oiiomy's van coining along our weather line. At 4.15, the
' Spanish rear-admiml to windward struck to some of our ships which
had tacked after them. Observed one of the enemy's ships blow up and
fourteen sail of the enemy's ships standing towards Gadiz, and three sail
of the enemy's ships standing to the southward. Partial firing continued
until 4.30, when'a victory b^ng reported to [Lord Nelson], he then died
of his wounds. . . .
*P.M. 2.57 cutaway our lower and topmast studding-sails, observing Sportiste'*
the van of the enemy's ships had worr to form a junction with their
centre. At 'A hailed the Minotaur to allow us to pass ahead of her,
hauled our wind to prevent the enemy's design, tive of them ]>ore. up,
and five of them kept their wind to engage us and the Minot^iur, four
1 French and one Spanish. At 3.7 the Minotaur and Spartiate com*
menced clwe action with their headmost ships, received and returned
the lire of the five ships, with our topsails to tlio mast, occasionally filled
I to pn.ss enemy's .shi{>s that had struck. 3.40 obserxed the sternmost (a
Spaniard) with iier riL'tr'Ti'-T und sails very inueli cut up, lay to on her
quarter, with our fore and main topsails to the mast, all our after sail
: set, firing obliquely through her, she oidy returning at times from her
stemchase and quarter guns. 4.10 wore ship to eng}\ge her on the other
tack, the other four ships having left her on seeing some of our ships
coming to our assistance. 4.27 observed an enemy's ship on fire
(L'Achillr*) in the SE quarter, a frigate, the Pickle schooner, and Entre-
i, prenante cutter, taking up their men. 4.42 the Sj>anish ship engaged
by the Spartiate and Minotaur had her mizen-mast shot away. 5.10 she
- struck, alter being very much disabled — she proved to be the El Nep-
tuno, 80 guns. 5.20 the firing ceased — observed fourteen ships of the
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430 LETTERS OF LORD NELSON 1805
enemj in our possession, including the SanUssima Trinidad and Santa
Anna, three-deckers, two admiral 8 ships, and the Bnoentaure, Admiral
YilleneuTe.'
Orion's 'A.M. At 6.15 answered the general signal 76 [hear up and
large] ; saw the enemy's flwt to tho rnstwarrl. 33 sail of the line • • .
hove several tilings ovorboard and cleared ship for jiction.
22 OcU * P.M. The signal was made to prepare to anchor if necessary. 1 2. 15,
general signal to engage more closely ; Vietoiy made the Leviathaa's
signal to lead the van and Mare's to lead the lee line.* 12.35 the Royal
Sovereign broke through the enemy's reai- and ranged up under the lee
of the Santa Anna, three-decker, Spanish ship; the laiVmard ' division
attacking the reiimisidcr of their rear as they arrived up in succession.
The Victory, after making a feint of attackini; their van, hauled to star-
board, so as to reach their centre, and then wore round to pass under
the lee of the Bucentaure. Each ship of our fleet passed through the
enemy's line with studding-suls set» as she arrived up in succession ;
passed the Santa Anna dismasted at 1.30, and had struck, the Royal
Sovcreicrn under lier le«', witli her foremast only standing; passed th»^
Mars, Colossus, anrl Tonnant, al>oani and surrounded by several of the
enemy's ships, all dismasted or nearly so.* . . .
In contirmatiou or illustration of a very important statement in tlio
Orion's log, is a letter to Sir Harris Nicolas from Sir Edward Codring-
ton, then captain of the Orion, and which, though written forty years
after the date, is shown by the log not to be a mere fancy of after medi-
tation.
Sir Ed. ' Tn Lord Nelson's memorandum of 9 Octol.rr 160.3, he refers to
f**si'r"H*'" " advanced squadron of eight of the fastest sjiiling two-decked ships,"
KicoUtf, ^ ^ added to either of the two lines of the order m sailing as may be
(7) 1M5. required; and says that this advanced squadron would probably have to
cut through *' two, three, or four ships of the enmny's centre, so as to
ensure getting at their commander-in-chief, on whom every effort must
be made to capture; " and he afterwards twice speaks of tho enemy's
van coming to succour their rear. Now 1 am underthe iui|)i »-ssion that
I was expressly instructed by Lord Nelson (referring to the probability
of the ^lemy's van coming down upon us), being in the Orion, one of the
eight ships named, that he himself would prohably make a feint of
attacking their van in order to pre\ ent or n^tard it. I have no doubt
of the Victory having hauled out to port for a short sfKice, and of inv
calling the attention of my first lieutenant. Croft, to the circumstance
of her having' taken her lai lioard and weather studding-sails in, whilst
she kept her starboard and lee studding-sails set and shaking, in order
to make it clear to the fleet that his movement was merely a feint, and
that the Victory would speedily resume her course and fulfil his inten-
tion of cutting through at the centre. In admiration of this movement
T observ^ed to Lieutenant Croft, "how ])eautifullv the admiral is carry-
ing into effect his intentidiis,'' and it was this exposure to the raking
fire of several of the sliips ahead of the French centre, that occasioned
* This is ouly one of the many signals casually reported which there is no
Toaacm to believo were really made.
* Clearly a aUp of the writer's pen for starboazd, or lee*
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1805 B.m'LE OF TRAFALGAR 431
the Victoiy being so much cut up before she reached her proposed
position/
'Noon, running down for the enemy. , ,
'P.M. Light windSy running down with lower topmast and top- J^,
gallant studding-sails set on the larlmard side, within a ship's length of SSOet
the Victory, running for the 14th ship of the enemy's line from the
van. IT) mill, past noon, cut away the stivldinfr-sails and hauUvl to
the whirl. At 18 min. past noon, \ho enemy began to fire ; 20 mm
past noon, the Victory opened her fire ; immediately |)ut our helm a-port
to shear dear <^ the Yietory and opened our fire agamst the Santissima
Trinidad, and two ships ahead of her, when the action became general.
Some time after, the Victory falling on lx>ard her opponent, the T^m^-
raire beinf? closely engaged on l»otli sides, the ship on the larboard side,
rng-aging the Victory, fell alongside of us, tli*> Victory on her l?^rVtoard
side, the yard-arms locked, and immediately ahav struck and was lK)arded
by some of the othcers and part of the crew of us, at the same time
being engaged with one of the enemy on the starboard nde^ a Spanish
three-deck ship being on the larboard bow or nearly ahead, who had
raked us during great part of the action. About 10 or 15 minutes past 2,
tlie enemy's ship on the starV)oard side fell alongside of US, on which we
immediately boarded her and struck her colours.'
* A.M. At daylight saw the enemy in line of battle bearing from XaiMl*«
SSE to E— our fleet ahead, steering towards the enemy. At 8 light
winds, still continuing the same under all sail. At noon the centre of
thf enemy's fleet, bearing K8K, about six miles, consisting of one four-
tiecker, two three-deckers, 30 two decker-^, six frigates, and two l)rigs,
under the command of the French Admiral V'illeneuve and Spanish
Admiral Gravina.
* P.M. At 1 2.10 light breezes ; observed the Royal Sovereign com 22 Out.
mencing the action, as did several other ships of the lee line at 1 2.30.
At 12.50 the Spanish admiral commenced firing, and the action became
very general. At 1 a Spanisli three-decker hauled down her colotir'? to
the Royal Sovereign. At 1.30 all the same three-decker's masts went
over the side. At 1.35 observed a Spanish two-decker haul down her
colours. At 1.50 a French two-deck ship and the French admiral
both struck to the Victory and T^m^raire. At 2 observed the main and
mizen-mast of a French two-decker go over the side. At 2. 10 observed
several of the enemy's .ships dismasted, and one of ours with her fore
and nn/en nia.st gone. At 2.20 observed the Neptune dismast a Spanish
tour-deck slap, and likewise several of ditto strike their colours. At
2.40 the action became general from the van to rear. At 2.45 the main
and mizen^masts of the Royal Sovereign went by the board. At 3.35
bore up to take one of our ships in tow. At 4 took the Belleisle in tow,
she being without a mast or bowsprit; observed one of the French line-
of-battle ships on fire. At 4.20 out boats and sent tliera to take men
from ditto. At T) the firing ceased from all the ships. At 5.10 observed
the ship that was on fire to blow up.'
The Kaiad's log is the only one which has entered the signals with
any degree of fulness. The Victoty's signal log, if in existence, can-
not be found ; the log of the Enryalus merely notes 'repeated several
sigDals.'
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432
LEIIEIIS OF LORD NELSON
NauMi^9 Log : 21 OeUber.
1606
1.
A'lniiruUy, or
K^-orii] allying
18
Admiralty
Admiralty
nants
Admiralty
aiKlPrin »•'■
in tlflMIlt'
Aiiiiiirnlty
jiinl S. jipti-
nfin;s
andR.Sove
rci-ii"- pen-
AdmirAtty
Purport.
Prepare fur battle
made
To isrbom
At what
tlmtt
< '"niiii.'(n<l- General
er-ia-K:tiiefl
tienrup, sail Ur^te on i VicU»rj
theeourwuteertHlbv I
A.|n,ii„t
Si:.;Ti ;I fur Cdplaiu , \'i':ti)iy
An before Victory
Nhi lion Mil, and VicliTy
carry as little tiail |
as posHible ^
— . Victory
Oeueial
Priace
A.M.
6h40in
0 00
7 oO
8 AQ
Uencral 110 u
The fltrnnRf sail ia n Victory
v< -scl of war '
Ailimr.ilty \ M)ik> nil ^ail |»o*- i VicU>ry
[Afri«-ii"«J mI 1. ^^lIh safety to
Fn;;lftod expects that Victory
< \ t ly (DAii will do
liiily
rrepnrc'to anchor Victory
'1 tli'gi'a.jiU
Admimlty
nii'i ]rc-
pai alive
16 I Admiralty
I
TI) > ^ i-" si^ial to
take place inimMi-
fltirly «lter Iht tiut*
of day
22 Orfoher.
I'lii^figo inortr cUteely j Vi<.'lorj-
li.Suve-
rt-i^jn
rei^n
[Africa]
Cicncrol
Gt'iieral
A ti owe red hy ihm
i^laet imiiiedi'
atelr, and cvtn-
plicd u itli
Atiswfred mid
comftited witk
inimciiistcijr
Ditto
Aii'^wt.'n.d hy the
J'ririce iininodi'
;ilo!y
Anawercd and
oonplied vHli
iniini'dialetj
Ditto
Ditto
10 i)u
to 60
11 b
11 35 I H^'p^-.ttiMi hy tli«
N.-und launedi-
I aU'iy
12 0 I
j ;itod by tli0
i N.u;ni iiiimv-
Hitd
mplkd wttli
i i N.u;ni i
If dUt^ly.
[ j camplkc
f M.
tiencrai 12h?0m; Kep*»t«i by ibe
;it)« I AdniiraJt> MakcHll Ntil j»oft»iblc I Victory
I fAfricn'sl I with «afcty to tbp |
)>i iinati'. - tM;i.-r-
Naiad't* |HMi- ' I < ' lake a diMildtd i.urvHlu.s
nanid and | thiji in (ow
('■•niras j
I
I nn Admiralty
99
Admiralty
101 Admirnltv
i'll A <lriiir;il1y
Hit Admiralty
68
AdiuiJah V
( '.iMi' I r. I h. ^\ iiMi on
tiie larboard tack
( .1111' tn tlu W .r.'\
the st«rt)oard ta<-k
As before
A - iK ti'ic
Ax L»«lore
I
I
Aliica I k2
!
Nauid o
"Nsind fmme-
liiriKly
au )^ i-« jMed twice
i'\ tbeKaiad
Kurvahi»
r.iirvaluA
General
(tcneral
AfiAwt^ted and
complied with
immediately
d 20 Hrpr.Hod hy ih*-
Naiad imoMtt>
a^ely
8 30 Ditto
phips
struck
(liat have
Phftdw General
I'Iki'Ik- ( «( riri ai
AdraifHl uii Gciural
board the I
^'||r^ alti^ |
A Jtuir.d nil' tjriicral
board the
Eiirvalus
4
0 iHtto
;»:> hifto
■2o I Oitt^
0 -iO , l.)iU<J
' Thw, under tMc firi-.ini-tunci'^, i.-* iii;<T Mon-cn-c ; but ii Ktiinds so in the log.
* No interpretation r>f this Di^iial is given in the lop. Nicolas luM added, 'Tbe eneoijr are coming
out o( port,' whi< h. adiln vrrl at that time to Collingwood, ii hgilHUe. If not It tlBIiK llliat«k% U
niut bare iMtcA a prirate ilgaal between tbe two adudtais.
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1605
BATTLfi OF TRAFALGAR
433
* A.M. At 1 0 olnspm^ed the enemy wearing, aiirl enmiiif^ to the wind Earynlus'a
On the larl)oard tuck. At 11.40 repeatetl Lord Nelson's tcloiTra]>li mes- 21 (jet
sage, " I intend to push or go through the end of the enemy a line, to
prevent them fmm getting into CaSz.'' Saw the land bearing E bj N
five or nz leagaee. At 11.56 repeated Lord Nelaon's telegraph mesaage^
" England expects that every man will do hu duty/' At noon light
winds and a jjreat swell from tlie westward; observed tlio Koyal Sove-
reign, Adminil Collinl^^vood, leading the lee line, hearini,' down on the
enemy's rear line, being then nearly within gun-shot of tin m; Lord
Nelson leading the weather line, bore down on the enemy's centre.
Captain Blackwood returned from the Victory Ca|>e Trafalgar SE by
E about five leagues.
*P.M. Light winds and hazy; British fleet bearing down in two 22 Oct.
lines on the enemy's, wln'ch was formed in one line from NNE to
SSE. . . . At 12.15 the British Meet ])(>arin2f down on the enemy; Vice-
Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson leading the weather line in the Victory,
and Vice- Admiral Collingwood the lee line. At 12.15 the enemy opened
a heavy fire on the Royal Sovereign. At 12.16 the English admirals
hoisted their respective flags, and the British* fleet the British ensign
(white). At 1 2.17 Admiral Collincrwood returned the enemy's fire in a
brave and steady manner. At 12.20 we repeated Lord Nelson's sijifnal
for the British fleet to engage close, which was answered l)y tlie whole
fleet. At 12.21 the van and centre of the enemy's line opened a heavy
fire upon the Victory, and the ships she was leading into action. At
12.23 Admiral Collingwood and the headmost ships of his line broke
throu^ the rear of the enemy's, when the action commenced in a most
severe and determined manner. At 12.23 Lord Nelson returned the
enemy's tire in the centre and van in a detrmiined, cool, and '-■t^ady
manner. At 12.24 Lortl Nelson and the headmost of the line he led
into action broke into the van and centre of the enemy's line, and com-
menced the aotian in that quarter in a steady and gallant manner — ob-
served the Africa coming into the line, she being to leeward with all sail
set, on the starboard tack (free), we kept Lord Nelson's signal flying at
the main royal masthead, for the British fleet to engage close. At 12.26
observed one of the French ships totally dismastod about the centre of
the line, by some of the ships of our lee line, and another of them with
her foreyard and mi^en tcjpmast shot away. At 1.15 obser\'ed the
Tonnant's fore topmast shot away; at 1.20 a Spanish three-decked ship
with her mizen mast shot away; at 1.25 observed an English ship with
her fore and misen mast shot away; at 1.32 her main yard shot away;
the centre and rear of the enemy's line hard pressed in action. At 2 the
Africa engaged very close a Fi*ench two-decked .shi|>, and in about 5
minutes time shot away her main and mizen masts; at 2.10 observed
the Mars hard pressed in action. The remainder of the British fleet,
which were come into action, kept up a well-directed fire on the enemy.
At 2.15 the Neptune, supported by the Colossus, opened a heavy fire on
the Santissiiria Trinidad, and two other of the enemy's line which were
next her; at 2.20 the Trinidad's main and mizen masts shot away; at
2.30 the Africa shot away the fore mast of the two-decked ship she was
engaged with, and left her a complete wreck; she then bore up under
the Trinidad's stem, and raked her fore and sit; Colossus and Neptune
still engaged with her, and tiie other two ships, which appeared by their
FP
f
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4S4
LETTERS OF LOBD ^ £LSON
1S06
colours to be French. At 2.34 the Trinidad's fore mast shot away, and
one of the French ship's main and miten masts; observed nine of the
rnemy's van wear and stand down towards the centre; obsOTved llie
Royal Sovereign with her main and mizen mast gone. At 2.36 answered
Ix»rd Nelson's signal to pass within hail; made all possiM*' sail, and made
the signal to the Sinus, Phopbe, and Naiad, to take sliips m tow which
were disabled ENE, which they answered ; sounded in 50 fms. At 2.40
observed a IVemA two-deck ship on fire sud dismasted in the SSE '
quarter; passed the Spartiate and another iwa4eck ship standing to-
wards the enemy's van, and opened a heavy gre, when the action in that
quarter commenced very severe. At 2.r)0 passed by the Mars, who
hailed us to take them in tow; Ca})taiii lilaclcwnod ans\vere<! that he
would do it with pleasure, but that he was fjoing to take the second in
command, the Royal Sovereign; the officer tliat hailed us from the Mars
said that Captain Doff was no more. At 3 came alongside the Boyal
Sovereign and took her in tow; Captain Blackwood was haOed by Ad-
miral Collingwood, and ordered go on board the St. Anna, Spanish
three-deck ship, and hriiit^ liini the ndmiral, wliich Captain Blackwood
oljeyed. At 3.30 tlio meniy's vn.n approached as far as the centre, and
opened a heavy hre on the V ictory, Neptune, Spartiate, Colossus, Mars,
Africa, Agamemnon, and Royal Sovereign, which we had in tow, and
was most nobly retnnied. We had sevml of our main and topmast
rigging cut away, and backstays, by the enemy's shot» and there being
no time to haul down the studding-sails, as the enemy's van ships hauled
up for us, we cut them away, and let them go overboard, at which time
one of the eneiiiy's nearest ships to us was totally dismasted. At 4 light
variable winds; not possible to manage the lioyal Sovereign so as to
bring her broadside to bear on the enemy's ships. At 4.10 we had the i
stream cable by whidi the Boyal Sovereign was towed shot away, and a |
cutter from the quarter ; wore ship, and stood for theVictory; observed
the Phoebe, and Sirius, and Naiad coming into tlie centre and taking
some of tlie (lisal>le(] sliips in tow; at this timp the firing ceased a little.
At 4.20 observed a Spanisli two-deck sliip (h.sinasted and struck to one
of our 8hii>s ; observed seveml of the enemy's ships still hard engaged.
At 5 of the enemy's van and of their rear, bore up and mde
all saO to the northward ; were closely followed by the English, which
opened a heavy fire upon them, and dismasted a French two-deck ship
and a Spanish two-di-t k ship. At r>.20 tlie Acliille, French two-deck
ship, wliich was on tire, blew up with a great explosion. At 5.25 made
sail for the lloyal Sovereign ; observed the Victory's mizen- mast go over-
board, about which time the firing ceased, leaving the English fleet con-
querors, with sail of the enemy's ships in our pocooagion, and one
blown up, two of which were first-rates, and all dismasted. At 5.65
Admiral CoUingwood came on board and hoisted his flag (blue at the
fore).'
It is unnecessary to give more extracts from the several logs; the
others but repeat the same story, with more or less exaggerated inac-
curacies and discrepancies, more especially in point of time-. Tn the
confusion and excitement of the day, the masters in wi-rtinL' np the logs
have made the most astounding and perplexing mistakes; liave written
lee when they meant weather, larl)oard when they meant starboard, and
apparently noted the times at wild guess. The Koyal Sovereign aoted ,
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1806
BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR
435
that slio was in eloso action for 40 minutes before she received any sup-
port from the Belleisle: the Belleisle, on tlie otlier hand, ha,s recorded
that she waa two cables astern of the Royal Sovereign, and began the
aetion juBt one minute after her. The recorded differences in the interval
between the Royal Sovereign'e and the Yictorjr's breaking through the
enemy's line are equally gi-eat and more remarkable. Tliey vary from
two minutes to fr»rty: probably 10, as recorded by the Britannia, Lord
N'lrthesk's flagship, is tlie nearest ajiprouch to c-orrectiiess that can be
Uiude. We must ))ow«'\er be content to recognise the fact that ques-
tions of exact time cannot possibly be answered; but that the Phcebe
had made it noon by the sun (latitude 36^ 15') a few minutes before the
Royal Sovereign began her w<»'k, and that S(nne (inhere about 5 the firing
ceased.
Tlie exact wordini^ of the celebrated telegra|»h has often been warmly
and angrily discussed. It is not a question for di8cu^^.sion at all, but
one of simple evidence. The Naiad and Kur_) alus, the repeating frigates,
noted it in their log, and that they repeated it. Other sliips also noted
it. The Orion noted the code numbers. There is thus no possible doubt
about the matter. The words were 'England expects tlutt every man
will do his duty.' Many inaccurate versions were, of course, quoted
from memory by the several officer*? of the fleet, and these have been re-
peated till people have l)egun to doubt whether they are Tiot the real
thing. The most extraordinary, and in a way, the best authenticate
of all of these is the insOTiption on a ring which belonged to Collin gwood
and was presumably engrayed by his oi^r. It reads: * England expects
everything: men, do your duty.' ^Vhether tliis version is Collingwood's
or not, it is very certainly not Nelson's ; it is not the signal which was
made at Trafalgar.
* The ever-to-be-lamented death of Vice- Admiral Lord Viscount Nel- V.-Adml.
son, who, in the late conflict with the enemy, fell in the hour of victory, Joaf £
leaves to me the duty of informing my L'^rds Ton unissi oners of the Ad- w.
niiralty, that on tlie 1 Otli instant it was conunumcatt-d to the commander- Maraden,
in-chief from the ships watching the motions of the enemy in Cadiz, that *•
the combined fleet had put to sea. As they sailed with light winds
westerly, his Lordship concluded ^eir destination was the Mediter-
ran^n, and immediately made all sail for the Straits' entrance with
the British squadron, consisting of twenty-seven ships, three of them
sixty-fours, where his Lordship was informed by Captain Blackwood
(whose vipfilance in watching, and jEfiving notice of the enemy's move-
ments has been highly meritorious), that they had not yet passed the
Straits.
* On Monday the 21st instant, at daylight, when Cape IMalgar bore
E by S about seven leagues, the enemy was discovered six or seven miles
to tlie eastward, the wind about west, and very lirjht ; the commander in-
chief iinniedintf'ly made the signal for the fleet to l)ear up in two columns,
as they are loruied in order of sailing; a mode of attack his Ix)rdship
had pre\'iously directed, to avoid the inconvenience and delay in forming
A line of battle in the usual manner. Hie enemy's line oonsurted <3
thirty- three ships (of which eighteen were French and fifteen Spanish),
commanded in chief by Admiral Villeneuve; the Spaniards, under the
direcfion of Omvina, wore, with their heads to the northward, and
formed their line of battle with great closeness and correctness; but as
F Jf 2 ^
Digitized by Google
436
LETTERS OF LOUD NELSON
1805
the mode of attack was unusual, so the structure of their line was new
— it foniKMl a rrcsrrnt convpxing to WwarH -so that, in leading down
to their centre, 1 had botli their van and n'ar ahaft the beam, iiefore
the fire opened, every alternate ship wjis about a cable's length to wind-
ward of her second ahead and astern, fonulng a kind of double line,
and appeared, when on their beam, to leave a very little interval between
them; and this without crowding their ships. Admiral Villeneuve was
in the Bucentaure in the centre, and the Prince of Astunas bore Gra-
vina's fl i?? in the rear; but the French and Spanish ships were mixed
without any apparent regard to order of national squadron.
* As the mode of attack had been pre\niously determined on and com-
municated to the flag officers and captains, few signals were necessary,
and none were made except to direct close order as the lines bore down.
'Tlie eominander-in-chief in the Victory led the weather oolnma;
and the Royal Sovereign, wliich bore my flag, thn lee.
'The action began at twelve oVlock, by the leading sliips of the
columns V»reaking through theenemy s line, the commander-in-chief about
the tenth ship from tlie van, the second in command about the twelfth
from the rear, leaving the van of the enemy unoccupied; the succeeding
ships breaking through in all parts, astern of their leaders, and engag-
ing the enemy at the muzzles of their guns, the conflict was severe. The
enemy's ships were fought with a gallantry hif^iljly honourable to their
oOii-ers, but the attack on them was irresistible; and it plea,sed the
Alniiglity Disposer of all events to grant his Majesty's arms a complete
an<l glorious victory. About 3 p.m., many of the enemy's ships having
struck their colours, their line gave way; Admind Gravina, with ten
ships, joining their frigates to leeward, stood towards Cadis. The five
headmost ships in their van tacked, and standing to the southward to
windward of the British line, were engnijed, and the sternmost of them
taken; the otlu-rs went oft", leaving to his Majesty's squadron nineteen
sliips of the line (of which two are first rates, the Santissima Trinidad
and the Santa Anna), with three flag officers; viz. Admiral Villeneuve,
the commander-in-chief; Don Ignatio Maria d'Alava^ vice-admiral; and
the Spanish rear-admiral, Don Baltazar Hidalgo Oisneroe.
* After such a victory it may appear unnecessary to enter into enco>
miunis on the particular parts taken I)y the several comnvuvlers; the
conclusion says more on the subject than 1 have language to express;
the spirit which animated all was the same. When all exert themselves
zealously in their cotintry's service, all deserve that their high merits
should stand recorded; and never was high merit more conspicuous than
in the battle I have described.
'Such a battle could not be fought without sustaining a great loss of
men. I have not only to lament, in common with the British navy and
the British nation, in the fall of the commnndcr-iri-chief, the loss of a
hero whose name will be immortal, and his memory ever dear to his
country, but my heart is rent with the most poignant grief for the
death ol a friend to whom, by many vears' intimacy and a perfect
knowledge of the virtues of his mind, which inspired ideas superior to
the common race of men, I was bound hy the strongest ties of affec-
tion : — a gri^^f to which even the glorious occasion in wliich he fell does
not bring the consolation which perhaps it ought : his Lordship received
a musket ball in his left breast about the middle of iUa action, and sent
Digitized by Google
COI-UNG WOODS DESPATCIii:S
437
an offioor to me immediatefy with his last farewell, and soon after
expired.
• I have nlso to lament the loss of tliose excellent offiom, Captains
Duff of the Mars and Cooke of the fiellerophon : I have yet heard of
none others.
* I fear the numbers that have fallen will he found very great when
the returns come to me ; but it having blown a gale of wind ever since
the action, I haye not yet had it in my power to collect any reports from
Uie sliips.
' The Royal Sovereign having lost her masts, except the tottering
foremast, I called the Euryalus to me, while the action continued, which
ship lying within hail, made my sipials, n service Ca])tain Blackwood
peiformed with great attention. After tlie action I diiifted my tiag to
her, that I mi^t more easily communicate my orders, to, and coUect
the ships, and towed the Rojal Sovereign out to seaward. The whole
fleet were now in a very perilous sitoation ; many dismasted, all shat-
tered; in thirteen fathoms water, off the shoals of Trafalgar; and when
I made the signal to jirejiare to anchor, few of the ships had an anchor
to let go, their cables ijeing shot. But the same good Providence which
aided us thiuugh such a day preserved us in the night, by the wind
shifting a few points, and drifting the ships off the land, except four of
the captured dismasted ships, which are now at anchor off Thifalgar,
and I nope will ride safe until those gsles are oyer.'
' Ti> my letter of the 22nd, I detailed to you, for tho information of 21001.
my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the procetnlings of his
Majesty 's squadron on the day of the action, and that preceding it,
since which I have had a continued series of misfortunes, but they are
of a kind that human prudence could not possibly provide against, or
my skill prevent.
'On the 22nd, in the morning, a strong southerly wind blew, wtli
squally weather, which however did not prevent the activity of the
othcers and seamen of such sliips as were manageable from getting hold
of many of the prizes (thirteen or fourteen), and towing them to the
westward, where I ordered them to rendesvons round the Royal
Sovereign, in tow by the Neptune; but on the 23rd the gale increased,
and the sea ran so high that many of them broke the tow-rope and
drifted far to leeward before they were got hold of again; and some of
them, taking advantage of the dark and boisterous night, got hct'oi e the
wind, and have perhaps dntted upon the shore and sunk. On the
afternoon of that day the remnant of the combined fleet, ten sail of
ships, who had not been much engaged, stood up to leeward of my
shattered and straggled charge, as if meaning to attack them, which
obliged me to collect a force out of the least injured ships, and form to
leeward for their defence. All this retarded the progress of the Imlks,
and the bad weather continuing, determined me to destroy all the lee-
wardmost that could be cleared of the men, considering that keeping
possession of the ships was a matter of little consequence compared
with the chance of their falling again into the hands of the enemy. But
even this was an arduous task in the high sea which was running. I
hope, however, it li is Iteen accomplished to a considerable extent, I
entrusted it to skiiiui oflicers, who would spare no pains to execute
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438
LETTERS OF LORD NELSON
1805
what was possiliK . Flie captaiui. of the Prince and Noptune cleared
the Trimdad and 8unk her. Captains Hope, iiayntun, and Malcolm,
who joinad the fleet tins moment from Oibr^tar, had the chai^ge of de-
stroying four others, ^e Redoutable sunk astern of the Swiftsnre
whilo in tow. Tlie Santa Anna, I have no doubt, is sunk, as her sid«
was almost entirely beat in; and such is tin' si » a tiered coridition of the
whole of tlieni, that unless the weather nioilemtes, I doubt whether I
shall Ui able to carry a ship of them into port. I hope their Lf)rdships
will approve of what 1 ^liaving oidy in consideration the destruction of
the enemy's fleet) have thought a measure of absolnte necessity.
* I have taken Admiral Yilleneuve into this ship; Vice- Admiral Don
Alaya is dead* Whenever the temper of tho weather will permit, and
I ran spare a fri<jjite. (for there were only four in tlie action with the
fleet, Kuryalus, Siritis, Ph(el»<', and Naiad; the Melp inene joined the
22nd, and the Eurjdice and Scout the 23rd,) I shaii collect the other
flag oflicers and send them to England with their flags, (if they do not
all go to the bottom,) to be laid at his Majesty's feet.
< There were four thousand troops embarked, under the command of
General Contamin, who was taken with Admiral Villeneuve in the
Bucentaure.'
an Oct. * Since my letter to you of the 24th, stating tho proceedings of his
Majesty's squadron, our situation has been the most critical, and our
employment the most arduous, that eyer a fleet was engaged in. On
tiie 24th and 25^ it blew a most violent gale of wind, which completely
dispersed the ships and dro\ e tlie captured liulls in all directions.
' I have since been einpl(\ved in collecting and dest roving them, where
they are at anchor upon the coast between Cadiz and six leagues west-
ward of San Lucar, without the prospect of saving one to bring into
5»rt. I mentioned in my former letter the joining of the Done^ and
elpomene, after the action; I cannot sufficiently praise the activity of
their commanders in giving assistance to the squadron in destroying
the enemy's ships. The Defiance, after having stuck to the Aigle as
lonrr as it was possible, in hope of saving her from wreck, which
separated her for some time front the scjuadron, was obliged to abandon
her to her fate, and she went on shore. Captain Durham's exertions
have been yery great. I hope I shsJl get them all destroyed by to-
morrow, if the weather keeps moderate. In the <rale the Royal Soyereign
and Mars lost their foremasts, and are now rigging anew where the
body of the squadron is at anchor to the NW of San Lucar.
* I find that on the return of Gravina to Cadiz lie was immediately
ordered to sea again, and came out, which made it necessary for me to
fonn a line to ooyer the disaUed hulls: that night it blew hard, and his
ship, the Prince of Asturias, was dismasted and returned into port; the
Rayo was also dismasted and fell into our hands; Don Enrique M'Dond
liad his broad pennant in the Rayo, and from him I find the Santa Anna
was driyen near Cadiz, and towed in by a frigate.'
4 Kov. * Rear-A»liiiira] Louis in the Canopus, who had been detached with
the Queen, Spencer, and Tigre, to complete the wator Ac. of tiiese sliips,
and to see the conyoy in safety a certain distance up the Mediterrs^
V nean, Joined me on the 30th.
Digitized by Google
1806
coLUNawooiys despatches
439
' In gltwiriug the captured ships oi prisoners, 1 found so maay wounded
men, tliat to alleviato human misery as much as was in my po\^er, I
sent to the Marquis de Solana, goveroor>genenl of Andalusia, to offer
him the wounded to the care of their oovntiy, on r^ipts being given
a proposjil which was received with the greatest thankfulness, not only
hy the governor, hut the whole country resounds with expressions of
gratitude. Two Frencii frigates were sent out to receive them, with a
proper othcer to give receipts, bringing with them all the Enghsh who
had been wrecked in several of the ships, and an offer from the Marquis
de Solana of the use of their hospitaliB for onr wounded, pledging the
honour ol Spain for their being carefully attended.
*T have r>n1. red most of the Spanish prisoners to be released; the
otticers on pari l« , tlie itkmi for receipts given, and a condition that they
do not serve in war, l>y sea or land, until exchanged. By my corre-
spondence with the I^Iarquis, I find that Vice- Admiral d'Alava is not
dead, but dangerously wounded.'
Ah8ir<ul of Fngliah Lota,
Wounded.
Officers .
. 21
43
Seamen.
. 315
. 959
Marines
. 113
. 212
Total .
. 449
. 1,214
AhUraet of State of Combinsd Fleet.
At Gibraltar ..... 4
Destroyed 16
In Ctu&x, wrecks .... 6
„ serviceable .... 3
Escaped to the southward ... 4
33
And it may be noted that these four which * escaped to the southward '
were captured by Sir Bichard Strachan on 4 November.
It only remains to add, as personal to Lord Kelson, that his body
was sent to England, was landed at Greenwich on 23 December ;
and after lying in state for three days in the Painted Hall, was, on
8 January 1806, conveyed by water, with great state, to Whitehall
Stairs, whence it was carried to the Admiralty, and on the next dnv,
9 January, to St. Paul's Cathedral, where it was deposited in th»' - rvjjt.
At a later date were laid, one on each side of it, the bodies of Lord
Gollingwood and the Earl of Northesk, Nelson's companions* in arms
at Trafislgar.
Digitizecroy Google
INDEX.
[Th€ bivgrapkical re/frences in imall capital* are to CharHoek't ' Biographia
Navalls ; ' jUar$halV$ * Royal Naval Biography ; ' 0'Byme'$ ' Dictioiiai-y of Naval
BiofjTaphy ; ' Hal/eg ' Naval Biography ; ' Stephen'i ' Dictionary of National
Biography,' note in courte of pv bli cation ; and to tpecial memtnrs by the avthort
navietl.l
ACR AU8
Acre; defence of, by Sir Sidney
Smith. 209. 211
Acton, Sir John F'rancis Edward,
Bart., Neapolitan prime minister
[Stephen] ; letters to, 306. 354^ 3M
Addington, Right Hon. Henry, First
Lord of the Treasury 1801-4 ;
[afterwards Viscount Sidmouth ;
Stephen] ; letters to. 261-6.271-2.
27S. 28r>. 288. 2'Jl. S08-11. i^lO. 322.
321
Admiralty; complaints against, 8Q;
reprimand Nelson for disobedience
of orders, 20fi ; seamen suspicious
of, 2Sfi; interfere with Nelson's
dispositions, 3ItS; tyrannical con-
duct, afiii
Agamemnon ; Nelson commissions, 6^
47 ; cruises in the Cliaonel, 4fi ;
goes out to the Mediterranean, ;
is sent to Naples for troops, &1 ;
blockades a French frigate in I/Cg-
hom, 62 ; engagement with Mel-
pomene, first action off Toulon,
74-9 ; second dittv>,83jafi; is chased
by the French fleet, 82; is quite
rotten, M. ; captures a number of
storci^hips, IDO ; Nelson moves into
Captain, Iii2 ; joins the fleet off
Cadiz, 424. See Nelson, Horatio,
Viscount
Aginconrt Sound ; surveyed by Captain
Kyvos, 327 ; [cf. James, iii. 178]
Albemarle; Nelson commissions, 4^
L] ; c^iptures a ma-^t ship, 12; un-
successful attack on Turk's Island,
ib. ; is paid off, 5^ liL See Nelson,
Horatio, VLscount
Alcide ; burning of, 83
Algiers; insolence of, 22&; the Dey
ought to be puni.she<l, 22fi ; deci.sive
measure.*) recommended, 22f>. 307-8 ;
Nelson instructed to take vigorous
measures, 323 ; proposes to seize all
his cruisers, 335 ; the Dey did not
send his cruisers to sea, 3.")1 ; doubt-
ful news of bis fleet being at sea,
380
Alliances, continental; futility of, 89.
Ambuscade ; recaptured by Victory,
8M; captures a merchant ship, held
to be a droit of Admiralty, 3r^0-1
Amphion ; Nelson hoists hi.s flag on
board, 306 ; goes back to Victory,
31 fi
Anchoring ; directions for, in an attack
on the enemy at anchor, 3ii ; signal
to prepare for, 432
Andrews, George ; midshipman of
Boreas, wounded in a duel, 32 ;
lieutenant of Agamemnon, 88.
[Captain, 1796; died 1810]
Andrews, Miss [sister of George] ;
Nelson wishes to marry, 21
Armistice ; at Naples, opinion on the,
197 ; is infamous, 197, 200 ; is an-
nulled by signal, UiK ; ami by de-
claration sent to the rebels andJaco-
bins, ib. ; was ftUly annulled and
known to be so by the rebels when
they came out unconditionally, 202 ;
at Copenhagen, 2fii2 ; its advantages,
266. 271. 273 ; not fairly kept by
the Danes, 279-81
Austrians ; Nelson co-operates with
the, on coast of Genoa, 83-99 ;
deceitful conduct of their court, OS ;
are defeated by the French, 92-4.
97, 99. 105 ; complain of want of
effective co-operation by the fleet,
93; prisoners of war sold to the
442
INDEX
OAI
Spaniards, IM ; are recapture<l by
Agatuetunon and squadron, 100-1
Baird, Andrew, Dr. ; letters to, 29*>.
31G. :i4o. ;{5i. an
Baldwin, Gt'orjre, consul at Alexan-
dria ; letter to, 133
Ball, Sir Alexander John, captain of
Alexander, later Rear-Admiral and
Governor of Malta [Stephen] ;
wears epaulettes in France, 21 ; a
great coxcomb, ib.; takes Van-
guanl in tow, ilii ; Nelson's warm
affection for, 279 ; letters to, 168.
181 2. 192. 211. 279, 320. 324. 328,
:^37. :\->2, 361. 366. 368, .S72. 378.
:'.8(i. :)st;-.s. :!'.»!. 3l>8. 400. n:;. \'>i-ii
B.altic ; orders to Sir Hyde I'arker
to proceed lo the, 247 ; Nelson's
scheme of operations in, ; is
appointed commander-in-chief in,
211 ; returns fn>m,
Barham, Lord, First Lord of the Ad-
miralty, 3Q April 1805 ; letters to,
406. 414. iia. See Middleton, Sir
Charles
Barrington, Samuel, Admiral the Hon.
[Stephen]; 'gets amongst the
youngsters,' 15 ; advocates the free
Ijostaf^c of seamen's letters, Hfift n ;
gets false news from Dominica,
4m iL
Bastia ; report on strength of, 111 ;
Hood determines to lay siege to, &S ;
General Dundas refuses to co-ope«
rate, ib. ; so also General d'Aubant,
fiQ ; Nelson landed for siege of, fil ;
siege of, 61-3 ; capitulation of, 62 ;
Nelson discontented with Hood's
despatch, 6^
Bayntun, Henry William, captain of
Leviathan [Stephen] ; letter to,
391
Beckford, William [of Fonthill ;
Stephen] ; letter to, 212
Berry, Sir Edward, lieutenant of
Agamemnon, captain of Vungiiard,
Foudroyant, and of Agamemnon at
Trafalpar [Stephen] ; a volunteer
at St. Vincent, LLS and note ; his
marriage, L3i and mite ; his narra-
tive of the battle of the Nile,
146-l.")fi ; is sent home with de-
spatches, 146, ILB ; captured in the
Lcander, Lfifi n ; captures the Guil-
laurae Tell, 231. Letters to, 131^
146. 233. 244. 246. 287, 293, .303.
MIL Letter from, 221
Bertie, Thomas, Captain [afterwards
Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas, an early
BYR
shipmate of Nelson in Seahorse ;
Stephen] : letter to, 121
Bickerton, Sir Richard [Stephen] ;
twice passed over by the City of
Ijondon, 361 ; recommended for the
command of tlie Mediterranean,
366 ; left in temporarv command,
aim. Letter to. Ml
Bighi ; establishment of naval hospi-
tal at, 232
Black Sea ; Nelson desires intelligence
concerning, 340 ; receiv« s a report
concerning, 37ft
Blackwood, lion. Sir Henry, captain of
Penelope and Euryalus [Stephen] ;
brings the (iuillaume Tell to action,
2ji& ; brings news of the French
fleet, 411 ; commands the frigates
inshore, 419 ; to keep in sight of
the enemy, 496 ; witness to Nelson's
last wishes, 12^^ Letters to, 23S.
419. 42.3-5. See Euryalus
Bolton, Sir William, commander of
Cliilders brig [nephew, by her
marriage, of Nelson's sister Susan-
nah, wife of Tliomas Bolton, whose
daughter Catherine he married ;
knighted in May 1803, as proxy for
Lord NeLson at his installation as
K.B.; posted lH April 1805; died
Dec. 18.30] ; letter to, 31a
Bombay ; letter to the governor of,
lii2 ; supposed design of the French
on, 1£3
Bonaparte ; capture of maps and books
for, liU ; capture of his despatches,
1 62-3 ; his first experience of an
English officer, 1£3; returns to
France, 221 ; his staff and de*
spatchos captured, 22ii
Boreas; NeLsun conuuissions, 5i 23;
and commands in tlie West Indies,
2:>-40 ; is paid off, il
Boulogne ; projects for an attack on,
2ii5 ; repulse at, 289-91 ; proposal
to keep it ' in hot water,' 2Sfi
Bowen, Richard, captain of Terpsi-
chore ; slain at Santa Cruz, 121
Brereton, Robert, Brig.-Ocneral ; sends
false news from St. Lucia, 401.
404-7
Bronte ; Nelson, Duke of, I ; estate
of, aia
Bargh,John Thomas de, Lieut. -General
[afterwards Earl of Clanricarde] ;
commands the garrison at Porto
Ferrajo, 112: refuses to abandon
the place, ib. Letter to, ib.
Byron, William, lieutenant in the
army, heir to the title of Lord
Byron ; slain at Calvi, lil
INDEX
443
Ca Iha ; capture of the, 78 -ft
Cadiz ; Nelson visits the dockyard at,
iS. ; commands the inshore squadron
off, 6, 122-6 ; is bombarded, 123;
squadron from — , joins the French,
398; Nelson joins Colling^wood off — ,
405 ; Nelson resumes the command
before, 413 ; combine<l fleet in — ,
preparing for sea, llli ; puts to sea,
Calder, Sir Robert, First Captain to
Sir John Jervis, later Vice- Admiral
[Stephen]; anewlote of, 1^;
arfion off Cape Finisterre, Mlft;
aiJpUfS for a court-martial, 411 ;
returns to England in Prince of
Wales, ill, 416, 421 ; charge * of a
▼ery serious nature,' 12iL Letter to,
Calvi ; siege of, tirj-TO ; danger from
climate, ; surrender of. III
CamplKll, Doxiald, Ci^mmodorc, and
later Rear- Admiral in the Portuguese
service ; too hastily burns the Nea-
politan ships of war, l&l ; is sent to
Tripoli, 121 ; gives intelligence of
the French fleet, iQQ
Campbell, George, Rear-Admiral ; let-
ter to, 34B
Capel, Hon. Thomas Bladen, flag-
lieutenant at the Nile, promoted to
the command of the Mutine brig
and sent home with duplicate de-
spatches, lfi2 ; later, captain of
PhcEbe. Letter to, aiil
Captain ; Nelson hoists bis broad pen-
nant on board, 6, 102; and com-
mands her at St. Vincent, 111 ; she
is severely damaged, 117; Nelson
removes to Theseus, 122.
Capua ; surrender'^ to Troubridf^e, 2 09
Caracciolo, Francisco, Prince [com-
modore in the Neapolitan navy]; is
serving as a common soldier, IftO :
is a Jacobin, 1^ ; in the gunboats
at Castellamarc, ib. ; ordered to be
tried by court-martial, 201 ; is tried
and condemned to death, 202;
ordered to be hanged, ib.; and
hanged accordingly, 201
Carysfort, Lord, Envoy Extraordinary
to the King of Prussia ; letter to,
213
Castlereagh, Viscount [Foreign Secre-
tary 1805] ; letter to, Uh
Censenr ; capture of, 78-9
Clarence, H R H the Duke of [after-
wards William IV.]; letters to;
revolutionary feeling among the
peasantry, 4r>-fi ; the French in
Golfe Jouan, 10. 13^ 79» gOj Ho-
COR
tham's second action, 81 ; affairs in
Genoa, 90-1 ; in Corsica, 104* 106,
110 ; the fleet off Cadiz, 113 ; affairs
in Sicily, 190; in the Mediterranean,
21£; soldiers and sailors, 222; * the
name of Rodney,' 303; French
designs in the Mediterranean, 312;
severe gales in (julf of Lion. 330.
3fi5. See William Henry, Prince
Climate ; of Corsica, fi9 ; the lion sun,
10 ; intense cold above Genoa, 20
Cochrane, Hon. Sir Alexander F,
Rear-Admiral [Stephen] ; in com-
mand off Ferrol, 3111 ; sonds news
of the Spanish ships having dropped
down the harbour, ib. ; which leads
to the seizure of the treasure ships,
377 ; and war with Spain, 319 ;
joins Nelson in the West Indies,
401
Cocks, George, commander of the
Thunder bomb ; letter to, 34fi
Codrington, Sir Edward, Admiral,
captain of Orion at Trafalgar
[Uouhchier]; letter from, 13U
Collingwoo<l, Cuthbert, Lord, captain
of Mediator and Excellent; later,
vice-admiral [Collinqwood] ; • an
amiable good man,' 2!i ; commands
the Excellent at St. Vincent, 115.
1 17; his firm discipline, 24S ; falls in
with Nel^ou olt Cadiz, 405; his judg-
ment of the French plans, 405-6.
Letters to. 87, 99. 110. 1 17. 392. 405.
412-14. 422. 42 1. Letters from, 117.
405-G. i:{r.-!t
Colours ; Irish, with thirteen stripes,
hoisted at St. Kitts, 32 ; national — ,
struck at Rogliano, 5fi; of Vesuvian
Republic, lfl2 ; neutral. — , abases of,
326-7 ; none to be shown by the
ships off Cadiz, 415 ; white ensign
to be worn in presence of the
enemy, IfiS «, 229. 423, 433
Combustibles ; used by the French, 80,
83 ; Nelson will not use shell at
sea, 313 ; fireships and rockets off
Cadiz, 115, m.
Connor, Charles [I-ady Hamilton's
cousin] ; letter to, 3iil
Copenhagen ; battle of.250-r>1.2fl6-70 ;
English loss in, 2a2; question of
medal for, 22fi ; and thanks of the
City of London, 21>6-7. 3iiQ
Corbet, Robert, commander of Bittern
[Stephen]; complaints against for
violation of neutrality, 375. 323
Cork, Earl of ; letter to, relative to his
son's education, 40
ComwalUs, Hon. William, Admiral
[Stephen] ; captain of Lion, £11 ;
444
INDEX
COR
tried by court-martial, 22 ; com-
luander-in-chief off ilrcst, 306. ii22 ;
Admiralty ordei-s to, 377 ; sends
the Indefatigable frigate off Cadiz,
376
Corsica ; operations on coast of, 55-71 ;
produces very tine timber, 14 ;
French reaction in, 99, 104-5. IM ;
evacuation of, IM
Courage ; conspicuous, fi ; political as
necessary as military, M
Culloden ; at St. Vincent, US. 119;
sent into Meditorranean and joins
the squadrun under Nelson, I'M,
140. lil ; gets ashore at the battle
of the Nile, 164i Ifil ; refitted at
Naples, Ifil ; ashore in Mar^a Sci-
rocco, 22S-U. See Troubridge, Sir
Thoouuj
Dabby, IIenry d'Estebrb, captain of
Belleropbon at the Nile; letter to,
Davison, Alexander, Nelson's agent,
banker and confidential friend ;
letters to, IM. 211. 239-40. 245-6.
1^70-1, 275, 2'.>5. lil>7. 'M^ 315,
330. 342. 367. 382. 391. 399. 4i)7.
411-12
Dean, Forest of ; state of, 297-SOO
Defence flotilla ; Nelson appointed to
command, 2M ; memorandum re-
specting, 'iH2-.4
Denmark, Crown Prince of ; Nelson
dines and has a long conversation
with, 2iii ; armistice concluded with,
2fifi. Letters to, 26L 259
Deserters ; return of — , by Spain shall
be reciprocal, .SI 8 ; punishment of — ,
left to their own feeliDgB, HIS ; in
future — will be triwl by court-mar-
tial, 323 ; Sardinian — restored, 368;
complaint of a search made for — ,
374 ; which has in aU countries been
tolerated, 375
Desertion ; loss by — during the war,
301 ; memo respecting, 319.
Discipline ; as established by the
commander-in-chief punctually at-
tended to, Ifil ; question of foreign
officers commanding English, 170-1.
172. 179. laO ; — of Vanguard, Iflfi ;
•young men will be young men,'
233 ; soldiers serving on board ship
subject to naval — , 346-50. 355 ;
Spider's ship's company flogged by
the watch bill, 312
Disobedience of orders, 203-7 ; Nel-
son is reprimanded for, ^06 ; ho
defends his conduct, accepting the
EPA
responsibility, 21i ; his views on,
221 ; reputed — at Copenhagen, 2a4i
and tiote; *if the king's strvice
clearly marks what ought to be
done,' 321
Donnelly, Robs, captain of Narcissus
[afierwardsi Admiral Sir Ross] ; let-
ters to, 317. 35fi
Drake, Francis, Minister at Genoa;
report of conference with, 9fi. Let-
ters to, 84, d6» 90. 97-8. IDfi-
Letter from, 93
Droit of Admiralty; Ambuscade's prize
held to be a — , 350-1
Duckworth, Sir Jolin Thomas, Com-
modore, later Rear-Admiral • letters
to, 173-4. 182. 191. 197-8. 207. 210,
LM2. -Mil
Duff, George, captain of Mars ; com-
mands the inshore squadron off
Cadiz, iia and noU ; slain at Tra-
falgar, 434^ iSL Letter to, ilS
Duncan, the Hon. Henry, Lieutenajit
[afterwards Captiiiu] ; a legacy to
the service, 331. Letter to, 323
Dundas. Sir David, General; retires
from before Bastia, 53; considers
the siege 'a visionary and rash at-
tempt,' 62 ; refuses to co-operate,
ib. ; gives up the command of the
troops, 60
Durban, William, captain of Ambus-
cade ; letter to, 370
Dutch East Indiaman ; dispute with a,
23=1
Eden, Sib Mobton, Minister at
Vienna ; letter to, 113
Education of a young naval officer,
iil
Elephant ; Nelson hoists bis flag on
board, 251 ; his flagship in the battle
of Copenhagen, 25k
Elgin, Earl of. Minister at Constanti-
nople ; wishes a larger squadron in
the Levant, 22L Letter to, 228
Elliot, Sir Gilbert, Viceroy of Corsica;
later. Earl of Minto [afterwards
CK)vemor-General of India']; a spec-
tator at St. Vincent, 113- Letters
to, 64i 62» 85~G. £8, y2, 99, 103-4.
106, 108, llL See Minto, Lord
Elliot, Hugh [brother of Sir Gilbert],
Minister at Naples ; letters to, 307.
313-14. 327. 329. 333, 341. 352. 364.
367-8. 367. 374-5. 381. 384. 393.
396
Epaulettes ; worn by Captains Ball and
Shepard, 21 ; first worn in the Eng-
lish navy, ib. il
INDEX
443
ERS
Erskine, Sir James St. Clair, Lieut.-
General, commandant at Minorca
[afterwards Earl of Ros-slyn] ; re-
fuses to send troops to Malta, 219.
232. Letters to, 213, 216, 21i
Letter from, 2La
Euryalus ; sails from St. Helens in
company with Victory, 412 ; her
log at Trafalgar, i'sL-i; Collinif-
wood hoists his flag on board, 43t.
437. See Blackwood, Hon. Sir
Henry
Excellent; at St. Vincent, 1 13. 117.
UH
Extortion ; attempt at, 223
Farmeb, George, captain of Sea-
horse [slain in fight, when in com-
mand of Quebec, 1779J, 2
Fees for honours conferred by the
king ; Nelson refuses to pay, 245
Fencibles ; gee Sea-fencibles
Fischer, Johan Olfert, commodorR
[bom 1747; died, vice atimiral,
1829] ; commands the Danish fleet
at Copenhatren, 2hL.; his account
of the battle, 2ML=2M; Nelson's
reply, 26fi-ft
FitzOerald, Lord Robert, Minister at
Lisbon ; letter to, iQ2
Flag of truce at Copenhagen, 258,
270, 272-3
Fleet ; well raannod and healthy, 344 ;
needs large reinforcements, 368; the
finest — in the world, 394 ; a very
powerful — , 424. The combined — ,
• a very pretty fiddle,' 409 ; must be
unwieldy, ib. ; in a sickly state,
403. iM; must be annihilated,
120. See French; Health; Sick-
ness
Flushing ; proposed attack on, 291 ; is
not feasible, 292
Foote, Edward James, captain of Sea-
horse [afterwards Vice- Admiral Sir
E. J. ; author of • Vindication of
his Conduct '] ; senior oflRcer in
the Bay of Naples, 126 ; sign(^ a
treaty with the rebels, 107. Letter
to, IM
Foreign ; question of English rank for
— officers, iee Discipline ; troops
in garrison at Gibraltar, 308
Fondroyant; Nelson hoists his flagon
board, 196 ; captures G6n6reux,
2M=fi; captures Guillaume Tell,
237-8 ; has many defect «? and ought
to go to EnglaiMl, 212. ; carries the
Queen of Naples and suite to Leg-
horn, ih. ; must be refitted at Ma-
FRE
hon, 243; letter from barge's crew,
t*. ; Nelson strikes his flag, ib.
Fox, Charles James ; attack by — on
Nelson, in the House of Commons,
239
Fox, Hon. Edward Henry, Lieut.-
General ; letter to, 221
Frauds on Government; tee Wilkin-
son, Alleged, 20H-9 ; correspon-
dence with Victualling Board con-
cerning, 223 4
Fremantle, Thomas Francis, captain
of Inconstant, Ganges, and Nep-
tune [afterwards Vice-Adm^'ral Sir
T. F.] ; conducts the evacuation of
Leghorn, 103 and «of<f. Iietterto,4£lfi
French; extreme youth of — soldiers,
91; — will make a great effort toget
into Italy, ib. ; Nelson grieves when
they have any good fortune by sea,
91 ; believes accounts of their vic-
tories, 22. Expedition to Egypt
sails from Toulon, 131 ; captures
Malta, 139 ; — fleet destroyed at the
Nile, 145-6 ; — army not to be per-
mitted to leave Egypt, 186-7. 232.
231 ; to be hoped they will all die
there, 228 ; Western fleet comes
into the Mediterranean, 192 ; dan-
ger to Minorca, ib. ; checks the
operations at Naples, 194-7 ; pro-
bable designs'on Sicily, 194-7; force
in Toulon is equal if not superior,
312 ; the fleet from St. Domingo
may come to the Mediterranean,
314 ; a 74-gun ship at Cadiz, 315 ;
fleet at Toulon ready for sea, 317 ;
appears as if near putting to sea,
324 ; Nelson would like a copy of the
— admiral's instructions, 324, 362.
3fi9 ; Sf^culations on the destina-
tion of thclleet, 225. ; fleets at all the
ports ready for sea, 358 ; they pro-
bably mean to go to the West Indies,
3fia ; sailed from Toulon, 381i 381 ;
put back in a very crippled state,
389 ; again put to sea, 395 ; pass
Gibraltar, 397 ; join the Spaniards
at Cadiz, 323 ; and sail for the West
Indies, 400 ; their object in the
West Indies is incomprehensible,
403 ; Nelson thinks they are return-
ing to Europe, 404
Frenchman ; • lay a — close and you
will heat him,' 183 ; the only way of
dealing with a, ilil; 'close with a
— .'253; the London mob drag a — 's
carrin^^e, 295 ; will not have one in
the fleet, 32L 352, 3fi9
Frcre, John Hookham, Minister at
Madrid ; letters to, 329, 34i
446
INDEX
Fill
Frigates; leave Nelson's squadron in
the Mediterranean, 137 ; want of
— , 163 ; want of — bas permitted
Bonaparte to return to France, 221;
Nelson much distressed for want of,
HH3 ; and of small craft, 3f>'.> ; nar-
row escape of French - , 324
Gakta; capitulates, 2Iifl
Gales ; frequent in the Gulf of Lion,
330; shelter from, ib.
Gardner, Alan, commodore at Ja-
maica [afterwards Admiral Lord
— ; died 1809] ; letter to, 38
Gazette : 'one day I will have a — to
myself,' IM
Gt)n6reux ; escapes from the battle of
the Nile, 153. 160; captures Lean-
der, 166 n; escapes from the Rus-
^ian8 at Ancona, 196 ; at Toulon,
heaving down, 214 ; capture of,
234- fi
Genoa; Nelson conjmands a squadron
on the coast, ^3-107 ; complaints of
his conduct, 86j breaches of neu-
trality, 102, 106-7 : it has not
even a name of independence, iilfi;
should be blockaded, JlLl ; ordered
to be blockaded, 323
Gibbs, Abraham, Nelson's agent in
Sicily ; letter to, 31 »
Gibert, J. B., consul at Barcelona,
letter to, 318. [The name in the
text is erroneously printed Gilbert]
G i braltar ; imprudence of garrisoning
with foreign regiments, 308.
Gliwgow ; burning of the, 4^ 111
Cnirc, John, captain of Medusa ; let-
ters to, aLL MO, aifi
Graham, Tlumias, Brig.-General [after-
wards Lord Lynodoch]; letters to,
224,23fi
Guillaume Tell ; escapes from the
battle of the Nile, 153i L6Q ; is cap-
tured, 237-8
Guns ; method of pointing, 21fi
IlALLOWELL, BENJAMIN. Captain of
Swift^^nre [aftorwarrls Admiral Sir
B. Hallowell Carew; Stephen]; a
volunteer at the siege of Calvi, fil
Hamilton, Emma, Lady ; of great
assistance to the royal family on
leaving Naples, 12fi=2; is granted
the cross of Malta, 235 ; her emi-
nent service?, i21 ; ' a legacy to my
king and countiy,' Letters to,
167. 426
Hamilton, Sir William, Minister at
II 00
Naples ; letters to, 137-9. 1 13-.".
162. 171. 174. 238
Uamond, Sir Andrew Snape, Bart.,
Ckjmpt roller of the Navy ; letters to,
130. 413
Hamond, Graham Eden, captain of
Lively [son of Sir Andrew, after-
wards Admiral Sir O. E.; O Dyene] ;
letter to, i25
Hardy, Thomas Ma>;terman, comman-
der of Mutine brig at the Nile,
posted to Vanguard ; later, captain
of Foudroyant and Victory [after-
wards Vice- Admiral, Sir T. M. ; died
1839. MAE8HALL, iii. 153] ; witness
to Nelson's last will, i2&
Hawkesbury, Lord, Foreign Secretary
1801-4 ; letter to, 3fiS
Health, of the fleet; is good, 316;
beyond what I have ever seen, 320,
322=3 ; not a sick man in the fleet,
338 ; measures for insuring, 339,
ail; we have no sick, aZl ; lost
neither officer nor man, 406 ; re-
port of tlic physician of the fleet,
409-1 1
Health, Nelson's personal; will suffer
from a cold damp climate, Ih. ; ex-
cellent in Canada, 16^ he is worn
to a skeleton, 34 ; feels the effect
of his wound at the Nile, 163, Lfi& ;
very weak with cotigh and fever,
1£1 ; has been nursed by Sir William
and Lady Hamilton, 182 : — is
much broken, 234-7 ; necessitates
his giving up his command, 9A\^
is re-established, 243; much tried
by the Baltic, 211; much broken,
275-7 ; he requires nursing like a
child, 289; suffers from sea-sick-
ness, 21LI; in the worst plight of
the whole fleet, 351 ; compelled to
apply for leave to return to Eng.
land, 3fia ; requires a few months'
rest, .S71-4
Heanl, Sir Isaac, Garter King at Arms ;
his fees have been paid, 2AIL Letter
to, 221
Herbert, Mr.,President of Nevis, uncle
of Mrs. Nisbet, 33
Hiprpns, see Wilkinson
Hill, a scoundrel ; threatens to libel
Nelson, 223 ; escapes, ib. Letter to.
2a3
Hinchingbrook; Nelson posted to, f,
in ; his services in, 4^ 18
Hindostan storeship ; burnt, 212
Hobart, Lord ; letters to, 325^ 3.^2
•m 343, ML 35iL Letter from.
323
Hood, Samuel, Viscount [Ralfe, L
HOO
2421 ; comman«ls in the West Indies,
lU ; ' his howse always open to me,'
22 ; coolness between — and Nel-
son, ifi; * after clouds, sunshine,'
il ; commander-in-chief in Mediter-
ranean, 6, 4S-74 ; chiises the French
fleet into Oolfe Jouan, 64, 71-2 ;
leaves the fleet, 12 ; Nol^son's hi^^h
opinion of, 71^ 82 ; resignis tho com-
mand of the Mediterranean, 82.
Letters to, 17.r>(;-9. fiL 04-5. 67-70.
Letters from, >">'.>. G2. 67. 6&
Hood, Samuel, craptuin of Zealous at
the Nile [afterwards Vice-Admiral
Sir S. Hood, Bart. ; died comman-
der-in-chief in the East Indies,
1814, cousin of Lord Hood. Ralph,
iv. 65] ; commands the squadron on
coast of Egypt, 164. 167. Letters
to, 164i IM
Hope, George, captain of Defence;
letter to, 425
Hotham, William, Admiral [after-
wards Lord ; Kalfe, i. 2611 ; com-
mands in chief in the Mediterra-
nean, 6, 72-90 ; mistaken as to
French force, Zl ; his two actions
off Toulon, 6, 74 -H.^ ; Nelson's
opinion of, 81-2. fifi ; has struck his
flag, liH Letters to, SL. 81
lloste. Rev. Dixon [father of William
Hoste, then a midshipman of Apa«
memnon, afterwards Captain Sir W.
Hoste, Bart. ; Hosts ; Marshall,
iii. 470] ; letters to, 81, 123
Howe, Richard, Earl [Uabrow] ; Nel-
son calls on, 22 and note ; ' a great
officer in the management of a fleet.'
fi2. Letter from, 112. Letter to, IM
Hughes, Lady, wife of Sir Richard ;
goes out in Boreas, 22 ; * a flne
talkative lady,' 21 ; * has an eternal
clack,' 25
Btighes, Sir Richard, commander-in-
chief in the West Indies [Chak-
50CK, vi. 180] ; bows and scrapes
too much, 2&; not sufficiently firm,
ib. ; gives orders to see the Naviga-
tion Act carried out, 27 ; givoa con-
trary orders, ib. ; Nelson ruf uiiea to
obey, t*. ; he thanks Nelson for
having put him right, 28; is thanked
by the Treasury, ib. ; authorises the
commissioner at Antigua to hoist a
broad pennant, 23 ; Nelson refuses
to acknowledge it, 29-31 ; Nelson's
opinion of, 33^ Letter to, 2H
INOLEFIKLD, JOHN NICHOLSON, Cap-
tain of I'Aigle ; later, commissioner
X 447
LAY
at Gibraltar [Marshall, iii. 62];
letter to, 125
Irresistible^ Nelson hoists his broad
pennant on board of, liZ
Italinsky, Chevalier, Russian Minister
at Naples ; letter to, 21fl
Italy; a gold mine for the French,
Jackson, Thomas, Minister at Court
of Sardinia; letters to, 355
Jacobins; thirteen hanged. 1 '.>6 ; de-
claration and proclamation to, 198.
201 ; their lying reports, 197 ; they
came out of the cai^ths with full
knowledge and understanding, 202.
239
Jamaica ; expected attack on, 4^ 11 ;
the probable object of the combined
fleet, 401
Janus ; Nelson captain of, L 12
Jervis, Sir John, lat<r Earl of St.
Vincent [Bhenton; Tucker] ; com-
mander-in-chief in the Mediterra-
nean, 94-196 ; Nelson's first inter-
view with, 94 ; Nelson's high opinion
of, IQ& ; his despatch after the
battle of St. Vincent, 113. Letters
to, 94-109. 1 120-8. UiL See St.
Vincent, Earl of
Jouan, Oolfe ; the French fleet in,
11=2
Keats, Richard Goodwin, captain
of Superb [afterwards Admiral Sir
Richard ; Ralpb, iii. 487 ; Mar-
shall, L342] ; • one of the very best
officers in his Majesty's navy,' 313 ;
his reminiscence of a conversation
at Merton, 417. Letter to, 4QQ
Keith, Viscount [Allardyce] ; suc-
ceeds Lord St. Vincent as com-
mander-in-chief in the Mediterra-
nean. 19fi ; orders Nelson to send
all the ships he could spare to
Minorca, which Nelson at first re-
fuses to do, 2Q3=Z; leaves the
Mediterranean.2I0 ; comes out again
as commander-in-chief, 234 ; super-
seding Nelson, 2.^4 Letters to, 196.
199. 203. 205. 230. 2H4-6. 238. 242_JL
Letters from, 20L 20L ^
KinK'sniill, Sir Robert Brioe, Admiral
[Ralfe, L 35i] ; better to, 362.
Laub, Philip, Captain, transport
agent, letter to, 354
Layman, William, commander of
448
INDKX
LEO
Raven sloop [Marshall, x. 323"] ;
court-martial on, 3fi2; Nelson's high
opinion of, 390-1
Le Groa, John ; commander of Hindo-
htan when burnt, M2 ; tried and
hononralily acquitted, 343
Leiuider ; position of in the battle of
the Nile, 162. 157; is captured, IM
Legacies to the service ; the near rela-
tions of brother oflioers are, 303.
331
Leghorn ; blockade of French frigate
in, fi2 ; taken by the French, IM ;
blockade of, ib. ; intended attack
on, ; prevented by the defeats
of the Anatrians, IM
Letters from England; delay in re-
ceiving, 321 ; suggestion for free
postage of seamen's — , 356
Lindholm. Danish adjutant-general ;
goes on board Elephant, 2h& ; and
London, 253. Letters to, 266, 270,
2aa Letter from, 2fl3
Lock, Charles, cousul-general at
Naples ; lays a vague information of
frauds on the government, 208;
his accusation is ' malicious and
scandalous,' 223 ; his conduct has
been highly improper, 22fi ; his ruin
not soupht for, ib. Letter to, 2flfi
Locker, William, captain of Lowestoft,
commodore at the Nore, licut.-
governor of Greenwich Hospital ;
died 1800; first lieutenant of Ex-
periment, LSIi iL. Letters to, 10-16.
18-29. 32i 34 r.. IK 47, 5£L 72» ZSi
81-2. 95. li>2, 110, im 1^
I/ouis, Thom.'id, captain of Minotaur
at the Nile; later, Rear-Admiml Sir
Thomas; receives the capitulation
of Gaeta, 209-10; joins the Heet
before Toulon, liM; sent to Gib-
raltar for water and provisions,
115 A Letters to, 200-10
Lowestoft ; Nelson lieutensuit of, 3^ 9
Lutwidge, Skeffington ; captain of
Carcaiis, 2 ; admiral commanding
in the Downs, 2&1 ; his commund
divided with Nelson, 282. Letter to,
21i2
McAbthur, John, purser; secretary
to Lord Hood in the Mediterranean ;
joint editor of * Naval Chronicle ; '
joint author of ' Life of Nelson.*
T^etters to, 1. 73, 122
Majorca ; Captain Durban sent to gain
intelligence concerning, 370
Mnlta ; taken possession of by the
French, 138; is blockaded, 168 ;
MIV
shameful neglect of the Neapolitan
ministers to send provisions and
stores, 17L 222=32 ; failure of
attempt to storm, 182 ; Graham
commands the troops on shore, 224.
2M; French ships at — ready to
put to sea, 235; Nelson ordered to
take personal command of the
stjuadron off, 231 ; which he refuses
to do, 231=fi; [the French garrison
surrendered, 5 Sept. 1800] ; an im-
portant outwork to India, 309 ; of
no use to the fleet off Toulon, 309.
322. 331
Marines; want a serious inspection,
215
Marsden, William, secretary to the
Admiralty ; letters to, 343, 34L 360,
353. 350. 302-6. 371. 379-81. 385-6.
389. 3U1-3. 396-401. 404. 408-9.
416-6. Letter from, communicating
instructions to Cornwallis, 377 .
Marseilles ; blockade of, essential, 35fi
Mayor. Lord : reference to. 221 ; Nelson
declines to dine with, 300. Letters
to, 2%, 300, 3fiQ
Mefliterranean ; question of keeping
the fleet in, Dfl; preparing to leave,
109 ; the fleet withdrawn from,
110; duties of the fleet in, 169;
Lord Keith withdraws the fleet
from, 210 ; Nelson appointed com-
mander-in-chief in, 301 ; his in-
structions, .SO 4 -6 ; dianger of being
driven into, 121
Melpomene ; engagement with, 51 ; is
captured, 10.
Melville, Lord, First Lord of the
Admiralty 1804-5 ; leaves the Ad-
miralty, 322; * was doing much for
the service,' ib. Letters to, 3r)5. 366,
379, 388-90. 32fi
Merchants in the West Indies ; are
opposed to Nelson's carrying out
the Navigation Act, 6, 26-8
Michcrottx, Chevalier, Neapolitan
minister; letter to, 376
MidtUcton, Sir Charles, Comptroller of
the Navy; letters to, 4Q, IL See
Barbara, Lord
Miller, Ralph Willctt, captain of
Theseus; a 'most exceeding good
officer,' 102 ; narrative of the battle
of the Nile, 155-162: hi<i death, 201
n, 211 ; monnuienl in memory of, 211
Mijierve ; capture of, 82 n; Nelson
goes up tlio Mediterranean in,6, llO;
captures Sabina (Sabina retaken),
HI ; rejoins the fleet off Cape St.
Vincent, U3
Minorca; capture of, 173 ; expected
INDEX
449
MIN
attack on, 192; arrangements for
defence of, ib.; more troops there
than thoy know what to do with,
21il ; Fi L'uch ijitrigues in, 322
Minto, Lord ILi/e and Letters of] ;
letten* to, 165, 236, 235, See Elliot,
Sir Gilbert
Mitchell, Sampson, commodore in
Portuguese service ; letters to, 171).
190
Moira, Ix>rd ; letter to, 211
Money; the great object at New York,
Ifi ; Nelson consults his uncle about,
21. 32; gives to his relations, 203:
grant from tlic E.I.C.. 211 ; settle-
ment of affairs, 4 1 1 - 1 '>
Moore, Graham, captain of Indefati-
gable [Marshall, ii.633] ; sent off
Cadiz, iilfi; captures the Spanish
tareasure ships, 377
Morea ; Fieuch designs on the, 311-12.
337. Ml
Morocco ; contemplated expedition
against, 12
Moseley, Dr., author of ' Treatise on
Tropical Diseases ; ' letter to, 333
Motto ; Fides et nprra, HH and note
Moubray, Richanl llussey, captain of
Active [Ralfe, iv. 1 1 61 ; letter to,
aM
Moutray, John, commissioner at An-
tigua [Charnock. vi. 3311, hoists
a broad pennant, 29^ Nelson refuses
to acknowledge it, ib. ; and states
the case to the Admiralty, 2i>-.{ 1 ;
the commissioner recalled, 31 ;
Nelson's great regard for Mrs.
Moutray, 32
Murray, George, first captain of Vic-
tory in the Mediterranean ; absent
from Trafalgar on family business,
42i
Mutiny in the fleet off Cadiz, 121=5
Naiad ; her log at Trafalgar, ^31-9
Naples, a country of 'whores and
scoundrels,' Ifil; English residents
may send their valuables on board
the fleet. Hi ; the king leaves*,
174-7 ; a republic under French
protection, 179. Ifi2; Troubridgc
commands in the Bay of, I89-tH);
Foote is left senior officer in, IM;
Nelson arrives in, IM ; entire libera-
tion of, 202; the foulest corruption
everywhere, 235; Mr, KUiot mi-
nister at, 307. is directed to corre-
spond directly with Nelson, 323;
letter to king of, 333 ; to queen of,
333. 358. 4Qfi
NEL
National ; colours struck at Rogliano
fifi ; letter to the commander of —
corvette, 8fi; seizure of corvette, SZ
Navigation Act enforced, 6, 25-9
Navy ; ruined during the peace, 6hl ;
letter to — Board, 333
Nayler, George [afterwards Sir], York
Herald ; letter to, 327
Neapolitan; misconduct of officials,
112 ; cowardice of officers, 113 ; and
of troops, 179 ; general shot by his
own men, IZl; provisional order to
bum ships of war, 176 ; too hastily
carried out by Portuguese officers,
Ml ; officers of the — republic to
surrender on pain of being con-
sidered rebels, 201 ; neplect to send
supplies to Malta, 22\)-:V? ; — troops
ordered to Malta, 232 ; — canvas
better than English, SSQ
Nelson, Rev. Edmund, Lord Nelson's
father ; letters to, 16, 105, m
Nelson, Horatio, Viscount ; birth and
parentage, 1 ; enters the navy, 1 ;
early service, 2-3 ; is made lieu-
tenant, and appointed to the Lowes-
toft, 3, a ; lieutenant of Bristol, 3 ;
promoted to be commander of
Bjidger. 3, lOj posted to the Hin-
chingbrook, 4, LQ ; has imval com-
mand of an expedition against San
Juan, 4, 11 ; is appointed to Janus,
but invalids, 4, 12j commissions
the Albemarle, 13 ; and commands
her in the North Seii, 11 ; in Canada,
16; and in the West Indies, ITj
pays off the Albemarle, and visits
tVancc, 12 -21 ; entertains thoughts
of marriage, 21 ; which do not Icjui
to any result, 22 ; commissions the
Boreas, 23; commands her in the
West Indies, 2^-40; adventure with
a runaway horse, 2A. ; his opinion of
the Admiral, 25, 33, 35; and of the
Adminil's wife, 24, 'Hi ; enforces the
Navigation Act, 25=2; for which
the Admiral is thanked. 29j declines
to recognise the broad pennant of
Commis-sioner Moubray, 29-31 ; his
doing so disapproved of by the
Admiralty, 31 ; becomes engaged to
Mrs. Nisbet, 32 ; whom he marries,
40; places Mr. Schomberg under
arrest, 36 ; sends him to Jamaica to
be tried, 38 ; his sending tlie Pega-
sus to Jamaica disapproved of, 32 ;
exposure of frauds on the govern-
ment, 40-4 ; pays off the Boreas,
il ; commissions the Agamemnon,
6, 11 ; commands her in the Medi-
terranean, 49-102 ; engagement
G G
450
INDEX
NEL
with tho Melpomene, fil ; on shoro
at Bastiu, fil-3 ; and at Calvn, 65-
70; loses the sight of riglit eye,
66-7. 69. U ; Hot ham's first action,
74-9 ; and second action, 83^ 85 ;
his opinion of Lord Hood, 7L 82»
86; of Howe, 82j of Uotham, 7^
82. 85; commands a squadron in
tlic Gulf of Genoa, 81-107 : is
authorised to wear a distiijgui>hing
pennant, 6, 100 ; removes to the
Captain, 1Q2; hoists his broad pen-
nant temporarily in the Mi nerve,
110; captures the Sabina, LU ; re-
turns to the Captain, 113; which
he commands in the bat fie off Cape
St. Vincent, 111 ; is wounded in the
belly, 117: hoists his pt^nnant tem-
porarily in the Irresistible, 116 ;
promoted to be Rear-Admiral, 1 18 ;
apiKjinted a K.U., 119 ; hoists his
flag in the Theseus, 122 ; mischief
• hatched by a Sunday's prop,' 125 ;
comman<ls the inshore scjuadron off
Cadiz, 1 22-6 ; commands a detached
Bfpiadron against Santa Cruz, 126-
30 ; loses his right arm, 128^ 130;
returns to Kngland in Seahorse,
130; hoists his flag in the Van-
guard, 132 ; joins the fleet off Cadiz,
ib. ; and is sent into the Jlediterra-
nean with a small s<iuadron, 133 ;
which is afterwards ri inforced, 137 ;
but is deserted by the frigates, ib. ;
searches for the FrcTich lloet, 137-
45 ; and finds it off the mouth of
the Nile, 145 ; where he destroys it,
146-162 ; receives a severe wound
in the head, lJi2; fn:)m the effects
of which he suffers [apparently for
the rest of his life], 163 ; [is created
liaron Nelson of the Nile, fi Oct.
171>8]; arrives at Naples, 167 : 'a
country of fiddlers and poets,
whores and scoundrels,' ib. ; takes
the royal family to Palermo, 176 ;
is much anno3 e<l by the pretensions
of Sir Sidney Smith [q, v.], 178.
1S4. IM; is congratulated by Lord
Howe on the victoiy at the Nile,
179 ; to whom he writes a tactical
account of the battle, 180; i'i a
•good scholar' of Captain I>ocker,
183 ; sends Troubridge \^nth a
squadron to the Bay of Naples, 1^ ;
but is obliged to recall him and the
phipsof the line, 193 ; leaving Foote
senior oflicer, 196 ; hoists his flag
in Foudroyant, 196 ; takes the
e<)uadron to Naples, 197 ; annuls
the treaty which Foote had signed.
198 ; compels the rebels to gm-
render at discretion, 199, 201-2.
2211; issues a )iroclamation to the
rebel officers, 2Q1 ; orders Caracciolo
to be tried by court-martial, 201 ;
and to be hangetl, 202 ; reduces St.
Elmo, 201 ; Capua and Gaeta, 2QQ ;
disobeys Lord Keith's order to send
ships to Minorca, gO.'Ufi ; for whicli
he is reprimanded by the Admiralty.
206. [Created Duke of Bronte, is.
Aug. 1799.] Is anxious to cliastiso
the insolence of the Dey of Algiers
[q. v.], 22<L 307-8. 335 ; joins Ijord
Keith at Leghorn, 233; captures
the G6n6reur, 234-5 ; strikes his
flag, and goes home overland, 213 ;
separates from his wife. 270. [Pro-
moted to be Vice-Admiral, 1 Jan.
1801.] Hoists his flag in the San
Josef, 213; moves to the St. George
on being appointed second in com-
mand of the fleet for the Baltic,
210; transfers his flag temporarily
to the Elephant, 251; and in com-
mand of a detachment of tlie fleet,
fights the battle of Copenhagen,
254-9 ; his alleged disobedience of
a signal, 2M and tuftc ; succeeds to
the command-in-chief, 211 ; and
takes the fleet into the Gulf of
Finland, 21L. ; but withdraws, on the
representation of Count Pahlen, 276.
[Created Viscf)unt Nelson of tho
Nile, 22 May 1801.] Is comi)elle<l
by his health to return to England
[in the Kite brig], 2ai [arrived at
Yarmouth, I July, 1801]. Appointed
to command the defence flotilla,
281 ; hoists his flag in the Unites
282 ; attack on French flotilla at
Boulogne fails, 2fi9 ; a scoundrel
threatens to publish an abusive
article in the papers, 2113; he is
discontented at the want of proper
recognition of Copenhagen, 29^7,
300 ; is appointetl commander-in-
chief in the Mediterranean, 304 ;
hoists his flag in the Victory, i&. ;
moves into the Amphion, 31M; joins
the fleet imdcr Sir R. Bickerton off
Toulon, 311 ; returns to Victory,
315 ; keips watch on Toulon, 312-
95 ; but floes not blockade it, 360 ;
is indignant at a false desjiatch of
I>a Touche Trvville [q. v.], 361.
363-4. 366-7 ; searches for the
French fleet, 384 -9 : and again,
395 ; follows it to the West Indies,
400 ; and back to Europe, Kil ;
receives definite news of it, 407 ;
INDEX
451
NKL
joins Cornwallis off Usliant, IM;
rctunis to England, ib. ; and strikes
liLs Hiig, 411; again hoists his flag
in the Victory, 412 ; joins the fleet
off Cadiz, 413 ; engages the com-
bined fleet off Trafalgar, i22 31 ; is
mortally wounded, 429; and dies,
ib. ; his body is sent to England,
43S) ; and buried in St. Paul's, ib.
Nelson, Maurice, brother of Lord
Nelson ; letter to, 2M
Nels<jn, Mrs., later Lady, Lord Nelson
is .separated from, 270 ; has made
her a liberal allowance, ib. letters
to, 47-53. '>5-6. 5H, 61-2. 71-2, 74^
79. 82^ 84. 88-'.>. II !-.'>, 104. lo:>. 118.
123. 132. 134, 144. 2iia
Nelson, Rev. William, later Dr.
[brother and succes.sor of Lord Nel-
son; created Earl Nelson, 9 Nov.
180.5]; wishes to enter the navy
as chaplain, 13; chaplain of the
Borejus, 21. Letters to, 9, 12-14.
22-4. 32, 3t-5. 17-9. HO, 63^ 72, 79,
80-2. IU2. 111). 326. aiiS
Ncpean, Evan, later Sir, Secretary to
and one of the Lords of the Admi-
ralty ; letters to, 90» 130, L62, 164,
190. 204, 206, 209, 211, 213^15. 222.
227-8. 237. 243. 272. 280. 28"!. 287.
289. 292-3. 304. 307. 320. 330. 366.
403. Letter from, 2i)&
Neutral ; flag, abuse of, 22fi I ; trade,
AIL
Nentrality ; laws of — , cons^tantly vio-
lated by privateers, 322 ; must be re-
spected, 373. 37;i ; violation of —
complained of. 375. 3ii3 ; complaint
against Spanish, 322 ; against Por-
tuguese, 417-18
Nile, battle of the, 145-62. IfiQ
Nisbet, Mrs. ; Nelson becomes engaged
to, 32-3 ; marries, 5, Hi; letter to,
35. *Sp<? Nelson, Mrs.
Niza, Marquis de, rear-admiral and
commander-in-chief of the Portu-
guese squadron at Naples and
Malta ; wishes to have rank in the
English squadron. 111) ; completely
ignorant of sea affairs, 112; is
urged to remain at Malta, notwith-
standing his orders to return to
Portugal, 215. 217. 219 ; receives
Nelson's permission to return, 221 ;
letters to, 166i 170-1. 212. 215. 217.
219. 221
Nootka Sound ; dispute with Spain
concerning, 5, AL.
Nuovo, Castle, see Uovo
Oak trees in Forest of Dean, 297-3QQ
riL
Ordc, Sir John [Kalfb, ii. BT} ; com-
mands a .squaflron off Cadiz, SMI ;
Nelson's disgust thereat, ib. ; is in
a sad jnmhle, 392 ; begs to resign
his command, :iH"i ; will be the
richest admiral England ever saw,
ib.
Orient, L' [of 12Q gims, formerly Sana
Culotte, originally Dauphin Royal] ;
flag.ship at the Nile, burnt and
blown up, 153. 168 ; had struck
before she blew up, 103-6 ; had
eOO.OOO/. on board, ]M
OrUm ; her log at Trafalgar, 4.^0
Otway, Robert Waller, Sir Hyde Par-
ker's flag captain in the Baltic ;
later, commissioner at Gibral-
tar [Ralfb, iv. IJ; letters to. 380.
897-8
Pahlen, Count, Russian minister;
letters to, 274, 216, 278 ; letters
from. 275, 211
Parker, Sir Hyde [Ralph, L 377];
commands in the Mediterranean,
90; in the North Sea and Baltic,
211; a little nervous about dark
nights and fields of ice, 216 ; his
instructions, 247. Letter to, 248
Parker, Lady, wife of Sir Peter ; letter
to, 132
Parker, Sir Peter, commander-in-chief
at Jamaica, later at Portsmouth,
chief mourner at Nelson's funeral
[Ralke. L 114]
Parker, William, captain of Amazon
[Phillimork] ; dashing conduct of,
331. Lett»'rs to, 333, 401
Pegasus ; coraman<lod by Prince Wil-
liam, bad state of, 36 ; Nelson sends
her to Jamaica, 38 ; which the Ad-
miralty disapprove of, 39
Pellew, Sir Edward [afterwards Lord
Exmouth ; Osler] ; in command off
Ferrol, 331 ; wishes to serve under
Nelson, 315. Letter to. 311
Pennant ; Nelson dissiitisfiod at not
having a distingxiishing — , 2Q; is
ordered to hoist a distinguishing — ,
100 ; onler to Tmubridge to b«ar a
broa<l — , 210; Fischer's broad — ,
260. 267. 269
Pilot ; Nelson, a goofl Thames — , 2^
287 ; the — ran the Albemarle
aground, 21
Pilotage ; wiptains to make themselves
acquainted with, 313; notes on the
coast of Africa, 345; inquiry
about the Black Sea, MSL 3Iii and
Majorca, 3ZQ
452
INDEX
PIT
Pitt, William, First Lord of the Trea-
sury ; letters to, ?4Q. Ill
Pole, Sir Charles Morice, Vice-Admiral
[Ralfe. ii. 129] ; letter to, 3fiQ
Porto Ferrojo ; taken by the Kn'jUj'h,
103 ; I)e Burgh refuses to cviicuatc
the place, 1 12-3 ; he does evacuate
it, 121
Portuguese neutrality, complaint of,
417-18
Postage of seamen's letters should be
remitted,
Presents ; an imperfect list of, 8
Prince of Wales ; sent home with Sir
Robert Calder, Hi
I'risoners of war; not to be sent to
England in transports, 25A ; ought
not to be fed on salt beef, 362;
should have a ration of wine,
ib.
Privateer; destroyetl by Renard, 372.
375^ 3iill; st«»r}- uf the half-bunit —
confuted, IM «, 4M />, iOI n
Privateers ; Nelson's strong opinion of,
278. 336. 353. 3r>9. 362. 363.
37fi
Prize ; Nelson boanls a — , S ; question
of burning the Nile prizes,
I'rize-money ; for Ba.stia and Calvi,
13; suit with Lord St. Vincent re-
specting, 239-41. 246; for Copen-
hagen, 264 ; question of - - made by
a ship in disobedience of orders
40R
Promotion ; ought to rest with the
commander-in-chief, 3M
Radstock, Lord, Admiral [Mab-
HiiALL, L 56]; letters to, 316, 343,
Raynsford, Robert, commander of
Morgiana sloop ; letter to, 367
Ueljcls ; jire Jacobins
Ktxihot shot ; used by the French, 18,
80
Republic ; the Vesuvian, Lfi2; its flag,
ih.; the Italian, MSi
Reval, Nelson brings a squadron to,
21A ; witlidniw^s it at Count Pahlen's
request, 2Ifi
Richurds<)n, Henry, captain of Juno ;
letter to, 3Qa
Riou, Edward, 'the gallant good
Riou;' commands the Amazon at
Copenhagen, 252; his introduction
to Nelson, ih. ; assists Nelson in
drawing up the detailed instruc-
tions, 2M ; is slain, 251
SAB
Rodney ; claims of the son of, 30?
Rose, Right Hon. George ; letters to,
341. 348. m
Boss, Hercules [a West-Iwlia mer-
chant, with whom Nelson had con-
tracted! an intimate friendship, and
to whose son, Horatio Robs, he was
afterwards godfather] ; letter to,
i2
Russia, Emperor of; letter to, 220;
death of, 211
Russian ; co-operation, 169 ; is worth-
les.s, 227. 222; ' out-manoeuvTC
a — ,' 2M
Russiiuif; their selfish policy in the
Mediterranean, 173, 211^ 357-8. 361,
372 ; Nelson susfK-cts thera, 1 81.
212; their carelessness has retarded
the fall of Malta, 22a; they deserved
punishment, 273; are miserable sea-
men, 211
Ryves, George Frederick, captain of
Agincourt, later of Gibraltar ; letter
to, 321
St. Elmo ; summons to governor of,
198; capitulates, 2M
St. Fiorenzo ; occupied, 51
St. John's ; survey of harbour at^
2^
St. Omer ; residence at, 19-21
St. Vincent ; battle of, 113-17
St. Vincent, Earl of ; invalided from
tlie conimandof the Mediterranean,
196 ; in command of the Channel
fleet, 2AA ; First Lord of the Admi-
ralty, 246; led astray by the opinion
of iiiOurant people, 348. Letters to,
131', 133. 137. 140-5. 163-5. 167.
H>'.t- 7(', UlL 1 Tr»-8. 180. 182. 184-6.
l'.M C).!.':^. 244-6. 275-6. 281.
284-8. 2l.i() 1. 2'J4-5. 304. .306.
312-1.3. 321. 330. 334. 337-8. 342.
211L See Jervis, Sir John
Salutes ; not to be fired, 413
Ban Josef ; capture of, 114. llfi ; Nel-
son hoists his flag on boartl, 213 ;
' the finest ship in the world,' 24 4 ;
Nelson leaves, 215
San Juan ; expedition to, 4^ 11 ; heavy
loss in, 12
Santa Cruz ; proposal for an attack on,
120-2 ; expedition against, I2fi ; it«
fnilure, 126-7; detailed proceedings
of, 127-30
Sardinia ; declared neutral, 310 ; ex-
pected invasion of, 317, 333; a very
desirable possession, 332 ; most im-
portant as a naval station, 335. 355.
INDEX
453
6AV
411 ; measures for defence of.
Savings ; should be allowed for oat-
meal, 211
Schorabcrp, Charles Marsh, captain of
Madras ; letter to. 321
Schomberg, I^oac, first lieutenant of
Pegasus [afterwards captain, author
of * Naval Chronology 'J ; applies for
a court-martial, SGj is put under
arrest, ih. ; sent to Jamaica, 2S ;
the affair arranged, 32^ Letter to,
Scott, Sir William [afterwards Lord
Stowc-11] ; letter to, 3113
Sea-fencibles ; cannot be employed for
any length of time, 2>SG-8 ; the es-
tablishment was bad, ?!>.^
Sea officer, a. cannot form plans like
a land officer, iiil
Seaforth, Lord, governor of Barba-
iloes ; letter to, 401
Seahorse; Nelson serves in, 2; in Bay
of Naples, tee Foote, E. J.
Seamen ; work the guns at Calvi, 69 ;
always afraid of some trick of the
Admiralty, 2M ; proposal for regis-
tering, HO 1-4
Shaw, Harding, lietitcnant command-
ing Spidur brig ; complaint against,
for violating the neutrality of Gir-
gonti, 353; his conduct very meri-
torious and praiseworthy, 3fi3; letter
to, disapproving his Hogging the
whole ship's company, 321
Shophcard, I^wis, commander of
Thisbe ; letter to, 3M
Ships ; ♦ half-fit — drain us of stores,*
212 ; ' if not fit to stand ba<l weather
they are useless,' .'}30 ; several are
in a very bad condition, 312-14,
821; in a very indifferent state,
314. 3fia ; ver>' crazy, 3fil ; rotten, 3fi2
Sicily ; question as to security of, 3QZ ;
in a very bad state, 3(ia ; French
intrigues in, 31D ; active measures
for security of, 32fi
Sickness ; serious outbreak of — on
board Northumberland, 23fi ; several
of the ships have much scur^'y, 313.
31f> ; scurvy has made its appear-
ance in several ships, 341 ; some
symptoms of scurvy, 41ifi ; much —
in Combined fleet, 403. 406
Signal ; Nelson's last, 3s:i 435
Signals; to engage, their meaning,
329 ; by night, to be careful the
lights are clear, 23fi ; niay bo mis-
understood, 3S3 ; if not perfectly
iindfrstood, 422
Signature, 23L 25fi
8TE
Smith, John Spencer, Minister at
Constantinople [brother of Sir
W. S. Smith] ; letters to, 169^ 209,
Smith, Sir William Sidney, captain of
Tigre and, in conjunction with his
brother, J. S. Smith,Minister at Con-
stantinople [Barrow ; Howard];
• Great talkers do the least, we see,'
fil ; senior officer in the Levant,
177 ; Nelson offended by his con-
duct and assumption, 178. 184. Ififi ;
he is a<lmuiii3hcd by Lord St. Vin-
cent, lai ; explanation by Lord
Spencer, 1S5 ; passport issued by,
18fi-7 ; Nelson's wrath is appeased,
2' )'J. 2 1 1 ; his defence of Acre, 2LL
Letters to, 17L 184-5. 207. 211. 217.
226. 232
SoUliers ; on board ship subject to naval
discipline, 346-60, S'lfi
Spain ; war with - expectetl, 105. 320.
322 ; war declared, 107, 3Iii
Spanish ; fleet joins Hood off Alicant,
49 ; its inelBciency, ih. ; joins the
French at Toulon, llil; and off
Cadiz, 398; — frigate, correspon-
dence with captain of, 107-8 : ships
of war at Palermo cannot be al-
lowed to go to sea, 239 ; probable
junction of — with French, 320-1.
and TUftc; — neutrality is gross
IMirtiality, 329; treasxire ships
seize<l, 377
Si>artiate ; capture of, 1 56-7 ; joins
the fleet in the West Indies, 401 ;
log of, at 'lYafalgar, 429
SiHiUcer, Lord, First Lonl of the
Admiralty 1797-1801 ; suggesUtlmt
Nelson should command the <le-
tached squadron, 136 ; explains the
sending Sir W. S. Smith into the
Levant, 185 ; advises Nelson to re-
turn to England for his health, 241.
Letters to, 130, 138, 163, 169, 172-:t,
178. 188. 190. 202. 205. 214. 221.
225. 227. 229. 232. 242. 241. Let-
ters from, 186, 211
Spencer, Hon. Robert Cavendish,
commander of Renard schooner
[son of Lord Spencer ; Marshall,
vii. 256] ; dc4«troys a privateer on
the coast of Sicily, 372, 375, 292.
Letter to, 212
Stephens, Alexander, author of • His-
tory of the Wars of the French Re-
volution ; ' letter to, 300
Stephens, Sir Philip, secretary to, and
later, one of the Lords of the Ad-
miralty ; letters to, 13, 14, 23, 29,
36. 54
454
INDEX
STE
Stewart, Hon. Willinm.Licut.-Coloncl ;
coinmunds tlie trtxips eni barked in
tlm llaltic Hect, 250; his narrative
of the battle of Copenhagen, 250-9.
271. 276-7
Stores ; economy of, 276 ; great want
of, 320. 331. 333 ; unwarranted pur-
chase of, 3A!1; mcjwurcs to be
observwl in future, 3fiQ; liammock
cloths rotten, ib.
Strurhan, Sir Richard John, captain
of Done^'al [Rakfe, ii, 456] ; letters
to, 315, MJa 320 : sent to, 313
Stran{?ford, Lonl, Minister at Lisbon;
letter to, HZ
Stuart, Hon. Sir Charles, Lieut .-Gene-
ral ; commanding at Minorca, 1 7*.» ;
brinp* 1.<K)0 men to Palcnno, 185.
Letter tn, 113
Stuart, Don Jacobo, a descendant of
the Duke of Berwick; captain of
I>a Sabina, 112 ; Nelson returns his
sword, ib. ; he ia exchanged, ih.
Suckling. Maurice, Comptroller of the
Navy [CliARXOCK, vi. 149] ; Nel-
son's uncle and captain in Raison-
able, 1 ; his recommendations to
Nelson, 9^10.; his legacy to Nelson,
31
Suckling, William, Nelfion's uncle
[in tl)e cu.'*tom-house ; died Nov.
1798]; letters to, 2V, 32. 34. 53-4,
60-1. 63. 71. 73-4, 80-1. 81i
Sutton, Evelyn, captain of Isis ; court-
martial on, 12 and iwte
Sutton, Samuel, cajUain of Amazon
smd Amphion ; tits out Vict<jry,
.^03-4. Letters to, liliL 36L 322
Surgeons; dilTerent treatment of in
army and na\'y, 3fii
Swedes; a battle with the — to be
avoided. 213
Swetli.sh Admiral, letter to the, 213
Swift, cutter, with despatches, taken
by a privateer, 3 4 '2
Syr.'icuac ; the squadron waters at,
144-5; no private orders given to
the governor, Li5
Tactics; Nelson's early study of, U ;
notice of. 150-1 ; acc^)uut of —
at the Nile, 180 ; memo on, 382.
121
Taylor, Nathaniel, storekeeper at
Malta ; letter to, 34Ii
T6mOraire ; log of, at Trafalgar,
TenerilTe ; /trt' Santa Cms
Theseus ; NeLson hoists his flag on
TRO
board, 6, 122 ; satisfaction of the
ship's company, 123 ; witli the in-
shore squadron off Cadiz, L22=fi;
expedition against Santa Cru2, L2fi.
Srf Miller, R. W.
Thomas, Richanl, commander of ^tna
bomb [Marshall, iv. 953] ; let-
ters to, 395-6
Thomjison, Miss Herat ia Nel.son
[afterwanls Mrs. Philip Ward ; <lied
fi March 1881] ; left by Nelson to the
* beneficence of his country,' 428 ;
a bt^quest which was scandalously
ignored, ih. »l Letter to, 12fi
Time ; value of, 211i and note
Toulon : occupied by Lord Hood M ;
evacuation of, 54-5 ; might have
been re-ocoupie(i by Hotham, fifi ;
Nelson joins the fleet off, 311 ;
To»icheTr6villc in command at, 340 ;
fleet is rca<ly for sea, 317. 321 ;
• playing in and out,' 34L 343i 348i
352. 354 ; 14,000 men reatly for
embarkation at, 311 ; constant
watch kept on, 346 ; has never b(>en
blockade<l, 360 ; a vice-admiral has
hoisted his Hag at, 379 ; troops are
embarking, 3Jil; fleet sailed from,
384. 325; put back in a very
crippled state. 389
Tour in France. 12
Trsifalgar, battle of, 429-39
Trc!aty ; with the Neapolitan rebels
cannot be ciirried out, 199
Treville, La Touche, commands the
French fleet at Toulon, 310; has
several times hoisted his topsail-
yards up, 3fi2; Nelson 'hopes to
shame him out of his neat,' 3hi ; he
•cut a ciiper' off Se|Xit, 354 ; his
letter describing 'the caper,' 3iiA;
Nelson's extreme indignation and
disgust. .ML 363-4. 366-7 ; liis
de^ith, 368^ 312
Trevor. Hon. John, Minister at Turin ;
letter to, afi
Trigge, Sir Tliom.?s, Lieut.-Qeneral,
governor of Gibraltar; letter to,
ana
TriiHjli ; negotiations with, 188 ; the
bashaw's disposit ions most friendly,
325.
Trou bridge. Sir Thomas, captain of
CuUoden, later one of the Lor^ls of
the Ailmiralty, 1801-4 [afterwanls
Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-
Chief in the Ea*t Indies; lost in
the Blenheim, Feb. 1807; Ralfe, iv.
397] ; le.-Mls the line at St. Vincent,
1 15 ; nobly supports Nelson, ib. ;
commuuch^ the landing party at
INDEX
455
TUN
Santa Crnz^ his report of tbo
proccetlinga, 122 joins Nelson in
the Mediterranean, 137. 140. HI ;
goes to Naples in quest of news,
138. 148 ; and to Coron, 150; gcta
his ship ashore at the Nile, 154.
167 ; equally entitled to honours
and rewanls, 170 ; his ability and
activity, ib.; commands expedi-
tion to Leghorn, 172; is recalled to
Naples, 174 ; ordered to command
the oiKsrations in the Bay of Naples,
1R7 ; is presented with the head of
a Jacobin, IM ; ' eight or ten of
the villains ought to be hung,' 190 ;
is quite willing to conlinn the sen-
tence if Yauch is onkred to be
shot, 194 ; English ofticers ouglit
not to sit on Neapolitan courts-
martial, ib. ; he is callefl aw^ay from
Naples, 193. 195 ; commands the
attack on St. Elmo, 222.; is sent to
attack Capua and Gaeta, 2£L1 ; he
reduces them, 209 ; is ordered to
bear a bromi pennant, 210 ; ordered
to command off Malta, 221; his
complaints of the neglect of the
Neapolitan government, 230 ; seizes
provision ships at Girgenti, 221 ; is
*full of resources,' 233 ; signs Sir
Hyde Parker's orders for the Baltic,
2i&; and Nelson's for the Mediter-
ranean, aOfi. Letters to, 173-4. IM^
187. 191-3. 204. 210-13, 215.
231-2. 23 r,- 7. 331. 319. Letters
from, 189-90. 103-4
Tunis, Bey of ; complaint by, of the
conduct of a privateer, 353
Turkish co-operation, 162
Turks; 'good people, but perfectly
useless,' 212
Turk's Island ; unsuccessful attack on,
U
Tuscany ; virtually French territory,
310
Tyson, John, Nelson's secretary in
Vanguard and Foudroyant ; later,
Clerk of the Survey at Chatliam j
letter to, 331
Unite frigate ; Nelson hoists his flag
on board, 2^2
Uovo, Castle of; the rebels in — must
surrender to his Majesty's mercy,
198 ; the rebels surrender accord-
ingly, 199, 201-2. 232
Vado Bay, an open ancliomgc, M
Vanguard; commissioned for Nelson's
WIL
flag, L 132 ; joins the fleet off Cadiz,
12^ ; is sent up the Mediterranean,
Ki^ ; dismasted in a gale, 1 33-5 ;
puts into S. Pietro, 134. lAl; is
joined by reinforcement under
Troubridge, 137; pursuit of the
French, 138-45 ; battle of the Nile
145-62; arrives at Naples, l(i7 ;
king of Naples and family take re-
fuge on board of, 174-7; and are
conveyed to Palermo, 177 : the
* real good discipline of,' L2fi ; Nel-
son moves into Foudroyant, 7^ 121L
tSee Nelson, Horatio, Viscount
Vansittart, Nicholas, Ambassador to
Copenhagen [afterwards Lord
Bexley] ; letter to, 274
Vesunan Republic ; its flag, 182 ; its
officers proclaimed rebels, 2Q1
Victor}', Nelson hoists his (lag on
board, 3M; he quits her off Ushant
and goes to Amphion, 306 ; she
joins the fleet, and Nelson iigain
hoists hLs flag in her, 31fi ; he hopes
to do better with her than Keppel
did, 326; arrives at Spit head, lliii;
Nelson again hoists his flag on
board, il2; she sails from St.
Helens, ib.; joins the fleet off
Cadiz, 413; her log at Trafalgar,
428-9. See Nelson, Horatio, Vis-
count
Victualling Board ; letters to, 223. 22fi ;
letter from, 224
Vienna ; the conduct of the Court of
— is deception, 89
Villettes, William Anne, Major-Gene-
ral, commanding the g:uTison at
Malta ; letters to, 319, 3fia
Vincent, Richard Budd, captain of
Arrow ; letter to, 352
Vizir, the Grand ; letter to, ^21
West India merchants; Nelson's dis-
pute with, 2fi-8
Westcott, George Blagdon, captain of
Majestic; is slain at the Nile, 115.
Ul
Wilkinson and Iliggins; frauds dis-
covered by, 40-1, 43-4 ; imprisoned
at Antigua, 13^ L<!ttcrs to, 4.<^-4
William Henry, ILEJl Prince; Nel-
son is introduced to, llj commands
Pegasus in the West Indies, 311 ; is
a good oflicer, ib. ; promises to give
Mrs. Nisbet away, 35 ; and docs
so, IQ; commands Andromeda,
i2 Letter from, concerning Mr.
Schomberg [q. v.], 37-8. Letter
45G
INDEX
WIL
to, asking for his interest to pro-
carc for Mrs. Nelson a situation
in the Princess Royal's household,
Williams, Miss Helen Maria, author of
* Sketches of Manners,' &c. ; false-
hood of her book, 3111
Williamson, John, captain of Apin-
court at Oaniperdown ; court-mar-
tial on, liil :ukJ m>U
Woodman, Henr>' Frederick, lieute-
nant ; letters to, 340^ 313.
YAU
Woronzow, Count ; letter to, 3211
Wyndham, Hon. William Frederick,
Minister at Florence; letters to,
166. 221
Yauch, Neapolitan General ; infamous
conduct of, 191. litl ; court-martial
ordered on, 194 ; will probably be
shot, ib.
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