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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +This Etext was prepared for Project Gutenberg by John Hill. +Many thanks! + + + + + +THE LIFE + +OF + +HORATIO LORD NELSON + + + + + +BY ROBERT SOUTHEY +(1774-1843) + +TO JOHN WILSON CROKER ESQ., +LL.D., F.R.S., +SECRETARY OF THE ADMIRALTY; +WHO, BY THE OFFICIAL SITUATION WHICH HE SO ABLY FILLS, +IS QUALIFIED TO APPRECIATE ITS HISTORICAL ACCURACY; +AND WHO, +AS A MEMBER OF THE REPUBLIC OF LETTERS, +IS EQUALLY QUALIFIED TO DECIDE UPON ITS +LITERARY MERITS, +THIS WORK +IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED BY HIS FRIEND, +THE AUTHOR + + + + +Many Lives of Nelson have been written; one is yet wanting, clear and +concise enough to become a manual for the young sailor, which he may +carry about with him till he has treasured it up for example in his +memory and in his heart. In attempting such a work I shall write the +eulogy of our great national hero, for the best eulogy of NELSON is +the faithful history of his actions, and the best history must be +that which shall relate them most perspicuously. + + + + +CHAPTER I + +1758 - 1783 + + +Nelson's Birth and Boyhood--He is entered on Board the RAISONABLE-- +Goes to the West Indies in a Merchant-ship; then serves in the TRIUMPH +--He sails in Captain Phipps' Voyage of Discovery--Goes to the East +Indies in the SEAHORSE, and returns in ill Health--Serves as acting +Lieutenant in the WORCESTER, and is made Lieutenant into the LOWESTOFFE, +Commander into the BADGER Brig, and Post into the HINCHINBROKE-- +Expedition against the Spanish Main--Sent to the North Seas in the +ALBERMARLE--Services during the American War. + +* + + +HORATIO, son of Edmund and Catherine Nelson, was born September 29, +1758, in the parsonage-house of Burnham Thorpe, a village in the county +of Norfolk, of which his father was rector. His mother was a daughter of +Dr. Suckling, prebendary of Westminster, whose grandmother was sister of +Sir Robert Walpole, and this child was named after his godfather, the +first Lord Walpole. Mrs. Nelson died in 1767, leaving eight out of eleven +children. Her brother, Captain Maurice Suckling, of the navy visited the +widower upon this event, and promised to take care of one of the boys. +Three years afterwards, when HORATIO was only twelve years of age, being +at home during the Christmas holidays, he read in the county newspaper +that his uncle was appointed to the RAISONNABLE, of sixty-four guns."Do, +William," said he to a brother who was a year and a half older than him- +self, "write to my father, and tell him that I should like to go to sea +with uncle Maurice." Mr.Nelson was then at Bath, whither he had gone for +the recovery of his health: his circumstances were straitened, and he +had no prospect of ever seeing them bettered: he knew that it was the +wish of providing for himself by which Horatio was chiefly actuated, and +did not oppose his resolution; he understood also the boy's character, +and had always said, that in whatever station he might be placed, he +would climb if possible to the very top of the tree. Captain Suckling +was written to. "What," said he in his answer,"has poor Horatio done, +who is so weak, that he, above all the rest, should be sent to rough it +out at sea?--But let him come; and the first time we go into action, a +cannon-ball may knock off his head, and provide for him at once." + +It is manifest from these words that Horatio was not the boy whom his +uncle would have chosen to bring up in his own profession. He was never +of a strong body; and the ague, which at that time was one of the most +common diseases in England, had greatly reduced his strength; yet he had +already given proofs of that resolute heart and nobleness of mind which, +during his whole career of labour and of glory, so eminently +distinguished him. When a mere child, he strayed a-birds'-nesting from +his grandmother's house in company with a cowboy: the dinner-hour +elapsed; he was absent, and could not be found; and the alarm of the +family became very great, for they apprehended that he might have been +carried off by gipsies. At length, after search had been made for him in +various directions, he was discovered alone, sitting composedly by the +side of a brook which he could not get over. "I wonder, child," said the +old lady when she saw him,"that hunger and fear did not drive you home." +"Fear! grandmama:" replied the future hero,"I never saw fear:--What is +it?" Once, after the winter holidays, when he and his brother William +had set off on horseback to return to school, they came back, because +there had been a fall of snow; and William, who did not much like the +journey, said it was too deep for them to venture on. "If that be the +case," said the father, "you certainly shall not go; but make another +attempt, and I will leave it to your honour. If the road is dangerous +you may return: but remember, boys, I leave it to your honour!" The snow +was deep enough to have afforded them a reasonable excuse; but Horatio +was not to be prevailed upon to turn back. "We must go on," said he: +"remember, brother, it was left to our honour!"--There were some fine +pears growing in the schoolmaster's garden, which the boys regarded as +lawful booty, and in the highest degree tempting; but the boldest among +them were afraid to venture for the prize. Horatio volunteered upon this +service: he was lowered down at night from the bedroom window by some +sheets, plundered the tree, was drawn up with the pears, and then +distributed them among his school-fellows without reserving any for +himself. "He only took them," he said, "because every other boy was +afraid." + +Early on a cold and dark spring morning Mr. Nelson's servant arrived +at this school, at North Walsham, with the expected summons for Horatio +to join his ship. The parting from his brother William, who had been for +so many years his playmate and bed-fellow, was a painful effort, and was +the beginning of those privations which are the sailor's lot through +life. He accompanied his father to London. The RAISONNABLE was lying in +the Medway. He was put into the Chatham stage, and on its arrival was +set down with the rest of the passengers, and left to find his way on +board as he could. After wandering about in the cold, without being able +to reach the ship, an officer observed the forlorn appearance of the +boy, questioned him; and happening to be acquainted with his uncle, took +him home and gave him some refreshments. When he got on board, Captain +Suckling was not in the ship, nor had any person been apprised of the +boy's coming. He paced the deck the whole remainder of the day without +being noticed by any one; and it was not till the second day that +somebody, as he expressed it, "took compassion on him." The pain which +is felt when we are first transplanted from our native soil--when the +living branch is cut from the parent tree is one of the most poignant +which we have to endure through life. There are after-griefs which wound +more deeply, which leave behind them scars never to be effaced, which +bruise the spirit, and sometimes break the heart; but never do we feel +so keenly the want of love, the necessity of being loved, and the sense +of utter desertion, as when we first leave the haven of home, and are, +as it were, pushed off upon the stream of life. Added to these feelings, +the sea-boy has to endure physical hardships, and the privation of every +comfort, even of sleep. Nelson had a feeble body and an affectionate +heart, and he remembered through life his first days of wretchedness in +the service. + +The RAISONNABLE having been commissioned on account of the dispute +respecting the Falkland Islands, was paid off as soon as the difference +with the court of Spain was accommodated, and Captain Suckling was +removed to the TRIUMPH, seventy-four, then stationed as a guard-ship in +the Thames. This was considered as too inactive a life for a boy, and +Nelson was therefore sent a voyage to the West Indies in a merchant- +ship, commanded by Mr. John Rathbone, an excellent seaman, who had +served as master's mate under Captain Suckling in the Dreadnought. He +returned a practical seaman, but with a hatred of the king's service, +and a saying then common among the sailors--"Aft the most honour; +forward the better man." Rathbone had probably been disappointed and +disgusted in the navy; and, with no unfriendly intentions, warned Nelson +against a profession which he himself had found hopeless. His uncle +received him on board the TRIUMPH on his return, and discovering his +dislike to the navy, took the best means of reconciling him to it. He +held it out as a reward that, if he attended well to his navigation, he +should go in the cutter and decked long-boat, which was attached to the +commanding-officer's ship at Chatham. Thus he became a good pilot for +vessels of that description from Chatham to the Tower, and down the Swin +Channel to the North Foreland, and acquired a confidence among rocks and +sands of which he often felt the value. + +Nelson had not been many months on board the TRIUMPH, when his love +of enterprise was excited by hearing that two ships were fitting out for +a voyage of discovery towards the North Pole. In consequence of the +difficulties which were expected on such a service, these vessels were +to take out effective men instead of the usual number of boys. This, +however, did not deter him from soliciting to be received, and, by his +uncle's interest, he was admitted as coxswain under Captain Lutwidge, +second in command. The voyage was undertaken in compliance with an +application from the Royal Society. The Hon. Captain Constantine John +Phipps, eldest son of Lord Mulgrave, volunteered his services. The +RACEHORSE and CARCASS bombs were selected as the strongest ships, and, +therefore, best adapted for such a voyage; and they were taken into dock +and strengthened, to render them as secure as possible against the ice. +Two masters of Greenlandmen were employed as pilots for each ship. No +expedition was ever more carefully fitted out; and the First Lord of the +Admiralty, Lord Sandwich, with a laudable solicitude, went on board +himself, before their departure, to see that everything had been +completed to the wish of the officers. The ships were provided with a +simple and excellent apparatus for distilling fresh from salt water, the +invention of Dr. Irving, who accompanied the expedition. It consisted +merely in fitting a tube to the ship's kettle, and applying a wet mop to +the surface as the vapour was passing. By these means, from thirty-four +to forty gallons were produced every day. + +They sailed from the Nore on the 4th of June. On the 6th of July they +were in latitude 79d 56m 39s; longitude 9d 43m 30s E. The next day, +about the place where most of the old discoverers had been stopped, the +RACEHORSE was beset with ice; but they hove her through with ice- +anchors. Captain Phipps continued ranging along the ice, northward and +westward, till the 24th; he then tried to the eastward. On the 30th he +was in latitude 80d 13m; longitude 18d 48m E. among the islands and in +the ice, with no appearance of an opening for the ships. The weather was +exceedingly fine, mild, and unusually clear. Here they were becalmed in +a large bay, with three apparent openings between the islands which +formed it; but everywhere, as far as they could see, surrounded with +ice. There was not a breath of air, the water was perfectly smooth, the +ice covered with snow, low and even, except a few broken pieces near the +edge; and the pools of water in the middle of the ice-fields just +crusted over with young ice. On the next day the ice closed upon them, +and no opening was to be seen anywhere, except a hole, or lake as it +might be called, of about a mile and a half in circumference, where the +ships lay fast to the ice with their ice-anchors. From these ice-fields +they filled their casks with water, which was very pure and soft. The +men were playing on the ice all day; but the Greenland pilots, who were +further than they had ever been before, and considered that the season +was far advancing, were alarmed at being thus beset. + +The next day there was not the smallest opening; the ships were +within less than two lengths of each other, separated by ice, and +neither having room to turn. The ice, which the day before had been flat +and almost level with the water's edge, was now in many places forced +higher than the mainyard by the pieces squeezing together. A day of +thick fog followed: it was succeeded by clear weather; but the passage +by which the ships had entered from the westward was closed, and no open +water was in sight, either in that or any other quarter. By the pilots' +advice the men were set to cut a passage, and warp through the small +openings to the westward. They sawed through pieces of ice twelve feet +thick; and this labour continued the whole day, during which their +utmost efforts did not move the ships above three hundred yards; while +they were driven, together with the ice, far to the N.E. and E. by the +current. Sometimes a field of several acres square would be lifted up +between two larger islands, and incorporated with them; and thus these +larger pieces continued to grow by aggregation. Another day passed, and +there seemed no probability of getting the ships out without a strong +E. or N.E. wind. The season was far advanced, and every hour lessened +the chance of extricating themselves. Young as he was, Nelson was +appointed to command one of the boats which were sent out to explore a +passage into the open water. It was the means of saving a boat belonging +to the RACEHORSE from a singular but imminent danger. Some of the +officers had fired at and wounded a walrus. As no other animal has so +human-like an expression in its countenance, so also is there none that +seems to possess more of the passions of humanity. The wounded animal +dived immediately, and brought up a number of its companions; and they +all joined in an attack upon the boat. They wrested an oar from one of +the men; and it was with the utmost difficulty that the crew could +prevent them from staving or upsetting her, till the CARCASS's boat came +up; and the walruses, finding their enemies thus reinforced, dispersed. +Young Nelson exposed himself in a more daring manner. One night, during +the mid-watch, he stole from the ship with one of his comrades, taking +advantage of a rising fog, and set off over the ice in pursuit of a +bear. It was not long before they were missed. The fog thickened, and +Captain Lutwidge and his officers became exceedingly alarmed for their +safety. Between three and four in the morning the weather cleared, and +the two adventurers were seen, at a considerable distance from the ship, +attacking a huge bear. The signal for them to return was immediately +made; Nelson's comrade called upon him to obey it, but in vain; his +musket had flashed in the pan; their ammunition was expended; and a +chasm in the ice, which divided him from the bear, probably preserved +his life. "Never mind," he cried; "do but let me get a blow at this +devil with the butt-end of my musket, and we shall have him." Captain +Lutwidge, however, seeing his danger, fired a gun, which had the desired +effect of frightening the beast; and the boy then returned, somewhat +afraid of the consequences of his trespass. The captain reprimanded him +sternly for conduct so unworthy of the office which he filled, and +desired to know what motive he could have for hunting a bear. "Sir," +said he, pouting his lip, as he was wont to do when agitated, "I wished +to kill the bear, that I might carry the skin to my father." + +A party were now sent to an island, about twelve miles off (named +Walden's Island in the charts, from the midshipman who was intrusted +with this service), to see where the open water lay. They came back with +information that the ice, though close all about them, was open to the +westward, round the point by which they came in. They said also, that +upon the island they had had a fresh east wind. This intelligence +considerably abated the hopes of the crew; for where they lay it had +been almost calm, and their main dependence had been upon the effect of +an easterly wind in clearing the bay. There was but one alternative: +either to wait the event of the weather upon the ships, or to betake +themselves to the boats. The likelihood that it might be necessary to +sacrifice the ships had been foreseen. The boats accordingly were +adapted, both in number and size, to transport, in case of emergency, +the whole crew; and there were Dutch whalers upon the coast, in which +they could all be conveyed to Europe. As for wintering where they were, +that dreadful experiment had been already tried too often. No time was +to be lost; the ships had driven into shoal water, having but fourteen +fathoms. Should they, or the ice to which they were fast, take the +ground, they must inevitably be lost; and at this time they were +driving fast toward some rocks on the N.E. Captain Phipps sent for the +officers of both ships, and told them his intention of preparing the +boats for going away. They were immediately hoisted out, and the fitting +begun. Canvas bread-bags were made, in case it should be necessary +suddenly to desert the vessels; and men were sent with the lead and line +to N. and E., to sound wherever they found cracks in the ice, that they +might have notice before the ice took the ground; for in that case the +ships must instantly have been crushed or overset. + +On the 7th of August they began to haul the boats over the ice, +Nelson having command of a four-oared cutter. The men behaved +excellently well, like true British seamen: they seemed reconciled to +the thought of leaving the ships, and had full confidence in their +officers. About noon, the ice appeared rather more open near the +vessels; and as the wind was easterly, though there was but little of +it, the sails were set, and they got about a mile to the westward. They +moved very slowly, and were not now nearly so far to the westward as +when they were first beset. However, all sail was kept upon them, to +force them through whenever the ice slacked the least. Whatever +exertions were made, it could not be possible to get the boats to the +water's edge before the 14th; and if the situation of the ships should +not alter by that time, it would not be justifiable to stay longer by +them. The commander therefore resolved to carry on both attempts +together, moving the boats constantly, and taking every opportunity of +getting the ships through. A party was sent out next day to the westward +to examine the state of the ice: they returned with tidings that it was +very heavy and close, consisting chiefly of large fields. The ships, +however, moved something, and the ice itself was drifting westward. +There was a thick fog, so that it was impossible to ascertain what +advantage had been gained. It continued on the 9th; but the ships were +moved a little through some very small openings: the mist cleared off in +the afternoon, and it was then perceived that they had driven much more +than could have been expected to the westward, and that the ice itself +had driven still further. In the course of the day they got past the +boats, and took them on board again. On the morrow the wind sprang up to +the N.N.E. All sail was set, and the ships forced their way through a +great deal of very heavy ice. They frequently struck, and with such +force that one stroke broke the shank of the RACEHORSE's best bower- +anchor, but the vessels made way; and by noon they had cleared the ice, +and were out at sea. The next day they anchored in Smeerenberg Harbour, +close to that island of which the westernmost point is called Hakluyt's +Headland, in honour of the great promoter and compiler of our English +voyages of discovery. + +Here they remained a few days, that the men might rest after their +fatigue. No insect was to be seen in this dreary country, nor any +species of reptile--not even the common earth-worm. Large bodies of ice, +called icebergs, filled up the valleys between high mountains, so dark +as, when contrasted with the snow, to appear black. The colour of the +ice was a lively light green. Opposite to the place where they fixed +their observatory was one of these icebergs, above three hundred feet +high; its side toward the sea was nearly perpendicular, and a stream of +water issued from it. Large pieces frequently broke off and rolled down +into the sea. There was no thunder nor lightning during the whole time +they were in these latitudes. The sky was generally loaded with hard +white clouds, from which it was never entirely free even in the clearest +weather. They always knew when they were approaching the ice long before +they saw it, by a bright appearance near the horizon, which the +Greenlandmen called the blink of the ice. The season was now so far +advanced that nothing more could have been attempted, if indeed anything +had been left untried; but the summer had been unusually favourable, and +they had carefully surveyed the wall of ice, extending for more than +twenty degrees between the latitudes of 80d and 81d, without the +smallest appearance of any opening. + +The ships were paid off shortly after their return to England; and +Nelson was then placed by his uncle with Captain Farmer, in the SEAHORSE, +of twenty guns, then going out to the East Indies in the squadron under +Sir Edward Hughes. He was stationed in the foretop at watch and watch. +His good conduct attracted the attention of the master (afterwards +Captain Surridge), in whose watch he was; and upon his recommendation +the captain rated him as midshipman. At this time his countenance was +florid, and his appearance rather stout and athletic; but when he had +been about eighteen months in India, he felt the effects of that +climate, so perilous to European constitutions. The disease baffled all +power of medicine; he was reduced almost to a skeleton; the use of his +limbs was for some time entirely lost; and the only hope that remained +was from a voyage home. Accordingly he was brought home by Captain +Pigot, in the DOLPHIN; and had it not been for the attentive and careful +kindness of that officer on the way, Nelson would never have lived to +reach his native shores. He had formed an acquaintance with Sir Charles +Pole, Sir Thomas Troubridge, and other distinguished officers, then, +like himself, beginning their career: he had left them pursuing that +career in full enjoyment of health and hope, and was returning, from a +country in which all things were to him new and interesting, with a body +broken down by sickness, and spirits which had sunk with his strength. +Long afterwards, when the name of Nelson was known as widely as that of +England itself, he spoke of the feelings which he at this time endured. +"I felt impressed," said he, "with a feeling that I should never rise in +my profession. My mind was staggered with a view of the difficulties I +had to surmount and the little interest I possessed. I could discover no +means of reaching the object of my ambition. After a long and gloomy +reverie, in which I almost wished myself overboard, a sudden glow of +patriotism was kindled within me, and presented my king and country as +my patron. 'Well then,' I exclaimed, 'I will be a hero! and, confiding +in Providence, I will brave every danger!'" + +Long afterwards Nelson loved to speak of the feelings of that moment; +and from that time, he often said, a radiant orb was suspended in his +mind's eye, which urged him onward to renown. The state of mind in which +these feelings began, is what the mystics mean by their season of +darkness and desertion. If the animal spirits fail, they represent it as +an actual temptation. The enthusiasm of Nelson's nature had taken a +different direction, but its essence was the same. He knew to what the +previous state of dejection was to be attributed; that an enfeebled +body, and a mind depressed, had cast this shade over his soul; but he +always seemed willing to believe that the sunshine which succeeded bore +with it a prophetic glory, and that the light which led him on was +"light from heaven." + +His interest, however, was far better than he imagined, During his +absence, Captain Suckling had been made Comptroller of the Navy; his +health had materially improved upon the voyage; and as soon as the +DOLPHIN was paid off, he was appointed acting lieutenant in the +WORCESTER, sixty-four, Captain Mark Robinson, then going out with convoy +to Gibraltar. Soon after his return, on the 8th of April 1777, he passed +his examination for a lieutenancy. Captain Suckling sat at the head of +the board; and when the examination had ended, in a manner highly +honourable to Nelson, rose from his seat, and introduced him to the +examining captains as his nephew. They expressed their wonder that he +had not informed them of this relationship before; he replied that he +did not wish the younker to be favoured; he knew his nephew would pass a +good examination, and he had not been deceived. The next day Nelson +received his commission as second lieutenant of the LOWESTOFFE frigate, +Captain William Locker, then fitting out for Jamaica. + +American and French privateers, under American colours, were at that +time harassing our trade in the West Indies: even a frigate was not +sufficiently active for Nelson, and he repeatedly got appointed to the +command of one of the LOWESTOFFE's tenders. During one of their cruises +the LOWESTOFFE captured an American letter-of-marque: it was blowing a +gale, and a heavy sea running. The first lieutenant being ordered to +board the prize, went below to put on his hanger. It happened to be +mislaid; and while he was seeking it, Captain Locker came on deck. +Perceiving the boat still alongside, and in danger every moment of being +swamped, and being extremely anxious that the privateer should be +instantly taken in charge, because he feared that It would otherwise +founder, he exclaimed, "Have I no officer in the ship who can board the +prize?" Nelson did not offer himself immediately, waiting, with his +usual sense of propriety, for the first lieutenant's return; but hearing +the master volunteer, he jumped into the boat, saying, "It is my turn +now; and if I come back, it is yours." The American, who had carried a +heavy press of sail in hope of escaping, was so completely water-logged +that the LOWESTOFFE's boat went in on deck and out again with the sea + +About this time he lost his uncle. Captain Locker, however, who had +perceived the excellent qualities of Nelson, and formed a friendship for +him which continued during his life, recommended him warmly to Sir Peter +Parker, then commander-in-chief upon that station. In consequence of +this recommendation he was removed into the BRISTOL flag-ship, and Lieu- +tenant Cuthbert Collingwood succeeded him in the LOWESTOFFE. Sir Peter +Parker was the friend of both, and thus it happened that whenever Nelson +got a step in rank, Collingwood succeeded him. The former soon became +first lieutenant, and on the 8th of December 1778 was appointed +commander of the BADGER brig; Collingwood taking his place in the +BRISTOL. While the BADGER was lying in Montego Bay, Jamaica, the GLASGOW +of twenty guns came in and anchored there, and in two hours was in +flames, the steward having set fire to her while stealing rum out of the +after-hold. Her crew were leaping into the water, when Nelson came up in +his boats, made them throw their powder overboard and point their guns +upward; and by his presence of mind and personal exertions prevented the +loss of life which would otherwise have ensued. On the 11th of June 1779 +he was made post into the HINCHINBROOK, of twenty-eight guns, an enemy's +merchantman, sheathed with wood, which had been taken into the service. +Collingwood was then made commander into the BADGER. A short time after +he left the LOWESTOFFE, that ship, with a small squadron, stormed the +fort of St. Fernando de Omoa, on the south side of the Bay of Honduras, +and captured some register ships which were lying under its guns. Two +hundred and fifty quintals of quicksilver and three millions of piastres +were the reward of this enterprise; and it is characteristic of Nelson +that the chance by which he missed a share in such a prize is never +mentioned in any of his letters; nor is it likely that it ever excited +even a momentary feeling of vexation. + +Nelson was fortunate in possessing good interest at the time when it +could be most serviceable to him: his promotion had been almost as rapid +as it could be; and before he had attained the age of twenty-one he had +gained that rank which brought all the honours of the service within his +reach. No opportunity, indeed, had yet been given him of distinguishing +himself; but he was thoroughly master of his profession, and his zeal +and ability were acknowledged wherever he was known. Count d'Estaing, +with a fleet of one hundred and twenty-five sail, men of war and +transports, and a reputed force of five-and twenty thousand men, +threatened Jamaica from St. Domingo. Nelson offered his services to the +Admiral and to Governor-General Dalling, and was appointed to command +the batteries of Fort Charles, at Port Royal. Not more than seven +thousand men could be mustered for the defence of the island,--a number +wholly inadequate to resist the force which threatened them. Of this +Nelson was so well aware, that when he wrote to his friends in England, +he told them they must not be surprised to hear of his learning to speak +French. D'Estaing, however, was either not aware of his own superiority, +or not equal to the command with which he was intrusted: he attempted +nothing with his formidable armament; and General Dalling was thus left +to execute a project which he had formed against the Spanish colonies. + +This project was, to take Fort San Juan on the river of that name, +which flows from Lake Nicaragua into the Atlantic; make himself master +of the lake itself, and of the cities of Granada and Leon; and thus cut +off the communication of the Spaniards between their northern and +southern possessions in America. Here it is that a canal between the two +seas may most easily be formed--a work more important in its +consequences than any which has ever yet been effected by human power. +Lord George Germaine, at that time secretary of state for the American +Department, approved the plan; and as discontents at that time were +known to prevail in the Nuevo Reyno, in Popayan, and in Peru, the more +sanguine part of the English began to dream of acquiring an empire in +one part of America, more extensive than that which they were on the +point of losing in another. General Dalling's plans were well formed; +but the history and the nature of the country had not been studied as +accurately as its geography: the difficulties which occurred in fitting +out the expedition delayed it till the season was too far advanced; and +the men were thus sent to adventure themselves, not so much against an +enemy, whom they would have beaten, as against a climate which would do +the enemy's work. + +Early in the year 1780, five hundred men destined for this service +were convoyed by Nelson from Port Royal to Cape Gracias a Dios, in +Honduras. Not a native was to be seen when they landed: they had been +taught that the English came with no other intent than that of enslaving +them, and sending them to Jamaica. After a while, however, one of them +ventured down, confiding in his knowledge of one of the party; and by +his means the neighbouring tribes were conciliated with presents, and +brought in. The troops were encamped on a swampy and unwholesome plain, +where they were joined by a party of the 79th regiment from Black River, +who were already in a deplorable state of sickness. Having remained here +a month, they proceeded, anchoring frequently, along the Mosquito shore, +to collect their Indian allies, who were to furnish proper boats for the +river, and to accompany them. They reached the river San Juan, March +24th; and here, according to his orders, Nelson's services were to +terminate; but not a man in the expedition had ever been up the river, +or knew the distance of any fortification from its mouth; and he not +being one who would turn back when so much was to be done, resolved to +carry the soldiers up. About two hundred, therefore, were embarked in +the Mosquito shore craft and in two of the HINCHINBROOK's boats, and +they began their voyage. It was the latter end of the dry season, the +worst time for such an expedition; the river was consequently low. +Indians were sent forward through narrow channels between shoals and +sandbanks, and the men were frequently obliged to quit the boats and +exert their utmost strength to drag or thrust them along. This labour +continued for several days; when they came into deeper water, they had +then currents and rapids to contend with, which would have been insur- +mountable but for the skill of the Indians in such difficulties. The +brunt of the labour was borne by them and by the sailors--men never +accustomed to stand aloof when any exertion of strength or hardihood is +required. The soldiers, less accustomed to rely upon themselves, were of +little use. But all equally endured the violent heat of the sun, +rendered more intense by being reflected from the white shoals; while +the high woods, on both sides of the river, were frequently so close as +to prevent any refreshing circulation of air; and during the night all +were equally exposed to the heavy and unwholesome dews. + +On the 9th of April they reached an island in the river, called San +Bartolomeo, which the Spaniards had fortified, as an outpost, with a +small semicircular battery, mounting nine or ten swivels, and manned +with sixteen or eighteen men. It commanded the river in a rapid and +difficult part of the navigation. Nelson, at the head of a few of his +seamen, leaped upon the beach. The ground upon which he sprung was so +muddy that he had some difficulty in extricating himself, and lost his +shoes: bare-footed, however, he advanced, and, in his own phrase, +BOARDED THE BATTERY. In this resolute attempt he was bravely supported +by Despard, at that time a captain in the army, afterward unhappily +executed for his schemes of revolutionary treason. The castle of San +Tuan is situated about 16 miles higher up; the stores and ammunition, +however, were landed a few miles below the castle, and the men had to +march through woods almost impassable. One of the men was bitten under +the eye by a snake which darted upon him from the bough of a tree. He +was unable to proceed from the violence of the pain; and when, after a +short while, some of his comrades were sent back to assist him, he was +dead, and the body already putrid. Nelson himself narrowly escaped a +similar fate. He had ordered his hammock to be slung under some trees, +being excessively fatigued, and was sleeping, when a monitory lizard +passed across his face. The Indians happily observed the reptile; and +knowing what it indicated, awoke him. He started up, and found one of +the deadliest serpents of the country coiled up at his feet. He suffered +from poison of another kind; for drinking at a spring in which some +boughs of the manchineel had been thrown, the effects were so severe as, +in the opinion of some of his friends, to inflict a lasting injury upon +his constitution. + +The castle of San Juan is 32 miles below the point where the river +issues from the Lake of Nicaragua, and 69 from its mouth. Boats reach +the sea from thence in a day and a-half; but their navigation back, even +when unladen, is the labour of nine days. The English appeared before it +on the 11th, two days after they had taken San Bartolomeo. Nelson's +advice was, that it should instantly be carried by assault; but Nelson +was not the commander; and it was thought proper to observe all the +formalities of a siege. Ten days were wasted before this could be +commenced. It was a work more of fatigue than of danger; but fatigue was +more to be dreaded than the enemy; the rains set in; and could the +garrison have held out a little longer, diseases would have rid them of +their invaders. Even the Indians sunk under it, the victims of unusual +exertion, and of their own excesses. The place surrendered on the 24th. +But victory procured to the conquerors none of that relief which had +been expected; the castle was worse than a prison; and it contained +nothing which could contribute to the recovery of the sick, or the +preservation of those who were yet unaffected. The huts which served for +hospitals were surrounded with filth, and with the putrefying hides of +slaughtered cattle--almost sufficient of themselves to have engendered +pestilence; and when at last orders were given to erect a convenient +hospital, the contagion had become so general that there were none who +could work at it; for besides the few who were able to perform garrison +duty, there were not orderly men enough to assist the sick. Added to +these evils, there was the want of all needful remedies; for though the +expedition had been amply provided with hospital stores, river craft +enough had not been procured for transporting the requisite baggage; and +when much was to be left behind, provision for sickness was that which +of all things men in health would be most ready to leave. Now, when +these medicines were required, the river was swollen, and so turbulent +that its upward navigation was almost impracticable. At length even the +task of burying the dead was more than the living could perform, and the +bodies were tossed into the stream, or left for beasts of prey, and for +the gallinazos--those dreadful carrion birds, which do not always wait +for death before they begin their work. Five months the English +persisted in what may be called this war against nature; they then left +a few men, who seemed proof against the climate, to retain the castle +till the Spaniards should choose to retake it and make them prisoners. +The rest abandoned their baleful conquest. Eighteen hundred men were +sent to different posts upon this wretched expedition: not more than +three hundred and eighty ever returned. The HINCHINBROOK's complement +consisted of two hundred men; eighty-seven took to their beds in one +night, and of the whole crew not more than ten survived. + +The transports' men all died, and some of the ships, having none left +to take care of them, sunk in the harbour: but transport ships were not +wanted, for the troops which they had brought were no more: they had +fallen, not by the hand of an enemy, but by the deadly influence of the +climate. + +Nelson himself was saved by a timely removal. In a few days after the +commencement of the siege he was seized with the prevailing dysentery; +meantime Captain Glover (son of the author of LEONIDAS) died, and Nelson +was appointed to succeed him in the Janus, of forty-four guns; Colling- +wood being then made post into the HINCHINBROOK. He returned to the har- +bour the day before San Juan surrendered, and immediately sailed for +Jamaica in the sloop which brought the news of his appointment. He was, +however, so greatly reduced by the disorder, that when they reached Port +Royal he was carried ashore in his cot; and finding himself, after a +partial amendment, unable to retain the command of his new ship, he was +compelled to ask leave to return to England, as the only means of +recovery. Captain (afterwards Admiral) Cornwallis took him home in the +LION; and to his fare and kindness Nelson believed himself indebted for +his life. He went immediately to Bath, in a miserable state; so helpless +that he was carried to and from his bed; and the act of moving him +produced the most violent pain. In three months he recovered, and +immediately hastened to London, and applied for employment. After an +interval of about four months he was appointed to the ALBEMARLE, of +twenty-eight guns, a French merchantman which had been purchased from +the captors for the king's service. + +His health was not yet thoroughly re-established; and while he was +employed in getting his ship ready, he again became so ill. as hardly to +be able to keep out of bed. Yet in this state, still suffering from the +fatal effect of a West Indian climate, as if it might almost be +supposed, he said, to try his constitution, he was sent to the North +Seas, and kept there the whole winter. The asperity with which he +mentioned this so many years afterwards evinces how deeply he resented a +mode of conduct equally cruel to the individual and detrimental to the +service. It was during the armed neutrality; and when they anchored off +Elsinore, the Danish Admiral sent on board, desiring to be informed what +ships had arrived, and to have their force written down. "The +ALBEMARLE," said Nelson to the messenger, "is one of his Britannic +Majesty's ships: you are at liberty, sir, to count the guns as you go +down the side; and you may assure the Danish Admiral that, if necessary, +they shall all be well served." During this voyage he gained a +considerable knowledge of the Danish coast and its soundings, greatly to +the advantage of his country in after-times. The ALBEMARLE was not a +good ship, and was several times nearly overset in consequence of the +masts having been made much too long for her. On her return to England +they were shortened, and some other improvements made at Nelson's +suggestion. Still he always insisted that her first owners, the French, +had taught her to run away, as she was never a good sailer except when +going directly before the wind. + +On their return to the Downs, while he was ashore visiting the senior +officer, there came on so heavy a gale that almost all the vessels +drove, and a store-ship came athwart-hawse of the ALBEMARLE. Nelson +feared she would drive on the Goodwin Sands; he ran to the beach; but +even the Deal boatmen thought it impossible to get on board, such was +the violence of the storm. At length some of the most intrepid offered +to make the attempt for fifteen guineas; and to the astonishment and +fear of all the beholders, he embarked during the height of the tempest. +With great difficulty and imminent danger he succeeded in reaching her. +She lost her bowsprit and foremast, but escaped further injury. He was +now ordered to Quebec, where his surgeon told him he would certainly be +laid up by the climate. Many of his friends urged him to represent this +to Admiral Keppel; but having received his orders from Lord Sandwich, +there appeared to him an indelicacy in applying to his successor to have +them altered. + +Accordingly he sailed for Canada. During her first cruise on that +station the ALBEMARLE captured a fishing schooner which contained in her +cargo nearly all the property that her master possessed, and the poor +fellow had a large family at home, anxiously expecting him. Nelson +employed him as a pilot in Boston Bay, then restored him the schooner +and cargo, and gave him a certificate to secure him against being +captured by any other vessel. The man came off afterwards to the +ALBEMARLE, at the hazard of his life, with a present of sheep, poultry, +and fresh provisions. A most valuable supply it proved, for the scurvy +was raging on board: this was in the middle of August, and the ship's +company had not had a fresh meal since the beginning of April. The +certificate was preserved at Boston in memory of an act of unusual +generosity; and now that the fame of Nelson has given interest to +everything connected with his name, it is regarded as a relic. The +ALBEMARLE had a narrow escape upon this cruise. Four French sail of the +line and a frigate, which had come out of Boston harbour, gave chase to +her; and Nelson, perceiving that they beat him in sailing, boldly ran +among the numerous shoals of St. George's Bank, confiding in his own +skill in pilotage. Captain Salter, in the STA. MARGARETTA, had escaped +the French fleet by a similar manoeuvre not long before. The frigate +alone continued warily to pursue him; but as soon as he perceived that +this enemy was unsupported, he shortened sail and hove to; upon which +the Frenchman thought it advisable to give over the pursuit, and sail in +quest of his consorts. + +At Quebec Nelson became acquainted with Alexander Davison, by whose +interference he was prevented from making what would have been called an +imprudent marriage. The ALBEMARLE was about to leave the station, her +captain had taken leave of his friends, and was gone down the river to +the place of anchorage; when the next morning, as Davison was walking +on the beach, to his surprise he saw Nelson coming back in his boat. +Upon inquiring the cause of this reappearance, Nelson took his arm to +walk towards the town, and told him that he found it utterly impossible +to leave Quebec without again seeing the woman whose society had +contributed so much to his happiness there, and offering her his hand. +"If you do," said his friend, "your ruin must inevitably follow." "Then +let it follow," cried Nelson, "for I am resolved to do it" "And I," +replied Davison, "am resolved you shall not." Nelson, however, upon this +occasion, was less resolute than his friend, and suffered himself to be +led back to the boat. + +The ALBEMARLE was under orders to convoy a fleet of transports to New +York. "A very pretty job" said her captain, "at this late season of the +year" (October was far advanced), "for our sails are at this moment +frozen to the yards." On his arrival at Sandy Hook, he waited on the +commander-in-chief, Admiral Digby, who told him he was come on a fine +station for making prize-money. "Yes, sir," Nelson made answer, "but the +West Indies is the station for honour." Lord Hood, with a detachment of +Rodney's victorious fleet, was at that time at Sandy Hook: he had been +intimate with Captain Suckling; and Nelson, who was desirous of nothing +but honour, requested him to ask for the ALBEMARLE, that he might go to +that station where it was most likely to be obtained. Admiral Digby +reluctantly parted with him. His professional merit was already well +known; and Lord Hood, on introducing him to Prince William Henry, as the +Duke of Clarence was then called, told the prince, if he wished to ask +any questions respecting naval tactics, Captain Nelson could give him as +much information as any officer in the fleet. The Duke--who, to his own +honour, became from that time the firm friend of Nelson--describes him +as appearing the merest boy of a captain he had ever seen, dressed in a +full laced uniform, an old-fashioned waistcoat with long flaps, and his +lank unpowdered hair tied in a stiff Hessian tail of extraordinary +length; making altogether so remarkable a figure, that, says the duke, "I +had never seen anything like it before, nor could I imagine who he was, +nor what he came about. But his address and conversation were +irresistibly pleasing; and when he spoke on professional subjects, it +was with an enthusiasm that showed he was no common being." + +It was expected that the French would attempt some of the passages +between the Bahamas; and Lord Hood, thinking of this, said to Nelson, "I +suppose, sir, from the length of time you were cruising among the Bahama +Keys, you must be a good pilot there." He replied, with that constant +readiness to render justice to every man which was so conspicuous in +all his conduct through life, that he was well acquainted with them +himself, but that in that respect his second lieutenant was far his +superior. The French got into Puerto Cabello, on the coast of Venezuela. +Nelson was cruising between that port and La Guapra, under French +colours, for the purpose of obtaining information; when a king's launch, +belonging to the Spaniards, passed near, and being hailed in French, +came alongside without suspicion, and answered all questions that were +asked concerning the number and force of the enemy's ships. The crew, +however, were not a little surprised when they were taken on board and +found themselves prisoners. One of the party went by the name of the +Count de Deux-Ponts. He was, however, a prince of the German empire, and +brother to the heir of the Electorate of Bavaria: his companions were +French officers of distinction, and men of science, who had been +collecting specimens in the various branches of natural history. Nelson, +having entertained them with the best his table could afford, told them +they were at liberty to depart with their boat, and all that it +contained: he only required them to promise that they would consider +themselves as prisoners if the commander-in-chief should refuse to +acquiesce in their being thus liberated: a circumstance which was not +likely to happen. Tidings soon arrived that the preliminaries of peace +had been signed; and the ALBEMARLE returned to England and was paid off. +Nelson's first business, after he got to London, even before he went to +see his relations, was to attempt to get the wages due to his men for +the various ships in which they had served during the war. "The disgust +of seamen to the navy," he said, "was all owing to the infernal plan of +turning them over from ship to ship; so that men could not be attached +to their officers, nor the officers care the least about the men." Yet +he himself was so beloved by his men that his whole ship's company +offered, if he could get a ship, to enter for her immediately. He was +now, for the first time, presented at court. After going through this +ceremony, he dined with his friend Davison at Lincoln's Inn. As soon as +he entered the chambers, he threw off what he called his iron-bound +coat; and, putting himself at ease in a dressing gown, passed the +remainder of the day in talking over all that had befallen them since +they parted on the shore of the River St. Lawrence. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +1784 - 1793 + +Nelson goes to France-- Reappointed to the BOREAS at the Leeward Islands +in the BOREAS--His firm conduct concerning the American Interlopers and +the Contractors--Marries and returns to England--Is on the point of +quitting the Service in Disgust--Manner of Life while unemployed-- +Appointed to the AGAMEMNON on the breaking out of the War of the French +Revolution. + +* + + +"I HAVE closed the war," said Nelson in one of his letters, "without +a fortune; but there is not a speck in my character. True honour, I +hope, predominates in my mind far above riches." He did not apply +for a ship, because he was not wealthy enough to live on board in the +manner which was then become customary. Finding it, therefore, +prudent to economise on his half-pay during the peace, he went to +France, in company with Captain Macnamara of the navy, and took +lodgings at St. Omer's. The death of his favourite sister, Anne, who +died in consequence of going out of the ball-room at Bath when +heated with dancing, affected his father so much that it had nearly +occasioned him to return in a few weeks. Time, however, and reason +and religion, overcame this grief in the old man; and Nelson continued +at St. Omer's long enough to fall in love with the daughter of an Eng- +lish clergyman. This second attachment appears to have been less ardent +than the first, for upon weighing the evils of a straitened income +to a married man, he thought it better to leave France, assigning to +his friends something in his accounts as the cause. This prevented +him from accepting an invitation from the Count of Deux-Ponts to +visit him at Paris, couched in the handsomest terms of acknowledgment +for the treatment which he had received on board the ALBEMARLE. + +The self-constraint which Nelson exerted in subduing this attachment +made him naturally desire to be at sea; and when, upon visiting +Lord Howe at the Admiralty, he was asked if he wished to be +employed, he made answer that he did. Accordingly in March, he +was appointed to the BOREAS, twenty-eight guns, going to the Leeward +Islands as a cruiser on the peace establishment. Lady Hughes and her +family went out with him to Admiral Sir Richard Hughes, who +commanded on that station. His ship was full of young midshipmen, +of whom there were not less than thirty on board; and happy were +they whose lot it was to be placed with such a captain. If he +perceived that a boy was afraid at first going aloft, he would say to him +in a friendly manner, "Well, sir, I am going a race to the mast-head, +and beg that I may meet you there." The poor little fellow instantly +began to climb, and got up how he could,--Nelson never noticed in +what manner, but when they met in the top, spoke cheerfully to him, +and would say how much any person was to be pitied who fancied +that getting up was either dangerous or difficult. Every day he went +into the school-room to see that they were pursuing their nautical +studies; and at noon he was always the first on deck with his quadrant. +Whenever he paid a visit of ceremony, some of these youths +accompanied him; and when he went to dine with the governor at +Barbadoes, he took one of them in his hand, and presented him, saying, +"Your Excellency must excuse me for bringing one of my midshipmen. +I make it a rule to introduce them to all the good company I can, as +they have few to look up to, besides myself, during the time they are +at sea." + + When Nelson arrived in the West Indies, he found himself senior +captain, and consequently second in command on that station. +Satisfactory as this was, it soon involved him in a dispute with the +admiral, which a man less zealous for the service might have +avoided. He found the LATONA in English Harbour, Antigua, with a +broad pendant hoisted; and upon inquiring the reason, was presented +with a written order from Sir R. Hughes, requiring and directing him +to obey the orders of Resident Commissioner Moutray during the time +he might have occasion to remain there; the said resident +commissioner being in consequence, authorised to hoist a broad pendant +on board any of his Majesty's ships in that port that he might think +proper. Nelson was never at a loss how to act in any emergency. + +"I know of no superior officers," said he, "besides the Lords +Commissioners of the Admiralty, and my seniors on the post list." +Concluding, therefore, that it was not consistent with the service for a +resident commissioner, who held only a civil situation, to hoist a broad +pendant, the moment that he had anchored he sent an order to the +captain of the LATONA to strike it, and return it to the dock-yard. He +went on shore the same day, dined with the commissioner, to show +him that he was actuated by no other motive than a sense of duty, +and gave him the first intelligence that his pendant had been struck. +Sir Richard sent an account of this to the Admiralty; but the case +could admit of no doubt, and Captain Nelson's conduct was approved. + +He displayed the same promptitude on another occasion. While +the BOREAS, after the hurricane months were over, was riding at +anchor in Nevis Roads, a French frigate passed to leeward, close +along shore. Nelson had obtained information that this ship was +sent from Martinico, with two general officers and some engineers on +board, to make a survey of our sugar islands. This purpose he was +determined to prevent them from executing, and therefore he gave +orders to follow them. The next day he came up with them at +anchor in the roads of St. Eustatia, and anchored at about two cables' +length on the frigate's quarter. Being afterwards invited by the +Dutch governor to meet the French officers at dinner, he seized that +occasion of assuring the French captain that, understanding it was +his intention to honour the British possessions with a visit, he had +taken the earliest opportunity in his power to accompany him, in his +Majesty's ship the BOREAS, in order that such attention might be paid +to the officers of his Most Christian Majesty as every Englishman in +the islands would be proud to show. The French, with equal courtesy, +protested against giving him this trouble; especially, they said, as +they intended merely to cruise round the islands without landing on +any. But Nelson, with the utmost politeness, insisted upon paying +them this compliment, followed them close in spite of all their +attempts to elude his vigilance, and never lost sight of them; till, +finding it impossible either to deceive or escape him, they gave up +their treacherous purpose in despair, and beat up for Martinico. + +A business of more serious import soon engaged his attention. +The Americans were at this time trading with our islands, taking +advantage of the register of their ships, which had been issued while +they were British subjects. Nelson knew that, by the Navigation +Act, no foreigners, directly or indirectly, are permitted to carry on +any trade with these possessions. He knew, also, that the Americans +had made themselves foreigners with regard to England; they had +disregarded the ties of blood and language when they acquired the +independence which they had been led on to claim, unhappily for +themselves before they were fit for it; and he was resolved that they +should derive no profit from those ties now. Foreigners they had +made themselves, and as foreigners they were to be treated. "If +once," said he, "they are admitted to any kind of intercourse with our +islands, the views of the loyalists, in settling at Nova Scotia, are +entirely done away; and when we are again embroiled in a French +war, the Americans will first become the carriers of these colonies, +and then have possession of them. Here they come, sell their cargoes +for ready money, go to Martinico, buy molasses, and so round and +round. The loyalist cannot do this, and consequently must sell a +little dearer. The residents here are Americans by connection and +by interest, and are inimical to Great Britain. They are as great +rebels as ever were in America, had they the power to show it." In +November, when the squadron, having arrived at Barbadoes, was to +separate, with no other orders than those for examining anchorages, +and the usual inquiries concerning wood and water, Nelson asked his +friend Collingwood, then captain of the MEDIATOR, whose opinions he +knew upon the subject, to accompany him to the commander-in-chief, +whom he then respectfully asked, whether they were not to attend to +the commerce of the country, and see that the Navigation Act was +respected--that appearing to him to be the intent of keeping men-of-war +upon this station in time of peace? Sir Richard Hughes replied, +he had no particular orders, neither had the Admiralty sent him any +Acts of Parliament. But Nelson made answer, that the Navigation +Act was included in the statutes of the Admiralty, with which every +captain was furnished, and that Act was directed to admirals, captains, +&c., to see it carried into execution. Sir Richard said he had never +seen the book. Upon this Nelson produced the statutes, read the +words of the Act, and apparently convinced the commander-in-chief, +that men-of-war, as he said, "were sent abroad for some other purpose +than to be made a show of." Accordingly orders were given to enforce +the Navigation Act. + +Major-General Sir Thomas Shirley was at this time governor of the +Leeward Islands; and when Nelson waited on him, to inform him +how he intended to act, and upon what grounds, he replied, that "old +generals were not in the habit of taking advice from young gentlemen." +"Sir," said the young officer, with that confidence in himself which +never carried him too far, and always was equal to the occasion,"I +am as old as the prime minister of England, and I think myself as +capable of commanding one of his Majesty's ships as that minister is +of governing the state." He was resolved to do his duty, whatever +might be the opinion or conduct of others; and when he arrived upon +his station at St. Kitt's, he sent away all the Americans, not choosing +to seize them before they had been well apprised that the Act would +be carried into effect, lest it might seem as if a trap had been laid for +them. The Americans, though they prudently decamped from St. +Kitt's, were emboldened by the support they met with, and resolved +to resist his orders, alleging that king's ships had no legal power to +seize them without having deputations from the customs. The planters +were to a man against him; the governors and the presidents of the +different islands, with only a single exception, gave him no support; +and the admiral, afraid to act on either side, yet wishing to oblige the +planters, sent him a note, advising him to be guided by the wishes of +the president of the council. There was no danger in disregarding +this, as it came unofficially, and in the form of advice. But scarcely +a month after he had shown Sir Richard Hughes the law, and, as he +supposed, satisfied him concerning it, he received an order from him, +stating that he had now obtained good advice upon the point, and the +Americans were not to be hindered from coming, and having free +egress and regress, if the governor chose to permit them. An order +to the same purport had been sent round to the different governors +and presidents; and General Shirley and others informed him, in an +authoritative manner, that they chose to admit American ships, as the +commander-in-chief had left the decision to them. These persons, +in his own words, he soon "trimmed up, and silenced;" but it was a +more delicate business to deal with the admiral: "I must either," said +he, "disobey my orders, or disobey Acts of Parliament. I determined +upon the former, trusting to the uprightness of my intentions, and +believing that my country would not let me be ruined for protecting +her commerce." With this determination he wrote to Sir Richard; +appealed again to the plain, literal, unequivocal sense of the Navigation +Act; and in respectful language told him, he felt it his duty to +decline obeying these orders till he had an opportunity of seeing and +conversing with him. Sir Richard's first feeling was that of anger, +and he was about to supersede Nelson; but having mentioned the +affair to his captain, that officer told him he believed all the squadron +thought the orders illegal, and therefore did not know how far they +were bound to obey them. It was impossible, therefore, to bring +Nelson to a court-martial, composed of men who agreed with him in +opinion upon the point in dispute; and luckily, though the admiral +wanted vigour of mind to decide upon what was right, he was not +obstinate in wrong, and had even generosity enough in his nature to +thank Nelson afterwards for having shown him his error. + +Collingwood in the MEDIATOR, and his brother, Wilfred Collingwood, +in the RATTLER, actively co-operated with Nelson. The custom-houses +were informed that after a certain day all foreign vessels +found in the ports would be seized; and many were, in consequence, +seized, and condemned in the Admiralty Court. When the BOREAS +arrived at Nevis, she found four American vessels deeply laden, and +what are called the island colours flying--white, with a red cross. +They were ordered to hoist their proper flag, and depart within 48 +hours; but they refused to obey, denying that they were Americans. +Some of their crews were then examined in Nelson's cabin, where +the Judge of Admiralty happened to be present. The case was plain; +they confessed that they were Americans, and that the ships, hull +and cargo, were wholly American property; upon which he seized +them. This raised a storm: the planters, the custom-house, and +the governor, were all against him. Subscriptions were opened, and +presently filled, for the purpose of carrying on the cause in behalf of +the American captains; and the admiral, whose flag was at that +time in the roads, stood neutral. But the Americans and their +abettors were not content with defensive law. The marines, whom +he had sent to secure the ships, had prevented some of the masters +from going ashore; and those persons, by whose depositions it +appeared that the vessels and cargoes were American property, +declared that they had given their testimony under bodily fear, for +that a man with a drawn sword in his hand had stood over them +the whole time. A rascally lawyer, whom the party employed, +suggested this story; and as the sentry at the cabin door was a man +with a drawn sword, the Americans made no scruple of swearing +to this ridiculous falsehood, and commencing prosecutions against +him accordingly. They laid their damages at the enormous amount +of L40,000; and Nelson was obliged to keep close on board his own +ship, lest he should be arrested for a sum for which it would have +been impossible to find bail. The marshal frequently came on board +to arrest him, but was always prevented by the address of the first +lieutenant, Mr. Wallis. Had he been taken, such was the temper of +the people that it was certain he would have been cast for the whole +sum. One of his officers, one day, in speaking of the restraint which +he was thus compelled to suffer, happened to use the word PITY! +"Pity!" exclaimed Nelson: "Pity! did you say? I shall live, sir, +to be envied! and to that point I shall always direct my course." +Eight weeks remained in this state of duresse. During that time +the trial respecting the detained ships came on in the court of +Admiralty. He went on shore under a protection for the day from +the judge; but, notwithstanding this, the marshal was called upon +to take that opportunity of arresting him, and the merchants +promised to indemnify him for so doing. The judge, however, did his +duty, and threatened to send the marshal to prison if he attempted +to violate the protection of the court. Mr. Herbert, the president +of Nevis, behaved with singular generosity upon this occasion. +Though no man was a greater sufferer by the measures which +Nelson had pursued, he offered in court to become his bail for +L10,000 if he chose to suffer the arrest. The lawyer whom he had +chosen proved to be an able as well as an honest man; and +notwithstanding the opinions and pleadings of most of the counsel of +the different islands, who maintained that ships of war were not +justified in seizing American vessels without a deputation from the +customs, the law was so explicit, the case so clear, and Nelson +pleaded his own cause so well, that the four ships were condemned. +During the progress of this business he sent a memorial home to +the king, in consequence of which orders were issued that he should +be defended at the expense of the crown. And upon the representation +which he made at the same time to the Secretary of State, and +the suggestions with which he accompanied it, the Register Act was +framed. The sanction of Government, and the approbation of his +conduct which it implied, were highly gratifying to him; but he was +offended, and not without just cause, that the Treasury should have +transmitted thanks to the commander-in-chief for his activity and +zeal in protecting the commerce of Great Britain. "Had they +known all," said he, "I do not think they would have bestowed thanks +in that quarter, and 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 +the service, or at least to have had some little notice taken of what +I had done. They have thought it worthy of notice, and yet have +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 accuse myself of." + +The anxiety which he had suffered from the harassing uncertainties +of law is apparent from these expressions. He had, however, +something to console him, for he was at this time wooing the niece of +his friend the president, then in her eighteenth year, the widow of Dr. +Nisbet, a physician. She had one child, a son, by name Josiah, who +was three years old. One day Mr. Herbert, who had hastened +half-dressed to receive Nelson, exclaimed, on returning to his +dressing-room, "Good God! if I did not find that great little man, of +whom everybody is so afraid, playing in the next room, under the dining- +table, with Mrs. Nisbet's child!" A few days afterwards Mrs. +Nisbet herself was first introduced to him, and thanked him for the +partiality which he had shown to her little boy. Her manners were +mild and winning; and the captain, whose heart was easily susceptible +of attachment, found no such imperious necessity for subduing his +inclinations as had twice before withheld him from marrying. They were +married on March 11, 1787: Prince William Henry, who had come +out to the West Indies the preceding winter, being present, by his +own desire, to give away the bride. Mr. Herbert, her uncle, was at +this time so much displeased with his only daughter, that he had +resolved to disinherit her, and leave his whole fortune, which was +very great, to his niece. But Nelson, whose nature was too noble to +let him profit by an act of injustice, interfered, and succeeded in +reconciling the president to his child. + +"Yesterday," said one of his naval friends the day after the wedding, +"the navy lost one of its greatest ornaments by Nelson's marriage. +It is a national loss that such an officer should marry: had +it not been for this, Nelson would have become the greatest man +in the service." The man was rightly estimated; but he who +delivered this opinion did not understand the effect of domestic love +and duty upon a mind of the true heroic stamp. + +"We are often separate," said Nelson, in a letter to Mrs. Nisbet a +few months before their marriage; "but our affections are not by any +means on that account diminished. Our country has the first +demand for our services; and private convenience or happiness must +ever give way to the public good. Duty is the great business of a +sea officer: all private considerations must give way to it, however +painful." "Have you not often heard," says he in another letter, +"that salt water and absence always wash away love ? Now I am +such a heretic as not to believe that article, for, behold, every +morning I have had six pails of salt water poured upon my head, and +instead of finding what seamen say to be true, it goes on so contrary +to the prescription, that you may, perhaps, see me before the fixed +time." More frequently his correspondence breathed a deeper strain. +"To write letters to you," says he,"is the next greatest pleasure I +feel to receiving them from you. What I experience when I read +such as I am sure are the pure sentiments of your heart, my poor +pen cannot express; nor, indeed, would I give much for any pen +or head which could express feelings of that kind. Absent from +you, I feel no pleasure: it is you who are everything to me. Without +you, I care not for this world; for I have found, lately, nothing +in it but vexation and trouble. These are my present sentiments. +God Almighty grant they may never change! Nor do I think they +will. Indeed there is, as far as human knowledge can judge, a +moral certainty that they cannot; for it must be real affection that +brings us together, not interest or compulsion." Such were the +feelings, and such the sense of duty, with which Nelson became a +husband. + +During his stay upon this station he had ample opportunity of +observing the scandalous practices of the contractors, prize-agents, +and other persons in the West Indies connected with the naval service. +When he was first left with the command, and bills were brought him +to sign for money which was owing for goods purchased for the navy, +he required the original voucher, that he might examine whether +those goods had been really purchased at the market price; but to +produce vouchers would not have been convenient, and therefore was +not the custom. Upon this Nelson wrote to Sir Charles Middleton, +then Comptroller of the Navy, representing the abuses which were +likely to be practised in this manner. The answer which he received +seemed to imply that the old forms were thought sufficient; and +thus, having no alternative, he was compelled, with his eyes open, to +submit to a practice originating in fraudulent intentions. Soon +afterwards two Antigua merchants informed him that they were privy +to great frauds which had been committed upon government in +various departments; at Antigua, to the amount of nearly L500,000; +at Lucie, L300,000; at Barbadoes, L250,000; at Jamaica, upwards of +a million. The informers were both shrewd sensible men of business; +they did not affect to be actuated by a sense of justice, but required +a per-centage upon so much as government should actually recover +through their means. Nelson examined the books and papers which +they produced, and was convinced that government had been most +infamously plundered. Vouchers, he found, in that country, were no +check whatever: the principle was, that "a thing was always worth +what it would bring;" and the merchants were in the habit of signing +vouchers for each other, without even the appearance of looking at +the articles. These accounts he sent home to the different +departments which had been defrauded; but the peculators were too +powerful, and they succeeded not merely in impeding inquiry, but +even in raising prejudices against Nelson at the Board of Admiralty, +which it was many years before he could subdue. + +Owing probably, to these prejudices, and the influence of the +peculators, he was treated, on his return to England, in a manner which +had nearly driven him from the service. During the three years that +the BOREAS had remained upon a station which is usually so fatal, not +a single officer or man of her whole complement had died. This +almost unexampled instance of good health, though mostly, no doubt, +imputable to a healthy season, must in some measure, also, be ascribed +to the wise conduct of the captain. He never suffered the ships to +remain more than three or four weeks at a time at any of the islands; +and when the hurricane months confined him to English Harbour, he +encouraged all kinds of useful amusements--music, dancing, and +cudgelling among the men; theatricals among the officers; anything +which could employ their attention, and keep their spirits cheerful. +The BOREAS arrived in England in June. Nelson, who had many +times been supposed to be consumptive when in the West Indies, +and perhaps was saved from consumption by that climate, was still +in a precarious state of health; and the raw wet weather of one of +our ungenial summers brought on cold, and sore throat, and fever; +yet his vessel was kept at the Nore from the end of June till the end +of November, serving as a slop and receiving ship. This unworthy +treatment, which more probably proceeded from inattention than +from neglect, excited in Nelson the strongest indignation. During +the whole five months he seldom or never quitted the ship, but carried +on the duty with strict and sullen attention. On the morning when +orders were received to prepare the BOREAS for being paid off, he +expressed his joy to the senior officer in the Medway, saying, "It will +release me for ever from an ungrateful service; for it is my firm and +unalterable determination never again to set my foot on board a +king's ship. Immediately after my arrival in town I shall wait on +the First Lord of the Admiralty, and resign my commission." The +officer to whom he thus communicated his intentions behaved in the +wisest and most friendly manner; for finding it in vain to dissuade him +in his present state of feeling, he secretly interfered with the First Lord +to save him from a step so injurious to himself, little foreseeing how +deeply the welfare and honour of England were at that moment at +stake. This interference produced a letter from Lord Howe the day +before the ship was paid off, intimating a wish to see Captain Nelson +as soon as he arrived in town; when, being pleased with his convers- +ation, and perfectly convinced, by what was then explained to him, +of the propriety of his conduct, he desired that he might present him +to the king on the first levee-day; and the gracious manner in which +Nelson was then received effectually removed his resentment. + +Prejudices had been, in like manner, excited against his friend, +Prince William Henry. "Nothing is wanting, sir," said Nelson, in +one of his letters, "to make you the darling of the English nation but +truth. Sorry am I to say, much to the contrary has been dispersed." +This was not flattery, for Nelson was no flatterer. The letter in +which this passage occurs shows in how wise and noble a manner he +dealt with the prince. One of his royal highness's officers had +applied for a court-martial upon a point in which he was unquestionably +wrong. His royal highness, however, while he supported his own +character and authority, prevented the trial, which must have been +injurious to a brave and deserving man. "Now that you are parted," +said Nelson, "pardon me, my prince, when I presume to recommend +that he may stand in your royal favour as if he had never sailed with +you, and that at some future day you will serve him. There only +wants this to place your conduct in the highest point of view. None +of us are without failings--his was being rather too hasty; but that, +put in competition with his being a good officer, will not, I am bold +to say, be taken in the scale against him. More able friends than +myself your royal highness may easily find, and of more consequence +in the state; but one more attached and affectionate is not so easily +met with: Princes seldom, very seldom, find a disinterested person +to communicate their thoughts to: I do not pretend to be that person; +but of this be assured, by a man who, I trust, never did a dishonourable +act, that I am interested only that your royal highness should be the +greatest and best man this country ever produced." + +Encouraged by the conduct of Lord Howe, and by his reception at +court, Nelson renewed his attack upon the peculators with fresh spirit. +He had interviews with Mr. Rose, Mr. Pitt, and Sir Charles Middleton, +to all of whom he satisfactorily proved his charges. In consequence, +if is said, these very extensive public frauds were at length put +in a proper train to be provided against in future; his representations +were attended to; and every step which he recommended was adopted; the +investigation was put into a proper course, which ended in the +detection and punishment of some of the culprits; an immense +saving was made to government, and thus its attention was directed to +similar peculations in other arts of the colonies. But it is said also +that no mark of commendation seems to have been bestowed upon +Nelson for his exertion. It has been justly remarked that the spirit +of the navy cannot be preserved so effectually by the liberal honours +bestowed on officers when they are worn out in the service, as by an +attention to those who, like Nelson at this part of his life, have only +their integrity and zeal to bring them into notice. A junior officer, +who had been left with the command at Jamaica, received an additional +allowance, for which Nelson had applied in vain. Double pay +was allowed to every artificer and seaman employed in the naval +yard: Nelson had superintended the whole business of that yard with +the most rigid exactness, and he complained that he was neglected. +"It was most true," he said, "that the trouble which he took to detect +the fraudulent practices then carried on was no more than his duty; +but he little thought that the expenses attending his frequent journeys +to St. John's upon that duty (a distance of twelve miles) would have +fallen upon his pay as captain of the BOREAS." Nevertheless, the sense +of what he thought unworthy usage did not diminish his zeal. "I," +said he,"must buffet the waves in search of--What? Alas! that +they called honour is thought of no more. My fortune, God knows, +has grown worse for the service; so much for serving my country! +But the devil, ever willing to tempt the virtuous, has made me offer, if +any ships 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 invariably +laid down, and followed close, a plan of what ought to be uppermost +in the breast of an officer,--that it is much better to serve an +ungrateful country than to give up his own fame. Posterity will do him +justice. A uniform course of honour and integrity seldom fails of +bringing a man to the goal of fame at last." + +The design against the Barbary pirates, like all other designs +against them, was laid aside; and Nelson took his wife to his father's +parsonage, meaning only to pay him a visit before they went to France; +a project which he had formed for the sake of acquiring a competent +knowledge of the French language. But his father could not bear to +lose him thus unnecessarily. Mr. Nelson had long been an invalid, +suffering under paralytic and asthmatic affections, which, for several +hours after he rose in the morning, scarcely permitted him to speak. +He had been given over by his physicians for this complaint nearly +forty years before his death; and was, for many of his latter years, +obliged to spend all his winters at Bath. The sight of his son, he +declared, had given him new life. "But, Horatio," said he, "it would +have been better that I had not been thus cheered, if I am so soon to +be bereaved of you again. Let me, my good son, see you whilst I +can. My age and infirmities increase, and I shall not last long." To +such an appeal there could be no reply. Nelson took up his abode at +the parsonage, and amused himself with the sports and occupations of +the country. Sometimes he busied himself with farming the glebe; +sometimes spent the greater part of the day in the garden, where he +would dig as if for the mere pleasure of wearying himself. Sometimes +he went a birds'-nesting, like a boy; and in these expeditions +Mrs. Nelson always, by his expressed desire, accompanied him. +Coursing was his favourite amusement. Shooting, as he practised it, +was far too dangerous for his companions; for he carried his gun +upon the full cock, as if he were going to board an enemy; and the +moment a bird rose, he let fly without ever putting the fowling-piece +to his shoulder. It is not, therefore, extraordinary that his having +once shot a partridge should be remembered by his family among the +remarkable events of his life. + +But his time did not pass away thus without some vexatious cares to +ruffle it. The affair of the American ships was not yet over, and he +was again pestered with threats of prosecution. "I have written them +word," said he, "that I will have nothing to do with them, and they +must act as they think proper. Government, I suppose, will do what +is right, and not leave me in the lurch. We have heard enough +lately of the consequences of the Navigation Act to this country. +They may take my person; but if sixpence would save me from a +prosecution, I would not give it." It was his great ambition at this +time to possess a pony; and having resolved to purchase one, he went +to a fair for that purpose. During his absence two men abruptly +entered the parsonage and inquired for him: they then asked for +Mrs. Nelson; and after they had made her repeatedly declare that +she was really and truly the captain's wife, presented her with a writ, +or notification, on the part of the American captains, who now laid +their damages at L20,000, and they charged her to give it to her +husband on his return. Nelson, having bought his pony, came home +with it in high spirits. He called out his wife to admire the purchase +and listen to all its excellences: nor was it till his glee had in some +measure subsided that the paper could be presented to him. His +indignation was excessive; and in the apprehension that he should +be exposed to the anxieties of the suit and the ruinous consequences +which might ensue, he exclaimed, "This affront I did not deserve! +But I'll be trifled with no longer. I will write immediately to the +Treasury, and if government will not support me, I am resolved to +leave the country." Accordingly, he informed the Treasury that, if +a satisfactory answer were not sent him by return of post, he should +take refuge in France. To this he expected he should be driven, and +for this he arranged everything with his characteristic rapidity of +decision. It was settled that he should depart immediately, and Mrs. +Nelson follow, under the care of his elder brother Maurice, ten days +after him. But the answer which he received from government +quieted his fears: it stated that Captain Nelson was a very good +officer, and needed to be under no apprehension, for he would +assuredly be supported. + +Here his disquietude upon this subject seems to have ended. Still +he was not at ease; he wanted employment, and was mortified that +his applications for it produced no effect. "Not being a man of +fortune," he said, "was a crime which he was unable to get over, and +therefore none of the great cared about him." Repeatedly he +requested the Admiralty that they would not leave him to rust in +indolence. During the armament which was made upon occasion +of the dispute concerning Nootka Sound, he renewed his application; +and his steady friend, Prince William, who had then been +created Duke of Clarence, recommended him to Lord Chatham. +The failure of this recommendation wounded him so keenly that +he again thought of retiring from the service in disgust; a resolution +from which nothing but the urgent remonstrances of Lord +Hood induced him to desist. Hearing that the RAISONNABLE, in which +he had commenced his career, was to be commissioned, he asked +for her. This also was in vain; and a coolness ensued, on his part, +toward Lord Hood, because that excellent officer did not use his +influence with Lord Chatham upon this occasion. Lord Hood, +however, had certainly sufficient reasons for not interfering; for he +ever continued his steady friend. In the winter of 1792, when we were +on the eve of the revolutionary war, Nelson once more offered his +services, earnestly requested a ship, and added, that if their +lordships should be pleased to appoint him to a cockle-boat he should +feel satisfied. He was answered in the usual official form: "Sir, I +have received your letter of the 5th instant, expressing your readiness +to serve, and have read the same to my Lords Commissioners +of the Admiralty." On the 12th of December he received this dry +acknowledgment. The fresh mortification did not, however, affect +him long; for, by the joint interest of the Duke and Lord Hood, he +was appointed, on the 30th of January following, to the AGAMEMNON, +of sixty-four guns. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +1793 - 1795 + + +The AGAMEMNON sent to the Mediteranean--Commencement of Nelson's +Aquaintance with Sir W. Hamilton--He is sent to Corsica, to co- +operate with Paoli--State of Affairs in that Island--Nelson +undertakes the Siege of Bastia, and reduces it--Takes a distinguished +Part in the Siege of Calvi, where he loses an Eye--Admiral Hotham's +Action--The AGAMEMNON ordered to Genoa, to co-operate with the Austrian +and Sardinian Forces--Gross Misconduct of the Austrian General. + +* + + +"THERE are three things, young gentleman," said Nelson to one of his +midshipmen, "which you are constantly to bear in mind. First, you must +always implicitly obey orders, without attempting to form any opinion of +your own respecting their propriety; secondly, you must consider every man +your enemy who speaks ill of your king; and, thirdly, you must hate a +Frenchman as you do the devil." With these feelings he engaged in the war. +Josiah, his son-in-law, went with him as a midshipman. + +The AGAMEMNON was ordered to the Mediterranean under Lord Hood. The +fleet arrived in those seas at a time when the south of France would +willingly have formed itself into a separate republic, under the +protection of England. But good principles had been at that time +perilously abused by ignorant and profligate men; and, in its fear and +hatred of democracy, the English Government abhorred whatever was +republican. Lord Hood could not take advantage of the fair occasion +which presented itself; and which, if it had been seized with vigour, +might have ended in dividing France:--but he negotiated with the people +of Toulon, to take possession provisionally of their port and city; which, +fatally for themselves, was done. Before the British fleet entered, Nelson +was sent with despatches to Sir William Hamilton, our envoy at the Court +of Naples. Sir William, after his first interview with him, told +Lady Hamilton he was about to introduce a little man to her, who could +not boast of being very handsome; but such a man as, he believed, would +one day astonish the world. "I have never before," he continued, +"entertained an officer at my house; but I am determined to bring him +here. Let him be put in the room prepared for Prince Augustus." Thus +that acquaintance began which ended in the destruction of Nelson's +domestic happiness. It seemed to threaten no such consequences at its +commencement. He spoke of Lady Hamilton, in a letter to his wife, as a +young woman of amiable manners, who did honour to the station to which +she had been raised; and he remarked, that she had been exceedingly kind +to Josiah. The activity with which the envoy exerted himself in +procuring troops from Naples, to assist in garrisoning Toulon, so +delighted him, that he is said to have exclaimed, "Sir William, you are +a man after my own heart!--you do business in my own way:" and then to +have added, "I am now only a captain; but I will, if I live, be at the +top of the tree." Here, also, that acquaintance with the Neapolitan +court commenced, which led to the only blot upon Nelson's public +character. The king, who was sincere at that time in his enmity to the +French, called the English the saviours of Italy, and of his dominions +in particular. He paid the most flattering attentions to Nelson, made +him dine with him, and seated him at his right hand. + +Having accomplished this mission, Nelson received orders to join +Commodore Linzee at Tunis. On the way, five sail of the enemy were +discovered off the coast of Sardinia, and he chased them. They proved to +be three forty-four gun frigates, with a corvette of twenty-four and a +brig of twelve. The AGAMEMNON had only 345 men at quarters, having +landed part of her crew at Toulon, and others being absent in prizes. +He came near enough one of the frigates to engage her, but at great +disadvantage, the Frenchman manoeuvring well and sailing greatly better. +A running fight of three hours ensued, during which the other ships, +which were at some distance, made all speed to come up. By this time +the enemy was almost silenced, when a favourable change of wind enabled +her to get out of reach of the AGAMEMNON's guns; and that ship had +received so much damage in the rigging that she could not follow her. +Nelson, conceiving that this was but the forerunner of a far more +serious engagement, called his officers together, and asked them if the +ship was fit to go into action against such a superior force without +some small refit and refreshment for the men. Their answer was, that she +certainly was not. He then gave these orders,--"Veer the ship, and lay +her head to the westward: let some of the best men be employed in refit- +ting the rigging, and the carpenter in getting crows and capstan-bars to +prevent our wounded spars from coming down: and get the wine up for the +people, with some bread, for it may be half an hour good before we are +again in action." But when the French came up, their comrade made +signals of distress, and they all hoisted out their boats to go to her +assistance, leaving the AGAMEMNON unmolested. + +Nelson found Commodore Linzee at Tunis, where he had been sent to +expostulate with the dey upon the impolicy of his supporting the +revolutionary government of France. Nelson represented to him the +atrocity of that government. Such arguments were of little avail in +Barbary; and when the Dey was told that the French had put their +sovereign to death, he drily replied, that "Nothing could be more +heinous; and yet, if historians told the truth, the English had once +done the same." This answer had doubtless been suggested by the French +about him: they had completely gained the ascendancy, and all +negotiation on our part proved fruitless. Shortly afterward, Nelson was +detached with a small squadron, to co-operate with General Paoli and the +Anti-Gallican party in Corsica. + +Some thirty years before this time the heroic patriotism of the +Corsicans, and of their leader Paoli, had been the admiration of +England. The history of these brave people is but a melancholy tale. The +island which they inhabit has been abundantly blessed by nature; it has +many excellent harbours; and though the MALARIA, or pestilential +atmosphere, which is so deadly in many parts of Italy and of the Italian +islands, prevails on the eastern coast, the greater part of the country +is mountainous and healthy. It is about 150 miles long, and from 40 to +50 broad; in circumference, some 320; a country large enough, and +sufficiently distant from the nearest shores, to have subsisted as an +independent state, if the welfare and happiness of the human race had +ever been considered as the end and aim of policy. The Moors, the +Pisans, the kings of Aragon, and the Genoese, successively attempted, +and each for a time effected its conquest. The yoke of the Genoese +continued longest, and was the heaviest. These petty tyrants ruled with +an iron rod; and when at any time a patriot rose to resist their +oppressions, if they failed to subdue him by force they resorted to +assassination. At the commencement of the last century they quelled one +revolt by the aid of German auxiliaries, whom the Emperor Charles VI. +sent against a people who had never offended him, and who were fighting +for whatever is most dear to man. In 1734 the war was renewed; and +Theodore, a Westphalian baron, then appeared upon the stage. In that age +men were not accustomed to see adventurers play for kingdoms, and +Theodore became the common talk of Europe. He had served in the French +armies; and having afterwards been noticed both by Ripperda and +Alberoni, their example, perhaps, inflamed a spirit as ambitious and as +unprincipled as their own. He employed the whole of his means in raising +money and procuring arms; then wrote to the leaders of the Corsican +patriots, to offer them considerable assistance, if they would erect +Corsica into an independent kingdom, and elect him king. When he landed +among them, they were struck with his stately person, his dignified +manners, and imposing talents. They believed the magnificent promises of +foreign assistance which he held out, and elected him king accordingly. +Had his means been as he represented them, they could not have acted +more wisely than in thus at once fixing the government of their country, +and putting an end to those rivalries among the leading families, which +had so often proved pernicious to the public weal. He struck money, +conferred titles, blocked up the fortified towns which were held by the +Genoese, and amused the people with promises of assistance for about +eight months: then, perceiving that they cooled in their affections +towards him in proportion as their expectations were disappointed, he +left the island, under the plea of expediting himself the succours which +he had so long awaited. Such was his address, that he prevailed upon +several rich merchants in Holland, particularly the Jews, to trust him +with cannon and warlike stores to a great amount. They shipped these +under the charge of a supercargo. Theodore returned with this supercargo +to Corsica, and put him to death on his arrival, as the shortest way of +settling the account. The remainder of his life was a series of deserved +afflictions. He threw in the stores which he had thus fraudulently +obtained; but he did not dare to land, for Genoa had now called in the +French to their assistance, and a price had been set upon his head. His +dreams of royalty were now at an end; he took refuge in London, +contracted debts, and was thrown into the King's Bench. After lingering +there many years, he was released under an act of insolvency, in +consequence of which he made over the kingdom of Corsica for the use of +his creditors, and died shortly after his deliverance. + +The French, who have never acted a generous part in the history of +the world, readily entered into the views of the Genoese, which accorded +with their own policy: for such was their ascendancy at Genoa, that in +subduing Corsica for these allies, they were in fact subduing it for +themselves. They entered into the contest, therefore, with their usual +vigour, and their usual cruelty. It was in vain that the Corsicans +addressed a most affecting memorial to the court of Versailles; that +remorseless government persisted in its flagitious project. They poured +in troops; dressed a part of them like the people of the country, by +which means they deceived and destroyed many of the patriots; cut down +the standing corn, the vines, and the olives; set fire to the villages, +and hung all the most able and active men who fell into their hands. A +war of this kind may be carried on with success against a country so +small and so thinly peopled as Corsica. Having reduced the island to +perfect servitude, which they called peace, the French withdrew their +forces. As soon as they were gone, men, women, and boys rose at once +against their oppressors. The circumstances of the times were now +favourable to them; and some British ships, acting as allies of +Sardinia, bombarded Bastia and San Fiorenzo, and delivered them into the +hands of the patriots. This service was long remembered with gratitude: +the impression made upon our own countrymen was less favourable. They +had witnessed the heartburnings of rival chiefs, and the dissensions +among the patriots; and perceiving the state of barbarism to which +continual oppression, and habits of lawless turbulence, had reduced the +nation, did not recollect that the vices of the people were owing to +their unhappy circumstances, but that the virtues which they displayed +arose from their own nature. This feeling, perhaps, influenced the +British court, when, in 1746, Corsica offered to put herself under the +protection of Great Britain: an answer was returned, expressing +satisfaction at such a communication, hoping that the Corsicans would +preserve the same sentiments, but signifying also that the present was +not the time for such a measure. + +These brave islanders then formed a government for themselves, under +two leaders, Gaffori and Matra, who had the title of protectors. The +latter is represented as a partisan of Genoa, favouring the views of the +oppressors of his country by the most treasonable means. Gaffori was a +hero worthy of old times. His eloquence was long remembered with +admiration. A band of assassins was once advancing against him; he heard +of their approach, went out to meet them; and, with a serene dignity +which overawed them, requested them to hear him. He then spake to them +so forcibly of the distresses of their country, her intolerable wrongs, +and the hopes and views of their brethren in arms, that the very men who +had been hired to murder him, fell at his feet, implored his +forgiveness, and joined his banner. While he was besieging the Genoese +in Corte, a part of the garrison perceiving the nurse with his eldest +son, then an infant in arms, straying at a little distance from the +camp, suddenly sallied out and seized them. The use they made of their +persons was in conformity to their usual execrable conduct. When Gaffori +advanced to batter the walls, they held up the child directly over that +part of the wall at which the guns were pointed. The Corsicans stopped: +but Gaffori stood at their head, and ordered them to continue the fire. +Providentially the child escaped, and lived to relate, with becoming +feeling, a fact so honourable to his father. That father conducted the +affairs of the island till 1753, when he was assassinated by some +wretches, set on, it is believed, by Genoa, but certainly pensioned by +that abominable government after the deed. He left the country in such a +state that it was enabled to continue the war two years after his death +without a leader: the Corsicans then found one worthy of their cause in +Pasquale de Paoli. + +Paoli's father was one of the patriots who effected their escape from +Corsica when the French reduced it to obedience. He retired to Naples, +and brought up his youngest son in the Neapolitan service. The Corsicans +heard of young Paoli's abilities, and solicited him to come over to his +native country, and take the command. He did not hesitate long: his +father, who was too far advanced in years to take an active part +himself, encouraged him to go; and when they separated, the old man fell +on his neck, and kissed him, and gave him his blessing. "My son," said +he, "perhaps I may never see you more; but in my mind I shall ever be +present with you. Your design is great and noble; and I doubt not but +God will bless you in it. I shall devote to your cause the little +remainder of my life in offering up my prayers for your success." When +Paoli assumed the command, he found all things in confusion: he formed a +democratical government, of which he was chosen chief: restored the +authority of the laws; established a university; and took such measures, +both for repressing abuses and moulding the rising generation, that, if +France had not interfered, upon its wicked and detestable principle of +usurpation, Corsica might at this day have been as free, and flourishing +and happy a commonwealth as any of the Grecian states in the days of +their prosperity. The Genoese were at this time driven out of their +fortified towns, and must in a short time have been expelled. France was +indebted some millions of livres to Genoa: it was not convenient to pay +this money; so the French minister proposed to the Genoese, that she +should discharge the debt by sending six battalions to serve in Corsica +for four years. The indignation which this conduct excited in all +generous hearts was forcibly expressed by Rousseau, who, with all his +errors, was seldom deficient in feeling for the wrongs of humanity. "You +Frenchmen" said he, writing to one of that people, "are a thoroughly +servile nation, thoroughly sold to tyranny, thoroughly cruel and +relentless in persecuting the unhappy. If you knew of a freeman at the +other end of the world, I believe you would go thither for the mere +pleasure of extirpating him." + +The immediate object of the French happened to be purely mercenary: +they wanted to clear off their debt to Genoa; and as the presence of +their troops in the island effected this, they aimed at doing the people +no farther mischief. Would that the conduct of England had been at this +time free from reproach! but a proclamation was issued by the English +government, after the peace of Paris, prohibiting any intercourse with +the rebels of Corsica. Paoli said, he did not expect this from Great +Britain. This great man was deservedly proud of his country. "I defy +Rome, Sparta, or Thebes," he would say, "to show me thirty years of such +patriotism as Corsica can boast!" Availing himself of the respite which +the inactivity of the French and the weakness of the Genoese allowed, he +prosecuted his plans of civilising the people. He used to say, that +though he had an unspeakable pride in the prospect of the fame to which +he aspired; yet if he could but render his countrymen happy, he could be +content to be forgotten. His own importance he never affected to +undervalue. "We are now to our country," said he, "like the prophet +Elisha stretched over the dead child of the Shunamite,--eye to eye, nose +to nose, mouth to mouth. It begins to recover warmth, and to revive: I +hope it will yet regain full health and vigour." + +But when the four years were expired, France purchased the +sovereignty of Corsica from the Genoese for forty millions of livres; as +if the Genoese had been entitled to sell it; as if any bargain and sale +could justify one country in taking possession of another against the +will of the inhabitants, and butchering all who oppose the usurpation! +Among the enormities which France has committed, this action seems but +as a speck; yet the foulest murderer that ever suffered by the hand of +the executioner has infinitely less guilt upon his soul than the +statesman who concluded this treaty, and the monarch who sanctioned and +confirmed it. A desperate and glorious resistance was made, but it was +in vain; no power interposed in behalf of these injured islanders, and +the French poured in as many troops as were required. They offered to +confirm Paoli in the supreme authority, only on condition that he would +hold it under their government. His answer was, that "the rocks which +surrounded him should melt away before he would betray a cause which he +held in common with the poorest Corsican." This people then set a price +upon his head. During two campaigns he kept them at bay: they +overpowered him at length; he was driven to the shore, and having +escaped on shipboard, took refuge in England. It is said that Lord +Shelburne resigned his seat in the cabinet because the ministry looked +on without attempting to prevent France from succeeding in this +abominable and important act of aggrandizement. In one respect, however, +our country acted as became her. Paoli was welcomed with the honours +which he deserved, a pension of L1200 was immediately granted him, and +provision was liberally made for his elder brother and his nephew. + +About twenty years Paoli remained in England, enjoying the friendship +of the wise and the admiration of the good. But when the French +Revolution began, it seemed as if the restoration of Corsica was at +hand. The whole country, as if animated by one spirit, rose and demanded +liberty; and the National Assembly passed a decree recognising the +island as a department of France, and therefore entitled to all the +privileges of the new French constitution. This satisfied the Corsicans, +which it ought not to have done; and Paoli, in whom the ardour of youth +was passed, seeing that his countrymen were contented, and believing +that they were about to enjoy a state of freedom, naturally wished to +return to his native country. He resigned his pension in the year 1790, +and appeared at the bar of the Assembly with the Corsican deputies, when +they took the oath of fidelity to France. But the course of events in +France soon dispelled those hopes of a new and better order of things, +which Paoli, in common with so many of the friends of human-kind, had +indulged; and perceiving, after the execution of the king, that a civil +war was about to ensue, of which no man could foresee the issue, he +prepared to break the connection between Corsica and the French +Republic. The convention suspecting such a design, and perhaps +occasioning it by their suspicions, ordered him to their bar. That way +he well knew led to the guillotine; and returning a respectful answer, +he declared that he would never be found wanting in his duty, but +pleaded age and infirmity as a reason for disobeying the summons. Their +second order was more summary; and the French troops, who were in +Corsica, aided by those of the natives, who were either influenced by +hereditary party feelings, or who were sincere in Jacobinism, took the +field against him. But the people were with him. He repaired to Corte, +the capital of the island, and was again invested with the authority +which he had held in the noonday of his fame. The convention upon this +denounced him as a rebel, and set a price upon his head. It was not the +first time that France had proscribed Paoli. + +Paoli now opened a correspondence with Lord Hood, promising, if the +English would make an attack upon St. Fiorenzo from the sea, he would at +the same time attack it by land. This promise he was unable to perform; +and Commodore Linzee, who, in reliance upon it, was sent upon this +service, was repulsed with some loss. Lord Hood, who had now been +compelled to evacuate Toulon, suspected Paoli of intentionally deceiving +him. This was an injurious suspicion. Shortly afterwards he dispatched +Lieutenant-Colonel (afterward Sir John) Moore and Major Koehler to +confer with him upon a plan of operations. Sir Gilbert Elliot +accompanied them; and it was agreed that, in consideration of the +succours, both military and naval, which his Britannic Majesty should +afford for the purpose of expelling the French, the island of Corsica +should be delivered into the immediate possession of his Majesty, and +bind itself to acquiesce in any settlement he might approve of concern- +ing its government, and its future relation with Great Britain. While +this negotiation was going on, Nelson cruised off the island with a +small squadron, to prevent the enemy from throwing in supplies. Close to +St. Fiorenzo the French had a storehouse of flour near their only mill: +he watched an opportunity, and landed 120 men, who threw the flour into +the sea, burnt the mill, and re-embarked before 1000 men, who were sent +against him, could occasion them the loss of a single man. While be +exerted himself thus, keeping out all supplies, intercepting despatches, +attacking their outposts and forts, and cutting out vessels from the +bay,--a species of warfare which depresses the spirit of an enemy even +more than it injures them, because of the sense of individual +superiority which it indicates in the assailants--troops were landed, +and St. Fiorenzo was besieged. The French finding themselves unable to +maintain their post sunk one of their frigates, burnt another, and +retreated to Bastia. Lord Hood submitted to General Dundas, who +commanded the land forces, a plan for the reduction of this place: the +general declined co-operating, thinking the attempt impracticable with- +out a reinforcement of 2000 men, which he expected from Gibraltar. Upon +this Lord Hood determined to reduce it with the naval force under his +command; and leaving part of his fleet off Toulon, he came with the rest +to Bastia. + +He showed a proper sense of respect for Nelson's services, and of +confidence in his talents, by taking care not to bring with him any +older captain. A few days before their arrival, Nelson had had what he +called a brush with the enemy. "If I had had with me 500 troops," he +said, "to a certainty I should have stormed the town; and I believe it +might have been carried. Armies go so slow that seamen think they never +mean to get forward; but I daresay they act on a surer principle, +although we seldom fail." During this partial action our army appeared +upon the heights; and having reconnoitered the place, returned to St. +Fiorenzo. "What the general could have seen to make a retreat neces- +sary," said Nelson, "I cannot comprehend. A thousand men would certainly +take Bastia: with five hundred and the AGAMEMNON I would attempt it. My +seamen are now what British seamen ought to be--almost invincible. They +really mind shot no more than peas." General Dundas had not the same +confidence. "After mature consideration," he said in a letter to Lord +Hood,"and a personal inspection for several days of all circumstances, +local as well as others, I consider the siege of Bastia, with our +present means and force, to be a most visionary and rash attempt; such +as no officer would be justified in undertaking." Lord Hood replied that +nothing would be more gratifying to his feelings than to have the whole +responsibility upon himself; and that he was ready and willing to +undertake the reduction of the place at his own risk with the force and +means at present there. General D'Aubant, who succeeded at this time to +the command of the army, coincided in opinion with his predecessor, and +did not think it right to furnish his lordship with a single soldier, +cannon, or any stores. Lord Hood could only obtain a few artillerymen; +and ordering on board that part of the troops who, having been embarked +as marines, "were borne on the ships" books as part of their respective +complements, he began the siege with 1183 soldiers, artillerymen, and +marines, and 250 sailors. "We are but few," said Nelson,"but of the +right sort; our general at St. Fiorenzo not giving us one of the five +regiments he has there lying idle." + +These men were landed on the 4th of April, under Lieutenant-Colonel +Villettes and Nelson, who had now acquired from the army the title of +brigadier. Guns were dragged by the sailors up heights where it appeared +almost impossible to convey them--a work of the greatest difficulty, and +which Nelson said could never, in his opinion, have been accomplished by +any but British seamen. The soldiers, though less dexterous in such +service, because not accustomed, like sailors, to habitual dexterity. +behaved with equal spirit. "Their zeal," said the brigadier, "is almost +unexampled. There is not a man but considers himself as personally +interested in the event, and deserted by the general. It has, I am +persuaded, made them equal to double their numbers." This is one proof, +of many, that for our soldiers to equal our seamen, it is only necessary +for them to be equally well commanded. They have the same heart and +soul, as well as the same flesh and blood. Too much may, indeed, be +exacted from them in a retreat; but set their face toward a foe, and +there is nothing within the reach of human achievement which they cannot +perform. The French had improved the leisure which our military +commander had allowed them; and before Lord Hood commenced his +operations, he had the mortification of seeing that the enemy were every +day erecting new works, strengthening old ones, and rendering the +attempt more difficult. La Combe St. Michel, the commissioner from the +national convention, who was in the city, replied in these terms to the +summons of the British admiral--"I have hot shot for your ships, and +bayonets for your troops. When two-thirds of our men are killed, I will +then trust to the generosity of the English." The siege, however, was +not sustained with the firmness which such a reply seemed to augur. On +the 19th of May a treaty of capitulation was begun; that same evening +the troops from St. Fiorenzo made their appearance on the hills; and, on +the following morning, General d'Aubant arrived with the whole army to +take possession of Bastia. + +The event of the siege had justified the confidence of the sailors; +but they themselves excused the opinion of the generals when they saw +what they had done. "I am all astonishment," said Nelson, "when I +reflect on what we have achieved; 1000 regulars, 1500 national guards, +and a large party of Corsican troops, 4000 in all, laying down their +arms to 1200 soldiers, marines, and seamen! I always was of opinion, +have ever acted up to it, and never had any reason to repent it, that +one Englishman was equal to three Frenchmen. Had this been an English +town, I am sure it would not have been taken by them." When it had been +resolved to attack the place, the enemy were supposed to be far inferior +in number; and it was not till the whole had been arranged, and the +siege publicly undertaken, that Nelson received certain information of +the great superiority of the garrison. This intelligence he kept secret, +fearing lest, if so fair a pretext were afforded, the attempt would be +abandoned. "My own honour," said he to his wife, "Lord Hood's honour, +and the honour of our country, must have been sacrificed had I mentioned +what I knew; therefore you will believe what must have been my feelings +during the whole siege, when I had often proposals made to me to write +to Lord Hood to raise it." Those very persons who thus advised him, were +rewarded for their conduct at the siege of Bastia: Nelson, by whom it +may truly be affirmed that Bastia was taken, received no reward. Lord +Hood's thanks to him, both public and private, were, as he himself said, +the handsomest which man could give; but his signal merits were not so +mentioned in the despatches as to make them sufficiently known to the +nation, nor to obtain for him from government those honours to which +they so amply entitled him. This could only have arisen from the haste +in which the despatches were written; certainly not from any deliberate +purpose, for Lord Hood was uniformly his steady and sincere friend. + +One of the cartel's ships, which carried the garrison of Bastia to +Toulon, brought back intelligence that the French were about to sail +from that port;-such exertions had they made to repair the damage done +at the evacuation, and to fit out a fleet. The intelligence was speedily +verified. Lord Hood sailed in quest of them toward the islands of +Hieres. The AGAMEMNON was with him. "I pray God," said Nelson, writing +to his wife, "that we may meet their fleet. If any accident should +happen to me, I am sure my conduct will be such as will entitle you to +the royal favour; not that I have the least idea but I shall return to +you, and full of honour: if not, the Lord's will be done. My name shall +never be a disgrace to those who may belong to me. The little I have, I +have given to you, except a small annuity--I wish it was more; but I +have never got a farthing dishonestly: it descends from clean hands. +Whatever fate awaits me, I pray God to bless you, and preserve you, for +your son's sake." With a mind thus prepared, and thus confident, his +hopes and wishes seemed on the point of being gratified, when the enemy +were discovered close under the land, near St. Tropez. The wind fell, +and prevented Lord Hood from getting between them and the shore, as he +designed: boats came out from Antibes and other places to their +assistance, and towed them within the shoals in Gourjean Roads, where +they were protected by the batteries on isles St. Honore and St. +Marguerite, and on Cape Garousse. Here the English admiral planned a new +mode of attack, meaning to double on five of the nearest ships; but the +wind again died away, and it was found that they had anchored in compact +order, guarding the only passage for large ships. There was no way of +effecting this passage, except by towing or warping the vessels; and +this rendered the attempt impracticable. For this time the enemy +escaped; but Nelson bore in mind the admirable plan of attack which Lord +Hood had devised, and there came a day when they felt its tremendous +effects. + +The AGAMEMNON was now despatched to co-operate at the siege of Calvi +with General Sir Charles Stuart; an officer who, unfortunately for his +country, never had an adequate field allotted him far the display of +those eminent talents which were, to all who knew him, so conspicuous. +Nelson had less responsibility here than at Bastia; and was acting with +a man after his own heart, who was never sparing of himself, and slept +every night in the advanced battery. But the service was not less hard +than that of the former siege. "We will fag ourselves to death," said he +to Lord Hood, "before any blame shall lie at our doors. I trust it will +not be forgotten, that twenty-five pieces of heavy ordnance have been +dragged to the different batteries, mounted, and, all but three, fought +by seamen, except one artilleryman to point the guns." The climate +proved more destructive than the service; for this was during the lion +sun, as they call our season of the dog-days. Of 2000 men, above half +were sick, and the rest like so many phantoms. Nelson described himself +as the reed among the oaks, bowing before the storm when they were laid +low by it. "All the prevailing disorders have attacked me," said he, "but +I have not strength enough for them to fasten on." The loss from the +enemy was not great; but Nelson received a serious injury: a shot +struck the ground near him, and drove the sand and small gravel into one +of his eyes. He spoke of it slightly at the time: writing the same day +to Lord Hood, he only said that he bad got a little hurt that morning, +not much; and the next day, he said, he should be able to attend his +duty in the evening. In fact, he suffered it to confine him only one +day; but the sight was lost. + +After the fall of Calvi, his services were, by a strange omission, +altogether overlooked; and his name was not even mentioned in the list +of wounded. This was no ways imputable to the admiral, for he sent home +to government Nelson's journal of the siege, that they might fully +understand the nature of his indefatigable and unequalled exertions. If +those exertions were not rewarded in the conspicuous manner which they +deserved, the fault was in the administration of the day, not in Lord +Hood. Nelson felt himself neglected. "One hundred and ten days," said +he, "I have been actually engaged at sea and on shore against the enemy; +three actions against ships, two against Bastia in my ship, four boat +actions, and two villages taken, and twelve sail of vessels burnt. I do +not know that any one has done more. I have had the comfort to be always +applauded by my Commander-in-Chief, but never to be rewarded; and, what +is more mortifying, for services in which I have been wounded, others +have been praised, who, at the same time, were actually in bed, far from +the scene of action. They have not done me justice. But never mind, I'll +have a GAZETTE of my own." How amply was this second-sight of glory +realised! + +The health of his ship's company had now, in his own words, been +miserably torn to pieces by as hard service as a ship's crew ever +performed: 150 were in their beds when he left Calvi; of them he lost 54 +and believed that the constitutions of the rest were entirely destroyed. +He was now sent with despatches to Mr. Drake, at Genoa, and had his +first interview with the Doge. The French had, at this time, taken +possession of Vado Bay, in the Genoese territory; and Nelson foresaw +that, if their thoughts were bent on the invasion of Italy, they would +accomplish it the ensuing spring. "The allied powers," he said, "were +jealous of each other; and none but England was hearty in the cause." +His wish was for peace on fair terms, because England he thought was +draining herself to maintain allies who would not fight for themselves. +Lord Hood had now returned to England, and the command devolved on +Admiral Hotham. The affairs of the Mediterranean wore at this time a +gloomy aspect. The arts, as well as the arms of the enemy, were gaining +the ascendancy there. Tuscany concluded peace relying upon the faith of +France, which was, in fact, placing itself at her mercy. Corsica was in +danger. We had taken that island for ourselves, annexed it formally to +the crown of Great Britain, and given it a constitution as free as our +own. This was done with the consent of the majority of the inhabitants; +and no transaction between two countries was ever more fairly or +legitimately conducted: yet our conduct was unwise;--the island is large +enough to form an independent state, and such we should have made it, +under our protection, as long as protection might be needed; the +Corsicans would then have felt as a nation; but when one party had given +up the country to England, the natural consequence was that the other +looked to France. The question proposed to the people was, to which +would they belong? Our language and our religion were against us; our +unaccommodating manners, it is to be feared, still more so. The French +were better politicians. In intrigue they have ever been unrivalled; and +it now became apparent that, in spite of old wrongs, which ought never +to have been forgotten nor forgiven, their partisans were daily +acquiring strength. It is part of the policy of France, and a wise +policy it is, to impress upon other powers the opinion of its strength, +by lofty language: and by threatening before it strikes; a system which, +while it keeps up the spirit of its allies, and perpetually stimulates +their hopes, tends also to dismay its enemies. Corsica was now loudly +threatened. "The French, who had not yet been taught to feel their own +inferiority upon the seas, braved us in contempt upon that element." +They had a superior fleet in the Mediterranean, and they sent it out +with express orders to seek the English and engage them. Accordingly, +the Toulon fleet, consisting of seventeen ships of the line and five +smaller vessels, put to sea. Admiral Hotham received this information at +Leghorn, and sailed immediately in search of them. He had with him +fourteen sail of the line, and one Neapolitan seventy-four; but his +ships were only half-manned, containing but 7650 men, whereas the enemy +had 16,900. He soon came in sight of them: a general action was +expected; and Nelson, as was his custom on such occasions, wrote a hasty +letter to his wife, as that which might possibly contain his last +farewell. "The lives of all," said he, "are in the hand of Him who knows +best whether to preserve mine or not; my character and good name are in +my own keeping." + +But however confident the French government might be of their naval +superiority, the officers had no such feeling; and after manoeuvring for +a day in sight of the English fleet, they suffered themselves to be +chased. One of their ships, the CA IRA, of eighty-four guns, carried +away her main and fore top-masts. The INCONSTANT frigate fired at the +disabled ship, but received so many shot that she was obliged to leave +her. Soon afterwards a French frigate took the CA IRA in tow; and the +SANS-CULOTTES, one hundred and twenty, and the JEAN BARRAS, seventy- +four, kept about gunshot distance on her weather bow. The AGAMEMNON +stood towards her, having no ship of the line to support her within +several miles. As she drew near, the CA IRA fired her stern guns so +truly, that not a shot missed some part of the ship; and latterly, the +masts were struck by every shot. It had been Nelson's intention not to +fire before he touched her stern; but seeing how impossible it was that +he should be supported, and how certainly the AGAMEMNON must be severely +cut up if her masts were disabled, he altered his plan according to the +occasion. As soon, therefore, as he was within a hundred yards of her +stern, he ordered the helm to be put a-starboard, and the driver and +after-sails to be brailed up and shivered; and, as the ship fell off, +gave the enemy her whole broadside. They instantly braced up the after- +yards, put the helm a-port, and stood after her again. This manoeuvre he +practised for two hours and a quarter, never allowing the CA IRA to get +a single gun from either side to bear on him; and when the French fired +their after-guns now, it was no longer with coolness and precision, for +every shot went far ahead. By this time her sails were hanging in +tatters, her mizen-top-mast, mizen-top-sail, and cross-jack-yards shot +away. But the frigate which had her in tow hove in stays, and got her +round. Both these French ships now brought their guns to bear, and +opened their fire. The AGAMEMNON passed them within half-pistol shot; +almost every shot passed over her, for the French had elevated their +guns for the rigging, and for distant firing, and did not think of +altering the elevation. As soon as the AGAMEMNON's after-guns ceased to +bear, she hove in stays, keeping a constant fire as she came round; and +being worked, said Nelson, with as much exactness as if she had been +turning into Spithead. On getting round, he saw that the Sans-Culottes, +which had wore, with many of the enemy's ships, was under his lee bow, +and standing to leeward. The admiral, at the same time, made the signal +for the van ships to join him. Upon this Nelson bore away, and prepared +to set all sail; and the enemy, having saved their ship, hauled close to +the wind, and opened upon him a distant and ineffectual fire. Only seven +of the AGAMEMNON's men were hurt--a thing which Nelson himself remarked +as wonderful: her sails and rigging were very much cut, and she had many +shots in her hull, and some between wind and water. The CA IRA lost 110 +men that day, and was so cut up that she could not get a top-mast aloft +during the night. + +At daylight on the following morning, the English ships were taken +aback with a fine breeze at N.W., while the enemy's fleet kept the +southerly wind. The body of their fleet was about five miles distant; +the CA IRA and the CENSEUR, seventy-four, which had her in tow, about +three and a half. All sail was made to cut these ships off; and as the +French attempted to save them, a partial action was brought on. The +AGAMEMNON was again engaged with her yesterday's antagonist; but she had +to fight on both sides the ship at the same time. The CA IRA and the +CENSEUR fought most gallantly: the first lost nearly 300 men, in +addition to her former loss; the last, 350. Both at length struck; and +Lieutenant Andrews, of the AGAMEMNON, brother to the lady to whom Nelson +had become attached in France, and, in Nelson's own words, "as gallant +an officer as ever stepped a quarter-deck," hoisted English colours on +board them both. The rest of the enemy's ships' behaved very ill. As +soon as these vessels had struck, Nelson went to Admiral Hotham and +proposed that the two prizes should be left with the ILLUSTRIOUS and +COURAGEUX, which had been crippled in the action, and with four +frigates, and that the rest of the fleet should pursue the enemy, and +follow up the advantage to the utmost. But his reply was--"We must be +contented: we have done very well."--"Now," said Nelson," had we taken +ten sail, and allowed the eleventh to escape, when it had been possible +to have got at her, I could never have called it well done. Goodall +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." In this letter the character of Nelson fully manifests +itself. "I wish" said he, "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 am, had I +commanded on the 14th, that either the whole French fleet would have +graced my triumph, or I should have been in a confounded scrape." What +the event would have been, he knew from his prophetic feelings and his +own consciousness of power; and we also know it now, for Aboukir and +Trafalgar have told it. + +The CA IRA and CENSEUR probably defended themselves with more +obstinacy in this action, from a persuasion that, if they struck, no +quarter would be given; because they had fired red-hot shot, and had +also a preparation sent, as they said, by the convention from Paris, +which seems to have been of the nature of the Greek fire; for it became +liquid when it was discharged, and water would not extinguish its +flames. This combustible was concealed with great care in the captured +ships; like the red-hot shot, it had been found useless in battle. +Admiral Hotham's action saved Corsica for the time; but the victory had +been incomplete, and the arrival at Toulon of six sail of the line, two +frigates, and two cutters from Brest, gave the French a superiority +which, had they known how to use it, would materially have endangered +the British Mediterranean fleet. That fleet had been greatly neglected +at the Admiralty during Lord Chatham's administration: and it did not, +for some time, feel the beneficial effect of his removal. Lord Hood had +gone home to represent the real state of affairs, and solicit +reinforcements adequate to the exigencies of the time, and the +importance of the scene of action. But that fatal error of under- +proportioning the force to the service; that ruinous economy, which, by +sparing a little, renders all that is spent useless, infected the +British councils; and Lord Hood, not being able to obtain such rein- +forcements as he knew were necessary, resigned the command. "Surely," +said Nelson, "the people at home have forgotten us." Another Neapolitan +seventy-four joined Admiral Hotham, and Nelson observed with sorrow +that this was matter of exultation to an English fleet. When the store- +ships and victuallers from Gibraltar arrived, their escape from the +enemy was thought wonderful; and yet, had they not escaped, "the game," +said Nelson, "was up here. At this moment our operations are at a stand +for want of ships to support the Austrians in getting possession of the +sea-coast of the king of Sardinia; and behold our admiral does not feel +himself equal to show himself, much less to give assistance in their +operations." It was reported that the French were again out with 18 or +20 sail. The combined British and Neapolitan were but sixteen; should +the enemy be only eighteen, Nelson made no doubt of a complete victory; +but if they were twenty, he said, it was not to be expected; and a +battle, without complete victory, would have been destruction, because +another mast was not to be got on that side Gibraltar. At length Admiral +Man arrived with a squadron from England. "What they can mean by sending +him with only five sail of the line," said Nelson, "is truly astonishing; +but all men are alike, and we in this country do not find any +amendment or alteration from the old Board of Admiralty. They should +know that half the ships in the fleet require to go to England; and that +long ago they ought to have reinforced us." + +About this time Nelson was made colonel of marines; a mark of +approbation which he had long wished for rather than expected. It came +in good season, for his spirits were oppressed by the thought that his +services had not been acknowledged as they deserved; and it abated the +resentful feeling which would else have been excited by the answer to an +application to the War-office. During his four months' land service in +Corsica, he had lost all his ship furniture, owing to the movements of a +camp. Upon this he wrote to the Secretary at War, briefly stating what +his services on shore had been, and saying, he trusted it was not asking +an improper thing to request that the same allowance might be made to +him which would be made to a land officer of his rank, which, situated +as he was, would be that of a brigadier-general: if this could not be +accorded, he hoped that his additional expenses would be paid him. The +answer which he received was, that "no pay had ever been issued under +the direction of the War-office to officers of the navy serving with the +army on shore." + +He now entered upon a new line of service. The Austrian and Sardinian +armies, under General de Vins, required a British squadron to co-operate +with them in driving the French from the Riviera di Genoa; and as Nelson +had been so much in the habit of soldiering, it was immediately fixed +that the brigadier should go. He sailed from St. Fiorenzo on this +destination; but fell in, off Cape del Mele, with the enemy's fleet, who +immediately gave his squadron chase. The chase lasted four-and-twenty +hours; and, owing to the fickleness of the wind, the British ships were +sometimes hard pressed; but the want of skill on the part of the French +gave Nelson many advantages. Nelson bent his way back to St. Fiorenzo, +where the fleet, which was in the midst of watering and refitting, had, +for seven hours, the mortification of seeing him almost in possession of +the enemy, before the wind would allow them to put out to his assist- +ance. The French, however, at evening, went off, not choosing to +approach nearer the shore. During the night, Admiral Hotham, by great +exertions, got under weigh; and, having sought the enemy four days, came +in sight of them on the fifth. Baffling winds and vexatious calms, so +common in the Mediterranean, rendered it impossible to close with them; +only a partial action could be brought on; and then the firing made a +perfect calm. The French being to windward, drew inshore; and the +English fleet was becalmed six or seven miles to the westward. L'ALCIDE, +of seventy-four guns, struck; but before she could be taken possession +of, a box of combustibles in her fore-top took fire, and the unhappy +crew experienced how far more perilous their inventions were to them- +selves than to their enemies. So rapid was the conflagration, that the +French in their official account say, the hull, the masts, and sails, +all seemed to take fire at the same moment; and though the English boats +were put out to the assistance of the poor wretches on board, not more +than 200 could be saved. The AGAMEMNON, and Captain Rowley in the +CUMBERLAND, were just getting into close action a second time, when the +admiral called them off, the wind now blowing directly into the Gulf of +Frejus, where the enemy anchored after the evening closed. + +Nelson now proceeded to his station with eight sail of frigates under +his command. Arriving at Genoa, he had a conference with Mr. Drake, the +British envoy to that state; the result of which was, that the object of +the British must be to put an entire stop to all trade between Genoa, +France, and the places occupied by the French troops; for unless this +trade were stopped, it would be scarcely possible for the allied armies +to hold their situation, and impossible for them to make any progress in +driving the enemy out of the Riviera di Genoa. Mr. Drake was of opinion +that even Nice might fall for want of supplies, if the trade with Genoa +were cut off. This sort of blockade Nelson could not carry on without +great risk to himself. A captain in the navy, as he represented to the +envoy, is liable to prosecution for detention and damages. This danger +was increased by an order which had then lately been issued; by which, +when a neutral ship was detained, a complete specification of her cargo +was directed to be sent to the secretary of the Admiralty, and no legal +process instituted against her till the pleasure of that board should be +communicated. This was requiring an impossibility. The cargoes of ships +detained upon this station, consisting chiefly of corn, would be spoiled +long before the orders of the Admiralty could be known; and then, if +they should happen to release the vessel, the owners would look to the +captain for damages. Even the only precaution which could be taken +against this danger, involved another danger not less to be apprehended: +for if the captain should direct the cargo to be taken out, the freight +paid for, and the vessel released, the agent employed might prove +fraudulent, and become bankrupt; and in that case the captain became +responsible. Such things had happened: Nelson therefore required, as the +only means for carrying on that service, which was judged essential to +the common cause, without exposing the officers to ruin, that the +British envoy should appoint agents to pay the freight, release the +vessels, sell the cargo, and hold the amount till process was had upon +it: government thus securing its officers. "I am acting," said +Nelson. "not only without the orders of my commander-in-chief, but, in +some measure, contrary to him. However, I have not only the support of +his Majesty's ministers, both at Turin and Genoa, but a consciousness +that I am doing what is right and proper for the service of our king and +country. Political courage, in an officer abroad, is as highly necessary +as military courage." + +This quality, which is as much rarer than military courage as it is +more valuable, and without which the soldier's bravery is often of +little avail, Nelson possessed in an eminent degree. His representations +were attended to as they deserved. Admiral Hotham commended him for +what he had done; and the attention of government was awakened to the +injury which the cause of the allies continually suffered from the +frauds of neutral vessels. "What changes in my life of activity!" said +the indefatigable man. "Here I am, having commenced a co-operation with +an old Austrian general, almost fancying myself charging at the head of +a troop of horse! I do not write less than from ten to twenty letters +every day; which, with the Austrian general and aides-de-camp, and my +own little squadron, fully employ my time. This I like; active service +or none." It was Nelson's mind which supported his feeble body through +these exertions. He was at this time almost blind, and wrote with very +great pain. "Poor AGAMEMNON" he sometimes said, "was as nearly worn out +as her captain; and both must soon be laid up to repair." + +When Nelson first saw General de Vins, he thought him an able man, +who was willing to act with vigour. The general charged his inactivity +upon the Piedmontese and Neapolitans, whom, he said, nothing could +induce to act; and he concerted a plan with Nelson for embarking a part +of the Austrian army, and landing it in the rear of the French. But the +English commodore soon began to suspect that the Austrian general was +little disposed to any active operations. In the hope of spurring him +on, he wrote to him, telling him that he had surveyed the coast to the +W. as far as Nice, and would undertake to embark 4000 or 5000 men, with +their arms and a few days' provisions, on board the squadron, and land +them within two miles of St. Remo, with their field-pieces. Respecting +further provisions for the Austrian army, he would provide convoys, that +they should arrive in safety; and if a re-embarkation should be found +necessary, he would cover it with the squadron. The possession of St. +Remo, as headquarters for magazines of every kind, would enable the +Austrian general to turn his army to the eastward or westward. The enemy +at Oneglia would be cut off from provisions, and men could be landed to +attack that place whenever it was judged necessary. St. Remo was the +only place between Vado and Ville Franche where the squadron could lie +in safety, and anchor in almost all winds. The bay was not so good as +Vado for large ships; but it had a mole, which Vado had not, where all +small vessels could lie, and load and unload their cargoes. This bay +being in possession of the allies, Nice could be completely blockaded by +sea. General de Vins affecting, in his reply, to consider that Nelson's +proposal had no other end than that of obtaining the bay of St. Remo as +a station for the ships, told him, what he well knew, and had expressed +before, that Vado Bay was a better anchorage; nevertheless, if +MONSIEUR LE COMMANDANT NELSON was well assured that part of the fleet +could winter there, there was no risk to which he would not expose +himself with pleasure, for the sake of procuring a safe station for the +vessels of his Britannic Majesty. Nelson soon assured the Austrian +commander that this was not the object of his memorial. He now began to +suspect that both the Austrian Court and their general had other ends in +view than the cause of the allies. "This army," said he, "is slow beyond +all description; and I begin to think that the Emperor is anxious to +touch another L4,000,000 of English money. As for the German generals, +war is their trade, and peace is ruin to them; therefore we cannot +expect that they should have any wish to finish the war. The politics of +courts are so mean, that private people would be ashamed to act in the +same way; all is trick and finesse, to which the common cause is +sacrificed. The general wants a loop-hole; it has for some time +appeared to me that he means to go no further than his present position, +and to lay the miscarriage of the enterprise against Nice, which has +always been held out as the great object of his army, to the non-co- +operation of the British fleet and of the Sardinians." + +To prevent this plea, Nelson again addressed De Vins, requesting only +to know the time, and the number of troops ready to embark; then he +would, he said, dispatch a ship to Admiral Hotham, requesting +transports, having no doubt of obtaining them, and trusting that the +plan would be successful to its fullest extent. Nelson thought at the +time that, if the whole fleet were offered him for transports, he would +find some other excuse; and Mr. Drake, who was now appointed to reside +at the Austrian headquarters, entertained the same idea of the general's +sincerity. It was not, however, put so clearly to the proof as it ought +to have been. He replied that, as soon as Nelson could declare himself +ready with the vessels necessary for conveying 10,000 men, with their +artillery and baggage, he would put the army in motion. But Nelson was +not enabled to do this: Admiral Hotham, who was highly meritorious in +leaving such a man so much at his own discretion, pursued a cautious +system, ill according with the bold and comprehensive views of Nelson, +who continually regretted Lord Hood, saying that the nation had suffered +much by his resignation of the Mediterranean command. The plan which had +been concerted, he said, would astonish the French, and perhaps the +English. + +There was no unity in the views of the allied powers, no cordiality +in their co-operation, no energy in their councils. The neutral powers +assisted France more effectually than the allies assisted each other. +The Genoese ports were at this time filled with French privateers, +which swarmed out every night, and covered the gulf; and French vessels +were allowed to tow out of the port of Genoa itself, board vessels which +were coming in, and then return into the mole. This was allowed without +a remonstrance; while, though Nelson abstained most carefully from +offering any offence to the Genoese territory or flag, complaints were +so repeatedly made against his squadron, that, he says, it seemed a +trial who should be tired first; they of complaining, or he of answering +their complaints. But the question of neutrality was soon at an end. An +Austrian commissary was travelling from Genoa towards Vado; it was known +that he was to sleep at Voltri, and that he had L10,000 with him--a +booty which the French minister in that city, and the captain of a +French frigate in that port, considered as far more important than the +word of honour of the one, the duties of the other, and the laws of +neutrality. The boats of the frigate went out with some privateers, +landed, robbed the commissary, and brought back the money to Genoa. The +next day men were publicly enlisted in that city for the French army: +700 men were embarked, with 7000 stand of arms, on board the frigates +and other vessels, who were to land between Voltri and Savona. There a +detachment from the French army was to join them, and the Genoese +peasantry were to be invited to insurrection--a measure for which +everything had been prepared. The night of the 13th was fixed for the +sailing of this expedition; the Austrians called loudly for Nelson to +prevent it; and he, on the evening of the 13th, arrived at Genoa. His +presence checked the plan: the frigate, knowing her deserts, got within +the merchant-ships, in the inner mole; and the Genoese government did +not now even demand of Nelson respect to the neutral port, knowing that +they had allowed, if not connived at, a flagrant breach of neutrality, +and expecting the answer which he was prepared to return, that it was +useless and impossible for him to respect it longer. + +But though this movement produced the immediate effect which was +designed, it led to ill consequences, which Nelson foresaw, but for want +of sufficient force was unable to prevent. His squadron was too small +for the service which it had to perform. He required two seventy-fours +and eight or ten frigates and sloops; but when he demanded this +reinforcement, Admiral Hotham had left the command. Sir Hyde Parker had +succeeded till the new commander should arrive; and he immediately +reduced it to almost nothing, leaving him only one frigate and a brig. +This was a fatal error. While the Austrian and Sardinian troops, whether +from the imbecility or the treachery of their leaders, remained +inactive, the French were preparing for the invasion of Italy. Not many +days before Nelson was thus summoned to Genoa, he chased a large convoy +into Alassio. Twelve vessels he had formerly destroyed in that port, +though 2000 French troops occupied the town. This former attack had made +them take new measures of defence; and there were now above 100 sail of +victuallers, gun-boats, and ships of war. Nelson represented to the +Admiral how important it was to destroy these vessels; and offered, with +his squadron of frigates, and the CULLODEN and COURAGEUX, to lead +himself in the AGAMEMNON, and take or destroy the whole. The attempt was +not permitted; but it was Nelson's belief that, if it had been made, it +would have prevented the attack upon the Austrian army, which took place +almost immediately afterwards. + +General de Vins demanded satisfaction of the Genoese government for +the seizure of his commissary; and then, without waiting for their +reply, took possession of some empty magazines of the French, and pushed +his sentinels to the very gates of Genoa. Had he done so at first, he +would have found the magazines full; but, timed as the measure was, and +useless as it was to the cause of the allies, it was in character with +the whole of the Austrian general's conduct; and it is no small proof of +the dexterity with which he served the enemy, that in such circumstances +he could so act with Genoa as to contrive to put himself in the wrong. +Nelson was at this time, according to his own expression, placed in a +cleft stick. Mr. Drake, the Austrian minister, and the Austrian general, +all joined in requiring him not to leave Genoa; if he left that port +unguarded, they said, not only the imperial troops at St. Pier d'Arena +and Voltri would be lost, but the French plan for taking post between +Voltri and Savona would certainly succeed; if the Austrians should be +worsted in the advanced posts, the retreat of the Bocchetta would be cut +off; and if this happened, the loss of the army would be imputed to +him, for having left Genoa. On the other hand, he knew that if he were +not at Pietra, the enemy's gun-boats would harass the left flank of the +Austrians, who, if they were defeated, as was to be expected, from the +spirit of all their operations, would, very probably, lay their defeat +to the want of assistance from the AGAMEMNON. Had the force for which +Nelson applied been given him, he could have attended to both objects; +and had he been permitted to attack the convoy in Alassio, he would have +disconcerted the plans of the French, in spite of the Austrian general. +He had foreseen the danger, and pointed out how it might be prevented; +but the means of preventing it were withheld. The attack was made as +he foresaw; and the gun-boats brought their fire to bear upon the +Austrians. It so happened, however, that the left flank, which was +exposed to them, was the only part of the army that behaved well: this +division stood its ground till the centre and the right wing fled, and +then retreated in a soldierlike manner. General de Vins gave up the +command in the middle of the battle, pleading ill health. "From that +moment," says Nelson, "not a soldier stayed at his post: it was the +devil take the hindmost. Many thousands ran away who had never seen the +enemy; some of them thirty miles from the advanced posts. Had I not, +though I own, against my inclination, been kept at Genoa, from 8000 to +10,000 men would have been taken prisoners, and, amongst the number, +General de Vins himself; but by this means the pass of the Bocchetta was +kept open. The purser of the ship, who was at Vado, ran with the +Austrians eighteen miles without stopping; the men without arms, +officers without soldiers, women without assistance. The oldest officers +say they never heard of so complete a defeat, and certainly without any +reason. Thus has ended my campaign. We have established the French +republic: which but for us, I verily believe, would never have been +settled by such a volatile, changeable people. I hate a Frenchman: they +are equally objects of my detestation whether royalists or republicans: +in some points, I believe, the latter are the best." Nelson had a +lieutenant and two midshipmen taken at Vado: they told him, in their +letter, that few of the French soldiers were more than three or four and +twenty years old, a great many not more than fourteen, and all were +nearly naked; they were sure, they said, his barge's crew could have +beat a hundred of them; and that, had he himself seen them, he would not +have thought, if the world had been covered with such people, that they +could have beaten the Austrian army. + +The defeat of General de Vins gave the enemy possession of the +Genoese coast from Savona to Voltri, and it deprived the Austrians of +their direct communication with the English fleet. The AGAMEMNON, +therefore, could no longer be useful on this station, and Nelson sailed +for Leghorn to refit. When his ship went into dock, there was not a +mast, yard, sail, or any part of the rigging, but what stood in need of +repair, having been cut to pieces with shot. The hull was so damaged +that it had for some time been secured by cables, which were served or +thrapped round it. + + + +CHAPTER IV + +1796 - 1797 + + +Sir J. Jervis takes the Command--Genoa joins the French--Bounaparte +begins his Career--Evacuation of Corsica--Nelson hoists his broad +Pennant in the MINERVE--Action with the SABINA--Battle off Cape St. +Vincent--Nelson commands the inner Squadron at the Blockade of Cadiz +Boat Action in the Bay of Cadiz--Expedition against Teneriffe--Nelson +loses an Arm--His Sufferings in England, and Recovery. + +* + + +SIR JOHN JERVIS had now arrived to take the command of the +Mediterranean fleet. The AGAMEMNON having, as her captain said, been +made as fit for sea as a rotten ship could be, Nelson sailed from +Leghorn, and joined the admiral in Fiorenzo Bay. "I found him," said +he, "anxious to know many things which I was a good deal surprised to +find had not been communicated to him by 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." The manner in which Nelson was received is said to +have excited some envy. One captain observed to him: "You did just as +you pleased in Lord Hood's time, the same in Admiral Hotham's, and now +again with Sir John Jervis: it makes no difference to you who is +commander-in-chief." A higher compliment could not have been paid to any +commander-in-chief than to say of him that he understood the merits of +Nelson, and left him, as far as possible, to act upon his own judgment. + +Sir John Jervis offered him the ST.GEORGE, ninety, or the ZEALOUS, +seventy-four, and asked if he should have any objection to serve under +him with his flag. He replied, that if the AGAMEMNON were ordered home, +and his flag were not arrived, he should, on many accounts, wish to +return to England; still, if the war continued, he should be very proud +of hoisting his flag under Sir John's command, "We cannot spare you," +said Sir John, "either as captain or admiral." Accordingly, he resumed +his station in the Gulf of Genoa. The French had not followed up their +successes in that quarter with their usual celerity. Scherer, who +commanded there, owed his advancement to any other cause than his merit: +he was a favourite of the directory; but for the present, through the +influence of Barras, he was removed from a command for which his +incapacity was afterwards clearly proved, and Buonaparte was appointed +to succeed him. Buonaparte had given indications of his military +talents at Toulon, and of his remorseless nature at Paris; but the +extent either of his ability or his wickedness was at this time known to +none, and perhaps not even suspected by himself. + +Nelson supposed, from the information which he had obtained, that one +column of the French army would take possession of Port Especia; either +penetrating through the Genoese territory, or proceeding coast-ways in +light vessels; our ships of war not being able to approach the coast, +because of the shallowness of the water. To prevent this, he said; two +things were necessary: the possession of Vado Bay, and the taking of +Port Especia; if either of these points were secured, Italy would be +safe from any attack of the French by sea. General Beaulieu, who had now +superseded De Vins in the command of the allied Austrian and Sardinian +army, sent his nephew and aide-de-camp to communicate with Nelson, and +inquire whether he could anchor in any other place than Vado Bay. Nelson +replied, that Vado was the only place where the British fleet could lie +in safety, but all places would suit his squadron; and wherever the +general came to the sea-coast, there he should find it. The Austrian +repeatedly asked, if there was not a risk of losing the squadron? and +was constantly answered, that if these ships should be lost, the admiral +would find others. But all plans of co-operation with the Austrians were +soon frustrated by the battle of Montenotte. Beaulieu ordered an attack +to be made upon the post of Voltri. It was made twelve hours before the +time which he had fixed, and before he arrived to direct it. In +consequence, the French were enabled to effect their retreat, and fall +back to Montenotte, thus giving the troops there a decisive superiority +in number over the division which attacked them. This drew on the defeat +of the Austrians. Buonaparte, with a celerity which had never before +been witnessed in modern war, pursued his advantages; and, in the course +of a fortnight, dictated to the court of Turin terms of peace, or rather +of submission; by which all the strongest places of Piedmont were put +into his bands. + +On one occasion, and only on one, Nelson was able to impede the +progress of this new conqueror. Six vessels, laden with cannon and +ordnance-stores for the siege of Mantua, sailed from Toulon for St. Pier +d'Arena. Assisted by Captain Cockburn, in the MELEAGER, he drove them +under a battery; pursued them, silenced the batteries, and captured the +whole. Military books, plans and maps of Italy, with the different +points marked upon them where former battles had been fought, sent by +the directory for Buonaparte's use, were found in the convoy. The loss +of this artillery was one of the chief causes which compelled the French +to raise the siege of Mantua; but there was too much treachery, and too +much imbecility, both in the councils and armies of the allied powers, +for Austria to improve this momentary success. Buonaparte perceived +that the conquest of Italy was within his reach; treaties, and the +rights of neutral or of friendly powers, were as little regarded by him +as by the government for which he acted. In open contempt of both he +entered Tuscany, and took possession of Leghorn. In consequence of this +movement, Nelson blockaded that port, and landed a British force in the +Isle of Elba, to secure Porto Ferrajo. Soon afterwards he took the +Island of Capraja, which had formerly belonged to Corsica, being less +than forty miles distant from it; a distance, however, short as it was, +which enabled the Genoese to retain it, after their infamous sale of +Corsica to France. Genoa had now taken part with France: its government +had long covertly assisted the French, and now willingly yielded to the +first compulsory menace which required them to exclude the English from +their ports. Capraja was seized in consequence; but this act of vigour +was not followed up as it ought to have been. England at that time +depended too much upon the feeble governments of the Continent, and too +little upon itself. It was determined by the British cabinet to evacuate +Corsica, as soon as Spain should form an offensive alliance with France. +This event, which, from the moment that Spain had been compelled to make +peace, was clearly foreseen, had now taken place; and orders for the +evacuation of the island were immediately sent out. It was impolitic to +annex this island to the British dominions; but having done so, it was +disgraceful thus to abandon it. The disgrace would have been spared, and +every advantage which could have been derived from the possession of +the island secured, if the people had at first been left to form a +government for themselves, and protected by us in the enjoyment of +their independence. + +The viceroy, Sir Gilbert Elliott, deeply felt the impolicy and +ignominy of this evacuation. The fleet also was ordered to leave the +Mediterranean. This resolution was so contrary to the last instructions +which had been received, that Nelson exclaimed, "Do his majesty's +ministers know their own minds? They at home," said he, "do not know +what this fleet is capable of performing--anything and everything. Much +as I shall rejoice to see England, I lament our present orders in sack- +cloth and ashes, so dishonourable to the dignity of England, whose +fleets are equal to meet the world in arms; and of all the fleets I ever +saw, I never beheld one, in point of officers and men, equal to Sir John +Jervis's, who is a commander-in-chief able to lead them to glory." Sir +Gilbert Elliott believed that the great body of the Corsicans were +perfectly satisfied, as they had good reason to be, with the British +Government, sensible of its advantages, and attached to it. However this +may have been, when they found that the English intended to evacuate the +island, they naturally and necessarily sent to make their peace with +the French. The partisans of France found none to oppose them. A +committee of thirty took upon them the government of Bastia, and +sequestrated all the British property; armed Corsicans mounted guard at +every place, and a plan was laid for seizing the viceroy. Nelson, who +was appointed to superintend the evacuation, frustrated these projects. +At a time when every one else despaired of saving stores, cannon, +provisions, or property of any kind, and a privateer was moored across +the mole-head to prevent all boats from passing, he sent word to the +committee, that if the slightest opposition were made to the embarkment +and removal of British property, he would batter the town down. The +privateer pointed her guns at the officer who carried this message, and +muskets were levelled against his boats from the mole-head. Upon this +Captain Sutton, of the EGMONT, pulling out his watch, gave them a +quarter of an hour to deliberate upon their answer. In five minutes +after the expiration of that time, the ships, he said, would open their +fire. Upon this the very sentinels scampered off, and every vessel came +out of the mole. A shipowner complained to the commodore that the +municipality refused to let him take his goods out of the custom-house. +Nelson directed him to say, that unless they were instantly delivered, +he would open his fire. The committee turned pale, and, without +answering a word, gave him the keys. Their last attempt was to levy a +duty upon the things that were re-embarked. He sent them word, that he +would pay them a disagreeable visit, if there were any more complaints. +The committee then finding that they had to deal with a man who knew his +own power, and was determined to make the British name respected, +desisted from the insolent conduct which they had assumed; and it was +acknowledged that Bastia never had been so quiet and orderly since the +English were in possession of it. This was on the 14th of October; +during the five following days the work of embarkation was carried on, +the private property was saved, and public stores to the amount of +L200,000. The French, favoured by the Spanish fleet, which was at that +time within twelve leagues of Bastia, pushed over troops from Leghorn, +who landed near Cape Corse on the 18th; and on the 20th, at one in the +morning, entered the citadel, an hour only after the British had spiked +the guns and evacuated it. Nelson embarked at daybreak, being the last +person who left the shore; having thus, as he said, seen the first and +the last of Corsica. Provoked at the conduct of the municipality, and +the disposition which the populace had shown to profit by the confusion, +he turned towards the shore, as he stepped into his boat, and exclaimed: +"Now, John Corse, follow the natural bent of your detestable character +--plunder and revenge." This, however, was not Nelson's deliberate +opinion of the people of Corsica; he knew that their vices were the +natural consequences of internal anarchy and foreign oppression, such as +the same causes would produce in any people; and when he saw, that of +all those who took leave of the viceroy there was not one who parted +from him without tears, he acknowledged that they manifestly acted not +from dislike of the English, but from fear of the French. England then +might, with more reason, reproach her own rulers for pusillanimity than +the Corsicans for ingratitude. + +Having thus ably effected this humiliating service, Nelson was +ordered to hoist his broad pendant on board the MINERVE frigate, +Captain George Cockburn, and with the BLANCHE under his command, proceed +to Porto Ferrajo, and superintend the evacuation of that place also. On +his way, he fell in with two Spanish frigates, the SABINA and the CERES. +The MINERVE engaged the former, which was commanded by D. Jacobo Stuart, +a descendent of the Duke of Berwick. After an action of three hours, +during which the Spaniards lost 164 men, the SABINA struck. The Spanish +captain, who was the only surviving officer, had hardly been conveyed +on board the MINERVE, when another enemy's frigate came up, compelled +her to cast off the prize, and brought her a second time into action. +After half an hour's trial of strength, this new antagonist wore and +hauled off; but a Spanish squadron of two ships of the line and two +frigates came in sight. The BLANCHE, from which the CERES had got off, +was far to windward, and the MINERVE escaped only by the anxiety of the +enemy to recover their own ship. As soon as Nelson reached Porto Ferrajo +he sent his prisoner in a flag of truce to Carthagena, having returned +him his sword; this he did in honour of the gallantry which D. Jacobo +had displayed, and not without some feeling of respect for his ancestry. +"I felt it," said he, "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 Spain, and his men were worthy of such a commander." By +the same flag of truce he sent back all the Spanish prisoners at Porto +Ferrajo; in exchange for whom he received his own men who had been taken +in the prize. + +General de Burgh, who commanded at the Isle of Elba, did not think +himself authorised to abandon the place till he had received specific +instructions from England to that effect; professing that he was unable +to decide between the contradictory orders of government, or to guess +at what their present intentions might be; but he said, his only motive +for urging delay in this measure arose from a desire that his own +conduct might be properly sanctioned, not from any opinion that Porto +Ferrajo ought to be retained. But Naples having made peace, Sir John +Jervis considered his business with Italy as concluded; and the +protection of Portugal was the point to which he was now instructed to +attend. Nelson, therefore, whose orders were perfectly clear and +explicit, withdrew the whole naval establishment from that station, +leaving the transports victualled, and so arranged that all the troops +and stores could be embarked in three days. He was now about to leave +the Mediterranean. Mr. Drake, who had been our minister at Genoa, +expressed to him, on this occasion, the very high opinion which the +allies entertained of his conspicuous merit; adding, that it was +impossible for any one, who had the honour of co-operating with him, not +to admire the activity, talents, and zeal which he had so eminently and +constantly displayed. In fact, during this long course of services in +the Mediterranean, the whole of his conduct had exhibited the same zeal, +the same indefatigable energy, the same intuitive judgment, the same +prompt and unerring decision which characterised his after-career of +glory. His name was as yet hardly known to the English public; but it +was feared and respected throughout Italy. A letter came to him, +directed "Horatio Nelson, Genoa;" and the writer, when he was asked how +he could direct it so vaguely, replied, "Sir, there is but one Horatio +Nelson in the world." At Genoa, in particular, where he had so long been +stationed, and where the nature of his duty first led him to continual +disputes with the government, and afterwards compelled him to stop the +trade of the port, he was equally respected by the doge and by the +people; for, while he maintained the rights and interests of Great +Britain with becoming firmness, he tempered the exercise of power with +courtesy and humanity wherever duty would permit. "Had all my actions," +said he, writing at this time to his wife, "been gazetted, not one +fortnight would have passed, during the whole war, without a letter from +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 of +glory, be kept out of sight; wherever there is anything to be done, +there Providence is sure to direct my steps." + +These hopes and anticipations were soon to be fulfilled. Nelson's +mind had long been irritated and depressed by the fear that a general +action would take place before he could join the fleet. At length he +sailed from Porto Ferrajo with a convoy for Gibraltar; and having +reached that place, proceeded to the westward in search of the admiral. +Off the mouth of the Straits he fell in with the Spanish fleet; and on +the 13th of February reaching the station off Cape St. Vincent, +communicated this intelligence to Sir John Jervis. He was now directed +to shift his broad pendant on board the CAPTAIN, seventy-four, Captain +R.W. Miller; and before sunset the signal was made to prepare for +action, and to keep, during the night, in close order. At daybreak the +enemy were in sight. The British force consisted of two ships of one +hundred guns, two of ninety-eight, two of ninety, eight of seventy- +four, and one sixty-four;-fifteen of the line in all; with four +frigates, a sloop, and a cutter. The Spaniards had one four-decker, of +one hundred and thirty-six guns; six three-deckers, of one hundred and +twelve; two eighty-four, eighteen seventy-four--in all, twenty-seven +ships of the line, with ten frigates and a brig. Their admiral, D. +Joseph de Cordova, had learnt from an American on the 5th, that the +English had only nine ships, which was indeed the case when his informer +had seen them; for a reinforcement of five ships from England, under +Admiral Parker, had not then joined, and the CULLODEN had parted +company. Upon this information the Spanish commander, instead of going +into Cadiz, as was his intention when he sailed from Carthagena, deter- +mined to seek an enemy so inferior in force; and relying, with fatal +confidence, upon the American account, he suffered his ships to remain +too far dispersed, and in some disorder. When the morning of the 14th +broke, and discovered the English fleet, a fog for some time concealed +their number. That fleet had heard their signal-guns during the night, +the weather being fine though thick and hazy; soon after daylight they +were seen very much scattered, while the British ships were in a compact +little body. The look-out ship of the Spaniards, fancying that her +signal was disregarded because so little notice seemed to be taken of +it, made another signal, that the English force consisted of forty sail +of the line. The captain afterwards said he did this to rouse the +admiral; it had the effect of perplexing him and alarming the whole +fleet. The absurdity of such an act shows what was the state of the +Spanish navy under that miserable government by which Spain was so long +oppressed and degraded, and finally betrayed. In reality, the general +incapacity of the naval officers was so well known, that in a pas- +quinade, which about this time appeared at Madrid, wherein the different +orders of the state were advertised for sale, the greater part of the +sea-officers, with all their equipments, were offered as a gift; and it +was added, that any person who would please to take them, should receive +a handsome gratuity. When the probability that Spain would take part in +the war, as an ally of France, was first contemplated, Nelson said that +their fleet, if it were no better than when it acted in alliance with +us, would "soon be done for." + +Before the enemy could form a regular order of battle, Sir J. Jervis, +by carrying a press of sail, came up with them, passed through their +fleet, then tacked, and thus cut off nine of their ships from the main +body. These ships attempted to form on the larboard tack, either with a +design of passing through the British line, or to leeward of it, and +thus rejoining their friends. Only one of them succeeded in this +attempt; and that only because she was so covered with smoke that her +intention was not discovered till she had reached the rear: the others +were so warmly received, that they put about, took to flight, and did +not appear again in the action to its close. The admiral was now able to +direct his attention to the enemy's main body, which was still superior +in number to his whole fleet, and greatly so in weight of metal. He made +signal to tack in succession. Nelson, whose station was in the rear of +the British line, perceived that the Spaniards were bearing up before +the wind, with an intention of forming their line, going large, and +joining their separated ships, or else of getting off without an +engagement. To prevent either of these schemes, he disobeyed the signal +without a moment's hesitation: and ordered his ship to be wore. This at +once brought him into action with the SANTISSIMA TRINIDAD, one hundred +and thirty-six; the SAN JOSEPH, one hundred and twelve; the SALVADOR +DEL MUNDO, one hundred and twelve; the SAN NICOLAS, eighty; the SAN +ISIDRO, seventy-four, another seventy-four, and another first-rate. +Troubridge, in the CULLODEN, immediately joined, and most nobly +supported him; and for nearly an hour did the CULLODEN and CAPTAIN +maintain what Nelson called "this apparently, but not really unequal +contest;"--such was the advantage of skill and discipline, and the +confidence which brave men derive from them. The BLENHEIM then passing +between them and the enemy, gave them a respite, and poured in her fire +upon the Spaniards. The SALVADOR DEL MUNDO and SAN ISIDRO dropped +astern, and were fired into in a masterly style by the EXCELLENT, +Captain Collingwood. The SAN ISIDRO struck; and Nelson thought that the +SALVADOR struck also. "But Collingwood," says he, "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 situation;" for the CAPTAIN was at this time +actually fired upon by three first-rates--by the SAN NICOLAS, and by a +seventy-four, within about pistol-shot of that vessel. The BLENHEIM was +ahead, the CULLODEN crippled and astern. Collingwood ranged up, and +hauling up his mainsail just astern, passed within ten feet of the SAN +NICOLAS, giving her a most tremendous fire, then passed on for the +SANTISSIMA TRINIDAD. The SAN NICOLAS luffing up, the SAN JOSEPH fell on +board her, and Nelson resumed his station abreast of them, and close +alongside. The CAPTAIN was now incapable of further service, either in +the line or in chase: she had lost her foretop-mast; not a sail, shroud, +or rope was left, and her wheel was shot away. Nelson therefore directed +Captain Miller to put the helm a-starboard, and calling for the +boarders, ordered them to board. + +Captain Berry, who had lately been Nelson's first lieutenant, was the +first man who leaped into the enemy's mizen chains. Miller, when in the +very act of going, was ordered by Nelson to remain. Berry was supported +from the spritsail-yard, which locked in the SAN NICOLAS's main rigging. +A soldier of the 69th broke the upper quarter-gallery window, and jumped +in, followed by the commodore himself and by the others as fast as +possible. The cabin doors were fastened, and the Spanish officers fired +their pistols at them through the window; the doors were soon forced, +and the Spanish brigadier fell while retreating to the quarter-deck. +Nelson pushed on, and found Berry in possession of the poop, and the +Spanish ensign hauling down. He passed on to the forecastle, where he +met two or three Spanish officers, and received their swords. The +English were now in full possession of every part of the ship, when a +fire of pistols and musketry opened upon them from the admiral's stern- +gallery of the SAN JOSEPH. Nelson having placed sentinels at the +different ladders, and ordered Captain Miller to send more men into the +prize, gave orders for boarding that ship from the SAN NICOLAS. It was +done in an instant, he himself leading the way. and exclaiming, +"Westminster Abbey or victory!" Berry assisted him into the main chains; +and at that moment a Spanish officer looked over the quarter-deck rail, +and said they surrendered. It was not long before he was on the quarter- +deck, where the Spanish captain presented to him his sword, and told him +the admiral was below dying of his wounds. There, on the quarter-deck of +an enemy's first-rate, he received the swords of the officers, giving +them, as they were delivered, one by one to William Fearney, one of his +old AGAMEMNONs, who, with the utmost coolness, put them under his arm, +"bundling them up," in the lively expression of Collingwood, "with as +much composure as he would have made a faggot, though twenty-two sail of +their line were still within gunshot." One of his sailors came up, and +with an Englishman's feeling took him by the hand, saying he might not +soon have such another place to do it in, and he was heartily glad to +see him there. Twenty-four of the CAPTAIN's men were killed, and fifty- +six wounded; a fourth part of the loss sustained by the whole squadron +falling upon this ship. Nelson received only a few bruises. + +The Spaniards had still eighteen or nineteen ships which had suffered +little or no injury: that part of the fleet which had been separated +from the main body in the morning was now coming up, and Sir John Jervis +made signal to bring to. His ships could not have formed without +abandoning those which they had captured, and running to leeward: the +CAPTAIN was lying a perfect wreck on board her two prizes; and many of +the other vessels were so shattered in their masts and rigging as to be +wholly unmanageable. The Spanish admiral meantime, according to his +official account, being altogether undecided in his own opinion +respecting the state of the fleet, inquired of his captains whether it +was proper to renew the action; nine of them answered explicitly that it +was not; others replied that it was expedient to delay the business. The +PELAYO and the PRINCE CONQUISTADOR were the only ships that were for +fighting. + +As soon as the action was discontinued, Nelson went on board the +admiral's ship. Sir John Jervis received him on the quarter-deck, took +him in his arms, and said he could not sufficiently thank him. For this +victory the commander-in-chief was rewarded with the title of Earl St. +Vincent. Nelson, who before the action was known in England had been +advanced to the rank of rear-admiral, had the Order of the Bath given +him. The sword of the Spanish rear-admiral, which Sir John Jervis +insisted upon his keeping, he presented to the Mayor and Corporation of +Norwich, saying that he knew no place where it could give him or his +family more pleasure to have it kept than in the capital city of the +county where he was born. The freedom of that city was voted him on this +occasion. But of all the numerous congratulations which he received, +none could have affected him with deeper delight than that which came +from his venerable father. "I thank my God," said this excellent man, +"with all the power of a grateful soul, for the mercies he has most +graciously bestowed on me in preserving you. Not only my few +acquaintance here, but the people in general, met me at every corner +with such handsome words, that I was obliged to retire from the public +eye. The height of glory to which your professional judgment, united +with a proper degree of bravery, guarded by Providence, has raised you, +few sons, my dear child, attain to, and fewer fathers live to see. Tears +of joy have involuntarily trickled down my furrowed cheeks: who could +stand the force of such general congratulation? The name and services of +Nelson have sounded through this city of Bath--from the common ballad- +singer to the public theatre." The good old man concluded by telling him +that the field of glory, in which he had so long been conspicuous, was +still open, and by giving him his blessing. + +Sir Horatio, who had now hoisted his flag as rear-admiral of the +blue, was sent to bring away the troops from Porto Ferrajo; having +performed this, he shifted his flag to the THESEUS. That ship, had taken +part in the mutiny in England, and being just arrived from home, some +danger was apprehended from the temper of the men. This was one reason +why Nelson was removed to her. He had not been on board many weeks +before a paper, signed in the name of all the ship's company, was +dropped on the quarter-deck, containing these words: "Success attend +Admiral Nelson! God bless Captain Miller! We thank them for the officers +they have placed over us. We are happy and comfortable, and will shed +every drop of blood in our veins to support them; and the name of the +THESEUS shall be immortalised as high as her captain's." Wherever Nelson +commanded, the men soon became attached to him; in ten days' time he +would have restored the most mutinous ship in the navy to order. +Whenever an officer fails to win the affections of those who are under +his command, he may be assured that the fault is chiefly in himself. + +While Sir Horatio was in the THESEUS, he was employed in the command +of the inner squadron at the blockade of Cadiz. During this service, the +most perilous action occurred in which he was ever engaged. Making a +night attack upon the Spanish gun-boats, his barge was attacked by an +armed launch, under their commander, D. Miguel Tregoyen, carrying 26 +men. Nelson had with him only his ten bargemen, Captain Freemantle, and +his coxswain, John Sykes, an old and faithful follower, who twice saved +the life of his admiral by parrying the blows that were aimed at him, +and at last actually interposed his own head to receive the blow of a +Spanish sabre, which he could not by any other means avert; thus dearly +was Nelson beloved. This was a desperate service--hand to hand with +swords; and Nelson always considered that his personal courage was more +conspicuous on this occasion than on any other during his whole life. +Notwithstanding the great disproportion of numbers, 18 of the enemy +were killed, all the rest wounded, and their launch taken. Nelson would +have asked for a lieutenancy for Sykes, if he had served long enough; +his manner and conduct, he observed, were so entirely above his +situation, that Nature certainly intended him for a gentleman; but +though he recovered from the dangerous wound which he received in this +act of heroic attachment, he did not live to profit by the gratitude +and friendship of his commander. + +Twelve days after this rencontre, Nelson sailed at the head of an +expedition against Teneriffe. A report had prevailed a few months +before, that the viceroy of Mexico, With the treasure ships, had put +into that island. This had led Nelson to meditate the plan of an attack +upon it, which he communicated to Earl St. Vincent. He was perfectly +aware of the difficulties of the attempt. "I do not," said he, "reckon +myself equal to Blake; but, if I recollect right, he was more obliged to +the wind coming off the land than to any exertions of his own. The +approach by sea to the anchoring-place is under very high land, passing +three valleys; therefore the wind is either in from the sea, or squally +with calms from the mountains:" and he perceived that if the Spanish +ships were won, the object would still be frustrated if the wind did not +come off shore. The land force, he thought, would render success +certain; and there were the troops from Elba, with all necessary stores +and artillery, already embarked. "But here," said he, "soldiers must be +consulted; and I know, from experience, they have not the same boldness +in undertaking a political measure that we have: we look to the benefit +of our country, and risk our own fame every day to serve her; a soldier +obeys his orders, and no more." Nelson's experience at Corsica justified +him in this harsh opinion: he did not live to see the glorious days of +the British army under Wellington. The army from Elba, consisting of +3700 men, would do the business, he said, in three days, probably in +much less time; and he would undertake, with a very small squadron, to +perform the naval part; for though the shore was not easy of access, the +transports might run in and land the troops in one day. + +The report concerning the viceroy was unfounded: but a homeward- +bound Manilla ship put into Santa Cruz at this time, and the expedition +was determined upon. It was not fitted out upon the scale which Nelson +had proposed. Four ships of the line, three frigates, and the FOX +cutter, formed the squadron; and he was allowed to choose such ships and +officers as he thought proper. No troops were embarked; the seamen and +marines of the squadron being thought sufficient. His orders were, to +make a vigorous attack; but on no account to land in person, unless his +presence should be absolutely necessary. The plan was, that the boats +should land in the night, between the fort on the N.E. side of Santa +Cruz bay and the town, make themselves masters of that fort, and then +send a summons to the governor. By midnight, the three frigates, having +the force on board which was intended for this debarkation, approached +within three miles of the place; but owing to a strong gale of wind in +the offing, and a strong current against them in-shore, they were not +able to get within a mile of the landing-place before daybreak; and +then they were seen, and their intention discovered. Troubridge and +Bowen, with Captain Oldfield, of the marines, went upon this to consult +with the admiral what was to be done; and it was resolved that they +should attempt to get possession of the heights above the fort. The +frigates accordingly landed their men; and Nelson stood in with the +line-of-battle ships, meaning to batter the fort for the purpose of +distracting the attention of the garrison. A calm and contrary current +hindered him from getting within a league of the shore; and the heights +were by this time so secured, and manned with such a force, as to be +judged impracticable. Thus foiled in his plans by circumstances of +wind and tide, he still considered it a point of honour that some +attempt should be made. This was on the 22nd of July: he re-embarked +his men that night, got the ships on the 24th to anchor about two miles +north of the town, and made show as if he intended to attack the +heights. At six in the evening signal was made for the boats to prepare +to proceed on the service as previously ordered. + +When this was done, Nelson addressed a letter to the commander-in- +chief--the last which was ever written with his right hand. "I shall +not," said he,"enter on the subject, why we are not in possession of +Santa Cruz. Your partiality will give credit, that all has hitherto been +done which was possible, but without effect. This night I, humble as I +am, command the whole destined to land under the batteries of the town; +and to-morrow my head will probably be crowned either with laurel or +cypress. I have only to recommend Josiah Nisbet to you and my country. +The Duke of Clarence, should I fall, will, I am confident, take a lively +interest for my son-in-law, on his name being mentioned." Perfectly +aware how desperate a service this was likely to prove, before he left +the THESEUS he called Lieutenant Nisbet, who had the watch on deck, +into the cabin, that he might assist in arranging and burning his +mother's letters. Perceiving that the young man was armed, he earnestly +begged him to remain behind. "Should we both fall, Josiah," said he, +"what will become of your poor mother! The care of the THESEUS falls to +you: stay, therefore, and take charge of her." Nisbet replied: "Sir, the +ship must take care of herself: I will go with you to-night, if I never +go again." + +He met his captains at supper on board the SEAHORSE, Captain +Freemantle, whose wife, whom he had lately married in the +Mediterranean, presided at table. At eleven o'clock the boats, +containing between 600 and 700 men, with 180 on board the FOX cutter, +and from 70 to 80 in a boat which had been taken the day before, +proceeded in six divisions toward the town, conducted by all the +captains of the squadron, except Freemantle and Bowen, who attended with +Nelson to regulate and lead the way to the attack. They were to land on +the mole, and thence hasten as fast as possible into the great square; +then form and proceed as should be found expedient. They were not +discovered till about half-past one o'clock, when, being within half +gun-shot of the landing-place, Nelson directed the boats to cast off +from each other, give a huzza, and push for the shore. But the Spaniards +were exceedingly well prepared; the alarm-bells answered the huzza, and +a fire of thirty or forty pieces of cannon, with musketry from one end +of the town to the other, opened upon the invaders. Nothing, however, +could check the intrepidity with which they advanced. The night was +exceedingly dark: most of the boats missed the mole and went on shore +through a raging surf, which stove all to the left of it. The Admiral, +Freemantle, Thompson, Bowen, and four or five other boats, found the +mole: they stormed it instantly, and carried it, though it was defended, +as they imagined, by 400 or 500 men. Its guns, which were six-and-twenty +pounders, were spiked; but such a heavy fire of musketry and grape was +kept up from the citadel and the houses at the head of the mole, that +the assailants could not advance, and nearly all of them were killed or +wounded. + +In the act of stepping out of the boat, Nelson received a shot +through the right elbow, and fell; but as he fell he caught the sword, +which he had just drawn, in his left hand, determined never to part with +it while he lived, for it had belonged to his uncle, Captain Suckling, +and he valued it like a relic. Nisbet, who was close to him, placed him +at the bottom of the boat, and laid his hat over the shattered arm, lest +the sight of the blood, which gushed out in great abundance, should +increase his faintness. He then examined the wound, and taking some silk +handkerchiefs from his neck, bound them round tight above the lacerated +vessels. Had it not been for this presence of mind in his son-in-law, +Nelson must have perished. One of his bargemen, by name Level, tore his +shirt into shreds, and made a sling with them for the broken limb. They +then collected five other seamen, by whose assistance they succeeded at +length in getting the boat afloat; for it had grounded with the falling +tide. Nisbet took one of the oars and ordered the steersman to go close +under the guns of the battery, that they might be safe from its +tremendous fire. Hearing his voice, Nelson roused himself, and desired +to be lifted up in the boat that he might look about him. Nisbet raised +him up; but nothing could be seen except the firing of the guns on +shore, and what could be discerned by their flashes upon a stormy sea. +In a few minutes a general shriek was heard from the crew of the FOX, +which had received a shot under water, and went down. Ninety-seven men +were lost in her: 83 were saved, many by Nelson himself, whose exertions +on this occasion greatly increased the pain and danger of his wound. The +first ship which the boat could reach happened to be the SEAHORSE; but +nothing could induce him to go on board, though he was assured that if +they attempted to row to another ship it might be at the risk of his +life. "I had rather suffer death," he replied, "than alarm Mrs. +Freemantle, by letting her see me in this state, when I can give her no +tidings whatever of her husband." They pushed on for the THESEUS. When +they came alongside he peremptorily refused all assistance in getting on +board, so impatient was he that the boat should return, in hopes that it +might save a few more from the FOX. He desired to have only a single +rope thrown over the side, which he twisted round his left hand, saying +"Let me alone; I have yet my legs left and one arm. Tell the surgeon to +make haste and get his instruments. I know I must lose my right arm, so +the sooner it is off the better." The spirit which he displayed in +jumping up the ship's side astonished everybody. + +Freemantle had been severely wounded in the right arm soon after the +admiral. He was fortunate enough to find a boat on the beach, and got +instantly to his ship. Thompson was wounded: Bowen killed, to the great +regret of Nelson: as was also one of his own officers, Lieutenant +Weatherhead, who had followed him from the AGAMEMNON, and whom he +greatly and deservedly esteemed. Troubridge, meantime, fortunately for +his party, missed the mole in the darkness, but pushed on shore under +the batteries, close to the south end of the citadel. Captain Waller, of +the EMERALD, and two or three other boats, landed at the same time. The +surf was so high that many others put back. The boats were instantly +filled with water and stove against the rocks; and most of the +ammunition in the men's pouches was wetted. Having collected a few men +they pushed on to the great square, hoping there to find the admiral and +the rest of the force. The ladders were all lost, so that they could +make no immediate attempt on the citadel; but they sent a sergeant with +two of the town's-people to summon it: this messenger never returned; +and Troubridge having waited about an hour in painful expectation of his +friends, marched to join Captains Hood and Miller, who had effected +their landing to the south-west. They then endeavoured to procure some +intelligence of the admiral and the rest of the officers, but without +success. By daybreak they had gathered together about eighty marines, +eighty pikemen, and one hundred and eighty small-arm seamen; all the +survivors of those who had made good their landing. They obtained some +ammunition from the prisoners whom they had taken, and marched on to try +what could be done at the citadel without ladders. They found all the +streets commanded by field-pieces, and several thousand Spaniards, with +about a hundred French, under arms, approaching by every avenue. Finding +himself without provisions, the powder wet, and no possibility of +obtaining either stores or reinforcements from the ships, the boats +being lost, Troubridge with great presence of mind, sent Captain Samuel +Hood with a flag of truce to the governor to say he was prepared to burn +the town, and would instantly set fire to it if the Spaniards approached +one inch nearer. This, however, if he were compelled to do it, he should +do with regret, for he had no wish to injure the inhabitants;and he was +ready to treat upon these terms--that the British troops should re- +embark, with all their arms of every kind, and take their own boats, if +they were saved, or be provided with such others as might be wanting; +they, on their part, engaging that the squadron should not molest the +town, or any of the Canary Islands: all prisoners on both sides to be +given up. When these terms were proposed the governor made answer, that +the English ought to surrender as prisoners of war; but Captain Hood +replied, he was instructed to say, that if the terms were not accepted +in five minutes, Captain Troubridge would set the town on fire and +attack the Spaniards at the point of the bayonet. Satisfied with his +success, which was indeed sufficiently complete, and respecting, like a +brave and honourable man, the gallantry of his enemy, the Spaniard +acceded to the proposal, found boats to re-embark them, their own +having all been dashed to pieces in landing, and before they parted gave +every man a loaf and a pint of wine. + +"And here," says Nelson in his journal, "it is right we should notice +the noble and generous conduct of Don Juan Antonio Gutierrez, the Spanish +governor. The moment the terms were agreed to, he directed our wounded men +to be received into the hospitals, and all our people to be supplied with +the best provisions that could be procured; and made it known that +the ships were at liberty to send on shore and purchase whatever +refreshments they were in want of during the time they might be off the +island." A youth, by name Don Bernardo Collagon, stripped himself of his +shirt to make bandages for one of those Englishmen against whom, not an +hour before, he had been engaged in battle. Nelson wrote to thank the +governor for the humanity which he had displayed. Presents were +interchanged between them. Sir Horatio offered to take charge of his +despatches for the Spanish Government, and thus actually became the first +messenger to Spain of his own defeat. + +The total loss of the English in killed, wounded, and drowned, +amounted to 250. Nelson made no mention of his own wound in his official +despatches; but in a private letter to Lord St. Vincent--the first which +he wrote with his left hand--he shows himself to have been deeply +affected by the failure of this enterprise. "I am become," he said, "a +burthen to my friends, and useless to my country; but by my last letter +you will perceive my anxiety for the promotion of my son-in-law, Josiah +Nisbet. When I leave your command I become dead to the world--"I go +hence, and am no more seen." If from poor Bowen's loss, you think it +proper to oblige me, I rest confident you will do it. The boy is under +obligations to me, but he repaid me by bringing me from the mole of +Santa Cruz. I hope you will be able to give me a frigate to convey the +remains of my carcass to England." "A left-handed admiral," he said +in a subsequent letter, "will never again be considered as useful; +therefore the sooner I get to a very humble cottage the better, and make +room for a sounder man to serve the state." His first letter to Lady +Nelson was written under the same opinion, but in a more cheerful +strain. "It was the chance of war," said he, "and I have great reason to +be thankful: and I know it will add much to your pleasure to find that +Josiah, under God's providence, was principally instrumental in saving +my life. I shall not be surprised if I am neglected and forgotten: +probably I shall no longer be considered as useful; however, I shall +feel rich if I continue to enjoy your affection. I beg neither you nor +my father will think much of this mishap; my mind has long been made up +to such an event." + +His son-in-law, according to his wish, was immediately promoted; and +honours enough to heal his wounded spirit awaited him in England. +Letters were addressed to him by the first lord of the Admiralty, and by +his steady friend the Duke of Clarence, to congratulate him on his +return, covered as he was with glory. He assured the Duke, in his reply, +that not a scrap of that ardour with which he had hitherto served his +king had been shot away. The freedom of the cities of Bristol and London +were transmitted to him; he was invested with the Order of the Bath, and +received a pension of L1000 a-year. The memorial which, as a matter of +form, he was called upon to present on this occasion, exhibited an +extraordinary catalogue of services performed during the war. It stated +that he had been in four actions with the fleets of the enemy, and in +three actions with boats employed in cutting out of harbour, in +destroying vessels, and in taking three towns. He had served on shore +with the army four months, and commanded the batteries at the sieges of +Basti and Calvi: he had assisted at the capture of seven sail of the +line, six frigates, four corvettes, and eleven privateers: taken and +destroyed near fifty sail of merchant vessels, and actually been engaged +against the enemy upwards of a hundred and twenty times, in which +service he had lost his right eye and right arm, and been severely +wounded and bruised in his body. + +His sufferings from the lost limb were long and painful. A nerve had +been taken up in one of the ligatures at the time of the operation; and +the ligature, according to the practice of the French surgeons, was of +silk instead of waxed thread; this produced a constant irritation and +discharge; and the ends of the ligature being pulled every day, in hopes +of bringing it away, occasioned fresh agony. He had scarcely any +intermission of pain, day or night, for three months after his return to +England. Lady Nelson, at his earnest request, attended the dressing of +his arm, till she had acquired sufficient resolution and skill to dress +it herself. One night, during this state of suffering, after a day of +constant pain, Nelson retired early to bed, in hope of enloymg some +respite by means of laudanum. He was at that time lodging in Bond +Street, and the family were soon disturbed by a mob knocking loudly and +violently at the door. The news of Duncan's victory had been made +public, and the house was not illuminated. But when the mob were told +that Admiral Nelson lay there in bed, badly wounded, the foremost of +them made answer: "You shall hear no more from us to-night:" and in +fact, the feeling of respect and sympathy was communicated from one to +another with such effect that, under the confusion of such a night, the +house was not molested again. + +About the end of November, after a night of sound sleep, he found the +arm nearly free from pain. The surgeon was immediately sent for to +examine it; and the ligature came away with the slightest touch. From +that time it began to heal. As soon as he thought his health +established, he sent the following form of thanksgiving to the minister +of St. George's, Hanover Square:--"An officer desires to return thanks +to Almighty God for his perfect recovery from a severe wound, and also +for the many mercies bestowed on him." + +Not having been in England till now, since he lost his eye, he went +to receive a year's pay as smart money; but could not obtain payment, +because he had neglected to bring a certificate from a surgeon that the +sight was actually destroyed. A little irritated that this form should +be insisted upon, because, though the fact was not apparent, he thought +it was sufficiently notorious, he procured a certificate at the same +time for the loss of his arm; saying, they might just as well doubt one +as the other. This put him in good humour with himself, and with the +clerk who had offended him. On his return to the office, the clerk, +finding it was only the annual pay of a captain, observed, he thought it +had been more. "Oh!" replied Nelson,"this is only for an eye. In a few +days I shall come for an arm; and in a little time longer, God knows, +most probably for a leg." Accordingly he soon afterwards went, and with +perfect good humour exhibited the certificate of the loss of his arm. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +1798 + +Nelson rejoins Earl St. Vincent in the VANGUARD--Sails in Pursuit of +the French in Egypt--Returns to Sicily, and sails again to Egypt-- +Battle of the Nile. + +* + + +EARLY in the year 1798, Sir Horatio Nelson hoisted his flag in the +VANGUARD, and was ordered to rejoin Earl St. Vincent. Upon his +departure, his father addressed him with that affectionate solemnity by +which all his letters were distinguished. "I trust in the Lord," said +he, "that He will prosper your going out and your coming in. I earnestly +desired once more to see you, and that wish has been heard. If I should +presume to say, I hope to see you again, the question would be readily +asked, How old art thou? VALE! VALE! DOMINE, VALE!" It is said that a +gloomy foreboding hung on the spirits of Lady Nelson at their parting. +This could have arisen only from the dread of losing him by the chance +of war. Any apprehension of losing his affections could hardly have +existed, for all his correspondence to this time shows that he thought +himself happy in his marriage; and his private character had hitherto +been as spotless as his public conduct. One of the last things he said +to her was, that his own ambition was satisfied, but that he went to +raise her to that rank in which he had long wished to see her. + +Immediately on his rejoining the fleet, he was despatched to the +Mediterranean with a small squadron, in order to ascertain, if possible, +the object of the great expedition which at that time was fitting out +under Buonaparte at Toulon. The defeat of this armament, whatever might +be its destination, was deemed by the British government an object +paramount to every other; and Earl St. Vincent was directed, if he +thought it necessary, to take his whole force into the Mediterranean, to +relinquish, for that purpose, the blockade of the Spanish fleet, as a +thing of inferior moment; but if he should deem a detachment sufficient, +"I think it almost necessary," said the first lord of the Admiralty in +his secret instructions, "to suggest to you the propriety of putting it +under Sir Horatio Nelson." It is to the honour of Earl St. Vincent that +he had already made the same choice. This appointment to a service in +which so much honour might be acquired, gave great offence to the senior +admirals of the fleet. Sir William Parker, who was a very excellent +naval officer, and as gallant a man as any in the navy, and Sir John +Orde, who on all occasions of service had acquitted himself with great +honour, each wrote to Lord Spencer, complaining that so marked a +preference should have been given to a junior of the same fleet. This +resentment is what most men in a like case would feel; and if the +preference thus given to Nelson had not originated in a clear perception +that (as his friend Collingwood said of him a little while before) his +spirit was equal to all undertakings, and his resources fitted to all +occasions, an injustice would have been done to them by his appointment. +But if the service were conducted with undeviating respect to seniority, +the naval and military character would soon be brought down to the dead +level of mediocrity. + +The armament at Toulon consisted of thirteen ships of the line, seven +forty-gun frigates, with twenty-four smaller vessels of war, and nearly +200 transports. Mr. Udney, our consul at Leghorn, was the first person +who procured certain intelligence of the enemy's design against Malta; +and, from his own sagacity, foresaw that Egypt must be their after +object. Nelson sailed from Gibraltar on the 9th of May, with the +VANGUARD, ORION, and ALEXANDER, seventy-fours; the CAROLINE, FLORA, +EMERALD, and TERPSICHORE, frigates; and the BONNE CITOYENNE, sloop of +war, to watch this formidable armament. On the 19th, when they were in +the Gulf of Lyons, a gale came on from the N.W. It moderated so much on +the 20th as to enable them to get their top-gallant masts and yards +aloft. After dark it again began to blow strong, but the ships had been +prepared for a gale, and therefore Nelson's mind was easy. Shortly after +midnight, however, his main-topmast went over the side, and the mizen- +topmast soon afterward. The night was so tempestuous that it was +impossible for any signal either to be seen or heard; and Nelson +determined, as soon as it should be daybreak, to wear, and scud before +the gale; but at half-past three the fore-mast went in three pieces, and +the bowsprit was found to be sprung in three places. + +When day broke they succeeded in wearing the ship with a remnant of +the spritsail. This was hardly to have been expected. The VANGUARD was +at that time twenty-five leagues south of the island of Hieres; with her +head lying to the N.E., and if she had not wore, the ship must have +drifted to Corsica. Captain Ball, in the ALEXANDER, took her in tow, to +carry her into the Sardinian harbour of St. Pietro. Nelson, apprehensive +that this attempt might endanger both vessels, ordered him to cast off; +but that excellent officer, with a spirit like his commanders, replied, +he was confident he could save the VANGUARD, and, by God's help, he +would do it. There had been a previous coolness between these great men; +but from this time Nelson became fully sensible of the extraordinary +talents of Captain Ball, and a sincere friendship subsisted between them +during the remainder of their lives. "I ought not," said the admiral, +writing to his wife--"I ought not to call what has happened to the +VANGUARD by the cold name of accident: I believe firmly it was the +Almighty's goodness, to check my consummate vanity. I hope it has made +me a better officer, as I feel confident it has made me a better man. +Figure to yourself, on Sunday evening at sunset, a vain man walking in +his cabin, with a squadron around him, who looked up to their chief to +lead them to glory, and in whom their chief placed the firmest reliance +that the proudest ships of equal numbers belonging to France would have +lowered their flags; figure to yourself, on Monday morning, when the sun +rose, this proud man, his ship dismasted, his fleet dispersed, and +himself in such distress that the meanest frigate out of France would +have been an unwelcome guest." Nelson had, indeed, more reason to refuse +the cold name of accident to this tempest than he was then aware of, for +on that very day the French fleet sailed from Toulon, and must have +passed within a few leagues of his little squadron, which was thus +preserved by the thick weather that came on. + +The British Government at this time, with a becoming spirit, gave +orders that any port in the Mediterranean should be considered as +hostile where the governor or chief magistrate should refuse to let our +ships of war procure supplies of provisions, or of any article which +they might require. + +In these orders the ports of Sardinia were excepted. The continental +possessions of the King of Sardinia were at this time completely at the +mercy of the French, and that prince was now discovering, when too late, +that the terms to which he had consented, for the purpose of escaping +immediate danger, necessarily involved the loss of the dominions which +they were intended to preserve. The citadel of Turin was now occupied by +French troops; and his wretched court feared to afford the common rights +of humanity to British ships, lest it should give the French occasion to +seize on the remainder of his dominions--a measure for which it was +certain they would soon make a pretext, if they did not find one. Nelson +was informed that he could not be permitted to enter the port of St +Pietro. Regardless of this interdict, which, under his circumstances, it +would have been an act of suicidal folly to have regarded, he anchored +in the harbour; and, by the exertions of Sir James Saumarez, Captain +Ball, and Captain Berry, the VANGUARD was refitted in four days; months +would have been employed in refitting her in England. Nelson, with that +proper sense of merit, wherever it was found, which proved at once the +goodness and the greatness of his character, especially recommended to +Earl St. Vincent the carpenter of the ALEXANDER, under whose directions +the ship had been repaired; stating, that he was an old and faithful +servant of the Crown, who had been nearly thirty years a warrant +carpenter, and begging most earnestly that the Commander-in-Chief would +recommend him to the particular notice of the Board of Admiralty. He did +not leave the harbour without expressing his sense of the treatment +which he had received there, in a letter to the Viceroy of Sardinia. +"Sir," it said, "having, by a gale of wind, sustained some trifling +damages, I anchored a small part of his Majesty's fleet under my orders +off this island, and was surprised to hear, by an officer sent by the +governor, that admittance was to be refused to the flag of his Britannic +Majesty into this port. When I reflect, that my most gracious sovereign +is the oldest, I believe, and certainly the most faithful ally which the +King of Sardinia ever had, I could feel the sorrow which it must have +been to his majesty to have given such an order; and also for your +excellency, who had to direct its execution. I cannot but look at the +African shore, where the followers of Mahomet are performing the part of +the good Samaritan, which I look for in vain at St. Peter's, where it is +said the Christian religion is professed." + +The delay which was thus occasioned was useful to him in many +respects; it enabled him to complete his supply of water, and to receive +a reinforcement which Earl St. Vincent, being himself reinforced from +England, was enabled to send him. It consisted of the best ships of his +fleet; the CULLODEN, seventy-four, Captain T.Troubridge; GOLIATH, +seventy-four, Captain T.Foley; MINOTAUR, seventy-four, Captain T. Louis; +DEFENCE, seventy-four, Captain John Peyton; BELLEROPHON, seventy-four, +Captain H.D.E.Darby; MAJESTIC, seventy-four, Captain G. B. Westcott; +ZEALOUS, seventy-four, Captain S. Hood; SWIFTSURE, seventy-four, Captain +B. Hallowell; THESEUS, seventy-four, Captain R. W. Miller; AUDACIOUS, +seventy-four, Captain Davidge Gould. The LEANDER, fifty, Captain T. E. +Thompson, was afterwards added. These ships were made ready for the +service as soon as Earl St. Vincent received advice from England that +he was to be reinforced. As soon as the reinforcement was seen from the +mast-head of the admiral's ship, off Cadiz Bay, signal was immediately +made to Captain Troubridge to put to sea; and he was out of sight before +the ships from home cast anchor in the British station. Troubridge took +with him no instructions to Nelson as to the course he was to steer, +nor any certain account of the enemy's destination; everything was left +to his own judgment. Unfortunately, the frigates had been separated from +him in the tempest and had not been able to rejoin: they sought him +unsuccessfully in the Bay of Naples, where they obtained no tidings of +his course: and he sailed without them. + +The first news of the enemy's armament was that it had surprised +Malta, Nelson formed a plan for attacking it while at anchor at Gozo; +but on the 22nd of June intelligence reached him that the French had +left that island on the 16th, the day after their arrival. It was clear +that their destination was eastward--he thought for Egypt--and for +Egypt, therefore, he made all sail. Had the frigates been with him, he +could scarcely have failed to gain information of the enemy; for want of +them, he only spoke three vessels on the way: two came from Alexandria, +one from the Archipelago, and neither of them had seen anything of the +French. He arrived off Alexandria on the 28th, and the enemy were not +there, neither was there any account of them; but the governor was +endeavouring to put the city in a state of defence, having received +advice from Leghorn that the French expedition was intended against +Egypt, after it had taken Malta. Nelson then shaped his course to the +northward for Caramania, and steered from thence along the southern side +of Candia, carrying a press of sail both night and day, with a contrary +wind. It would have been his delight, he said, to have tried Bonaparte +on a wind. It would have been the delight of Europe, too, and the +blessing of the world, if that fleet had been overtaken with its general +on board. But of the myriads and millions of human beings who would have +been preserved by that day's victory, there is not one to whom such +essential benefit would have resulted as to Bonaparte himself. It would +have spared him his defeat at Acre--his only disgrace; for to have been +defeated by Nelson upon the seas would not have been disgraceful; it +would have spared him all his after enormities. Hitherto his career had +been glorious; the baneful principles of his heart had never yet passed +his lips; history would have represented him as a soldier of fortune, +who had faithfully served the cause in which he engaged; and whose +career had been distinguished by a series of successes unexampled in +modern times. A romantic obscurity would have hung over the expedition +to Egypt, and he would have escaped the perpetration of those crimes +which have incarnadined his soul with a deeper dye than that of the +purple for which he committed them--those acts of perfidy, midnight +murder, usurpation, and remorseless tyranny, which have consigned his +name to universal execration, now and for ever. + +Conceiving that when an officer is not successful in his plans it is +absolutely necessary that he should explain the motives upon which they +were founded, Nelson wrote at this time an account and vindication of +his conduct for having carried the fleet to Egypt. The objection which +he anticipated was that he ought not to have made so long a voyage +without more certain information. "My answer," said he, "is ready. Who +was I to get it from? The governments of Naples and Sicily either knew +not, or chose to keep me in ignorance. Was I to wait patiently until I +heard certain accounts? If Egypt were their object, before I could hear +of them they would have been in India. To do nothing was disgraceful; +therefore I made use of my understanding. I am before your lordships' +judgment; and if, under 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 opinion as off Cape Passaro--that, under all circumstances, I was +right in steering for Alexandria; and by that opinion I must stand or +fall." Captain Ball, to whom he showed this paper, told him he should +recommend a friend never to begin a defence of his conduct before he was +accused of error: he might give the fullest reasons for what he had +done, expressed in such terms as would evince that he had acted from the +strongest conviction of being right; and of course he must expect that +the public would view it in the same light. Captain Ball judged rightly +of the public, whose first impulses, though, from want of sufficient +information, they must frequently be erroneous, are generally founded +upon just feelings. But the public are easily misled, and there are +always persons ready to mislead them. Nelson had not yet attained that +fame which compels envy to be silent; and when it was known in England +that he had returned after an unsuccessful pursuit, it was said that he +deserved impeachment; and Earl St. Vincent was severely censured for +having sent so young an officer upon so important a service. + +Baffled in his pursuit, he returned to Sicily. The Neapolitan +ministry had determined to give his squadron no assistance, being +resolved to do nothing which could possibly endanger their peace with +the French Directory; by means, however, of Lady Hamilton's influence at +court, he procured secret orders to the Sicilian governors; and under +those orders obtained everything which he wanted at Syracuse--a timely +supply; without which, he always said, he could not have recommenced his +pursuit with any hope of success. "It is an old saying," said he in his +letter, "that the devil's children have the devil's luck. I cannot to +this moment learn, beyond vague conjecture, where the French fleet have +gone to; and having gone a round of 600 leagues, at this season of the +year, with an expedition incredible, here I am, as ignorant of the +situation of the enemy as I was twenty-seven days ago. Every moment I +have to regret the frigates having left me; had one-half of them been +with me, I could not have wanted information. Should the French be so +strongly secured in port that I cannot get at them, I shall immediately +shift my flag into some other ship, and send the VANGUARD to Naples to +be refitted; for hardly any person but myself would have continued on +service so long in such a wretched state." Vexed, however, and +disappointed as he was, Nelson, with the true spirit of a hero, was +still full of hope. "Thanks to your exertions," said he, writing to Sir. +William and Lady Hamilton, "we have victualled and watered; and surely +watering at the fountain of Arethusa, we must have victory. We shall +sail with the first breeze; and be assured I will return either crowned +with laurel or covered with cypress." Earl St. Vincent he assured, that +if the French were above water he would find them out: he still held his +opinion that they were bound for Egypt: "but," said he to the First Lord +of the Admiralty, "be they bound to the Antipodes, your lordship may +rely that I will not lose a moment in bringing them to action." + +On the 25th of July he sailed from Syracuse for the Morea. Anxious +beyond measure, and irritated that the enemy should so long have eluded +him, the tediousness of the nights made him impatient; and the officer +of the watch was repeatedly called on to let him know the hour, and +convince him, who measured time by his own eagerness, that it was not +yet daybreak. The squadron made the Gulf of Coron on the 28th. +Troubridge entered the port, and returned with intelligence that the +French fleet had been seen about four weeks before steering to the S.E. +from Candia. Nelson then determined immediately to return to Alexandria; +and the British fleet accordingly, with every sail set, stood once more +for the coast of Egypt. On the 1st of August, about 10 in the morning, +they came in sight of Alexandria: the port had been vacant and solitary +when they saw it last; it was now crowded with ships; and they perceived +with exultation that the tri-coloured flag was flying upon the walls. At +four in the afternoon, Captain Hood, in the ZEALOUS, made the signal for +the enemy's fleet. For many preceding days Nelson had hardly taken +either sleep or food: he now ordered his dinner to be served, while +preparations were making for battle; and when his officers rose from +table, and went to their separate stations, he said to them, "Before +this time to-morrow I shall have gained a peerage or Westminster Abbey." + +The French, steering direct for Candia, had made an angular passage +for Alexandria; whereas Nelson, in pursuit of them, made straight for +that place, and thus materially shortened the distance. The comparative +smallness of his force made it necessary to sail in close order, and it +covered a less space than it would have done if the frigates had been +with him: the weather also was constantly hazy. These circumstances +prevented the English from discovering the enemy on the way to Egypt, +though it appeared, upon examining the journals of the French officers +taken in the action, that the two fleets must actually have crossed on +the night of the 22nd of June. During the return to Syracuse, the +chances of falling in with them were become fewer. + +Why Buonaparte, having effected his landing, should not have suffered +the fleet to return, has never yet been explained. This much is certain, +that it was detained by his command, though, with his accustomed +falsehood, he accused Admiral Brueys, after that officer's death, of +having lingered on the coast contrary to orders. The French fleet +arrived at Alexandria on the 1st of July, and Brueys, not being able to +enter the port, which time and neglect had ruined, moored his ships in +Aboukir Bay, in a strong and compact line of battle; the headmost +vessel, according to his own account, being as close as possible to a +shoal on the N.W., and the rest of the fleet forming a kind of curve +along the line of deep water, so as not to be turned by any means in the +S.W. By Buonaparte's desire he had offered a reward of 10,000 livres to +any pilot of the country who would carry the squadron in, but none could +be found who would venture to take charge of a single vessel drawing +more than twenty feet. He had therefore made the best of his situation, +and chosen the strongest position which he could possibly take in an +open road. The commissary of the fleet said they were moored in such a +manner as to bid defiance to a force more than double their own. This +presumption could not then be thought unreasonable. Admiral Barrington, +when moored in a similar manner off St. Lucia, in the year 1778, beat +off the Comte d'Estaign in three several attacks, though his force was +inferior by almost one-third to that which assailed it. Here, the +advantage in numbers, both in ships, guns, and men, was in favour of the +French. They had thirteen ships of the line and four frigates, carrying +1196 guns and 11,230 men. The English had the same number of ships of +the line and one fifty-gun ship, carrying 1012 guns and 8068 men. The +English ships were all seventy-fours; the French had three eighty-gun +ships, and one three-decker of one hundred and twenty. + +During the whole pursuit it had been Nelson's practice, whenever +circumstances would permit, to have his captains on board the VANGUARD, +and explain to them his own ideas of the different and best modes of +attack, and such plans as he proposed to execute on falling in with the +enemy, whatever their situation might be. There is no possible position, +it is said, which he did not take into calculation. His officers were +thus fully acquainted with his principles of tactics; and such was his +confidence in their abilities that the only thing determined upon, in +case they should find the French at anchor, was for the ships to form as +most convenient for their mutual support, and to anchor by the stern. +"First gain the victory," he said,"and then make the best use of it you +can." The moment he perceived the position of the French, that intuitive +genius with which Nelson was endowed displayed itself; and it instantly +struck him that where there was room for an enemy's ship to swing, there +was room for one of ours to anchor. The plan which he intended to +pursue, therefore, was to keep entirely on the outer side of the French +line, and station his ships, as far as he was able, one on the outer +bow, and another on the outer quarter, of each of the enemy's. This +plan of doubling on the enemy's ships was projected by Lord Hood, when +he designed to attack the French fleet at their anchorage in Gourjean +Road. Lord Hood found it impossible to make the attempt; but the thought +was not lost upon Nelson, who acknowledged himself, on this occasion, +indebted for it to his old and excellent commander. Captain Berry, when +he comprehended the scope of the design, exclaimed with transport, "If +we succeed, what will the world say ?" "There is no IF in the case," +replied the admiral: "that we shall succeed is certain; who may live to +tell the story is a very different question." + +As the squadron advanced, they were assailed by a shower of shot and +shells from the batteries on the island, and the enemy opened a steady +fire from the starboard side of their whole line, within half gunshot +distance, full into the bows of our van ships. It was received in +silence: the men on board every ship were employed aloft in furling +sails, and below in tending the braces and making ready for anchoring. A +miserable sight for the French; who, with all their skill, and all their +courage, and all their advantages of numbers and situation, were upon +that element on which, when the hour of trial comes, a Frenchman has no +hope. Admiral Brueys was a brave and able man; yet the indelible +character of his country broke out in one of his letters, wherein he +delivered it as his private opinion, that the English had missed him, +because, not being superior in force, they did not think it prudent to +try their strength with him. The moment was now come in which he was to +be undeceived. + +A French brig was instructed to decoy the English by manoeuvring so +as to tempt them toward a shoal lying off the island of Bekier; but +Nelson either knew the danger or suspected some deceit; and the lure was +unsuccessful. Captain Foley led the way in the GOLIATH, outsailing the +ZEALOUS, which for some minutes disputed this post of honour with him. +He had long conceived that if the enemy were moored in line of battle in +with the land, the best plan of attack would be to lead between them and +the shore, because the French guns on that side were not likely to be +manned, nor even ready for action. Intending, therefore, to fix himself +on the inner bow of the GUERRIER, he kept as near the edge of the bank +as the depth of water would admit; but his anchor hung, and having +opened his fire he drifted to the second ship, the CONQUERANT, before it +was clear; then anchored by the stern inside of her, and in ten minutes +shot away her mast. Hood, in the ZEALOUS, perceiving this, took the +station which the GOLIATH intended to have occupied, and totally +disabled the GUERRIER in twelve minutes. The third ship which doubled +the enemy's van was the ORION, Sir J. Saumarez; she passed to windward +of the ZEALOUS, and opened her larboard guns as long as they bore on +GUERRIER; then, passing inside the GOLIATH, sunk a frigate which annoyed +her, hauled round toward the French line, and anchoring inside, between +the fifth and sixth ships from the GUERRIER, took her station on the +larboard bow of the FRANKLIN and the quarter of the PEUPLE SOUVERAIN, +receiving and returning the fire of both. The sun was now nearly down. +The AUDACIOUS, Captain Could, pouring a heavy fire into the GUERRIER and +the CONQUERANT, fixed herself on the larboard bow of the latter, and +when that ship struck, passed on to the PEUPLE SOUVERAIN. The THESEUS, +Capt Miller, followed, brought down the GUERRIER's remaining main and +mizzen masts, then anchored inside of the SPARTIATE, the third in the +French line. + +While these advanced ships doubled the French line, the VANGUARD was +the first that anchored on the outer side of the enemy, within half +pistol-shot of their third ship, the SPARTIATE. Nelson had six colours +flying in different parts of his rigging, lest they should be shot away; +that they should be struck, no British admiral considers as a +possibility. He veered half a cable, and instantly opened a tremendous +fire; under cover of which the other four ships of his division, the +MINOTAUR, BELLEROPHON, DEFENCE, and MAJESTIC, sailed on ahead of the +admiral. In a few minutes, every man stationed at the first six guns in +the fore part of the VANGUARD's deck was killed or wounded. These guns +were three times cleared. Captain Louis, in the MINOTAUR, anchored just +ahead, and took off the fire of the AQUILON, the fourth in the enemy's +line. The BELLEROPHON, Captain Darby, passed ahead, and dropped her +stern anchor on the starboard bow of the ORIENT, seventh in the line, +Brueys' own ship, of one hundred and twenty guns, whose difference of +force was in proportion of more than seven to three, and whose weight of +ball, from the lower deck alone, exceeded that from the whole broadside +of the BELLEROPHON. Captain Peyton, in the DEFENCE, took his station +ahead of the MINOTAUR, and engaged the FRANKLIN, the sixth in the line, +by which judicious movement the British line remained unbroken. The +MAJESTIC, Captain Westcott, got entangled with the main rigging of one +of the French ships astern of the ORIENT, and suffered dreadfully from +that three-decker's fire; but she swung clear, and closely engaging the +HEUREUX, the ninth ship on the starboard bow, received also the fire of +the TONNANT, which was the eighth in the line. The other four ships of +the British squadron, having been detached previous to the discovery of +the French, were at a considerable distance when the action began. It +commenced at half after six; about seven night closed, and there was no +other light than that from the fire of the contending fleets. + +Troubridge, in the CULLODEN, then foremost of the remaining ships, +was two leagues astern. He came on sounding, as the others had done: as +he advanced, the increasing darkness increased the difficulty of the +navigation; and suddenly, after having found eleven fathoms water, +before the lead could be hove again he was fast aground; nor could all +his own exertions, joined with those of the LEANDER and the MUTINE brig, +which came to his assistance, get him off in time to bear a part in the +action. His ship, however, served as a beacon to the ALEXANDER and +SWIFTSURE, which would else, from the course which they were holding, +have gone considerably further on the reef, and must inevitably have +been lost. These ships entered the bay, and took their stations in the +darkness, in a manner still spoken of with admiration by all who +remember it. Captain Hallowell, in the SWIFTSURE, as he was bearing +down, fell in with what seemed to be a strange sail. Nelson had directed +his ships to hoist four lights horizontally at the mizzen peak as soon +as it became dark; and this vessel had no such distinction. Hallowell, +however, with great judgment, ordered his men not to fire: if she was an +enemy, he said, she was in too disabled a state to escape; but from her +sails being loose, and the way in which her head was, it was probable +she might be an English ship. It was the BELLEROPHON, overpowered by the +huge ORIENT: her lights had gone overboard, nearly 200 of her crew were +killed or wounded, all her masts and cables had been shot away; and she +was drifting out of the line toward the leeside of the bay. Her station, +at this important time, was occupied by the SWIFTSURE, which opened a +steady fire on the quarter of the FRANKLIN and the bows of the French +admiral. At the same instant, Captain Ball, with the ALEXANDER, passed +under his stern, and anchored within-side on his larboard quarter, +raking; him, and keeping up a severe fire of musketry upon his decks. +The last ship which arrived to complete the destruction of the enemy was +the LEANDER. Captain Thompson, finding that nothing could be done that +night to get off the CULLODEN, advanced with the intention of anchoring +athwart-hawse of the ORIENT. The FRANKLIN was so near her ahead that +there was not room for him to pass clear of the two; he therefore took +his station athwart-hawse of the latter in such a position as to rake +both. + +The two first ships of the French line had been dismasted within a +quarter of an hour after the commencement of the action; and the others +had in that time suffered so severely that victory was already certain. +The third, fourth, and fifth were taken possession of at half-past +eight. + +Meantime Nelson received a severe wound on the head from a piece of +langridge shot. Captain Berry caught him in his arms as he was falling. +The great effusion of blood occasioned an apprehension that the wound +was mortal: Nelson himself thought so; a large flap of the skin of the +forehead, cut from the bone, had fallen over one eye; and the other +being blind, he was in total darkness. When he was carried down, the +surgeon--in the midst of a scene scarcely to be conceived by those who +have never seen a cockpit in time of action, and the heroism which is +displayed amid its horrors,--with a natural and pardonable eagerness, +quitted the poor fellow then under his hands, that he might instantly +attend the admiral. "No!" said Nelson, "I will take my turn with my +brave fellows." Nor would he suffer his own wound to be examined till +every man who had been previously wounded was properly attended to. +Fully believing that the wound was mortal, and that he was about to die, +as he had ever desired, in battle, and in victory, he called the +chaplain, and desired him to deliver what he supposed to be his dying +remembrance to lady Nelson; he then sent for Captain Louis on board +from the MINOTAUR, that he might thank him personally for the great +assistance which he had rendered to the VANGUARD; and ever mindful of +those who deserved to be his friends, appointed Captain Hardy from the +brig to the command of his own ship, Captain Berry having to go home +with the news of the victory. When the surgeon came in due time to exa- +mine his wound (for it was in vain to entreat him to let it be examined +sooner), the most anxious silence prevailed; and the joy of the wounded +men, and of the whole crew, when they heard that the hurt was merely +superficial, gave Nelson deeper pleasure than the unexpected assurance +that his life was in no danger. The surgeon requested, and as far as he +could, ordered him to remain quiet; but Nelson could not rest. He called +for his secretary, Mr. Campbell, to write the despatches. Campbell had +himself been wounded, and was so affected at the blind and suffering +state of the admiral that he was unable to write. The chaplain was then +sent for; but before he came, Nelson with his characteristic eagerness +took the pen, and contrived to trace a few words, marking his devout +sense of the success which had already been obtained. He was now left +alone; when suddenly a cry was heard on the deck that the ORIENT was on +fire. In the confusion he found his way up, unassisted and unnoticed; +and, to the astonishment of every one, appeared on the quarter-decks +where he immediately gave order that the boats should be sent to the +relief of the enemy. + +It was soon after nine that the fire on, board the ORIENT broke out. +Brueys was dead; he had received three wounds, yet would not leave his +post: a fourth cut him almost in two. He desired not to be carried +below, but to be left to die upon deck. The flames soon mastered his +ship. Her sides had just been painted; and the oil-jars and paint +buckets were lying on the poop. By the prodigious light of this +conflagration, the situation of the two fleets could now be perceived, +the colours of both being clearly distinguishable. About ten o'clock the +ship blew up, with a shock which was felt to the very bottom of every +vessel. Many of her officers and men jumped overboard, some clinging to +the spars and pieces of wreck with which the sea was strewn, others +swimming to escape from the destruction which they momently dreaded. +Some were picked up by our boats; and some even in the heat and fury of +the action were dragged into the lower ports of the nearest British +ships by the British sailors. The greater part of her crew, however, +stood the danger till the last, and continued to fire from the lower +deck. This tremendous explosion was followed by a silence not less +awful: the firing immediately ceased on both sides; and the first sound +which broke the silence, was the dash of her shattered masts and yards, +falling into the water from the vast height to which they had been +exploded. It is upon record that a battle between two armies was once +broken off by an earthquake. Such an event would be felt like a miracle; +but no incident in war, produced by human means, has ever equalled the +sublimity of this co-instantaneous pause, and all its circumstances. + +About seventy of the ORIENT's crew were saved by the English boats. +Among the many hundreds who perished were the commodore, Casa-Bianca, +and his son, a brave boy, only ten years old. They were seen floating on +a shattered mast when the ship blew up. She had money on board (the +plunder of Malta) to the amount of L600,000 sterling. The masses of +burning wreck, which were scattered by the explosion, excited for some +moments apprehensions in the English which they had never felt from any +other danger. Two large pieces fell into the main and fore tops of the +SWIFTSURE without injuring any person. A port-fire also fell into the +main-royal of the ALEXANDER; the fire which it occasioned was speedily +extinguished. Captain Ball had provided, as far as human foresight could +provide, against any such danger. All the shrouds and sails of his ship, +not absolutely necessary for its immediate management, were thoroughly +wetted, and so rolled up that they were as hard and as little +inflammable as so many solid cylinders. + + The firing recommenced with the ships to leeward of the centre, and +continued till about three. At daybreak, the GUILLAUME TELL and the +GENEREUX, the two rear ships of the enemy, were the only French ships of +the line which had their colours flying; they cut their cables in the +forenoon, not having been engaged, and stood out to sea, and two +frigates with them. The ZEALOUS pursued; but as there was no other ship +in a condition to support Captain Hood, he was recalled. It was +generally believed by the officers that if Nelson had not been wounded, +not one of these ships could have escaped. The four certainly could not +if the CULLODEN had got into action; and if the frigates belonging to +the squadron had been present, not one of the enemy's fleet would have +left Aboukir Bay. These four vessels, however, were all that escaped; +and the victory was the most complete and glorious in the annals of +naval history. "Victory," said Nelson, "is not a name strong enough for +such a scene:" he called it a conquest. Of thirteen sail of the line, +nine were taken and two burned. Of the four frigates, one was sunk, +another, the ARTEMISE, was burned in a villanous manner by her captain, +M. Estandlet, who, having fired a broadside at the THESEUS, struck his +colours, then set fire to the ship and escaped with most of his crew to +shore. The British loss, in killed and wounded, amounted to 895 Westcott +was the only captain who fell; 3105 of the French, including the +wounded, were sent on shore by cartel, and 5225 perished. + +As soon as the conquest was completed, Nelson sent orders through the +fleet to return thanksgiving in every ship for the victory with which +Almighty God had blessed his majesty's arms. The French at Rosetta, who +with miserable fear beheld the engagement, were at a loss to understand +the stillness of the fleet during the performance of this solemn duty; +but it seemed to affect many of the prisoners, officers as well as men; +and graceless and godless as the officers were, some of them remarked +that it was no wonder such order was Preserved in the British navy, when +the minds of our men could be Impressed with such sentiments after so +great a victory, and at a moment of such confusion. The French at +Rosetta, seeing their four ships sail out of the bay unmolested, +endeavoured to persuade themselves that they were in possession of the +place of battle. But it was in vain thus to attempt, against their own +secret and certain conviction, to deceive themselves; and even if they +could have succeeded in this, the bonfires which the Arabs kindled along +the whole coast, and over the country, for the three following nights, +would soon have undeceived them. Thousands of Arabs and Egyptians lined +the shore, and covered the house tops during the action, rejoicing in +the destruction which had overtaken their invaders. Long after the +battle, innumerable bodies were seen floating about the bay, in spite of +all the exertions which were made to sink them, as well from fear of +pestilence as from the loathing and horror which the sight occasioned. +Great numbers were cast up upon the Isle of Bekier (Nelson's Island, as +it has since been called), and our sailors raised mounds of sand over +them. Even after an interval of nearly three years Dr. Clarke saw them, +and assisted in interring heaps of human bodies, which, having been +thrown up by the sea where there were no jackals to devour them, +presented a sight loathsome to humanity. The shore, for an extent of +four leagues, was covered with wreck; and the Arabs found employment for +many days in burning on the beach the fragments which were cast up, for +the sake of the iron. Part of the ORIENT's main-mast was picked up by +the SWIFTSURE. Captain Hallowell ordered his carpenter to make a coffin +of it; the iron, as well as the wood, was taken from the wreck of the +same ship; it was finished as well and handsomely as the workman's skill +and materials would permit; and Hallowell then sent it to the admiral +with the following letter:--"Sir, I have taken the liberty of presenting +you a coffin made from the main mast of L'ORIENT, that when you have +finished your military career in this world you may be buried in one of +your trophies. But that that period may be far distant is the earnest +wish of your sincere friend, Benjamin Hallowell."--An offering so +strange, and yet so suited to the occasion, was received by Nelson in +the spirit with which it was sent. As if he felt it good for him, now +that he was at the summit of his wishes, to have death before his eyes, +he ordered the coffin to be placed upright in his cabin. Such a piece of +furniture, however, was more suitable to his own feelings than to those +of his guests and attendants; and an old favourite servant entreated him +so earnestly to let it be removed, that at length he consented to have +the coffin carried below; but he gave strict orders that it should be +safely stowed, and reserved for the purpose for which its brave and +worthy donor had designed it. + +The victory was complete; but Nelson could not pursue it as he would +have done for want of means. Had he been provided with small craft, +nothing could have prevented the destruction of the store-ships and +transports in the port of Alexandria: four bomb-vessels would at that +time have burned the whole in a few hours. "Were I to die this moment." +said he in his despatches to the Admiralty, "WANT OF FRIGATES would be +found stamped on my heart! No words of mine can express what I have +suffered, and am suffering, for want of them." He had also to bear up +against great bodily suffering: the blow had so shaken his head, that +from its constant and violent aching, and the perpetual sickness which +accompanied the pain, he could scarcely persuade himself that the skull +was not fractured. Had it not been for Troubridge, Ball, Hood, and +Hallowell, he declared that he should have sunk under the fatigue of +refitting the squadron. "All," he said, "had done well; but these +officers were his supporters." But, amidst his sufferings and exertions, +Nelson could yet think of all the consequences of his victory; and that +no advantage from it might be lost, he despatched an officer overland +to India, with letters to the governor of Bombay, informing him of the +arrival of the French in Egypt, the total destruction of their fleet, +and the consequent preservation of India from any attempt against it on +the part of this formidable armament. "He knew that Bombay," he said, +"was their first object, if they could get there; but he trusted that +Almighty God would overthrow in Egypt these pests of the human race. +Buonaparte had never yet had to contend with an English officer, and he +would endeavour to make him respect us." This despatch he sent upon his +own responsibility, with letters of credit upon the East India Company, +addressed to the British consuls, vice-consuls, and merchants on his +route; Nelson saying, "that if he had done wrong, he hoped the bills +would be paid, and he would repay the Company; for, as an Englishman, he +should be proud that it had been in his power to put our settlements on +their guard." The information which by this means reached India was of +great importance. Orders had just been received for defensive +preparations, upon a scale proportionate to the apprehended danger; and +the extraordinary expenses which would otherwise have been incurred were +thus prevented. + +Nelson was now at the summit of glory; congratulations, rewards, and +honours were showered upon him by all the states, and princes, and +powers to whom his victory gave a respite. The first communication of +this nature which he received was from the Turkish sultan, who, as soon +as the invasion of Egypt was known, had called upon "all true believers +to take arms against those swinish infidels the French, that they might +deliver these blessed habitations from their accursed hands;" and who +had ordered his "pashas to turn night into day in their efforts to take +vengeance." The present of "his imperial majesty, the powerful, +formidable, and most magnificent Grand Seignior," was a pelisse of +sables, with broad sleeves, valued at 5000 dols.; and a diamond aigrette, +valued at 18,000 dols., the most honourable badge among the Turks; and in +this instance more especially honourable, because it was taken from one +of the royal turbans. "If it were worth a million," said Nelson to his +wife, "my pleasure would be to see it in your possession." The sultan +also sent, in a spirit worthy of imitation, a purse of 2000 sequins, to +be distributed among the wounded. The mother of the sultan sent him a +box, set with diamonds, valued at L1000. The Czar Paul, in whom the +better part of his strangely compounded nature at this time +predominated, presented him with his portrait, set in diamonds, in a +gold box, accompanied with a letter of congratulation, written by his +own hand. The king of Sardinia also wrote to him, and sent a gold box +set with diamonds. Honours in profusion were awaiting him at Naples. In +his own country the king granted these honourable augmentations to his +armorial ensign: a chief undulated, ARGENT: thereon waves of the sea; +from which a palm tree issuant, between a disabled ship on the dexter, +and a ruinous battery on the sinister all proper; and for his crest, on +a naval crown, OR, the chelengk, or plume, presented to him by the Turk, +with the motto, PALMAM QUI MERUIT FERAT. And to his supporters, being a +sailor on the dexter, and a lion on the sinister, were given these +honourable augmentations: a palm branch in the sailor's hand, and +another in the paw of the lion, both proper; with a tri-coloured flag +and staff in the lion's mouth. He was created Baron Nelson of the Nile, +and of Burnham Thorpe, with a pension of L2000 for his own life, and +those of his two immediate successors. When the grant was moved in the +House of Commons, General Walpole expressed an opinion that a higher +degree of rank ought to be conferred. Mr. Pitt made answer, that he +thought it needless to enter into that question. "Admiral Nelson's +fame," he said,"would be co-equal with the British name; and it would be +remembered that he had obtained the greatest naval victory on record, +when no man would think of asking whether he had been created a baron, a +viscount, or an earl." It was strange that, in the very act of +conferring a title, the minister should have excused himself for not +having conferred a higher one, by representing all titles, on such an +occasion, as nugatory and superfluous. True, indeed, whatever title had +been bestowed, whether viscount, earl, marquis, duke, or prince, if our +laws had so permitted, he who received it would have been Nelson still. +That name he had ennobled beyond all addition of nobility; it was the +name by which England loved him, France feared him, Italy, Egypt, and +Turkey celebrated him, and by which he will continue to be known while +the present kingdoms and languages of the world endure, and as long as +their history after them shall be held in remembrance. It depended upon +the degree of rank what should be the fashion of his coronet, in what +page of the red book his name was to be inserted, and what precedency +should be allowed his lady in the drawing-room and at the ball. That +Nelson's honours were affected thus far, and no further, might be +conceded to Mr. Pitt and his colleagues in administration; but the +degree of rank which they thought proper to allot was the measure of +their gratitude, though not of his service. This Nelson felt, and this +he expressed, with indignation, among his friends. + +Whatever may have been the motives of the ministry, and whatever the +formalities with which they excused their conduct to themselves, the +importance and magnitude of the victory were universally acknowledged. +A grant of L10,000 was voted to Nelson by the East India Company; the +Turkish Company presented him with a piece of plate; the City of London +presented a sword to him, and to each of his captains; gold medals were +distributed to the captains; and the first lieutenants of all the ships +were promoted, as had been done after Lord Howe's victory. Nelson was +exceedingly anxious that the captain and first lieutenant of the +CULLODEN should not be passed over because of their misfortune. To +Troubridge himself he said, "Let us rejoice that the ship which got on +shore was commanded by an officer whose character is so thoroughly +established." To the Admiralty he stated that Captain Troubridge's +conduct was as fully entitled to praise as that of any one officer in +the squadron, and as highly deserving of reward. "It was Troubridge," +said he, "who equipped the squadron so soon at Syracuse; it was +Troubridge who exerted himself for me after the action; it was +Troubridge who saved the CULLODEN, when none that I know in the service +would have attempted it." The gold medal, therefore, by the king's +express desire, was given to Captain Troubridge, "for his services both +before and since, and for the great and wonderful exertion which he made +at the time of the action in saving and getting off his ship." The +private letter from the Admiralty to Nelson informed him that the first +lieutenants of all the ships ENGAGED were to be promoted. Nelson +instantly wrote to the commander-in-chief: "I sincerely hope," said he, +"this is not intended to exclude the first lieutenant of the CULLODEN. +For heaven's sake--for my sake, if it be so--get it altered. Our dear +friend Troubridge has endured enough. His sufferings were, in every +respect, more than any of us." To the Admiralty he wrote in terms +equally warm. "I hope, and believe, the word ENGAGED is not intended to +exclude the CULLODEN. The merits of that ship, and her gallant Captain, +are too well known to benefit by anything I could say. Her misfortune +was great in getting aground, while her more fortunate companions were +in the full tide of happiness. No: I am confident that my good Lord +Spencer will never add misery to misfortune. Captain Troubridge on +shore is superior to captains afloat: in the midst of his great +misfortunes he made those signals which prevented certainly the +ALEXANDER and SWIFTSURE from running on the shoals. I beg your pardon +for writing on a subject which, I verily believe, has never entered your +lordship's head; but my heart, as it ought to be, is warm to my gallant +friends." Thus feelingly alive was Nelson to the claims, and interests, +and feelings of others. The Admiralty replied, that the exception was +necessary, as the ship had not been in action; but they desired the +commander-in-chief to promote the lieutenant upon the first vacancy +which should occur. + +Nelson, in remembrance of an old and uninterrupted friendship, ap- +pointed Alexander Davison sole prize agent for the captured ships: upon +which Davison ordered medals to be struck in gold, for the captains; in +silver, for the lieutenants and warrant officers; in gilt metal for the +petty officers; and in copper for the seamen and marines. The cost of +this act of liberality amounted nearly to L2000. It is worthy of record +on another account;--for some of the gallant men, who received no other +honorary badge of their conduct on that memorable day than this copper +medal from a private individual, years afterwards, when they died upon +a foreign station, made it their last request, that the medals might +carefully be sent home to their respective friends. So sensible are +brave men of honour, in whatever rank they may be placed. + +Three of the frigates, whose presence would have been so essential a +few weeks sooner, joined the squadron on the twelfth day after the +action. The fourth joined a few days after them. Nelson thus received +despatches, which rendered it necessary for him to return to Naples. +Before he left Egypt he burned three of the prizes; they could not have +been fitted for a passage to Gibraltar in less than a month, and that at +a great expense, and with the loss of the services of at least two sail +of the line. "I rest assured," he said to the Admiralty, "that they will +be paid for, and have held out that assurance to the squadron. For if +an admiral, after a victory, is to look after the captured ships, and +not to the distressing of the enemy, very dearly, indeed, must the +nation pay for the prizes. I trust that L60,000 will be deemed a very +moderate sum for them: and when the services, time, and men, with the +expense of fitting the three ships for a voyage to England, are +considered, government will save nearly as much as they are valued at. +Paying for prizes," he continued, "is no new idea of mine, and would +often prove an amazing saving to the state, even without taking into +calculation what the nation loses by the attention of admirals to the +property of the captors; an attention absolutely necessary, as a +recompence for the exertions of the officers and men. An admiral may be +amply rewarded by his own feelings, and by the approbation of his +superiors; but what reward have the inferior officers and men but the +value of the prizes? If an admiral takes that from them, on any +consideration, he cannot expect to be well supported." To Earl St. +Vincent he said, "If he could have been sure that government would have +paid a reasonable value for them, he would have ordered two of the other +prizes to be burnt, for they would cost more in refitting, and by the +loss of ships attending them, than they were worth." + +Having sent the six remaining prizes forward, under Sir James +Saumarez, Nelson left Captain Hood, in the ZEALOUS off Alexandria, with +the SWIFTSURE, GOLIATH, Alcmene, ZEALOUS, and EMERALD, and stood out to +sea himself on the seventeenth day after the battle. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +1798 - 1800 + +Nelson returns to Naples--State of that Court and Kingdom-- +General Mack--The French approach Naples--Flight of the Royal +Family--Successes of the Allies in Italy--Transactions in the +Bay of Naples--Expulsion of the French from the Neapolitan and +Roman States--Nelson is made Duke of Bronte--He leaves the +Mediterranean and returns to England. + +* + + +NELSON's health had suffered greatly while he was in the AGAMEMNON. +"My complaint," he said, "is as if a girth were buckled taut over my +breast, and my endeavour in the night is to get it loose." After the +battle of Cape St. Vincent he felt a little rest to be so essential to +his recovery, that he declared he would not continue to serve longer +than the ensuing summer, unless it should be absolutely necessary; for +in his own strong language, he had then been four years and nine months +without one moment's repose for body or mind. A few months' +intermission of labour he had obtained--not of rest, for it was +purchased with the loss of a limb; and the greater part of the time had +been a season of constant pain. As soon as his shattered frame had +sufficiently recovered for him to resume his duties, he was called to +services of greater importance than any on which he had hitherto been +employed, which brought with them commensurate fatigue and care. + +The anxiety which he endured during his long pursuit of the enemy, +was rather changed in its direction than abated by their defeat; and +this constant wakefulness of thought, added to the effect of his wound, +and the exertions from which it was not possible for one of so ardent +and wide-reaching a mind to spare himself,nearly proved fatal. On his +way back to Italy he was seized with fever. For eighteen hours his life +was despaired of; and even when the disorder took a favourable turn, +and he was so far recovered as again to appear on deck, he himself +thought that his end was approaching--such was the weakness to which the +fever and cough had reduced him. Writing to Earl St. Vincent on the +passage, he said to him, "I never expect, my dear lord, to see your face +again. It may please God that this will be the finish to that fever of +anxiety which I have endured from the middle of June; but be that as it +pleases his goodness. I am resigned to his will." + +The kindest attentions of the warmest friendship were awaiting him at +Naples. "Come here," said Sir William Hamilton, "for God's sake, my dear +friend, as soon as the service will permit you. A pleasant apartment is +ready for you in my house, and Emma is looking out for the softest +pillows to repose the few wearied limbs you have left." Happy would it +have been for Nelson if warm and careful friendship had been all that +waited him there. He himself saw at that time the character of the +Neapolitan court, as it first struck an Englishman, in its true light; +and when he was on the way, he declared that he detested the voyage to +Naples, and that nothing but necessity could have forced him to it. But +never was any hero, on his return from victory, welcomed with more +heartfelt joy. Before the battle of Aboukir the Court at Naples had been +trembling for its existence. The language which the Directory held +towards it was well described by Sir William Hamilton as being exactly +the language of a highwayman. The Neapolitans were told that Benevento +might be added to their dominions, provided they would pay a large sum, +sufficient to satisfy the Directory; and they were warned, that if the +proposal were refused, or even if there were any delay in accepting it, +the French would revolutionise all Italy. The joy, therefore, of the +Court at Nelson's success was in proportion to the dismay from which +that success relieved them. The queen was a daughter of Maria Theresa, +and sister of Maria Antoinette. Had she been the wisest and gentlest of +her sex, it would not have been possible for her to have regarded the +French without hatred and horror; and the progress of revolutionary +opinions, while it perpetually reminded her of her sister's fate, +excited no unreasonable apprehensions for her own. Her feelings, +naturally ardent, and little accustomed to restraint, were excited to +the highest pitch when the news of the victory arrived. Lady Hamilton, +her constant friend and favourite, who was present, says, "It is not +possible to describe her transports; she wept, she kissed her husband, +her children, walked frantically about the room, burst into tears again, +and again kissed and embraced every person near her; exclaiming,"O +brave Nelson! O God! bless and protect our brave deliverer! O Nelson! +Nelson! what do we not owe you! O conqueror--saviour of Italy! O that my +swollen heart could now tell him personally what we owe to him!" She +herself wrote to the Neapolitan ambassador at London upon the occasion, +in terms which show the fulness of her joy, and the height of the hopes +which it had excited. "I wish I could give wings," said she, "to the +bearer of the news, and at the same time to our most sincere gratitude. +The whole of the sea-coast of Italy saved; and this is owing alone to +the generous English. This battle, or, to speak more correctly, this +total defeat of the regicide squadron, was obtained by the valour of +this brave admiral, seconded by a navy which is the terror of its +enemies. The victory is so complete that I can still scarcely believe +it; and if it were not the brave English nation, which is accustomed to +perform prodigies by sea, I could not persuade myself that it had +happened. It would have moved you to have seen all my children, boys and +girls, hanging on my neck, and crying for joy at the happy news. +Recommend the hero to his master: he has filled the whole of Italy with +admiration of the English. Great hopes were entertained of some +advantages being gained by his bravery, but no one could look for so +total a destruction. All here are drunk with joy." + +Such being the feelings of the royal family, it may well be supposed +with what delight, and with what honours Nelson would be welcomed. Early +on the 22nd of September the poor wretched VANGUARD, as he called his +shattered vessel, appeared in sight of Naples. The CULLODEN and +ALEXANDER had preceded her by some days, and given notice of her +approach. Many hundred boats and barges were ready to go forth and meet +him, with music and streamers and every demonstration of joy and +triumph. Sir William and Lady Hamilton led the way in their state barge. +They had seen Nelson only for a few days, four years ago, but they then +perceived in him that heroic spirit which was now so fully and +gloriously manifested to the world. Emma Lady Hamilton, who from this +time so greatly influenced his future life, was a woman whose personal +accomplishments have seldom been equalled, and whose powers of mind were +not less fascinating than her person. She was passionately attached to +the queen; and by her influence the British fleet had obtained those +supplies at Syracuse, without which, Nelson always asserted, the battle +of Aboukir could not have been fought. During the long interval which +passed before any tidings were received, her anxiety had been hardly +less than that of Nelson himself, while pursuing an enemy of whom he +could obtain no information; and when the tidings were brought her by a +joyful bearer, open-mouthed, its effect was such that she fell like one +who had been shot. She and Sir William had literally been made ill by +their hopes and fears, and joy at a catastrophe so far exceeding all +that they had dared to hope for. Their admiration for the hero +necessarily produced a degree of proportionate gratitude and affection; +and when their barge came alongside the VANGUARD, at the sight of +Nelson, Lady Hamilton sprang up the ship's side, and exclaiming,"O God! +is it possible!" fell into his arms more, he says, like one dead than +alive. He described the meeting as "terribly affecting." These friends +had scarcely recovered from their tears, when the king, who went out to +meet him three leagues in the royal barge, came on board and took him by +the hand, calling him his deliverer and preserver. From all the boats +around he was saluted with the same appellations: the multitude who +surrounded him when he landed repeated the same enthusiastic cries; and +the lazzaroni displayed their joy by holding up birds in cages, and +giving them their liberty as he passed. + +His birth-day, which occurred a week after his arrival, was +celebrated with one of the most splendid fetes ever beheld at Naples. +But, notwithstanding the splendour with which he was encircled, and the +flattering honours with which all ranks welcomed him, Nelson was fully +sensible of the depravity, as well as weakness, of those by whom he was +surrounded. "What precious moments" said he, "the courts of Naples and +Vienna are losing! Three months would liberate Italy! but this court is +so enervated that the happy moment will be lost. I am very unwell; and +their miserable conduct is not likely to cool my irritable temper. It +is a country of fiddlers and poets, whores and scoundrels." This sense +of their ruinous weakness he always retained; nor was he ever blind to +the mingled folly and treachery of the Neapolitan ministers, and the +complication in iniquities under which the country groaned; but he +insensibly, under the influence of Lady Hamilton, formed an affection +for the court, to whose misgovernment the miserable condition of the +country was so greatly to be imputed. By the kindness of her nature, as +well as by her attractions, she had won his heart. Earl St. Vincent, +writing to her at this time, says, "Pray do not let your fascinating +Neapolitan dames approach too near our invaluable friend Nelson, for he +is made of flesh and blood, and cannot resist their temptations." But +this was addressed to the very person from whom he was in danger. + +The state of Naples may be described in few words. The king was one +of the Spanish Bourbons. As the Caesars have shown us to what wickedness +the moral nature of princes may be perverted, so in this family, the +degradation to which their intellectual nature can be reduced has been +not less conspicuously evinced. Ferdinand, like the rest of his race, +was passionately fond of field sports, and cared for nothing else. His +queen had all the vices of the house of Austria, with little to +mitigate, and nothing to ennoble them--provided she could have her +pleasures, and the king his sports, they cared not in what manner the +revenue was raised or administered. Of course a system of favouritism +existed at court, and the vilest and most impudent corruption prevailed +in every department of state, and in every branch of administration, +from the highest to the lowest. It is only the institutions of +Christianity, and the vicinity of better-regulated states, which prevent +kingdoms, under such circumstances of misrule, from sinking into a +barbarism like that of Turkey. A sense of better things was kept alive +in some of the Neapolitans by literature, and by their intercourse with +happier countries. These persons naturally looked to France, at the +commencement of the Revolution, and during all the horrors of that +Revolution still cherished a hope that, by the aid of France, they might +be enabled to establish a new order of things in Naples. They were +grievously mistaken in supposing that the principles of liberty would +ever be supported by France, but they were not mistaken in believing +that no government could be worse than their own; and therefore they +considered any change as desirable. In this opinion men of the most +different characters agreed. Many of the nobles, who were not in favour, +wished for a revolution, that they might obtain the ascendancy to which +they thought themselves entitled; men of desperate fortunes desired it, +in the hope of enriching themselves; knaves and intriguers sold +themselves to the French to promote it; and a few enlightened men, and +true lovers of their country, joined in the same cause, from the purest +and noblest motives. All these were confounded under the common name of +Jacobins; and the Jacobins of the continental kingdoms were regarded by +the English with more hatred than they deserved. They were classed with +Phillippe Egalite, Marat, and Hebert; whereas they deserved rather to be +ranked, if not with Locke, and Sydney, and Russell, at least with Argyle +and Monmouth, and those who, having the same object as the prime movers +of our own Revolution, failed in their premature but not unworthy +attempt. + +No circumstances could be more unfavourable to the best interests of +Europe, than those which placed England in strict alliance with the +superannuated and abominable governments of the continent. The subjects +of those governments who wished for freedom thus became enemies to +England, and dupes and agents of France. They looked to their own +grinding grievances, and did not see the danger with which the liberties +of the world were threatened. England, on the other hand, saw the danger +in its true magnitude, but was blind to these grievances, and found +herself compelled to support systems which had formerly been equally the +object of her abhorrence and her contempt. This was the state of +Nelson's mind; he knew that there could be no peace for Europe till the +pride of France was humbled, and her strength broken; and he regarded +all those who were the friends of France as traitors to the common +cause, as well as to their own individual sovereigns. There are +situations in which the most opposite and hostile parties may mean +equally well, and yet act equally wrong. The court of Naples, +unconscious of committing any crime by continuing the system of misrule +to which they had succeeded, conceived that, in maintaining things as +they were, they were maintaining their own rights, and preserving the +people from such horrors as had been perpetrated in France. The +Neapolitan revolutionists thought that without a total change of system, +any relief from the present evils was impossible, and they believed +themselves justified in bringing about that change by any means. Both +parties knew that it was the fixed intention of the French to +revolutionise Naples. The revolutionists supposed that it was for the +purpose of establishing a free government; the court, and all +disinterested persons, were perfectly aware that the enemy had no other +object than conquest and plunder. + +The battle of the Nile shook the power of France. Her most +successful general, and her finest army, were blocked up in Egypt-- +hopeless, as it appeared, of return; and the government was in the hands +of men without talents, without character, and divided among themselves. +Austria, whom Buonaparte had terrified into a peace, at a time when +constancy on her part would probably have led to his destruction, took +advantage of the crisis to renew the war. Russia also was preparing to +enter the field with unbroken forces, led by a general, whose +extraordinary military genius would have entitled him to a high and +honourable rank in history, if it had not been sullied by all the +ferocity of a barbarian. Naples, seeing its destruction at hand, and +thinking that the only means of averting it was by meeting the danger, +after long vacillations, which were produced by the fears and treachery +of its council, agreed at last to join this new coalition with a +numerical force of 80,000 men. Nelson told the king, in plain terms, +that he had his choice, either to advance, trusting to God for his +blessing on a just cause, and prepared to die sword in hand, or to +remain quiet, and be kicked out of his kingdom; one of these things must +happen. The king made answer he would go on, and trust in God and +Nelson; and Nelson, who would else have returned to Egypt, for the +purpose of destroying the French shipping in Alexandria, gave up his +intention at the desire of the Neapolitan court, and resolved to. remain +on that station, in the hope that he might be useful to the movements of +the army. He suspected also, with reason, that the continuance of his +fleet was so earnestly requested, because the royal family thought +their persons would be safer, in case of any mishap, under the British +flag, than under their own. + +His first object was the recovery of Malta--an island which the King +of Naples pretended to claim. The Maltese, whom the villanous knights of +their order had betrayed to France, had taken up arms against their +rapacious invaders, with a spirit and unanimity worthy of the highest +praise. They blockaded the French garrison by land, and a small +squadron, under Captain Ball, began to blockade them by sea, on the 12th +of October. Twelve days afterwards Nelson arrived. "It is as I +suspected," he says: "the ministers at Naples know nothing of the +situation of the island. Not a house or bastion of the town is in +possession of the islanders: and the Marquis de Niza tells us they want +arms, victuals, and support. He does not know that any Neapolitan +officers are on the island; perhaps, although I have their names, none +are arrived; and it is very certain, by the marquis's account, that no +supplies have been sent by the governors of Syracuse and Messina." The +little island of Gozo, dependent upon Malta, which had also been seized +and garrisoned by the French, capitulated soon after his arrival, and +was taken possession of by the British, in the name of his Sicilian +Majesty--a power who had no better claim to it than France. Having seen +this effected, and reinforced Captain Ball, he left that able officer to +perform a most arduous and important part, and returned himself to co- +operate with the intended movements of the Neapolitans. + +General Mack was at the head of the Neapolitan troops. All that is +now doubtful concerning this man is, whether he was a coward or a +traitor. At that time he was assiduously extolled as a most consummate +commander, to whom Europe might look for deliverance. And when he was +introduced by the king and queen to the British admiral, the queen said +to him, "Be to us by land, general, what my hero Nelson has been by +sea." Mack, on his part, did not fail to praise the force which he was +appointed to command. "It was," he said,"the finest army in Europe." +Nelson agreed with him that there could not be finer men; but when the +general, at a review, so directed the operations of a mock fight, that +by an unhappy blunder his own troops were surrounded, instead of those +of the enemy, he turned to his friends and exclaimed with bitterness, +that the fellow did not understand his business. Another circumstance, +not less characteristic, confirmed Nelson in his judgment. "General +Mack:" said he, in one of his letters, "cannot move without five +carriages! I have formed my opinion. I heartily pray I may be mistaken." + +While Mack, at the head of 32,000 men, marched into the Roman state, +5000 Neapolitans were embarked on board the British and Portuguese +squadron, to take possession of Leghorn. This was effected without +opposition; and the Grand Duke of Tuscany, whose neutrality had been so +outrageously violated by the French, was better satisfied with the +measure than some of the Neapolitans themselves. Nasseli, their +general, refused to seize the French vessels at Leghorn, because he and +the Duke di Sangro, who was ambassador at the Tuscan court, maintained +that the king of Naples was not at war with France. "What!" said +Nelson, "has not the king received, as a conquest made by him, the +republican flag taken at Gozo? Is not his own flag flying there, and at +Malta, not only by his permission, but by his order? Is not his flag +shot at every day by the French, and their shot returned from batteries +which bear that flag? Are not two frigates and a corvette placed under +my orders ready to fight the French, meet them where they may? Has not +the king sent publicly from Naples guns, mortars, &c., with officers and +artillery, against the French in Malta? If these acts are not tantamount +to any written paper, I give up all knowledge of what is war." This +reasoning was of less avail than argument addressed to the general's +fears. Nelson told him that, if he permitted the many hundred French who +were then in the mole to remain neutral, till they had a fair +opportunity of being active, they had one sure resource, if all other +schemes failed, which was to set one vessel on fire; the mole would be +destroyed, probably the town also, and the port ruined for twenty years. +This representation made Naselli agree to the half measure of laying an +embargo on the vessels; among them were a great number of French +privateers, some of which were of such force as to threaten the greatest +mischief to our commerce, and about seventy sail of vessels belonging to +the Ligurian republic, as Genoa was now called, laden with corn, and +ready to sail for Genoa and France; where their arrival would have +expedited the entrance of more French troops into Italy. "The general," +said Nelson, "saw, I believe, the consequence of permitting these +vessels to depart, in the same light as myself; but there is this +difference between us: he prudently, and certainly safely, waits the +orders of his court, taking no responsibility upon himself; I act from +the circumstances of the moment, as I feel may be most advantageous for +the cause which I serve, taking all responsibility on myself." It was in +vain to hope for anything vigorous or manly from such men as Nelson was +compelled to act with. The crews of the French ships and their allies +were ordered to depart in two days. Four days elapsed and nobody obeyed +the order; nor, in spite of the representations of the British minister, +Mr. Wyndham, were any means taken to enforce it: the true Neapolitan +shuffle, as Nelson called it, took place on all occasions. After an +absence of ten days he returned to Naples; and receiving intelligence +there from Mr. Wyndham that the privateers were at last to be disarmed, +the corn landed, and the crews sent away, he expressed his satisfaction +at the news in characteristic language, saying, "So far I am content. +The enemy will be distressed; and, thank God, I shall get no money. The +world, I know, think that money is our god; and now they will be +undeceived as far as relates to us. Down, down with the French! is my +constant prayer." + +Odes, sonnets, and congratulatory poems of every description were +poured in upon Nelson on his arrival at Naples. An Irish Franciscan, who +was one of the poets, not being content with panegyric upon this +occasion, ventured on a flight of prophecy, and predicted that Lord +Nelson would take Rome with his ships. His lordship reminded Father +M'Cormick that ships could not ascend the Tiber; but the father, who had +probably forgotten this circumstance, met the objection with a bold +front, and declared he saw that it would come to pass notwithstanding. +Rejoicings of this kind were of short duration. The King of Naples was +with the army which had entered Rome; but the castle of St. Angelo was +held by the French, and 13,000 French were strongly posted in the Roman +states at Castallana. Mack had marched against them with 20,000 men. +Nelson saw that the event was doubtful, or rather that there could be +very little hope of the result. But the immediate fate of Naples, as he +well knew, hung upon the issue. "If Mack is defeated," said he, "in +fourteen days this country is lost; for the emperor has not yet moved +his army, and Naples has not the power of resisting the enemy. It was +not a case for choice, but of necessity, which induced the king to march +out of his kingdom, and not wait till the French had collected a force +sufficient to drive him out of it in a week." He had no reliance upon +the Neapolitan officers, who, as he described them, seemed frightened at +a drawn sword or a loaded gun; and he was perfectly aware of the +consequences which the sluggish movements and deceitful policy of the +Austrians were likely to bring down upon themselves and all their +continental allies. "A delayed war on the part of the emperor," said he, +writing to the British minister at Vienna, "will be destructive to this +monarchy of Naples; and, of course, to the newly-acquired dominions of +the Emperor in Italy. Had the war commenced in September or October, all +Italy would, at this moment, have been liberated. This month is worse +than the last; the next will render the contest doubtful; and, in six +months, when the Neapolitan republic will be organised, armed, and with +its numerous resources called forth, the emperor will not only be +defeated in Italy, but will totter on his throne at Vienna. DOWN, DOWN +WITH THE FRENCH! ought to be written in the council-room of every +country in the world; and may Almighty God give right thoughts to every +sovereign, is my constant prayer!" His perfect foresight of the +immediate event was clearly shown in this letter, when he desired the +ambassador to assure the empress (who was a daughter of the house of +Naples) that, notwithstanding the councils which had shaken the throne +of her father and mother, he would remain there, ready to save their +persons, and her brothers and sisters; and that he had also left ships +at Leghorn to save the lives of the grand duke and her sister: "For +all," said he, "must be a republic, if the emperor does not act with +expedition and vigour." + +His fears were soon verified. "The Neapolitan officers," said +Nelson, "did not lose much honour, for, God knows, they had not much to +lose; but they lost all they had." General St. Philip commanded the +right wing, of 19,000 men. He fell in with 3000 of the enemy; and, as +soon as he came near enough, deserted to them. One of his men had virtue +enough to level a musket at him, and shot him through the arm; but the +wound was not sufficient to prevent him from joining with the French in +pursuit of his own countrymen. Cannon, tents, baggage, and military +chest, were all forsaken by the runaways, though they lost only forty +men; for the French having put them to flight and got possession of +everything, did not pursue an army of more than three times their own +number. The main body of the Neapolitans, under Mack, did not behave +better. The king returned to Naples, where every day brought with it +tidings of some new disgrace from the army and the discovery of some new +treachery at home; till, four days after his return, the general sent +him advice that there was no prospect of stopping the progress of the +enemy, and that the royal family must look to their own personal safety. +The state of the public mind at Naples was such, at this time, that +neither the British minister nor the British Admiral thought it prudent +to appear at court. Their motions were watched; and the revolutionists +had even formed a plan for seizing and detaining them as hostages, to +prevent an attack on the city after the French should have taken +possession of it. A letter which Nelson addressed at this time to the +First Lord of the Admiralty, shows in what manner he contemplated the +possible issue of the storm. it was in these words:--"My dear lord, +there is an old saying, that when things are at the worst they must +mend: now the mind of man cannot fancy things worse than they are here. +But, thank God! my health is better, my mind never firmer, and my heart +in the right trim to comfort, relieve, and protect those whom it is my +duty to afford assistance to. Pray, my lord, assure our gracious +sovereign that while I live, I will support his glory; and that if I +fall, it shall be in a manner worthy of your lordship's faithful and +obliged Nelson. I must not write more. Every word may be a text for a +long letter." + +Meantime Lady Hamilton arranged every thing for the removal of the +royal family. This was conducted on her part with the greatest address, +and without suspicion, because she had been in habits of constant +correspondence with the queen. It was known that the removal could not +be effected without danger; for the mob, and especially the lazzaroni, +were attached to the king; and as at this time they felt a natural +presumption in their own numbers and strength, they insisted that he +should not leave Naples. Several persons fell victims to their fury; +among others was a messenger from Vienna, whose body was dragged under +the windows of the palace in the king's sight. The king and queen spoke +to the mob, and pacified them; but it would not have been safe, while +they were in this agitated state, to have embarked the effects of the +royal family openly. Lady Hamilton, like a heroine of modern romance, +explored with no little danger a subterraneous passage leading from the +palace to the sea-side: through this passage the royal treasures, the +choicest pieces of painting and sculpture, and other property to the +amount of two millions and a half, were conveyed to the shore, and +stowed safely on board the English ships. On the night. of the 21st, at +half-past eight, Nelson landed, brought out the whole royal family, +embarked them in three barges, and carried them safely, through a +tremendous sea, to the VANGUARD. Notice was then immediately given to +the British merchants, that they would be received on board any ships in +the squadron. Their property had previously been embarked in transports. +Two days were passed in the bay, for the purpose of taking such persons +on board as required an asylum; and, on the night of the 23rd, the fleet +sailed. The next day a more violent storm arose than Nelson had ever +before encountered. On the 25th, the youngest of the princes was taken +ill, and died in Lady Hamilton's arms. During this whole trying season, +Lady Hamilton waited upon the royal family with the zeal of the most +devoted servant, at a time when, except one man, no person belonging to +the court assisted them. + +On the morning of the 26th the royal family were landed at Palermo. +It was soon seen that their flight had not been premature. Prince +Pignatelli, who had been left as vicar-general and viceroy, with orders +to defend the kingdom to the last rock in Calabria, sent +plenipotentiaries to the French camp before Capua; and they, for the +sake of saving the capital, signed an armistice, by which the greater +part of the kingdom was given up to the enemy: a cession that +necessarily led to the loss of the whole. This was on the 10th of +January. The French advanced towards Naples. Mack, under pretext of +taking shelter from the fury of the lazzaroni, fled to the French +General Championet, who sent him under an escort to Milan; but as France +hoped for further services from this wretched traitor, it was thought +prudent to treat him apparently as a prisoner of war. The Neapolitan +army disappeared in a few days: of the men, some, following their +officers, deserted to the enemy; the greater part took the opportunity +of disbanding themselves. The lazzaroni proved true to their country; +they attacked the enemy's advanced posts, drove them in, and were not +dispirited by the murderous defeat which they suffered from the main +body. Flying into the city, they continued to defend it, even after the +French had planted their artillery in the principal streets. Had there +been a man of genius to have directed their enthusiasm, or had there +been any correspondent feelings in the higher ranks, Naples might have +set a glorious example to Europe, and have proved the grave of every +Frenchman who entered it. But the vices of the government had +extinguished all other patriotism than that of the rabble, who had no +other than that sort of loyalty which was like the fidelity of a dog to +its master. This fidelity the French and their adherents counteracted by +another kind of devotion: the priests affirmed that St. Januarius had +declared in favour of the revolution. The miracle of his blood was +performed with the usual success, and more than usual effect, on the +very evening when, after two days of desperate fighting, the French +obtained possession of Naples. A French guard of honour was stationed at +his church. Championet gave, "Respect for St. Januarius!" as the word +for the army; and the next day TE DEUM was sung by the archbishop in the +cathedral; and the inhabitants were invited to attend the ceremony, and +join in thanksgiving for the glorious entry of the French; who, it was +said, being under the peculiar protection of Providence, had +regenerated the Neapolitans, and were come to establish and consolidate +their happiness. + +It seems to have been Nelson's opinion that the Austrian cabinet +regarded the conquest of Naples with complacency, and that its measures +were directed so as designedly not to prevent the French from +overrunning it. That cabinet was assuredly capable of any folly, and of +any baseness; and it is not improbable that at this time, calculating +upon the success of the new coalition, it indulged a dream of adding +extensively to its former Italian possessions; and, therefore, left the +few remaining powers of Italy to be overthrown, as a means which would +facilitate its own ambitious views. The King of Sardinia, finding it +impossible longer to endure the exactions of France and the insults of +the French commissary, went to Leghorn, embarked on board a Danish +frigate, and sailed, under British protection, to Sardinia--that part of +his dominions which the maritime supremacy of England rendered a secure +asylum. On his arrival he published a protest against the conduct of +France, declaring, upon the faith and word of a king, that he had never +infringed, even in the slightest degree, the treaties which he had made +with the French republic. Tuscany was soon occupied by French troops--a +fate which bolder policy might, perhaps, have failed to avert, but which +its weak and timid neutrality rendered inevitable. Nelson began to fear +even for Sicily. "Oh, my dear sir," said he, writing to Commodore +Duckworth, "one thousand English troops would save Messina; and I fear +General Stuart cannot give me men to save this most important island!" +But his representations were not lost upon Sir Charles Stuart. This +officer hastened immediately from Minorca with 1000 men, assisted in the +measures of defence which were taken, and did not return before he had +satisfied himself that, if the Neapolitans were excluded from the +management of affairs, and the spirit of the peasantry properly +directed, Sicily was safe. Before his coming, Nelson had offered the +king, if no resources should arrive, to defend Messina with the ship's +company of an English man-of-war. + +Russia had now entered into the war. Corfu, surrendered to a Russian +and Turkish fleet, acting now, for the first time, in strange +confederacy yet against a power which was certainly the common and worst +enemy of both. Troubridge having given up the blockade of Alexandria to +Sir Sidney Smith, joined Nelson, bringing with him a considerable +addition of strength; and in himself what Nelson valued more, a man, +upon whose sagacity, indefatigable zeal, and inexhaustible resources, he +could place full reliance. Troubridge was intrusted to commence the +operations against the French in the bay of Naples. Meantime Cardinal +Ruffo, a man of questionable character, but of a temper fitted for such +times, having landed in Calabria, raised what he called a Christian +army, composed of the best and the vilest materials--loyal peasants, +enthusiastic priests and friars, galley slaves, the emptying of the +jails, and banditti. The islands in the bay of Naples were joyfully +delivered up by the inhabitants, who were in a state of famine already, +from the effect of this baleful revolution. Troubridge distributed among +them all his flour, and Nelson pressed the Sicilian court incessantly +for supplies; telling them that L10,000 given away in provisions would, +at this time, purchase a kingdom. Money, he was told, they had not to +give; and the wisdom and integrity which might have supplied its wants +were not to be found. "There is nothing," said he, "which I propose, that +is not, so far as orders go, implicitly complied with; but the execution +is dreadful, and almost makes me mad. My desire to serve their majesties +faithfully, as is my duty, has been such that I am almost blind and worn +out; and cannot in my present state hold out much longer." + +Before any government can be overthrown by the consent of the people, +the government must be intolerably oppressive, or the people thoroughly +corrupted. Bad as the misrule at Naples had been, its consequences had +been felt far less there than in Sicily; and the peasantry had that +attachment to the soil which gives birth to so many of the noblest as +well as of the happiest feelings. In all the islands the people were +perfectly frantic with joy when they saw the Neapolitan colours hoisted. +At Procida, Troubridge could not procure even a rag of the tri-coloured +flag to lay at the king's feet: it was rent into ten thousand pieces by +the inhabitants, and entirely destroyed. "The horrid treatment of the +French," he said, "had made them mad." It exasperated the ferocity of a +character which neither the laws nor the religion under which they lived +tended to mitigate. Their hatred was especially directed against the +Neapolitan revolutionists; and the fishermen, in concert among +themselves, chose each his own victim, whom he would stiletto when the +day of vengeance should arrive. The head of one was sent off one morning +to Troubridge, with his basket of grapes for breakfast; and a note from +the Italian who had, what he called, the glory of presenting it, saying, +he had killed the man as he was running away, and begging his +excellency to accept the head, and consider it as a proof of the +writer's attachment to the crown. With the first successes of the court +the work of punishment began. The judge at Ischia said it was necessary +to have a bishop to degrade the traitorous priests before he could +execute them; upon which Troubridge advised him to hang them first, and +send them to him afterwards, if he did not think that degradation +sufficient. This was said with the straightforward feeling of a sailor, +who cared as little for canon-law as he knew about it; but when he +discovered that the judge's orders were to go through the business in a +summary manner, under his sanction, he told him at once that could not +be, for the prisoners were not British subjects; and he declined having +anything to do with it. There were manifestly persons about the court, +who, while they thirsted for the pleasure of vengeance, were devising +how to throw the odium of it upon the English. They wanted to employ an +English man-of-war to carry the priests to Palermo for degradation, and +then bring them back for execution; and they applied to Troubridge for +a hangman, which he indignantly refused. He, meantime, was almost heart- +broken by the situation in which he found himself. He had promised +relief to the islanders, relying upon the queen's promise to him. He had +distributed the whole of his private stock,--there was plenty of grain +at Palermo, and in its neighbourhood, and yet none was sent him: the +enemy, he complained, had more interest there than the king; and the +distress for bread which he witnessed was such, he said, that it would +move even a Frenchman to pity. + +Nelson's heart, too, was at this time a-shore. "To tell you," he +says, writing to Lady Hamilton, "how dreary and uncomfortable the +VANGUARD appears, is only telling you what it is to go from the +pleasantest society to a solitary cell, or from the dearest friends to +no friends. I am now perfectly the GREAT MAN--not a creature near me. +>From my heart I wish myself the little man again. You and good Sir +William have spoiled me for any place but with you." + +His mind was not in a happier state respecting public affairs. "As to +politics," said he, "at this time they are my abomination: the ministers +of kings and princes are as great scoundrels as ever lived. The brother +of the emperor is just going to marry the great Something of Russia, and +it is more than expected that a kingdom is to be found for him in Italy, +and that the king of Naples will be sacrificed." Had there been a wise +and manly spirit in the Italian states, or had the conduct of Austria +been directed by anything like a principle of honour, a more favourable +opportunity could not have been desired for restoring order and +prosperity in Europe, than the misconduct of the French Directory at +this time afforded. But Nelson perceived selfishness and knavery +wherever he looked; and even the pleasure of seeing a cause prosper, in +which he was so zealously engaged, was poisoned by his sense of the +rascality of those with whom he was compelled to act. At this juncture +intelligence arrived that the French fleet had escaped from Brest, under +cover of a fog, passed Cadiz unseen by Lord Keith's squadron, in hazy +weather, and entered the Mediterranean. It was said to consist of +twenty-four sail of the line, six frigates, and three sloops. The object +of the French was to liberate the Spanish fleet, form a junction with +them, act against Minorca and Sicily, and overpower our naval force in +the Mediterranean, by falling in with detached squadrons, and thus +destroying it in detail. When they arrived off Carthagena, they +requested the Spanish ships to make sail and join; but the Spaniards +replied they had not men to man them. To this it was answered that the +French had men enough on board for that purpose. But the Spaniards seem +to have been apprehensive of delivering up their ships thus entirely +into the power of such allies, and refused to come out. The fleet from +Cadiz, however, consisting of from seventeen to twenty sail of the line, +got out, under Masaredo, a man who then bore an honourable name, which +he has since rendered infamous by betraying his country. They met with a +violent storm off the coast of Oran, which dismasted many of their +ships, and so effectually disabled them as to prevent the junction, and +frustrate a well-planned expedition. + +Before this occurred, and while the junction was as probable as it +would have been formidable, Nelson was in a state of the greatest +anxiety. "What a state am I in!" said he to Earl St. Vincent. "If I go, +I risk, and more than risk, Sicily; for we know, from experience, that +more depends upon opinion than upon acts themselves; and, as I stay, my +heart is breaking." His first business was to summon Troubridge to join +him, with all the ships of the line under his command, and a frigate, +if possible. Then hearing that the French had entered the Mediterranean, +and expecting them at Palermo, where he had only his own ship--with that +single ship he prepared to make all the resistance possible. Troubridge +having joined him, he left Captain E. J. Foote, of the SEAHORSE, to +command the smaller vessels in the bay of Naples, and sailed with six +ships--one a Portuguese, and a Portuguese corvette--telling Earl St. +Vincent that the squadron should never fall into the hands of the enemy. +"And before we are destroyed," said he, "I have little doubt but they +will have their wings so completely clipped that they may be easily +overtaken." It was just at this time that he received from Captain +Hallowell the present of the coffin. Such a present was regarded by the +men with natural astonishment. One of his old shipmates in the AGAMEMNON +said, "We shall have hot work of it indeed! You see the admiral intends +to fight till he is killed; and there he is to be buried." Nelson placed +it upright against the bulkhead of his cabin, behind his chair, where he +sat at dinner. The gift suited him at this time. It is said that he was +disappointed in the step-son whom he had loved so dearly from his +childhood, and who had saved his life at Teneriffe; and it is certain +that he had now formed an infatuated attachment for Lady Hamilton, which +totally weaned his affections from his wife. Farther than this, there is +no reason to believe that this most unfortunate attachment was criminal; +but this was criminality enough, and it brought with it its punishment. +Nelson was dissatisfied with himself, and therefore weary of the world. +This feeling he now frequently expressed. "There is no true happiness in +this life," said he, "and in my present state I could quit it with a +smile." And in a letter to his old friend Davison he said, "Believe me, +my only wish is to sink with honour into the grave; and when that shall +please God, I shall meet death with a smile. Not that I am insensible to +the honours and riches my king and country have heaped upon me--so much +more than any officer could deserve; yet am I ready to quit this world +of trouble, and envy none but those of the estate six feet by two." + +Well had it been for Nelson if he had made no other sacrifices to +this unhappy attachment than his peace of mind; but it led to the only +blot upon his public character. While he sailed from Palermo, with the +intention of collecting his whole force, and keeping off Maretimo, +either to receive reinforcements there if the French were bound upwards, +or to hasten to Minorca if that should be their destination, Captain +Foote, in the Sea-horse, with the Neapolitan frigates, and some small +vessels, under his command, was left to act with a land force consisting +of a few regular troops, of four different nations, and with the armed +rabble which Cardinal Ruffo called the Christian army. His directions +were to co-operate to the utmost of his power with the royalists, at +whose head Ruffo had been placed, and he had no other instructions +whatever. Ruffo advancing without any plan, but relying upon the +enemy's want of numbers, which prevented them from attempting to act +upon the offensive, and ready to take advantage of any accident which +might occur, approached Naples. Fort St. Elmo, which commands the town, +was wholly garrisoned by the French troops; the castles of Uovo and +Nuovo, which commanded the anchorage, were chiefly defended by +Neapolitan revolutionists, the powerful men among them having taken +shelter there. If these castles were taken, the reduction of Fort St. +Elmo would be greatly expedited. They were strong places, and there was +reason to apprehend that the French fleet might arrive to relieve them. +Ruffo proposed to the garrison to capitulate, on condition that their +persons and property should be guaranteed, and that they should, at +their own option, either be sent to Toulon or remain at Naples, without +being molested either in their persons or families. This capitulation +was accepted: it was signed by the cardinal, and the Russian and Turkish +commanders; and lastly, by Captain Foote, as commander of the British +force. About six-and-thirty hours afterwards Nelson arrived in the bay +with a force which had joined him during his cruise, consisting of +seventeen sail of the line, with 1700 troops on board, and the Prince +Royal of Naples in the admiral's ship. A flag of truce was flying on the +castles, and on board the SEAHORSE. Nelson made a signal to annul the +treaty; declaring that he would grant rebels no other terms than those +of unconditional submission. The cardinal objected to this: nor could +all the arguments of Nelson, Sir W. Hamilton, and Lady Hamilton, who +took an active part in the conference, convince him that a treaty of +such a nature, solemnly concluded, could honourably be set aside. He +retired at last, silenced by Nelson's authority, but not convinced. +Captain Foote was sent out of the bay; and the garrisons, taken out of +the castles 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 honour +of England! To palliate it would be in vain; to justify it would be +wicked: there is no alternative, for one who will not make himself a +participator in guilt, but to record the disgraceful story with sorrow +and with shame. + +Prince Francesco Caraccioli, a younger branch of one of the noblest +Neapolitan families, escaped from one of these castles before it +capitulated. He was at the head of the marine, and was nearly seventy +years of age, bearing a high character, both for professional and +personal merit. He had accompanied the court to Sicily; but when the +revolutionary government, or Parthenopean Republic, as it was called, +issued an edict, ordering all absent Neapolitans to return on pain of +confiscation of their property, he solicited and obtained permission of +the king to return, his estates being very great. It is said that the +king, when he granted him this permission, warned him not to take any +part in politics; expressing at the same time his own persuasion that he +should recover his kingdom. But neither the king, nor he himself, ought +to have imagined that, in such times, a man of such reputation would be +permitted to remain inactive; and it soon appeared that Caraccioli was +again in command of the navy, and serving under the republic against his +late sovereign. The sailors reported that he was forced to act thus; and +this was believed, till it was seen that he directed ably the offensive +operations of the revolutionists, and did not avail himself of +opportunities for escaping when they offered. When the recovery of +Naples was evidently near, he applied to Cardinal Ruffo, and to the Duke +of Calvirrano, for protection; expressing his hope that the few days +during which he had been forced to obey the French would not outweigh +forty years of faithful services; but perhaps not receiving such +assurances as he wished, and knowing too well the temper of the Sicilian +court, he endeavoured to secrete himself, and a price was set upon his +head. More unfortunately for others than for himself, he was brought in +alive, having been discovered in the disguise of a peasant, and carried +one morning on board Lord Nelson's ship, with his hands tied behind him. + +Caraccioli was well known to the British officers, and had been ever +highly esteemed by all who knew him. Captain Hardy ordered him immedi- +ately to be unbound, and to be treated with all those attentions which +he felt due to a man who, when last on board the FOUDROYANT, had been +received as an admiral and a prince. Sir William and Lady Hamilton were +in the ship; but Nelson, it is affirmed, saw no one except his own +officers during the tragedy which ensued. His own determination was +made; and he issued an order to the Neapolitan commodore, Count Thurn, +to assemble a court-martial of Neapolitan officers, on board the British +flag-ship, proceed immediately to try the prisoner, and report to him, +if the charges were proved, what punishment he ought to suffer. These +proceedings were as rapid as possible; Caraccioli was brought on board +at nine in the forenoon, and the trial began at ten. It lasted two +hours: he averred in his defence that he had acted under compulsion, +having been compelled to serve as a common soldier, till he consented to +take command of the fleet. This, the apologists of Lord Nelson say, he +failed in proving. They forget that the possibility of proving it was +not allowed him, for he was brought to trial within an hour after he was +legally in arrest; and how, in that time, was he to collect his +witnesses? He was found guilty, and sentenced to death; and Nelson gave +orders that the sentence should be carried into effect that evening, at +five o'clock, on board the Sicilian frigate, LA MINERVA, by hanging him +at the fore-yard-arm till sunset; when the body was to be cut down and +thrown into the sea. Caraccioli requested Lieut. Parkinson, under whose +custody he was placed, to intercede with Lord Nelson for a second +trial--for this, among other reasons, that Count Thurn, who presided at +the court-martial, was notoriously his personal enemy. Nelson made +answer, that the prisoner had been fairly tried by the officers of his +own country, and he could not interfere; forgetting that, if he felt +himself justified in ordering the trial and the execution, no human +being could ever have questioned the propriety of his interfering on the +side of mercy. Caraccioli then entreated that he might be shot. "I am +an old man, sir," said he: "I leave no family to lament me, and +therefore cannot be supposed to be very anxious about prolonging my +life; but the disgrace of being hanged is dreadful to me." When this was +repeated to Nelson, he only told the lieutenant, with much agitation, to +go and attend his duty. As a last hope, Caraccioli asked the lieutenant +if he thought an application to Lady Hamilton would be beneficial? +Parkinson went to seek her; she was not to be seen on this occasion; +but she was present at the execution. She had the most devoted +attachment to the Neapolitan court; and the hatred which she felt +against those whom she regarded as its enemies, made her at this time +forget what was due to the character of her sex as well as of her +country. Here, also, a faithful historian is called upon to pronounce a +severe and unqualified condemnation of Nelson's conduct. Had he the +authority of his Sicilian majesty for proceeding as he did? If so, why +was not that authority produced? If not, why were the proceedings +hurried on without it? Why was the trial precipitated, so that it was +impossible for the prisoner, if he had been innocent, to provide the +witnesses, who might have proved him so? Why was a second trial refused, +when the known animosity of the president of the court against the +prisoner was considered? Why was the execution hastened, so as to +preclude any appeal for mercy, and render the prerogative of mercy +useless? Doubtless, the British Admiral seemed to himself to be acting +under a rigid sense of justice; but to all other persons it was obvious +that he was influenced by an infatuated attachment--a baneful passion, +which destroyed his domestic happiness, and now, in a second instance, +stained ineffaceably his public character. + +The body was carried out to a considerable distance, and sunk in the +bay, with three double-headed shot, weighing 250 lbs., tied to its legs. +Between two or three weeks afterward, when the king was on board the +FOUDROYANT, a Neapolitan fisherman came to the ship, and solemnly +declared that Caraccioli had risen from the bottom of the sea, and was +coming as fast as he could to Naples, swimming half out of the water. +Such an account was listened to like a tale of idle credulity. The day +being fair, Nelson, to please the king, stood out to sea; but the ship +had not proceeded far before a body was distinctly seen, upright in the +water, and approaching them. It was soon recognised to be indeed the +corpse of Caraccioli, which had risen and floated, while the great +weights attached to the legs kept the body in a position like that of a +living man. A fact so extraordinary astonished the king, and perhaps +excited some feeling of superstitious fear, akin to regret. He gave +permission for the body to be taken on shore and receive Christian +burial. It produced no better effect. Naples exhibited more dreadful +scenes than it had witnessed in the days of Massaniello. After the mob +had had their fill of blood and plunder, the reins were given to +justice--if that can be called justice which annuls its own +stipulations, looks to the naked facts alone, disregarding all motives +and all circumstances; and without considering character, or science, or +sex, or youth, sacrifices its victims, not for the public weal, but for +the gratification of greedy vengeance. + +The castles of St. Elmo, Gaieta, and Capua remained to be subdued. +On the land side there was no danger that the French in these garrisons +should be relieved, for Suvarof was now beginning to drive the enemy +before him; but Nelson thought his presence necessary in the bay of +Naples: and when Lord Keith, having received intelligence that the +French and Spanish fleets had formed a junction, and sailed for +Carthagena, ordered him to repair to Minorca with the whole or the +greater part of his force, he sent Admiral Duckworth with a small part +only. This was a dilemma which he had foreseen. "Should such an order +come at this moment," he said, in a letter previously written to the +Admiralty, "it would be a case for some consideration, whether Minorca +is to be risked, or the two kingdoms of Naples and Sicily; I rather +think my decision would be to risk the former." And after he had acted +upon this opinion, he wrote in these terms to the Duke of Clarence, with +whose high notions of obedience he was well acquainted: "I am well +aware of the consequences of disobeying my orders; but as I have often +before risked my life for the good cause, so I with cheerfulness did my +commission; for although a military tribunal may think me criminal, the +world will approve of my conduct; and I regard not my own safety when +the honour of my king is at stake." + +Nelson was right in his judgment: no attempt was made on Minorca: and +the expulsion of the French from Naples may rather be said to have been +effected than accelerated by the English and Portuguese of the allied +fleet, acting upon shore, under Troubridge. The French commandant at St. +Elmo, relying upon the strength of the place, and the nature of the +force which attacked it, had insulted Captain Foote in the grossest +terms; but CITOYEN Mejan was soon taught better manners, when Trou- +bridge, in spite of every obstacle, opened five batteries upon the fort. +He was informed that none of his letters, with the insolent printed +words at the top, LIBERTE EQALITE, GUERRE AUX TYRANS, &c. would be +received; but that if he wrote like a soldier and a gentleman he would +be answered in the same style. The Frenchman then began to flatter his +antagonist upon the BIENFAISANCE and HUMANITE which, he said, were the +least of the many virtues which distinguished Monsieur Troubridge. +Monsieur Troubridge's BIENFAISANCE was at this time thinking of mining +the fort. "If we can accomplish that," said he,"I am a strong advocate +to send them, hostages and all, to Old Nick, and surprise him with a +group of nobility and republicans. Meantime," he added,"it was some +satisfaction to perceive that the shells fell well, and broke some of +their shins." Finally, to complete his character, Mejan offered to +surrender for 150,000 ducats. Great Britain, perhaps, has made but too +little use of this kind of artillery, which France has found so +effectual towards subjugating the continent: but Troubridge had the prey +within his reach; and in the course of a few days, his last battery, +"after much trouble and palaver," as he said, "brought the vagabonds to +their senses." + +Troubridge had more difficulties to overcome this siege, from the +character of the Neapolitans who pretended to assist him, and whom he +made useful, than even from the strength of the place and the skill of +the French. "Such damned cowards and villains," he declared, "he had +never seen before." The men at the advanced posts carried on, what he +called, "a diabolical good understanding" with the enemy, and the +workmen would sometimes take fright and run away. "I make the best I +can," said he, "of the degenerate race I have to deal with; the whole +means of guns, ammunition, pioneers, &c., with all materials, rest with +them. With fair promises to the men, and threats of instant death if I +find any one erring, a little spur has been given." Nelson said of him +with truth, upon this occasion, that he was a first-rate general. "I +find, sir," said he afterwards in a letter to the Duke of Clarence, +"that General Koehler does not approve of such irregular proceedings as +naval officers attacking and defending fortifications. We have but one +idea--to get close alongside. None but a sailor would have placed a +battery only 180 yards from the Castle of St. Elmo; a soldier must have +gone according to art, and the /\/\/\/\ way. My brave Troubridge went +straight on, for we had no time to spare." + +Troubridge then proceeded to Capua, and took the command of the +motley besieging force. One thousand of the best men in the fleet were +sent to assist in the siege. Just at this time Nelson received a +peremptory order from Lord Keith to sail with the whole of his force for +the protection of Minorca; or, at least, to retain no more than was +absolutely necessary at Sicily. "You will easily conceive my feelings," +said he in communicating this to Earl St. Vincent; "but my mind, as your +lordship knows, was perfectly prepared for this order; and it is now, +more than ever, made up. At this moment I will not part with a single +ship; as I cannot do that without drawing a hundred and twenty men from +each ship, now at the siege of Capua. I am fully aware of the act I have +committed; but I am prepared for any fate which may await my +disobedience. Capua and Gaieta will soon fall; and the moment the +scoundrels of French are out of this kingdom I shall send eight or nine +ships of the line to Minorca. I have done what I thought right--others +may think differently; but it will be my consolation that I have gained +a kingdom, seated a faithful ally of his Majesty firmly on his throne, +and restored happiness to millions." + +At Capua, Troubridge had the same difficulties as at St. Elmo; and +being farther from Naples, and from the fleet, was less able to overcome +them. The powder was so bad that he suspected treachery; and when he +asked Nelson to spare him forty casks from the ships, he told him it +would be necessary that some Englishmen should accompany it, or they +would steal one-half, and change the other. "All the men you see," said +he, "gentle and simple, are such notorious villains, that it is misery +to be with them." Capua, however, soon fell; Gaieta immediately +afterwards surrendered to Captain Louis of the MINOTAUR. Here the +commanding officer acted more unlike a Frenchman, Captain Louis said, +than any one he had ever met; meaning that he acted like a man of +honour. He required, however, that the garrison should carry away their +horses, and other pillaged property: to which Nelson replied, "That no +property which they did not bring with them into the country could be +theirs: and that the greatest care should be taken to prevent them from +carrying it away." "I am sorry," said he to Captain Louis, "that you +have entered into any altercation. There is no way of dealing with a +Frenchman but to knock him down; to be civil to them is only to be +laughed at, when they are enemies." + +The whole kingdom of Naples was thus delivered by Nelson from the +French. The Admiralty, however, thought it expedient to censure him for +disobeying Lord Keith's orders, and thus hazarding Minorca, without, as +it appeared to them, any sufficient reason; and also for having landed +seamen for the siege of Capua, to form part of an army employed in +operations at a distance from the coast; where, in case of defeat, they +might have been prevented from returning to their ships; and they +enjoined him, "not to employ the seamen in like manner in future." This +reprimand was issued before the event was known; though, indeed, the +event would not affect the principle upon which it proceeded. When +Nelson communicated the tidings of his complete success, he said, in his +public letter, "that it would not be the less acceptable for having been +principally brought about by British sailors." His judgment in thus +employing them had been justified by the result; and his joy was +evidently heightened by the gratification of a professional and becoming +pride. To the first lord he said, at the same time, "I certainly, from +having only a left hand, cannot enter into details which may explain the +motives that actuated my conduct. My principle is, to assist in driving +the French to the devil, and in restoring peace and happiness to +mankind. I feel that I am fitter to do the action than to describe it." +He then added that he would take care of Minorca. + +In expelling the French from Naples, Nelson had, with characteristic +zeal and ability, discharged his duty; but he deceived himself when he +imagined that he had seated Ferdinand firmly on his throne, and that he +had restored happiness to millions. These objects might have been +accomplished if it had been possible to inspire virtue and wisdom into a +vicious and infatuated court; and if Nelson's eyes had not been, as it +were, spell-bound by that unhappy attachment, which had now completely +mastered him, he would have seen things as they were; and might, +perhaps, have awakened the Sicilian court to a sense of their interest, +if not of their duty. That court employed itself in a miserable round of +folly and festivity, while the prisons of Naples were filled with +groans, and the scaffolds streamed with blood. St. Januarius was +solemnly removed from his rank as patron saint of the kingdom, having +been convicted of Jacobinism; and St. Antonio as solemnly installed in +his place. The king, instead of re-establishing order at Naples by his +presence, speedily returned to Palermo, to indulge in his favourite +amusements. Nelson, and the ambassador's family, accompanied the court; +and Troubridge remained, groaning over the villany and frivolity of +those with whom he was compelled to deal. A party of officers applied to +him for a passage to Palermo, to see the procession of St. Rosalia: he +recommended them to exercise their troops, and not behave like children. +It was grief enough for him that the court should be busied in these +follies, and Nelson involved in them. "I dread, my lord," said he, "all +the feasting, &c. at Palermo. I am sure your health will be hurt. If +so, all their saints will be damned by the navy. The king would be +better employed digesting a good government; everything gives way to +their pleasures. The money spent at Palermo gives discontent here; fifty +thousand people are unemployed, trade discouraged, manufactures at a +stand. It is the interest of many here to keep the king away: they all +dread reform. Their villanies are so deeply rooted, that if some method +is not taken to dig them out, this government cannot hold together. Out +of twenty millions of ducats, collected as the revenue, only thirteen +millions reach the treasury; and the king pays four ducats where he +should pay one. He is surrounded by thieves; and none of them have +honour or honesty enough to tell him the real and true state of things." +In another letter he expressed his sense of the miserable state of +Naples. "There are upwards of forty thousand families," said he,"who +have relations confined. If some act of oblivion is not passed, there +will be no end of persecution; for the people of this country have no +idea of anything but revenge, and to gain a point would swear ten +thousand false oaths. Constant efforts are made to get a man taken up, +in order to rob him. The confiscated property does not reach the king's +treasury. All thieves! It is selling for nothing. His own people, whom +he employs, are buying it up, and the vagabonds pocket the whole. I +should not be surprised to hear that they brought a bill of expenses +against him for the sale." + +The Sicilian court, however, were at this time duly sensible of the +services which had been rendered them by the British fleet, and their +gratitude to Nelson was shown with proper and princely munificence. They +gave him the dukedom and domain of Bronte, worth about L3000 a year. It +was some days before he could be persuaded to accept it; the argument +which finally prevailed is said to have been suggested by the queen, and +urged, at her request, by Lady Hamilton upon her knees. "He considered +his own honour too much," she said, "if he persisted in refusing what +the king and queen felt to be absolutely necessary for the preservation +of theirs." The king himself, also, is said to have addressed him in +words, which show that the sense of rank will sometimes confer a virtue +upon those who seem to be most unworthy of the lot to which they have +been born: "Lord Nelson, do you wish that your name alone should pass +with honour to posterity; and that I, Ferdinand Bourbon, should appear +ungrateful?" He gave him also, when the dukedom was accepted, a diamond- +hilted sword, which his father, Char. III. of Spain, had given him on +his accession to the throne of the two Sicilies. Nelson said, "the +reward was magnificent, and worthy of a king, and he was determined that +the inhabitants on the domain should be the happiest in all his Sicilian +majesty's dominions. Yet," said he, speaking of these and the other +remunerations which were made him for his services, "these presents, +rich as they are, do not elevate me. My pride is, that at +Constantinople, from the grand seignior to the lowest Turk, the name of +Nelson is familiar in their mouths; and in this country I am everything +which a grateful monarch and people can call me." Nelson, however, had a +pardonable pride in the outward and visible signs of honour which he had +so fairly won. He was fond of his Sicilian title; the signification, +perhaps, pleased him; Duke of Thunder was what in Dahomy would be called +a STRONG NAME; it was to a sailor's taste; and certainly, to no man +could it ever be more applicable. But a simple offering, which he +received not long afterwards, from the island of Zante, affected him +with a deeper and finer feeling. The Greeks of that little community +sent him a golden-headed sword and a truncheon, set round with all the +diamonds that the island could furnish, in a single row. They thanked +him "for having, by his victory, preserved that part of Greece from the +horrors of anarchy; and prayed that his exploits might accelerate the +day, in which, amidst the glory and peace of thrones, the miseries of +the human race would cease." This unexpected tribute touched Nelson to +the heart. "No officer," he said, "had ever received from any country a +higher acknowledgment of his services." + +The French still occupied the Roman states; from which, according to +their own admission, they had extorted in jewels, plate, specie, and +requisitions of every kind, to the enormous amount of eight millions +sterling; yet they affected to appear as deliverers among the people +whom they were thus cruelly plundering; and they distributed portraits +of Buonaparte, with the blasphemous inscription, "This is the true +likeness of the holy saviour of the world!" The people, detesting the +impiety, and groaning beneath the exactions of these perfidious robbers, +were ready to join any regular force that should come to their +assistance; but they dreaded Cardinal Ruffo's rabble, and declared they +would resist him as a banditti, who came only for the purpose of +pillage. Nelson perceived that no object was now so essential for the +tranquillity of Naples as the recovery of Rome; which in the present +state of things, when Suvarof was driving the French before him, would +complete the deliverance of Italy. He applied, therefore, to Sir James +St. Clair Erskine, who in the absence of General Fox commanded at +Minorca, to assist in this great object with 1200 men. "The field of +glory," said he, "is a large one, and was never more open to any one +than at this moment to you. Rome would throw open her gates and receive +you as her deliverer; and the pope would owe his restoration to a +heretic." But Sir James Erskine looked only at the difficulties of the +undertaking. "Twelve hundred men, he thought, would be too small a force +to be committed in such an enterprise; for Civita Vecchia was a regular +fortress; the local situation and climate also were such, that even if +this force were adequate, it would be proper to delay the.expedition +till October. General Fox, too, was soon expected; and during his +absence, and under existing circumstances, he did not feel justified in +sending away such a detachment." + +What this general thought it imprudent to attempt, Nelson and +Troubridge effected without his assistance, by a small detachment from +the fleet. Troubridge first sent Captain Hallowell to Civita Vecchia to +offer the garrison there and at Castle St. Angelo the same terms which +had been granted to Gaieta. Hallowell perceived, by the overstrained +civility of the officers who came off to him, and the compliments which +they paid to the English nation, that they were sensible of their own +weakness and their inability to offer any effectual resistance; but the +French know, that while they are in a condition to serve their +government, they can rely upon it for every possible exertion in their +support; and this reliance gives them hope and confidence to the last. +Upon Hallowell's report, Troubridge, who had now been made Sir Thomas +for his services, sent Captain Louis with a squadron to enforce the +terms which he had offered; and, as soon as he could leave Naples, he +himself followed. The French, who had no longer any hope from the fate +of arms, relied upon their skill in negotiation, and proposed terms to +Troubridge with that effrontery which characterises their public +proceedings; but which is as often successful as it is impudent. They +had a man of the right stamp to deal with. Their ambassador at Rome +began by saying, that the Roman territory was the property of the French +by right of conquest. The British commodore settled that point, by +replying, "It is mine by reconquest." A capitulation was soon concluded +for all the Roman states, and Captain Louis rowed up the Tiber in his +barge, hoisted English colours on the capitol, and acted for the time as +governor of Rome. The 4prophecy of the Irish poet was thus accomplished, +and the friar reaped the fruits; for Nelson, who was struck with the +oddity of the circumstance, and not a little pleased with it, obtained +preferment for him from the King of Sicily, and recommended him to the +Pope. + +Having thus completed his work upon the continent of Italy, Nelson's +whole attention was directed towards Malta; where Captain Ball, with +most inadequate means, was besieging the French garrison. Never was any +officer engaged in more anxious and painful service: the smallest +reinforcement from France would, at any moment, have turned the scale +against him; and had it not been for his consummate ability, and the +love and veneration with which the Maltese regarded him, Malta must have +remained in the hands of the enemy. Men, money, food--all things were +wanting. The garrison consisted of 5000 troops; the besieging force of +500 English and Portuguese marines, and about 1500 armed peasants. Long +and repeatedly did Nelson solicit troops to effect the reduction of this +important place. "It has been no fault of the navy," said he, "that +Malta has not been attacked by land; but we have neither the means +ourselves nor influence with those who have." The same causes of +demurral existed which prevented British troops from assisting in the +expulsion of the French from Rome. Sir James Erskine was expecting +General Fox; he could not act without orders; and not having, like +Nelson, that lively spring of hope within him, which partakes enough of +the nature of faith to work miracles in war, he thought it "evident that +unless a respectable land force, in numbers sufficient to undertake the +siege of such a garrison, in one of the strongest places of Europe, and +supplied with proportionate artillery and stores, were sent against it, +no reasonable hope could be entertained of its surrender." Nelson +groaned over the spirit of over-reasoning caution and unreasoning +obedience. "My heart," said he, "is almost broken. If the enemy gets +supplies in, we may bid adieu to Malta; all the force we can collect +would then be of little use against the strongest place in Europe. To +say that an officer is never, for any object, to alter his orders, is +what I cannot comprehend. The circumstances of this war so often vary, +that an officer has almost every moment to consider, what would my +superiors direct, did they know what was passing under my nose?" "But, +sir," said he writing to the Duke of Clarence, "I find few think as I +do. To obey orders is all perfection. To serve my king, and to destroy +the French, I consider as the great order of all, from which little ones +spring; and if one of these militate against it (for who can tell +exactly at a distance?) I go back and obey the great order and object, +to down--down with the damned French villains!--my blood boils at the +name of Frenchmen!" + +At length, General Fox arrived at Minorca--and at length permitted +Col. Graham to go to Malta, but with means miserably limited. In fact, +the expedition was at a stand for want of money; when Troubridge +arriving at Messina to co-operate in it, and finding this fresh delay, +immediately offered all that he could command of his own. "I procured +him, my lord," said he to Nelson,"1500 of my cobs--every farthing and +every atom of me shall be devoted to the cause." "What can this mean?" +said Nelson, when he learned that Col. Graham was ordered not to incur +any expenses for stores, or any articles except provisions!--"the cause +cannot stand still for want of a little money. If nobody will pay it, I +will sell Bronte and the Emperor of Russia's box." And he actually +pledged Bronte for L6600 if there should be any difficulty about paying +the bills. The long-delayed expedition was thus, at last, sent forth; +but Troubridge little imagined in what scenes of misery he was to bear +his part. He looked to Sicily for supplies: it was the interest, as +well as the duty of the Sicilian government to use every exertion for +furnishing them; and Nelson and the British ambassador were on the spot +to press upon them the necessity of exertion. But, though Nelson saw +with what a knavish crew the Sicilian court was surrounded, he was blind +to the vices of the court itself; and resigning himself wholly to Lady +Hamilton's influence, never even suspected the crooked policy which it +was remorselessly pursuing. The Maltese and the British in Malta +severely felt it. Troubridge, who had the truest affection for Nelson, +knew his infatuation, and feared that it might prove injurious to his +character, as well as fatal to an enterprise which had begun so well, +and been carried on so patiently. + +"My lord," said he, writing to him from the siege, "we are dying off +fast for want. I learn that Sir William Hamilton says Prince Luzzi +refused corn some time ago, and Sir William does not think it worth +while making another application. If that be the case, I wish he +commanded this distressing scene instead of me. Puglia had an immense +harvest; near thirty sail left Messina before I did, to load corn. Will +they let us have any? If not, a short time will decide the business. +The German interest prevails. I wish I was at your Lordship's elbow for +an hour. ALL, ALL, will be thrown on you!- I will parry the blow as much +as in my power: I foresee much mischief brewing. God bless your +Lordship; I am miserable I cannot assist your operations more. Many +happy returns of the day to you--(it was the first of the new year)-- +I never spent so miserable a one. I am not very tender-hearted; but +really the distress here would even move a Neapolitan." Soon afterwards +he wrote,"I have this day saved thirty thousand people from starving; +but with this day my ability ceases. As the government are bent on +starving us, I see no alternative but to leave these poor unhappy +people to perish, without our being witnesses of their distress. I curse +the day I ever served the Neapolitan government. We have characters, my +lord, to lose; these people have none. Do not suffer their infamous +conduct to fall on us. Our country is just, but severe. Such is the +fever of my brain this minute, that I assure you, on my honour, if the +Palermo traitors were here, I would shoot them first, and then myself. +Girgenti is full of corn; the money is ready to pay for it; we do not +ask it as a gift. Oh! could you see the horrid distress I daily +experience, something would be done. Some engine is at work against us +at Naples; and I believe I hit on the proper person. If you complain he +will be immediately promoted, agreeably to the Neapolitan custom. All I +write to you is known at the queen's. For my own part, I look upon the +Neapolitans as the worst of intriguing enemies: every hour shows me +their infamy and duplicity. I pray your lordship be cautious: your +honest, open manner of acting will be made a handle of. When I see you, +and tell of their infamous tricks, you will be as much surprised as I +am. The whole will fall on you." + +Nelson was not, and could not be, insensible to the distress which +his friend so earnestly represented. He begged, almost on his knees, he +said, small supplies of money and corn, to keep the Maltese from +starving. And when the court granted a small supply, protesting their +poverty, he believed their protestations, and was satisfied with their +professions, instead of insisting that the restrictions upon the +exportation of corn should be withdrawn. The anxiety, however, which he +endured, affected him so deeply that he said it had broken his spirit +for ever. Happily, all that Troubridge with so much reason foreboded, +did not come to pass. For Captain Ball, with more decision than Nelson +himself would have shown at that time and upon that occasion, ventured +upon a resolute measure, for which his name would deserve always to be +held in veneration by the Maltese, even if it had no other claims to the +love and reverence of a grateful people. Finding it hopeless longer to +look for succour or common humanity from the deceitful and infatuated +court of Sicily, which persisted in prohibiting by sanguinary edicts the +exportation of supplies, at his own risk, he sent his first lieutenant +to the port of Girgenti, with orders to seize and bring with him to +Malta the ships which were there lying laden with corn; of the numbers +of which he had received accurate information. These orders were +executed to the great delight and advantage of the shipowners and +proprietors: the necessity of raising the siege was removed, and Captain +Ball waited in calmness for the consequences to himself. The Neapolitan +government complained to the English ambassador, and the complaint was +communicated to Nelson, who, in return, requested Sir William Hamilton +would fully and plainly state, that the act ought not to be considered +as any intended disrespect to his Sicilian Majesty, but as of the most +absolute and imperious necessity; the alternative being either of +abandoning Malta to the French, or of anticipating the king's orders for +carrying the corn in those vessels to Malta. "I trust," he added, "that +the government of the country will never again force any of our royal +master's servants to so unpleasant an alternative." Thus ended the +complaint of the Neapolitan court. "The sole result was," says Mr. +Coleridge, "that the governor of Malta became an especial object of its +hatred, its fears, and its respect." + +Nelson himself, at the beginning of February, sailed for that island. +On the way he fell in with a French squadron bound for its relief, and +consisting of the GENEREUX seventy-four, three frigates, and a corvette. +One of these frigates and the line-of-battle ship were taken; the others +escaped, but failed in their purpose of reaching La Valette. This +success was peculiarly gratifying to Nelson, for many reasons. During +some months he had acted as commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean, +while Lord Keith was in England. Lord Keith was now returned; and Nelson +had, upon his own plan, and at his own risk, left him to sail for Malta, +"for which," said he, "if I had not succeeded, I might have been broke: +and if I had not acted thus, the GENEREUX never would have been taken." +This ship was one of those which had escaped from Aboukir. Two frigates, +and the GUILLAUME TELL, eighty-six were all that now remained of the +fleet which Buonaparte had conducted to Egypt. The GUILLAUME TELL was at +this time closely watched in the harbour of La Valette; and shortly +afterwards, attempting to make her escape from thence, was taken after +an action, in which greater skill was never displayed by British ships, +nor greater gallantry by an enemy. She was taken by the FOUDROYANT, +LION, and PENELOPE frigate. Nelson, rejoicing at what he called this +glorious finish to the whole French Mediterranean fleet, rejoiced also +that he was not present to have taken a sprig of these brave men's +laurels. "They are," said he, "and I glory in them, my children; they +served in my school; and all of us caught our professional zeal and fire +from the great and good Earl St. Vincent. What a pleasure, what happi- +ness, to have the Nile fleet all taken, under my orders and regul- +ations!" The two frigates still remained in La Valette; before its sur- +render they stole out; one was taken in the attempt; the other was the +only ship of the whole fleet which escaped capture or destruction. + +Letters were found on board the GUILLAUME TELL showing that the +French were now become hopeless of preserving the conquest which they +had so foully acquired. Troubridge and his brother officers were anxious +that Nelson should have the honour of signing the capitulation. They +told, him that they absolutely, as far as they dared, insisted on his +staying to do this; but their earnest and affectionate entreaties were +vain. Sir William Hamilton had just been superseded: Nelson had no +feeling of cordiality towards Lord Keith; and thinking that after Earl +St. Vincent no man had so good a claim to the command in the +Mediterranean as himself, he applied for permission to return to +England; telling the First Lord of the Admiralty that his spirit could +not submit patiently, and that he was a broken-hearted man. From the +time of his return from Egypt, amid all the honours which were showered +upon him, he had suffered many mortifications. Sir Sidney Smith had been +sent to Egypt with orders to take under his command the squadron which +Nelson had left there. Sir Sidney appears to have thought that this +command was to be independent of Nelson; and Nelson himself thinking so, +determined to return, saying to Earl St. Vincent, "I do feel, for I am a +man, that it is impossible for me to serve in these seas with a squadron +under a junior officer." Earl St. Vincent seems to have dissuaded him +from this resolution: some heart-burnings, however, still remained, and +some incautious expressions of Sir Sidney's were noticed by him in terms +of evident displeasure. But this did not continue long, as no man bore +more willing testimony than Nelson to the admirable defence of Acre. + +He differed from Sir Sidney as to the policy which ought to be +pursued toward the French in Egypt; and strictly commanded him, in the +strongest language, not, on any pretence, to permit a single Frenchman +to leave the country, saying that he considered it nothing short of +madness to permit that band of thieves to return to Europe. "No," said +he, "to Egypt they went with their own consent, and there they shall +remain while Nelson commands this squadron; for never, never, will he +consent to the return of one ship or Frenchman. I wish them to perish in +Egypt, and give an awful lesson to the world of the justice of the +Almighty." If Nelson had not thoroughly understood the character of the +enemy against whom he was engaged, their conduct in Egypt would have +disclosed it. After the battle of the Nile he had landed all his +prisoners, upon a solemn engagement made between Troubridge on one side +and Captain Barre on the other, that none of them should serve until +regularly exchanged. They were no sooner on shore than part of them were +drafted into the different regiments, and the remainder formed into a +corps, called the Nautic Legion. This occasioned Captain Hallowell to +say that the French had forfeited all claim to respect from us. "The +army of Buonaparte," said he, "are entirely destitute of every principle +of honour: they have always acted like licentious thieves." Buonaparte's +escape was the more regretted by Nelson, because, if he had had +sufficient force, he thought it would certainly have been prevented. He +wished to keep ships upon the watch to intercept anything coming from +Egypt; but the Admiralty calculated upon the assistance of the Russian +fleet, which failed when it was most wanted. The ships which should have +been thus employed were then required for more pressing services;and the +bloody Corsican was thus enabled to reach Europe in safety; there to +become the guilty instrument of a wider-spreading destruction than any +with which the world had ever before been visited. + +Nelson had other causes of chagrin. Earl St. Vincent, for whom he +felt such high respect, and whom Sir John Orde had challenged for having +nominated Nelson instead of himself to the command of the Nile squadron, +laid claim to prize money, as commander-in-chief, after he had quitted +the station. The point was contested, and decided against him. Nelson, +perhaps, felt this the more, because his own feelings, with regard to +money, were so different. An opinion had been given by Dr. Lawrence, +which would have excluded the junior flag-officers from prize-money. +When this was made known to him, his reply was in these words: +"Notwithstanding Dr. Lawrence's opinion, I do not believe I have any +right to exclude the junior flag-officers; and if I have, I desire that +no such claim may be made: no, not if it were sixty times the sum--and, +poor as I am, I were never to see prize-money." + +A ship could not be spared to convey him to England; he therefore +travelled through Germany to Hamburgh, in company with his inseparable +friends, Sir William and Lady Hamilton. The Queen of Naples went with +them to Vienna. While they were at Leghorn, upon a report that the +French were approaching (for, through the folly of weak courts and the +treachery of venal cabinets, they had now recovered their ascendancy in +Italy), the people rose tumultuously, and would fain have persuaded +Nelson to lead them against the enemy. Public honours, and yet more +gratifying testimonials of public admiration, awaited Nelson wherever he +went. The Prince of Esterhazy entertained him in a style of Hungarian +magnificence--a hundred grenadiers, each six feet in height, +constantly waiting at table. At Madgeburgh, the master of the hotel +where he was entertained contrived to show him for money--admitting the +curious to mount a ladder, and peep at him through a small window. A +wine merchant at Hamburgh, who was above seventy years of age, requested +to speak with Lady Hamilton; and told her he had some Rhenish wine, of +the vintage of 1625, which had been in his own possession more than +half-a-century: he had preserved it for some extraordinary occasion; and +that which had now arrived was far beyond any that he could ever have +expected. His request was, that her ladyship would prevail upon Lord +Nelson to accept six dozen of this incomparable wine: part of it would +then have the honour to flow into the heart's blood of that immortal +hero; and this thought would make him happy during the remainder of his +life. Nelson, when this singular request was reported to him, went into +the room, and taking the worthy old gentleman kindly by the hand, +consented to receive six bottles, provided the donor would dine with him +next day. Twelve were sent; and Nelson, saying that he hoped yet to win +half-a-dozen more great victories, promised to lay by six bottles of his +Hamburgh friend's wine, for the purpose of drinking one after each. A +German pastor, between seventy and eighty years of age, travelled forty +miles, with the Bible of his parish church, to request that Nelson would +write his name on the first leaf of it. He called him the Saviour of the +Christian world. The old man's hope deceived him. There was no Nelson +upon shore, or Europe would have been saved; but in his foresight of +the horrors with which all Germany and all Christendom were threatened +by France, the pastor could not possibly have apprehended more than has +actually taken place. + + + +CHAPTER VII + +1800 - 1801 + +Nelson separates himself from his Wife--Northern Confederacy-- +He goes to the Baltic, under Sir Hyde Parker--Battle of +Copenhagen, and subsequent Negotiation--Nelson is made a Viscount. + +* + +NELSON was welcomed in England with every mark of popular honour. At +Yarmouth, where he landed, every ship in the harbour hoisted her +colours. The mayor and corporation waited upon him with the freedom of +the town, and accompanied him in procession to church, with all the +naval officers on shore, and the principal inhabitants. Bonfires and +illuminations concluded the day; and on the morrow, the volunteer +cavalry drew up, and saluted him as he departed, and followed the +carriage to the borders of the county. At Ipswich, the people came out +to meet him, drew him a mile into the town, and three miles out. When he +was in the AGAMEMNON, he wished to represent this place in parliament, +and some of his friends had consulted the leading men of the +corporation--the result was not successful; and Nelson, observing that +he would endeavour to find out a preferable path into parliament, said +there might come a time when the people of Ipswich would think it an +honour to have had him for their representative. In London, he was +feasted by the City, drawn by the populace from Ludgate-hill to +Guildhall, and received the thanks of the common-council for his great +victory, and a golden-hilted sword studded with diamonds. Nelson had +every earthly blessing except domestic happiness; he had forfeited that +for ever. Before he had been three months in England he separated from +Lady Nelson. Some of his last words to her were--"I call God to witness, +there is nothing in you, or your conduct, that I wish otherwise." This +was the consequence of his infatuated attachment to Lady Hamilton. It +had before caused a quarrel with his son-in-law, and occasioned +remonstrances from his truest friends, which produced no other effect +than that of making him displeased with them, and more dissatisfied with +himself. + +The Addington administration was just at this time formed; and +Nelson, who had solicited employment, and been made vice-admiral of the +blue, was sent to the Baltic, as second in command, under Sir Hyde +Parker, by Earl St. Vincent, the new First Lord of the Admiralty. The +three Northern courts had formed a confederacy for making England resign +her naval rights. Of these courts, Russia was guided by the passions of +its emperor, Paul, a man not without fits of generosity, and some +natural goodness, but subject to the wildest humours of caprice, and +erased by the possession of greater power than can ever be safely, or +perhaps innocently, possessed by weak humanity. Denmark was French at +heart: ready to co-operate in all the views of France, to recognise all +her usurpations, and obey all her injunctions. Sweden, under a king +whose principles were right, and whose feelings were generous, but who +had a taint of hereditary insanity, acted in acquiescence with the +dictates of two powers whom it feared to offend. The Danish navy, at +this time, consisted of 23 ships of the line, with about 31 frigates and +smaller vessels, exclusive of guard-ships. The Swedes had 18 ships of +the line, 14 frigates and sloops, seventy-four galleys and smaller vessels, +besides gun-boats; and this force was in a far better state of equipment +than the Danish. The Russians had 82 sail of the line and 40 frigates. +Of these there were 47 sail of the line at Cronstadt, Revel, +Petersburgh, and Archangel; but the Russian fleet was ill-manned, ill- +officered, and ill-equipped. Such a combination under the influence of +France would soon have become formidable; and never did the British +Cabinet display more decision than in instantly preparing to crush it. +They erred, however, in permitting any petty consideration to prevent +them from appointing Nelson to the command. The public properly murmured +at seeing it intrusted to another; and he himself said to Earl St. +Vincent that, circumstanced as he was, this expedition would probably be +the last service that he should ever perform. The earl, in reply, +besought him, for God's sake, not to suffer himself to be carried away +by any sudden impulse. + +The season happened to be unusually favourable; so mild a winter had +not been known in the Baltic for many years. When Nelson joined the +fleet at Yarmouth, he found the admiral "a little nervous about dark +nights and fields of ice." "But we must brace up," said he; "these are +not times for nervous systems. I hope we shall give our northern enemies +that hailstorm of bullets which gives our dear country the dominion of +the sea. We have it, and all the devils in the north cannot take it from +us, if our wooden walls have fair play." Before the fleet left Yarmouth, +it was sufficiently known that its destination was against Denmark. Some +Danes, who belonged to the AMAZON frigate, went to Captain Riou, and +telling him what they had heard, begged that he would get them exchanged +into a ship bound on some other destination. "They had no wish," they +said,"to quit the British service; but they entreated that they might +not be forced to fight against their own country." There was not in our +whole navy a man who had a higher and more chivalrous sense of duty than +Riou. Tears came into his eyes while the men were speaking. Without +making any reply, he instantly ordered his boat, and did not return to +the AMAZON till he could tell them that their wish was effected. The +fleet sailed on the 12th of March. Mr. Vansittart sailed in it; the +British Cabinet still hoping to attain its end by negotiation. It was +well for England that Sir Hyde Parker placed a fuller confidence in +Nelson than the government seems to have done at this most important +crisis. Her enemies might well have been astonished at learning that any +other man should for a moment have been thought of for the command. But +so little deference was paid, even at this time, to his intuitive and +all-commanding genius, that when the fleet had reached its first +rendezvous, at the entrance of the Cattegat, he had received no official +communication whatever of the intended operations. His own mind had been +made up upon them with its accustomed decision. "All I have gathered of +our first plans," said he, "I disapprove most exceedingly. Honour may +arise from them; good cannot. I hear we are likely to anchor outside of +Cronenburgh Castle, instead of Copenhagen, which 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. The +Dane should see our flag every moment he lifted up his head." + +Mr Vansittart left the fleet at the Scaw, and preceded it in a +frigate with a flag of truce. Precious time was lost by this delay, +which was to be purchased by the dearest blood of Britain and Denmark: +according to the Danes themselves, the intelligence that a British fleet +was seen off the Sound produced a much more general alarm in Copenhagen +than its actual arrival in the Roads; for the means of defence were at +that time in such a state that they could hardly hope to resist, still +less to repel an enemy. On the 21st Nelson had a long conference with +Sir Hyde; and the next day addressed a letter to him, worthy of himself +and of the occasion. Mr. Vansittart's report had then been received. It +represented the Danish government as in the highest degree hostile, and +their state of preparation as exceeding what our cabinet had supposed +possible; for Denmark had profited with all activity of the leisure +which had so impoliticly been given her. "The more I have reflected," +said Nelson to his commander, "the more I am confirmed in opinion, that +not a moment should be lost in attacking the enemy. They will every day +and every hour be stronger; we shall never be so good a match for them +as at this moment. The only consideration is, how to get at them with +the least risk to our ships. Here you are, with almost the safety, +certainly with 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, I do repeat, never did +our country depend so much upon the success of any fleet as on this. How +best to honour her and abate the pride of her enemies, must be the +subject of your deepest consideration." + +Supposing him to force the passage of the Sound, Nelson thought some +damage might be done among the masts and yards; though, perhaps, not one +of them but would be serviceable again. "If the wind be fair," said he, +"and you determined to attack the ships and Crown Islands, you must +expect the natural issue of such a battle-- ships crippled, and perhaps +one or two lost for the wind which carries you in will most probably not +bring out a crippled ship. This mode I call taking the bull by the +horns. It, however, will not prevent the Revel ships, or the Swedes, +from joining the Danes and to prevent this is, in my humble opinion, a +measure absolutely necessary, and still to attack Copenhagen." For this +he proposed two modes. One was to pass Cronenburg, taking the risk of +danger; take the deepest and straightest channel along the middle +grounds, and then coming down to Garbar, or King's Channel, attack the +Danish line of floating batteries and ships as might be found +convenient. This would prevent a junction, and might give an opportunity +of bombarding Copenhagen. Or to take the passage of the Belt, which +might be accomplished in four or five days; and then the attack by Draco +might be made, and the junction of the Russians prevented. Supposing +them through the Belt, he proposed that a detachment of the fleet should +be sent to destroy the Russian squadron at Revel; and that the business +at Copenhagen should be attempted with the remainder. "The measure," he +said, "might be thought bold; but the boldest measures are the safest." + +The pilots, as men who had nothing but safety to think of, were +terrified by the formidable report of the batteries of Elsinore, and the +tremendous preparations which our negotiators, who were now returned +from their fruitless mission, had witnessed. They, therefore, persuaded +Sir Hyde to prefer the passage of the Belt. "Let it be by the Sound, by +the Belt, or anyhow," cried Nelson,"only lose not an hour!" On the 26th +they sailed for the Belt. Such was the habitual reserve of Sir Hyde that +his own captain, the captain of the fleet, did not know which course he +had resolved to take till the fleet were getting under weigh. When +Captain Domett was thus apprised of it, he felt it his duty to represent +to the admiral his belief that if that course were persevered in, the +ultimate object would be totally defeated: it was liable to long delays, +and to accidents of ships grounding; in the whole fleet there were only +one captain and one pilot who knew anything of this formidable passage +(as it was then deemed), and their knowledge was very slight--their +instructions did not authorise them to attempt it. Supposing them safe +through the Belts, the heavy ships could not come over the GROUNDS to +attack Copenhagen; and light vessels would have no effect on such a line +of defence as had been prepared against them. Domett urged these reasons +so forcibly that Sir Hyde's opinion was shaken, and he consented to +bring the fleet to and send for Nelson on board. There can be little +doubt but that the expedition would have failed if Captain Domett had +not thus timeously and earnestly given his advice. Nelson entirely +agreed with him; and it was finally determined to take the passage of +the Sound, and the fleet returned to its former anchorage. + +The next day was more idly expended in despatching a flag of truce to +the governor of Cronenburg Castle, to ask whether he had received orders +to fire at the British fleet; as the admiral must consider the first gun +to be a declaration of war on the part of Denmark. A soldier-like and +becoming answer was returned to this formality. The governor said that +the British minister had not been sent away from Copenhagen, but had +obtained a passport at his own demand. He himself, as a soldier, could +not meddle with politics; but he was not at liberty to suffer a fleet, +of which the intention was not yet known, to approach the guns of the +castle which he had the honour to command: and he requested, "if the +British admiral should think proper to make any proposals to the King of +Denmark, that he might be apprised of it before the fleet approached +nearer." During this intercourse, a Dane, who came on board the +commander's ship, having occasion to express his business in writing, +found the pen blunt; and, holding it up, sarcastically said, "If your +guns are not better pointed than your pens, you will make little +impression on Copenhagen!" + +On that day intelligence reached the admiral of the loss of one of +his fleet, the INVINCIBLE, seventy-four, wrecked on a sand-bank, as she +was coming out of Yarmouth: four hundred of her men perished in her. +Nelson, who was now appointed to lead the van, shifted his flag to the +ELEPHANT, Captain Foley--a lighter ship than the ST. GEORGE, and, there- +fore, fitter for the expected operations. The two following days were +calm. Orders had been given to pass the Sound as soon as the wind would +permit; and, on the afternoon of the 29th, the ships were cleared for +action, with an alacrity characteristic of British seamen. At daybreak +on the 30th it blew a topsail breeze from N.W. The signal was made, and +the fleet moved on in order of battle; Nelson's division in the van, Sir +Hyde's in the centre, and Admiral Graves' in the rear. + +Great actions, whether military or naval, have generally given +celebrity to the scenes from whence they are denominated; and thus petty +villages, and capes and bays known only to the coasting trader, become +associated with mighty deeds, and their names are made conspicuous in +the history of the world. Here, however, the scene was every way worthy +of the drama. The political importance of the Sound is such, that grand +objects are not needed there to impress the imagination; yet is the +channel full of grand and interesting objects, both of art and nature. +This passage, which Denmark had so long considered as the key of the +Baltic, is, in its narrowest part, about three miles wide; and here the +city of Elsinore is situated; except Copenhagen, the most flourishing of +the Danish towns. Every vessel which passes lowers her top-gallant sails +and pays toll at Elsinore; a toll which is believed to have had its +origin in the consent of the traders to that sea, Denmark taking upon +itself the charge of constructing lighthouses, and erecting signals, to +mark the shoals and rocks from the Cattegat to the Baltic; and they, on +their part, agreeing that all ships should pass this way in order that +all might pay their shares: none from that time using the passage of +the Belt, because it was not fitting that they who enjoyed the benefit +of the beacons in dark and stormy weather, should evade contributing to +them in fair seasons and summer nights. Of late years about ten thousand +vessels had annually paid this contribution in time of peace. Adjoining +Elsinore, and at the edge of the peninsular promontory, upon the nearest +point of land to the Swedish coast, stands Cronenburgh Castle, built +after Tycho Brahe's design; a magnificent pile--at once a palace, and +fortress, and state-prison, with its spires, and towers, and +battlements, and batteries. On the left of the strait is the old Swedish +city of Helsinburg, at the foot, and on the side of a hill. To the north +of Helsinburg the shores are steep and rocky; they lower to the south; +and the distant spires of Lanscrona, Lund, and Malmoe are seen in the +flat country. The Danish shores consist partly of ridges of sand; but +more frequently they are diversified with cornfields, meadows, slopes, +and are covered with rich wood, and villages, and villas, and summer +palaces belonging to the king and the nobility, and denoting the +vicinity of a great capital. The isles of Huen, Statholm, and Amak, +appear in the widening channel; and at the distance of twenty miles from +Elsinore stands Copenhagen in full view; the best city of the north, and +one of the finest capitals of Europe, visible, with its stately spires, +far off. Amid these magnificent objects there are some which possess a +peculiar interest for the recollections which they call forth. The isle +of Huen, a lovely domain, about six miles in circumference, had been the +munificent gift of Frederick the Second to Tycho Brahe. It has higher +shores than the near coast of Zealand, or than the Swedish coast in that +part. Here most of his discoveries were made; and here the ruins are to +be seen of his observatory, and of the mansion where he was visited by +princes; and where, with a princely spirit, he received and entertained +all comers from all parts, and promoted science by his liberality as +well as by his labours. Elsinore is a name familiar to English ears, +being inseparably associated with HAMLET, and one of the noblest works +of human genius. Cronenburgh had been the scene of deeper tragedy: here +Queen Matilda was confined, the victim of a foul and murderous court +intrigue. Here, amid heart-breaking griefs, she found consolation in +nursing her infant. Here she took her everlasting leave of that infant, +when, by the interference of England, her own deliverance was obtained; +and as the ship bore her away from a country where the venial +indiscretions of youth and unsuspicious gaiety had been so cruelly +punished, upon these towers she fixed her eyes, and stood upon the deck, +obstinately gazing toward them till the last speck had disappeared. + +The Sound being the only frequented entrance to the Baltic, the great +Mediterranean of the North, few parts of the sea display so frequent a +navigation. In the height of the season not fewer than a hundred vessels +pass every four-and-twenty hours for many weeks in succession; but never +had so busy or so splendid a scene been exhibited there as on this day, +when the British fleet prepared to force that passage where, till now, +all ships had vailed their topsails to the flag of Denmark. The whole +force consisted of fifty-one sail of various descriptions, of which +sixteen were of the line. The greater part of the bomb and gun vessels +took their stations off Cronenburgh Castle, to cover the fleet; while +others on the larboard were ready to engage the Swedish shore. The +Danes, having improved every moment which ill-timed negotiation and +baffling weather gave them, had lined their shores with batteries; and +as soon as the MONARCH, which was the leading ship, came abreast of +them, a fire was opened from about a hundred pieces of cannon and +mortars; our light vessels immediately, in return, opened their fire +upon the castle. Here was all the pompous circumstance and exciting +reality of war, without its effects; for this ostentatious display was +but a bloodless prelude to the wide and sweeping destruction which was +soon to follow. The enemy's shot fell near enough to splash the water +on board our ships: not relying upon any forbearance of the Swedes, they +meant to have kept the mid channel; but when they perceived that not a +shot was fired from Helsinburg, and that no batteries were to be seen on +the Swedish shore, they inclined to that side, so as completely to get +out of reach of the Danish guns. The uninterrupted blaze which was kept +up from them till the fleet had passed, served only to exhilarate our +sailors, and afford them matter for jest, as the shot fell in showers a +full cable's length short of its destined aim. A few rounds were re- +turned from some of our leading ships, till they perceived its in- +utility: this, however, occasioned the only bloodshed of the day, some +of our men being killed and wounded by the bursting of a gun. As soon as +the main body had passed, the gun vessels followed, desisting from their +bombardment, which had been as innocent as that of the enemy; and, about +mid-day, the whole fleet anchored between the island of Huen and Copen- +hagen. Sir Hyde, with Nelson, Admiral Graves, some of the senior +captains, and the commanding officers of the artillery and the troops, +then proceeded in a lugger to reconnoitre the enemy's means of defence; +a formidable line of ships, radeaus, pontoons, galleys, fire-ships and +gun-boats, flanked and supported by extensive batteries, and occupying, +from one extreme point to the other, an extent of nearly four miles. + +A council of war was held In the afternoon. It was apparent that the +Danes could not be attacked without great difficulty and risk; and some +of the members of the council spoke of the number of the Swedes and the +Russians whom they should afterwards have to engage, as a consideration +which ought to be borne in mind. Nelson, who kept pacing the cabin, +impatient as he ever was of anything which savoured of irresolution, +repeatedly said, "The more numerous the better: I wish they were twice +as many,--the easier the victory, depend on it." The plan upon which he +had determined; if ever it should be his fortune to bring a Baltic fleet +to action, was, to attack the head of their line and confuse their +movements. "Close with a Frenchman," he used to say, "but out manoeuvre +a Russian." He offered his services for the attack, requiring ten sail +of the line and the whole of the smaller craft. Sir Hyde gave him two +more line-of-battle ships than he asked, and left everything to his +judgment. + +The enemy's force was not the only, nor the greatest, obstacle with +which the British fleet had to contend: there was another to be +overcome before they could come in contact with it. The channel was +little known and extremely intricate: all the buoys had been removed; +and the Danes considered this difficulty as almost insuperable, thinking +the channel impracticable for so large a fleet. Nelson himself saw the +soundings made and the buoys laid down, boating it upon this exhausting +service, day and night, till it was effected. When this was done he +thanked God for having enabled him to get through this difficult part of +his duty. "It had worn him down," he said, "and was infinitely more +grievous to him than any resistance which he could experience from the +enemy." + +At the first council of war, opinions inclined to an attack from the +eastward; but the next day, the wind being southerly, after a second +examination of the Danish position, it was determined to attack from the +south, approaching in the manner which Nelson had suggested in his first +thoughts. On the morning of the 1st of April the whole fleet removed to +an anchorage within two leagues of the town, and off the N.W. end of the +Middle Ground; a shoal lying exactly before the town, at about three +quarters of a mile distance, and extending along its whole sea-front. +The King's Channel, where there is deep water, is between this shoal and +the town; and here the Danes had arranged their line of defence, as near +the shore as possible: nineteen ships and floating batteries, flanked, +at the end nearest the town, by the Crown Batteries, which were two +artificial islands, at the mouth of the harbour--most formidable works; +the larger one having, by the Danish account, 66 guns; but, as Nelson +believed, 88. The fleet having anchored, Nelson, with Riou, in the +AMAZON, made his last examination of the ground; and about one o'clock, +returning to his own ship, threw out the signal to weigh. It was +received with a shout throughout the whole division; they weighed with a +light and favourable wind: the narrow channel between the island of +Saltholm and the Middle Ground had been accurately buoyed; the small +craft pointed out the course distinctly; Riou led the way: the whole +division coasted along the outer edge of the shoal, doubled its further +extremity, and anchored there off Draco Point, just as the darkness +closed--the headmost of the enemy's line not being more than two miles +distant. The signal to prepare for action had been made early in the +evening; and as his own anchor dropt, Nelson called out, "I will fight +them the moment I have a fair wind!" It had been agreed that Sir Hyde, +with the remaining ships, should weigh on the following morning, at the +same time as Nelson, to menace the Crown Batteries on his side, and the +four ships of the line which lay at the entrance of the arsenal; and to +cover our own disabled ships as they came out of action. + +The Danes, meantime, had not been idle: no sooner did the guns of +Cronenburgh make it known to the whole city that all negotiation was at +an end, that the British fleet was passing the Sound, and that the +dispute between the two crowns must now be decided by arms, than a +spirit displayed itself most honourable to the Danish character. All +ranks offered themselves to the service of their country; the university +furnished a corps of 1200 youth, the flower of Denmark--it was one of +those emergencies in which little drilling or discipline is necessary to +render courage available: they had nothing to learn but how to manage +the guns, and day and night were employed in practising them. When the +movements of Nelson's squadron were perceived, it was known when and +where the attack was to be expected, and the line of defence was manned +indiscriminately by soldiers, sailors, and citizens. Had not the whole +attention of the Danes been directed to strengthen their own means of +defence, they might most materially have annoyed the invading squadron, +and perhaps frustrated the impending attack; for the British ships were +crowded in an anchoring ground of little extent:--it was calm, so that +mortar-boats might have acted against them to the utmost advantage; and +they were within range of shells from Amak Island. A few fell among +them; but the enemy soon ceased to fire. It was learned afterwards, +that, fortunately for the fleet, the bed of the mortar had given way; +and the Danes either could not get it replaced, or, in the darkness, +lost the direction. + +This was an awful night for Copenhagen--far more so than for the +British fleet, where the men were accustomed to battle and victory, and +had none of those objects before their eyes which rendered death +terrible. Nelson sat down to table with a large party of his officers: +he was, as he was ever wont to be when on the eve of action, in high +spirits, and drank to a leading wind, and to the success of the morrow. +After supper they returned to their respective ships, except Riou, who +remained to arrange the order of battle with Nelson and Foley, and to +draw up instructions. Hardy, meantime, went in a small boat to examine +the channel between them and the enemy; approaching so near that he +sounded round their leading ship with a pole, lest the noise of throwing +the lead should discover him. The incessant fatigue of body, as well as +mind, which Nelson had undergone during the last three days, had so +exhausted him that he was earnestly urged to go to his cot; and his old +servant, Allen, using that kind of authority which long and affectionate +services entitled and enabled him to assume on such occasions, insisted +upon his complying. The cot was placed on the floor, and he continued to +dictate from it. About eleven Hardy returned, and reported the +practicability of the channel, and the depth of water up to the enemy's +line. About one the orders were completed; and half-a-dozen clerks, in +the foremost cabin, proceeded to transcribe them, Nelson frequently +calling out to them from his cot to hasten their work, for the wind was +becoming fair. Instead of attempting to get a few hours' sleep, he was +constantly receiving reports on this important point. At daybreak it was +announced as becoming perfectly fair. The clerks finished their work +about six. Nelson, who was already up, breakfasted, and made signal for +all captains. The land forces and five hundred seamen, under Captain +Freemantle and the Hon. Colonel Stewart, were to storm the Crown Battery +as soon as its fire should be silenced: and Riou--whom Nelson had never +seen till this expedition, but whose worth he had instantly perceived, +and appreciated as it deserved--had the BLANCHE and ALCMENE frigates, +the DART and ARROW sloops. and the ZEPHYR and OTTER fire-ships, given +him, with a special command to act as circumstances might require--every +other ship had its station appointed. + +Between eight and nine, the pilots and masters were ordered on board +the admirals' ships. The pilots were mostly men who had been mates in +Baltic traders; and their hesitation about the bearing of the east end +of the shoal, and the exact line of deep water, gave ominous warning of +how little their knowledge was to be trusted. The signal for action had +been made, the wind was fair--not a moment to be lost. Nelson urged them +to be steady, to be resolute, and to decide; but they wanted the only +ground for steadiness and decision in such cases; and Nelson had reason +to regret that he had not trusted to Hardy's single report. This was one +of the most painful moments of his life; and he always spoke of it +with bitterness. "I experienced in the Sound," said he, "the misery of +having the honour of our country entrusted to a set of pilots, who have +no other thought than to keep the ships clear of danger, and their own +silly heads clear of shot. Everybody knows what I must have suffered; +and if any merit attaches itself to me, it was for combating the dangers +of the shallows in defiance of them." At length Mr. Bryerly, the master +of the BELLONA, declared that he was prepared to lead the fleet; his +judgment was acceded to by the rest; they returned to their ships; and +at half-past nine the signal was made to weigh in succession. + +Captain Murray, in the EDGAR, led the way; the AGAMEMNON was next in +order; but on the first attempt to leave her anchorage, she could not +weather the edge of the shoal; and Nelson had the grief to see his old +ship, in which he had performed so many years' gallant services, +immovably aground at a moment when her help was so greatly required. +Signal was then made for the POLYPHEMUS; and this change in the order of +sailing was executed with the utmost promptitude: yet so much delay had +thus been unavoidably occasioned, that the EDGAR was for some time +unsupported, and the POLYPHEMUS, whose place should have been at the +end of the enemy's line, where their strength was the greatest, could +get no further than the beginning, owing to the difficulty of the +channel: there she occupied, indeed, an efficient station, but one where +her presence was less required. The ISIS followed with better fortune, +and took her own berth. The BELLONA, Sir Thomas Boulden Thompson, kept +too close on the starboard shoal, and grounded abreast of the outer ship +of the enemy: this was the more vexatious, inasmuch as the wind was +fair, the room ample, and three ships had led the way. The RUSSELL, +following the BELLONA, grounded in like manner: both were within reach +of shot; but their absence from their intended stations was severely +felt. Each ship had been ordered to pass her leader on the starboard +side, because the water was supposed to shoal on the larboard shore. +Nelson, who came next after these two ships, thought they had kept too +far on the starboard direction, and made signal for them to close with +the enemy, not knowing that they were aground; but when he perceived +that they did not obey the signal, he ordered the ELEPHANT's helm to +starboard, and went within these ships: thus quitting the appointed +order of sailing, and guiding those which were to follow. The greater +part of the fleet were probably, by this act of promptitude on his part, +saved from going on shore. Each ship, as she arrived nearly opposite to +her appointed station, let her anchor go by the stern, and presented her +broadside to the Danes. The distance between each was about half a +cable. The action was fought nearly at the distance of a cable's length +from the enemy. This, which rendered its continuance so long, was owing +to the ignorance and consequent indecision of the pilots. In pursuance +of the same error which had led the BELLONA and the RUSSELL aground, +they, when the lead was at a quarter less five, refused to approach +nearer, in dread of shoaling their water on the larboard shore: a fear +altogether erroneous, for the water deepened up to the very side of the +enemy's line of battle. + +At five minutes after ten the action began. The first half of our +fleet was engaged in about half an hour; and by half-past eleven the +battle became general. The plan of the attack had been complete: but +seldom has any plan been more disconcerted by untoward accidents. Of +twelve ships of the line, one was entirely useless, and two others in a +situation where they could not render half the service which was +required of them. Of the squadron of gun-brigs, only one could get into +action; the rest were prevented, by baffling currents, from weathering +the eastern end of the shoal; and only two of the bomb-vessels could +reach their station on the Middle Ground, and open their mortars on the +arsenal, firing over both fleets. Riou took the vacant station against +the Crown Battery, with his frigates: attempting, with that unequal +force, a service in which three sail of the line had been directed to +assist. + +Nelson's agitation had been extreme when he saw himself, before the +action began, deprived of a fourth part of his ships of the line; but no +sooner was he in battle, where his squadron was received with the fire +of more than a thousand guns, than, as if that artillery, like music, +had driven away all care and painful thoughts, his countenance +brightened; and, as a bystander describes him, his conversation became +joyous, animated, elevated, and delightful. The Commander-in-Chief +meantime, near enough to the scene of action to know the unfavourable +accidents which had so materially weakened Nelson, and yet too distant +to know the real state of the contending parties, suffered the most +dreadful anxiety. To get to his assistance was impossible; both wind and +current were against him. Fear for the event, in such circumstances, +would naturally preponderate in the bravest mind; and at one o'clock, +perceiving that, after three hours' endurance, the enemy's fire was +unslackened, he began to despair of success. "I will make the signal of +recall," said he to his captain, "for Nelson's sake. If he is in a +condition to continue the action successfully, he will disregard it; if +he is not, it will be an excuse for his retreat, and no blame can be +imputed to him." Captain Domett urged him at least to delay the signal +till he could communicate with Nelson; but in Sir Hyde's opinion the +danger was too pressing for delay. "The fire," he said,"was too hot for +Nelson to oppose; a retreat he thought must be made; he was aware of +the consequences to his own personal reputation, but it would be +cowardly in him to leave Nelson to bear the whole shame of the failure, +if shame it should be deemed." Under, a mistaken judgment, therefore, +but with this disinterested and generous feeling, he made the signal for +retreat. + +Nelson was at this time, in all the excitement of action, pacing the +quarter-deck. A shot through the mainmast knocked the splinters about; +and he observed to one of his officers with a smile, "It is warm work, +and this day may be the last to any of us at a moment:"--and then +stopping short at the gangway, added, with emotion--"But mark you! I +would not be elsewhere for thousands." About this time the signal- +lieutenant called out that number Thirty-nine (the signal for +discontinuing the action) was thrown out by the Commander-in-Chief. He +continued to walk the deck, and appeared to take no notice of it. The +signal officer met him at the next turn, and asked if he should repeat +it. "No," he replied, "acknowledge it." Presently he called after him to +know if the signal for close action was still hoisted; and being +answered in the affirmative, said, "Mind you keep it so." He now paced +the deck, moving the stump of his lost arm in a manner which always +indicated great emotion. "Do you know," said he to Mr. Ferguson, "what +is shown on board the Commander-in-Chief? Number Thirty-nine!" Mr. +Ferguson asked what that meant. "Why, to leave off action!" Then +shrugging up his shoulders, he repeated the words--"Leave off action? +Now, damn me if I do! You know, Foley," turning to the captain, "I have +only one eye,--I have a right to be blind sometimes:" and then +putting the glass to his blind eye, in that mood of mind which sports +with bitterness, he exclaimed, "I really do not see the signal!" +Presently he exclaimed, "Damn the signal! Keep mine for closer battle +flying! That's the way I answer signals! Nail mine to the mast!" Admiral +Graves, who was so situated that he could not discern what was done on +board the ELEPHANT, disobeyed Sir Hyde's signal in like manner; whether +by fortunate mistake, or by a like brave intention, has not been made +known. The other ships of the line, looking only to Nelson, continued +the action. The signal, however, saved Riou's little squadron, but did +not save its heroic leader. This squadron, which was nearest the +Commander-in-Chief, obeyed and hauled off. It had suffered severely in +its most unequal contest. For a long time the AMAZON had been firing, +enveloped in smoke, when Riou desired his men to stand fast, and let the +smoke clear off, that they might see what they were about. A fatal +order--for the Danes then got clear sight of her from the batteries, +and pointed their guns with such tremendous effect that nothing but the +signal for retreat saved this frigate from destruction. "What will +Nelson think of us?" was Riou's mournful exclamation when he unwillingly +drew off. He had been wounded in the head by a splinter, and was sitting +on a gun, encouraging his men, when, just as the AMAZON showed her stern +to the Trekroner battery, his clerk was killed by his side; and another +shot swept away several marines who were hauling in the main-brace. +"Come, then, my boys!" cried Riou; "let us die all together!" The words +had scarcely been uttered before a raking shot cut him in two. Except it +had been Nelson himself, the British navy could not have suffered a +severer loss. + +The action continued along the line with unabated vigour on our side, +and with the most determined resolution on the part of the Danes. They +fought to great advantage, because most of the vessels in their line of +defence were without masts; the few which had any standing had their +top-masts struck, and the hulls could not be seen at intervals. The ISIS +must have been destroyed by the superior weight of her enemy's fire, if +Captain Inman, in the DESIREE frigate, had not judiciously taken a +situation which enabled him to rake the Dane, if the POLYPHEMUS had not +also relieved her. Both in the BELLONA and the ISIS many men were lost +by the bursting of their guns. The former ship was about forty years +old, and these guns were believed to be the same which she had first +taken to sea: they were, probably, originally faulty, for the fragments +were full of little air-holes. The BELLONA lost 75 men; the ISIS, 110; +the MONARCH, 210. She was, more than any other line-of-battle ship, +exposed to the great battery; and supporting, at the same time, the +united fire of the HOLSTEIN and the ZEALAND, her loss this day exceeded +that of any single ship during the whole war. Amid the tremendous +carnage in this vessel, some of the men displayed a singular instance of +coolness: the pork and peas happened to be in the kettle; a shot knocked +its contents about; they picked up the pieces, and ate and fought at the +same time. + +The Prince-Royal had taken his station upon one of the batteries, +from whence he beheld the action and issued his orders. Denmark had +never been engaged in so arduous a contest, and never did the Danes more +nobly display their national courage--a courage not more unhappily than +impolitically exerted in subserviency to the interests of France. +Captain Thura, of the INDFOEDSRETTEN, fell early in the action; and all +his officers, except one lieutenant and one marine officer, were either +killed or wounded In the confusion, the colours were either struck or +shot away; but she was moored athwart one of the batteries in such a +situation that the British made no attempt to board her; and a boat was +despatched to the prince, to inform him of her situation. He turned to +those about him, and said, "Gentlemen, Thura is killed; which of you +will take the command?" Schroedersee, a captain who had lately resigned +on account of extreme ill-health, answered in a feeble voice, "I will!" +and hastened on board. The crew, perceiving a new commander coming +alongside, hoisted their colours again, and fired a broadside. +Schroedersee, when he came on deck, found himself surrounded by the +dead and wounded, and called to those in the boat to get quickly on +board: a ball struck him at that moment. A lieutenant, who had +accompanied him, then took the command, and continued to fight the ship. +A youth of seventeen, by name Villemoes, particularly distinguished +himself on this memorable day. He had volunteered to take the command of +a floating battery, which was a raft, consisting merely of a number of +beams nailed together, with a flooring to support the guns: it was +square, with a breast-work full of port-holes, and without masts-- +carrying twenty-four guns, and one hundred and twenty men. With this he +got under the stern of the ELEPHANT, below the reach of the stern- +chasers; and under a heavy fire of small-arms from the marines, fought +his raft, till the truce was announced, with such skill as well as +courage, as to excite Nelson's warmest admiration. + +Between one and two the fire of the Danes slackened; about two it +ceased from the greater part of their line, and some of their lighter +ships were adrift. It was, however, difficult to take possession of +those which struck, because the batteries on Amak Island protected them; +and because an irregular fire was kept up from the ships themselves as +the boats approached. This arose from the nature of the action: the +crews were continually reinforced from the shore; and fresh men coming +on board, did not inquire whether the flag had been struck, or, perhaps, +did not heed it; many or most of them never having been engaged in war +before--knowing nothing, therefore, of its laws, and thinking only of +defending their country to the last extremity. The DANBROG fired upon +the ELEPHANT's boats in this manner, though her commodore had removed +her pendant and deserted her, though she had struck, and though she was +in flames. After she had been abandoned by the commodore, Braun fought +her till he lost his right hand, and then Captain Lemming took the +command. This unexpected renewal of her fire made the ELEPHANT and +GLATTON renew theirs, till she was not only silenced, but nearly every +man in the praams, ahead and astern of her, was killed. When the smoke +of their guns died away, she was seen drifting in flames before the +wind: those of her crew who remained alive, and able to exert +themselves, throwing themselves out at her port-holes. Captain Bertie +of the ARDENT sent his launch to their assistance, and saved three-and- +twenty of them. + +Captain Rothe commanded the NYEBORG praam; and perceiving that she +could not much longer be kept afloat, made for the inner road. As he +passed the line, he found the AGGERSHUUS praam in a more miserable +condition than his own; her masts had all gone by the board, and she was +on the point of sinking. Rothe made fast a cable to her stern, and towed +her off; but he could get her no further than a shoal called Stubben, +when she sunk, and soon after he had worked the NYEBORG up to the +landing-place, that vessel also sunk to her gunwale. Never did any +vessel come out of action in a more dreadful plight. The stump of her +foremast was the only stick standing; her cabin had been stove in; every +gun, except a single one, was dismounted; and her deck was covered with +shattered limbs and dead bodies. + +By half-past two the action had ceased along that part of the line +which was astern of the ELEPHANT, but not with the ships ahead and the +Crown Batteries. Nelson, seeing the manner in which his boats were fired +upon when they went to take possession of the prizes, became angry, and +said he must either send ashore to have this irregular proceeding +stopped, or send a fire-ship and burn them. Half the shot from the +Trekroner, and from the batteries at Amak, at this time, struck the +surrendered ships, four of which had got close together; and the fire of +the English, in return, was equally or even more destructive to these +poor devoted Danes. Nelson, who was as humane as he was brave, was +shocked at the massacre--for such he called it; and with a presence of +mind peculiar to himself, and never more signally displayed than now, he +retired into the stern gallery, and wrote thus to the Crown Prince:-- +"Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson has been commanded to spare Denmark when she +no longer resists. The line of defence which covered her shores has +struck to the British flag; but if the firing is continued on the part +of Denmark, he must set on fire all the prizes that he has taken, +without having the power of saving the men who have so nobly defended +them. The brave Danes are the brothers, and should never be the enemies, +of the English." A wafer was given him, but he ordered a candle to be +brought from the cockpit, and sealed the letter with wax, affixing a +larger seal than he ordinarily used. "This," said he, "is no time to +appear hurried and informal." Captain Sir Frederick Thesiger, who acted +as his aide-de-camp, carried this letter with a flag of truce. Meantime +the fire of the ships ahead, and the approach of the RAMILLIES and +DEFENCE from Sir Hyde's division, which had now worked near enough to +alarm the enemy, though not to injure them, silenced the remainder of +the Danish line to the eastward of the Trekroner. That battery, however, +continued its fire. This formidable work, owing to the want of the ships +which had been destined to attack it, and the inadequate force of Riou's +little squadron, was comparatively uninjured. Towards the close of the +action it had been manned with nearly fifteen hundred men; and the +intention of storming it, for which every preparation had been made, was +abandoned as impracticable. + +During Thesiger's absence, Nelson sent for Freemantle, from the +GANGES, and consulted with him and Foley whether it was advisable to +advance, with those ships which had sustained least damage, against the +yet uninjured part of the Danish line. They were decidedly of opinion +that the best thing which could be done was, while the wind continued +fair, to remove the fleet out of the intricate channel from which it had +to retreat. In somewhat more than half an hour after Thesiger had been +despatched, the Danish adjutant-general, Lindholm came, bearing a flag +of truce, upon which the Trekroner ceased to fire, and the action +closed, after four hours' continuance. He brought an inquiry from the +prince,--What was the object of Nelson's note? The British admiral wrote +in reply:--"Lord Nelson's object in sending the flag of truce was human- +ity; he therefore consents that hostilities shall cease, and that the +wounded Danes may be taken on shore. And Lord Nelson will take his +prisoners out of the vessels, and burn or carry off his prizes as he +shall think fit. Lord Nelson, with humble duty to his royal highness the +prince, will consider this the greatest victory he has ever gained, if +it may be the cause of a happy reconciliation and union between his own +most gracious sovereign and his majesty the King of Denmark." Sir +Frederick Thesiger was despatched a second time with the reply; and the +Danish adjutant-general was referred to the commander-in-chief for a +conference upon this overture. Lindholm assenting to this, proceeded to +the LONDON, which was riding at anchor full four miles off and Nelson, +losing not one of the critical moments which he had thus gained, made +signal for his leading ships to weigh in succession; they had the shoal +to clear, they were much crippled, and their course was immediately +under the guns of the Trekroner. + +The MONARCH led the way. This ship had received six-and-twenty shot +between wind and water. She had not a shroud standing; there was a +double-headed shot in the heart of her foremast, and the slightest wind +would have sent every mast over her side. The imminent danger from which +Nelson had extricated himself soon became apparent: the MONARCH touched +immediately upon a shoal, over which she was pushed by the GANGES taking +her amidships; the GLATTON went clear; but the other two, the DEFIANCE +and the ELEPHANT, grounded about a mile from the Trekroner, and there +remained fixed for many hours, in spite of all the exertions of their +wearied crews. The DESIREE frigate also, at the other end of the line, +having gone toward the close of the action to assist the BELLONA, became +fast on the same shoal. Nelson left the ELEPHANT soon after she took the +ground, to follow Lindholm. The heat of the action was over, and that +kind of feeling which the surrounding scene of havoc was so well fitted +to produce, pressed heavily upon his exhausted spirits. The sky had +suddenly become overcast; white flags were waving from the mast-heads of +so many shattered ships; the slaughter had ceased, but the grief was to +come; for the account of the dead was not yet made up, and no man could +tell for what friends he might have to mourn. The very silence which +follows the cessation of such a battle becomes a weight upon the heart +at first, rather than a relief; and though the work of mutual +destruction was at an end, the DANBROG was at this time drifting about +in flames; presently she blew up; while our boats, which had put off in +all directions to assist her, were endeavouring to pick up her devoted +crew, few of whom could be saved. The fate of these men, after the +gallantry which they had displayed, particularly affected Nelson; for +there was nothing in this action of that indignation against the enemy, +and that impression of retributive justice, which at the Nile had given +a sterner temper to his mind, and a sense of austere delight in +beholding the vengeance of which he was the appointed minister. The +Danes were an honourable foe; they were of English mould as well as +English blood; and now that the battle had ceased, he regarded them +rather as brethren than as enemies. There was another reflection also +which mingled with these melancholy thoughts, and predisposed him to +receive them. He was not here master of his own movements, as at Egypt; +he had won the day by disobeying his orders; and in so far as he had +been successful, had convicted the commander-in-chief of an error in +judgment. "Well," said he, as he left the ELEPHANT, "I have fought +contrary to orders, and I shall perhaps be hanged. Never mind: let +them!" + +This was the language of a man who, while he is giving utterance to +uneasy thought, clothes it half in jest, because he half repents that it +has been disclosed. His services had been too eminent on that day, his +judgment too conspicuous, his success too signal, for any commander, +however jealous of his own authority, or envious of another's merits, to +express anything but satisfaction and gratitude: which Sir Hyde +heartily felt, and sincerely expressed. It was speedily agreed that +there should be a suspension of hostilities for four-and-twenty hours; +that all the prizes should be surrendered, and the wounded Danes carried +on shore. There was a pressing necessity for this, for the Danes, +either from too much confidence in the strength of their position and +the difficulty of the channel, or supposing that the wounded might be +carried on shore during the action, which was found totally +impracticable, or perhaps from the confusion which the attack excited, +had provided no surgeons; so that, when our men boarded the captured +ships, they found many of the mangled and mutilated Danes bleeding to +death for want of proper assistance--a scene, of all others, the most +shocking to a brave man's feelings. + +The boats of Sir Hyde's division were actively employed all night in +bringing out the prizes, and in getting afloat the ships which were on +shore. At daybreak, Nelson, who had slept in his own ship, the St. +George, rowed to the ELEPHANT; and his delight at finding her afloat +seemed to give him new life. There he took a hasty breakfast, praising +the men for their exertions, and then pushed off to the prizes, which +had not yet been removed. The ZEALAND, seventy-four, the last which +struck, had drifted on the shoal under the Trekroner; and relying, as it +seems, upon the protection which that battery might have afforded, +refused to acknowledge herself captured; saying, that though it was true +her flag was not to be seen, her pendant was still flying. Nelson +ordered one of our brigs and three long-boats to approach her, and rowed +up himself to one of the enemy's ships, to communicate with the com- +modore. This officer proved to be an old acquaintance, whom he had known +in the West Indies; so he invited himself on board, and with that urban- +ity as well as decision which always characterised him, urged his claim +to the ZEALAND so well that it was admitted. The men from the boats +lashed a cable round her bowsprit, and the gun-vessel towed her away. It +is affirmed, and probably with truth, that the Danes felt more pain at +beholding this than at all their misfortunes on the preceding day; and +one of the officers, Commodore Steen Rille, went to the Trekroner +battery, and asked the commander why he had not sunk the ZEALAND, rather +than suffer her thus to be carried off by the enemy? + +This was, indeed, a mournful day for Copenhagen! It was Good Friday; +but the general agitation, and the mourning which was in every house, +made all distinction of days be forgotten. There were, at that hour, +thousands in that city who felt, and more perhaps who needed, the +consolations of Christianity, but few or none who could be calm enough +to think of its observances. The English were actively employed in +refitting their own ships, securing the prizes, and distributing the +prisoners; the Danes, in carrying on shore and disposing of the wounded +and the dead. It had been a murderous action. Our loss, in killed and +wounded, was 953. Part of this slaughter might have been spared. The +commanding officer of the troops on board one of our ships asked where +his men should be stationed? He was told that they could be of no use! +that they were not near enough for musketry, and were not wanted at the +guns; they had, therefore, better go below. This, he said, was +impossible; it would be a disgrace that could never be wiped away. They +were, therefore, drawn up upon the gangway, to satisfy this cruel point +of honour; and there, without the possibility of annoying the enemy, +they were mowed down! The loss of the Danes, including prisoners, +amounted to about six thousand. The negotiations, meantime, went on; and +it was agreed that Nelson should have an interview with the prince the +following day. Hardy and Freemantle landed with him. This was a thing as +unexampled as the other circumstances of the battle. A strong guard was +appointed to escort him to the palace, as much for the purpose of +security as of honour. The populace, according to the British account, +showed a mixture of admiration, curiosity, and displeasure, at beholding +that man in the midst of them who had inflicted such wounds upon +Denmark. But there were neither acclamations nor murmurs. "The people," +says a Dane, "did not degrade themselves with the former, nor disgrace +themselves with the latter: the admiral was received as one brave enemy +ever ought to receive another--he was received with respect." The +preliminaries of the negotiation were adjusted at this interview. During +the repast which followed, Nelson, with all the sincerity of his +character, bore willing testimony to the valour of his foes. He told the +prince that he had been in a hundred and five engagements, but that this +was the most tremendous of all. "The French," he said, "fought bravely; +but they could not have stood for one hour the fight which the Danes had +supported for four." He requested that Villemoes might be introduced to +him; and, shaking hands with the youth, told the prince that he ought +to be made an admiral. The prince replied: "If, my lord, I am to make +all my brave officers admirals, I should have no captains or lieutenants +in my service." + +The sympathy of the Danes for their countrymen who had bled in their +defence, was not weakened by distance of time or place in this instance. +Things needful for the service, or the comfort of the wounded, were sent +in profusion to the hospitals, till the superintendents gave public +notice that they could receive no more. On the third day after the +action, the dead were buried in the naval churchyard: the ceremony was +made as public and as solemn as the occasion required; such a +procession had never before been seen in that, or perhaps in any other +city. A public monument was erected upon the spot where the slain were +gathered together. A subscription was opened on the day of the funeral +for the relief of the sufferers, and collections in aid of it made +throughout all the churches in the kingdom. This appeal to the feelings +of the people was made with circumstances which gave it full effect. A +monument was raised in the midst of the church, surmounted by the Danish +colours: young maidens, dressed in white, stood round it, with either +one who had been wounded in the battle, or the widow and orphans of some +one who had fallen: a suitable oration was delivered from the pulpit, +and patriotic hymns and songs were afterwards performed. Medals were +distributed to all the officers, and to the men who had distinguished +themselves. Poets and painters vied with each other in celebrating a +battle which, disastrous as it was, had yet been honourable to their +country: some, with pardonable sophistry, represented the advantage of +the day as on their own side. One writer discovered a more curious, but +less disputable ground of satisfaction, in the reflection that Nelson, +as may be inferred from his name, was of Danish descent, and his actions +therefore, the Dane argued, were attributable to Danish valour. + +The negotiation was continued during the five following days; and in +that interval the prizes were disposed of, in a manner which was little +approved by Nelson. Six line-of-battle ships and eight praams had been +taken. Of these the HOLSTEIN, sixty-four, was the only one which was +sent home. The ZEALAND was a finer ship; but the ZEALAND and all the +others were burned, and their brass battering cannon sunk with the hulls +in such shoal water, that, when the fleet returned from Revel, they +found the Danes, with craft over the wrecks, employed in getting the +guns up again. Nelson, though he forbore from any public expression of +displeasure at seeing the proofs and trophies of his victory destroyed, +did not forget to represent to the Admiralty the case of those who were +thus deprived of their prize-money. "Whether," said he to Earl St. +Vincent, "Sir Hyde Parker may mention the subject to you, I know not; +for he is rich, and does not want it: nor is it, you will believe me, +any desire to get a few hundred pounds that actuates me to address this +letter to you; but justice to the brave officers and men who fought on +that day. It is true our opponents were in hulks and floats, only +adapted for the position they were in; but that made our battle so much +the harder, and victory so much the more difficult to obtain. Believe +me, I have weighed all circumstances; and, in my conscience, I think +that the king should send a gracious message to the House of Commons 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-in-chief +burn all the fruits of their victory, which, if fitted up and sent to +England (as many of them might have been by dismantling part of our +fleet), would have sold for a good round sum." + +On the 9th, Nelson landed again, to conclude the terms of the +armistice. During its continuance the armed ships and vessels of Denmark +were to remain in their actual situation, as to armament, equipment, and +hostile position; and the treaty of armed neutrality, as far as related +to the co-operation of Denmark, was suspended. The prisoners were to be +sent on shore; an acknowledgment being given for them, and for the +wounded also, that: they might be carried to Great Britain's credit in +the account of war, in case hostilities should be renewed. The British +fleet was allowed to provide itself with all things requisite for the +health and comfort of its men. A difficulty arose respecting the +duration of the armistice. The Danish commissioners fairly stated their +fears of Russia; and Nelson, with that frankness which sound policy and +the sense of power seem often to require as well as justify in +diplomacy, told them his reason for demanding a long term was, that he +might have time to act against the Russian fleet, and then return to +Copenhagen. Neither party would yield upon this point; and one of the +Danes hinted at the renewal of hostilities. "Renew hostilities!" cried +Nelson to one of his friends--for he understood French enough to +comprehend what was said, though not to answer it in the same language +--"tell him we are ready at a moment! ready to bombard this very night!" +The conference, however, proceeded amicably on both sides; and as the +commissioners could not agree on this head, they broke up, leaving +Nelson to settle it with the prince. A levee was held forthwith in one +of the state-rooms, a scene well suited for such a consultation; for all +these rooms had been stripped of their furniture, in fear of a +bombardment. To a bombardment also Nelson was looking at this time: +fatigue and anxiety, and vexation at the dilatory measures of the +commander-in-chief, combined to make him irritable; and as he was on +his way to the prince's dining-room, he whispered to the officer on +whose arm he was leaning, "Though I have only one eye, I can see that +all this will burn well." After dinner he was closeted with the prince; +and they agreed that the armistice should continue fourteen weeks; and +that, at its termination, fourteen days' notice should be given before +the recommencement of hostilities. + +An official account of the battle was published by Olfert Fischer, +the Danish commander-in-chief in which it was asserted that our force +was greatly superior; nevertheless, that two of our ships of the line +had struck; that the others were so weakened, and especially Lord +Nelson's own ship, as to fire only single shots for an hour before the +end of the action; and that this hero himself, in the middle and very +heat of the conflict, sent a flag of truce on shore, to propose a +cessation of hostilities. For the truth of this account the Dane +appealed to the prince, and all those who, like him, had been +eyewitnesses of the scene. Nelson was exceedingly indignant at such a +statement, and addressed a letter in confutation of it to the Adjutant- +General Lindholm; thinking this incumbent on him for the information of +the prince, since His Royal Highness had been appealed to as a witness: +"Otherwise," said he, "had Commodore Fischer confined himself to his own +veracity, I should have treated his official letter with the contempt it +deserved, and allowed the world to appreciate the merits of the two +commanding officers." After pointing out and detecting some of the +misstatements in the account, he proceeds: "As to his nonsense about +victory, His Royal Highness will not much credit him. I sunk, burnt, +captured, or drove into the harbour, the whole line of defence to the +southward of the Crown Islands. He says he is told that two British +ships struck. Why did he not take possession of them? I took possession +of his as fast as they struck. The reason is clear, that he did not +believe it: he must have known the falsity of the report. He states that +the ship in which I had the honour to hoist my flag fired latterly only +single guns. It is true; for steady and cool were my 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. 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. God forbid that I should destroy an unresisting +Dane! When they become my prisoners, I become their protector." + +This letter was written in terms of great asperity to the Danish +commander. Lindholm replied in a manner every way honourable to himself. +He vindicated the commodore in some points, and excused him in others; +reminding Nelson that every commander-in-chief was liable to receive +incorrect reports. With a natural desire to represent the action in the +most favourable light to Denmark, he took into the comparative strength +of the two parties the ships which were aground, and which could not get +into action; and omitted the Trekroner and the batteries upon Amak +Island. He disclaimed all idea of claiming as a victory, "what, to every +intent and purpose," said he, "was a defeat--but not an inglorious one. +As to your lordship's motive for sending a flag of truce, it never can +be misconstrued and your subsequent conduct has sufficiently shown that +humanity is always the companion of true valour. You have done more: you +have shown yourself a friend to the re-establishment of peace and good +harmony between this country and Great Britain. It is, therefore, with +the sincerest esteem I shall always feel myself attached to your +lordship." Thus handsomely winding up his reply, he soothed and +contented Nelson; who drawing up a memorandum of the comparative force +of the two parties for his own satisfaction, assured Lindholm that, if +the commodore's statement had been in the same manly and honourable +strain, he would have been the last man to have noticed any little +inaccuracies which might get into a commander-in-chiefs public letter. + +For the battle of Copenhagen Nelson was raised to the rank of +viscount--an inadequate mark of reward for services so splendid, and of +such paramount importance to the dearest interests of England. There +was, however, some prudence in dealing out honours to him step by step: +had he lived long enough, he would have fought his way up to a dukedom. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +1801 - 1805 + +Sir Hyde Parker is recalled and Nelson appointed Commander-- +He goes to Revel--Settlement of Affairs in the Baltic--Un- +successful Attempt upon the Flotilla at Boulogne--Peace of +Amiens--Nelson takes Command in the Mediterranean on the +Renewal of the War--Escape of the Toulon Fleet--Nelson +chases them to the West Indies and back--Delivers up his +Squadron to Admiral Cornwallis and lands in England. + +* + + +WHEN Nelson informed Earl St. Vincent that the armistice had been +concluded, he told him also, without reserve, his own discontent at the +dilatoriness and indecision which he witnessed, and could not remedy. +"No man," said he, "but those who are on the spot, can tell what I have +gone through, and do suffer. I make no scruple in saying, that I would +have been at Revel fourteen days ago! that, without this armistice, the +fleet would never have gone, but by order of the Admiralty; and with it, +I daresay, we shall not go this week. I wanted Sir Hyde to let me, at +least, go and cruise off Carlscrona, to prevent the Revel ships from +getting in. I said I would not go to Revel to take any of those laurels +which I was sure he would reap there. Think for me, my dear lord: and +if I have deserved well, let me return; if ill, for Heaven's sake +supersede me, for I cannot exist in this state." + +Fatigue, incessant anxiety, and a climate little suited to one of a +tender constitution, which had now for many years been accustomed to +more genial latitudes, made him at this time seriously determine upon +returning home. "If the northern business were not settled," he +said,"they must send more admirals; for the keen air of the north had +cut him to the heart." He felt the want of activity and decision in the +commander-in-chief more keenly; and this affected his spirits, and, +consequently, his health, more than the inclemency of the Baltic. Soon +after the armistice was signed, Sir Hyde proceeded to the eastward with +such ships as were fit for service, leaving Nelson to follow with the +rest, as soon as those which had received slight damages should be +repaired, and the rest sent to England. In passing between the isles of +Amak and Saltholm, most of the ships touched the ground, and some of +them stuck fast for a while: no serious injury, however, was sustained. +It was intended to act against the Russians first, before the breaking +up of the frost should enable them to leave Revel; but learning on the +way that the Swedes had put to sea to effect a junction with them, Sir +Hyde altered his course, in hopes of intercepting this part of the +enemy's force. Nelson had, at this time, provided for the more pressing +emergencies of the service, and prepared on the 18th to follow the +fleet. The ST. GEORGE drew too much water to pass the channel between +the isles without being lightened; the guns were therefore taken out, +and put on board an American vessel; a contrary wind, however, prevented +Nelson from moving; and on that same evening, while he was thus delayed, +information reached him of the relative situation of the Swedish and +British fleets, and the probability of an action. The fleet was nearly +ten leagues distant, and both wind and current contrary, but it was not +possible that Nelson could wait for a favourable season under such an +expectation. He ordered his boat immediately, and stepped into it. +Night was setting in, one of the cold spring nights of the north; and it +was discovered, soon after they left the ship, that in their haste they +had forgotten to provide him with a boat-cloak. He, however, forbade +them to return for one; and when one of his companions offered his own +great-coat, and urged him to make use of it, he replied, "I thank you +very much; but, to tell you the truth, my anxiety keeps me sufficiently +warm at present." + +"Do you think," said he presently,"that our fleet has quitted +Bornholm? If it has, we must follow it to Carlscrona." About midnight +he reached it, and once more got on board the ELEPHANT. On the following +morning the Swedes were discovered; as soon, however, as they perceived +the English approaching, they retired, and took shelter in Carlscrona, +behind the batteries on the island, at the entrance of that port. Sir +Hyde sent in a flag of truce, stating that Denmark had concluded an +armistice, and requiring an explicit declaration from the court of +Sweden, whether it would adhere to or abandon the hostile measures which +it had taken against the rights and interests of Great Britain? The +commander, Vice-Admiral Cronstadt, replied, "That he could not answer a +question which did not come within the particular circle of his duty; +but that the king was then at Maloe, and would soon be at Carlscrona." +Gustavus shortly afterwards arrived, and an answer was then returned to +this effect: "That his Swedish majesty would not, for a moment, fail to +fulfil, with fidelity and sincerity, the engagements he had entered into +with his allies; but he would not refuse to listen to equitable +proposals made by deputies furnished with proper authority by the King +of Great Britain to the united northern powers." Satisfied with this +answer, and with the known disposition of the Swedish court, Sir Hyde +sailed for the Gulf of Finland; but he had not proceeded far before a +despatch boat from the Russian ambassador at Copenhagen arrived, +bringing intelligence of the death of the Emperor Paul, and that his +successor Alexander had accepted the offer made by England to his father +of terminating the dispute by a convention: the British admiral was, +therefore, required to desist from all further hostilities. + +It was Nelson's maxim, that, to negotiate with effect, force should +be at hand, and in a situation to act. The fleet, having been +reinforced from England, amounted to eighteen sail of the line, and the +wind was fair for Revel. There he would have sailed immediately to place +himself between that division of the Russian fleet and the squadron at +Cronstadt, in case this offer should prove insincere. Sir Hyde, on the +other hand, believed that the death of Paul had effected all which was +necessary. The manner of that death, indeed, rendered it apparent that a +change of policy would take place in the cabinet of Petersburgh; but +Nelson never trusted anything to the uncertain events of time, which +could possibly be secured by promptitude or resolution. It was not, +therefore, without severe mortification, that he saw the commander-in- +chief return to the coast of Zealand, and anchor in Kioge Bay, there to +wait patiently for what might happen. + +There the fleet remained till dispatches arrived from home, on the +5th of May, recalling Sir Hyde, and appointing Nelson commander-in- +chief. + +Nelson wrote to Earl St. Vincent that he was unable to hold this +honourable station. Admiral Graves also was so ill as to be confined to +his bed; and he entreated that some person might come out and take the +command. "I will endeavour," said he, "to do my best while I remain; +but, my dear lord, I shall either soon go to heaven, I hope, or must +rest quiet for a time. If Sir Hyde were gone, I would now be under +sail." On the day when this was written, he received news of his +appointment. Not a moment was now lost. His first signal, as commander- +in-chief, was to hoist in all launches and prepare to weigh; and on the +7th he sailed from Kioge. Part of his fleet was left at Bornholm, to +watch the Swedes, from whom he required and obtained an assurance that +the British trade in the Cattegat and in the Baltic should not be +molested; and saying how unpleasant it would be to him if anything +should happen which might for a moment disturb the returning harmony +between Sweden and Great Britain, he apprised them that he was not +directed to abstain from hostilities should he meet with the Swedish +fleet at sea. Meantime he himself; with ten sail of the line, two +frigates, a brig, and a schooner, made for the Gulf of Finland. Paul, in +one of the freaks of his tyranny, had seized upon all the British +effects in Russia, and even considered British subjects as his +prisoners. "I will have all the English shipping and property restored," +said Nelson, "but I will do nothing violently, neither commit the +affairs of my country, nor suffer Russia to mix the affairs of Denmark +or Sweden with the detention of our ships." The wind was fair, and +carried him in four days to Revel Roads. But the Bay had been clear of +firm ice on the 29th of April, while the English were lying idly at +Kioge. The Russians had cut through the ice in the mole six feet thick, +and their whole squadron had sailed for Cronstadt on the 3rd. Before +that time it had lain at the mercy of the English. "Nothing," Nelson +said, "if it had been right to make the attack, could have saved one ship +of them in two hours after our entering the bay." + +It so happened that there was no cause to regret the opportunity +which had been lost, and Nelson immediately put the intentions of Russia +to the proof. He sent on shore, to say that he came with friendly views, +and was ready to return a salute. On their part the salute was delayed, +till a message was sent to them to inquire for what reason; and the +officer whose neglect had occasioned the delay, was put under arrest. +Nelson wrote to the emperor, proposing to wait on him personally and +congratulate him on his accession, and urged the immediate release of +British subjects, and restoration of British property. + +The answer arrived on the 16th: Nelson, meantime, had exchanged +visits with the governor, and the most friendly intercourse had +subsisted between the ships and the shore. Alexander's ministers, in +their reply, expressed their surprise at the arrival of a British +fleet in a Russian port, and their wish that it should return: they +professed, on the part of Russia, the most friendly disposition towards +Great Britain; but declined the personal visit of Lord Nelson, unless +he came in a single ship. There was a suspicion implied in this which +stung Nelson; and he said the Russian ministers would never have +written thus if their fleet had been at Revel. He wrote an immediate +reply, expressing what he felt; he told the court of Petersburgh, +"That the word of a British admiral, when given in explanation of any +part of his conduct, was as sacred as that of any sovereign's in +Europe." And he repeated, "that, under other circumstances, it would +have been his anxious wish to have paid his personal respects to the +emperor, and signed with his own hand the act of amity between the two +countries." Having despatched this, he stood out to sea immediately, +leaving a brig to bring off the provisions which had been contracted +for, and to settle the accounts. "I hope all is right," said he, +writing to our ambassador at Berlin; "but seamen are but bad +negotiators; for we put to issue in five minutes what diplomatic +forms would be five months doing." + +On his way down the Baltic, however, he met the Russian admiral, +Tchitchagof, whom the emperor, in reply to Sir Hyde's overtures, had +sent to communicate personally with the British commander-in-chief. +The reply was such as had been wished and expected; and these +negotiators going, seamen-like, straight to their object, satisfied +each other of the friendly intentions of their respective governments. +Nelson then anchored off Rostock; and there he received an answer to +his last despatch from Revel, in which the Russian court expressed +their regret that there should have been any misconception between +them; informed him that the British vessels which Paul had detained +were ordered to be liberated, and invited him to Petersburgh, in +whatever mode might be most agreeable to himself. Other honours awaited +him: the Duke of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, the queen's brother, came to +visit him on board his ship; and towns of the inland parts of +Mecklenburgh sent deputations, with their public books of record, +that they might have the name of Nelson in them written by his +own hand. + +From Rostock the fleet returned to Kioge Bay. Nelson saw that the +temper of the Danes towards England was such as naturally arose from the +chastisement which they had so recently received. "In this nation," said +he, "we shall not be forgiven for having the upper hand of them: I only +thank God we have, or they would try to humble us to the dust." He saw +also that the Danish cabinet was completely subservient to France: a +French officer was at this time the companion and counsellor of the +Crown Prince; and things were done in such open violation of the +armistice, that Nelson thought a second infliction of vengeance would +soon be necessary. He wrote to the Admiralty, requesting a clear and +explicit reply to his inquiry, Whether the commander-in-chief was at +liberty to hold the language becoming a British admiral? "Which, very +probably," said he, "if I am here, will break the armistice, and set +Copenhagen in a blaze. I see everything which is dirty and mean going +on, and the Prince Royal at the head of it. Ships have been masted, guns +taken on board, floating batteries prepared, and except hauling out and +completing their rigging, everything is done in defiance of the treaty. +My heart burns at seeing the word of a prince, nearly allied to our good +king, so falsified; but his conduct is such, that he will lose his +kingdom if he goes on; for Jacobins rule in Denmark. I have made no +representations yet, as it would be useless to do so until I have the +power of correction. All I beg, in the name of the future commander-in- +chief, is, that the orders may be clear; for enough is done to break +twenty treaties, if it should be wished, or to make the Prince Royal +humble himself before British generosity." + +Nelson was not deceived in his judgment of the Danish cabinet, but +the battle of Copenhagen had crippled its power. The death of the Czar +Paul had broken the confederacy; and that cabinet, therefore, was +compelled to defer till a more convenient season the indulgence of its +enmity towards Great Britain. Soon afterwards Admiral Sir Charles +Maurice Pole arrived to take the command. The business, military and +political, had by that time been so far completed that the presence of +the British fleet soon became no longer necessary. Sir Charles, however, +made the short time of his command memorable, by passing the Great Belt +for the first time with line-of-battle ships, working through the +channel against adverse winds. When Nelson left the fleet, this speedy +termination of the expedition, though confidently expected, was not +certain; and he, in his unwillingness to weaken the British force, +thought at one time of traversing Jutland in his boat, by the canal to +Tonningen on the Eyder and finding his way home from thence. This +intention was not executed; but he returned in a brig, declining +to accept a frigate, which few admirals would have done, especially if, +like him, they suffered from sea-sickness in a small vessel. On his +arrival at Yarmouth, the first thing he did was to visit the hospital +and see the men who had been wounded in the late battle--that victory +which had added new glory to the name of Nelson, and which was of more +importance even than the battle of the Nile to the honour, the strength, +and security of England. + +The feelings of Nelson's friends, upon the news of his great victory +at Copenhagen, were highly described by Sir William Hamilton in a letter +to him. "We can only expect," he says, "what me know well, and often +said before, that Nelson WAS, IS, and to the LAST WILL EVER BE, THE +FIRST. Emma did not know whether she was on her head or heels--in such +a hurry to tell your great news, that she could utter nothing but tears +of joy and tenderness. I went to Davison, and found him still in bed, +having had a severe fit of the gout, and with your letter, which he had +just received; and he cried like a child; but, what was very extraordin- +ary, assured me that, from the instant he had read your letter, all pain +had left him, and that he felt himself able to get up and walk about. +Your brother, Mrs. Nelson, and Horace dined with us. Your brother was +more extraordinary than ever. He would get up suddenly and cut a caper, +rubbing his hands every time that the thought of your fresh laurels came +into his head. But I am sure that no one really rejoiced more at heart +than I did. I have lived too long to have ecstasies! But with calm +reflection, I felt for my friend having got to the very summit of glory! +the NE PLUS ULTRA! that he has had another opportunity of rendering his +country the most important service, and manifesting again his judgment, +his intrepidity, and his humanity." + +He had not been many weeks on shore before he was called upon to +undertake a service, for which no Nelson was required. Buonaparte, who +was now first consul, and in reality sole ruler of France, was making +preparations, upon a great scale, for invading England; but his schemes +in the Baltic had been baffled; fleets could not be created as they were +wanted; and his armies, therefore, were to come over in gun-boats, and +such small craft as could be rapidly built or collected for the +occasion. From the former governments of France such threats have only +been matter of insult and policy: in Buonaparte they were sincere; for +this adventurer, intoxicated with success, already began to imagine that +all things were to be submitted to his fortune. We had not at that time +proved the superiority of our soldiers over the French; and the +unreflecting multitude were not to be persuaded that an invasion could +only be effected by numerous and powerful fleets. A general alarm was +excited; and, in condescension to this unworthy feeling, Nelson was +appointed to a command, extending from Orfordness to Beachy Head, on +both shores--a sort of service, he said, for which he felt no other +ability than what might be found in his zeal. + +To this service, however, such as it was, he applied with his wonted +alacrity; though in no cheerful frame of mind. To Lady Hamilton, his +only female correspondent, he says at this time; "I am not in very good +spirits; and, except that our country demands all our services and +abilities to bring about an honourable peace, nothing should prevent my +being the bearer of my own letter. But, my dear friend, I know you are +so true and loyal an Englishwoman, that you would hate those who would +not stand forth in defence of our king, laws, religion, and all that is +dear to us. It is your sex that makes us go forth, and seem to tell us, +"None but the brave deserve the fair"; and if we fall, we still live in +the hearts of those females. It is your sex that rewards us; it is your +sex who cherish our memories; and you, my dear honoured friend, are, +believe me, the first, the best of your sex. I have been the world +around, and in every corner of it, and never yet saw your equal, or even +one who could be put in comparison with you. You know how to reward +virtue, honour, and courage, and never to ask if it is placed in a +prince, duke, lord, or peasant." Having hoisted his flag in the MEDUSA +frigate, he went to reconnoitre Boulogne the point from which it was +supposed the great attempt would be made, and which the French, in fear +of an attack themselves, were fortifying with all care. He approached +near enough to sink two of their floating batteries, and to destroy a +few gun-boats which were without the pier. What damage was done within +could not be ascertained. "Boulogne," he said, "was certainly not a very +pleasant place that morning; but," he added, "it is not my wish to +injure the poor inhabitants; and the town is spared as much as the +nature of the service will admit." Enough was done to show the enemy +that they could not, with impunity, come outside their own ports. Nelson +was satisfied by what he saw, that they meant to make an attempt from +this place, but that it was impracticable; for the least wind at W.N.W. +and they were lost. The ports of Flushing and Flanders were better +points: there we could not tell by our eyes what means of transport were +provided. From thence, therefore, if it came forth at all, the +expedition would come. "And what a forlorn undertaking!" said he: +"consider cross tides, &c. As for rowing, that is impossible. It Is +perfectly right to be prepared for a mad government; but with the active +force which has been given me, I may pronounce it almost impracticable." + +That force had been got together with an alacrity which has seldom +been equalled. On the 28th of July, we were, in Nelson's own words, +literally at the foundation of our fabric of defence, and twelve days +afterwards we were so prepared on the enemy's coast that he did not +believe they could get three miles from their ports. The MEDUSA, +returning to our own shores, anchored in the rolling ground off Harwich; +and when Nelson wished to get to the Nore in her, the wind rendered it +impossible to proceed there by the usual channel. In haste to be at the +Nore, remembering that he had been a tolerable pilot for the mouth of +the Thames in his younger days, and thinking it necessary that he should +know all that could be known of the navigation, he requested the +maritime surveyor of the coast, Mr. Spence, to get him into the Swin by +any channel; for neither the pilots which he had on board, nor the +Harwich ones, would take charge of the ship. No vessel drawing more than +fourteen feet had ever before ventured over the Naze. Mr. Spence, +however, who had surveyed the channel, carried her safely through. The +channel has since been called Nelson's, though he himself wished it to +be named after the MEDUSA: his name needed no new memorial. + +Nelson's eye was upon Flushing. "To take possession of that place," +he said, "would be a week's expedition for four or five thousand +troops." This, however, required a consultation with the Admiralty; and +that something might be done, meantime he resolved upon attacking the +flotilla in the mouth of the Boulogne harbour. This resolution was made +in deference to the opinion of others, and to the public feeling, which +was so preposterously excited. He himself scrupled not to assert that +the French army would never embark at Boulogne for the invasion of +England; and he owned that this boat warfare was not exactly congenial +to his feelings. Into Helvoet or Flushing he should be happy to lead, if +Government turned their thoughts that way. "While I serve," said he, "I +will do it actively, and to the very best of my abilities. I require +nursing like a child," he added; "my mind carries me beyond my strength, +and will do me up; but such is my nature." + +The attack was made by the boats of the squadron in five divisions, +under Captains Somerville, Parker, Cotgrave, Jones, and Conn. The +previous essay had taught the French the weak parts of their position; +and they omitted no means of strengthening it, and of guarding against +the expected attempt. The boats put off about half-an-hour before +midnight; but, owing to the darkness, and tide and half-tide, which +must always make night attacks so uncertain on the coasts of the +Channel, the divisions separated. One could not arrive at all; another +not till near daybreak. The others made their attack gallantly; but +the enemy were fully prepared: every vessel was defended by long poles, +headed with iron spikes, projecting from their sides: strong nettings +were braced up to their lower yards; they were moored by the bottom to +the shore, they were strongly manned with soldiers, and protected by +land batteries, and the shore was lined with troops. Many were taken +possession of; and, though they could not have been brought out, would +have been burned, had not the French resorted to a mode of offence, +which they have often used, but which no other people have ever been +wicked enough to employ. The moment the firing ceased on board one of +their own vessels they fired upon it from the shore, perfectly +regardless of their own men. + +The commander of one of the French divisions acted like a generous +enemy. He hailed the boats as they approached, and cried out in English: +"Let me advise you, my brave Englishmen, to keep your distance: you can +do nothing here; and it is only uselessly shedding the blood of brave +men to make the attempt." The French official account boasted of the +victory. "The combat," it said, "took place in sight of both countries; +it was the first of the kind, and the historian would have cause to make +this remark." They guessed our loss at four or five hundred; it +amounted to one hundred and seventy-two. In his private letters to the +Admiralty, Nelson affirmed, that had our force arrived as he intended, +it was not all the chains in France which could have prevented our men +from bringing off the whole of the vessels. There had been no error +committed, and never did Englishmen display more courage. Upon this +point Nelson was fully satisfied; but he said he should never bring +himself again to allow any attack wherein he was not personally +concerned; and that his mind suffered more than if he had had a leg shot +off in the affair. He grieved particularly for Captain Parker, an +excellent officer, to whom he was greatly attached, and who had an aged +father looking to him for assistance. His thigh was shattered in the +action; and the wound proved mortal, after some weeks of suffering and +manly resignation. During this interval, Nelson's anxiety was very +great. "Dear Parker is my child," said he; "for I found him in +distress." And when he received the tidings of his death, he replied: +"You will judge of my feelings: God's will be done. I beg that his hair +may be cut off and given me; it shall be buried in my grave. Poor Mr. +Parker! What a son has he lost! If I were to say I was content, I +should lie; but I shall endeavour to submit with all the fortitude in +my power. His loss has made a wound in my heart, which time will +hardly heal." + +"You ask me, my dear friend," he says to Lady Hamilton, "if I am +going on more expeditions? and even if I was to forfeit your friendship, +which is dearer to me than all the world, I can tell you nothing. For, I +go out: I see the enemy, and can get at them, it is my duty: and you +would naturally hate me, if I kept back one moment. I long to pay them +for their tricks t'other day, the debt of a drubbing, which surely I'll +pay: but WHEN, WHERE or HOW, it is impossible, your own good sense must +tell you, for me or mortal man to say." Yet he now wished to be +relieved from this service. The country, he said, had attached a +confidence to his name, which he had submitted to, and therefore had +cheerfully repaired to the station; but this boat business, though it +might be part of a great plan of invasion, could never be the only one, +and he did not think it was a command for a vice-admiral. It was not +that he wanted a more lucrative situation; for, seriously indisposed as +he was, and low-spirited from private considerations, he did not know, +if the Mediterranean were vacant, that he should be equal to undertake +it. He was offended with the Admiralty for refusing him leave to go to +town when he had solicited: in reply to a friendly letter from +Troubridge he says, "I am at this moment as firmly of opinion as ever, +that Lord St. Vincent and yourself should have allowed of my coming to +town for my own affairs, for every one knows I left it without a thought +for myself." + +His letters at this time breathe an angry feeling toward Troubridge, +who was now become, he said, one of his lords and masters. "I have a +letter from him," he says, "recommending me to wear flannel shirts. +Does he care for me? NO: but never mind. They shall work hard to get me +again. The cold has settled in my bowels. I wish the Admiralty had my +complaint: but they have no bowels, at least for me. I daresay +Master Troubridge is grown fat; I know I am grown lean with my +complaint, which, but for their indifference about my health, could +never have happened; or, at least, I should have got well long ago in a +warm room with a good fire and sincere friend." In the same tone of +bitterness he complained that he was not able to promote those whom he +thought deserving. "Troubridge," he says, "has so completely prevented +my ever mentioning anybody's service, that I am become a cipher, and he +has gained a victory over Nelson's spirit. I am kept here, for what?--he +may be able to tell, I cannot. But long it cannot, shall not be." An end +was put to this uncomfortable state of mind when, fortunately (on that +account) for him, as well as happily for the nation, the peace of Amiens +was just at this time signed. Nelson rejoiced that the experiment was +made, but was well aware that it was an experiment. He saw what he +called the misery of peace, unless the utmost vigilance and prudence +were exerted; and he expressed, in bitter terms, his proper indignation +at the manner in which the mob of London welcomed the French general who +brought the ratification saying, "that they made him ashamed of his +country." + +He had purchased a house and estate at Merton, in Surrey, meaning to +pass his days there in the society of Sir William and Lady Hamilton. He +had indulged in pleasant dreams when looking on to this as his place of +residence and rest. "To be sure," he says, "we shall employ the +tradespeople of our village in preference to any others in what we want +for common use, and give them every encouragement to be kind and +attentive to us." "Have we a nice church at Merton? We will set an +example of goodness to the under-parishioners. I admire the pigs and +poultry. Sheep are certainly most beneficial to eat off the grass. Do +you get paid for them, and take care that they are kept on the premises +all night, for that is the time they do good to the land. They should be +folded. Is your head-man a good person, and true to our interest? I +intend to have a farming-book. I expect that all animals will increase +where you are, for I never expect that you will suffer any to be killed. +No person can take amiss our not visiting. The answer from me will +always be very civil thanks, but that I wish to live retired. We shall +have our sea-friends; and I know Sir William thinks they are the best." +This place he had never seen till he was now welcomed there by the +friends to whom he had so passionately devoted himself, and who were not +less sincerely attached to him. The place, and everything which Lady +Hamilton had done to it, delighted him; and he declared that the longest +liver should possess it all. Here he amused himself with angling in the +Wandle, having been a good fly-fisher in former days, and learning now +to practise with his left hand what he could no longer pursue as a +solitary diversion. His pensions for his victories, and for the loss of +his eye and arm, amounted with his half-pay to about L3400 a-year. From +this he gave L1800 to Lady Nelson, L200 to a brother's widow, and L150 +for the education of his children; and he paid L500 interest for +borrowed money; so that Nelson was comparatively a poor man; and though +much of the pecuniary embarrassment which he endured was occasioned by +the separation from his wife--even if that cause had not existed, his +income would not have been sufficient for the rank which he held, and +the claims which would necessarily be made upon his bounty. The +depression of spirits under which he had long laboured arose partly from +this state of his circumstances, and partly from the other disquietudes +in which his connection with Lady Hamilton had involved him--a +connection which it was not possible his father could behold without +sorrow and displeasure. Mr. Nelson, however, was soon persuaded that the +attachment, which Lady Nelson regarded with natural jealousy and +resentment, did not in reality pass the bounds of ardent and romantic +admiration: a passion which the manners and accomplishments of Lady +Hamilton, fascinating as they were, would not have been able to excite, +if they had not been accompanied by more uncommon intellectual +endowments, and by a character which, both in its strength and in its +weakness, resembled his own. It did not, therefore, require much +explanation to reconcile him to his son--an event the more essential to +Nelson's happiness, because, a few months afterwards, the good old man +died at the age of seventy-nine. + +Soon after the conclusion of peace, tidings arrived of our final and +decisive successes in Egypt; in consequence of which, the common council +voted their thanks to the army and navy for bringing the campaign to so +glorious a conclusion. When Nelson, after the action of Cape St. +Vincent, had been entertained at a city feast, he had observed to the +lord mayor, "that, if the city continued its generosity, the navy would +ruin them in gifts." To which the lord mayor replied, putting his hand +upon the admiral's shoulder: "Do you find victories and we will find +rewards." Nelson, as he said, had kept his word, had doubly fulfilled +his part of the contract, but no thanks had been voted for the battle of +Copenhagen; and feeling that he and his companions in that day's glory +had a fair and honourable claim to this reward, he took the present +opportunity of addressing a letter to the lord mayor, complaining of the +omission and the injustice. "The smallest services," said he, "rendered +by the army or navy to the country, have always been noticed by the +great city of London with one exception--the glorious 2nd of April--a +day when the greatest dangers of navigation were overcome; and the +Danish force, which they thought impregnable, totally taken or +destroyed, by the consummate skill of our commanders, and by the +undaunted bravery of as gallant a band as ever defended the rights of +this country. For myself, if I were only personally concerned, I should +bear the stigma, attempted to be now first placed upon my brow, with +humility. But, my lord, I am the natural guardian of the fame of all the +officers of the navy, army, and marines who fought, and so profusely +bled, under my command on that day. Again I disclaim for myself more +merit than naturally falls to a successful commander; but when I am +called upon to speak of the merits of the captains of his Majesty's +ships, and of the officers and men, whether seamen, marines, or +soldiers, whom I that day had the happiness to command, I then say, that +never was the glory of this country upheld with more determined bravery +than on that occasion: and if I may be allowed to give an opinion as a +Briton, then I say, that more important service was never rendered to +our king and country. It is my duty, my lord, to prove to the brave +fellows, my companions in danger, that I have not failed at every +proper place to represent, as well as I am able, their bravery and +meritorious conduct." + +Another honour, of greater import, was withheld from the conquerors. +The king had given medals to those captains who were engaged in the +battles of the 1st of June, of Cape St. Vincent, of Camperdown, and of +the Nile. Then came the victory at Copenhagen, which Nelson truly +called the most difficult achievement, the hardest-fought battle, the +most glorious result that ever graced the annals of our country. He, of +course, expected the medal; and in writing to Earl St. Vincent, said, +"He longed to have it, and would not give it up to be made an English +duke." The medal, however, was not given:--"For what reason," said +Nelson, "Lord St. Vincent best knows." Words plainly implying a +suspicion that it was withheld by some feeling of jealousy; and that +suspicion estranged him, during the remaining period of his life, from +one who had at one time been essentially, as well as sincerely, his +friend; and of whose professional abilities he ever entertained the +highest opinion. + +The happiness which Nelson enjoyed in the society of his chosen +friends was of no long continuance. Sir William Hamilton, who was far +advanced in years, died early in 1803; a mild, amiable, and +accomplished man, who has thus in a letter described his own philosophy: +"My study of antiquities," he says, "has kept me in constant thought of +the perpetual fluctuation of everything. The whole art is really to live +all the DAYS of our life; and not with anxious care disturb the sweetest +hour that life affords--which is the present. Admire the Creator, and +all His works, to us incomprehensible; and do all the good you can upon +earth; and take the chance of eternity without dismay." He expired in +his wife's arms, holding Nelson by the hand; and almost in his last +words, left her to his protection; requesting him that he would see +justice done her by the government, as he knew what she had done for her +country. He left him her portrait in enamel, calling him his dearest +friend; the most virtuous, loyal, and truly brave character he had ever +known. The codicil, containing this bequest, concluded with these words, +"God bless him, and shame fall on those who do not say amen." Sir +William's pension of L1200 a year ceased with his death. Nelson applied +to Mr. Addington in Lady Hamilton's behalf, stating the important +service which she had rendered to the fleet at Syracuse; and Mr. +Addington, it is said, acknowledged that she had a just claim upon the +gratitude of the country. This barren acknowledgment was all that was +obtained; but a sum, equal to the pension which her husband had enjoyed, +was settled on her by Nelson, and paid in monthly payments during his +life. A few weeks after this event, the war was renewed; and the day +after his Majesty's message to Parliament, Nelson departed to take the +command of the Mediterranean fleet. The war he thought, could not be +long; just enough to make him independent in pecuniary matters. + +He took his station immediately off Toulon; and there, with incessant +vigilance, waited for the coming out of the enemy. The expectation of +acquiring a competent fortune did not last long. "Somehow," he says,"my +mind is not sharp enough for prize-money. Lord Keith would have made +L20,000, and I have not made L6000." More than once he says that the +prizes taken in the Mediterranean had not paid his expenses; and once he +expresses himself as if it were a consolation to think that some ball +might soon close all his accounts with this world of care and vexation. +At this time the widow of his brother, being then blind and advanced in +years, was distressed for money, and about to sell her plate; he wrote +to Lady Hamilton, requesting of her to find out what her debts were, and +saying that, if the amount was within his power, he would certainly pay +it, and rather pinch himself than that she should want. Before he had +finished the letter, an account arrived that a sum was payable to him +for some neutral taken four years before, which enabled him to do this +without being the poorer; and he seems to have felt at the moment that +what was thus disposed of by a cheerful giver, shall be paid to him +again. One from whom he had looked for very different conduct, had +compared his own wealth, in no becoming manner, with Nelson's limited +means. "I know," said he to Lady Hamilton, "the full extent of the +obligation I owe him, and he may be useful to me again; but I can never +forget his unkindness to you. But, I guess many reasons influenced his +conduct in bragging of his riches and my honourable poverty; but, as I +have often said, and with honest pride, what I have is my own: it never +cost the widow a tear, or the nation a farthing. I got what I have with +my pure blood, from the enemies of my country. Our house, my own Emma, +is built upon a solid foundation; and will last to us, when his houses +and lands may belong to others than his children." + +His hope was that peace might soon be made, or that he should be +relieved from his command, and retire to Merton, where at that distance +he was planning and directing improvements. On his birthday he writes, +"This day, my dearest Emma, I consider as more fortunate than common +days, as by my coming into this world it has brought me so intimately +acquainted with you. I well know that you will keep it, and have my dear +Horatio to drink my health. Forty-six years of toil and trouble! How few +more the common lot of mankind leads us to expect! and therefore it is +almost time to think of spending the few last years in peace and +quietness." It is painful to think that this language was not addressed +to his wife, but to one with whom he promised himself "many many happy +years, when that impediment," as he calls her, "shall be removed, if God +pleased; and they might be surrounded by their children's children." + +When he had been fourteen months off Toulon, he received a vote of +thanks from the city of London for his skill and perseverance in +blockading that port, so as to prevent the French from putting to sea. +Nelson had not forgotten the wrong which the city had done to the Baltic +fleet by their omission, and did not lose the opportunity which this +vote afforded of recurring to that point. "I do assure your lordship," +said he, in his answer to the lord mayor, "that there is not that 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 your lordship, +that the port of Toulon has never been blockaded by me; quite the +reverse. Every opportunity has been offered the enemy to put to sea; +for it is there that we hope to realise the hopes and expectations of +our country." Nelson then remarked that the junior flag-officers of his +fleet had been omitted in this vote of thanks; and his surprise at the +omission was expressed with more asperity, perhaps, than an offence so +entirely and manifestly unintentional deserved; but it arose from that +generous regard for the feelings as well as the interests of all who +were under his command, which made him as much beloved in the fleets of +Britain as he was dreaded in those of the enemy. + +Never was any commander more beloved. He governed men by their reason +and their affections; they knew that he was incapable of caprice or +tyranny and they obeyed him with alacrity and joy, because he possessed +their confidence as well as their love. "Our Nel," they used to say, "is +as brave as a lion and as gentle as a lamb." Severe discipline he +detested, though he had been bred in a severe school. He never inflicted +corporal punishment if it were possible to avoid it; and when compelled +to enforce it, he, who was familiar with wounds and death, suffered like +a woman. In his whole life, Nelson was never known to act unkindly +towards an officer. If he was asked to prosecute one for ill behaviour, +he used to answer, "That there was no occasion for him to ruin a poor +devil who was sufficiently his own enemy to ruin himself." But in +Nelson there was more than the easiness and humanity of a happy nature: +he did not merely abstain from injury; his was an active and watchful +benevolence, ever desirous not only to render justice, but to do good. +During the peace he had spoken in parliament upon the abuses respecting +prize-money, and had submitted plans to government for more easily +manning the navy, and preventing desertion from it, by bettering the +condition of the seamen. He proposed that their certificates should be +registered, and that every man who had served, with a good character, +five years in war, should receive a bounty of two guineas annually after +that time, and of four guineas after eight years. "This," he said, +"might, at first sight, appear an enormous sum for the state to pay; but +the average life of seamen is, from hard service, finished at forty- +five. He cannot, therefore, enjoy the annuity many years, and the +interest of the money saved by their not deserting would go far to pay +the whole expense." + +To his midshipmen he ever showed the most winning kindness, +encouraging the diffident, tempering the hasty, counselling and +befriending both. "Recollect," he used to say, "that you must be a +seaman to be an officer; and also that you cannot be a good officer +without being a gentleman." A lieutenant wrote to him to say that he was +dissatisfied with his captain. Nelson's answer was in that spirit of +perfect wisdom and perfect goodness which regulated his whole conduct +towards those who were under his command. "I have just received your +letter, and am truly sorry that any difference should arise between your +captain, who has the reputation of being one of the bright officers of +the service, and yourself, a very young man, and a very young officer, +who must naturally have much to learn; therefore the chance is that you +are perfectly wrong in the disagreement. However, as your present +situation must be very disagreeable, I will certainly take an early +opportunity of removing you, provided your conduct to your present +captain be such that another may not refuse to receive you." The +gentleness and benignity of his disposition never made him forget what +was due to discipline. Being on one occasion applied to, to save a young +officer from a court-martial, which he had provoked by his misconduct, +his reply was, "That he would do everything in his power to oblige so +gallant and good an officer as Sir John Warren," in whose name the +intercession had been made. "But what," he added, "would he do if he +were here? Exactly what I have done, and am still willing to do. The +young man must write such a letter of contrition as would be an +acknowledgment of his great fault; and with a sincere promise, if his +captain will intercede to prevent the impending court-martial, never to +so misbehave again. On his captain's enclosing me such a letter, with a +request to cancel the order for the trial, I might be induced to do it; +but the letters and reprimand will be given in the public order-book of +the fleet, and read to all the officers. The young man has pushed +himself forward to notice, and he must take the consequence. It was +upon the quarter-deck, in the face of the ship's company, that he +treated his captain with contempt; and I am in duty bound to support the +authority and consequence of every officer under my command. A poor +ignorant seaman is for ever punished for contempt to HIS superiors." + +A dispute occurred in the fleet while it was off Toulon, which called +forth Nelson's zeal for the rights and interests of the navy. Some young +artillery officers, serving on board the bomb vessels, refused to let +their men perform any other duty but what related to the mortars. They +wished to have it established that their corps was not subject to the +captain's authority. The same pretensions were made in the Channel fleet +about the same time, and the artillery rested their claims to separate +and independent authority on board, upon a clause in the act, which they +interpreted in their favour. Nelson took up the subject with all the +earnestness which its importance deserved. "There is no real happiness +in this world," said he, writing to Earl St. Vincent, as first lord. +"With all content and smiles around me, up start these artillery boys (I +understand they are not beyond that age), and set us at defiance; +speaking in the most disrespectful manner of the navy and its +commanders. I know you, my dear lord, so well, that with your quickness +the matter would have been settled, and perhaps some of them been +broke. I am perhaps more patient, but I do assure you 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 hold it due to our +successors never, whilst we have a tongue to speak or a hand to write, +to allow the navy to be in the smallest degree injured in its discipline +by our conduct." To Troubridge he wrote in the same spirit: "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 commanded! Let them once gain the step of being +independent of the navy on board a ship, and they will soon have the +other, and command us. But, thank God! my dear Troubridge, the king +himself cannot do away the act of parliament. Although my career is +nearly run, yet it would embitter my future days, and expiring moments, +to hear of our navy being sacrificed to the army." As the surest way of +preventing such disputes, he suggested that the navy should have it's +own corps of artillery; and a corps of marine artillery was accordingly +established. + +Instead of lessening the power of the commander, Nelson would have +wished to see it increased: it was absolutely necessary, he thought, +that merit should be rewarded at the moment, and that the officers of +the fleet should look up to the commander-in-chief for their reward. He +himself was never more happy than when he could promote those who were +deserving of promotion. Many were the services which he thus rendered +unsolicited; and frequently the officer, in whose behalf he had +interested himself with the Admiralty, did not know to whose friendly +interference he was indebted for his good fortune. He used to say, "I +wish it to appear as a God-send." The love which he bore the navy made +him promote the interests, and honour the memory, of all who had added +to its glories. "The near relations of brother officers," he said, "he +considered as legacies to the service." Upon mention being made to him +of a son of Rodney, by the Duke of Clarence, his reply was: "I agree +with your Royal Highness most entirely, that the son of a Rodney ought +to be the PROTEGE of every person in the kingdom, 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 +have been placed in the VICTORY: she is full, and I have twenty on my +list; but, whatever numbers I have, the name of Rodney must cut many of +them out." Such was the proper sense which Nelson felt of what was due +to splendid services and illustrious names. His feelings toward the +brave men who had served with him are shown by a note in his diary, +which was probably not intended for any other eye than his own: "Nov. 7. +I had the comfort of making an old AGAMEMNON, George Jones, a gunner +into the CHAMELEON brig." + +When Nelson took the command, it was expected that the Mediterranean +would be an active scene. Nelson well understood the character of the +perfidious Corsican, who was now sole tyrant of France; and knowing that +he was as ready to attack his friends as his enemies, knew, therefore, +that nothing could be more uncertain than the direction of the fleet +from Toulon, whenever it should put to sea. "It had as many +destinations," he said, "as there were countries." The momentous +revolutions of the last ten years had given him ample matter for +reflection, as well as opportunities for observation: the film was +cleared from his eyes; and now, when the French no longer went abroad +with the cry of liberty and equality, he saw that the oppression and +misrule of the powers which had been opposed to them, had been the main +causes of their success, and that those causes would still prepare the +way before them. Even in Sicily, where, if it had been possible longer +to blind himself, Nelson would willingly have seen no evil, he perceived +that the people wished for a change, and acknowledged that they had +reason to wish for it. In Sardinia the same burden of misgovernment was +felt; and the people, like the Sicilians, were impoverished by a +government so utterly incompetent to perform its first and most +essential duties that it did not protect its own coasts from the Barbary +pirates. He would fain have had us purchase this island (the finest in +the Mediterranean) from its sovereign, who did not receive L5000 a year +from it after its wretched establishment was paid. There was reason to +think that France was preparing to possess herself of this important +point, which afforded our fleet facilities for watching Toulon, not to +be obtained elsewhere. An expedition was preparing at Corsica for the +purpose; and all the Sardes, who had taken part with revolutionary +France, were ordered to assemble there. It was certain that if the +attack were made it would succeed. Nelson thought that the only means to +prevent Sardinia from becoming French was to make it English, and that +half a million would give the king a rich price, and England a cheap +purchase. A better, and therefore a wiser policy, would have been to +exert our influence in removing the abuses of the government, for +foreign dominion is always, in some degree, an evil and allegiance +neither can nor ought to be made a thing of bargain and sale. Sardinia, +like Sicily and Corsica, is large enough to form a separate state. Let +us hope that these islands may one day be made free and independent. +Freedom and independence will bring with them industry and +prosperity;and wherever these are found, arts and letters will flourish, +and the improvement of the human race proceed. + +The proposed attack was postponed. Views of wider ambition were +opening upon Buonaparte, who now almost undisguisedldy aspired to make +himself master of the continent of Europe; and Austria was preparing for +another struggle, to be conducted as weakly and terminated as miserably +as the former. Spain, too, was once more to be involved in war by the +policy of France: that perfidious government having in view the double +object of employing the Spanish resources against England, and +exhausting them in order to render Spain herself finally its prey. +Nelson, who knew that England and the Peninsula ought to be in alliance, +for the common interest of both, frequently expressed his hopes that +Spain might resume her natural rank among the nations. "We ought," he +said, "by mutual consent, to be the very best friends, and both to be +ever hostile to France." But he saw that Buonaparte was meditating the +destruction of Spain; and that, while the wretched court of Madrid +professed to remain neutral, the appearances of neutrality were scarcely +preserved, An order of the year 1771, excluding British ships of war +from the Spanish ports, was revived, and put in force: while French +privateers, from these very ports, annoyed the British trade, carried +their prizes in, and sold them even at Barcelona. Nelson complained of +this to the captain-general of Catalonia, informing him that he claimed, +for every British ship or squadron, the right of lying, as long as it +pleased, in the ports of Spain, while that right was allowed to other +powers. To the British Ambassador he said: "I am ready to make large +allowances for the miserable situation Spain has placed herself in; but +there is a certain line, beyond which I cannot submit to be treated with +disrespect. We have given up French vessels taken within gunshot of the +Spanish shore, and yet French vessels are permitted to attack our ships +from the Spanish shore. Your excellency 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." + +During this state of things, to which the weakness of Spain, and not +her will, consented, the enemy's fleet did not venture to put to sea. +Nelson watched it with unremitting and almost unexampled perseverance. +The station off Toulon he called his home. "We are in the right fighting +trim," said he: "let them come as soon as they please. I never saw a +fleet altogether so well officered and manned; would to God the ships +were half as good! The finest ones in the service would soon be +destroyed by such terrible weather. I know well enough that if I were to +go into Malta I should save the ships during this bad season; but if I +am to watch the French I must be at sea; and if at sea, must have bad +weather; and if the ships are not fit to stand bad weather, they are +useless." Then only he was satisfied and at ease when he had the enemy +in view. Mr. Elliot, our minister at Naples, seems at this time to have +proposed to send a confidential Frenchman to him with information. "I +should be very happy," he replied, "to receive authentic intelligence of +the destination of the French squadron, their route, and time of +sailing. Anything short of this is useless; and I assure your +excellency, that I would not upon any consideration have a Frenchman in +the fleet, except as a prisoner. I put no confidence in them. You think +yours good; the queen thinks the same; I believe they are all alike. +Whatever information you can get me I shall be very thankful for; but +not a Frenchman comes here. Forgive me, but my mother hated the French." + +M. Latouche Treville, who had commanded at Boulogne, commanded now +at Toulon. "He was sent for on purpose," said Nelson, "as he BEAT ME at +Boulogne, to beat me again; but he seems very loath to try." One day, +while the main body of our fleet was out of sight of land, Rear-Admiral +Campbell, reconnoitring with the CANOPUS, DONEGAL, and AMAZON, stood in +close to the port; and M. Latouche, taking advantage of a breeze which +sprung up, pushed out with four ships of the line and three heavy +frigates, and chased him about four leagues. The Frenchman, delighted at +having found himself in so novel a situation, published a boastful +account, affirming that he had given chase to the whole British fleet, +and that Nelson had fled before him! Nelson thought it due to the +Admiralty to send home a copy of the VICTORY's log upon this occasion. +"As for himself," he said, "if his character was not established by that +time for not being apt to run away, it was not worth his while to put +the world right."--"If this fleet gets fairly up with M. Latouche," said +he to one of his correspondents, "his letter, with all his ingenuity, +must be different from his last. We had fancied that we chased him into +Toulon; for, blind as I am, I could see his water line, when he clued +his topsails up, shutting in Sepet. But from the time of his meeting +Captain Hawker in the ISIS, I never heard of his acting otherwise than +as a poltroon and a liar. Contempt is the best mode of treating such a +miscreant." In spite, however, of contempt, the impudence of this +Frenchman half angered him. He said to his brother: "You will have seen +Latouche's letter; how he chased me and how I ran. I keep it; and if I +take him, by God he shall eat it." + +Nelson, who used to say, that in sea affairs nothing is impossible, +and nothing improbable, feared the more that this Frenchman might get +out and elude his vigilance; because he was so especially desirous of +catching him, and administering to him his own lying letter in a +sandwich. M. Latouche, however, escaped him in another way. He died, +according to the French papers, in consequence of walking so often up to +the signal-post upon Sepet, to watch the British fleet. "I always +pronounced that would be his death," said Nelson. "If he had come out +and fought me, it would at least have added ten years to my life." The +patience with which he had watched Toulon, he spoke of, truly, as a +perseverance at sea which had never been surpassed. From May, 1803, to +August, 1805, he himself went out of his ship but three times; each of +those times was upon the king's service, and neither time of absence +exceeded an hour. In 1804 the SWIFT cutter going out with despatches was +taken, and all the despatches and letters fell into the hands of the +enemy. "A very pretty piece of work," says Nelson; "I am not surprised +at the capture, but am very much so that any despatches should be sent +in a vessel with twenty-three men, not equal to cope with any row-boat +privateer. The loss of the HINDOSTAN was great enough; but for +importance it is lost in comparison to the probable knowledge the enemy +will obtain of our connexions with foreign countries. Foreigners for +ever say, and it is true, we dare not trust England: one way or other we +are sure to be committed." In a subsequent letter he says, speaking of +the same capture: "I find, my dearest Emma, that your picture is very +much admired by the French Consul at Barcelona, and that he has not sent +it to be admired, which I am sure it would be, by Buonaparte. They +pretend that there were three pictures taken. I wish I had them; but +they are all gone as irretrievably as the despatches, unless we may read +them in a book, as we printed their correspondence from Egypt. But from +us what can they find out? That I love you most dearly, and hate the +French most damnably. Dr. Scott went to Barcelona to try to get the +private letters, but I fancy they are all gone to Paris. The Swedish and +American Consuls told him that the French Consul had your picture and +read your letters; and the Doctor thinks one of them, probably, read the +letters. By the master's account of the cutter, I would not have +trusted an old pair of shoes in her. He tells me she did not sail, but +was a good sea-boat. I hope Mr. Marsden will not trust any more of my +private letters in such a conveyance: if they choose to trust the +affairs of the public in such a thing, I cannot help it." + +While he was on this station, the weather had been so unusually +severe that he said the Mediterranean seemed altered. It was his rule +never to contend with the gales; but either run to the southward to +escape their violence, or furl all the sails, and make the ships as easy +as possible. The men, though he said flesh and blood could hardly stand +it, continued in excellent health, which he ascribed, in great measure, +to a plentiful supply of lemons and onions. For himself, he thought he +could only last till the battle was over. One battle more it was his +hope that he might fight. "However," said he, "whatever happens, I have +run a glorious race." "A few months" rest," he says, "I must have very +soon. If I am in my grave, what are the mines of Peru to me? But to say +the truth, I have no idea of killing myself. I may, with care, live yet +to do good service to the state. My cough is very bad, and my side, +where I was struck on the 14th of February, is very much swelled: at +times a lump as large as my fist, brought on occasionally by violent +coughing. But I hope and believe my lungs are yet safe." He was afraid +of blindness and this was the only evil which he could not contemplate +without unhappiness. More alarming symptoms he regarded with less +apprehension, describing his own "shattered carcass" as in the worst +plight of any in the fleet; and he says,"I have felt the blood gushing +up the left side of my head; and, the moment it covers the brain, I am +fast asleep." The fleet was in worse trim than the men; but when he +compared it with the enemy's, it was with a right English feeling. "The +French fleet yesterday," said he, in one of his letters, "was to +appearance in high feather, and as fine as paint could make them; but +when they may sail, or where they may go, I am very sorry to say is a +secret I am not acquainted with. Our weather-beaten ships, I have no +fear, will make their sides like a plum-pudding." "Yesterday," he says, +on another occasion, "a rear-admiral and seven sail of ships put their +nose outside the harbour. If they go on playing this game, some day we +shall lay salt on their tails." + +Hostilities at length commenced between Great Britain and Spain. That +country, whose miserable government made her subservient to France, was +once more destined to lavish her resources and her blood in furtherance +of the designs of a perfidious ally. The immediate occasion of the war +was the seizure of four treasure-ships by the English. The act was +perfectly justifiable, for those treasures were intended to furnish +means for France; but the circumstances which attended it were as +unhappy as they were unforeseen. Four frigates had been despatched to +intercept them. They met with an equal force. Resistance, therefore, +became a point of honour on the part of the Spaniards, and one of their +ships soon blew up with all on board. Had a stronger squadron been sent, +this deplorable catastrophe might have been spared: a catastrophe which +excited not more indignation in Spain than it did grief in those who +were its unwilling instruments, in the English government, and in the +English people. On the 5th of October this unhappy affair occurred, and +Nelson was not apprised of it till the twelfth of the ensuing month. He +had, indeed, sufficient mortification at the breaking out of this +Spanish war; an event which, it might reasonably have been supposed, +would amply enrich the officers of the Mediterranean fleet, and repay +them for the severe and unremitting duty on which they had been so long +employed. But of this harvest they were deprived; for Sir John Orde was +sent with a small squadron, and a separate command, to Cadiz. Nelson's +feelings were never wounded so deeply as now. "I had thought," said he, +writing in the first flow and freshness of indignation; "Fancied--but +nay; it must have been a dream, an idle dream; yet I confess it, I DID +fancy that I had done my country service; and thus they use me! And +under what circumstances, and with what pointed aggravation? Yet, if I +know my own thoughts, it is not for myself, or on my own account +chiefly, that I feel the sting and the disappointment. No! it is for my +brave officers: for my noble minded friends and comrades. Such a gallant +set of fellows! Such a band of brothers! My heart swells at the thought +of them." + +War between Spain and England was now declared; and on the eighteenth +of January, the Toulon fleet, having the Spaniards to co-operate with +them, put to sea. Nelson was at anchor off the coast of Sardinia, where +the Madelena islands form one of the finest harbours in the world, when, +at three in the afternoon of the nineteenth, the ACTIVE and SEAHORSE +frigates brought this long-hoped-for intelligence. They had been close +to the enemy at ten on the preceding night, but lost sight of them in +about four hours. The fleet immediately unmoored and weighed, and at six +in the evening ran through the strait between Biche and Sardinia: a +passage so narrow that the ships could only pass one at a time, each +following the stern-lights of its leader. From the position of the +enemy, when they were last seen, it was inferred that they must be bound +round the southern end of Sardinia. Signal was made the next morning to +prepare for battle. Bad weather came on, baffling the one fleet in its +object, and the other in its pursuit. Nelson beat about the Sicilian +seas for ten days, without obtaining any other information of the enemy +than that one of their ships had put into Ajaccio, dismasted; and having +seen that Sardinia, Naples, and Sicily were safe, believing Egypt to be +their destination, for Egypt he ran. The disappointment and distress +which he had experienced in his former pursuits of the French through +the same seas were now renewed; but Nelson, while he endured these +anxious and unhappy feelings, was still consoled by the same confidence +as on the former occasion--that, though his judgment might be erroneous, +under all circumstances he was right in having formed it. "I have +consulted no man," said he to the Admiralty; "therefore the whole blame +of ignorance 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 any of the responsibility. All +is mine, right or wrong." Then stating the grounds upon which he had +proceeded, he added, "At this moment of sorrow, I still feel that I have +acted right." In the same spirit he said to Sir Alexander Ball: "When I +call to remembrance all the circumstances, I approve, if nobody else +does, of my own conduct." + +Baffled thus, he bore up for Malta, and met intelligence from Naples +that the French, having been dispersed in a gale, had put back to +Toulon. From the same quarter he learned that a great number of saddles +and muskets had been embarked; and this confirmed him in his opinion +that Egypt was their destination. That they should have put him back in +consequence of storms which he had weathered, gave him a consoling sense +of British superiority. "These gentlemen," said he, "are not accustomed +to a Gulf of Lyons gale: we have buffeted them for one-and-twenty +months, and not carried away a spar." He, however, who had so often +braved these gales, was now, though not mastered by them, vexatiously +thwarted and impeded; and on February 27th he was compelled to anchor in +Pula Bay in the Gulf of Cagliari. From the 21st of January the fleet had +remained ready for battle, without a bulk-head up night or day. He +anchored here that he might not be driven to leeward. As soon as the +weather moderated he put to sea again; and after again beating about +against contrary winds, another gale drove him to anchor in the Gulf of +Palma on the 8th of March. This he made his rendezvous: he knew that +the French troops still remained embarked; and wishing to lead them into +a belief that he was stationed upon the Spanish coast, he made his +appearance off Barcelona with that intent. About the end of the month he +began to fear that the plan of the expedition was abandoned; and sailing +once more towards his old station off Toulon on the 4th of April, he met +the PHOEBE, with news that Villeneuve had put to sea on the last of +March, with eleven ships of the line, seven frigates, and two brigs. +When last seen they were steering towards the coast of Africa. Nelson +first covered the channel between Sardinia and Barbary, so as to satisfy +himself that Villeneuve was not taking the same route for Egypt which +Gantheaume had taken before him, when he attempted to carry +reinforcements thither. Certain of this, he bore up on the 7th for +Palermo, lest the French should pass to the north of Corsica, and he +despatched cruisers in all directions. On the 11th he felt assured that +they were not gone down the Mediterranean; and sending off frigates to +Gibraltar, to Lisbon, and to Admiral Cornwallis, who commanded the +squadron off Brest, he endeavoured to get to the westward, beating +against westerly winds. After five days a neutral gave intelligence that +the French had been seen off Cape de Gatte on the 7th. It was soon after +ascertained that they had passed the Straits of Gibraltar on the day +following; and Nelson, knowing that they might already be half way to +Ireland or to Jamaica, exclaimed that he was miserable. One gleam of +comfort only came across him in the reflection, that his vigilance had +rendered it impossible for them to undertake any expedition in the +Mediterranean. + +Eight days after this certain intelligence had been obtained, he +described his state of mind thus forcibly in writing to the governor of +Malta: "My good fortune, my dear Ball, seems flown away. I cannot get a +fair wind, or even a side-wind. Dead foul!--Dead foul! But my mind is +fully made up what to do when I leave the supposing there is no certain +account of the enemy's destination. I believe this ill-luck will go near +to kill me; but as these are times for exertion, I must not be cast +down, whatever I may feel." In spite of every exertion which could be +made by all the zeal and all the skill of British seamen, he did not get +in sight of Gibraltar till the 30th of April; and the wind was then so +adverse that it was impossible to pass the Gut. He anchored in Mazari +Bay, on the Barbary shore; obtained supplies from Tetuan; and when, on +the 5th, a breeze from the eastward sprang up at last, sailed once more, +hoping to hear of the enemy from Sir John Orde, who commanded off Cadiz, +or from Lisbon. "If nothing is heard of them," said he to the Admiralty, +"I shall probably think the rumours which have been spread are true, +that their object is the West Indies; and, in that case, I think it my +duty to follow them--or to the Antipodes, should I believe that to be +their destination." At the time when this resolution was taken, the +physician of the fleet had ordered him to return to England before the +hot months. + +Nelson had formed his judgment of their destination, and made up his +mind accordingly, when Donald Campbell, at that time an admiral in the +Portuguese service, the same person who had given important tidings to +Earl St. Vincent of the movements of that fleet from which he won his +title, a second time gave timely and momentous intelligence to the flag +of his country. He went on board the VICTORY, and communicated to +Nelson his certain knowledge that the combined Spanish and French fleets +were bound for the West Indies. Hitherto all things had favoured the +enemy. While the British commander was beating up again strong southerly +and westerly gales, they had wind to their wish from the N.E., and had +done in nine days what he was a whole month in accomplishing. +Villeneuve, finding the Spaniards at Carthagena were not in a fit state +of equipment to join him, dared not wait, but hastened on to Cadiz. Sir +John Orde necessarily retired at his approach. Admiral Gravina, with six +Spanish ships of the line and two French, come out to him, and they +sailed without a moment's loss of time. They had about three thousand +French troops on board, and fifteen hundred Spanish: six hundred were +under orders, expecting them at Martinique, and one thousand at +Guadaloupe. General Lauriston commanded the troops. The combined fleet +now consisted of eighteen sail of the line, six forty-four gun frigates, +one of twenty-six guns, three corvettes, and a brig. They were joined +afterwards by two new French line-of-battle ships, and one forty-four. +Nelson pursued them with ten sail of the line and three frigates. "Take +you a Frenchman apiece," said he to his captains, "and leave me the +Spaniards: when I haul down my colours, I expect you to do the same, and +not till then." + +The enemy had five-and-thirty days' start; but he calculated that he +should gain eight or ten days upon them by his exertions. May 15th he +made Madeira, and on June 4th reached Barbadoes, whither he had sent +despatches before him; and where he found Admiral Cochrane, with two +ships, part of our squadron in those seas being at Jamaica. He found +here also accounts that the combined fleets had been seen from St. Lucia +on the 28th, standing to the southward, and that Tobago and Trinidad +were their objects. This Nelson doubted; but he was alone in his +opinion, and yielded it with these foreboding words: "If your +intelligence proves false, you lose me the French fleet." Sir W. Myers +offered to embark here with 2000 troops; they were taken on board, and +the next morning he sailed for Tobago. Here accident confirmed the false +intelligence which had, whether from intention or error, misled him. A +merchant at Tobago, in the general alarm, not knowing whether this fleet +was friend or foe, sent out a schooner to reconnoitre, and acquaint him +by signal. The signal which he had chosen happened to be the very one +which had been appointed by Col. Shipley of the engineers to signify +that the enemy were at Trinidad; and as this was at the close of the +day, there was no opportunity of discovering the mistake. An American +brig was met with about the same time, the master of which, with that +propensity to deceive the English and assist the French in any manner +which has been but too common among his countrymen, affirmed that he had +been boarded off Granada a few days before by the French, who were +standing towards the Bocas of Trinidad. This fresh intelligence removed +all doubts. The ships were cleared for action before daylight, and +Nelson entered the Bay of Paria on the 7th, hoping and expecting to make +the mouths of the Orinoco as famous in the annals of the British navy as +those of the Nile. Not an enemy was there; and it was discovered that +accident and artifice had combined to lead him so far to leeward, that +there could have been little hope of fetching to windward of Granada for +any other fleet. Nelson, however, with skill and exertions never +exceeded, and almost unexampled, bore for that island. + +Advices met him on the way, that the combined fleets, having +captured the Diamond Rock, were then at Martinique on the fourth, and +were expected to sail that night for the attack of Granada. On the 9th +Nelson arrived off that island; and there learned that they had passed +to leeward of Antigua the preceding day, and had taken a homeward-bound +convoy. Had it not been for false information, upon which Nelson had +acted reluctantly, and in opposition to his own judgment, he would have +been off Port Royal just as they were leaving; it, and the battle would +have been fought on the spot where Rodney defeated De Grasse. This he +remembered in his vexation; but he had saved the colonies, and above 200 +ships laden for Europe, which would else have fallen into the enemy's +hands; and he had the satisfaction of knowing that the mere terror of +his name had effected this, and had put to flight the allied enemies, +whose force nearly doubled that before which they fled. That they were +flying back to Europe he believed, and for Europe he steered in pursuit +on the 13th, having disembarked the troops at Antigua, and taking with +him the SPARTIATE, seventy-four; the only addition to the squadron with +which he was pursuing so superior a force. Five days afterwards the +AMAZON brought intelligence that she had spoke a schooner who had seen +them on the evening of the 15th, steering to the north; and by +computation, eighty-seven leagues off. Nelson's diary at this time +denotes his great anxiety and his perpetual and all-observing vigilance. +"June 21. Midnight, nearly calm, saw three planks, which I think came +from the French fleet. Very miserable, which is very foolish." On the +17th of July he came in sight of Cape St. Vincent, and steered for +Gibraltar. "June 18th," his diary says,"Cape Spartel in sight, but no +French fleet, nor any information about them. How sorrowful this makes +me! but I cannot help myself." The next day he anchored at Gibraltar; +and on the 20th, says he, "I went on shore for the first time since June +16, 1803; and from having my foot out of the VICTORY two years, wanting +ten days." + +Here he communicated with his old friend Collingwood; who, having +been detached with a squadron, when the disappearance of the combined +fleets, and of Nelson in their pursuit, was known in England, had taken +his station off Cadiz. He thought that Ireland was the enemy's ultimate +object; that they would now liberate the Ferrol squadron, which was +blocked up by Sir Robert Calder, call for the Rochefort ships,and then +appear off Ushant with 33 or 34 sail; there to be joined: by the Brest +fleet. With this great force he supposed they would make for Ireland-- +the real mark and bent of all their operations; and their flight to the +West Indies, he thought, had been merely undertaken to take off Nelson's +force, which was the great impediment to their undertaking. + +Collingwood was gifted with great political penetration. As yet, +however, all was conjecture concerning the enemy; and Nelson, having +victualled and watered at Tetuan, stood for Ceuta on the 24th, still +without information of their course. Next day intelligence arrived that +the CURIEUX brig had seen them on the 19th, standing to the northward. +He proceeded off Cape St. Vincent, rather cruising for intelligence than +knowing whither to betake himself; and here a case occurred that more +than any other event in real history resembles those whimsical proofs of +sagacity which Voltaire, in his Zadig, has borrowed from the Orientals. +One of our frigates spoke an American, who, a little to the westward of +the Azores, had fallen in with an armed vessel, appearing to be a +dismasted privateer, deserted by her crew, which had been run on board +by another ship, and had been set fire to; but the fire had gone out. A +log-book and a few seamen's jackets were found in the cabin; and these +were brought to Nelson. The log-book closed with these words: "Two large +vessels in the W.N.W.:" and this led him to conclude that the vessel had +been an English privateer, cruising off the Western Islands. But there +was in this book a scrap of dirty paper, filled with figures. Nelson, +immediately upon seeing it, observed that the figures were written by a +Frenchman; and after studying this for a while, said, "I can explain the +whole. The jackets are of French manufacture, and prove that the +privateer was in possession of the enemy. She had been chased and taken +by the two ships that were seen in the W.N.W. The prizemaster, going on +board in a hurry, forgot to take with him his reckoning: there is none +in the log-book; and the dirty paper contains her work for the number of +days since the privateer last left Corvo; with an unaccounted-for run, +which I take to have been the chase, in his endeavour to find out her +situation by back reckonings. By some mismanagement, I conclude she was +run on board of by one of the enemy's ships, and dismasted. Not liking +delay (for I am satisfied that those two ships were the advanced ones of +the French squadron), and fancying we were close at their heels, they +set fire to the vessel, and abandoned her in a hurry. If this +explanation be correct, I infer from it that they are gone more to the +northward; and more to the northward I will look for them." This course +accordingly he held, but still without success. Still persevering, and +still disappointed, he returned near enough to Cadiz to ascertain that +they were not there; traversed the Bay of Biscay; and then, as a last +hope, stood over for the north-west coast of Ireland against adverse +winds, till, on the evening of the 12th of August, he learned that they +had not been heard of there. Frustrated thus in all his hopes, after a +pursuit, to which, for its extent, rapidity, and perseverance, no +parallel can he produced, he judged it best to reinforce the Channel +fleet with his squadron, lest the enemy, as Collingwood apprehended, +should bear down upon Brest with their whole collected force. On the +15th he joined Admiral Cornwallis off Ushant. No news had yet been +obtained of the enemy; and on the same evening he received orders to +proceed, with the VICTORY and SUPERB, to Portsmouth. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +1805 + +Sir Robert Calder falls in with the combined Fleets--They form a +Junction with the Ferrol Squadron, and get into Cadiz--Nelson is +reappointed to the Command--Battle of Trafalgar--Victory, and +Death of Nelson. + +* + + +At Portsmouth, Nelson at length found news of the combined fleet. Sir +Robert Calder, who had been sent out to intercept their return, had +fallen in with them on the 22nd of July, sixty leagues off Cape +Finisterre. Their force consisted of twenty sail of the line, three +fifty-gun ships, five frigates, and two brigs: his, of fifteen line-of- +battle ships, two frigates, a cutter, and a lugger. After an action of +four hours he had captured an eighty-four and a seventy-four, and then +thought it necessary to bring-to the squadron, for the purpose of +securing their prizes. The hostile fleets remained in sight of each +other till the 26th, when the enemy bore away. The capture of two ships +from so superior a force would have been considered as no inconsider- +able victory, a few years earlier; but Nelson had introduced a new era +in our naval history; and the nation felt respecting this action as he +had felt on a somewhat similar occasion. They regretted that Nelson, +with his eleven ships, had not been in Sir Robert Calder's place; and +their disappointment was generally and loudly expressed. + +Frustrated as his own hopes had been, Nelson had yet the high +satisfaction of knowing that his judgment had never been more +conspicuously approved, and that he had rendered essential service to +his country, by driving the enemy from those Islands where they expected +there could be no force capable of opposing them. The West India +merchants in London, as men whose interests were more immediately +benefited, appointed a deputation to express their thanks for his great +and judicious exertions. It was now his intention to rest awhile from +his labours, and recruit himself, after all his fatigues and cares, in +the society of those whom he loved. All his stores were brought up from +the VICTORY; and he found in his house at Merton the enjoyment which he +had anticipated. Many days had not elapsed before Captain Blackwood, on +his way to London with despatches, called on him at five in the morning. +Nelson, who was already dressed, exclaimed, the moment he saw him: "I am +sure you bring me news of the French and Spanish fleets! I think I shall +yet have to beat them!" They had refitted at Vigo, after the indecisive +action with Sir Robert Calder; then proceeded to Ferrol, brought out the +squadron from thence, and with it entered Cadiz in safety. "Depend on +it, Blackwood:" he repeatedly said, "I shall yet give M. Villeneuve a +drubbing." But when Blackwood had left him, he wanted resolution to +declare his wishes to Lady Hamilton and his sisters, and endeavoured to +drive away the thought. He had done enough, he said: "Let the man trudge +it who has lost his budget!" His countenance belied his lips; and as he +was pacing one of the walks in the garden, which he used to call the +quarter-deck, Lady Hamilton came up to him, and told him she saw he was +uneasy. He smiled, and said: "No, he was as happy as possible; he was +surrounded by his family, his health was better since he had been an +shore, and he would not give sixpence to call the king his uncle." She +replied, that she did not believe him, that she knew that he was longing +to get at the combined fleets, that he considered them as his own +property, that he would be miserable if any man but himself did the +business; and that he ought to have them, as the price and reward of his +two years' long watching, and his hard chase. "Nelson," said she, +"however we may lament your absence, offer your services; they will be +accepted, and you will gain a quiet heart by it: you will have a +glorious victory, and then you may return here, and be happy." He looked +at her with tears in his eyes: "Brave Emma! Good Emma! If there were +more Emmas there would be more Nelsons." + +His services were as willingly accepted as they were offered; and +Lord Barham, giving him the list of the navy, desired him to choose his +own officers. "Choose yourself, my lord," was his reply: "the same +spirit actuates the whole profession: you cannot choose wrong." Lord +Barham then desired him to say what ships, and how many, he would wish, +in addition to the fleet which he was going to command, and said they +should follow him as soon as each was ready. No appointment was ever +more in unison with the feelings and judgment of the whole nation. They, +like Lady Hamilton, thought that the destruction of the combined fleets +ought properly to be Nelson's work; that he who had been + +"Half around the sea-girt ball, +The hunter of the recreant Gaul," + +ought to reap the spoils of the chase which he had watched so long, and +so perseveringly pursued. + +Unremitting exertions were made to equip the ships which he had +chosen, and especially to refit the VICTORY, which was once more to bear +his flag. Before he left London he called at his upholsterer's, where +the coffin which Captain Hallowell had given him was deposited; and +desired that its history might be engraven upon the lid, saying that it +was highly probable he might want it on his return. He seemed, indeed, +to have been impressed with an expectation that he should fall in the +battle. In a letter to his brother, written immediately after his +return, he had said: "We must not talk of Sir Robert Calder's battle--I +might not have done so much with my small force. If I had fallen in with +them, you might probably have been a lord before I wished; for I know +they meant to make a dead set at the VICTORY." Nelson had once regarded +the prospect of death with gloomy satisfaction: it was when he +anticipated the upbraidings of his wife, and the displeasure of his +venerable father. The state of his feelings now was expressed in his +private journal in these words: "Friday night (Sept. 13), at half-past +ten, I drove from dear, dear Merton; where I left all which I hold dear +in this world, to go and serve my king and country. May the great GOD, +whom I adore, enable me to fulfil the expectations of my country! and if +it is His good pleasure that I should return, my thanks will never cease +being offered up to the throne of His mercy. If it is His good +providence to cut short my days upon earth, I bow with the greatest +submission; relying that he will protect those so dear to me whom I may +leave behind! His will be done. Amen! Amen! Amen!" + +Early on the following morning he reached Portsmouth; and having +despatched his business on shore, endeavoured to elude the populace by +taking a by-way to the beach; but a crowd collected in his train, +pressing forward to obtain a sight of his face: many were in tears, and +many knelt down before him and blessed him as he passed. England has had +many heroes; but never one who so entirely possessed the love of his +fellow-countrymen as Nelson. All men knew that his heart was as humane +as it was fearless; that there was not in his nature the slightest alloy +of selfishness or cupidity; but that with perfect and entire devotion he +served his country with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with +all his strength; and, therefore, they loved him as truly and as +fervently as he loved England. They pressed upon the parapet to gaze +after him when his barge pushed off, and he was returning their cheers +by waving his hat. The sentinels, who endeavoured to prevent them from +trespassing upon this ground, were wedged among the crowd; and an +officer who, not very prudently upon such an occasion, ordered them to +drive the people down with their bayonets, was compelled speedily to +retreat; for the people would not be debarred from gazing till the last +moment upon the hero--the darling hero of England! + +He arrived off Cadiz on the 29th of September--his birthday. Fearing +that if the enemy knew his force they might be deterred from venturing +to sea, he kept out of sight of land, desired Collingwood to fire no +salute and hoist no colours, and wrote to Gibraltar to request that the +force of the fleet might not be inserted there in the GAZETTE. His +reception in the Mediterranean fleet was as gratifying as the farewell +of his countrymen at Portsmouth: the officers who came on board to +welcome him forgot his rank as commander in their joy at seeing him +again. On the day of his arrival, Villeneuve received orders to put to +sea the first opportunity. Villeneuve, however, hesitated when he heard +that Nelson had resumed the command. He called a council of war; and +their determination was, that it would not be expedient to leave Cadiz, +unless they had reason to believe themselves stronger by one-third than +the British force. In the public measures of this country secrecy is +seldom practicable, and seldomer attempted: here, however, by the +precautions of Nelson and the wise measures of the Admiralty, the enemy +were for once kept in ignorance; for as the ships appointed to reinforce +the Mediterranean fleet were despatched singly, each as soon as it was +ready, their collected number was not stated in the newspapers, and +their arrival was not known to the enemy. But the enemy knew that +Admiral Louis, with six sail, had been detached for stores and water to +Gibraltar. Accident also contributed to make the French admiral doubt +whether Nelson himself had actually taken the command. An American, +lately arrived from England, maintained that it was impossible, for he +had seen him only a few days before in London, and at that time there +was no rumour of his going again to sea. + +The station which Nelson had chosen was some fifty or sixty miles to +the west of Cadiz, near Cape St. Marys. At this distance, he hoped to +decoy the enemy out while he guarded against the danger of being caught +with a westerly wind near Cadiz and driven within the Straits. The +blockade of the port was rigorously enforced, in hopes that the combined +fleet might be forced to sea by want. The Danish vessels, therefore, +which were carrying provisions from the French ports in the bay, under +the name of Danish property, to all the little ports from Ayamonte to +Algeziras, from whence they were conveyed in coasting boats to Cadiz, +were seized. Without this proper exertion of power, the blockade would +have been rendered nugatory by the advantage thus taken of the neutral +flag. The supplies from France were thus effectually cut off. There was +now every indication that the enemy would speedily venture out: officers +and men were in the highest spirits at the prospects of giving them a +decisive blow; such, indeed, as would put an end to all further contest +upon the seas. Theatrical amusements were performed every evening in +most of the ships; and God save the King was the hymn with which the +sports concluded. "I verily believe," said Nelson (writing on the 6th of +October), "that the country will soon be put to some expense on my +account; either a monument, or a new pension and honours; for I have not +the smallest doubt but that a very few days, almost hours, will put us +in battle. The success no man can ensure; but for the fighting them, if +they can be got at, I pledge myself. The sooner the better: I don't like +to have these things upon my mind." + +At this time he was not without some cause of anxiety: he was in want +of frigates, and the eyes of the fleet, as he always called them; to the +want of which the enemy before were indebted for their escape, and +Buonaparte for his arrival in Egypt. He had only twenty-three ships; +others were on the way, but they might come too late; and though Nelson +never doubted of victory, mere victory was not what he looked to; he +wanted to annihilate the enemy's fleet. The Carthagena squadron might +effect a junction with this fleet on the one side; and on the other it +was to be expected that a similar attempt would be made by the French +from Brest; in either case a formidable contingency to be apprehended by +the blockading force. The Rochefort squadron did push out, and had +nearly caught the AGAMEMNON and L'AIMABLE in their way to reinforce the +British admiral. Yet Nelson at this time weakened his own fleet. He had +the unpleasant task to perform of sending home Sir Robert Calder, whose +conduct was to be made the subject of a court-martial, in consequence of +the general dissatisfaction which had been felt and expressed at his +imperfect victory. Sir Robert Calder and Sir John Orde, Nelson believed +to be the only two enemies whom he had ever had in his profession; and +from that sensitive delicacy which distinguished him, this made him the +more scrupulously anxious to show every possible mark of respect and +kindness to Sir Robert. He wished to detain him till after the expected +action, when the services which he might perform, and the triumphant joy +which would be excited, would leave nothing to be apprehended from an +inquiry into the previous engagement. Sir Robert, however, whose situ- +ation was very painful, did not choose to delay a trial from the result +of which he confidently expected a complete justification; and Nelson, +instead of sending him home in a frigate, insisted on his returning in +his own ninety-gun ship--ill as such a ship could at that time be +spared. Nothing could be more honourable than the feeling by which +Nelson was influenced; but, at such a crisis, it ought not to have been +indulged. + +On the 9th Nelson sent Collingwood what he called, in his diary, the +Nelson-touch. "I send you," said he, "my plan of attack, as far as a man +dare venture to guess at the very uncertain position the enemy may be +found in; but 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 jealousies. We have +only one great object in view, that of annihilating our enemies, and +getting a glorious peace for our country. No man has more confidence in +another than I have in you; and no man will render your services more +justice than your very old friend Nelson and Bronte." The order of +sailing was to be the order of battle: the fleet in two lines, with an +advanced squadron of eight of the fastest-sailing two-deckers. The +second in command, having the entire direction of his line, was to break +through the enemy, about the twelfth ship from their rear: he would lead +through the centre, and the advanced squadron was to cut off three or +four ahead of the centre. This plan was to be adapted to the strength +of the enemy, so that they should always be one-fourth superior to those +whom they cut off. Nelson said, "That his admirals and captains, knowing +his precise object to be that of a close and decisive action, would +supply any deficiency of signals, and act accordingly. In case signals +cannot be seen or clearly understood, no captain can do wrong if he +places his ship alongside that of an enemy." One of the last orders of +this admirable man was, that the name and family of every officer, +seaman, and marine, who might be killed or wounded in action, should be, +as soon as possible, returned to him, in order to be transmitted to the +chairman of the Patriotic Fund, that the case might be taken into +consideration for the benefit of the sufferer or his family. + +About half-past nine in the morning of the 19th, the MARS, being the +nearest to the fleet of the ships which formed the line of communication +with the frigates inshore, repeated the signal that the enemy were +coming out of port. The wind was at this time very light, with partial +breezes, mostly from the S.S.W. Nelson ordered the signal to be made for +a chase in the south-east quarter. About two, the repeating ships +announced that the enemy were at sea. All night the British fleet +continued under all sail, steering to the south-east. At daybreak they +were in the entrance of the Straits, but the enemy were not in sight. +About seven one of the frigates made signal that the enemy were bearing +north. Upon this the VICTORY hove to; and shortly afterwards Nelson made +sail again to the northward. In the afternoon-the wind blew fresh from +the south-west, and the English began to fear that the foe might be +forced to return to port. A little before sunset, however, Blackwood, in +the EURYALUS, telegraphed that they appeared determined to go to the +westward, "And that," said the admiral in his diary, "they shall not +do, if it is in the power of Nelson and Bronte to prevent them." Nelson +had signified to Blackwood that he depended upon him to keep sight of +the enemy. They were observed so well that all their motions were made +known to him; and as they wore twice, he inferred that they were aiming +to keep the port of Cadiz open, and would retreat there as soon as they +saw the British fleet; for this reason he was very careful not to +approach near enough to be seen by them during the night. At daybreak +the combined fleets were distinctly seen from the VICTORY's deck, +formed in a close line of battle ahead, on the starboard tack, about +twelve miles to leeward, and standing to the south. Our fleet consisted +of twenty-seven sail of the line and four frigates; theirs of thirty- +three and seven large frigates. Their superiority was greater in size +and weight of metal than in numbers. They had four thousand troops on +board; and the best riflemen who could be procured, many of them +Tyrolese, were dispersed through the ships. Little did the Tyrolese, +and little did the Spaniards, at that day, imagine what horrors the +wicked tyrant whom they served was preparing for their country. + +Soon after daylight Nelson came upon deck. The 21st of October was a +festival in his family, because on that day his uncle, Captain Suckling, +in the DREADNOUGHT, with two other line-of-battle ships, had beaten off +a French squadron of four sail of the line and three frigates. Nelson, +with that sort of superstition from which few persons are entirely +exempt, had more than once expressed his persuasion that this was to be +the day of his battle also; and he was well pleased at seeing his +prediction about to be verified. The wind was now from the west, light +breezes, with a long heavy swell. Signal was made to bear down upon the +enemy in two lines; and the fleet set all sail. Collingwood, in the +ROYAL SOVEREIGN, led the leeline of thirteen ships; the VICTORY led the +weather line of fourteen. Having seen that all was as it should be, +Nelson retired to his cabin, and wrote the following prayer:-- + + +"May the great GOD whom I worship, grant to my country, and for the +benefit of Europe in general, a great and glorious victory, and may no +misconduct in any one tarnish it; and may humanity after victory be the +predominant feature in the British fleet! For myself individually, I +commit my life to Him that made me; and may His blessing alight on 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!" + + +Having thus discharged his devotional duties, he annexed, in the same +diary, the following remarkable writing:--- + + OCTOBER 21, 1805.--. THEN IN SIGHT OF THE COMBINED FLEETS OF FRANCE + + AND SPAIN, DISTANT ABOUT TEN MILES. + + +"Whereas the eminent services of Emma Hamilton, widow of the +Right Hon. Sir W. Hamilton, have been of the very greatest service +to my king and country, to my knowledge, without ever receiving any +reward from either our king or country. + +1. That she obtained the King of Spain's letter, in 1796, to his +brother, the King of Naples, acquainting him of his intention to +declare war against England from which letter the ministry sent out +orders to the then Sir John Jervis 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; the +opportunity might have been offered. + +2. The British fleet under my command could never have returned +the second time to Egypt, had not Lady Hamilton's influence with +the Queen of Naples caused letters to be wrote to the governor of +Syracuse that he was to encourage the fleet's being supplied with +everything, should they put into any port in Sicily. We put into +Syracuse, and received every supply; went to Egypt and destroyed +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 provision to maintain her rank in life. + "I also leave to the beneficence of my country my adopted daughter, +Horatio Nelson Thomson; 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 fight their battle. May God bless my +king and country, and all those I hold dear! My relations it is +needless to mention; they will of course be amply provided for. + +"NELSON AND BRONTE. + +"WITNESS, ( HENRY BLACKWOOD. + + ( T.M.HARDY. + + +The child of whom this writing Speaks was believed to be his +daughter, and so, indeed, he called her the last time he pronounced her +name. She was then about five years old, living at Merton, under Lady +Hamilton's care. The last minutes which Nelson passed at Merton were +employed in praying over this child, as she lay sleeping. A portrait of +Lady Hamilton hung in his cabin; and no Catholic ever beheld the picture +of his patron saint with devouter reverence. The undisguised and +romantic passion with which he regarded it amounted almost to +superstition; and when the portrait was now taken down in clearing for +action, he desired the men who removed it to "take care of his guardian +angel." In this manner he frequently spoke of it, as if he believed +there were a virtue in the image. He wore a miniature of her, also, next +his heart. + +Blackwood went on board the VICTORY about six. He found him in good +spirits, but very calm; not in that exhilaration which he had felt upon +entering into battle at Aboukir and Copenhagen: he knew that his own +life would be particularly aimed at, and seems to have looked for death +with almost as sure an expectation as for victory. His whole attention +was fixed upon the enemy. They tacked to the northward, and formed their +line on the larboard tack; thus bringing the shoals of Trafalgar and St. +Pedro under the lee of the British, and keeping the port of Cadiz open +for themselves. This was judiciously done; and Nelson, aware of all the +advantages which it gave them. made signal to prepare to anchor. + +Villeneuve was a skilful seaman: worthy of serving a better master, +and a better cause. His plan of defence was as well conceived, and as +original, as the plan of attack. He formed the fleet in a double line; +every alternate ship being about a cable's length to windward of her +second ahead and astern. Nelson, certain of a triumphant issue to the +day, asked Blackwood what he should consider as a victory. That officer +answered, that, considering the handsome way in which battle was offered +by the enemy, their apparent determination for a fair trial of strength, +and the situation of the land, he thought it would be a glorious result +if fourteen were captured. He replied: "I shall not be satisfied with +less than twenty." Soon afterwards he asked him if he did not think there +was a signal wanting. Captain Blackwood made answer, that he thought the +whole fleet seemed very clearly to understand what they were about. +These words were scarcely spoken before that signal was made, which will +be remembered as long as the language, or even the memory, of England +shall endure; Nelson's last signal:--"ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN TO DO +HIS DUTY!" It was received throughout the fleet with a shout of +answering acclamation, made sublime by the spirit which it breathed, and +the feeling which it expressed. "Now," said Lord Nelson, "I can do no +more. We must trust to the great Disposer of all events, and the justice +of our cause. I thank God for this great opportunity of doing my duty." + +He wore that day, as usual, his admiral's frock-coat, bearing on the +left breast four stars, of the different orders with which he was +invested. Ornaments which rendered him so conspicuous a mark for the +enemy were beheld with ominous apprehensions by his officers. It was +known that there were riflemen on board the French ships, and it could +not be doubted but that his life would be particularly aimed at. They +communicated their fears to each other; and the surgeon, Mr. Beatty, +spoke to the chaplain Dr. Scott, and to Mr. Scott the public secretary, +desiring that some person would entreat him to change his dress, or +cover the stars; but they knew that such a request would highly +displease him. "In honour I gained them," he had said when such a thing +had been hinted to him formerly, "and in honour I will die with them." +Mr. Beatty, however, would not have been deterred by any fear of +exciting his displeasure from speaking to him himself upon a subject in +which the weal of England, as well as the life of Nelson, was concerned; +but he was ordered from the deck before he could find an opportunity. +This was a point upon which Nelson's officers knew that it was hopeless +to remonstrate or reason with him; but both Blackwood, and his own +captain, Hardy, represented to him how advantageous to the fleet it +would be for him to keep out of action as long as possible; and he +consented at last to let the LEVIATHAN and the TEMERAIRE, which were +sailing abreast of the VICTORY, be ordered to pass ahead. Yet even here +the last infirmity of this noble mind was indulged, for these ships +could not pass ahead if the VICTORY continued to carry all her sail; and +so far was Nelson from shortening sail, that it was evident he took +pleasure in pressing on, and rendering it impossible for them to obey +his own orders. A long swell was setting into the bay of Cadiz: our +ships, crowding all sail, moved majestically before it, with light winds +from the south-west. The sun shone on the sails of the enemy; and their +well-formed line, with their numerous three-deckers, made an appearance +which any other assailants would have thought formidable; but the +British sailors only admired the beauty and the splendour of the +spectacle; and in full confidence of winning what they saw, remarked to +each other what a fine sight yonder ships would make at Spithead! + +The French admiral, from the BUCENTAURE, beheld the new manner in +which his enemy was advancing--Nelson and Collingwood each leading his +line; and pointing them out; to his officers, he is said to have +exclaimed that such conduct could not fail to be successful. Yet +Villeneuve had made his own dispositions with the utmost skill and the +fleets under his command waited for the attack with perfect coolness. +Ten minutes before twelve they opened their fire. Eight or nine of the +ships immediately ahead of the VICTORY, and across her bows, fired +single guns at her, to ascertain whether she was yet within their range. +As soon as Nelson perceived that their shot passed over him, he desired +Blackwood and Captain Prowse, of the SIRIUS, to repair to their +respective frigates; and, on their way, to tell all the captains of the +line-of-battle ships that he depended on their exertions; and that if, +by the prescribed mode of attack, they found it impracticable to get +into action immediately, they might adopt whatever they thought best, +provided it led them quickly and closely alongside an enemy. As they +were standing on the front of the poop, Blackwood took him by the hand, +saying, he hoped soon to return and find him in possession of twenty +prizes. He replied, "God bless you, Blackwood; I shall never see you +again." + +Nelson's column was steered about two points more to the north than +Collingwood's, in order to cut off the enemy's escape into Cadiz: the +lee line, therefore, was first engaged. "See," cried Nelson, pointing +to the ROYAL SOVEREIGN, as she steered right for the centre of the +enemy's line, cut through it astern of the SANTA ANNA three-decker, and +engaged her at the muzzle of her guns on the starboard side--"see how +that noble fellow, Collingwood, carries his ship into action!" +Collingwood, delighted at being first in the heat of the fire, and +knowing the feelings of his commander and old friend, turned to his +captain, and exclaimed: "Rotherham, what would Nelson give to be here?" +Both these brave officers, perhaps, at this moment, thought of Nelson +with gratitude, for a circumstance which had occurred on the preceding +day. Admiral Collingwood, with some of the captains, having gone on +board the VICTORY to receive instructions, Nelson inquired of him where +his captain was and was told, in reply, that they were not upon good +terms with each other. "Terms!" said Nelson,--"good terms with each +other!" Immediately he sent a boat for Captain Rotherham; led him, as +soon as he arrived, to Collingwood; and saying,"Look; yonder are the +enemy!" bade them shake hands like Englishmen. + +The enemy continued to fire a gun at a time at the VICTORY, till they +saw that a shot had passed through her main-top-gallant sail; then they +opened their broadsides, aiming chiefly at her rigging, in the hope of +disabling her before she could close with them. Nelson, as usual, had +hoisted several flags, lest one should be shot away. The enemy showed no +colours till late in the action, when they began to feel the necessity +of having them to strike. For this reason, the SANTISSIMA TRINIDAD, +Nelson's old acquaintance, as he used to call her, was distinguishable +only by her four decks; and to the bow of this opponent he ordered the +VICTORY to be steered. Meantime an incessant raking fire was kept up +upon the VICTORY. The admiral's secretary was one of the first who fell; +he was killed by a cannon-shot while conversing with Hardy. Captain +Adair of the marines, with the help of a sailor, endeavoured to remove +the body from Nelson's sight, who had a great regard for Mr. Scott; but +he anxiously asked: "Is that poor Scott that's gone?" and being informed +that was indeed so, exclaimed: "Poor fellow!" Presently, a double-headed +shot struck a party of marines who were drawn up on the poop, and killed +eight of them; upon which Nelson immediately desired Captain Adair to +disperse his men round the ship, that they might not suffer so much from +being together. A few minutes afterwards a shot struck the four-brace +bits on the quarter-deck, and passed between Nelson and Hardy, a +splinter from the bit tearing off Hardy's buckle, and bruising his foot. +Both stopped, and looked anxiously at each other, each supposed the +other to be wounded. Nelson then smiled, and said, "This is too warm +work, Hardy, to last long." + +The VICTORY had not yet returned a single gun: fifty of her men had +been by this time killed or wounded, and her main-top-mast, with all her +studding-sails and her booms, shot away. Nelson declared, that, in all +his battles, he had seen nothing which surpassed the cool courage of +his crew on this occasion. At four minutes after twelve she opened her +fire from both sides of her deck. It was not possible to break the +enemy's line without running on board one of their ships: Hardy informed +him of this, and asked him which he would prefer. Nelson replied: "Take +your choice, Hardy, it does not signify much." The master was ordered to +put the helm to port, and the VICTORY ran on board the REDOUTABLE, just +as her tiller ropes were shot away. The French ship received her with a +broadside; then instantly let down her lower-deck ports, for fear of +being bearded through them, and never afterwards fired a great gun +during the action. Her tops, like those of all the enemy's ships, were +filled with riflemen. Nelson never placed musketry in his tops; he had a +strong dislike to the practice; not merely because it endangers setting +fire to the sails, but also because it is a murderous sort of warfare, +by which individuals may suffer, and a commander now and then be picked +off; but which never can decide the fate of a general engagement. + +Captain Harvey, in the TEMERAIRE, fell on board the REDOUTABLE on the +other side. Another enemy was in like manner on board the TEMERAIRE; so +that these four ships formed as compact a tier as if they had been +moored together, their heads lying all the same way. The lieutenants of +the VICTORY, seeing this, depressed their guns of the middle and lower +decks, and fired with a diminished charge, lest the shot should pass +through, and injure the TEMERAIRE. And because there was danger that the +REDOUBTABLE might take fire from the lower-deck guns, the muzzles of +which touched her side when they were run out, the fireman of each gun +stood ready with a bucket of water; which, as soon as the gun was +discharged, he dashed into the hole made by the shot. An incessant fire +was kept up from the VICTORY from both sides; her larboard guns playing +upon the BUCENTAURE and the huge SANTISSIMA TRINIDAD. + +It had been part of Nelson's prayer that the British fleet might be +distinguished by humanity in the victory which he expected. Setting an +example himself, he twice gave orders to cease firing upon the +REDOUTABLE, supposing that she had struck, because her great guns were +silent; for as she carried no flag, there were no means of instantly +ascertaining the fact. From this ship, which he had thus twice spared, +he received his death. A ball fired from her mizzen-top, which, in the +then situation of the two vessels, was not more than fifteen yards from +that part of the deck where he was standing, struck the epaulette on his +left shoulder, about a quarter after one, just in the heat of action. He +fell upon his face, on the spot which was covered with his poor +secretary's blood. Hardy, who was a few steps from him, turning round, +saw three men raising him up.--"They have done for me at last, Hardy," +said he.--"I hope not," cried Hardy.--"Yes!" he replied,"my back-bone is +shot through." Yet even now, not for a moment losing his presence of +mind, he observed, as they were carrying him down the ladder, that the +tiller ropes, which had been shot away, were not yet replaced, and +ordered that new ones should be rove immediately. Then, that he might +not be seen by the crew, he took out his handkerchief, and covered his +face and his stars. Had he but concealed these badges of honour from the +enemy, England, perhaps, would not have had cause to receive with sorrow +the news of the battle of Trafalgar. The cockpit was crowded with +wounded and dying men, over whose bodies he was with some difficulty +conveyed, and laid upon a pallet in the midshipmen's berth. It was soon +perceived, upon examination, that the wound was mortal. This, however, +was concealed from all except Captain Hardy, the chaplain, and the +medical attendants. He himself being certain, from the sensation in his +back, and the gush of blood he felt momently within his breast, that no +human care could avail him, insisted that the surgeon should leave him, +and attend to those to whom he might be useful; "For," said he, "you can +do nothing for me." All that could be done was to fan him with paper, +and frequently to give him lemonade to alleviate his intense thirst. He +was in great pain, and expressed much anxiety for the event of the +action, which now began to declare itself. As often as a ship struck, +the crew of the VICTORY hurrahed; and at every hurrah a visible expression +of joy gleamed in the eyes, and marked the countenance of the dying +hero. But he became impatient to see Captain Hardy; and as that officer, +though often sent for, could not leave the deck, Nelson feared that some +fatal cause prevented him, and repeatedly cried, "Will no one bring +Hardy to me? He must be killed! He is surely dead!" An hour and ten +minutes elapsed from the time when Nelson received his wound before +Hardy could come to him. They shook hands in silence, Hardy in vain +struggling to repress the feelings of that most painful and yet +sublimest moment. "Well, Hardy," said Nelson, "how goes the day with +us?"--"Very well," replied Hardy; "ten ships have struck, but five of +the van have tacked, and show an intention to bear down upon the +VICTORY, I have called two or three of our fresh ships round, and have +no doubt of giving them a drubbing."--"I hope," said Nelson, "none of +our ships have struck?" Hardy answered, "There was no fear of that." +Then, and not till then, Nelson spoke of himself. "I am a dead man, +Hardy," said he: "I am going fast: it will be all over with me soon. +Come nearer to me. Let my dear Lady Hamilton have my hair, and all other +things belonging to me." Hardy observed that he hoped Mr. Beatty could +yet hold out some prospect of life. "Oh, no!" he replied, "it is +impossible. My back is shot through. Beatty will tell you so." Captain +Hardy then, once more, shook hands with him; and, with a heart almost +bursting, hastened upon deck. + +By this time all feeling below the breast was gone; and Nelson, +having made the surgeon ascertain this, said to him: "You know I am +gone, I know it. I feel something rising in my breast,"-- putting his +hand on his left side,--"which tells me so." And upon Beatty's inquiring +whether his pain was very great, he replied, "So great, that he wished +he was dead. Yet," said he, in a lower voice, "one would like to live a +little longer too!" And after a few minutes, in the same under tone, he +added--"What would become of poor Lady Hamilton, if she knew my +situation!" Next to his country she occupied his thoughts. Captain +Hardy, some fifty minutes after he had left the cockpit, returned; and, +again taking the hand of his dying friend and commander, congratulated +him on having gained a complete victory. How many of the enemy were +taken he did not know, as it was impossible to perceive them distinctly; +but fourteen or fifteen at least. "That's well," cried Nelson, "but I +bargained for twenty." And then, in a stronger voice, he said: "Anchor, +Hardy; anchor." Hardy, upon this, hinted that Admiral Collingwood would +take upon himself the direction of affairs. "Not while I live, Hardy," +said the dying Nelson, ineffectually endeavouring to raise himself from +the bed: "Do you anchor." His previous order for preparing to anchor had +shown how clearly he foresaw the necessity of this. Presently, calling +Hardy back, he said to him in a low voice, "Don't throw me overboard:" +and he desired that he might be buried by his parents, unless it should +please the king to order otherwise. Then reverting to private feelings: +"Take care of my dear Lady Hamilton, Hardy take care of poor Lady +Hamilton. Kiss me, Hardy," said he. Hardy knelt down and kissed his +cheek; and Nelson: said, "Now I am satisfied. Thank God I have done my +duty." Hardy stood over him in silence for a moment or two, then knelt +again and kissed his forehead. "Who is that?" said Nelson; and being +informed, he replied, "God bless you, Hardy." And Hardy then left him +--for ever. + +Nelson now desired to be turned upon his right side, and said, "I +wish I had not left the deck; for I shall soon be gone." Death was, +indeed, rapidly approaching. He said to the chaplain, "Doctor, I have +NOT been a GREAT sinner;" and after a short pause, "Remember that I +leave Lady Hamilton and my daughter Horatia as a legacy to my country." +His articulation now became difficult; but he was distinctly heard to +say, "Thank God I have done my duty." These words he repeatedly +pronounced; and they were the last words which he uttered. He expired +at thirty minutes after four--three hours and a quarter after he had +received his wound. + +Within a quarter of an hour after Nelson was wounded, above fifty of +the VICTORY's men fell by the enemy's musketry. They, however, on their +part, were not idle; and it was not long before there were only two +Frenchmen left alive in the mizzen-top of the REDOUTABLE. One of them +was the man who had given the fatal wound: he did not live to boast of +what he had done. An old quarter-master had seen him fire; and easily +recognised him, because he wore a glazed cocked hat and a white frock. +This quarter-master and two midshipmen, Mr. Collingwood and Mr. +Pollard, were the only persons left in the VICTORY's poop; the two +midshipmen kept firing at the top, and he supplied them with cartridges. +One of the Frenchmen, attempting to make his escape down the rigging, +was shot by Mr. Pollard, and fell on the poop. But the old quarter- +master, as he cried out, "That's he, that's he," and pointed at the +other who was coming forward to fire again, received a shot in his +mouth, and fell dead. Both the midshipmen then fired at the same time, +and the fellow dropped in the top. When they took possession of the +prize, they went into the mizzen-top, and found him dead, with one ball +through his head, and another through his breast. + +The REDOUTABLE struck within twenty minutes after the fatal shot had +been fired from her. During that time she had been twice on fire in her +fore-chains and in her forecastle. The French, as they had done in other +battles, made use in this, of fire-balls and other combustibles; +implements of destruction which other nations, from a sense of honour +and humanity, have laid aside; which add to the, sufferings of the +wounded, without determining the issue of the combat: which none but +the cruel would employ, and which never can be successful against the +brave. Once they succeeded in setting fire, from the REDOUTABLE, to some +ropes and canvas on the VICTORY's booms. The cry ran through the ship, +and reached the cockpit; but even this dreadful cry produced no +confusion: the men displayed that perfect self-possession in danger by +which English seamen are characterised; they extinguished the flames on +board their own ship, and then hastened to extinguish them in the enemy, +by throwing buckets of water from the gangway. When the REDOUTABLE had +struck, it was not practicable to board her from the VICTORY; for, +though the two ships touched, the upper works of both fell in so much, +that there was a great space between their gangways; and she could not +be boarded from the lower or middle decks because her ports were down. +Some of our men went to Lieutenant Quilliam, and offered to swim under +her bows, and get up there; but it was thought unfit to hazard brave +lives in this manner. + +What our men would have done from gallantry, some of the crew of the +SANTISSIMA TRINIDAD did to save themselves. Unable to stand the +tremendous fire of the VICTORY, whose larboard guns played against this +great four-decker, and not knowing how else to escape them, nor where +else to betake themselves for protection, many of them leaped overboard +and swam to the VICTORY; and were actually helped up her sides by the +English during the action. The Spaniards began the battle with less +vivacity than their unworthy allies, but they continued it with greater +firmness. The ARGONAUTA and BAHAMA were defended till they had each lost +about four hundred men; the SAN JUAN NEPOMUCENO lost three hundred and +fifty. Often as the superiority of British courage has been proved +against France upon the seas, it was never more conspicuous than in this +decisive conflict. Five of our ships were engaged muzzle to muzzle with +five of the French. In all five the Frenchmen lowered their lower-deck +ports, and deserted their guns; while our men continued deliberately to +load and fire till they had made the victory secure. + +Once, amidst his sufferings, Nelson had expressed a wish that he were +dead; but immediately the spirit subdued the pains of death, and he +wished to live a little longer, doubtless that he might hear the +completion of the victory which he had seen so gloriously begun. That +consolation, that joy, that triumph, was afforded him. He lived to know +that the victory was decisive; and the last guns which were fired at the +flying enemy were heard a minute or two before he expired. The ships +which were thus flying were four of the enemy's van, all French, under +Rear-Admiral Dumanoir. They had borne no part in the action; and now, +when they were seeking safety in flight, they fired not only into the +VICTORY and ROYAL SOVEREIGN as they passed, but poured their broadsides +into the Spanish captured ships; and they were seen to back their +topsails for the purpose of firing with more precision. The indignation +of the Spaniards at this detestable cruelty from their allies, for whom +they had fought so bravely, and so profusely bled, may well be +conceived. It was such that when, two days after the action, seven of +the ships which had escaped into Cadiz came out in hopes of re-taking +some of the disabled prizes, the prisoners in the ARGONAUTA, in a body, +offered their services to the British prize-master, to man the guns +against any of the French ships, saying, that if a Spanish ship came +alongside, they would quietly go below; but they requested that they +might be allowed to fight the French in resentment for the murderous +usage which they had suffered at their hands. Such was their +earnestness, and such the implicit confidence which could be placed in +Spanish honour, that the offer was accepted and they were actually +stationed at the lower-deck guns. Dumanoir and his squadron were not +more fortunate than the fleet from whose destruction they fled. They +fell in with Sir Richard Strachan, who was cruising for the Rochefort +squadron, and were all taken. In the better days of France, if such a +crime could then have been committed, it would have received an +exemplary punishment from the French government. Under Buonaparte it +was sure of impunity, and perhaps might be thought deserving of reward. +But if the Spanish court had been independent, it would have become us +to have delivered Dumanoir and his captains up to Spain, that they might +have been brought to trial, and hanged in sight of the remains of the +Spanish fleet. + +The total British loss in the battle of Trafalgar amounted to 1587. +Twenty of the enemy struck; but it was not possible to anchor the fleet, +as Nelson had enjoined. A gale came on from the S.W., some of the prizes +went down, some went on shore; one effected its escape into Cadiz; +others were destroyed; four only were saved, and those by the greatest +exertions. The wounded Spaniards were sent ashore, an assurance being +given that they should not serve till regularly exchanged; and the +Spaniards, with a generous feeling, which would not perhaps have been +found in any other people, offered the use of their hospitals for our +wounded, pledging the honour of Spain that they should be carefully +attended there. When the storm, after the action, drove some of the +prizes upon the coast, they declared that the English who were thus +thrown into their hands should not be considered as prisoners of war; +and the Spanish soldiers gave up their own beds to their shipwrecked +enemies. The Spanish vice-admiral, Alva, died of his wounds. Villeneuve +was sent to England, and permitted to return to France. The French +Government say that he destroyed himself on the way to Paris, dreading +the consequences of a court-martial; but there is every reason to +believe that the tyrant, who never acknowledged the loss of the battle +of Trafalgar, added Villeneuve to the numerous victims of his murderous +policy. + +It is almost superfluous to add, that all the honours which a +grateful country could bestow were heaped upon the memory of Nelson. His +brother was made an earl, with a grant of L6000 a year. L10,000 were +voted to each of his sisters; and L100,000 for the purchase of an +estate. A public funeral was decreed, and a public monument. Statues and +monuments also were voted by most of our principal cities. The leaden +coffin in which he was brought home was cut in pieces, which were +distributed as relics of Saint Nelson,--so the gunner of the VICTORY +called them; and when, at his internment, his flag was about to be +lowered into the grave, the sailors who assisted at the ceremony with +one accord rent it in pieces, that each might preserve a fragment while +he lived. + +The death of Nelson was felt in England as something more than a +public calamity; men started at the intelligence, and turned pale, as if +they had heard of the loss of a dear friend. An object of our admiration +and affection, of our pride and of our hopes, was suddenly taken from +us; and it seemed as if we had never, till then, known how deeply we +loved and reverenced him. What the country had lost in its great naval +hero--the greatest of our own, and of all former times--was scarcely +taken into the account of grief. So perfectly, indeed, had he performed +his part, that the maritime war, after the battle of Trafalgar, was +considered at an end: the fleets of the enemy were not merely defeated +but destroyed; new navies must be built, and a new race of seamen reared +for them, before the possibility of their invading our shores could +again be contemplated. It was not, therefore, from any selfish +reflection upon the magnitude of our loss that we mourned for him: the +general sorrow was of a higher character. The people of England grieved +that funeral ceremonies, and public monuments, and posthumous rewards, +were all which they could now bestow upon him, whom the king, the +legislature, and the nation would have alike delighted to honour; whom +every tongue would have blessed; whose presence in every village through +which he might have passed would have wakened the church bells, have +given schoolboys a holiday, have drawn children from their sports to +gaze upon him, and "old men from the chimney corner" to look upon Nelson +ere they died. The victory of Trafalgar was celebrated, indeed, with the +usual forms of rejoicing, but they were without joy; for such already +was the glory of the British navy, through Nelson's surpassing genius, +that it scarcely seemed to receive any addition from the most signal +victory that ever was achieved upon the seas: and the destruction of +this mighty fleet, by which all the maritime schemes of France were +totally frustrated, hardly appeared to add to our security or strength; +for, while Nelson was living, to watch the combined squadrons of the +enemy, we felt ourselves as secure as now, when they were no longer in +existence. + +There was reason to suppose, from the appearances upon opening the +body, that in the course of nature he might have attained, like his +father, to a good old age. Yet he cannot be said to have fallen +prematurely whose work was done; nor ought he to be lamented who died so +full of honours, at the height of human fame. The most triumphant death +is that of the martyr; the most awful that of the martyred patriot; the +most splendid that of the hero in the hour of victory: and if the +chariot and horses of fire had been vouchsafed for Nelson's translation, +he could scarcely have departed in a brighter blaze of glory. He has +left us, not indeed his mantle of inspiration, but a name and an example +which are at this hour inspiring thousands of the youth of England: a +name which is our pride, and an example which will continue to be our +shield and our strength. Thus it is that the spirits of the great and +the wise continue to live and to act after them; verifying, in this +sense, the language of the old mythologist:-- + + + + + +[The book ends with two lines of ancient Greek by the poet Hesiod. +Their meaning is approximately that of the final lines above.] + + +In this text, to keep the character set to the minimum 'vanilla +ASCII': italics have been converted to capitals, accents etc. +have been omitted, and the British 'Pound' currency symbol has +been written as 'L'. Where angles are given in degrees, minutes +and seconds; the abreviations d, m, s have been used. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Life of Horatio Lord Nelson + |