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I. i.).i ' M;)*"^'ii rj: r* i- / ■ fr. t'^l.^jj. V ! u ■ r:":-^ !^\ ^' mm!. rf 4 ^'-i* 1! / ■yi 1 ^'L-' ^aSantgne ^xe8» OALLANTYNE, HANSON AND CO., EDINBURGH CHANBOS STREET, LONDON 1 THE LIFE OF NELSON BY ROBERT SOUTHEY mTH AN INTRODUCTION BY HENRY MORLEY LL.D., FKOFESSOR OF ENGLISH LlTERATUKli AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGK, LONDON SECOND EDITION 149477 LONDON GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS BROADWAY, LUDGATE HILL NEW YORK: 9 LAFAYETTE PLACE 1886 MORLEY'S UNIVERSAL LIBRARY. 21. 22. 1. Sheridan's Plays, 2. Plays from Molil've. l]y English Dnimatists. 3. iMaiicni'cs P'aiistiis and (ith't/ic's J'aiisf. 4. Chyonitic of the Cid. 5. Rabelais" Gur^aiiliia and the Heroic Deeds 0/ J\in;iis^> iieL 6. The Prince. J]y Maciua- VEI-LI. 7. Bacon^s Essays. 8. Drfoe's Journal of (lie Plague J '(((/-. g. Locke on Cii'il GoveruvtciU and liliiiers "Pdtriarc/iii.' I o. Bn tier's A nalo^^ v vj Kelii^ ion. 11. Dryden's Viri^il 12. Scott's DejHonoiogy and Witchcmft. 13. Herrick's Hesperiuts. 14. Colcridi^e's Table-Talk, 15. Boccaccio's Decameron. 16. Sterne's 'Prist ram Shandy. 17. Chapman' s Homer's Iliad. 18. Alediicval Talcs. 19. Voltaire's Candide, and y<'/insi»i's Jinssetds. 20. /Vaj'^ ««i';/ Quixote. In Two Volumes. Burles(/iie Plays and Poems. J'Jante's Divine Comedy. I,').N(;i'i;i.U)\v's Translation. Goldsmith's Vicar of IVahe- J'letd, Plays, and Poems. Pables and Provirbs from tlie Sanskrit. (Hitof'ade.^a.) Charles Lamb's Pssays of Elia. The History of 'Thomas Ellwood. pjncrson's Essays, &>c. Soitthcy's Life of Nelson. De Quincey's Confessions of a?i O/'iuiii-Juttcr, &^e. Stories of Ireland. By Miss l'".DGKWORTIl. Trerc's AristopJianes; Ackarnians, Knigliis, Birds. Speeches and Letters by Edinuiid Burke. I ho mas i\ Kenipis. eatncss." — Daily 'Pclcsraph. INTRODUCTION. "In the volume of this Library that contained his version of " The Chronicle of the Cid," some account has been given of Robert Soutliey's earlier life, with especial reference to the beginnings of his interest in Spanish literature. He produced " The Chronicle of the Cid " in the year 1808, when his age was thirty-four. His "Life of Nelson "was first published in 1813, when his age was thirty-nine. It was one of the best, if not the best, of his prose writings ; and while busy upon it, he was busy also upon the best of his poems, " Roderick, the Last of the Goths," which was published in 1814. This book belongs, there- fore, to the time of Southey's life when his genius was mature, and his energies were at their fullest stretch of power. After his young entliusiasm for an ideal community had been disci- plined by some hard facts, and he had come back from his run in Spain with his uncle Hill, to begin the world as he could with the young wife whom he had married before starting, Southey had only his pen to live by. His friend Lovell had died during his absence, leaving a widow with an infant. Of the v.idow (his wife's sister) Southey took charge. As long as he lived he supported her, and after his death the care of her pu iied on to his son. But the generous sense of fellowship that made Southey helpful to others, made also an old schoolfellow and college friend, Charles Wynn, helpful to Southey, with an annuity of ;^i6o in aid of his establishment in life. Southey, who liked neither lawyers nor large towns, entered at Gray's Inn, and settled in London, played at the study of law, worked at his poem of " Madoc," translated for a bookseller, and wrote essays on Spanish and Portuguese poetry for the Monthly Magazine. Then he asked himself why law could not be studie ■. in the country, and settled in Hampshire, by the sea, near the New Forest, with his wife, his mother — whom also he had to suppoit — Mrs. Lovell and her child. There he prepared a second edition of his "Joan of Arc," omitting passages that had been written by Coleridge, and wrote articles for the Critical Review. He was active also in pro- INTRODUCTION. moling a plan for the establishment of a convalescent asylum, to confiun health in the sick poor when discharged from liosjiitals and not yet strong for their old labour in unhealtliy homes. Ilfrciurned to Londcm for a short time only, ol)tained an cni;aj;cmciil to contribute original poems to the Mornitv^ Post for a guinea a wcels, and witluhcw to West- bury, near Ikistol, where I lumpiiry (afterwards Sir Humphry) Davy was amoi.g his friends. There he prepare! second editions of liis . " Letters from Spain and Portugal" and of his " Minor I'oem^." Over- worked l)y constant labour at his desk, he took a lung walk in Wales. In May 1799 he went again to London, to eat dinners at (iray's Inn, and returned with treasures from the bookstalls. Hut he was obliged then to le:ivc Westbury. After a visit to North Devon lie settled his household .igain, in October, on the Hampshire coast, at Harton, near Christchurch. Some failure of health from constant sedentary work caused Soulhey^ to be advised to try a southern climate for a time and in the spring of the year 1800 he went again, but this lime with his wife, to Lisbon. His visit was of course to uncle Hill. On his return he once more settled at Bristol, and renewed active work with the pen. Coleridge, then settled at Greta Hall, Keswick, invited Southcy and his wife to Cumberland. They stayed till the autumn of 1801, and paid also a visit to Charles Wynn at Llanyedwin, where Southey re- ceived offer of the post of secretary to Mr. Corry, Chancellor of the Exchequer for Ireland, with ^^350 a year salary, and light dutifs. The duties were so light that Mr. Corry proposed adding to them the educa- tion of his sons, and Southey, in 1802, resigned his post. In 1801 .Southey had published " Thalaba " and two volumes of "Poems." During a visit to London as secretary to Mr. Corry, his mother live. I with him in his London lodgings, and died there. After he had given up ofTicial life, Southey settled again at Bristol, in a little house, where in the autumn his first child was born, and dieil. Soutliey worked at his translation of "Aniadis of daul" and the *' History of Portugal." He also edited Chatterton's jioenis for tlie bene'lt of Chatlerton's sister and niece, securing £ioo{'.>x tlicir b.-ncrn. In July 1S03 he was in London, planning the publication by Messrs. Longman of a " Bibliothcca Britannica," an encyelopiedia of British literature on a large scalo. Coleridge, having found his tendency to rheumatism increased by the climate of the lakes, went to Malta, and Southcy, wiio had not yet found a fixed habitation, went to Greta Hall, a house planned orit^in.ally to be two in one. There his wife, who had recently lost her child, could be with her sister, Mrs. Coleridge, who had two boys, Hartley and Derwent, and a baby, Sara ; her other sister, Mrs. Lovell, Southey's wife had always with her. In May 1804 a daughter was born to Southey, whom he named Edith May. INTRODUCTION. Sara Coleridge, who grew up rcgtirJing Soiithcy as a father, spoke of him long afterwards as "upon the whole the best man she had ever known." 'riicnceforward, Greta Hall continued to be Soulhey'g home. In 1805 '• Madoc " was published ; a volume also of "Metrical Tales ; " and Southey, visiting Scotland, was cordially received by Walter Scott at ^ishestiel. In 1807 tlic constant good tjflices of his friend Charles Wynn obtained fur Southey a pension fiom ilic Civil List of ;^'20O a year, reduced by taxation to /'144, which took the jLice of the C^do hitherto supplicuUl never rise in my profession. My mind was staggered with a view of the difficulties I had to surmount, and the little interest I posses? ' 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 rrlow of patriotism was kindled within me, and preser'.co my king and country as my patron. ' Well, then,' I e.\< laimed, ' I will be a hero, and, confiding in Providence, brave every danger ! ' " Long afterwards, Nelson loved to speak of the feeliiT; 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 tlieir 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 s '^med willing to believe that the sunshine which succer led bore with it a proplietic glory, and that the light wnich led him on was "light from heaven." His interest, however, was far better than he imagined. During his absence Captain S'ickling had been made Comptroller of the Navy ; his in u.h IiidmatennH ' improved upon the voyage ; and as ? . .- '. . 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 1 THE LIFE OF NELSON. tl examinati( 11 bad ended, in a manner highly honi)urable to Nelson, rose from his seat, and introduced him to the examinini^ captains as his nephew. They expressed their wonder that he had not informed them of this relationship before \ he replicii that he did not uibh tlic younkcr to be favoured : he knew his nephew would pass a good exami- nation, and he had not been cieccivcd '^'hc 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 W jst Indies : even a frigate was not sulticiently active for Nelson, and he repeatedly got appointed to th. command of one of the Loiuestqffds tenders. During one of their cruises the Lowestoffe captured an American letler-of-marciue : it was blowing a gale and a heavy sea n ming. The first lieutenant being ordered to board the pi c, went below to put on his hanger. It happened to be Mislaid, and while he was seeking it Captain Locker came on deck. Per- ceiving the boat still alongside and i;i danger every moment of being swamped, and being ex remely anxious that the privateer should be instantly ta; en 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 olunteer, he jumped into the boat, saying, " It is my turn n nv ; and if I come back, it is yours." The American, who iiad cauied a heavy press of sail, in hope of escaping, was so com- pletely water-logged that the Loivcstoffc's boat went in on deck, and out again with the sea. About this time he lost his uncle. Captaii Locker, however, who had perceived the excellent qualities of Nelson, and formed a friendship for him, which continued 22 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 'illl' i!:H ' i 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 Lieutenant Culhbert Collingwood succeeded him in the Loivestoffe. He soon became first lieutenant; and on the 8th of December 1778 was appointed commander of the Badger brig ; Collingwood again succeeding him in the Bristol. While the Badger was lying in IVIontego 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 pre- vented the loss of life which would otherwise have ensued. On the nth of June 1779 he was made post into the Hinchinhrook, of twenty-eight guns, an enemy's merchant- man, sheathed with wood, which had been taken into the service. A short time after he left the Lo7vestoffe, 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 pro- motion 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 brouglit 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 23 1 even a 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 Bailing, and was appointed to command the Imtteries 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 sur- prised 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 entrusted : he attempted nothing with this 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 Grenada and Leon, and thus cut off the commu- nication 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 Po- payan, 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 Balling's plans were well formed, but the history and the nature of tlie country had not been studied as accurately as its geography : the 24 THE LIFE OF NELSON. !'! m 11 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 Gracious 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, how- ever, one of them ventured down, confiding in his know- ledge of one of the party ; and by his means the neigh- bouring tribes were conciliated with presents aiivi brought in. The troops were encamped on a swampy aic! anwhole- some plain, where they were joined by a party of the 79th regiment from Black River, who were already in a deplor- able 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, ]\Iarch 24, and here, accord- ing 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 Tlinchinbrook' 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 banks, 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 25 xpedition and the so much IS against tined for Royal to e was to that the enslaving lile, how- lis know- le neigh- , brought anwhole- the 79th I deplor- i month, VIosquito furnish They accord- ate; but the river mouth, much About losquito Its, and the dry iver was through he men jrt their 1 labour deeper /T water; they had then currents and rapids to contend with, which would have been insurmountable 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 accus- tomed 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 all refreshing circulation of air ; and during the night all were equally exposed to the heavy and un- wholesome 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 pf the navigation. Nelson, at the head of a few of his sea- men, leaped upon the beach. The ground upon which he sprang was so muddy that he had some difficulty in extri- cating himself, and lost his shoes ; bare-footed, however, ^e advanced, and in his own phrase, boarded the battery. In this resolute attempt he was bravely supported by the well- known Despard, at that time a captain in the army. The castle of San Juan is situated about sixteen 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 slung under some trees, being excessively fatigued, and 26 THE LIFE OF NELSON. I'!'' 'y'' li i,i was sleeping, when n 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 man- chineel 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 thirty-two miles below the Lake of Nicaragua, from which the river issues, and sixty-nine 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 nth, 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 conld 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, disease 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 sufificient of themselves to have engendered pesti- lence ; and when at last orders were given to erect a con- venient 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 37 sunk ir own victory ch had and it very of ected. d with ,ttle— pesti- a con- 1 that e few e not 1 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 im- practicable. 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 pri- soners. 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. 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 : meantiuie Captain Glover (son of the author of " Leonidas ") died, and Nelson was appointed to succeed him in the Janus, of forty-four guns. He returned to tiie harbour the day before San Juan sur- rendered, and immediately sailed for Jamaica in the sloop which brought the news of his appointment. He was, how- ever, 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 28 THE LIFE OF NELSON. Ijilif' lj;ililil|v II: nil''.'' ■ ':ii; 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 care 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 employ- ment. 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 after, 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 Eritannic Majesty's ships : you are at liberty, sir, to count the guns as you go do\vn 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 Albe- marle 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. «9 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 Albefiiarle. 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, wherfe, 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 meal since the beginning of April. had not U- J iictu a fresh \ I The certificate was ml mi |:!l:.,;-V m iir wm M !:i Hi:;:;! Hi' I'iiii 30 TN£ LIFE OF NELSON. 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 Albciiiark 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 St. Margardla, had escajjcd 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 Albetnarlc 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 his reappearance. Nelson took his arm to walk towards the town, and told him 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 utter 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 ord ers to convoy a ficct of ■I i \ ':, 3 THE LIFE OF NELSC 31 transports to New York. " A very pretty job," said her captain, "at this late season of tlie 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 in 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 j 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 ques- tion 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 Nelsori, describes him as appearing the merest boy of a captain he had ever seen, dressed in a full lace uniform, an old-fashioned waistcoat with long flaps, and his lank unpowdered hair tied in a stifl" 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 imcagine 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 !i 32 THE LIFE OF NELSON. m i: lil llnl [||,| J||lil! \\\% '^■Vh m 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 Guayra, under French colours, for the purpose of obtaining infor- mation, v;hen 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, wf^re not a little surprised when they were taken on board, ard found themselves prisoners. One of the party went by the r.ame of the Count de Deux Fonts. 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 by any means likely to happen. Tidings soon arrived that the preliminaries of peace had been signed; and the Albemarle returned to England, and was paid ofif. Nelson's first business, after he got to London, even before he went to see his rela- tions, 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 the 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. IZ oftcred, 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. B CHAPTER II. 1,'iH III III- .'■|l i I 1; M m i: ii $ Nelson goes to France during the Peace— Forms a second attachment — Is re-appointecl to the Boiras — Goes to the West Indies — His kind- ness to his Midshipmen — Has a dispute with Admiral Hughes — Chases a French frigate — Enforces the Navigation Act — Meets with opposition from the West Indians — Seizes four American vessels- Is prosecuted by the Captains — Marries the widow of Dr. Nisbet— Exposes the conduct of the Navy Contractors — Returns to England — His reception — Is on the point of quitting the service in di?gust — His manner of life while at home — Is threatened with a new prose- cntion — Applies for active employment — Appointed to the Agatnein- non 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 ballroom at Bath when heated with dancing, affected his father so much that it had nearly occasioned him to return in a it^f 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 English clergyman. This second attachment appears to have been less ardent than the first, for upon weighing the evils of a straitened THE UFE OF NELSON. 35 tachment — — Iliskind- Ilughes — ■Meets with m vessels— ir. Nisbet — ) England— n disgust — , new prose- le Againein- lution. |iis letters, in my my mind (ecause he manner herefore, oeace, he lamara, of death of uence of ted with ad nearly however, the old enough to lergyman. 2SS ardent 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 accei)ting an invita- tion from the Count of Deux Fonts 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 sa,y to him in a friendly manner: "Well, sir, I am goin^' a race to the masthead, 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 hini, 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 schoolroom, 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 of Barbadoes he took one of tliem in his hand and presented him, saying : " Your Excellency must excuse me for bringing one of my midshi[)men. 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 tliey are at sea." B 2 \\:\ 3(i THE LIFE OF NELSON. f m\ lli'- -III W^h i'i|!'i m PI Wiien Nelson arrived in the West Indies he found him- self 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 Moutiay 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 lis.." Con- cluding, therefore, that it was not consistent with the service for a Resident Commsssioner, 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 veturn it to the dockyard. 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 informa- tion that this ship was sent from IMartinico, with two general officers and some engineers on bo-ard, 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 i if hr t!i J THE LIFE OF NELSON. 37 bund him- command \ involved ess zealous the Latona xnt hoisted, th a written ing him to Atvay during re ; the said .uthoriscd to jesty's ships )n was never know of no Dmmissioners lis.." Con- ch the service ;ivil situation, md anchored (7 to strike it, hore the same n that he was Lity, and gave ll been struck. miralty ; but itain Nelson's ther occasion, [vere over, was rate passed to lined informa- Ith two general [ke a survey of determined to lie gave orders with them at anchor in the roads of St. P'ustatia, and anchored at about two cables' length on the frigate's quarter. Being after- wards 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. ]jut Nelson, with the utmost politeness, insisted upon paying them this compliment, followed them close in s^nte 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 wiiii 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 broken the tics of blood and language, and had acquired the independenee which they had been provoked 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 settHng at Nova Scotia are entirely done away, and when we are again embroiled I \\ *■ jiE'i; I :i! l!! ! I 38 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 Mar- tinico, 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 mterest, and are inimical to great Britain. They are as great rebels as ever were in America, had they /iie power to show it." In November, when the squadron, having arrived at Earbadoes, was to separate, with no other orders than those for examining anchorages, and the usual inquiries concern- ing 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. 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 I ■Liu '; :]■ THE LIFE OF NELSON. 39 carriers Here to Mar- : loyalist dearer, and by as great to show •rived at m those :oncern- figwood, ;\v upon in-chief, e not to that the Im to be 11 time of articular Acts of .vigation th which cted to on. Sir )on this \ct, and men-of- purpose rs were jrnor of him to ;rounds, labit of aid the 1 never I % J carried him too far, and always was equal to the occasion, " I am as old as the Prime Minister of England, and think myself as capable of commanding one of his Majesty's shipsas 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 \ tlie 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 determuied upon the former, trusting to M 40 THE LIFE OF NELSON. wm. iiil ii' li'i ■K 1 i'li 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 thr 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 CoUingwood, 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 con- demned in the Admiralty Court. When the Boreas arrived at Nevis she found four American vessels, deeply laden, and with what are called the island colours flying — white with a red cross. They were ordered to hoist their proper flag, and depart within eight and forty 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 the 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 iiil I • -I THE LIFE OF NELSON. 41 % 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, from 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 of the 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 sum of ^40,000, 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 hy 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 he remained under this state of duresse. During that time the trial respecting these 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 tlie merchants promised to inc'.emnify him for so doing. The judge, 42 THE LIFE OF NELSON. ii ! I'll I li !■ '!!• I lll:i^: ill.; ! Ill.ivl 111!;! I ■ J i 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 ;^i 0,000 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 representations which he made at the same time to the Secretary of State, and the suggestions with which he accompanied them, 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 a 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 LIFE OF NELSON. 43 The anxiety he had suffered from the harassing uncer- tainties 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 drc' sing-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 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 ii, 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 n^vy 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 m a letter to Mrs. ■I I ■11' ii;!ii|!j;{; ,ii''i mi iij' ■II ,11' I' 44 77/A- L/FJ': OF NELSON. Nisbct 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 in 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." IMore frequently his correspondence breathed a decider 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, and 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 oppor- tunity of observing the scandalous practices of the con- tractors, 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 tiie navy THE LIFE OF NELSON. 45 he requi"" ' 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 Comp- troller 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 mer- chants informed him that they were privy to great frauds which had been committed upon Government in various de])artments : at Antigua to the amount of nearly ^500,000 ; at Lucie, ;^3oo,ooo ; at Barbadoes, ^250,000 ; at Jamaica, upwards of a million. The informers were both shrewd, sensible men of business ; they did not aftect to be actuated by a sense of justice, but required a percentage 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 in- ([uiry, but even in raising prejudices against Nelson at the ]joard 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 i.!M; tiii 46 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 mosdy, no doubt, imputable to healthy seasons, must in some measure also be ascribed to the wise conduct of the captain. He never sufilered the ships to remain more than three or four 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 perha])s was saved from consumption by that climate, was still in a precarious state of health ; and the raw wet weather of one of our ungeni.;! 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 intention 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 otf, 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 upon 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 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 huiiseif, little foreseeing how deeply the welfare ;1 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 47 officer or his almost mostly, no le measvirt ptain. He irce or four ; hurricane Duraged all I cudgelling ; anything heir spirits '. Nelson, jnsumptive aved from irious state ir ungeni.;l fever; yet of June till iving ship. proceeded 'felson the nonths he 1 the duty ling when Deing paid Medway, ungrateful ion never mediately Lord of officer to 'ed in the vain to secretly step so e 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 a ; he arrived in town ; when, being pleased with his conversation 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 I am to say, much to the contrary has been dispersed." This was not flattery, for Nelson was no flatterer. The letter in which this pas- sage 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, pre- vented 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 recom- mend 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 into competi- tion 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 atrached 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 i' ' '' I Mi: m »[ 48 T///-: LIFE OF NELSON. of this be assured by a man who, I trust, never did a dis- honourable act, that I am interested only that your Royal Highness should be the greatest and best man this coimtry ever produced." Kncouraged 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 lie satisfactorily proved his charges. In consequence, it is said, these very extensive public frauds were at length put in a proper train to be provided against in future; his re- presentations were attended to, and every step which he recommended was adopted ; the investigation was put into a projKT course, which ended in the detection and punish- ment of some of the culprits ; an immense saving was made to Government ; and thus its attention was directed to simi- lar peculations in other parts of the colonies. But it is said also, that no mark of commendation seems to have been bestowed upon Nelson for his exertions ; and it is 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 super- intended 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 ex- penses attending his frequent journeys to St. John's upon that duty (a distance of twelve miles) would hav^. fallen " Ckrke and M'Arf'iur, vol. i. p. 107. THE LIFE OF NELSON. 49 I 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 still buffet the waves in search of-WHiat? Alas! that they called honour is now thought of no more. My fortune, (iod 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 ser- vices will be acce[)ted. 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. Pos- terity will do him justice. A uniform course of honour and integrity seldom fails in 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 jnly to i)ay him a visi^ 'jcfoic they went to France ; a project which he had foiuied for the sake of acquiring a competent knowledge of the French language. But his father could not bear to lose hiiTn 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 s[)eak. He had been given over by his physicians for this complaint nearly forty years bofore his death, and was for many of his last years obliged to spend all his winters at Bath. The sight of his son, he declared, had given him nev. 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 increose, and I shall not last long." To sucii an appeal there could be no reply. Nelson took up hib abode at the " i i H til I so THE LIFE OF NELSON. parsonage, and amused himself with the sports and occupa- tions 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-bird's- nesting, like a boy ; and in these expeditions Mrs. Nelson always, by his express desire, accompanied him. Coursing was his favourite amusement. Shooting, as h^ 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 would let fly, with- out 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 v.ith a writ, or notification, on the part of the American captains, who now laid their damages at ;^2o,ooo, and they charged her to give it to her husband on his return. Nelson having bought his pony, came home v»'ith it in high spirits. He called out his wife to aclmire the THE LIFE OF NELSON. 51 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 L ifect. " 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 concerniug Nootka Sound he renewed his appli- cation ; and his steady friend. Prince William, who had then been created Duke of Clarence, recommended him to Lord Chatham. The l^iilure 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 Raisoiuiablc, in which lie had commenced * ill iiiii, 52 THE LIFE OF NELSON. his career, was to be commissioned, he asked for her. This also was in vain, and a coolness ensued on his part towards Lord Hood, because that excellent officer did not use his influence with Lord Chatham on this occasion. Lord Ilood, however, had certainly sufficient reason for not interfering, for he ever continued his steady friend. In- the winter of 1792, when we were on the eve of the Revolu- tionary 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. This fresh mortification did not, however, affect him long, fo by the joint interest of the Duke and Lord Hood h was appointed, on the 30th of January following, to the Agamemnon, of sixty-four guns. ^:i abhc CHAPTER III. 1 Tlie Agamemnon sent to the ^lediterraneau — Commencement of Nelson's acquaintance with Sir William and Lady Hamilton — Is sent to join Commodore Linzee at Tunis — Action with a French frigate — Is ordered to Corsica, to co-operate with Paoli — The strug- gles of the Corsicans for liberty — Their treatment by the French — The Protector Gaffori— The patriot Paoli — Siege of St. Fiorenzo — Nelson besieges and reduces Bastia — Takes a prominent part in the Siege of Calvi — Loses an eye— Annexation of Corsica — Admiral Hotham's action — The Agamcninon engages the Ca Ira and the Censetir — Nelson proceeds to Genoa to co-operate with the Austrian and Sardinian forces — General de Vins : his character and conduct — Nelson's difficulties — Defeat of the Austrians. M •' 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 stepson, went with him as 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 Enghnd ; 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 wa;; republican. Lord Hood could not y "Wf** \ i' ';• f 1 .;;: ,r 'I : i 54 THE LIFE OF NELSON. take advantage of the fair occasion which presented itself, and which, if it had been sdzed with vigour, mijht 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, catled the Fnglish the saviours of Ital}-, and of his dominions in particular. He paid the most flattering atten- tion to Nelson, made him dine with him, and seated him a his right hand. Having accomplished this mission, Nelson received orders to join Commodore Linzee at Tunis. On the way, five THE LIFE OF NELSON. S5 ented itself, mi"ht have d with the ally of their was done. ; sent with at the Court ^v with him, a little man idsome, but stonish the entertained > bring him for Prince h ended in It seemed mencement. lis wife, as tnour to the : remarked The activity ing troops delitifhted lliam, you in my own a captain, Here also mmenced character. pity to the and of his ring atten- |ed him a ^ed orders 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 Agamenmon had only 345 men at quarters, having landed part of her crew at Toulon and others being absent at 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 A^amemnori! s guns ; and that ship had received so much damage in the rigging that she could net follow hei. 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 : " Vee'* the ship, and lay her head to the westward \ let some of the best men be employed in refittng the Jgging, and the carpenter getting crows and capstem-bars to prevent our wounded spars from coming down; and get the wine up for the people, with sonie 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 ali hoisted out their boats to go to her assistance, leaving the Agamemnon unmolested. Nelson found Commodore I.inzee at Tunis, where he had been sent to expostulate with the Dey upon the im- policy of his supporting the revolutionary Government of France. Nelson represented to him the atroci.y of that Government, Such arguments were of little avail in Barbary ; and when the Dey was told that the Fiench had put their sovereign to death, he dryly replied, that " nothing 'M i. , I' r -■ -.T lM\ '^ I. i 56 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 afterwards 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 adm.iration 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 m.any excellent harbours ; and though the tnalaria, or pestilential atmo- sphere, v/bich 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, m circum- ference 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 Arragon, and the Genoese, successively attempted, and each for a time effected, its conquest. The yoke of the Genoese continued lonc^est, 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 commence- ment 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 57 served in the French armies, and having afcerwards been noticed both by Ripperda .md Alberoni, their example perhai)s 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 magnifi- cent 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 affec- tions toward 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 mer- chants 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 supercc i^'o to Corsica, and put him to death on his arrival, as the shortest way of settling the account. The remainder of his In? was a series of deserved afflictions. He threw in the stOi'^^s which he had thus fraudulently obtained ; but he did no*: dare to land, for Genoa had now called in the French to their assistance, and a price had been set upon his .'lead. His dreams of royalty were now at an end ; he tooK refuge in London, contracted debts, and was thrown into the Kmg's Bench, After lingering ■ -:;■ i ir 58 THE LIFE OF NELSON. there many years he was released under an Act of insol- vency, in consequence of which he made over the kingdonj 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 ir vain that tlie 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 i)art 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 with- drew their forces. As soon as they were gone, men, women, and boys rose at once against their oppressors. The cir- cumstances of the times were now favourable to them, and some British ships, acting as allies of Sardinia, bombarded Bastia and St. 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 heartburning of rival chiefs and the dissensions among the patriots, and perceiving the state of barbarism to which continual oppres- sion 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 tliey displayed arose from their own nature. This THE LIFE OF NELSON. 59 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 satis- faction 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 tit^e of Protectors. The latter is represented as a partisan of Genoa, favouring the views of the oppressors of his country by the most t'-easonable means. Gaffori was a hero worthy of old times. His eloquence was long re- membered with admiration. A band of assassins was once advancing against him ; he heard of their approach, and 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, straymg at a little dis- tance from the camp, suddenly sallied out and seized them. The use they made of their persons was in conformity with 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. Ke left the country in such a state that it was enabled to w {.: t 1; : I ' 2^i 11'^ Jit:'; 11 60 THE LIFE OF NELSON. continue the war two years after his death without a leader, when they found one worthy of their cause in Pasquale de Paoli. PaoU's father was one of the patriots wlio effected their escape from Corsica when the French reduced it to obedience. He retired to Naples, and brought up this 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 ihings in con- fusion : 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 [)rinciple 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, ivitVi oil liic frrrvrc Hrnc cj^lrlnm rlf^firipnh in fpplirior fnr the THE LIFE OF NELSON. 6i WiCngs of humanity. "You Frenchmen," said he, writing to one of tliat people, "are a thoroughly servile nation, thoroughly sold to tyranny, thoroughly cruel, and relentless in persecuting the unhappy. If they knew of a freeman at the other end of the world, I believe they 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 Clcnoa ; 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 (^5 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 weaknesii of the Genoese allowed, he prosecuted his plans of civiHsing 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 happ^-, he would be content to be forgotten. His own imporiance he never affected to undervalue. " We are now tc our country," said he, " like the prophet Elisha stretched over the dead body 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 or sale could justify one country in taking possession of another against the will of the inhabitants, and butchewng ail who oppose the usurpation !i 62 THE LIFE OF NELSON. li I 't '■ Among the enormities which France has committed this action seems but as a speck ; yet the foulest murderer that ever suffered by the hands 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 ri lired. 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 aggrandisement. In one respect, however, our country acted as became her. Paoli was welcomed with the honours which he deserved, a pension of ;^i,2oo per annum was immediately granted him, and provision was liberally made for his elder brother and his nephew. Above 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 past, seeing THE LIFE OF NELSON. 63 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 1 790, 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 hoi)es of a new and better order of things which Paoli, in common with so many of the friends of human- kind, had mdulged ; and perceiving, after the execut" 7n of the king, that a civil war was about to ensue, of which no man could foresee the issue, he prepared to break the con- nection between Corsica and the French Republic. The Convention, suspecting such a design, aad perh: ,js occasion- ing it by their suspicions, ordered him to the; bar. That way, he well knew, led to the guillotine ; and, returning a respectful answer, he declared that i.. would nevci be found wanting in his duty, but pleadc i 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 in- fluenced 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 ; .r a rebel, and set a price upon his head. It was not th'.i first time that France had proscribed Paoli. Paoli now opened ?, 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 >' |!l 64 THE LIFE OF NELSON. ll .1 an injurious suspicion. Shortly afterwards he despatched Lieutenant-Colonel ( afterwards Sir John ) Moore and Major Koehler to confer with him upon a plan of operations. Sir Gilbert Elliott accompanied them, and it was agreed upon 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 concerning 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 him the loss of a single man. While he 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 spirits 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 that post, sunk one of their frigates, burnt another, and retre ited to Bastia. Lord Hood sub- mitted 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 without 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, b> taking care THE LIFE OF NELSON. 65 patched re and jrations. agreed military ford for Corsica 1 of his ment he :s future [ion was a small supplies, of flour, ity, and )urnt the 'ere sent gle man. supplies, nd forts, warfare ire than periority |ded, and mselves frigates, lod sub- Id forces, Ideclined [ithout a ibraltar. |vith the t of his not to bring with him any older captain. A few days before their arrival Nelson had what he called a brusii with the enemy. " If I had had with me five hundred 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 hiving reconnoitred the place, returned to St. Fiorenzo. " What the general could have seen to make a retreat necessary," said Nelson, " I cannot comprehend. A thousand men would certainly take Bastia ; with five hundred and Agamemnon I would attempt it. My sea- men 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," said he in a letter to Lord Hood, " and a personal inspection for several days of all circum- stances, 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 com- mand of the army, coincided in opinion with his pre- decessor, 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 118.3 soldiers, artillerymen, and marines, and 250 sailors. ** We are but itw^^ said Nelson, " but of the right sort ; our c i Ii3 1 66 THE LIFE OF NELSON. iJfll lillL ifiir I .If ;! p '■': ■ i: m. 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 diffi- culty — 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 Toe, and there is nothing within the reach of human achievement which they cannot per- form. The French had improved the leisure which our military commander had allowed them, and before Lord Hood commenced his operation, 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 capitu- ation was begun ; that same evening the troops from kept THE LIFE OF NELSON. 67 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 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 npon 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 luiglish town I am sure it would not have been taken by them." AVheri it had been resolved to attack the place the enemy were supposed to be far inferior in nnmber, 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 hav^ 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 might be truly 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 men- tioned in the despatches as to make them sufficiently known to the nation, nor to obtain for him from Govern- ment those honours to which they so amply entitled him. This could only have Jiriscn from the haste in which the c 2 68 THE LIFE OF NELSON. Mi' ili 'i^l lift 'Mfi f::i;,: i :',i 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 Heet. The intelligence was speedily verified. Lord Hood sailed in quest of them toward the islands of Hieres. The Agcniemnon was with him. " I pray God," said Nelson, writing vo his wife, " that we may meet their fleet. If any accident should happen to me^ I am sure my conduct ^"ill 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 was 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 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 *owing or war^^lng flio r» .■% /-i <■ !-% t c For this time the enemy escaped, but Nelson bore in mind THE LIFE OF NELSON. 69 the admirable plan of attack which Lord Hood he d 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 for 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 wa^ not less hard than that of the former siege. " We will f".g 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." Tlie climate proved more destructive than the service, for this was during the period of the " lion sun," as they there 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 ;;:. all 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 got a little hurt that morning, not much ; and the next day he said he should be able t ; attend his duty in the evening. In fact, he suffered it to confine him o-]y one day; but t-;e sight was lost. After the fall of Calvi, his services were, by a strange omission, altogether overlooked, and his name was unt * Lord Melville was fully sensible of these talents, and bore testi- mony to them in the handsomest manner after Sir Charles's death. ' .[♦ V H''J i. II III r ; I ii '. ' i I ■! m'W 'W *- ' ;i^^ j.\4 ii 1- 70 T//£ LIFE OF NELSON. «^SSa:!i'! H,.' m 1' ■ ■! .liv (>l ^^l:i m- even mentioned in the list of ivoundcd. This was noways imputable to the admiral, for he sent home to Government Nelson's journal of the siege, '.h.:\t they migin. fully under- stand the nature of his indotatigable an 1 unequalled exertions. If those exert; :riS wcie noc re.v,i,-ded in the conspicuous manner which tl'cy deserved, t!ie fault was in the administraiion of the day, not in Lord Hood. Nelson felt hiuiself negected. "One hundred and \'.m days," said he, " I have been actually engaged, at r.-.ia and on shore, against ihe enemy : thret- actions ag.i.inst ships, two against Bastia in my ship, foui^ boat aciions, c;5.d two villages taken, and twelve sail of vessels burnt. I do not know that ai\y 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 M'ounded 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 fifty, 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 hrd at this time t'.ken 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 \\v -arty in the cause." ilis wi'' was for peace on fair ter 1: ecause England, he thought, was draining herst.." t". laintain allies who would not tight for themselve.-, " , ri Hood had now r-'arned to 'm \> m loways nment under- dualled In the was in Nelson s," said . shore, against s taken, 3\v that iifort to It never services praised, far from pe. But How THE LIFE OF NELSON. 71 England, and the jommand devolved on Admiral Hotham. The affairs of t^^, 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 all wrongs, which ought never to have been forgotten or forgiven, their partisans were daily acquiring strength. It is part of the policy of France — and a wise poHcy 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 keep'; up the spirit of its allies and perpetually stimulates theii ; opes, tends also to dismay its enemies. Corsica v\as now loudly threatened. The French, who had not yet been laKght to feel their own inferiority upon the seas, braved us in coviempt upon that element. They had a superior fleet in the ?.iediterranoa;i, and they sent it out with express orders fo seek the English and engage them. Accordingly, the Toulon fleet, consisting of :k- m I- i ^1 ■ I,:! W ■ >■■' W ' '' 111! J! • ': i '"i t : ,] I ( .i 72 TBE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 7,650 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 occa- sions, wrote a hasty letter to his wife, as that which mic^ht possibly contain his last farewell. "The lives of all," said he, "are in the hands 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 o" their naval superiority, the officers had no such feeling ; and after manoeuvring for a day in sight of the iMiglish fleet, they suffered themselves to be chased. One of their ships, the Ca Ira, of eighty-four guns, ^irried away her main and fore-top-masts. The Inconstant frigate fired at a 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-Culoltes, one hundred and twenty, and he 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 ired her stern guns so truly that not a shot missed som-: 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 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 hun dred yards of her stern, he ordered the helm to be put a-starboard, and the driver and after-saiis to be brailed yi THE LIFE OF NELSON. 73 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-topmast, mizen-topsail, and cross -jackyardv. 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 Agamemnojis 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 in to Spithead. On gelt' -ound he saw that the Sans-Culottes, which had wo. _ »vith 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 ineftectual fire. Only seven of the Aganio/uica's men were hurt — a thing which Nelson himself remarked as wonderlv , ; jr sails and rigging were very much cut, and she had many shots in her hull, and some between wind and water. The Ca In^ lost no men that day, and was so cut up that she could not get a topmast 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 tleet kept the southerly wind. The body of their ;^^ ■! f- i'i .■ \\ 74 THE LIFE OF NELSON. ii ^i ' V fleet was about five miles distant; the Ca Ira and the (^enseitr, seventy-four, which liad her in tow, about three ;.:ui ii lialf. All sail was made to cut these ships off, and as tiie French attempted to save them, a ])artial action was brought on. The Ai:;aniimno)t was again engaged with her yesterday's antagonist, but she had to fight on both sides the shij) at the same time. The Ca Im and the Ccnseur fought mi '- ^ulantly : the first lost nearly 300 men in addition to her former loss ; the last, 350. Eoth at last struck, and Lieutenant Andrews, of the Aganit)nnon—hxo'Ci\', !' THE LIFE OF NELSON. 79 that the British envoy should appoint agents to pay the freir^ht, 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 con- tinually suffered from the frauds of neutral vessels. " AVhat changes in my life of activity ! " said this 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 Agamevinon'^'' 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 nlan with Nelson for embarkiiicr a part I'i i 80 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 1 J 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 westward as far as Nice, and wouid undertake to embark four or five thousand 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 farther 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 post;ession of St. Remo, as head-quarters for magazines of ever/ kind, would enable the Austrian general to turn his army io the eastward or westward. The enemy at Oneglia would bo 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 \Xi 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 com- pletely 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 8i Court and their general had other ends in view than the cause of the alHes. " This army," said he, " is slow beyond all description, and I begin to think that the P^mperor is anxious to touch another four millions 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 loophole ; it has for some time appeared to me that he means to go no farther 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-operatior 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, despatch 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 ii*^ would find some other excuse, and Mr. Drake, v'ho was now c'ppointed to reside at the Austrian head- quarters, entertained Lhe sam.e 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 convey- ing 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 mucli at his own discretion, pursued a cautious system, ill according with the bold and compre- hensive views of Nelson, who continually regretted Lord Hood, sa)ing that the nation had suffered much by his % m 8. THE LIFE OF NELSON. 'i' iM i resignation of the Mediterranean command. The plan which had been concerted, he said, would astonisii the French, and perhaps the English. There was no unity in the views of the Allied Powers, no cordiality in their cooperation, no energy in their councils. The neutral powers assisted France more effectually than tile allies assisted each other, 'i'lie Genoese ports were at this time filled witli French privateers, which swarmed out every night and covet jd the gulf; and French vessels were allowed to tow out of the port of Genoa itself, board vessels which were coming id, and then return into the mole. This was allowed without a remonstrance, vhilc, though Nelson abstained n: jst carefully from offering any offence to the Genoese territory or Hag, complaints were so repeatedly made against his scjuadron, 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 ^/^ 10,000 with him — a booty which the French Minister in that city, and a captain of a IVench frigate in tliat port, considered as far more important than the word of honou ; of the one, the duties of the other, and the laws of neutrality. Phe boats of the frignte went out with some privateers, landed, robbed the commissary, and brought back die money to (lenoa. The next day men were publicly enlisted in that city for the French army ; 700 men were embarked, with 7,000 stand of arms, on board the frigates and other vessels, who were to Lmd 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: a the frig ships in not now knowinji breach was prei for him But tl which \\ foresaw, prevent, it had to or ten fr reinforcei "ir Hyde arrive, an leaving hi error. \\ from the mained in of Italy, to Genoa vessels hi 2000 Frei had made were now and ships important his sc^uadi to lead hi; whole. 1 belief that attack up immediate General GovernnK THE LIFE OF NEISON. of cl :)ortant other, went issary, \t day army ; board tween rench ere to y thing ed for oudly ■of the plan : S3 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 movenicnt produced the immediate effect which was designed, it led to ill consequences which Nelson foresaw, but for want of sufticient force was unable to prevent. His squadron was too small for the service which it had to perform. lie refjuired two seventy-fours and eight or ten frigates and sloops ; but when he demanded this reinforcement, Admiral llotham had left the command, "ir Hyde Parker succeeded till the new connnander should arrive, and he immediately reduced it almost to 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, re- mained 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 one hundred sail of victuallers, gunboats, 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 Coi/ragcux, to load himself m the Agamcnnwn, and take or destroy thii!io)i, therefore, could no longer be useful on this station, and Nelson sailed for sr. THE LIFE OF NELSON. u Leghorn to refit. When his sliip went into dock there was not a mast, yard, sail, or any part of the rif^gln^' but what stood in need of repair, having been cut to iiieccs with sliot. The hull was so damaged that it had for some time been secured by cables, which were served or thrapped round it. I iiii ^\^ li vH 1:1 m I'.ir k there In^' but I i)icrcs Dr some iirappcd CHAPTER IV. Sir Jolin Jervis takes tlio command— His onridciicc in Nelson— Genoa (j|)cnly joins the l'"rcnch — Bonaparte be{;ins his career— llis lirst successes in Italy — Evacuation of Corsica — Nelson superintends the embarkation at Bastia — Hoists his broad pendant in the Mincrve frigate — Engages two Spanish frigates — Leaves the Mediterranean — Proceeds to join the Admiral— Falls in with the Stianish fleet- Battle off Cape St. Vincent— Captures the San Nicolas and San yostf— Sir John Jervis's account of the victory — Nelson receives the Order of the Bath — Commands the inner squadron at the blockade of Cadiz— Conflict with a Spanish launch — Expedition agp'nst Santa Cruz — Is shot through the arm — Failure of the attack— Generosity of the Spanish Governor — Nelson returns to England — Sufferings from his wound — Recovery. Sir John Jervis had now arrived to take the cominand of the Mediterranean flee,. The Agama/mon having, as her captain said, been mad^- ^^s 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 io know many things, which I was a good deal smprised 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 likel) to happen, and the means of pre- vention 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 • -liich 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- '♦, if 88 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 1' lii^ t in-chief." A higher compliment could not have been paid to any commander-iij-c'iief 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 ^SV. George^ ninety, or the /.ca/oiis, 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, " eitlier as captain or admiral.'' Accordingly, he resumed his station in the Clulf 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 Uonaparte was appointed to succeed him. Bonaparte had given indications of his mili- tary talents at Toulon, anii 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 sus- pected by himself. Nelson supposed, from the information which he had obtained, that one column of the French army would take ])ossession of Port ]''.specia, either penetrating through the Genoese territory, or proceeding coastways 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 super- seded de Vins in the command of th.e allied Austrian and en paid that he far as ^ or the ve any replied, his Hag wish to ouUl be mniand. captain in the ip their schercr, ly other rectory, lie was ity was nted to is mili- ture at :edness en sLis- lie had Id take gh the .vessels, ; coast it this, Vado these :ack of supcr- n and THE LIFE OF NELSON. 89 Sardinian army, sent his nephew and aide-de ramp to com- municate with Nelson, and ii'quire whether he could anchor in any other place t^an \ . Jo Bay. Nelson replied tliat Vado was the only place where the liritish fleet could lie in safety, but uil nlac would 'Juit his squadron, and wherever the general r ^m find it. The /\ tr risk of losing t' that if these slu^ others. But all plai .0 he sea-coast there he should ?atcdly asked if there was not a Oi and was constantly answered 1 be lost the admiral would find co-operation with the Austriaus were soon frustrated by the battle of Montenolic. IJeaulieu ordered an attack to be made upon the i)0st 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. Bona- parte, with a celerity which had nc before been wit- nessed 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 hands. 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 Alcleoi^er^ 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 batdes had been fought, sent by the Directory for Bonaparte'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 I; ! 1|- fflii w- IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. ^4 .V c ^"^/^ 1.0 IS I.I 12.5 III 2.2 1.8 1.25 1.4 1 1.6 < 6" ► V] <^ /a ^l o>4> ^;> .^ ?i5' ^ Hiott)grapmc Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 90 THE LIFE OF NELSON. i:;l y, 11 councils and armies of the Allied Powers, for Austria to improve this momentary success. Bonaparte perceived that the conquest of all Italy was within his reach ; treaties and rights of neutral or 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 exrlude 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 deter- mined by the British Cabinet to evacute Corsica as soon as Spain should form an offensive alliance with France. This event, which, from the moment that Spain had been com- pelled to make peace, was clearly foreseen, had now taken place, and orders for the evacuation of the island were im- mediately sent out. It was impolitic to annex this island to the British dominions, but having done so, it was dis- graceful 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 91 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 sackcloth 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 liad 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 supermtend 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 frora passing, he sent word to the Committee that if tho 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 oft", and every vessel came out of the mole. A shipowner complained to the commodore that the muni- cipality refused to let him take his goods out of the custom- r-- /ill M IJ! i j Si \ \A K-i 92 THE LIFE OF NELSON. vi i ! '., \ 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 (leal with a man who knew his own power and was deter- mined 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 r4th 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 ;^2 00,000. 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 1 8th, and on the 20th, at one in the morning, entered the citadel, an hour only after the British had spiked the guns and evacna*'"'^ it. Nelson embarked at daybreak, being the last persoi io left the shore ; having thus, as he said, seen the lirsi 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 detest- able 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 F ench. England then might with THE LIFE OF NELSON. 93 they were Committee fave him upon the :d that he any more ey had to ras deter- 5ted from nd it was juiet and it. This ving days property '200,000. h was at lied over e on the :ered the the guns )eing the he said, at the hich the e turned claimed, r detest- !ver, was ZIorsica ; ences of le same he saw lere was wledged EngUsh, ;ht 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 com- manded by Don Jacobo Stuart, a descendant 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 Mitierve when another enemy's frigate came up, compelled her to cast off the prize, and brought her a second time to 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 Don 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 1^ If ',' 1. 'Ill :Ji. iiiJi t. - Hi ' HI k:f 94 THE LIFE OF NELSON. cft'ect, professing that he was unable to decide between the conliadictory ordcis of (lovenunent, 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 I'orlo Ferrajo ought to be retained, lUit Naples having made peace, Sir John Jervis consiilered 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 statioji, leaving the transports victualletl and so arranged that all the troops and stores could be embarked in three days. He was now about to leave the Mediter- ranean. 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 flict, 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 sta- tioned, 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 95 -Hwccn the is at what I his only in a desire oned, not -' retained, "onsiilered Jteclion of ilrucled to perfectly Lblisinnenl :d and so embarked Mediter- at Genoa, h opinion •us merit, ) had the e activity, ;onstantly ervices in exhibited tlie same ; decision lis name jut it was came to le writer, vaguely, e world." 3een sta- i him to fterwards 3 equally while he ain with great firmness, he tempered the exercise of power with courtesy and luimanity wherever duty would permit. " Had all my actions," said he, writing at this time to his wife, " been ga/.etted, not one fortnight would have passed during the whole war without a letter from me. One day or other I will have a long ' (iazette ' to myself. I feel that such an opj^ortunity 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 roached that place proceeded to the westward in search of the admiral. OH the mouth of the Straits he fell in with the Spanish fleet, and on the 1 3th of February, reaching the station off Cape St. Vincent, communicated this intelligence to Sir John Jervis. He was now directed to shrft 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-fours, eighteen seventy-fours — in all twenty-seven ships of the line, with ten frigates and a brig. Their admiral, Don 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 Cullodm had '■"'il J! ^'M ill Ff r 1 ' 1 i) I i: 1 ' ■ !:■ !;i il 96 77//-; A//^/; OF NELSON. parted company. Upon this information the Spanish com- mander, instead of going into Cadi/, as was his intention when he sailed from Carthagena, determined to seek an enemy so inferior in force, and relying with f:ital confidence upon the American account, he suffered his ships to remain too far dispersed and in some disorder. When the morn- ing of the 14th broke and thscovered the EngUsh fleet a fog for some time concealed their number. The look-out ship of the Spaniards, fancying that her signal was disre- garded 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 ileet. 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 oflicers was so well known, that in a pasquinade 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. Before the enemy could form a regular order of battle. Sir John 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 till its close. The admiral was now ish com- intcntion seek an nfulonce 3 remain le morn- ;h fleet a look-out IS disrc- en of it, iisted of d he (lid irplexing of such ^•y under so long 1 reality, so well ippeared ate were rs, with I it was :e them ■ battle, up with hus cut 36 ships I design it, and :ceeded covered till she eceived appear ras now THE LIFE OF NELSON. 97 able to direct his attention to the enemy's main body, which was still superior in number to his whole fleet, and more 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 Santissiina Trinidad, one hundred and thirty-six, the San Joseph^ one hundred and twelve, the Salvador del Mtindo., one hundred and twelve, the San Nicolas, eighty, the San Isidro, seventy-four, another seventy-four, and another first-rate. Trowbridge, in the Ctillodcn, 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 Si '^-i dor del Miindo and San Isidro dropped astern, and were fired into in a masterly style by the Excellent, Captain CoUingwood. The San Isidro struck, and Nelson thought that the Salvador struck also. '* But CoUingwood," 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 every appearance in a critical situation," for tlie 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. CoUingwood ranged up, and hauling up his mainsail just astern, passed within ten feet of the San Nicolas, giving her a most tremendous fire, D % # I'i '- ■ I' ' * Ilk 98 THE LIFE OF NELSON. then passed on for the Santissima Trinidad. The San Nicolas luffing up, the San Joseph fell on board of her, and Nelson resumed his station abreast of them, and close alongside. The Captain was now incapable of fartiier service either in the line or in chase; she had lost her fore- topmast ; 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 others as fast as possible. The cabin doors were fastened, and the Spanish officers lired their pis jIs 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 I'^nglish were now in full possession of every part of the ship, and a fire of pistols and musquetry 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 very 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 his first-i as th one ness and sayin THE LIFE OF NELSON. 99 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 ofticcis, giving them as they were delivered, one by one, to William I'earney, one of his old " A;::;amemnons^' who with the utmost cool- ness put them under his arm. 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 sec him there. Twenty-four of the Captains men were killed and fifly-six wounded ; a fourth part of the loss sustained by the whole scjuadron faUing 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 heen 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 sliattered 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 Principe 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 Earl St. Vincent.* Nelson, * In the official letter of Sir John Jervis, Nelson was not mentioned. It is said that the admiral had seen an instance of the ill consequence of such selections after Lord Howe's victory, and therefore would not D 2 I f rr : fi ! 7 1 ! ! ■ ! '. I ■ ii K f lOO TUE LIFE OF NELSON. who, before the action was known in Kngland, had been advanced to the rank of rcar-a(hiiiral, 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 cai)ital city of the county name any individual, tliinking it proper to speak to liie pul)lic only in terms of general approbation. His private letter to the First Lord of the Admiralty vas, willi his consent, published, for the first time, in a Life of Nelson by Mr. Harrison. Here it is said that "Commodore Nelson, who was in the rear on the starboard tack, took the lead on the larboard, and contrilmted very much to the fortune of the d.iy." It is also said that he boarded the two Spanish ships successively ; but the fact that Nelson wore without orders, and thus planned as well as accomplished the victory, is not explicitly stated. ' Perhaps it was thought proper to pass over this part of his conduet in silence as a splendid fault ; but such an example is not dangerous. The author of the work in which this letter was first made public protests against those over-zealous friends "who would make the action rather appear as Nelson's battle than that of the illustrious commander-in-chief who derives from it so deservedly his title. No man," he says, " ever less needed, or less desired, to strip a single leaf from the honoured wreath of any other hero, with the vain hope of augmenting his own, than the immortal Nelson ; no man ever more merited tlie whole of that which a generous nation unanimously presented to Sir J. Jervis than the Earl St. Vincent." Certainly Earl St. Vincent well deserved the reward which he received ; but it is not detracting from his merit to say that Nelson is as fully entitled to as much fame from this action as the commander-in-chief, not because the brunt of the action fell upon him, not because he was engaged with all the four ships which were taken, and took two of them, it may also be said, with his own hand ; but liecausc the decisive movement which enabled him to perform all this, and by which the action became a victory, was executed in neglect of orders, and upon his own judgment and at his peril. Earl St. Vincent deserved his earldom ; but it is not to the honour of those by whom titles were distriljuted in those days that Nelson never obtained the rank of earl for either of those victories which he lived to enjoy, though the one was the most complete and glorious in the annals of naval history, and the other the most important in its consequences of any which was achieved during the whole war. THE LIFE OF NELSON. lOl where he was born. The freedom of that city was voted him on this occasion. But of all the numerous congratula- tions which he received none could have affected him more deeply than that which came from his venerable father. " I thank my God," said that 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 I'lovidence, 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 throughout 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 appre- hended from the temper uf 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 those 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 1)11 ^1 .^ m >:'\-\ mm til ; (.; 1 ■ 'ij' li i |l 1 ■ '1. m ^ ' i'. ii 1 .j; II 1 ' 'i S ''! 1 1|! 1 i 1 ! ' h« i\ « : «i lo: THE LIFE OF NELSON. the men soon became attached to him : in ten days' time he would have restored the most mutinous sliii) 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 I loratio was in the Theseus he was employed in the coumiand of the inner squadron at the blockade of Cadi/.. During this service the most perilous action occurred in which he was ever engaged. Making a night attack upon the Spanish gunboats, his barge was attacked by an armed launch, under their commander, Don Miguel Tregoyen, carrying twenty-six men. Nelson had with him only his ten bargemen. Captain Freemantle, and his cox- swain, Jolin 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, eighteen 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 gentle- man ; 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 trcasure-sliips, had put into that island. This had led Nelson to meditate the plan of an attack upon it, which THE LIFE OF NELSON. lO night us nau , which he communicated to ICarl 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 liis own. The approach by sea to the anchoring l)lace is under very high land, passing three valicyf; ; there- fore the wind is either in from the sea, or squally with cahns from the mountains; " and he perceived that if the Si)anisii 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 f«om Elba, with all necessary stores and artillery, already embarked. " But here," said he, " soldiers must be con- sulted ; and I know from experience they have not the same boldness in undertaking a political measure ti\at 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 his harsh opinion : he did not live to see the glorious days of the British army under Wellington. The army from Elba, consisting of 3,700 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 trans- ports 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. Eour 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 \4 ,5 ;: ■i i-'i il v\ If' tH, ■ . I I04 riiF nrr or NiirsoN. 11 ■; \ i's , i shoultl ImikI in llic iiiKlH, IxMwrrn llir loil on the N.I''. m\c (>r S;int;i (in, T-av mihI llio town, iniikc tlicnisrlvrs iniislcrs ol tliiil loK, intl llun send ii HuininoMs (o llic [.^nvfmor. My inuluii'lil Ihr llinr liif^iilcs. liavinK llir Unrv on boiiid wliu li w.'is intnuli'tl lor tlii;i tichnrkiition, !i|)pro;uli(Ml willnn lliivc uiih's (i| tlu' phtc ; lull owiiif; to i\ .stroHf-; I'ivlc ol wiml in llif o\\'\\\\\ iind ;i sironi' nnu-nl ji)-;,iinsl llu-m in hIioic, tlicy wcir not ;il»l(« lo \\v{ williin ;i niilr ol the landing pijuc hrloiv diiybrrak, ;md tlirn lluy were srcn .md llirir inU'iilioii dist'ovoud. 'I rowlnidj'.c and Uowcn. willi ('npl.iin ( )ldlicld ol'llu- inaiiius. went npon litis lo (onsiill willi tin- Adniiiai what was to lu- «loiu* ; and it was rrsoivt'd tlial tlu-y should altrinpl to git possi'ssion ol the lu"i|',iits above the loil. 'I'ho liif-alt's accordinj^lv landed Ihcir incn, and Nelson .stood in with tjie line ol battU> ships, meaning lo batter the ("oil, lor the purpose ol dislr.utin}; the attention ol the garri.son. A «aliu and i ontrarv ( nrrenl hindered hin> Iroin m'lling within a leagu(> ol the shore, .lud tln" lu'i);hts were by this time so seenretl, and niaiuu-d with snne, Nelson addressed a letln'V to the eommander in chief the last which was ever written with his ri!;ht hand. "1 shall not," saiil he, "enter on the .subject why wi- are not in possession of Santa Cruz. Your partiality will };ive credit that all has hilherlo been tlone which was possible, but without eHecl This »ii);ht 1, humble as 1 am, ci)nuuand the whole destined lo land under th.e batteries o! the town, and lo-niorrow my b.ead. will probably be crowned cither with laurel or cypress. II I''. Hide )r. Hy 1 \vhn li in lliroc viml ill ic, llu-y V hvUnc ilcnlint) Oldlu'ld Adiiiinii kIuxiUI il. Tlic stood ill loll, iov son. A i({ wiUiiii ( linu- so judged aiufs ccn lis ni|;lil to lanil ny licad cypress. ; i /•///■: I.IIE OF NELSON. •t^S F h.'ive only to rciit iui'.l\i'»l on shore uihUt the b.illcrii-s, closi; to the soiilli riul or llir cil.ulcl. Ciiptiiin W.illor, of the /•'.nicrtt/,/, ;iiul two or iliiri' other boils, landoti iit Ihr siiiuc tin U', 'I'h Mill \v;is so hi);h thil lUiMiy others piil hack. The hoits weu" iiistaiUly liMe tone. The ladders wvxc all lost, so that they eoi Id make no innnediate attempt on tlu- eita»U-l ; hut thi\y si-nt a sei};eiuU with two ol the townspeople to sunmion it. This messi'i\i;er never returned, and I iowl)ridj;e, havinn waited aln)ut an houi in painlul expietalion of his friends, marched to join Captains Hood and Miller, who had I'tlet'led their landinj; to the southwest. They then en- deavoured to proe\ne some intelli};enee of the Admiial aiul tlu> rt'sl ol" the olfuers, but without sueeess. Hv d.iybreak tliey had Leathered to}',ether about eij^hty m.uines, eii;hly pikemen, and one hundred and eighty small arm seamen — all the survivors of those who had n>as, and several thousand Spaniai'vls, with about a hundred I'lemh, under arms, approaching by every avemie. iMnding himself without |)rovisions, the powder wet, and no possibility of obtaining either stores or reinforecmeiUs from the ships, the boats being lost, Trowbridge, with great presence of mind, sent Captain Samuel lbH)«l with a Hag of truce lo the governor to say he was prepared lo burn the town, and would instantly scl lire to if, if Ihe Spaniards approached one inch nearer. 'I'his, however, if he were compelled to do it, ho should do with regret, for he h;id 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 rill: 1 1 in: oh a'a.a.syw. lO'J kind, ,'111(1 t.'ilvc llicir own bojis, il tlicy wen- saved, (ir lie lUKvidod willi sndi ullicrs iis niii'lil lie wanting ; they on llu'ir pari rnfai^in)', llial llu- sijiiidron should not inolcsl till- town nor any ol' tlir Canary I;. lands ; all prisoners on liolii sides lo be i;iven np. When these (ernis were jtro posed, ihe governor made answer that die l',nf;lish on|,',hl to MnriMider as piisoners ol War; l»nt ( "aplain Mood replied he was inslrnelcd to say thai il the terms were not accepted in live niinntes, ('aplain 'IVowltrid;',e wonld set the town on lire and attack the Spaniards at the* point ol the liayonet. Satislied with his success, which was indeed snlliciently complete, and respeetinj;, like ;i brave ;ui(l honourable man, the f;a"'i'>l'V of his enemy, the Spaniard acceded to the proposal. " And here," says Nelson in his journ.'d, "it is rij'Jit we should nolici; the noble and (vmumous conduct of Don juan Antonio I iutierrez, Ihe Spanish governor. The moment the terms were agreed to he: directed our wounded nu'ii to be received into the hospitals, and all our people to ln" supplied with the best provisions that could be i)ro(incd, anti made it known that the shi|>s were ;it liberty to send on shore and purchase whatever refreshm.'Mts they wi re in want ol" during the time they might be oil the island." A youth, by name I )()ii Hernardo Collagon, stri|)t himsellOl his shirt to make bandages for one of those I'.uglishnien against whom, not an hour before, he had been eng;i!.';ed in battle. Nelson wrote to thank the govtanor for tlu- humanily which he had displayed. I'reseiils were inter- ( hanged l)i;twecn tlu'in. Sir Horatio offered lo take- ( h.arge of his despatches for the Spanish (Jovernmenl, and thus actually becanif; the fust messenger lo Spain of his own defeat. The total loss of the Knglisli in killed, wounded, and drowned ainounled to 250. Nelson made no mention of his own wound in his oMicial despatches, but in a private letter to Lord St. Vincent — llic fusl which he wrote with his left hand — he shows himself lo have been deeply affected i i'li \ III l.'B'i HI i I M T ro r//E LIFE OF NELSON. 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 [)ro- motion 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 liowen'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 carcase to Kngland." — '^ 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 fnul that Josiah, under God's j)rovidencc, was principally instrumental in saving my life. 1 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 alVection. I beg neither you nor my f;ither 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 luigland. 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 was transmitted to him, he was invested with the Order of the IJath, and received a pension of ^i,ooo a-year. The memorial which, as a i THE LIFE OF NELSON. I IT matter of form, he was called upon to present on this occasion exhibited an extraordinary catalogue of services performed during the war. It stated tliat he had been in four actions with the lleets of the enemy, and in three actions with boats employed in cutting out of harbour, in destroying vessels, and in taking tliree towns ; he had served on shore with the army four months, and com- manded the batteries at the sieges of Hastia and Calvi ; he had assisted at the capture of seven sail of the line, six frigates, four corvettes, and eleven privateers ; taken and destroyed nearly fifty sail of merchant vessels ; and actually been engaged against the enemy upwards of one hundred and twenty times, in which service he had lost his right eye and right arm, and been severely wounded and bruised in iiis 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 great 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 her- self. One night during this state of suffering, after a day of constant pain, Nelson retired early to bed in hope of enjoying some respite by means of laudanum. He was at that time lodging in Bond Street, and the fiimily 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 II THE LIFE OF NELSON. of rcspccl and syiupatliy was communicated from one to another with sii elfect that under the confusion of such a Jiight 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 inmiediately sent for to examine it, and the ligature rame 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 vSt. Cleorge's, Hanover Scjuare : — " An ofl'icer desires to return thanks to Almighty dod for his perfect recovery from a severe wountl, and also for the many mercies bestowed on him." Not having been in JMigland till now since he lost his eye, he went to receive a year's pay as smarl-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 in- sisted upon, because, though the fact was not apparent, he thought it was sufficiently notorious, he i)rocured a certifi- cate at the same time for the loss of his arm, saying they might just as well doubt one as the other. This jnit him in good humour with himself and with the dtrk who had offended him. On his return to the olhce, the clerk, findintr it was only the annual i)ay 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, Ood knows, most probably for a leg." Accordingly, he soon afterwards went, and with perfect gooil humour exhibited the certificate of the loss of his arm. CMAPTF'^R V. Nelson hoists his flajy in tin; I ain^'tiart/, and joins I'^arl St. Vincent — Is (icspalchi'd to tlic Medilriniiieaii - Kncountcrs a {^alc in ihc (lulf of Lyons — His rdlLclions on llic conscMiUL'iil disasters Kclifs at St. I'ictro — Is reinforced, and sails in Hcarcli of llic I'lcticli I'lict — Returns to Sicily, an ot' ^ md 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 unnecessary," 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. 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 oth of May, with ^1 '\ Vanguard, Orion, and Alexander^ seventy- fours ; the (Urrvli'-c Flora, ^"icrald, and Terpsichore fri- gates ; ann I'.u to: .'e 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 mid- night, however, his main-topmast went over the side, and THE LIFE OF NELSON. ^'5 the mi/, en -topmast soon afterward. The night was so tem- pestuous 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 gait ut at half- past three the foremast went -n three pieces, and the bowsprit was found to be sprung in three places. When day broke they succeeded in wearing the shi with a remnant of the spritsail. This was hardly to have H'cn expected. The Vanguard was at that time enty five leagues south of the islands of Hieres, wit her i id lying to the N.E., and if shr liad not wore the ship must drifted to Corsica. Captain Ball, in the Alexander her in tow, to carry her nto the Sardinian harboi Pietro. Nelson, apprchcisivc that this attempt m danger both vessels, ord red him to cast off; l>t excellent officer, with a sp rit like his commander's, r. he was confident he could s ive the / 'angiiard, and by < help he would do it. Then had been a previous cok' between these great men, but from this time Nelson bci fully sensible of the extraordinary talents of Captain and a sincere friendship subsi ted between them durint remainder of their lives. " I ought not " — said the Admual, writing to his wife — '* I ought rot to call what has happenet to the Vanguard by the cold i ame of accident ; I believe firmly it was the Almighty's 'oodness to check my con- summate 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 unset, a vain man walking in his cabin, with a squadron around him, who l(?oked 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 vould have lowered their flags ; figure to yourself, on Monday morning when the sun rose, this proud man, his ship dismasted, his fleet dispersed, and him.self in Ruch distress that the meanest frigate out of France would have been an unwelcome guest." Nelson ha '6 took St. * en- that >lied .d's ■ss ue 11, le * ■11 ii I'' -'■■■ m ii6 THE LIFE OF NELSON. i Si had indeed more reason to refuse the cold name of accident to this tempest than ha 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 magis- trate should refuse to let our ships of war procure supplies of provisions or of any article which they might require. In the orders of the British Government to consider all ports as hostile where the British ships should be refused supplies the ports of Sardinia were excepted. The con- tinental 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, whicli proved at once the goodness and the greatness of his character, especially recommended to Earl St. Vmcent the carpenter of the Alexander^ under whose direction the ship had been repaired ; stathig that he was ■| i THE LIFE OF NELSON. 117 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 ofticer 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 P^xcellency who had to direct its execution. I cannot but look at the African shore, where the followers of Mohammed are performing the part of the good Samaritan which 1 4ook 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. Trowbridge ; Goliath^ seventy-four. Captain T. Foley; Minotaur, seventy-four. Captain T. Louis ; Defence, seventy-four, Captain John Peyton ; Bellerop/ion, 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. \V. iMiller; Audacious, seventy-four. Captain Davidge Gould. The Leandcr, fifty, Captain T. B. Tiionipson, was afterwards added. These ships were made ready for the service as 'HI \ ^A % '^% 'i:':'i!tH 5; m ' 1 ' h I;.; < ■".■ '' i 's i! , ^ j ," i I'. • ■ ..: !■ ■ i ■ ii8 77/E LIFE OF NELSON. soon as Earl St. Vincent received advice from Fiiigland that he was to be reinforced. As soon as the reinforcement was seen from the masthead of the admiral's ship off Cadiz Bay, signal was immediately made to Captain Trowbridge to put to sea, and he was out of sight before the ships from home cast anchor in the British station. Trowbridge took with him no instructions to Nelson as to the course he was to steer, nor any certain account of tlie 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 un- successfully in the Bay of Naples, where they obtained no tidings of his course, and he s.'ilo 1 without them. The hrst news of the encm^'i^ armament was that it had surprised Malta. Nelsoi?, formed a plan for attacking it while at anchor at (iozo, but on the 22nd of June intelli- gence reached him that the P>ench had left that island on the 1 6th, the day after their arrival. It was clear that their destination was eastward — he thought for Kgypt, and ibr 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 over- THE Lrr*E OF NErSOhL IT9 i;i| been rmatiou throe no from ling of til, iind xccount )ut the from against )ed his d from press would Tte on )e too, n over- taken with its general on board. But of the myriads and millions of human beings who would have been preserved by that day's vietory there is not one to whom such essen- tial benefit would have resulted as to IJonaparte himself. It would liave spared him his defeat al Acre — 'his only dis- grace, for to have been defeated by Nelson upon the seas would not have been disgraceful ; and 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 l'-gyj)t, 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 licet 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 choose to keep me in ignorance. Was I to wait ])atiently until 1 heard certain accounts ? If Egypt were their object, before 1 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, 1 ought for the sake of our country to be superseded, for at this moment, when I know the French are not in %i ■''M I r: *f" i 111 1;= ^. iji ■ X\ I I ! 'i IS rii^ :i I 120 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 fre- quently 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 impeach- ment ; 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 Nea- politan 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 are gone to, and having gone a round of six hundred leagues at this season of the year with an expedition incredible, here I am, as ignorant of the situation of the enemy as 1 was twenty-seven days ago. THE LIFE OF NELSON. Z2I 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 immedi- ately shift my flag into some other ship, and send the Van- guard 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 heart 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 foimtain 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." Eafl 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. Trowbridge entered the port, and returned with the intelligence that the French 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 ist of August, about ten 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 3 a- 4 M 4M! i.|,,H* ilil] 122 THE LIFE OF NELSON. exultation that the tri-colour flag was flying upon the walls. At four in the afternoon, Captain Hood, in the A'a/om, 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 ni;iking for battle ; and when his ofticers rose from the table and went to their separate stations lie said to them, '* r>efore this time to-morrow, I shall have ;;.iincd a peerage or Westminster Abbey." The French, steering direct for Candin, had made an anjjiular 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 Kgypt, 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 fewer. Why l^onaparte, having effected his landing, should nut have suftered the fleet to return, has never yet been ex- plained. Thus nu)ch is certain, that it was detained by his command ; though, with his accustomed falsehood, he accused Admiral Brueys, after that oflker's death, of having lingered on the coast contrary to orders. The French fleet arrived at Alexandria on the ist of July, and Brueys, not being able to enter the port, which time and neglect had ruined, moored his ships in Aboukir ]3ay, in a strong and compact line of battle ; the headmost vessel, acconhng to his own account, being as close as possible to a slioal 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 tunicd by any means in the S.AV. By Bonaparte's desire he had offeied a THE LIFE OF NELSON. 1^3 nircd a reward of 10,000 livres to any pilot of the country who would carry the scjuadron in ; but none could be found who would venture to take charge of a single vessel drawing more than twenty feet. lie had therefore made the best ol his situation, and chosen the strongest position which he could possibly take in an open road. The commissary of the licet said they were moored in such a manner as to bid defiance to a force more than double their own. This l)resumption 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 of numbers, both in ships, guns, and men, was in favour of the French. They had thirteen ships of the line and four frigates, carrying 1,196 guns and 11,230 men. The English had the same number of ships of the line, and one fifty-gun ship, carrying 1,012 guns and 8,068 men. The I'^nglish 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 it 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 U| iV \t'i'& \..-ii I'b m f 1 124 THE LIFE OF NELSON. I 11 J I :il.:iii 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 \:hen he designed to attack, the French tleet at their anchorage in Courjean 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 ifm 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 anchorage. 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 French- man has no hope. Admiral Brucys 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 v.'ith him. The moment was now come in which he v.'as to be undeceived. A French brig was instructed to decoy the English by ig there /hich he ^ on the as far as on the doubUng od v:hen lorage in to make Nelson, ;bted for rry, when lied with ?n — ' That we story, is ed by a le island, oard side uU into nee ; the furUng ready , who, all their »on that French- ind able ce out in private use, not nt to try come in glish by g 1 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 125 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 batde in with the land, the l)est 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 lor action. Intending, therefore, to fix himself on the inner bow of the Gucrn'er, he kept as near the edge of the bank as the depth of water would admit, but his anchor hung, and having opened iiis fire, he drifted to the second ship, the Conqucranty 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 Guerner in twelve minutes. The third ship which doubled die 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 the 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 yludacious, Captain Gould, 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, Captain Miller, followed, brought down the Guerrier' s remaining main and niizen masts, then anchored inside of the Spartiaie, the third in the French line. While these advanced ships doubled the French line the • It III ! t' \:^ H: :i-;! m 126 THE LIFE OF NELSON. W 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 possi- bility. He veered half a cable, and instantly opened a tremendous fire, under cover of which the other four ships of his division, the Minotaur, BeUcrophon, 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 jeck was killed or wounded — these guns were three times cleared. Captain Louis, in the Minotaur, anchored next aheud> and took off the fire of the Aquilon, the fourth in the enemy's line. The BeUcrophon, 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 for'.'^ 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 BeUcrophon. Captain Peyton, in the Defence, took his station ahead of the Minotaur and engaged the Franklin, the sixth in line, by whicli judicious movement the British line remained unbroken. The Majestic, Captain Westcott, got entangled witli 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 com- menced at half after six ; about seven night closed, and there was no other light than that from the fire of the con- tending: fleets. Trowbridge, in the CuUoden^ then foremost of the side of hip, the nt parts lat they 1 possi- jened a ur ships 7tv, and minutes ore part ese guns finotaur, Aquilon, Captain )r on the , Brueys' lifference to three, :k alone lerophon. lead of in line, emained intangled astern of decker's Heureux^ also the lie. The ,ng been were at It com- sed, and the con- of the THE LIFE OF NELSON. 137 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 naviga- tion ; 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 to those of the Leander and the Muiine 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 S^viftsure^ which would else, from the course which they were holding, have gone considerably farther on the reef, and must inevitably have been lost. These ships entered the bay, and took their stations in the darkness in a manner long spoken of with admiration by all who remembered it. Captain Hallowell, in the Swiftsiire, 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 mizen 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 wiiich 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 towards the lee side 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. Caotain Thompson, finding that nothing I 1 1 '\ % ■■■» \ '% ■; 't :■ it :' A Ml 128 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 tlierefore 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 th:; others had in that time suffered so severely that victory was Jready certain. The third, fourth, and fifth were taken possession of at half-past eight. Meantime, Nelson received a severe wound on tiie 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 u cock-pit in time of action, and the heroism which is dis- played 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 remem- brance to Lady Nelson. He then sent for Captain Louis on board from the Minotaur^ that he might thank him person- ally for ihe 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 Ivanced Orient. .vas not ire took iition as smasted t of the severely rth, and he head jglit him of blood mortal : n of the eye, and rVhen he a scene seen a ti is dis- rdonable hands, ! " said ' Nor ill every properly mortal isired, in desired remem- Louis on 1 person- i to the ■ed to be g to the THE LIFE OF NELSON. \ir) command of his own ship, Captain Berry having to go homo with the news of the victory. When the surgeon came in due time to examine 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 tiian the unex- pected assurance that his life was in no danger. The sur- geon 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-deck, where he immediately gave orders that 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 he 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 ofi'iccrs and men jumped over- board, some clinging to the spars and pieces of wreck with H, m k. V I ii III Ii il ill' I 130 TNE LIFE OF NELSON. which the sea was strewn, others swimming to escape from the destruction which they momentarily 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 Ikitish vessel 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, prod ced by human means, has ever equalled the sublimity of this co-instantaneous pause and all its circumstances. About seventy of the Orienfs 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 ;j^6oo,ooo 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 hre 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. it' ipe from . Some the heat I'er ports rs. The :r till the :. This not less des, and h of her from the is upon e broken :lt like a n means, ntaneous d by the perished a brave ng on a loney on "600,000 scattered hensions ny other ore tops port hre the fire Captain could luds and nmediate i up that so many it THE LIFE OF NELSON. 131 The firing recommenced with the ships to leeward of the centre, and continued till about three. At daybreak the Guillmane Tell and the Generatx, 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 fore- noon, 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 tliat 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 burnt ; of the four frigates, one was sunk ; another, the Ariemise, was burnt 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. VVestcott was the only captain who fell ; 3,105 of the French, including the wounded, were sent on shore by cartel, and 5,225 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 afl"ect 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 E 2 'M 132 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 housetops during the action, rejoicing in the destruction which had overtaken their invaders. Long after the batde 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. 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 that were cast up for the sake of the iron. Part of the Oriejifs mainmast was picked up by the Stviftsure. Captain Hallowell ordered his carpenter to make a coftin of it. The iron as well as 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 present- ing you a coffin made from the mainmast 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 ofifering so strange, and yet so suited to the occasion, was received by Nelson in the spirit witli 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 133 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 burnt the whole in a few hours. "Were I to die this moment," said he in his dispatches to the Admiralty, " watit 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 Trowbridge, Ball, Hood, and Hallowell, he declared that he should have sunk under the fatigue of refitting the squadron. "AH," 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 arma- ment. " 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. '4 ^^ 1 ' \ 11 s '~ <\< HHiJ ■1 iln! \ ■1 jIU ■■■% ■1 1* *w !i > II i :| 1 i III J34 THE LIFE OF NELSON. ! 1 Bonaparte had never yet had to contend with an English othcer, 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 had done wrong he hoped the bills would be paid, and he would repa^ the Company ; for, as an Englishman, he should be proud that it had been in his power to put our settlements on their guanl." The info)mation which by this means reached India was of great importance. Orders had just been received for defensive prei)arations upon a scale proportionate to the apprehended danger, and the extraordinary expenses which would other- wise 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 re- ceived was from the Turkish Sultan who, as soon as the inva- sion of Egypt was known, had called upon " all true believers to take arms against those swinish infidels, the Erench, that they might deliver these blessed habitations from their ac- cursed hands ; " and who had orderad his " pashas to turn night into day in their efforts to take vengeance." The pre- sent of " his imperial majesty, the powerful, formidable, and most magnificent (xrand Seignior," was a pelisse of sables with broad sleeves, valued at five thousand dollars; and a diamond aigrette, valued at eighteen thousand — 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 two thousand sequins to be distributed amoncst the wounded, The mother of the Suit laii acii th 1111 a box set with diamonds, valued at one thousand pounds. 1 English ipcct us." ility, with addressed ,ts on his he hoped Company ; had been id." The IS of great defensive pieliended )uld other- atulations, by all the )ry gave a ihich he re- the inva- believers rench, that 11 their ac- las to turn The pre- dable, and of sables liars; and -the most instance from one ion," said it in your worthy of istributed sent hini pounds. THE LIFE OF NELSON. 135 The Czar I\iul, 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, ars;t'.nt, 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 ^2000 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 ! " h. was * It has been erroneously said that the motto was selected by the King; it was fixed on by I.ord (Jrenville, and taken from an ode of Jortin's. The application was singularly fortunate, and the ode itself breathes a spirit in which no man ever more truly sympathised than Nelson : — Concurrant paribus cum ratibus rates, .Spectent numina ponti, et Talniam qui meruit fcrat. m \ '.!>! .»■■( i m. ' [ I iPI 111;! ■ I ■! ■* j i i I i 136 77//; LIF/; OF NELSOIV. strange tliul in the very act of conferring; a title Iho minister should have excused himself for not having conferred a higher one by representing all titles on such an occasion as nugatory and supertliious. True, indeed, whatever title had been bestowed, whether viscount, earl, marquis, duke, or prince, if our laws had so permitted, he who received it w-ould have been Nelson still. 'J'hat ;iame 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 farther might be concetled 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 services.* 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 * Mr. Wyndliam imist bj excepted from tliis well-deserved censure. ] le, wliose fate it seems to have been almost always to think and fool more generously than those with whom he acted, declared, wlien ho contended against his own party for Lord Wellington's peerage, that lie always thought Lord Nelson had been inadequately r warded. 'Ilie case was the more flagrant because an earldom had so lately beta granted for the battle of St. Vincent — an action which could never be compared with the battle of the Nile, if the very different manner in which it was rewarded did not necessarily force a comparison, especially when the part that Nelson bore in it was considered. Lords Duncan and St. Vincent had each a pension of /'i,ooo from the Irish Govern- ment. This was not i;rantcd to Nelson in onnsaiuence of the Union, tlious;!! surely it would bo nune becoming to increase the 13ritisli grant than to save a thousand a year liv the Union in such cases. THE LIFE OF NELSON. 137 conduct to thoinsclvcs, the importance and magnitude of the victory were universally acknowledged. A grant of ;^io,ooo was voted to Nelson by the luist India Company ; tiie 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 Cullodcn should not be passed over because of their misfortune. To Trowbridge himself he said : ** Let us rejoice that the ship which got on shore was commanded by an oflicer whose character is so thoroughly established." To the Admiralty he stated that Captain Trowbridge's conduct was as fully entitled to praise as that of any one olhcer in the stjuadron, and as highly deserving of reward. "It was Trowbridge," said he, " who ecjuipped the s(|uadron so soon at Syracuse ; it was 'I'rowbridge who exerted him- self for me after the action ; it was Trowbridge who saved the Cullodcn^ when none that I know in the service would have attempteil it." The gold medal, therefore, by the King's desire, was given to Ca])tain Trowbridge, '* for his services both before and since, and for the great and won- derful exertion which he made at the time of the action in saving and getting off his ship." The private letter from t!ie Admiralty to Nelson informed him that the first lieuten- ants of all the ships cui^a^cd were to be promoted. Nelson instantly wrote to the commander-in-chief. " I sincerely hope," he said, " this is not intended to exclude the first lieutenant of the Cullodcn. For heaven's sake — for my sake — if it be so, get it altered. ( )ur dear friend Trowbridge has endured enough. His sufferings were in every respect more than any of us." To the Admiralty he wrote in terms ecjually warm : " I hope and believe the word cfii^asj^i'd is not intended to exclude the Cnlloden, The merit of tljat ship and her galient captain are too well known to benefit i J! (I •38 THE LIFE OF NELSON, II by anything I could say. Her misfortune was j^reat in getting aground wiiile 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 Trowbridge on shore is superior lo captains afloat ; in the midst of his great misfortunes he made those signals which prevented certainly the AltwoniUr and Sti'ifisure from running on the shoals. I beg your jxwdon for writing on a subject which, I verily believe, has never entered your lord- shiji's head ; but my heart, as it ought to be. is warm to m-y 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, appointed Alexander Davison sole prize-agent for the captured ships ; upon whic'n Davison ordered medals to be struck in gold for the captains, in silver for the lieutenants and warrant officers, in gilt metal for petty officers, and in copper for the seamen and marines. The cost of this act of liberality amounted nearly to ^2,000. It is worthy of record on another account, for some of the gallant men, who received no otl^r 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 jnedals might carefully be sent home to their respective friends. So sensible are brave men of honour, in whatever rank they may be placed. Th'-ee 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 whicli rendered it necessary for him to return to Naples. Before THE LIFE OF NELSON. 139 1; A K'rcal in yiiii were that my sfortunc. s afloat; c signals itrc from ing on a our lord- m to my n to the idmiralty ship had ander-in- cy which terrupted izc-agent d medals for the petty Tlie 000. It c of the of their medal icy died that the spective vhatever been so on the a few which Before or ;s. he left Kgypt he burnt 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 service 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. 1 trust that ;,^0o,ooo 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 the admirals to the property of the captors ; an attention absolutely neces- sary as a recompense 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 i«ferior 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. Vinccn, 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 burned ; 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 tlie Sioiftsiirc, Goliath, Alcmenc, and Emerald, and stood out to sea himself on the seventeenth day after the battle. *i ^11 H CHAPTER VI. Returns to Naples — His reception ilicre — State of lliat Court and King- dom — General Mack — Defeat of the Neapolitan Army — The French approach Naples — Flight of the Royal Family — Renewed operations against tiie Frencli — State of affairs in Sicily— Ctmduct of the Nea- politans, and consequent difiiculties of the British officers — Siege of Uovo and Nuovo — Nelson arrives, and annuls ihe capitulation- Successes of the Allies — Nelson's conduct to Caraccioli — Disobeys the order to repair to Minorca — His reasons — Restoration of Royally at Naples — Is made Duke of Bronte — Expels the Fr nch from Rome — Siege of Malta — Sufferings of the troops and people — Contluct of the Sicilian Court — Decided measures of Captain Ball— Capitulation of Malta- Nelson leaves the Mediterranean and returns to England — Incidents of his journey — Popular admiration of him — The old German Pastor. Nelson's health had suffered greatly while he was in the Agatiiemnon. " 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. Vin- cent 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 con- stant 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 : and King- rhe Frencli operations )f the Nea- s — Siege of jilulation- - — Disobeys I of Royally from Rome •Conduct of \ipitulation to Kngland -The old IS in the f a girth •ur in the St. Vin- recovery ;cr than ecessary; our years body or obtained a limb ; of con- fficiently :alled to he had THE LIFE OF NELSON. 141 hitherto been employed, and they brought with them com- mensurate fatigue and care. The an.\it .y which he endurcil during his long pursuit of the enemy v. as 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 {i\x recovered as again to appear on deck, he himself thought ihat his end was approaching— such was the weakness to wliich the fever and cough had reduced him. Writing to Earl St. Vincent on the passage, he said to him : " I never expect, my dear Icrd, to see your face again. It may please God that this V ill 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 waimest 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 awaited 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 vic- tory welcomed with more heartfelt joy. Before the battle of Aboukir the Court of Naples had been trembling for its existence. The language v/hich the Directory held towards it was well described by Sir William Hamilton as being .(.in il ■m r PI hi I .ill i' I 142 THE LIFE OF NELSON. exarlly the lpi\c;nnge of a higlnvayman. The Neapolitans were told that lienevcnto might be added to their dominions, provided they would juy 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 revolutionize all Italj'. The joy, therefore, of the Court at Nelson's success was in propor- tion to the dismay from which that success relieved them. The Queen was a daughter of Maria Theresa and sister of Marie Antoinette. Had she been the wisestand 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 em- braced every person near her, exclaiming, * O brave Nelson I 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 shows 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 is 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 enenies. The victory is THE LIFE OF NELSOX. 143 so complete that I can still scarcely believe it ; and if it were not the brave English nalion, which is accusionicd 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 Such being the feelings of the royal family, it may well be supposed with what delight and with wiiat honours Nelson would be welcomed. Early on the 22nd of September the poor wretched Vath^iiafd, 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 tlie way in their state barge. They had seen Nelson only for a icghorn to save the hves of the grand duke and her sister. " For all," said he, " must be a re- public if the em[)eror 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 nuich to lose; but they lost all they had." dencral St. Philip commanded the right wing of 19,000 men. He fell in with 3,000 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 fVom 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 everytiiing, did not pursue an army of Tin: LIFE OF NELSON. ^53 more than three times their own number. The main body of tho NoapoHtans, under Mack, did not beha\e butter. The kin;^ returned to IMaplos, where every d;iy brought with it the 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 safely. The ^tite of the public mind at Naples was such at this time that neither the British Minister nor the Ikitish Admiral thought it pruden. 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 any attack on the city after the Frencli had 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 tilings 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 1 will support his. glory, and that if I jfldl, it shall be in a manner worthy of your lord- ship's faithful and obliged Nelson. I must not write more. Every word may be a text for a long letter." Meantime Lady Hamilton arranged everything for the removal of the royal family. This was conducted on her part with the greatest address and without suspicion, be- cause she had been in habits of constant correspondence with the queen. It was known that the removal could not be effected without danger, for th.c mob, and especially tho lazzaroni, were attached to the king; and as at this time they felt a natural presumption in their own numbers and t, \ M'M I \vS% 154 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 ciueen 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. Tiady Hamilton, like a heroine of modern romance, explored, with no little danger, a subterraneous passage leading from the palace to the seaside : through this passage tlie 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 2 1 St, at half-past eight. Nelson landed, brought out the whole of the royal family, embarked them in three barges, and carried them safely through i tremendous sea to the Va)ii:;uard. Notice was then immediately given to the British merchants, that they would be received on board any ship in the squadron. Their property had been previously 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 tlie 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 THE LIhE OF NELSON. »55 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 loth 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 escorl 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 ft*v tlays : of the men, some, folnwiug their officers, deserted to the enemy : the greater part took the opportunity of disbanding themselves. 'J'he Lazzaroni proved true to their country : they attacked the enemy's ad- vanced 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 evory Frenchman who entered it. But the vices of the government had extinguished all other patriotism than that of labble, who had no other virtue 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 Dmm 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 ♦. 156 TIIK UFI-: OF NELSON. \ . i* 1' ih tlic l''rcnrli, wlio, it was said, l)ciii}; under the peculiar protec- tion of Providence, liad regenerated the Neapolitans, and were come to establish and consolidate their happiness. It seems to have been Nelson's opinion that the Austrian Cabinet rei^arded the conquest of Naples with complacency, and that its measures were directed so as designedly not to pre\ U the I'Vench from overrunning it. That cabinet was assuu dly cajiable of any folly and of any baseness; and it is not improbable th.u at this lime, calculating upon die success of the new coalition, it indulged a dream of adding extensively to its former Italian i)ossessions, and therefore left the tew remaining jiowers of Italy to be overthrown, as a means which woulil facilitate its own ambitious views. The King of Sardinia, finding it impossible longer to endure the exactions of France and the insul s of the French conuiiissary, went to Leghorn, embarketl on board a Danish frigate, and sailed under Ihitish jMotection to Sardinia — Uiat jiart of his dominions which the maritime supremacy of Knglaiul renderetl 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 Ik liad never in- fringed, even in the slightest degree, the treaties which he had made with the l""ronch Kei)ul)lic. Tuscany was soon occupied by French troops ; a fate which boliler policy might perhaps have failed to avert, but which its weak and timid neutrality renderetl inevitable. Nelson began to fear even for Sicily. "Oh, my dear sir," said he, writing to Commo- dore Diickwoith. "one thousand Fnglish trooi)S would save Messina, and 1 fear Oeneral Stuart cannot give mc men to save this most imi)ortant island ! " lUit his representations were not lost upon Sir Charles Stuart : this oliicer hastened immediately from Minorca with a thousand men, assisted in the measures of defence which were taken, and did not return before he had satisfied himself that, if the Neapolitans were excludeil from the management of affairs and the spirit of the peasantry properly directed, Sicily was safe. Before THE LIFE OF NELSON, •57 his comitf,' Nelson h.id offLTcd the kin^, if no resources should ;irriv J, to defend Messina with a ship's company of an luij^llsh nan of-wai. Kussia l.ad now entered into the war. Corfu surrendered to a Russian and Turkis'i lleet, acting now for the first time in strange confederacy, yet against a jjower which was certainly the connnon and worst enemy of both. 'J'rowbridgc having given up the blockade of Alexandria tj Sir Sydney Smith, joined Nelson, bringing with him a considerable addition of strength ; and in himself, what Nelson valued more, a man ui)on whc' j sagac"'y, indefatigable zeal, and inexhaustible resources he coulc j)lace full reliance. 'I'row- bridge was instructed co ■nomnence the operations against the Freiu h in the Ikiy rf "Naples ; meani'mc Cardinal Ruffo, a man of ([uestionable c! araiter but of a temper fitted for such times, having landed in Calabria, raised what he called a Christian army, composed of the best and vilest materials — loyal peasants, enthusiastic priests and friars, galley slaves, the emptying of the jails, and banditti. The islands in the Ray of Naples were joyfully delivered up by the inhabitants, who were in a state of famine already from the effect of this baleful revolution. 'Trowbridge distributed among them all his Hour ; and Nelson j)ressed the Sicilian Court incessantly for supplic-', telling them that ^10,000 given away in provisions v iiiisd at this time purchase a kingdom. ^Toney, he was told, they had not to give ; and the wisdom and integrity which might have supj)lied its want were not to be found. '' There is nothing," said he, " which I ])ropose that is not, as 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 much longer." ])efor<' any government can be overthrown by the con- sent of the peo[)le, the government must be intolerably oppressive, or the people thoroughly corrupted. Bad as ♦li 4(, 1 1 li r(,l n T'i 158 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 feehngs. In all the islands the people were perfectly frantic with joy when they saw the Neapolitan colours hoisted. At Procidaj Trowbridge could not procure even a rag of the tricoloured 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 \\hich 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 Trow- bridge, 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 run- ning 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 of Ischia said it was neces- sary to have a bishop to degrade the traitorous priests before he could execute them ; upon which Trowbridge 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 staightforward 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 159 1 victim, 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 Trowbridge 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, relyiiig 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 mind was not in a happier state respecting public affairs. " As to politics," said he, " at this time they itre my abomination ; the ministers of kings and princes are as great scoundrels as ever lived. The brother of the emperor is just going to r'lrry 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 mis- conduct of the French Directory at this time afforded. But Nelson saw 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. t \\ i6o THE LIFE OF NELSON. .ii il Tlie object of tlie 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 tluis destroying it in detail. When they arrived off Carthagcna they requested tile 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 liad men enough on board for that purpose. IJut the Spaniards seem to have been appre- hensive 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 seventeen to twenty sail of the line, got out, under Masaredo, a man who then bore an honourable name, which he had since rendered infamous by betraying his country. They met with a violent storm oft' the coast of Oran, which dismasted many of tiieir ships, and so effectually disabled them as :o prcvci.t 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 tire 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 Trowbridge 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, wilh that single ship he prepared to make all the resistance possible. Trowbridge having joined him, he left Captain I'.. J. Foote, of the Scaliorsc^ to command the smaller vessels in the IJay 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. THE LIFE OF NELSON. i6i "1 have little doubt but they will have their wings so com- pletely 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 ship- mates 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 son-in-law 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. Further than this, there is no reason to believe that this most un- fortunate 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 slate 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 binik-. 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 collect- ing 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 i \ m m ''■>AP. 10.! yV//: AZ/'V-; DF NELSON. di'slin;ili(Mi, Captain T'oolv, in {\\l)lc which C'aalinal KulVo call-jd the C'hristiaii army. His direc- tions were to (D- operate to the utmost of liis power with royalists at whose liead Knilo had I)een placed, and he had no other instrnctions whatever. KiilVo advanciiij; without any plan, but relyiiiL; upon the enemy's want of nuinbi'i-Vi, whii-h prevented them Irom attemplini; to act upon the olfinsivi', ami naily to take advantage o'" any accident whi( h mij^hl occur, approached N'aples. l''ort Si. J'llnio, which conunands the town, was wholly j^arrisoned by the I''rench troojis ; the castles of Uovo and Nnovo, which commanded the anchorage, were chieily defended by Neaiiolitan revolutionists, the powerful men among them having taken shelter there. If these <:astles were taken the reduction of Kort St. I'llmo would be greatly cxjiedited. They were strong places, anil there was reason to ajiprehend that the I'^rench ileet might arrive to relieve: them. Ruffo proi)osed to the garrison to capitidate, on condition that their persons and property should lie guaranteed, and that they should at their own option either be sent to 'rouloii or remain at Naples, without being molested either in their persons or families, 'I'his capitidation was accepted. It was signed by the cardinal and the Russian and Turkish commanders, and lastly by Captain T'oote, as cunuuandi' of the British force. About si\ and thirty hours afterwards Nelson arriveil in the bay, with a force, which had joined liim during his cniise, consisting of seventeen sail of the line, with 1,700 trooi)s on board, and the prince royal of Naples in the Admiral's ship. A Hag of tnice was Hying on the castles and on board the Sca/iorsc. Nelson made a signal to annul the t" wt) , declaring Uiat he would grant rebels no other tcrnis than those of unconditional submission. The cardinal objected to this, nor could all the arr,uments Tirr. rjFK or .vfjson. ^(k\ 10 Ncapo- OllllUiUul, w ri'i^iilar f(l rabhli: I lis (lircc- owci" with (1 lio had \\ willu)ut iuiinbci*i), upon the accicK'iit Si. J'lhuo, :cl by the vo, which :iulc(l by Diig thcni taken the jxpaiilcd. Lj)prchcn(l RiifVo ition that and thai [) TduIdit - in their pled. ': 1 Tnrkish tninandi' (lerward.s d joined il of the royal of MS Hying made a lid grant llll.T01V'll. n'uments of Nelson, Sir William llamdto i, and l,.i(ly I lamiltDn, who took an active part in the conference, convince; him that a treaty of such a nature, .solemnly concluded, <'.onl(l honour- ably be set aside. He retired at last, silenced by Nelson's authority, but not convinced. CJaj)tain I'ootc was s(Mit oul of the bay, and the garrisons, taken oul of the castles luuUir prt;t(>ncc; of* carrying tin; Ir -atv into efl'ect, wcrt; (lelivercd ()vc;i as rebels to the vengeance of the Sicilian (lourt. A deplorable transaction— a stain ujjon the uiemoryof Nelson and the honour ol England ! To palliate il woidd be in vain ; to justify it would be wi( i-'cd. 'riicrc is no alternative for one who will not inaki; himself a. parlicipalor in guilt but to record the disgraceful story with sorrow and witli sh.inn:. Prince iMancesco ('ara<'cioli, a younger branch of one of the noblesl Neapolitan families, escaped from owe. of these castles before it caj)itulati'd. He was at the head of the marine, and was nearly sevi'Uty years of age, bearing a high character both for professional and personal merit. He had accomi)anied the ('ourt to Sicily, but when the revolu- tionary governnuMit, or I'arthiMiopa'an Kcpul)lic as it was (udled, issui'd an edict ordering all absent Neapolitans to return on ])ain of confiscation of their properly, \\c. solicited and obtained permission of the king to return, his estates l)eing very great. It is said that the king, when he granted him this permission, warned him not to take any part in ])()litics, ex])ressin;' at the same time h.is own persuasion that he should recover his kingdom. I'ut neither the king nor he himself ought to have imagined that in such times a man of such reputation would be permitted to remain Miaclive ; and it soon ai)peared that ('.iraccioli was again in conunand o' the navy, and ser'/ing under the repul)lic against his laie sovereign. 'II • ,ailors reported that he was forced to act thus, and this was Ix.'lieved, till il was vrt '>i that he directed ably the offensive o])C' ii ons of the re-.lu- tion.isis, and did not avail liinise-if of oi^poriunities tor escaping when they offered. When the recovery of Naples ¥ 2 m m m w 3\ !; I V- m w 164 THE LIFE OF NELSON. was evidently near he applied to Cardinal Riifib and to the Duke of ( inlvirrano for proicction, expressing his hope that the few days d ring which h., had been forced to obey the French would not outweigh, io.'.y 5-ears of faithful services. But, perhaps noi receiving iuch 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 h's head. More unforUnatei* for others than for himself, he ivaj] Virou'^;ht in ahve, leaving been discovered in the dis- guitc o<" a peasant, nd carried one morning on board Lord Nelson s ship v-?th hio 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 immediately 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 bor.rd the British flag-ship, proceed immediately to try ti- prisoner, and report to him, if the charges were proved, what punishment he ought to suffer. These proceedings were a-^ rapid as possible ; Caraccioli was brought on board at nine in the forenoon, and the trial began at ten. It lasted two hours. He aveired in his defence that he had acted under compul- sion, having been compelled to serve as a common soldier till he consented to take connnand of the fleet. This, tiie apologists of Lord Nelson say, he failed in p^-oving. They forget that '"if possibihty of provinf); it was wyi allowed hin^ for he w ■ vrought to trial within an aour after he was legally \v ; ' cst, and how in that time was he to collect his witn :,; ' He was found guilty and sentenced to death, and . c-'tuii gave orders that the sentence shouUl be carried THE LIFE OF NELSON. i6s in'o effect that evening at five o'clock on board the SiciHan f.igate Zrt Minerva, by hanging him at tlie fore-yardarm till sunset, when the body was to be cut down and thrown into the sea. Caraccioli requested Lieutenant 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 arn an old man, sir," said he, " I leave no family to lament me, and therefore cannot be supix)sed 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 lieu- tenant, 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 hiuried on v/ithout it ? Why was the trial precipitated so that it was impossible for the prisoner, if he had been innocent, to provide the v/itnesses Vv-ho might have proved him .:o? Why was the second trial refused when the ■m \. w 1 I <' 1 ^ 1 i 1 i i 1 1 i fflr 1 66 r^^ Z/F^ (9F NELSON. ■m i known animosity of the president of the court' against the prisoner was considered ? \Vhy was the execution hastened so as to preckide 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 incffaceably liis public character. The body was carried out to a considerable distance, and sunk ii the bay, with three double-headed shot, weighing two hundred and fifty pounds, tied to its legs. Between two and three weeks afterwards, 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 credjulity. 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, u ^right 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 perhrps excited some feeling of superstitious fear, akin to regret He gave permission for the body to be taken on shore aud 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, disr:^" '- Ing all motives and all circumstances ; and v/itkout «-■ n^^idering character or science, or sex or yo; h, sacrifices its victims, THE LIFE OF NELSON. 167 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 Suvorof 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 S])anish 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 clilcinma 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 r.'ther think ny decision would be to risk the former." Am.', after he had acted upon this opinion he wrote in these tern^'^ "^ the Duke of Clarence, with whose high notions of obei. -- ;ce he was well acc^uainted : " I am well aware of the consecjuences 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 th2 honour of my king is at stake." Nelson was right in his judgment — no attempt was made upon Minorca; and th pulsion of the French from Naples may rather be said to have been effected than accelerated by tlie English and Portuguese of the allied fleet, acting upon shore under Trowbridge. The French commandant it St. Elmo, relying upon the strength of the place and the nature of the force which attacked it, had in- sulted Captain Foote in the grossest terms ; but ciioyen Mejan was soon taught better manners, when Trowbridge, m spite of every obstacle, opened five batteries upon the "brt. Mi \W i % U)S THE LIFE OF NET.SON. I i'r I 1)1' lie was inlninal thai none of his loiters, with the insolent printed words at tin.' to|), l.ibcrtl\ J''.i^tjlitc, tiiurn' aux 7\f(ins, ike, wouKl he received ; hut that if he wrote like ii soldier and a i;enllenian, ho should be answered in the same style. The Frenchman then began to Hatter his antagonist upon the /'un/disa/nr and hiimaiutc which, he , .ad, were the least of the many virtues which distinguished Monsieur Trowbridge. Monsieur Trowbridge's /'irn/oisamt' was at this time thinking of nining the lorl. "Jf we can accomplish that," said he, " I am a strong advocate to send them, hostages and all, to Old Nick, and suri)rise him with a group of nobility and republicans. Meantime," he added, "it was some satisfaction to jierceive that the shells fell well, and broke some of their shins.' Kinally, to complele his character, Mejan offered to surrender lor 150,000 ducats, dreat Hrilain perhaps has made but too little use of this kiiul of artillery, \luch I'laiu ''as found so effectual to- warils subjugating the C'oniiuenl 'nit 'I'rowl idge had tlie prey within his reach, anil in the mrse of a few days his last battery, "after much trouble and palaver," as he said, "brought llu" vagabt)iuls to their senses." Trowbridge had more ditricullies to < \ ome in this siege from the character of the Neajjolilans .ho pretended to assist him, and whom he made useful, than even Irom the strength of the place and the skill of the French. " Such damned cowards and villains," he declared, ** he had 1 ver seen before.'' The men at the advanced posts carried on what he called " a diabolical good under- slandiiig " with tl.e enemy, ami the workmen would some- times take fright and run away. '* 1 make the best I can," said he, '* of the degenerate race 1 have to deal with : the whole means of guns, ammunition, pioneers. i*v:c., with all materials, rest with them. "With fair promises to the men and threats of instant ileath if I found any one erring, a little sour has I'ccn given.'' Ni c m 1 c ■ ! ! / 1 /^f 1 •» 1 l^'* »t1 ifU fv llvl V^4 Alllli ttlLll illilli upon this occasion^ that he was a tirst-ratc general. THE LIFE OF NELSON. 169 soinc- am." 1: tlic r-ith all c men rring, a 1 Lllllll 1. "i find, .sir," s;ii(l he afterwards, in a letter to the Duke of C'larence, "that (iencr.il Koehh'r does not approvr of siuli irregular proceedings as naval oHicers attacking and defend- ing fortifications. We have but one idea — to gel (lose alongside. None but a sailor would have placed a battery only one hundred and eighty yards from the castle of St. V.\mo : a soldier must havi; gone according to art, and the /^'^'^'^ Way. My brave Trowbridge went straight on, for wc had no time to spare." 'I'rowbridge thiMi proceeded to C';ipua, and took the command of tlie nioilcy besieging force. One tliousand of the best men in the lleet were sent to assist in tlie 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 con- ceive my leelings," said he, in connnunicaling this to Marl St. Vincent ; " but my mind, as your lordship knows, was perfectly jirepared for this order ; and it is now more than ever made up. At this moment I will not |)art 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. 1 am fully aware of the act I have conunitted ; but I am prepared for any fate which may await my dis- obedience. Capua and (laieta will soon fall, and tlie moment the scciii.drels of I''rench are out of this kingdom I shall send eigiit or nine ships of the line to Minorca. 1 have done what J thought right : others may think differently : but it will be my consolation that 1 have gained a kingdom, seated a faithful ally of his Majesty firmly on his throne, and restored happiness to millions." At CJapua, Trowbridge had the same difl'iculties as at St. Elmo, and being farther from Naples and from the tlcct, 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 m 1|! Hi I i I ..) 170 TIIK LIFE OF NELSON, be necessary that some Englishmen should ncrompany it, or they would steal one half and chan,i;e the other. " Kvcry man, you see," said he, " gentle and simple, are such no- torious villains, that it is a misery to be with them." (Japua, however, soon fell, (laieta immediately afterwards surren- dered to Captain Louis of the Minotaitr. Here the com- manding oflicer acted more unlike a I'Venchman, Captain Louis said, than any one he had ever met ; meaning that he a('ted like a man of honour. He required, however, that the garrison should carry away their horses and other ])il- laged ])roperly;io which Nelson replied, that "no i)roperty which tliey did not bring with thein into the country could be theirs ; and thac the greatest rare should be taken to i)revent them from carrying it away."--'* I am sorry," said he to Captain T,ouis, "that you have entered into any altercation. There is no way of dealing with a I'Yenchman but to knock him down : to be civil to them is only to be laughed at when they are enemies." 'I'Ik- whole kingdom of Naples was thus delivered by Nelson from the French. The Admiralty, however, thought it expedient to censure him for ilisobeying Lord Keith's orders, and thus ha/.arding Minorca, without, as it appeared to them, any sufticient reason ; and also for having landed seamen for the siege of Capua to form part of an army em- ployed in operations at a distance from the coast, where jn case of defeat they might have been prevented from re- turning to their ships ; and they enjoined liim "not to em- ploy 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 emi)loying thcni had been justified by the result, and his joy was evidently heightened by the gratification of a ])rofessional. ' ,tl TIIK LIFE OF NELSON. 171 ig and. becoming pride. To the l''irst Lord lie said at the same lime, " I cerl:iinly, from having only a left hand, can- not enter into details which may explain the motives that actuated my ( onduct. My principle is to assist in driving the French to the devil, and in restoring peace and happi- ness to mankinil. I feel that 1 am fitter to do the action than to describe it." He then added that he would take care of Minorca. in exj)elling the French from Naples, Nelson had, wiUi characteristic zeal and ability, discharged his duty, but he deceived himself when he imagined that he had seated Ferdinand lirmly on his throne, and that he had restored happiness to millions. These objects might have been accomplished if it had been possible to insjiire 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 Trow- bridge remained, groaning over the villany and frivolity of those with whom he was compelled to deal. A party ot ofticers applied to him for a passage to Palermo to sec the procession of St. Rosalia. He recommended them to exercise their troops and not behave like childreii. It was grief enough for him that the Court should be busied in these follies, and Nelson involved in them. " I dread, my ll fw: :,.i I'' I !> I I li' iri'i iy \\m 172 THE LIFE OF NELSON. v.. 'f p 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 em- ployed digesting a good government ; everything gives way to their pleasures. The money spent at Palermo gives dis- content 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 reacli the treasury, and the king pays four ducats where he should pay one. He is sur- rounded by thieves, and none of them have honour or honesty enough, to tell him the real and true state of things." In another letter lie 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 per- secution, for the people of this country have no idea of anything but revenge ; and to gain a point would swear ten thousand flilse oaths. Constant efforts are made to get a man taken up in order to rob him. The confiscated pro- perty 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 sen- sible 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 duke- dom and domain of Bronte, worth about ;^3,ooo a year. It was some days before he could be persuaded to accept it ; the argument which finally prevailed is said to have been suggesU'- > by the queen, and urged at her request by THE LIFE OF NELSON. 173 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, Charles IIL 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 Con- stantinople, 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 su 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 com- munity 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 ?li1i! ■i|!"' '♦(,■■ ^ 1! ii I . m i i 174 TY/; /./F/-: OF NFI.SON. (lay in Avhicli, aniidst the f;loiy and peace of thrones, the miseries of ihe luiurui race Nvoiihl cease. Thi i unex- pected tribute touched Nelson to the heart. "No olliccr," he said, "had ever received from any <-ountry a higher acknowU(l_t;nu>nt of his services." 'I'he l'"rench still occui)ied the Kouian States, from Vvli'ch acc'ording to their own adnnssion, they had extorted in jewels, plate, sjiec-ie, and re(|uisilions of every kind to the enormous anunuil of eight i.ullions sterling, yet they affected to appear as deliverers amo ig the people whom ihcy were thus cruelly plundering, and Uiey distributed portraits of Honajjarle wuli the blaspheui^nis inscri[)tion, " This is the true likeness of the holy saviour of die world ! " Tiie people, detesting the iinjiiety and groaning beneath the exactions of diese perlidious robb<:rs, were ready to join any regular force that should come lo iheir assistance; Imi they dreaded Cartlinal Kuflo's rabUe, and declared they would resist him as a bandit who came only for the purpose of pillage. Nelson perceived that no object was now so essential for the tran([uillit) of Ni'.ples as the recovery of Rome, which in the present stale of things, when Suvarof was ilriving the l'"rench belore him, would complete the de- liverance of Italy. lie ai)i)Uec'., therefore, to Sir James St. ('lair Mrskine, who, in the absence of deneral ]''o\', com- manded at Minorca, to assist in this great object with twelve hundred men. " 'I'he field of glory," r,aid he, " is a large one, and was never more open, to any one than at this moment to you. Kome would . throw open her gates and receive you as her deliverer, and the l*ope would owe his restoration to a heretic." iUit Sir James J'irskine looked only at the dilhculties of the undertaking. '* Twelve hundred men, he thought, would be too small a force to be connnitted in such an enterprise, for Civita Vecchia was a regular fort- ress ; the local situation ;',nd climate also were such that even if this force wore adequate, it would be proper to delay the expedition till October. General Fox, too, was soon ex cu rilK IJFK or NF/SON. '75 cxpcrlcd, ;m(l (luring his absence and under cxislinf,' cir- cumstances he did not feci justified in sending away such a detachment.." What tliis general thouf:;ht it iniprudcnl to atlemj)!, Nelson and Trowhridi^e eifecled without his assistance, by a small detachment from the lleet. Trowbridge first sent Captain llallowell to Civita, Vecchia, to oiler the g.irrison there, and at Castle St. Ant^elo, the sanu; terms wiiich had been |j;ranted to Caieta. llallowell ])erceived, by th(« overstrained civility ol" the ollicers who came oil to Iiim, and the <-om|)limenl;; which they paid to the? IviffJish nation, that they were sensible of their own weakness and their inability to offer .my effectual resistance ; but the {'"K.-nch know that while they are in a condition to serve tlicir ' overnment, iliey can rely upon it n)r every possibk; ex(;rtioii i.^ their support, and this reliance j^ives them lio])e .ind confidence to the last. Upon llallowell's report, 'I'row bri(n!;e, who had now been made Sir Thomas for his services, sent Captain Louis with a S(|uaritish connnodorc settled that point by rc])ly, "It is mine by rc-con(|uesl." A capitulation was soon concluded fi)r all th(,> Roman States, and Captain Louis rowed up the Tiber in his barge, hoisted English colours on the Capitol, and acted for the lime as governor of Rome. The ])roi)hec.y of tlie Irish i)C.t was thus accomi)lished, and the friar reaped the fruits ; for Nelson, who was struck with tiie oddity of the circumstance, and *l 176 THE LIFE OF NELSON. II I 1 ii II n not a little pleased with it, obtained perfermcnt for him from tiie 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 Hall, with most inadequate means, was be- sieging the I'Venrh garrison. Never was any ofTicer engaged in a more anxious and painful service. Tlie smallest rein- forcement from l^'rance would at any moment have turned the scilo against him ; and had it not been for his con- summ.ite ability and the lovo and veneration with which the ?ialtese regarded liifn, Malta must have remained in the hands of the ener^-y. Men, money, food — all things were wanting. The garrison consisted of five thousand troops, the besieging force of five hundred iMiglish and rortuguese marines, and about fifteen hundred armed peasants. Long and repeateilly did Nelson solicit troops to effect the reduction of this important place. ** It has l)een no fault of the navy," said he, " that Malta has not been attacked by land ; but we have neither the means ourselves nor inlluence with those who have." The same causes of demurral existed which prevented Jiritish troops from assisting in the expulsion of the French from Rome. Sir Jame;; Krskine was expecting General Fox — he could not act without orders ; and not hav'ng, like Nelson, that lively sprii.g of hope within him which jiartakes enough of the nature of faith to work miracles in war, he thoi'ght it "evident liiat 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 pro- ])orticnate 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 get supplies in, we may bid atlieu to M;'.lta ; all the force we can collect would then be of little use againt the strongest place in Europe. To say TIIR LIFE OF NELSON. •77 W: or him I Pope, nent of Malta, vas be- ;ngagcd :st rcin- turncd lis (011- i which incd in II things liousand lish and armed t troops ' It has has not means le same 1 troops Rome. )uld not )n, that enough or*iht it lumbers in one ith pro- it, no cnder." caution (le, "is lay bid Ihen be ITo 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 is passing under my nose ? Jiut, sir," said he, writing to the Duke of Clarence, " I ffnd few think as I do. To obey orders is all perfection. To serve my King and to destroy the I'Vcnch [ 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 I'rcnch villains ! My blood boils at the name of Frenchman ! " At length (leneral I'ox arrived at Minorca, and at length permitted Colonel (Iraham to go to Malta, but with means miserably lin.ited. Jn fact, the expedition was at a stand for want of money, when 'i'rowbridge, arriving at Messina to co-operate in it, and ffndiiig this fresh delay, immediately offered all t!iat he could command of his own. " I procured him, my lord," said he to Nelson, '' fifteen thousand of my cobs : every farthing and every atom of me shall be devoted to the cause." — *' What can this mean ? " said Nelson, when he learnt that Colonel Grahain was ordered not to incur any expense for stores or any articles except provisions. "The cause cannot stand still for want of a little money. If no- body will pay it, I will sell J3ronte and the I'Lmperor of Russia's box." And he actually pledged Bronte for ^6,6oo if there should be any difficulty about paying the bills. The long-delayed expedition was thus at last sent forth, Ijut Trowbiidge little imagined in what scenes of misery he was to bear his part. He looked to Sicily for supplies : it was the interest aj: well as the duty of the Sicilian Govern- ment 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, %A m. I7.S THE LIFE OF NET SON, he was blind to the vices (if the Court itself; ntid resigninf, himself wholly to l.ady ir.'imilton's inlhience, never even suspected the crooked policy which it was renH)rselessly ])ursuinj;. The MrdU-se and the Ihitish in Malta severely fell it. 'i'rowbridge, who had the truest alfectior lor Nelson, knew his infitnalion, and fi-ared tl»at. it might l)r(n'e injinioiis to his character as \yell as fatal to an enter- prise which had begjui so well m\k\ been carried on so patiently. "My lord," said he, writing to him from the siege, '*we are dying oil' last lor want. 1 Vwxw tiiat Sir William Hamilton says Trincr l,ii/,/i refused corn some limi" ago, and Sir William diuv; not think it worth while making ari>ther a|)pli(ation. Il"th;it bcUu-cise, I wish he commanded this distressing seem* instead of mi*. I'ii;',li.i \\\A an immense harvest : nearly thirty sail left Messina before 1 did, to load corn. Will they let us have any ^ If not, a short time will decide llie business. The Cierman interest prevails. T wish 1 w.is at your lordship's elbow for an hour. . ///, (^//, will be thrown on yon ! I will parry the blow as mu(-h as in my juiwer : I foresee much mischief brewing, dod bless your lordship ! I am miserable; I cannot assist yonr operations mon*. Many happy returns of the day tt> you (it was the lirst day of the new year). 1 never sjient so miserable a one. I am not very tender- hearted, but really the distress here wt>uld even movi; a Neapolitan." Soon afterwards he wrote : " \ have this day saved thirty thousand peo[)le from starving, but with this day my ability ceases. As the (Government are bent on starving us, 1 see no alternative but to leave these poor unha]ipy people to perish, without our being witnesses of their distress. I curse the day 1 ever served the Neapolitan Ciovernnient. We have characters, m\ lortl, to lose ; these people have none. Do not sutler their infvmous 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, \ would shoot them THE LIFE OF NKI.SON. '7') lirsl, ;iii(l llion myself, (lirf^cnti is lull of corn ; tin.' money is rc.'uly lo pay for it — wcdo not ask it as a, j^ifl. ( )h ! could you see the horrid distress I daily exijerience, something would be done. Some engine is at work aj^ainst us at Na])les, and I believe I hit on the proper per.son. If you (oniplain, he will be iuuuediately promoted, agreeably to the Neapolitan custom. All 1 write lo you is known at the (jueen's. i'or my own pari, I look upon the Neapolitans as the worst of inlriguiuL; enemies : every hour shows me their infamy and duplicily. I pray your lordship, be cautious : your holiest, (>i)eii manner of acting will be made a handle of. When 1 see you and tell of their infamous tricks you will be as much sur[>rised as I am. The whole will fall on you." Nelson was not, and could not be, insensible to the dis- tress which his irieiid so earnestly represented. He begged, .dmost on his knees he said, small supplies of money and corn lo keep the Maltese from starving. And when the Court granted a small su[)ply, 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, whiih he endured alfccLed him so dee|)ly that he said it had Ijioken his spirit for ever. Happily, .ill that Trowbridge with so much rea;ion foreboded, did lujt come to pass ; for C'aptain Hall, with more det:ision than Nelson himself would have shown at that lime and ii|)on that occasion, ventured upon a resolute measure, for wliich his name would deserve always lo be held in veneration by the Maltese, even if it had no other claims to the love and reverence of a grateful i)eoj)le. I'uiding it hopeless longer lo look for succour or (onimon humanity from the deceiiful and inlatuatcd Court oi Sit ily, which i)ersisted in prohibit- ing by sanguinary edicts the exi)ortation of supplies, at his own risk he sent l;is first lieutenant to the port of (iirgetiti with orders to seize and bring with him to Malta tb.e ships 4 I I" *it n\ i8o THE LIFE OF NELSON. which were there lying laden with corn, of the number of which he had received accurate information. These ord 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. " But," said Mr. Coleridge, *' the sole result was that the Governor of Malta became an especial object of the hatred, fear, and respect of the Court of Naples." 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 Gcncnux, 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 LaValette. 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 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 luid not succeeded, 1 might have been broke ; and if I had not acted thus, the Gencreux never would have been taken." This ship was one of those which had escaped from Aboukir. Two frigates and the Guillauinc Tell, eighty-six, were all that now remained of the lleet which Bonaparte had conducted to I^gypt. The GtiiUaumc 2\ll 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 dis- played by British ships, nor greater gallantry by an enemy. She was taken by the Foudroyant, Lion, and Poidope 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 mbcr of i ord : ^ i of tlic sing the iness Tor jleridge, :ame an le Court liled for iquadron seventy- frigates escaped, s success During if in the >rd Keith [id at his said he, and if ive been ed from ^lity-six, arte had his time I shortly ice, was iver dis- enemy. • frigate, nish to that he e men's em, my caught od Earl Tf/n LIFE OF NELSON. IvSl St. Vincent. What a i)leasurc, what happiness, to have the Nile fleet all taken, under my orders and regulations ! " The two frigates still remained in La Valette : before its surrender 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 GitUlauwe Tell showing tliat the French were now become hopeless of preserving the ronciuest which they had so foully acciuired. Trowbridge and his brother oliicers 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 slaying to do this ; but their earnest and affectionate entreaties were vain. Sir William Hamilton had jui.^ been superseded; Nelson had no feeling of cordiality tc wards Lord Keith ; and thinking that, after Earl St. Vincent, no man had so good a claim to the conm'ivnd in the Mediter- ranean 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 hono'.i-s which were showered upon him, he had suffered manv lortifications. Sir Sydney Smith had been sent to Egypt with orders to take under his command the squadron which Nelson had left there. Sir Sydney appears to have thought that this command was to be independent of Nelson ; and Nelson himself, thinking so, determined to return, say- ing to Earl St. Vincent, " I do feel — for I am a man — that it is impoosible 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, howev "*, still remained, and some incautious expressions of Sir Sydney's were noticed by him in terms of evident dis- pleasure. But this did not continue long, as no man bore more willing testimony than Nelson to the admirable defence of '\cre. ' 'e differed from Sir Sydney as to the policy which ought Hr 1 82 THE LIFE OF NELSON. \Vi: i, I \z\\ to be piui:.!ied 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 Trowbridge on one side and Captain Barre on the other, that none of them should serve till regularly exchanged. They were no sooner on shore than part of them were drafted into the different regiments, and the re- mainder 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 Bona- parte," said he, " are entirely destitute of every principle of honour : they have always acted like licentious thieves." Bonaparte'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 III THE LIFE OF NELSON. 183 and strictly lot on any the country, madness to pe. " No;' ;onsent, and lis squadron; one ship or and give an Imighty." If actcr of the conduct in ; of the Nile engagement, iptain Barre :ill regularly than part of and the re- .egion. This French had ny of Bona- principle of us thieves." by Nelson thought it led to keep oming from issistance of ost wanted. d were then dy Corsican ; to become notion than isited. St. Vincent, 1 Sir John Ordc had challenged for having nominated Nelson instead of himseK » the command of the Nile squadron, laid claim to p, /^e-money as commander-in-chief, after he had quitted the station. The point was contested, and decided against I N'-l ^n perhaps felt this the more !. ^ause his A ngs with regard to money were ;;o 'liferent. ^* jT I1 id been given by Dr. Lawrence iv 'I'll would hi icd the junior Hag officers from prize-money. \\ li was made known to him, his reply was in these vvoru ■' Notwithstanding Dr. Lawrence's opinion, I do not believe T 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 Hamburg, in company with his inseparable friends, Sir William and Lady Hamilton. Tlit '^•leen of Naples went with them to Vienna. While they ^\ cie 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 I'^sterhazy entertained him in a style of Hungarian magnificence — a hundred grenadiers, each six feet in height, constantly waiting at table. At Magdeburg, 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 Hamburg, 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 16:15, which had been in his own possession more than half a century ; he had Ul. M \ I: ir y IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I ■^ l» 1112.2 If 1^ III 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 -^ 6" — ► V] <^ /2 ^;. .^^ > > cM ""/ ^"^ ^'1^^' %.>^ >/ O';^^ ^ PhotograpMc Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 1 84 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 hlood 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 ths 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 Hamburg 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 ciiurch, 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. 'ii and that he could • ladyship dozen of have the immortal during the ir request taking the isented to dine with aying that victories, •g friend's each. A rs of age, )h ciiurch, 1 the first Christian rhere was 2n saved; Germany the pastor IS actually ':| CHAPTER VII. Enthusiastic reception of Nelson in England — Separates from Lady Nelson — Is sent to the Baltic under Sir Hyde Parker — The Expedi- tion against Copenhagen — Plans of attack — Difficulties in passing the Sound — The Fleet off Cronenburg Castle — Battle of Copen- hagen — Sir Hyde makes the signal to cease action, which is disobeyed by Nelson — Success of the British — Nelson's letter to the Crown Prince — Cessation of hostilities— Extent of the casualties— Negotia- tions for an armistice — Nelson's interviews with the Crown Prince — Disposal of the prizes — The Danish Commodore's account of the battle and Nelson's reply — 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 Agatnonnon he wished to represent this place in Parliament, and some of his friends had con- sulted 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 Loudon he was feasted by the City, '1 :.L W'- iS6 THE LIFE OF NELSON. ^hA "V- 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 thai 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 remon- strances 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, " sia was guided by the passions of its emperor, Paul, a i. not without fits of generosity and some natural goodness, but subject to the wildest humours of caprice, and crazed 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 recognize 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 twenty-three ships of the line, with about thirty-one frigates and smaller vessels, exclusive of guardships. The Swedes had eighteen ships of the hnc, fourteen frigates and sloops, seventy -four Guildhall, :il for his ided with ig except r. Before ■ated from were : " I ar conduct nee of his lad before led remon- i no other them and this time ^ment, and the Baltic, by Earl St. I The three DT making rts, " -sia jlOt )dness, but crazed by safely or Denmark the views bey all her liples were ho had a ; with the jnd. The iree ships d smaller eighteen Iventy-four THE LIFE OF NELSON. 187 galleys and smaller vessels, besides gunboats ; and this force was in a far better state of equipment than the Danish. The Russians had eighty-two sail of the line and forty frigates. Of these, there were forty-seven sail of the line at Cronstadt, Revel, Petersburg, 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 entrusted 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 itnusually favourable : so mild a winter had not been known in the Baltic for many years. When Nelson joined the fleet at Yarmoutli 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 liim 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 ■ ,11 ,1 I . ?l! iiMl I i88 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 until he could tell them that their wish was effected. The lleet sailed on the 12th of March. Mr. Vansittart sailed in it, the British Cabinet still hoj)ing to obtain its end by negotiation. It was well for England that Sir Hyde Tarkcr placed a fuller confidence in Nelson than the Government seems to have done at this most imj)ortant 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-com- manding genius, that when the fleet had reached its tirst 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. 1 hear we are likely to anchor outside of Cronenburg CasUe, 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 Heet at the Scaw, and preceded it in a frigate with a ilag 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 them- selves, the intelligence that a British fleet was seen ofi:" the Sound produced a much more general alarm in Copen- hagen than its actual arrival in the roads ; for their means THE LIFE OF NELSON. chivalrous jyes while reply, he n to the wish was Vansittart obtain its I that Sir 1 than the important jnished at nient have deference d allcom- ed its first t, he had r of the I made up .11 I have )rove most od cannot, urg Castle, It to our Acq before n the next in flames e our flag receded it .'as lost by est blood nes them- en off the in Copen- eir means 189 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 2ist Nelson had a long conference with Sir Hyde ; and the next day addressed a letter to him worthy of him- self 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 impolitically 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 l""ngland more entrusted to you than ever yet fell to the lot of any British ofiicer. 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 ot vour deepest consideration." Supposing him to force the passage of the Sound, Nelson thought some damage might be done among the masts nnd yards, though perhaps not one of them but would be ser- viceable again. " If the wind be fair," said he, " and you determine 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 method I call taking the bull by the horns. It, however, will not prevent the Revel ships or the Swedes from joinmg the Danes ; and to prevent this is, in my humble opinion, ■ V ''ft 'A ■ ■'M: !-V li I* i# !« lit. 190 THE IJFE OF NELSON, a measure absolutely necessary, and still to attack Copen- hagen." For this lie 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 the Garl)ar, or King's Channel, attack the Danish line of lloating 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 IJelt, which might be accomplished in four or five days, and then the attack by Draco might be made vand the junction of the Russians prevented. Supposing them through the Belt, he proposed that a detachment of the ilect 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 nego- tiators, 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 cap- tain of the fleet, did not know which course he had resolved to take till the ilcet were getting under weigh. When Captain \ )omett 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 ground- mg. 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. THE LIFE OF NELSON. 191 k Copen- le was to ic deepest , and then Lttack the : be found night give r to take )lished in might be Supposing ;hment of Liadron at should be " he said, es are the { to think atteries of our nego- s mission, Hyde to he Sound, se not an h was the , the cap- 1 resolved 1. When his duty lurse were defeated. )s ground- )tain and 3ssage (as try slight. tempt 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 l)ut that the expedition would have failed if Captain Domett had not thus timely 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 declara- tion 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 obf^ained 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 Vv^as 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, sarcasti- cally 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 sandbank as she was coming out of Yarmouth : 400 of her rnen perished in her. Nelson, M'ho was now appointed f: i; ; ♦ 192 THE LIFE OF NELSON. to lead the van, shifted his flag to the Elephant^ Captain I'oley- a lighter ship than the St. Ceorj;e, and therefore 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 draves' in the rear. Great actions, whether military or naval, have generally given celebrity to the scenes from whence they are denomi- nated, 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. Iwery 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 contributmg to them in fair seasons and summer THE LIFE OF NELSON. »93 Captain therefore ing days Jound as on of the alacrity on tlie pnal was Nelson's Admiral generally : denomi- nd bays, ited with icuous in cenc was iportance »t needed 1 full of nature. dered as )ut three , except towns. ails and lave had )enmark ithouses rom the eing that ght pay ; of the yed the should summer nights. Of late years about ten thousand vessels liad annually paid this contribution in time of peace. Adjoin- ing l*!lsinore, and at the edge of the peninsular promontory, upon the nearest point of land to the Swedish coast, stands Cronenburg Castle, built after Tycho Brahc'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 sleep and rocky ; they lower to the south, and the distant spires of Lands- crona, Lund, and Malmoe are seen in the flat country. The Danish shores consist partly of ridges of sand, but more frequently their slopes are covered with rich wood, and villages and villas, denoting the vicinity of a great capital. The isles of Huen, Satholm, 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 circum- ference, had been the munificent gift of Frederic the Second to Tycho Brahe. Here most of his discoveries were made, and here the ruins are to be seen oi 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 libe- rality as well as by his labours. Elsinore is a name familar to English ears, being inseparably associated with Hamlet, and one of the noblest works of human genius. Cronen- burg 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 inflint. Here she took her G ;ti ilV /111!! m U).\ TIIK J. IFF. OF NFJ.SON. cvcrlasiing leave of that infant, wlien, by the interference of England, licr own deliverance was obtained, and as the ship bore her away fron^ a country where the venial indis- cretions 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 r.altic, 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 top- sails 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 Cronenburg 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 shore with batteries ; and as soon as the Monarchy 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 were 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 Hel- sinburg, and that no batteries were to be seen on the Swedish shore, they inclined to that side, so as completely erenre of d as the lial indis- bcen so eyes, and them till :e to the w parts of height Of ass every sion ; but exhibited ;d to force their top- Dnsisted of xtecn were ;un vessels • the fleet ; ingage the y moment ave them, on as the 3t of them, of cannon return, e pompous its effects ; prelude to to follow, water on ice of the nnel ; but from Hel- ;n on the :ompletely TH£ LIFE OF NELSON. 195 to get out of reach of the Danish guns, 'I'he uninterrupted bla/e which was kepi \\\\ from thcui till the llccl had passcil served only to exhilarate our sailors, and allonl them niattir for jesi, as the shot fell in showers a full cable's len,i;th short of its destined aim. A i^\^ rounds were returned from some of our leading ships till they perceived its imuility : 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 midday the whole fleet anchored between the island of Iluen aud Copenhagen. Sir Hyde, with Nelson, Admiral (iraves, 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 occui)ying, 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 rmmber 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 G 2 I ! 1 '':k 196 THE LIFE OF NELSON. J K< 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 ist 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 Ihie 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, sixty-six guns, but, as Nelson believed, eighty-eight. The fleet having anchored, Nelson, with Riou in the Amazon^ made his last exami- ing to his ; greatest nd; there . come in extremely the Danes inking the )n liimself n, boating till it was "or having ■ his duty, itely more experience an attack ind being e Danish le south, suggested ;t of April ithin two : Middle at about ng along there is and here near the batteries, 2 Crown e mouth irger one but, as inchored, 5t exami- THE LIFE OF NELSON. 197 nation ot the ground, and about one o'clock, returning to his own ship, threw out the signal to weigh. It was received with a skout 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 : tlie 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 lieen made early in the evening, and as his own ancnoi dropped 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 Cronenburg make it known to the whole city that all negotiation was at 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 twelve hundred youths, the flower of Denmark : it was one of those emergencies in which little driUing or discipline is necessary to render courage available ; they had nothing to learn but how to manage the guns, and were employed day and night 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. ■:.i' I ■,S."-i :itl 1' '■ .1 ' s. . t . *t 1 j ■ ,; i i i' 198 THE LIFE OF NELSON. •'!\f 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 itw fell among them, but the enemy soon ceased to fire. It was learnt 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 render 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 instruc- tions ; 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, und 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 iloor, 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 enemys line. About directed ;y might iron, and i British J extent ; i against in range hem, but fterwards 3rtar had replaced, more so ;ustonied :ts before sat down as, as he , in high liccess of ^spective le order instruc- examine roaching with a discover mind ce days ' ; , I i is to go at kind entitled insisted ; lloor, Hardy :hannel, About THE LIFE OF NELSON. 199 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 of 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 Honourable 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 Alcinenc 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 admiral's ship. 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 intrusted 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 'J ii ,V '.I. ;«; : -I': 200 THE LIFE OF NELSON. m fc i shot. Everybody knows what I must have suffered, and if any merit attaches itself to me, it was for conibatin^^ the dangers of the shallows in defiance of them." At length Mr. liryerly, the master of the Bcllona, 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 Edi^ar^ led the way, the Agamemnon was next in order, but on the first attempt to leave her anchorage she could not weather tiie 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 requirtul. Signal was then made for the Polyphemus, and this change in the order of sailing was executed with the utmost prompitude, yet so much delay had thus been unavoidably occasioned that the Jufgar 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 farther 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 Belhma, Sir Thomas IJouiden 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 tlie wiiul w.is fair, the room ample, and three ships had led the wa\-. The Russell, following the Belloiia, 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, v/ho came next after these two ships, thought they had kei)t too far on the )5 H THE LIFE OF NELSON. 20X 3, and if tini^ the it length that he acceded at half- n. ^^ay, tlie attempt the edge see his ly years' jnt when en made order of :ude, yet :casioned rted, and I at the was the g, owing d indeed nee was fortune, Thomas starboard of the ns tlie had led rounded ut their ely felt, on the to shoal \\\. after the 1 on 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 lie ordered the Elephanfs helm to starboard, and went within these ships ; thus cjuitting 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 apjiointed 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 Bdlona 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. 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 re([uired of them. Of the squadron of gun-brigs only one could get into action : the rest were prevented by bafiling currents from weather- ing the eastern end of the shoal ; and only two of the bomb-vessels could reach their station on the Middle Oround, and open their mortars on the arsenal, firing over both neets. Riou took the vacant station against the Crown Battery witii his frigates, attempting with m 3''' !<■ i \ I ■ ill: 202 THE LIFE OF NELSON. thai unequal force a service in which three sail of the line had been directed to assist. Nelson's agitation j.ad 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 liis scjuadron was received with the fire of more than a thousand guns, than, as if that artillery, like music, had driven away all care and p.iinful thoughts, his counte- nance brightened, and, as a bystander describes him, his conversation became joyous, animated, elevated, and delightful. The commander-in-chief meantime, near enougli to the scene of action to know the unfavourable accidents whicli 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 threes 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 Hre," he said, " was too hot for Nelson to oppose ; a retreat he thought must be made, lie was aware of the conseijuences 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 witli this * I have great pleasure in reiulciini;- tliis justice to Sir Hyde I'arkcr's rcasoniiii;. Tiie fact is hcic stated upon tiie iiigliest and most unques- tionable authority. 1 < ( il of the ho saw Lirth part n battle, of more :e music, s covmte- him, his ted, and ne, near :ivourable Ison, and Dntending 5et to his rent were amstances 1 ; and at [nance the cspair of le to his dition to t ; if he is lie can be least to Ison, but for delay, oppose ; c of the it would Ue whole deemed.' with this le Tarkcr's ust unqucs- THE LIFE OF NELSON. 203 disinterested and generous feeling, he made the signal for retreat. Nelson was at this time, in all the excitement of action, paciu},^ the ([uarter-deck. A shot through the mainmast knocked the s[)linters about, and he observed to one of his olhcers 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 — " JUit mark you, 1 would not be elsewhere for thousands." About this time the signal lieutenant called out that No. 39 (the signal for iliscontinuing 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 oiTicer met him at the next turn, and asked him 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 aflirmative, said, " Mind you keep it so." He now paced the deck, moving the stump of his lost arm in a manner which always indi- cated great emotion. " Do you know," said he to Mr. Ferguson, " what is shown on board the commander-in- chief? No. 39!" Mr. Ferguson asked what that meant. "Why, to leave oft" action!" Then, shrugging up his shoulders, he repeated the words — " Leave otl" 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 Hying ! That's the way I answer such signals ! Nail mme to the mast 1" Admiral Graves, who was so situated that he could not discern what was done on board the Ji/cp/iaiif, disobeyed Sir Hyde's signal in like manner; whether by fortunate mistake or by a like brave intention lias not been made known. The other ships of the line, looking I I f >' 1 I 204 THE LIFE OF XELSON. only to Nelson, continued the action. The signal, however, saved Riou's little s([uadrGn, but did not save its heroic leader. This scjuadron, which was nearest the commander- in-chief, obeyed, and hauled off! It had suffered severely in its most unecjual contest. For a long time the Amazon had been fuing, cnvelo[)ed 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 tlicn got clear sight of her from the batteries, and ])oinlcd 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 ihc Am azo/i 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 acuon 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 only be seen at intervals. The /sis must have been destroyed by the superior weight of her enemy's fire, if Captain Inman, in the Dcsircc frigate, had not judiciously taken a situation which enabled him to rake the Dane, and if the Folyp/iemus had not also relieved her. Both in the BcUona 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 Iiowcvcr, ts heroic niandci- vcrely in nzon had sired his :hat they , for the jrios, and t nothing struction. mournful Kul been ing on a // showed killed by lines who |y boys !" rds had in two. vy could ;d vigour ution on vantage, ncc were ad their seen at by the iman, in situation Jyphemus and the Ir guns, jse guns taken to THE LIFE OF NELSON. 205 sea ; they were probably originally faulty, for the fragments were full of little air-holes. The Jicllo/ia lost scventy-fivc men; the IsiSy 110; the Moiiarc/i, 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 Ifohtcin and the '/xalatidy her loss this dny cxceedec' 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 ha[)[)encd 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 impoliticly exerted in subserviency to the interest of France. Captain Thura, of the Indfoedsrettcn, 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, lie 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 hastn it had and the tion had eemantle i Foley, ps which red part ion that le wind intricate M.'ore -c the flag of md the brought )ject of " Lord Tianity : lid that THE LIFE OF YFLSON. 209 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, wiil consider this the greatest victory he has ever gained if it may be the cause of a happy reconciliation and union between his ovvr i.)->s'. gracious sovereign and his Majesty the King jf Donmavk." Sir Frederick Thesiger was despatched a occond time with the reply; and the Danish adjutant- general was referred to the commander-in-chief for a con- ference 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 ihe way. This ship had received six-and-twenty shot between wind i- 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 Glation 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 spile of all the * It would have been well if the fleet, before they went under the batteries, had left their spare spars moored out of reach of shot. Many would have been saved which were destroyed lying on tlie booms, and the hurt done by their splinters would have been saved also. Small craft could have towed them up when they were required, and after such an action so many must necessarily be wanted, that if those whicli were not in use were wounded, it might thus li.ivc been rendered im- possible to refit the ships. i V ' !!^ I ■ ill 2IO THE LIFE OF NELSON. ■ft f'S exertions of their wearied crews. The Desiree frigate also, at the other end of the Hne, 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 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 over- cast ; white flags were waving from the mastheads 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 would have to mourn. The very silence which follows the cessa- tion 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 Danhrog 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 aflected 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 honour- able 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 com- mander-in-chief of an error in judgment. " Well," said he as he left tiic Elephant, " I have fought contrary to orders, THE LIFE OF NELSON. II frigate also, i the close in the same e took the 1 was over, ig scene of eavily upon jcome over- leads of so d ; but the ras not yet s he would 1 the cessa- he heart at c of mutual It this time ), while our St her, were w of whom le gallantry elson ; for ion against tice, which lind, and a ce of which an honour- as English arded them as another melancholy He was Egypt ; he and in so the com- " said he 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 an 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-tvventy 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 suppos- ing 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 deHght 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 Zeahmd, 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 acknov/- ledge herself captured, saying that, though it was true her flag was not to be seen, her pendant was still flying. Nelson ;il i. ii 'if • IS ill,' Hii i :ll|ii m m 212 THE LIFE OF I\ELSON. 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 commodore. 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 urbanity as well as decision which always characterised him, urged his claii.i 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 Bille, 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 mourn- ing 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 consola- tions 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 nine hundred and fifty-three. 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 there- fore drawn up upon the gangway, to satisfy tliis cruel point of honour ; and there, without the possibiUty of annoying 3 approach ^■'s ships to proved to the West with that aracterised that it was i round her is affirmed, )re pain at I preceding Bille, went der why he thus to be hagen ! It the mourn- ;ion of days ids in that le consola- Id be calm ere actively the prizes, :arrying on d. It had 1 wounded slaughter cer of the ; his men d be of no etry, and ore better ould be a vere there- :rucl point annoying THE LIFE OF NELSON. 213 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 follow- ing 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 behold- ing that man in the midst of them who had inflicted such wounds upon Denmark. But there were neither acclama- ions 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 oftkers 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 tn the naval churchyard : the ill 214 THE LIFE OF NELSON. . , 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 circum- stances 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, repre- sented 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 litde 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 215 he occasion Jen seen in monument e gathered day of the tions in aid jdom. This ith circum- as raised in sh colours : with either widow and Dration was and songs uted to all ;hemselves. lebrating a honourable 5try, repre- ide. One ble ground is may be t, and his butable to following Dsed of in six line-of- ' these, the ent home. d and all ig cannon . the fleet craft over Nelson, ispleasure 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 difticult to obtain. Believe me, I have weighed all the 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 then actual situa- tion 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 tlic 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 ■ ni ' 'it I ill 2l6 THE LIFE OF NELSON. ;. !■ !'P 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 hos- tilities ! " 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 j and as the commissioners could not agree upon 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 stript 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 the 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 ugrcv.d 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 eye-witnesses of the scene. Nelson was exceed- THE LIFE OF NELSON. 217 time to act openhagen. one of the Lenew hos- ds — for he It was said, "Tell him d this very nicably on agree upon tie it with ■ the state- ion, for all fear of a elson was '^exation at combined vay to the on whose ye, I can Ls closeted ce should fourteen cement of by Olfert -h it was ertheless, le others )wn ship, id of the and very propose ount the ike him, exceed- ingly indignant at such a statement, and addressed a letter, in confutation of it, to the adjutant-general, Lindholm \ thinking this incumbent upon 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 contending 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, burned, 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 sur- rendered, 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 became my prisoners I became their protector." This letter was written in terms of great asperity against 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 a most favourable light to Denmark, he took into the comparative strength of the two parties the (*ll! 'I 2l8 THE LIFE OF NELSON. ships which were aground, and which could not get inta 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 mis- construed; and your subsequent conduct has sufliciently 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 memo- randum 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. !H ot get inta teries upon iming as a d he, " was r lordship's :an be mis- sufiticiently true valour. ' a friend to ny between e with the led to your s reply, he ip a memo- rties for his ommodore's honourable noticed any nmander-in- lised to the for services nee to the v^ever, some step; had vay up to a CHAPTER VIII. Recall of Sir Ilyde Parker, and appointment of Nelson to the command Goes to Revel — I'cace witii Russia, ami settlement of affairs in the Jialtic — Suspicious conduct of Denmark — Returns to England- Commands the Channel Fleet — Unsuccessful attack upon the French flotilla at Boulogne — Peace of Amiens — Renewal of the war — Nelson aj^ain takes the command in the Mediterranean — Hostilities with Spain — Plockadc of Toulon — M. Latouche Treville — Escape of Villeneuve's fleet — Nelson goes to Egypt in search of it — Then chases it to the West Indies and back — Delivers up his squadron to Admiral Coriiwallis — Retuins to 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 dare say 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." 1 Fatigue, incessant anxiety, and a climate little one of a tender constitution, which had now for many years u. 2 20 'J HE LIFE OE XIJ.SON. been aci'iistoiucd lo more genial latitudes, niatle him at tliis time seriously determine \\\^o\\ returning home. " IT the noilhern business were not scllled," he said, " they must send more admirals, lor tlie keen air of the North had cut him to llie heart." lie lelt the want of activity and tiecision in the » Duunamler in-vhief more keenly, and this atlecled his spirits, and consequently his health, more than the in clemency of the Uallic. Soon after the armislice was signed Sir Hyde i)ro('eeded to the eastward with such ships as were fit for service, leaving Nelson to follow with the rest as S(Jon as those wliiih luul received slight damages should be re- paired anil the rest sent to I'lngUinil. \\\ passing between the isles of Ainak and Saltholm most of the shijjs louehed the ground, and some of them stuck fast for a while; no serious injury, hov.ever, was sustained. It was intended to act against the Russians hrst before the breaking up of the frost should enable them to leave Revel ; but learning on the way that the Sweiles had put to sea to elTect a junction with them, Sir Hyde altered his cou>:r''' in hopes of inter- cepting this i)art of the enemy's force. Nelson had at this time provided for the more pressing emergencies of the ser- vice, and i)rei)areil on the iSth to follow the lleet. The Sf. i,\'('JX(' drew too much water to pass the channel between the isles without being lightened ; the gu.ns were therefore taken out and put on ])Oiud an American vessel. A contrary wind, however, i)reventeil Nelson from moving, anil on that same evening, while he was thus delayed, in- formation reached him of the relative situation of the Swedish and Ihilish Heets, and the jn'obabilily of an action. The lleet was nearly ten leagues distant, ami both wind and cunent contrary, but it was not possible that Nelson could wait for a favourable season under such an expectation. He ortlered his boat immediately, and ste[)ped into it. Night was setting in — one of the cold spring nights of the North — anil it was discovered, soon after they had left the ship, tliat in tlieu- haste they had forgotten to provide him THE LIFE OF NELSON. aai him at this :. " Jl" Ihc ' ihcy imisl rth had < iii 11(1 tlccision lis aHcctcil luin the in was si}j;nc(l ips as were est as soon loukl he re- iij.^ between ips louehed I while; no intended to \^ up of the learning on t a junction es oi inter- had at this of the ser- eet. The e channel ;uns were can vessel, in moving, clayed, in- on of the ui action, wind and son could pectation. d into it. hts of the id left the 3vide him with a l)oat clo.ik. Tie, however, forbade them to return for one, and when oiu" of his companions olfered his own greatcoat, and urged him to make use of it, he re|)lied : "i thank you very mucli ; but, to tell you the truth, my anxiety keej)s me suflicienlly warm at present." "Do you think," said he presently, "that our lleet has (piitted IJornholm? If it has, we must follow it to Carlscrona." About midnight he reached it, and once more got on boartl the lilrpluiitt. On the following morning the Swedes were tliscovercd ; as soon, however, as they perceived the I'.ngiish approaching they retired, and took shelter in Carlscrona, behind the batteries on the island at the entrance of that port. Sir Ilyde sent in a Hag of truce, stating that Denmark had concluded an armistice, and re(iuiring an exjilicit declaration from the Court of Sweden, whether it would adhere to or abandon Uie hostile measures which it had taken against the rights and interests of Creat Britain? 'i'he commander, Vice-Admiral Cronstadt, re[)Ued that "he could not answer a (piestion which did not come within the particular circle of his duty, but that the king was then at Maloc, and would soon be at C'arlscrona." (iustavus shortly afterwards arrived, and an answer was tlien 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 auUiority by the King of (Ireat Jhitain to the united northern ]iowers." Satisfied with this answer, and with the known disi)osition of Uic Swedish Court, Sir Hyde sailed for the CuU" of iMiiland, but he had not proceeded fiir before a dispatch boat from the Russian ambassador at Copenhagen arrived, bringing intelligence of the death of the Kmperor I'aul. and that his successor, Alexander, liad accepted tlie olVcr made by KngUmd to his father — of terminating the dispute by :M'I1 •! '1 , . I M 2i2 THE LIFE OF NELSON. a convention. Tlie l^ritish admiral was therefore required to desist ftom all further hostilities. It was Nelson's nuixini, that, to negotiate with effect, force should be at hand, and in a situation to act. The fleet having been reinforced from l^ngland, amounted to eighteen sail of the line, and the wind was fair for Revel, 'i'here 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 that was necessary. The manner of that death, indeed, rendered it aj^jjarent that a change of policy would take place in the Cabinet of Petersburg ; 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 mortifica- tion 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 hai)pen There the fleet remained till despatches 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 Lritish trade in the THE LIFE OF NELSON. 223 Cattegat and in the Baltic should not be molested ; and saying how unpleasant it would be to him if anything should happen which n.ight 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 t!ie hne, 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 afifairs 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 third. 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 t ':fT- MA {p.'. m r; liiii: 224 THE LIFE OF NELSON. exchanged visits with the governor, and the most friendly intercourse had subsisted between the ships and the shore. Alexander's ministers in tlieir 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 Petersburg 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 in Europe." And he repeated, that ''under other circum- stances 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 oar 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, seamanlike, 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 tue Russian Court expressed their regret that there should have been any misconception between them, informed him that the belli migh him THE LIFE OF NELSON. 225 the British vessels which Paul had detained were ordered to be liberated, and invited him to Petersburg in whatever mode might be most agreeable to himself. Other honours awaited him : the Duke of Mecklenburg Strelitz, the queen's brother, came to visit him on board his ship ; and towns of the inland parts of Mecklenburg 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 orlv thank God we have, or they would try to humble us to tiie 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 ven- geance 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 Copen- hagen 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 ailed 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 H i;':i { ■ : ■?■'.: .n I I •■ I rrv 51. 226 THE LIFE OF NELSON. li- ft !i twenty treaties if it should be wished, or to make the Vrince Koyal humble himself before Ikitish generosity." Nelson was not deceived in his judgment of the Danish Cabinet, but the battle of Copenhagen had crip])led its power. The death of the C/.ar Paul had broken the con- federacy, and that Cabinet therefore was compelled to defer till a more convenient season the indulgence of its enmity towards Creat 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 Heet soon be- came 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-batde ships ; working through the channel against adverse winds. When Nelson left the fleet, this speedy termination of the expedi- tion, though confidently expected, was not certain ; and he, in his willingness to weaken the British force, thought at one time of traversing Jutland in his boat by the canal to Tonningen, on the Kyder, and iinding 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. He had not been many weeks on shore before he was called upon to undertake a service for which no Nelson was re- quired. Bonaparte, 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- I the Vrincc "the Danish cripi)led its :cn the con- mipelled to Ljencc of its Admiral Sir nand. The been so far ict soon be- T, made the passing the Lttlc ships ; nds. When ' the expedi- lin ; and he, )ught at one le canal to home from le returned zvf admirals ilVered from Yarmouth nd see the lat victory olson, and ittle of the •England. 3re he was sou was re- d in reality 3on a great the Baltic they were ver in gun- THE LIFE OF NELSON. 227 VJ boats, and such small craft as could be nipidly built or collected for the occasion. From the former governments of France such threats have only been matter of insult or policy ; in Bonaparte they were sincere, for this adventurer, intoxicated with success, already began to imagine that all things were to be submitted to his fortune. We iiad not at that time proved the superiority of our soldiers over the Fren:h, and the unreflecting multitude were not to be persuaded that an invasion could only be effected by numer- ous and powerful fleets. A general alarm was excited, and in condescension to this unworthy feeling Nelson was ap- pointed to a command jextending 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 ; and 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 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 wa.s 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 for- lorn undertaking ! " said he ; " consider cross-tides, c\:c. As H 2 i'Wl 228 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 im- practicable." 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 re- quested the maritime surveyor of* the coast, Mr. Spence, to get him into the Svvin by any channel, for neither the pilots whom 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 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 ; THE LIFE OF NELSON. 229 and he owned that this boat warfare was not 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 abiUties. I recjuire nursing like a child," he added ; " my mind carries me beyond my strength, and will do me up. But such is my nature." The ultack 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 Imed 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 sheading the blood of brave I m ' * t 230 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 tlian 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." He now wished to be reUeved 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON, 231 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. Just at this time the peace of Amiens was signed. Nelson rejoiced that the experiment was made, but was well aware that it was an experiment : he saw what he (.ailed 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 wiiich the mob of London welcomed the French general who brought the ratification 3 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. 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. His pensions for his victories and for the loss of his eye and arm amounted, with his half-pay, to about ;^3, 400 a-year. From this he gave ;^i,8oo to Lady Nelson, ;^2oo to a brother's widow and ;^i5o for the education of his children, and he paid ;^5oo 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 VAOuld necessarily be made upon his bounty. The depres- sion 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 If, It if' i'''i'' i ■i:'< ■Ifi:. 232 THE LIFE OF NELSON, t V " possible his father could behold without sorrow and displea- sure. 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 T^nimeM f/-v»-y%/> i.1. _,.--t-i .uiiisii ivicw, which they tiiougiit impregnabie, totally taicen M f i, THE LIFE OF NELSON. 233 or destroyed by the consumr^ate 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 ist of June, of Cape St. Vincent, of Camperdovvn, 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, ill 234 THE LIFE OF NELSON. I "5 during tlie remaining part of his life, from one who had been at one time 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 cliosen friends was of no long continuance. Sir ^Villiam riamiliton, who was far advanced in years, died early in 1803. He expired in his wife's arms, holding Nelson by the hand, and almost in his last words left her to his protection ; reciucsling 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 ;,^i,2oo 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 pay- ments 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. He took his station immediately off Toulon, and there, widi incessant vigilance, waited for the coming out of the enemy. When he had been fourteen months thus employed 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 TIIK LIFE OF NELSON. 235 which this vote afforded of recurring to that point. '* I do asHiire your lordship," said he in his answer to the Lord Mayor, " that there is not that man breathing who sets a higher vahie upon the thanks of his fcllow-c'tizens of London than myself; but I should feel as much asl.amed 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 we hope to realize 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 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 wus no occa- sion for him to ruin a poor devil who was sulliciently his own enemy to ruin himself." But in Nelson there was r'H mT' :;i Ui^ ill! ' A 236 THE LIFE OF NEISON. Hi more than the easiness and humanity of a Iiappy nature; he did not merely abstain from injury ; his was an active and watchful benevolence, ever desirous not only ro 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 (lovernment for more easily man- ning the navy, and preventing desertion from it, by bettering the condition of the seamen. lie proposed that their cer- tificates should be registered, and that ever) 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 ajipear an enormous sum for the State to pay, but the average life of a seaman 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, " thai 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 regu- lated his whole conduct toward those who were under his command. " I have just received your letter, and I 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 237 receive you." The gentleness and benignity of his disposi- tion never made him forget what was due to discipline. Ik'ing on one occasion applied to to save a young officer from a court-martial which he had provoked by his miscon- duct, his reply was, that ** he would do everything in his power to oblige so gallant and good an oflicer as Sir John Warren," in whose name the intercession had been made ; "but what," he added, *' wovild 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 impend- ing court-martial, never to so misbehave again. On his captain enclosing me such a U'tter, 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 con- tempt ; and I am in duty bound to support the authot ty and consequence of ^very 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 nav) . Some young artillery officers, serving on board the bomb- vessels, refused to let their men jierform any other duty but what related to the mortars. They wished to have it established that their corps was not subject to the cap- tain'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 earnest- ness which its importance deserved. " There is no real "I ( wf ' m iC; ' t>- 1 ■iil 238 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 dis- respectful 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 Trowbridge 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 Trowbridge, tlie 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 its 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 flei": should look up to the commander-in-chief for their reward. He himself was iiever 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 239 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 ])erson 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 retlection as well as opportunities for observation. The film was cleared from his eyes, and now, when the French no longer wcnl abroad with the cry of liberty and equality, he saw that the oppression and misrule !I:m. 1^ 1 I II, t,' : :■ I I !I1> 240 THE LIFE OF NELSON. m 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 ;!^5,ooo a year from it after its wretched establish- ment 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, ib large enough to form a separate state. Let us hope that these islands may ere long 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 241 ambition were opening upon Bonaparte, who now almost undisguisedly aspired to make himself master of the con- tinent 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 national rank among the nations. "We ought," he said, ' ^'- mutual consent, to be the very best friends, and both V ; ever hostile to France." But he saw that Bonapiti te 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 1 7 7 1 , 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 all'^wances for the miserable situation Spain has placed herself in, but there is a certain line beyond which I cannot submit to be treated with disrespec ;. We have given up French vessels taken within gunshot )f the Spanish shore, and yet French vessels are permittee to attack our ships from the Spanish shore. Your excellency may assure the Spanish Government that in v/hatever place the Spaniards allow t!?e French to attack us, in that place I shall order the French to be attacked." i' ' I PlPi i I 'It' li;; i! ^'' 242 THE LIFE OF NELSON. h'r During this state of things, to which the weakness of Spain, and not her will, consented, the enemy's fleet did no- venture to put t sea. Nelson watched it with unremit- ting 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 so 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 coufidential Frenchman to him with information. " 1 should be very happy," he replied, " to receive authentic intelligence of the destination of the French squadron, their route, and time of sailing. Any- thing 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. \Vhatever information you can get me I shall be very thankful for ; but not a French- man 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 mp 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 Campus, Donegal, and Amazon, stood in close to the port, and M. Latouche, taking advantage of a breeze which ^orung up, pushed out with THE LIFE OF NELSON. •4j ikness of fleet did unremit- tation off t fighting y please, red and id ! The I by such ere to go i season ; ;a, and if re not fit ly he was in view. ! time to n to him e repUed, )n cf the Any- xcellency •enchman dence in he same ; Ltion you I French- lated the Boulogne, purpose," r.e again ; the main :-Admiral egal, and \e, taking 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 t j 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, ;iccording 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 "whicli he had watched Toulon he spoke of truly as a perseverance at sea which had ne^er been surpassed. From May 1803 to August 1805 he himself ] i; HI ;;'i\ .' :' >: :i «^ '!''■ i 244 THE lifj: of nelson. 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. 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 lie, " whatever happens I have run a glorious race." He was afraid of blindness, and this was the only evil which he ct.^uld not contemplate without unhappiness. More alarming symptoms he regarded with less apprehension, describing his own *' shattered carcase " 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 com- pared 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." 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 245 lave no which attended it were as unhappy as they ;vere unforeseen. Four frigates had been despatchc.l 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 indigna- tion in Spain than it did grief in those who were its unwilling instruments, in the English Government and in the English people. On tlve 5th of October this unhappy affair occurred, and Nelson was not apprised of it till the 12 th of the ensuing month. He had indeed sufficient mortification at the breaking out of the Spanish war, an event which it might reasonably have been supposed would amply enrich the oflicers 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 : " I 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 dis"pT ointment. No ! it is for my brave officers, for my noble-m.nded friends and comrades. Such a gallant set of fellows ! b>.'ch a band of brothers ! My heart swells at the thought of thtm ! " War between Spain and England was now declared, and on the i8th 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 igta \^(i Active and Seahorse m w. 1 1:;. •46 THE LIFE OF NELSON. ^TA \ 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 imme- diately unmoored and weighed, and at six in the evening ran through the straits 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 romd 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 Frencli through the same seas were now renewed, but Nelson, while he endured these anxious and unhappy feelings, was still con- soled 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. AH is mine, right or wrong." Then stating the grounds upon which he had proceeded, he added : '' At this moment of sorrow 1 still feel that I have acted right." In the same spirit he said to Sir Alexander Ball : " When I call to re- membrance 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 247 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 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 27 he was compelled to anchor in Pulla Bay, in the Gulf of Cagliari. From the 21st of January the fleet had re- mained ready for battle, without a bulkhead 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 oft" Barcelona with that intent. About the end of the month he began to fear that the plan ot the expedition v/as 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 toward 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 reinforce- ments there. 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 i ith he felt assured that they were not gone down the Mediterranean, I ill i te.,8|. 248 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 afterwards ascertained that hey 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 Straits, 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 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 oft" 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 v/hen this resolution was taken THE LIFE OF NELSON. 249 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 l)erson 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 against 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 state of equipment to join him, dared not wait, but hastened on to Cadiz. Sir John Orde necessarily retin^d at his approach. Admiral Gravina, with six Spanish shipv. of the line and two French, came 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 com- manded 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." I'he enemy had five-and-thirty days' start^ but he cal- 25© THE LIFE OF NELSON. 1 i ciliated tliat 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 dispatches 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. L'l'ia on the 28th, standing to the southward; and that Tobago and Trinidad were their ol)jects. This Nelson doubted, but he was alone in his opinion, and yielded it with these foreboding words — " Jf your intelligence proves false, you lose me the French fleet." Sir William Myers offered to embark here with two thousand troops ; they were taken on board, and the next morning he sailed for Tobago. Here accident confirmed the false in- telligence 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 Colonel 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 oppor- tunity 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 Graaada a few days before by the French, who were standing towards the Bocas of Trinidad. This frcsli 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 thai there could have been little hope of fetching to THE LIFE OF NELSON. 25* windward of Grenada for any othrr flcst. Nelson, however, with skill and exertions never exceeded and almost un- exampled, bore for that island. Advices met him on the way, that t!)e combined fleets, having captured the Diamond Kock, vere then at Martinique on the 4th, and were expected to sail ihat 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 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 ber n fought on the spot where Rodney defeated De Grasse. This he remembered in his vexation , but he had .avd the colonies and above two hundred ships laden foi 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 tak- ing with him the Spartiate, 74, the only addition to the squadron with which he was pursuing ; c superior a force. Five days afterwards, the Amazon brou^'. . intelligence that she had spoke a schooner who had seen them, on the evening of the 15th, steering to the north, and by computa- tion eighty-seven leagues off Nelson's diary at this time denotes his great anxiety and his perpetual and all-observ- ing 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 i8th," his diary says, "Cape Spartel in sight, but no French fleet, nor any information about them. M '1 li '»■■. ■m. i;il i T ,1 '" t'li ■ ll ii' ^l>! ■i;:i ■1 I, : I ; J i; Ml 252 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 i6th 1803 ; and from having my foot out of the Victory^ two years, wanting ten days." Here he communicated with his old friend CoUingwood, who, having been detached with a squadron when the dis- appearance of the combined Heels and of Nelson in their pursuit was known in England, had taken his station oft 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 three or four and thirty sail, there to be jomed 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. CoUingwood was gifted with great political penetration. As yet, however, all was conjecture concerning the enemy, and Nelson having victualled and v/atered at Tetuan, stood for Ceuta on the 24th, still without information of their course. Next day intelligence arrived that the Ciirieux 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 beiake 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 LIFE OF NELSON. 253 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 p 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 prize-master, 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 endeavoui- to find out her situation by back-reckon- ings. 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 be produced, he judged it V)est to reinforce the Channel Fleet with his squadron, lest the enemy, as CoUingwood apprehended, should bear down Vm < ,■■■1*1 i A i-M 254 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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. m m \t CHAPTER IX. Sir Robert Calder's Action — Villeneuve's fleet gets into Cadiz — General approval of Nelson's conduct — His life at Merton — His anxiety regarding the combined fleets — Offers his services, and is re-appointcd to the command in the Mediterranean — His departure from I'oiis- mouth — Popular demonstrations of attachment to him — Arrives off Cadiz — Reception of him by the Fleet — Villeneuve puts to sea — Nelson's plan of attack — His last appeal on behalf of Lady Hamil- ton — Judicious dispositions of Villeneuve — Nelson's celebrated signal — Battle of Trafalgar — Breaking the enemy's line — Nelson receives his death- wound — His last moments — Capture of the Rcdoubta'dc, from which the fatal shot was fired — Results of the battle — Honours conferred on Nelson's memory™ -Conclusion. At Portsmouth Nelson at length found news of the com- bined fleets. Sir Robert Calder, who had been sent out to intercept their return, had fallen in with them, on the 22nd of July, sixty leagues west of 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-battlc 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 incon- siderable victory a few years earlier, but Nelson had intro- duced a new era in our naval history, and the nation felt respectincf this action as he had felt on a somewhat similar occasion. They regretted that Nelson, with his eleveu 'T'l : % 1 ''.1 i 1- 256 THE LIFE OF NELSON. il ffl ,1 / 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 greai 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 endea- voured 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 v/as better since he had been on shore, and he would THE LIFE OF NELSON. tS7 not give sixpence to call the king his uncle." She replied that she did not believe him, that she knew 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 hinself did the business, and that he ought to have them as the price and reward of his two years' long watch- mg and his hard chase. *' Nelson," said she, " however we may lament your absence, ofter 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 Emn-a ! 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 com- bined fleets ought properly to !)e Nelson's work ; that he who had been Half aionnd the sea-girt ball, The hunter of the recreant Gaul,* I 'i \m ought to reap the spoils of the '-hase, which he had watched so long and so perseveringly pursued. Unremitting exertions were made to eqtip the ships which he had chosen, and especially .o refit the Victory^ whirh was once more to bear his flag. Before he left London he called at his upholsterer's, where the coffin * "Songs of Trafalgar." 3 58 THE UFE OF NELSON. i \ !. I. ■■ 'Lii^i which Captain Haliowcll had given him was deposited, and desired tli.it its history might be er.gravon upon the lid, saying, it w.'S highly probahle he might '»vvit it on his return. He seemed, indeed, to have been impn^ssed wit'; an expectation th.at he should fall in the buttle. In a letter to his brother, written immefiiately .'^^ter hi^> return, he had said : "We must not talk of Sir Robert Caldefs battle. I might not have (I'jik' so mucii with my small force. If 1 had fallen m with them, you niighi probably have been a lord before I wished, for I know diey meant to 'T'.ake a dead set at. the Vicfory," Nelson iiad once regarded tlte p'-'jipecl of i'.- uature the slightest THE LIFE OF NELSON. =59 alloy of selfishness or cupidity, b'd that with perfect and entire devotion he served his 'ountry with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his strength ; and there- fore 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 (hive 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. Ecaring that, if the enemy knew his force, they might be deterred from venturing to sea, he kept out of sight of land, desired CoUingwood 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 <'■ dfying as the farewell of his countrymen at Ports- mouch ; 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 tlie command. He called a council of war, and their deter- mination was that it would not be expedient to leave Cadi/ unless they had r nson to believe themselves stronger by one-ti i ■! than the Eritish force. In the public measures of t'"'' country secrcvV is seldom practicable and seldom attempted; here, however, b' 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 reinforc*. the Mediterranean fleet were despatched singly, I 2 -Hi I : ml !00 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 1 4 I I { \f I 'i .t-j 1 t ■< I 1 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 I.oiiis, 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 hfty or sixty miles to the west of Cadiz, ner • Cape St. Mary's. At this disii.' ce 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 D^ Msh luo})crty, 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 tlie blockade would have been rendered nugatory by the advantage thus taken of the neutral flag. The supplies from France were thus effectually cut oft'. Tiiere was now every indication that the enemy would speedily venture out ; officers and men were in the highest spirits at the prospect of giving them a decisive 1 low — such, indeed, as would put an end to all further ontest 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 tlic 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, THE LIFE OF NELSON. 361 will put us in battle. The success no man can insure, 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 — the eyes of the fleet, as he always called them, to the want of which the enemy before were indebted for their escape, and Bonaparte 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 appre- hended by the blockading force. The Rochefort squadron did push out, and had nearly caught the Agameiiimi,. and LAimable in their way to reinforce the British admiral. Yet Nelson at this time weakened his own fleet. He had th 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 pro- fession ; and, from that sensitive delicacy wh'ch distinguished him, this made him the more scrupulously anxious t^- every possible mark of respect and kindness to Sir Rooert. 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 appre- hended from an inquiry into the previous engagement. Sir Ro^^'"^ however, whose situation was very painful, did not choo c lO delay a trial from the result of which he confidv?nt!y expected a complete justification ; and Nelson, instead of n 262 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 1 1 . 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 Iv -^ irr.l. Nothing could be more honourable than the injlip; by which Nelson was influenced, but at such a crisis it ought not to have been indulged. On the 9th Nelson sent CoUingwood what he called in his diary ** the Nelson-touch." *' I send you," said he, " my plan of attack, as ^:" . a man dare venture to guess at the very uncert \ui position the enemy may be found in ; but if is to place you perfectly at ease respecting my in- tentions, 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 foi our country. No man has more confidence in another than 1 have in you, and no man will render your services more justice than your very old friend. Nelson and Ikonte." The order of sailing was to be the order of bat*" — 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 rearj 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 alway.^ ^ e on-: fourth s. erior to those whom they cut off- Nelson said that ' his admirals and captains, knowing his precise obiert to be that of a close and decisive action, would supply aiiy deficiency o' signals, and act accordingly. In case signals cannot be seen or clearly unders!-ood, no captain can do wrong if h places his ship alongside that of an enemy. One of i. last trders of this admirable man was that the name auvi fanu y 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 trans, mitted to the chairman of the patriotic fund, that the case THE LIFE OF NELSON. 263 ing the enemy, d lead to cut to be ihould ut off- ing his would y. In aptain of an an was , and hould trans. c 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 in-shore, repeated the signal that the enemy were coming out of port. The wind was at this time very ligiit, wilh partial breezes, mostly from the S.S.W. Nelst n 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 .ley were in the entrance of the Straits, but the enemy were not in sigiit. 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 Enryalus^ telegraphed that they appeared determined to go to the westward. " And that," said the Admiral in his diary, '' they -hall not do, if it is in the power of Nelson and Bronte to "^ event 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 0[)en, and would retreat there as soon as they saw the Britisii licet; for this reason he was very careful not to approach near enough to be seen by them during the night. At daybreak the com- bined fleets wc^'? 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 tbdrty three and seven large frigates. Their superiority was greater in size and weight of 264 THE LIFE OF NELSON. ii': !' t '■■ [ i:!.; metal than in numbers. They had four thousand troops on boaul, and the best riflemen that could be procured, many ol them 'I'yrolese, were dispersed through the sliips. Little did the 'I yrolesc 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 2 1 St of October was a festival in his family, because on that day his uncle. Captain Suckling, in the Dreadnou'^Itt, 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 persua- sion 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 Royol Soiirc^qn, led the lee line 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 wiiom I worship grant to my country, and for the benefit of Europe in general, a great and glorious victory, and may no misconduct m any one tarnish it, and may humanity after victory be the pre- dominant feature in the British fleet ! For myself individu- ally, 1 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 iii entrusted to me to defend. Amen, Amen, Amen," Having thus discharged his devotional duties, he annexed, in the same diary, the foUowmg remarkable writing : — f"!! THE LIFE OF NELSON. M *• October 21J/, \%o$.~Then in si\^//t of the combined Jlects of France and Spain^ distant about ten miles. "Whereas, the eminent services of Kinina Hamilton, widow of the Right Honourable Sir William Hamilton, have been of the very greatest service to my king and my country, to my knowledge, without ever receiving any reward from either our king or country : " First, that she obtained the King of Spain's letter, in 1796, to his brother, the King of Naples, acquaint- ing him of his intention to declare war against England ; from which letter the Ministry sent out orders to the then Sir John Jcrvis to strike a stroke, if opportunity offered, against cither the arsenals of Spain or her fleets. That neither of these was done is not the fault of Lafly Hamilton ; the opportunity might have been offered : " Secondly, 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, Horatia Nelson Thompson ; and I desire she will use in future the name of Nelson only. " These are the only favours I ask of my king and country at this moment when I arn going to fight their 266 THE LIFE OF NELSON. i's ' l:.'\ li!l i. I! *' Witness 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, 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 j and no Catholic ever beheld the picture of his patron saint with devouter reve- rence. The undisguised and romantic passion with which he regarded it amounted almost to superstition j 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 ex- hilaration 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 widi 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 he gave tkem, 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 ^. ',11 of attack. I THE LIFE OF NELSON. 267 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 ofiicer answered, that, considering the hand- some 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 ,0 understand what they were about. I'hese 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 will 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 evjnts 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, bear- ing 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 apprehension 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 tlie 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 \ * In t?iis part of tlic woik I have chiefly Iv en : man's "Narrative of Lord Nelson's Deatli," a il as it is authentic. ■ih.l)'.eil to this gcntlo- 1' iinient as interestinsj 268 THE LIFE OF NELSON. ■5 m PS'l' r: but they knew that such a request would highly jisplea^e him. " In honour I gai ed tliem," he had said when sixh a thing had been hinted to him formerly, " and in honour I will die with them." Mr. Eeatty, however, would r.ot 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 con- cerned ; 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 v/as indulged, for these ships could not pass ahead if thu 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 hght 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 m^ke at Spithead ! The French admiral, from the Hitccnfaure, 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 cool- THE LIFE OF NELSON. 169 could ness. Ten minutes before twelve they opened their fire. Eight or nine of the ships immediately ahead 01 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 Black- wood and Captain Prowse, of the Sirins, 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 prcacribed mode of attack they found it impracticable to get into action immediately, they might adopt whatever ihey thought best, provided it led th^m quickly and closely alongside an enemy. As they were standing on the front 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 oflf the enemy's escape into Cadiz. The lee line, therefore, was first engaged. "See," cried Nelson, poindng 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 sjuns 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 com- mander and old friend, turned to his rnptain and exclaimed : ''Rotherham, what would Nelson give to be here I" Both these brave officers, perhaps, at this moment thought of Nelson w'th gratitude for a circumstance which had occurred on the preceding day. Admiral Collingwood, with some of the captains, having gone on board the Viiiory to recei\'e instructions. Nelson inquired of him where his captain was, and was told in reply tint they were not upon good t-^rms with each other. "Terms!" said Nelson; -'good terms with each other I " Immediately he sent a boat for Captain Rotherham.ledhim, as soon „r. U, as nc arrived, tu Cullun woou. 270 THE LIFE OF NELSON. and saying, "Look, yonder arc tlie enemy I "bade them shake hands like Enghshinen. The enemy continued to fire a gun at a time at the Victory till they saw that a shot had passed through her main-lopgallant sail ; then they opened their broadsides, aiming chiefly at iier rigging, in the hope of disabhng her before she could close with them. Nelson as usual had hoisted several flags, lest one should be shot away. The enemy snowed no colours till late in tht action, when they began to feel the necessity of having thein to strike. For this reason the Santissiiua Trinidad,'^c\ son's old acquaint- ance, 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 tire 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 it 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 fro.n being together. A few minutes afterwards a shot struck the fore-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 Victo?y had not yet returned a single gun ; fifty of her men had been by this time killed or wounded, and her main-topmast, with all her studding-sails and their booms, shot away. Nelson declared that in all his battles he had THE LIFE OF KELSON. 271 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 Redoubtable 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 boarded through them, and never afterwards fired a great gun duiing the action. ^\qx 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 picked off, but which never can decide the fate of a general engagement. Captain Harvey, in the lemeraire, fell on board the Redoubtable on the other side \ another enemy was in like manner on board the Temerairc ; so that these four ships formed as compact a tier as if tliey had been moored to- gether, their heads all lying 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 Tcmcraire ; and because there was danger that the Redoubtable might take fire from the lower deck guns, the mu/zles of whicli 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 th'^ British fleef; might be distinguished l)y lumianitv in the victow he 272 THE LIFE OF NELSON. ■ J ■ expected. Setting an example himself, he twice gave orders to cease firing upon the Redoubtable, supposing that she had struck, because her great guns were silent ; for, as she carried no Hag, there was 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 mizen-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 secre- tary'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 been 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 woimded and dying men, over whose bodies he was with some diffi- culty conveyed, and laid upon a pallet in the midship- men's berth. It was soon perceived, upon examination, that the wound was mortal. This, however, was concealed from all except Captain Hardy, the chaplain, ana the medical attendants. He himself being certain, from the sensation in his bark 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 273 to fan him with paper, and frequently give him lemonade to alleviate his intense thirst. He was in great pain, and ex- pressed much anxiety for the event of the action, which now began to declare itself. As often as a ship struck the crew of the ^^ictory hurraed, and at every hurra a visible expression of joy gleamed in the eyes and marked the countenance of the dying hero. But he became impatien' 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 express 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 some- thing rising in my breast " — putting his hand on his left side 274 THE LIFE OF NELSON. I I"* — " 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 ny 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 CoUing- wood would take upon himself the direction of affairs. " Not while I Hve, Hardy," said the dying Nelson, ineffec- tually 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 75 »g- gone." Death was indeed rapidly approaching. He said to the chaplain ; Doctor, I have not been a ^reat sinner." And after a shore 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 about filty 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 mizen-top of the Redoubtable. 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 quartermaster had seen him fire, and easily recognized him because he wore a glazed cocked-hat and a white frock. This quarter- master and two midshipmen, Mr. Collingvvood and Mr. Pollard, were the only persons left in the Victory's poop ; the two midshipmen kept firing c . the top, and he supplied them with cartridges. One of the V'^enchmen, attempting to make his escape down the riggintr^ was shot by Mr. Pollard, and fell on the poop. But the old quartermaster, 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 mizen- top and found him dead, with one ball through his head and another through his breast. The Redoubtable struck within twenty minutes after the fatal shot had been fired from her. During that time she had been twice on fire — in her forechains and in her fore- castle. The French, as they had done in other battles, 276 THE LIFE OF NELSON. made use in this of fireballs and other combustibles : implements of destruction which oilier 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 Redoubtable, 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 characterized ; 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 gang- way. When the Redoubtable had struck it was not practi- cable to board her from the Victory ; for though the two ships touched, the upper works of both fell in so much that there v-'as a great space between their gangways, and she could noL be boarded from the lower or middle decks because her ])orts were down. Some of our men went to Lieutenant Quiiliara 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 Santissiina 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 leapt 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 continued it with greater firmness. The Argonauta and Bahama were defended till they had each lost about 400 men ; the San Juan Nepomuceno lost 350. Often as the superiority of British courage has been proved aga spi wei In and that pail THE LIFE OF NELSON. 277 against France upon the seas, it was never more con- spicuous than in this decisive contlir Five of our ships were engaged muzzle to muzzu with five of the French. In all five the Frencl'men lo '^erca their lower-deck ports and deserted their guns, vh 'r •-•v, continued delibe- rately to load and fire til 1 ui made the victory secure. Once, amidst his sufiferinj^ 1 wad expressed a wish that he were dead ; but immedi ic spirit subdued the pains of death, and he wished to live a little longer — doubt- less than 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 ilying 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 retaking 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 ! il IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 2.5 ■- 1111111 |50 '""^= '^ K 1 2.2 - 6" M 1= U ill 1.6 "/ <^ /a / O^A Photographic Sciences (Jorporation 23 WEST HitAW STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S80 (716) 872-4503 cF f\ iV :\ \ ^ V 4 '^c^^ '^^ 6"^ 278 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 Roche- fort squadron, and were all taken. In the better days of France, if such a crime could then have been committed, it would have receis^ed an exemplary punishment from the French Government ; under Bonaparte it was sure of im- punity, 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 1,587. Twenty of the enemy struck : unhappily, the fleet did not anchor, as Nelson, almost with his dying breath, had enjoined. A gale came on from the south-west: some of the prizes went down, some went on shore ; one effected its escape into Cadiz ; others were destroyed 3 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 Ube 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 THE LIFE OF NELSON. 279 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 ;£G,qoo a year ; ;^ 10,000 were voted to each of his sisters, and ;^i 00,000 for the purchase of an estate. A public funeral was decreed, and a public monu- ment. 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 St. Nelson — so the gunner of the Victory called them ; and when at his interment 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 intel- ligence 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. 28o THE LIFE OF NELSON. 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 school -boys 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 surpass- ing 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 co? ibined 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 at/pearances 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 and at the height of human fame. 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