I had a letter from Sir James Saumarez yesterday, of October 1st. He sent me some Papers. I take it very kind of him.

About the 28th of September (the day on which Lord Nelson joined the Fleet), orders reached Vice-Admiral Villeneuve to put to sea with the design of passing the Straits, landing Troops on the Coast of Naples, sweeping the Mediterranean of our Ships, and then to go to Toulon. The Spanish Ships were, it is presumed, intended to join their seven Sail of the Line at Carthagena, but a favourable opportunity for sailing did not present itself until the morning of the 19th of October. The Combined Fleet consisted of thirty-three Sail of the Line, eighteen being French and fifteen Spanish, viz.: the French of four eighty-gun Ships and fourteen seventy-fours, under Vice-Admiral Villeneuve in the Bucentaure of 80 guns, and two Rear-Admirals, Dumanoir le Pelley and Magon; and the Spanish of one Ship, the Santissima Trinidada, of 130 guns, two of 112 guns, one of 100 guns, two of 80 guns, eight of 74, and one of 64 guns, under Admiral Gravina in the Principe de Asturias, a Vice-Admiral, Alava, and two Rear-Admirals, Cisneros and Escano. The French had also five Frigates and two Brigs; the Spaniards none. The British Fleet under Lord Nelson's command likewise consisted of thirty-three Sail of the Line; but six having been sent to Gibraltar, the actual force off Cadiz on the 19th and 21st, was twenty-seven Sail of the Line, four Frigates, a Schooner, and a Cutter, viz., three Ships of 100 guns, four of 98 guns, one of 80 guns, sixteen of 74 guns, and three of 64 guns, under Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson in the Victory, Vice-Admiral Collingwood in the Royal Sovereign, and Rear-Admiral the Earl of Northesk in the Britannia. The superiority of the Enemy was consequently six Sail of the Line.

The Combined Fleet began to get under weigh at 7 A.M. on Saturday the 19th of October, with a light breeze at N. by E., but from the want of wind, twelve Ships only succeeded in quitting the Harbour on that day. The movement of the Enemy was soon perceived by the Euryalus, Captain Blackwood, and the other look

* On this Letter Lord Collingwood wrote the following Note: "Before the answer to this letter had got to the Victory, the signal was made that the Enemy's Fleet was coming out of Cadiz, and we chased immediately."

"The Names of the Ships of both Fleets, and of their Captains, will be found in page 141, post.

The following extract from Capt. Blackwood's letter to his wife, written on the 19th of October, is interesting:-"What think you, my own dearest love? At this moment the Enemy are coming out, and as if determined to have a fair fight; all night they have been making signals, and the morning showed them to us getting under sail. They have 34 Sail of the Line, and five Frigates. Lord Nelson, I am sorry to say, has but 27 Sail of the Line with him; the rest are at Gibraltar, getting water. Not that he has not enough to bring them to close

out Frigates in shore, and being signaled to the Advanced Squadron, under Captain Duff in the Mars, that Ship at half-past nine repeated the signal that "the Enemy are coming out of Port." At that moment the Victory, with the main body of the Fleet, was about fifty miles W. S. W. of Cadiz, having the wind very light and Southerly. The signal was instantly made for a "General Chase, S.E." .e., towards the Straits of Gibraltar, to prevent the Enemy from entering the Mediterranean. At three o'clock, the Colossus made the signal that "The Enemy's Fleet is at sea." Towards the evening, Lord Nelson gave a remarkable proof of his sagacity. The hoops round the masts of the Enemy's Ships were, he knew, painted black; the whole of the lower masts of all his own Ships were painted yellow, with the exception of those of the Belleisle and Polyphemus, who had recently joined; and as several large black circles on the masts formed an obvious mark by which to distinguish the Enemy from our own Ships, in the smoke and confusion of Battle, he not only ordered the Belleisle and Polyphemus, by telegraph, to paint the hoops of their masts like those of the other British Ships, but fearing, from the lateness of the evening, that the signals might not have been distinctly seen, he sent the Entreprenante Cutter to them, to repeat his directions®.

The twelve Sail of the Enemy which had left Cadiz harbour, lay becalmed until the early part of the afternoon, when a breeze sprung up from the W.N. W., and they stood on the larboard tack to the Northward, being followed closely to windward by our Frigates the Euryalus and Sirius.

About noon on this day (the 19th), when a Battle appeared certain, Lord Nelson wrote the following Letters to Lady Hamilton and his daughter, neither of which has been before printed. The disposition of his Squadron during the night of the 19th is described in his Diary (p. 132 post).

Action; but I want him to have so many as to make the most decisive Battle of it that ever was, which will bring us a lasting Peace I hope, and some prize-money. Within two hours, though our Fleet was at sixteen leagues off, I have let Lord N. know of their coming out, and I have been enabled to send a Vessel off to Gibraltar, which will bring Admiral Louis and the Ships in there, out. At this moment we are within four miles of the Enemy, and talking to Lord Nelson by means of Sir H. Popham's signals, though so distant, but repeated along by the rest of the Frigates of this Squadron. You see also, my Harriet, I have time to write to you, and to assure you that to the last moment of my breath, I shall be as much attached to you as man can be, which I am sure you will credit. It is very odd how I have been dreaming all night of my carrying home dispatches. God send so much good luck! The day is fine, the sight of course beautiful. I expect before this hour to-morrow to have carried General Décres on board the Victory in my barge, which I have just been painting. God bless you. No more at present. In my last, which I was hurried to send off, I forgot to inclose you the two letters of Lord N. I shall not make the same mistake now." Autograph in the possession of the Honourable Lady Blackwood. ♪ Lord Nelson's Diary. Dr. Beatty says, "about two."

6 Beatty's Narrative, p. 8.

• vs mate Larry je ne nosure of

ing your letter A kopam vere, and Iretace v hear that you are so very ** pro me love my jour Lair Hamilton, who most hady but Gebris ir z. The Combined Vanad ve Iceny are now reported to be coming out of Unlock, wod, therefore I answer your letter, my dearest Horatia,

* þola jarang mua terved open on Lord Nelson's desk, and was brought to Lady Www Warty, on his return to England.

to mark to you that you are ever uppermost in my thoughts. I shall be sure of your prayers for my safety, conquest, and speedy return to dear Merton, and our dearest good Lady Hamilton. Be a good girl, mind what Miss Connor says to you. Receive, my dearest Horatia, the affectionate parental blessing of your Father, NELSON AND BRONTE.

PRIVATE DIARY.

[From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 441.]

6

October 19th.

Fine weather, wind Easterly. At half-past nine, the Mars, being one of the look-out Ships, repeated the Signal, 'that the Enemy was coming out of Port'-made the Signal for a 'General Chase S.E.'; wind at South, Cadiz bearing E.N.E. by compass, distant sixteen leagues. At three the Colossus, made the Signal, that the Enemy's Fleet was at sea.' In the evening directed the Fleet to observe my motions during the night, and for Britannia, Prince, and Dreadnought, they being heavy sailers, to take their stations as convenient; and for Mars, Orion, Belleisle, Leviathan, Bellerophon, and Polyphemus, to go ahead during the night, and to carry a light, standing for the Straits' Mouth.

At daylight on Sunday the 20th of October the remainder of the COMBINED FLEET weighed and put to sea with a light breeze from the S. E., while the Ships outside had the wind from S. S. W., but soon after the Enemy's Ships had cleared the harbour, the wind and thick weather baffled their progress. Between 2 and 3 P.M., the horizon cleared, and the wind shifted to the W. N. W., about which time it appears that the whole of the Combined Fleet was united: Mr. James says, "Whereupon Vice-Admiral Villeneuve ordered his Fleet to form in five columns, agreeably to a plan which he had previously communicated to his Flag-Officers and Captains. The Fleet accordingly divided itself into two parts. The first part, consisting of twenty-one Sail of the Line, and denominated the Line of Battle, then subdivided itself into three Squadrons of seven Ships each, of which the centre was commanded by M. Villeneuve himself, the Van by Vice-Admiral Alava, and the Rear by Rear-Admiral Dumanoir. The second part, or corps de réserve, divided itself into "Monumens des VicVide post.

This agrees with the Spanish Official Report, but the toires et Conquêtes des Français" says, "three columns."

two Squadrons of six Ships each: the first was under the orders of Admiral Gravina, and the second of Rear-Admiral Magon 1."

66

66

By daylight on the 20th, the BRITISH FLEET had approached close to the Mouth of the Straits of Gibraltar, but saw nothing of the Enemy. The Flect, therefore," says James, I wore and made sail to the N. W., with a fresh breeze at S. S. W. At 7 A. M. the Phœbe made the signal that the Enemy bore North; and by noon the Victory and Fleet were to the S. W. of Cadiz, and within eight or nine leagues of it, standing to the W.N.W., on the larboard tack. At 2 P.M. the Fleet was taken aback by a breeze from the W.N.W., and at 4 P.M. wore, and again came to on the larboard tack, steering North. At 5 P.M., just after [two hours after] the Euryalus

1 Naval History, vol. iv.,

p. 29.

2 Log of H.M. Euryalus, Sunday, October 20th, 1805.-" P.M. Heavy rain and thick weather, wind W.S.W.-at 12.30 the weather clearing up a little, saw the Enemy to leeward under low-sail on the larboard tack; being close, wore ship, reefed topsails, and made all possible sail to look out for the English Fleet in the S.S.W., still keeping sight of the Enemy-at 1 more moderate; out reefs, set topgallant sails; saw Sirius to leeward of us and recalled her-at 2 saw the English Fleet in the S.S.W. standing to the Westward-at 2.10 made a telegraph message to the Sirius, I am going to the Admiral, but will return before night'at 3 exchanged Ships' Nos. with the Fleet-at 3.20 made the telegraph message, "The Enemy appears determined to push to the Westward,' with numeral pendant 30, N. by E., which the Admiral answered-saw an English Line-of-Battle Ship to leeward of the Fleet, with her maintopmast down-at 4 wore Ship, and stood to the Northward-at 4.40 the English Fleet wore-Enemy's Fleet on the larboard tack to the Northward-up mainsail-crossed the royal yards-at 5.20 observed some of the Enemy's look-out Ships reconnoitering us-tacked Ship-at 5.40 answered the Admiral's signal, I rely on your keeping sight of the Enemy" -at 6 ditto weather-Victory and Fleet to the Southward-Enemy's Fleet and Sirius N. b. E.-made several [blue?] lights and burnt false fires to show the Enemy's position to Lord Nelson and the Fleet. At 8.30 wore Ship. At 9.50 wore Ship, up mainsail, and kept upon the Enemy's weather beam, about two or three miles-made and shortened sail occasionally, fired guns, and burnt false fires as necessary. At 12 moderate breezes, the body of the Enemy's Fleet S.E. b. E. about 3 miles, and the light of the English Fleet to the Southward and Westward, 5 or 6 miles."

Log of H.M. Ship Sirius, Sunday 20th October, 1805.-" P.M. Strong breezes and squally, with heavy rain-12.10 fired 4 guns-saw a Line-of-battle Ship, supposed to be the Agamemnon-down jib and spanker-heard the report of four signal guns to windward. At 1 it cleared up-saw the Enemy's Fleet N.E. b. N.-1.20 made sail. 2.15 saw our Fleet from the mast-head-2.25 bore up. 3.15 came to the wind on the larboard tack-3.30 observed the Enemy's Fleet wear, and come to the wind on the starboard tack-handed topgallant sails and wore Ship. 5 the Enemy's Fleet N.N.E., part of our Fleet in sight, S. -one of the Enemy's Line-of-battle Ships and two Frigates chased us-at 5.50 they tacked, bearing N. E. 24 miles. At 6 light breezes and hazy--wore towards the Enemy's Fleet, bearing N.N.E. 6 or 7 miles, our Fleet S.W.tinued burning blue lights and rockets, as did the Phoebe, Euryalus, Naiad, and all our look-out Ships. 7.15 wore and set the courses, observed the French Admiral with a signal up E. b. N. 3 or 4 miles-7.40 wore, Enemy's Fleet from E.S.E. to N.E., making signals with guns, rockets, &c.-saw our Admirals S.W. b. S. 5 or 6 miles. 9.35 fired three guns and continued burning blue lights and rockets as before-came to the wind on the starboard tack-heard the report of six guns from our Fleet. At 10 set the spanker and mainsail-still reconnoitring the Enemy's Fleet, and making signals. 11.30 wore and hove-to-light airs, inclinable to calm-Enemy's Fleet East six miles, and both Fleets making signalstried soundings, no bottom."

-con