Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

should I have left Cadiz in pursuit of the Enemy, a Vessel of War will be stationed off Cape Spartel with information where I am gone to.

N.B.-Tangier Bay will always give information.

NELSON ANd Bronte.

GENERAL MEMORANDUM.

Victory, off Cadiz, 28th September, 1805.

"28th September, P.M. At 6, in steering-sails, joined the Fleet off Cadiz under the command of Vice-Admiral Collingwood, consisting of twenty-three Sail of the Line, and six Sail of the Line in shore. At 8, St. Sebastian's LightHouse bore E. b. N., distant five or six leagues."—Victory's Log, and Signal Log.

It is my particular directions that no Junior Flag Officer salutes on joining the Fleet under my command, nor any Ship show their colours.

NELSON AND BRONTE.

PRIVATE DIARY.

[From Dr. Beatty's "Narrative of the Death of Lord Nelson," p. 95.] Sunday, September 28th, 1805.

Fresh breezes at N.N.W. At daylight bore up, and made sail. At nine saw the Etna cruising. At noon saw eighteen sail. Nearly calm. In the evening joined the Fleet under Vice-Admiral Collingwood. Saw the Enemy's Fleet in Cadiz, amounting to thirty-five or thirty-six Sail of the Line.

Sunday, September 29th."

Fine weather. Gave out the necessary orders for the Fleet. Sent Euryalus to watch the Enemy with the Hydra off Cadiz.

TO SIR JOHN ACTON.

[From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 425.]

My dear Sir John,

30th September, 1805.

After being only twenty-five days in England, I find myself again in the command of the Mediterranean Fleet. I

• On this day Lord Nelson completed his forty-sixth year.

only hope that I may be able, in a small degree, to fulfil the expectations of my Country .... I hear the French have two or three Sail of the Line at Toulon, two Frigates and a Corvette. In England they have not the smallest idea of such a force. If it be so, they must send more Ships; for although it is natural to look to the Russians to prevent those Ships from doing any harm to the Eastward of Toulon, yet I can answer for nothing but what is committed to the charge of English Ships. I was so little a while in England, and only three times with the Minister, that I hardly entered into any business but my own. I hope both Austria and Russia have begun; and, if the War comes into Italy, I have proposed such a co-operation on the part of England, that I am confident three months may, if all parties are agreed, free Italy and Piedmont; but we must all put our shoulders to the wheel. The Combined Fleet in Cadiz is thirty-five, or thirty-six Sail of the Line, and eight at Carthagena. I have twenty-three Sail of the Line; and six occasionally at Gibraltar, and to have an eye upon the Ships at Carthagena. The French have made an exchange of an old French 74 for the Santa Anna, a Spanish Firstrate. Be assured I am your Excellency's most faithful friend, NELSON AND Bronte.

TO REAR-ADMIRAL KNIGHT.

[From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 425.]

30th September, 1805.

I was only twenty-five days, from dinner to dinner, absent from the Victory. In our several stations, my dear Admiral, we must all put our shoulders to the wheel, and make the great machine of the Fleet intrusted to our charge go on smoothly. I am, &c.,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO SIR ALEXANDER JOHN BALL, BART., MALTA.

[From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 426.]

My dear Ball,

30th September, 1805.

I got fairly into the Fleet yesterday, and under all circumstances I find them as perfect as could be expected.......The

force is at present not so large as might be wished, but I will do my best with it; they will give me more when they can, and I am not come forth to find difficulties, but to remove them. I know not a word of Sir James Craig or his Troops, or what they are going about, except, as the man said of the Parson, he preached about doing good,' and so Ministers talked of our Troops doing good to the Common Cause; but I was so little a time in England, and not more than four times in London, that really I could hardly talk of anything seriously but Naval matters. I am, &c., NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO LIEUTENANT-GENERAL THE HONOURABLE HENRY
EDWARD FOX, GIBRALTAR,

[From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 425.]

In this letter Lord Nelson requested that the publisher of the Gibraltar Gazette should be forbidden to mention the force of the Fleet, much less the names and strength of the Ships; adding,

[About 30th September, 1805.]

For I much fear, that if the Enemy know of our increased numbers, we shall never see them out of Cadiz. If my arrival is necessary to be mentioned, the Ships with me need not; and it may be inserted that an equal number, or some Ships of Admiral Collingwood's, are ordered home. I rely upon your goodness to accord with my wishes. I am, &c.,

NELSON ANd Bronte.

TO ALEXANDER DAVISON, ESQ.

[From the "Naval Chronicle," vol. xiv. p. 475.]

Victory, [about 30th September, 1805.]

Day by day, my dear friend, I am expecting the Fleet to put to sea-every day, hour, and moment; and you may rely that, if it is within the power of man to get at them, that it shall be done; and I am sure that all my brethren look to that day as the finish of our laborious cruise. The event no

man can say exactly; but I must think, or render great injustice to those under me, that, let the Battle be when it may, it will never have been surpassed. My shattered frame, if I survive that day, will require rest, and that is all I shall ask for. If I fall on such a glorious occasion, it shall be my pride to take care that my friends shall not blush for me. These things are in the hands of a wise and just Providence, and His will be done! I have got some trifle, thank God, to leave to those I hold most dear, and I have taken care not to neglect it. Do not think I am low-spirited on this account, or fancy anything is to happen to me; quite the contrary-my mind is calm, and I have only to think of destroying our inveterate foe. I have two Frigates gone for more information, and we all hope for a meeting with the Enemy. Nothing can be finer than the Fleet under my command. Whatever be the event, believe me ever, my dear Davison, your much obliged and sincere friend,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO LORD BARHAM, FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY.

[From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 426.]

My dear Lord,

September 30th, 1805.

I did not fail, immediately on my arrival, to deliver your message to Sir Robert Calder; and it will give your Lordship pleasure to find, as it has me, that an inquiry is what the Vice-Admiral wishes, and that he had written to you by the Nautilus, which I detained, to say so. Sir Robert thinks that he can clearly prove, that it was not in his power to bring the Combined Squadrons again to Battle. It would be only taking up your time, were I to enter more at large on all our conversation; but Sir Robert felt so much, even at the idea of being removed from his own Ship which he commanded, in the face of the Fleet, that I much fear I shall incur the censure of the Board of Admiralty, without your Lordship's influence with the Members of it. I may be thought wrong, as an Officer, to disobey the orders of the Admiralty, by not insisting on Sir Robert Calder's quitting the Prince of Wales

for the Dreadnought, and for parting with a 90-gun Ship, before the force arrives which their Lordships have judged necessary; but I trust that I shall be considered to have done right as a man, and to a Brother Officer in affliction -my heart could not stand it, and so the thing must rest. I shall submit to the wisdom of the Board to censure me or not, as to them may seem best for the Service; I shall bow with all due respect to their decision. I am, &c.,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO VICE-ADMIRAL COLLINGWOOD.

[Autograph in the possession of the Hon. Mrs. Newnham Collingwood.]

My dear Coll.,

Victory, September 30th, 1805.

I had rather that all the Ships burnt a blue-light, or false fire; for it must often happen that the cause of wearing is change of wind, and often a very confused sea, and Ships Laay be very anxious, from various circumstances, to be assured that her neighbour astern has wore, as the Line from the above circumstances would be entirely broke. It is perfectly understood that, unless in very fine weather, or extraordinary circumstances, the Fleet will not be directed to wear in succession. We have found the comfort of blue-lights and false fires in the Mediterranean, where the wind changes so often. I am writing to every part of the Mediterranean, and if Thunder defers her appearance till to-morrow, I shall be ready for her, and she shall go to Sardinia, Palermo, from whence my letters for Malta will go express to Girgenti, and from thence to Malta in a Sparanero. If the weather is fine, perhaps you will come on board to-morrow. If the weather suits I will ask you to dinner: our party will not be so numerous as yesterday and to-day. Captain Rotheram, of

course.

The Pickle Schooner was off St. Vincent on Sunday looking for a Ship on that station. She was seven days from Plymouth. Ever yours most faithfully,

NELSON ANDd Bronte.

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »