I may be able to do towards manning of these kind of Vessels, it must be when our Ships are in a safe anchorage; for the service of the Ships must of course be given up when her men are absent. But when our friends get on the Sea-coast, I shall hope for the honour of seeing you, and explaining myself much fuller than I think it proper in a letter. At whatever part of the Coast the Army comes, whether the anchorage is good or bad, I am determined to risk every Ship, rather than the Army should be annoyed by a single Gunboat. This you will be pleased to say, whenever it may be necessary. The Admiral has added the Diadem 64 to my Squadron, and appointed me a Commodore with a Broad Pendant. I mentioned before, I wished you would get from Mr. Drake a copy of the cyphers, as I wished to mention several things which, Mr. Drake tells me, I must not trust to a letter by a common post, particularly as Genoa is situated. Believe me, dear Sir, your most obliged and faithful humble servant, HORATIO NELSON. TO ADMIRAL SIR JOHN JERVIS, K.B. [Autograph in the possession of Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.C.B. An imperfect copy of this Letter is in vol. ii. p. 143.] Sir, Agamemnon, off Genoa, 7th April, 1796. Lieutenant Pierson of the 69th Regiment tells me that he hears he is to be ordered on board the Britannia, there being but one subaltern there, and that Major Saunderson is to be embarked on board the Agamemnon, to which it would seem that I could have no manner of objection. But I think, from a very particular circumstance, that Mr. Pierson will not be removed from me; and I hope Sir Hyde Parker will agree with me in the propriety of his staying here, abstracted from my regard for Mr. Pierson, his being brought forward in the 69th Regiment, under the auspices of Colonel Villettes and myself, and he having come to us at the Siege of Bastia, as a volunteer from the Neapolitan service, and never having served with any one but myself. But this I should lay no stress upon, was I not so situated as I am. We are likely (I hope) to have a numerous Neapolitan Flotilla, which of course will be under my command: he was last year my Aide-de-Camp to them, (as well as to the Austrian Generals,) and from his knowing the Neapolitan Service, was much better calculated to prevent mistakes, than a person would be who only knew the Italian language. I will only suppose, in an attack on the Enemy's flank, I want to send particular directions; I know of no person so qualified, both by his knowledge of the Neapolitan Service, as by the knowledge of the language,-he speaking it better than English,—to prevent mistakes or confusion, from not clearly understanding my orders. I beg your pardon for this letter; but I hope you and Sir Hyde will think with me, that Mr. Pierson can be nowhere so usefully employed. Believe me, &c., HORATIO NELSON. TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE HON. JOHN TREVOR. 8th April.—A.M. At 8 hoisted the Broad Pendant. P.M. Anchored in Genoa Mole. 9th.-The Fort saluted the Broad Pendant with seven guns, which we returned with equal number. P.M. 10th.-At half-past 8 up anchor and made sail; Diadem, Meleager, and Blanche in company-sailed along shore to cover the Austrian Troops, who attacked the Enemy at Voltri. At three quarters past 10 hove-to-let go the kedge anchor, and clewed up all the sails. Saw the Austrians' lights on shore abreast of the Ship. 11th.-At 4 A.M. up anchor and made sail along shore to the westward-saw the French Troops retreating towards Savona-nearly calm-sent an Officer on shore to the Austrian Army for information. P.M. anchored in Genoa Mole.-Agamemnon's Log.] My dear Sir, Agamemnon, Genoa Mole, April 11th, 1796. As I know General Beaulieu sent off an express to Turin, after his arrival at Voltri, I have but little to say, except regretting that the French did not wait for an attack this morning, which, had they done, I will venture to say but very few could have returned to Savona, for our Ships command every foot of the road. The attack on the Enemy's advanced post yesterday evening, which the Baron de Malcamp wrote me was not to take place till daylight this morning, prevented so effectual a co-operation as I could have wished. The French were aware of their situation, and retreated in the night to [Savona, and a calm] in the morning prevented our getting [in] with them. I do not, my dear Sir, mean this as any complaint, but to show the absolute necessity of punctuality in joint attacks. Ever, dear Sir, believe me your obliged HORATIO NELSON. TO HIS EXCELLENCY FRANCIS DRAKE, ESQ. [Letter Book.] [About 11th April, 1796.] Mr. Brame tells me he shall write you, but still I think you will like to have a line from myself. It has been well, but might have been better; for if I had been fully acquainted with the movements of the Army, I am sure not many of the French would have returned to Savona. Our Ships command every foot of the road. I beg you will endeavour to impress on those about the General, the necessity of punctuality in a joint operation, for its success to be complete. Yesterday afternoon I received, at five o'clock, a note from the Baron de Malcamp, to tell me that the General had resolved to attack the French at daylight this morning, and on the right of Voltri. Yet by the Austrians getting too forward in the afternoon, a slight Action took place; and, in the night, the French retreated. My movements I kept secret, and after the shutting of the gates, weighed the Squadron from Genoa; and at half-past nine I anchored within half-gun shot of the Austrian Army, sending the Diadem and Blanche to anchor between Voltri and Savona. But the French were aware of their perilous situation, and passed our Ships in the night. I do not mean this as any complaint, but to show the necessity of punctuality; for had the Austrians kept back, very few of the French could have escaped. I hope that you are recovered, and that I shall soon have the pleasure of seeing you on the Coast, to the Westward of Vado. Believe me, dear Sir, &c., HORATIO NELSON. TO EARL SPENCER, FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY. [Letter Book.] My Lord, Agamemnon, off Genoa, April 11th, 1796. I take the liberty of acquainting you that the Austrians took possession of Voltri this morning-the French having retreated in the night, after having sustained a loss in their advanced posts of about 300 men. His Majesty's Squadron endeavoured to get between Voltri and Savona, to cut off their retreat, but it falling calm, the Enemy took the advantage, and escaped us; for our Ships command the whole road. General Beaulieu wrote me yesterday, that the attack was to be this morning at daylight; but his advanced guards having defeated the advance of the French, at daylight no Enemy remained. I weighed the Squadron from Genoa at dark last night, and joined the Austrian Army at half-past nine o'clock, sending a Ship of the Line and a Frigate to anchor between Voltri and Savona; but the Enemy was aware of their perilous situation, had they stayed till daylight. The General has expressed himself well pleased by letter; for our well-timed co-operation has saved a number of fine Troops, which must have been lost in the attack. General Beaulieu has gone towards Ceva, and writes me he will attack the French as soon as he arrives. Under so active a Commander, we can hardly fail of success, and no exertion of mine shall be wanting to forward the views of the brave old General, seventy-four years of age. I do not feel that I ought to write to the Board, unless on a very extraordinary occasion. Pray excuse the incorrectness of this letter, for I am very much fatigued, and wish to save post. I have the honour to be, &c., HORATIO NELSON. P.S.-General Beaulieu sent me a Messenger that he had wrote to the Emperor of the co-operation of our Squadron; and the services we had rendered by our appearance, which had saved many of his Troops. Sir, TO CAPTAIN ................................................ H. M. SHIP [Letter Book.] Agamemnon, off Voltri, April 11th, 1796. General Baron Beaulieu having requested that a Ship may be stationed off Voltri, to prevent any molestation of the Austrian Troops stationed there, I have to desire that you will punctually attend to this service, anchoring or cruising off the Town as from weather you may judge most proper. The General having acquainted me that he has left the Baron de Malcamp to correspond with me, if necessity requires it, you will, therefore, Sir, be pleased, should the Baron wish to send me any letter, to bring it to me off Savona; and I need not, I am sure, press you to give every aid and assistance in your power, should the French advance from Savona. I am, &c., HORATIO NELSON. TO ADMIRAL SIR JOHN JERVIS, K.B. [Original, in the possession of Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.C.B. An inaccurate copy of this Letter is in vol. ii. p. 151.] Sir, Agamemnon, 13th April, 1796. As it is impossible to be too particular in all my communications with the Austrian General, I think it right to note down the conversation I held last evening, with the Baron de Malcamp, nephew and Aide-de-Camp to General Beaulieu, who the General acquainted me by letter he had desired to communicate with me, in his behalf, and in the presence of Mr. Brame. The Baron began by a return of thanks from his General, for our well-timed co-operation, and for the assurances I had given of every support and assistance; that the General wished to know what was the particular object of my Squadron, and in what manner his operations could be serviceable to me. To these I replied, that the co-operation was my duty, and which I had the greatest pleasure in performing; that I begged he would assure the General, that my Squadron had no object whatever, but the co-operation with his Army, and that whenever he came down on the Sea-coast, he would be sure to find me. The Baron then asked if I could anchor in any other place than Vado Bay? I replied, that for these five months to come, for nineteen days out of twenty, wherever he was on the Coast, there I should always be, that Finale, Albango, Alassio, Oneglia, St. Remo, and the whole Coast to Nice. I would anchor the Squadron opposite his Army, that Vado was the only place where our Fleet could lay in safety; but as for my Squadron, all places would suit it. Therefore I begged it might be perfectly and clearly understood, that if the General thought it better to cut down to the Sea-coast, to the Westward of Vado, that he would do so, for Vado was not necessary for my Squadron; that I had understood St. Giacomo was strongly fortified; and if six or seven thousand men were to be lost in getting it, merely for the immediate possession of Vado Bay, it was no object for us, if the General chose to leave them to the Eastward. This point I three different times pressed on the Baron, and he said he perfectly understood me; that he should go to the General, as this day, the 13th, and that the General would send me a tableau of his plan of operations. That the General desired him to assure me, that, on his part, the most perfect harmony would be kept up with me; and that from my character, as well as from my exactness on the 11th, he was assured all would go well for the common cause; that it would have the happiest effect, that our Enemies should be convinced of the most perfect harmony subsisting between the Allies. I assured the Baron, that he might depend on my openness of conduct, that what I had promised, should, if possible, be performed: and that I would promise nothing that I had not a moral certainty of being able to perform; and I desired he would assure his General, that I was authorized by Sir John Jervis to assure him of the most sincere and cordial co-operation, and that nothing would be omitted on the part of my Admiral to convince him and all our Allies, as well as our Enemies, and Neutral Powers, how much he had the good of the Common Cause at heart; and further, that as soon as Sir John Jervis knew the General was on the Coast, that he would give him a meeting. I also desired he would acquaint the General, that I would undertake to provide proper Convoys, for their provisions being carried coastways from Genoa, VOL. VII. d |