"MEMORANDUM.
"Vanguard, off the Mouth of the Nile, Aug. 2, 1798.
"The admiral most heartily congratulates the captains, officers, seamen, and marines, of the squadron he has had the honour to command, on the event of the late action; and he desires they will accept his most sincere and cordial thanks, for their very gallant behaviour in this glorious battle. It must strike, forcibly, every British seaman, how superior their conduct is, when in discipline and good order, to the riotous behaviour of lawless Frenchmen. The squadron may be assured, the admiral will not fail, with his dispatches, to represent their truly meritorious conduct, in the strongest terms, to the commander in chief."
"To the Captains of the Ships of the Squadron."
"The praise expressed in this memorandum, could not fail to be highly acceptable, and gratifying, to every individual in the squadron; and the observation which it endeavoured to impress on the minds of all, of the striking advantages derived from discipline and good order, was so much the effect of recent experience, that every bosom immediately assented to it's justice. The benefit of this important truth will not, we trust, be confined to any particular branch of the British navy: the sentiment of the Hero of the Nile must infuse itself into the heart of every British seaman, in whatever quarter of the globe he may be extending the glory and interests of his country; and will there produce the conviction, that courage alone will not lead him to conquest, without the aid and direction of exact discipline and order,
"Let those who desire to emulate, as every British seaman must, the glory acquired on this signal occasion, pursue the same means; which, principally, led to it's acquisition. Let them repose the most perfect reliance in the courage, judgment, and skill, of their superior officers; and let them aid the designs of these, by uniformly submissive obedience, and willing subordination: so shall the British navy continue to prove the admiration of the world, till time shall be no more.
"Immediately after the action, some Maltese, Genoese, and Spaniards, who had been serving on board the French fleet, offered their services in the British; and, being accepted, expressed the greatest happiness, at thus being freed, as they said, from the tyranny and cruelty of the French."
It has been thought proper to adopt the description of the battle of the Nile from this unadorned narrative, not only because it is said to have been originally sketched by Captain Berry; but because there seems no small degree of internal evidence that it was originally founded on the minutes of the hero himself, to whose most glorious victory it adverts with far less admiration and applause than it probably would have received from any other pen.
The following Journal of the 1st, 2d, and 3d days of August 1798, said to have been written by a French officer of high rank, will be found to comprehend a more just and animated picture of this grand naval engagement, and it's consequences, than could have been reasonably expected from what is usually seen of Gallic candour and impartiality.
"The 1st of August 1798, wind west north-west, light breezes, and fair weather. The second division of the fleet sent a party of men on shore to dig wells. Every ship in the fleet sent twenty-five men, to protect the workmen from the continual attacks of the Bedouins and vagabonds of the country. At two in the afternoon, L'Heureux made the signal for twelve sail, west south-west; which we could easily distinguish, from the mast-heads, to be ships of war. The signal was then made, for all the boats, workmen, and guards, to repair on board their ships, which was only obeyed by a small number. At three o'clock, the admiral, not having any doubt that the ships in sight were the enemy, ordered the hammocks to be stowed for action; and directed L'Alert and Ruiller brigs of war to reconnoitre the enemy; who, we soon perceived, were steering for Bequier Bay, under a crowd of canvas, without observing any order of sailing. At four o'clock, we saw, over the fort of Aboukir, two ships, apparently waiting to join the squadron: without doubt, they had been sent to look into the port of Alexandria. We likewise saw a brig, with the twelve ships; so that they were, now, fourteen sail of the line, and a brig. L'Alert then began to put the admiral's orders into execution, viz. to stand toward the enemy till nearly within gun-shot, and then to manoeuvre, and endeavour to draw them towards the outer shoal lying off the island. But the English admiral, without doubt, had experienced pilots on board; as he did not pay any attention to the brig's track, but allowed her to go away, hauling well round all the dangers. At this time, a small boat, dispatched from Alexandria to Rosetta, voluntarily bore down to the English brig, which took possession of her, notwithstanding the repeated efforts of L'Alert to prevent it, by firing a great many shot at the boat. At five o'clock, the enemy came to the wind in succession. This manoeuvre convinced us, that they intended attacking us that evening. The admiral got the top-gallant yards across; but, soon after, made the signal, that he intended engaging the enemy at anchor. After this signal, each ship ought to have sent a stream-cable to the ship astern of her, and to have made a hawser fast to the cable about twenty fathoms in the water, and passed the opposite side to that intended as a spring; this was not generally executed. Orders were then given, to let go another bower anchor; and the broadsides of the ships were brought to bear upon the enemy, having the ships heads south-east from the Island of Bequier, forming a line about thirteen hundred fathoms north-west and south-east, distant from each other eighty fathoms, and with an anchor out south south-east At a quarter past five, one of the enemy's ships that was steering to get to windward of the headmost of the line, ran on the reef east north-east of the island. She had immediate assistance from the brig, and got afloat in the morning. The battery on the island opened a fire on the enemy, and their shells fell ahead of the second ship in the line. At half past five, the headmost ships of our line being within gun-shot of the English, the admiral made the signal to engage; which was not obeyed, till the enemy was within pistol-shot, and just doubling us. The action then became very warm. Le Conquerant began to fire, then Le Guerrier, Le Spartiate, L'Aquilon, Le Peuple Souverain, and Le Franklin. At six o'clock, La Serieuse frigate and L'Hercule bomb, cut their cables, and got under weigh, to avoid the enemy's fire. They got on shore; La Serieuse caught fire, and had part of her masts burnt; L'Artemise was obliged to get under weigh, and likewise got on shore. The two frigates sent their ships companies aboard the different line of battle ships. The sloops of war, two bombs, and several transports that were with the fleet, were more successful; as they got under weigh, and reached the anchorage under the protection of the fort of Aboukir. All the van were attacked on both sides by the enemy, who ranged close along our line. They had each an anchor out astern, which facilitated their motions, and enabled them to place themselves in the most advantageous position. At a quarter past six, Le Franklin opened her fire on the enemy from the starboard side; at three quarters past six, she was engaged on both sides. L'Orient, at this time, began firing from her starboard guns; and, at seven, Le Tonnant opened her fire. All the ships, from Le Guerrier to Le Tonnant, were now engaged against a superior force: this only redoubled the ardour of the French, who kept up a very heavy fire. At eight o'clock at night, the ship which was engaging L'Orient on the starboard quarter, notwithstanding her advantageous position, was dismasted; and so roughly treated, that she cut her cables, and drove farther from the line. This event gave Le Franklin hopes that L'Orient would now be able to assist her, by attacking one of the ships opposed to her; but, at this very moment, the two ships that had been observed astern of the fleet, and were quite fresh, steered right for the centre. One of them anchored on L'Orient's starboard bow; and the other cut the line astern of L'Orient, and anchored off her larboard quarter. The action, in this place, then became extremely warm. Admiral De Brueys, who had at this time been slightly wounded in the head and arm, very soon received a shot in the belly, which almost cut him in two. He desired not to be carried below, but to be left to die on deck: he lived but a quarter of an hour. Rear-Admiral Blanquet, as well as his aid-du-camp, were unacquainted with this melancholy event till the action was nearly over. Admiral Blanquet received a severe wound in the face, which knocked him down; he was carried off the deck, senseless. At a quarter past eight o'clock, Le Peuple Souverain drove to leeward of the line, and anchored a cable's length abreast of L'Orient: it was not known what unfortunate event occasioned this. The vacant place she made, placed Le Franklin in a more unfortunate position; and, it became very critical, from the manoeuvre of one of the enemy's fresh ships, which had been sent to the assistance of the ship on shore. She anchored athwart Le Franklin's bows, and commenced a very heavy raking fire. Notwithstanding the dreadful situation of the ships in the centre, they continually kept up a very heavy fire. At half past eight o'clock, the action was general from Le Guerrier to Le Mercure. The Admiral De Brueys's death, and the severe wounds of Admiral Blanquet, must have deeply affected the people who fought under them: but, it added to their ardour for revenge; and the action continued, on both sides, with great obstinacy. At nine o'clock, the ships in the van slackened their fire; and, soon after, totally ceased: and, with infinite sorrow, we supposed they had surrendered. They were dismasted very soon after the action began; and so much damaged that, it is to be presumed, they could not hold out any longer against an enemy so superior by an advantageous position, in placing several ships against one. At a quarter past nine o'clock, L'Orient caught fire in the cabin; it soon afterwards broke out on the poop. Every effort was made to extinguish it; but, without effect; and, very soon, it was so considerable, that there was no hope of saving the ship. At half past nine, Citoyen Gillet, Capitain de Pavilion of the Franklin, was very severely wounded, and was carried off the deck. At three quarters past nine, the arm-chest, filled with musket-cartridges, blew up, and set fire to several places in the poop and quarter-deck, but was fortunately extinguished. Her situation, however, was still very desperate; surrounded by enemies, and only eighty fathoms to windward of L'Orient entirely on fire, there could not be any other expectation, than falling a prey either to the enemy or the flames. At ten o'clock, the main and mizen masts fell, and all the guns on the main-deck were dismounted. At half past ten, Le Tonnant cut her cables, to avoid the fire of L'Orient. The English ship that was on L'Orient's larboard quarter, as soon as she had done firing at her, brought her broadside on Le Tonnant's bow, and kept up a very heavy raking fire. L'Heureux, and Le Mercure, conceived that they ought likewise to cut their cables. The manoeuvre created so much confusion amongst the rear ships, that they fired into each other, and did considerable damage. Le Tonnant anchored ahead of the Guillaume Tell; Le Genereux and Timoleon, the other two ships, got on shore. The ship that engaged Le Tonnant on her bow cut her cables; all her rigging and sails were cut to pieces; and she drove down, and anchored astern of the English ship, that had been engaging L'Heureux and Le Mercure before they changed their position. Those of the etat-major and ship's company of L'Orient, who had escaped death, convinced of the impossibility of extinguishing the fire, which had got down on the middle gun-deck, endeavoured to save themselves. Rear-Admiral Ganteaume saved himself in a boat, and went on board of Le Salamine; and, from thence, to Aboukir and Alexandria. The Adjutant-General Motard, though badly wounded, swam to the ship nearest L'Orient, which proved to be English. Commodore Casabianca, and his son, who was only ten years old, and who gave, during the action, proofs of bravery and intelligence far above his age, were not so fortunate. They were in the water, on the wreck of L'Orient's masts, not being able to swim, seeking each other, till three quarters past ten, when the ship blew up, and put an end to their hopes and fears. The explosion was dreadful, and spread the fire all around to a considerable distance. Le Franklin's decks were covered with red-hot seams, pieces of timber, and rope, on fire. She was on fire, but luckily got it under. Immediately after the tremendous explosion, the action ceased every where, and was succeeded by the most profound silence. The sky was darkened by clouds of black smoke, which seemed to threaten the destruction of the two fleets. It was a quarter of an hour before the ships crews recovered from the kind of stupor into which they had been thrown. Towards eleven o'clock, Le Franklin, anxious to preserve the trust confided to her, recommenced the action with a few of her lower-deck guns; all the rest were dismounted: two thirds of the ship's company were killed and wounded, and those who remained prodigiously fatigued. She was surrounded by enemy's ships, who mowed down the men every broadside. At half past eleven o'clock, having only three lower-deck guns that could defend the honour of the flag, it became necessary to put an end to so disproportioned a struggle, and Citoyen Martinet, captain of a frigate, ordered the colours to be struck.
"The action in the rear of the fleet was very trifling, till three quarters past eleven o'clock, when it became very warm. Three of the enemy's ships were engaging them, and two were very near. Le Tonnant, already badly treated, who was nearest the ships engaged, returned a very brisk fire. About three o'clock in the morning, she was dismasted, and obliged to cut her cables a second time; and, not having any more anchors left, she drove on shore. Le Guillaume Tell, Le Genereux, and Le Timoleon, shifted their births, and anchored farther down, out of gun-shot. These vessels were not much damaged. At half past three o'clock, the action ceased throughout the line. Early in the morning, the frigate La Justice got under weigh, and made several small tacks to keep near the Guillaume Tell; and, at nine o'clock, anchored: an English ship having got under weigh, and making small tacks to prevent her getting away. At six o'clock, two English ships joined those who had been engaging the rear, and began firing on L'Heureux and Le Mercure, which were aground. The former soon struck, and the latter followed the example, as they could not bring their broadsides to bear on the enemy. At half past seven, the ship's crew of L'Artemise frigate quitted her, and set her on fire: at eight o'clock, she blew up. The enemy, without doubt, had received great damage in their masts and yards, as they did not get under weigh to attack the remains of the French fleet. The French flag was flying on board four ships of the line and two frigates. This division made the most of their time; and, at three quarters past eleven, Le Guillaume Tell, Le Genereux, La Diane, and La Justice, got under weigh, and formed in line of battle. The English ship that was under sail stood towards her fleet, fearing that she might be cut off; but, two other enemy's ships were immediately under weigh to assist her. At noon, Le Timoleon, which probably was not in a state to put to sea, steered right for the shore, under her fore-sail; and, as soon as she struck the ground, her foremast fell. The French division joined the enemy's ships, which ranged along their line on opposite tacks, within pistol-shot, and received their broadsides, which it returned: they, then, each continued their route. The division was in sight at sun-set. Nothing remarkable passed, during the night of the 2d. The 3d of August, in the morning, the French colours were flying in Le Tonnant and Timoleon. The English admiral sent a flag of truce to the former, to know if she had struck; and, on being answered in the negative, he directed two ships to go against her. When they got within gun-shot of her, she struck, it being impossible to defend her any longer. Le Timoleon was aground, too near in for any ship to approach her. In the night of the 2d, they sent the greatest part of their ship's company on shore; and, at noon the next day, they quitted her, and set her on fire.
"Thus ends the journal of the 1st, 2d, and 3d, days of August; which will ever be remembered, with the deepest sorrow, by those Frenchmen who possess good hearts, and by all those true republicans who have survived this melancholy disaster."
To the above anonymous French account, may be added that of the celebrated scientific traveller, soldier, and artist, Monsieur Denon; who was one of the chief Sçavans in the Egyptian expedition, and an anxious spectator of the interesting scene. It is to be remarked that, though his description of the battle, like that by which it is preceded, has less want of candour than is commonly found in French narratives of this nature, neither of them is altogether free from the characteristic partiality of that boastful nation. Both of them fail to state the true number of British ships; but, as frequently happens with those who are not remarkably tenacious of truth, though both make the number greater than it actually was, they do not agree with each other any more than with the fact, and thus mutually aid to produce a conviction of their own want of veracity. Our true force was fifteen sail only.
Denon, in order to gain an accurate view of the expected engagement, hastened to a lofty tower—
"When," says he, "we had reached the tower which commands the monastery, we descried a fleet of twenty sail. To come up, to range themselves in a line, and to attack, were the operations of a minute. The first shot was fired at five o'clock; and, shortly after, our view of the two fleets was intercepted by the smoke. When night came on, we could distinguish somewhat better; without, however, being able to give an account of what passed. The danger to which we were exposed, of falling into the hands of the smallest troop of Bedouins which might come that way, did not draw our attention from an event by which we were so strongly interested. Rolls of fire, incessantly gushing from the mouths of the cannon, evinced clearly that the combat was dreadful, and supported with an equal obstinacy on both sides. On our return to Rosetta, we climbed on the roofs of the houses; whence, at ten o'clock, we perceived a strong light, which indicated a fire. A few minutes afterwards, we heard a terrible explosion, which was followed by a profound silence. As we had seen a firing kept up, from the left to the right, on the object in flames, we drew a conclusion that it was one of the enemy's ships, which had been set fire to by our people; and we imputed the silence which ensued, to the retreat of the English: who, as our ships were moored, were exclusively in possession of the range of the bay; and who, consequently, could persevere in or discontinue the combat, at pleasure. At eleven o'clock, a slow fire was kept up; and, at midnight, the action again became general. It continued till two in the morning. At day-break, I was at the advanced posts; and, ten minutes after, the fleets were once more engaged. At nine o'clock, another ship blew up. At ten, four ships, the only ones which were not disabled, and which I could distinguish to be French, crouded their sails, and quitted the field of battle; in the possession of which they appeared to be, as they were neither attacked nor followed. Such was the phantom produced by the enthusiasm of hope!
"I took my station at the tower of Abumandur; whence I counted twenty-five vessels, half of which were shattered wrecks; and the others incapable of manoeuvring to afford them assistance.
"For three days, we remained in this state of cruel uncertainty. By the help of my spying-glass, I had made a drawing of this disastrous scene; that I might be enabled the better to ascertain, whether the morrow would be productive of any change.
"In this way we cherished illusion, and spurned at all evidence; till, at length, the passage across the bar being cut off; and the communication with Alexandria intercepted, we found that our situation was altered; and that, separated from the mother-country, we were become the inhabitants of a distant colony, where we should be obliged to depend on our own resources for subsistence, till the peace. We learned, that it was L'Orient which blew up at ten o'clock at night, and L'Hercule the following morning; and that the captains of the ships of the line, Le Guillaume Tell and Genereux—and of the frigates, La Diane and La Justice—perceiving that the rest of the fleet had fallen into the enemy's hands, had taken advantage of a moment of lassitude and inaction on the part of the English, to effect their escape. We learned, lastly, that the 1st of August had broken the unity of our forces; and that the destruction of our fleet, by which the lustre of our glory was tarnished, had restored to the enemy the empire of the Mediterranean: an empire which had been wrested from them by the matchless exploits of our armies, and which could only have been secured to us by the existence of our ships of war.
"The shore, to the extent of four leagues, was covered by wrecks, which enabled us to form an estimate of the loss that we had sustained at the battle of Aboukir. To procure a few nails, or a few iron hoops, the wandering Arabs were employed in burning on the beach the masts, gun-cariages, boats, &c. which had been constructed at so vast an expence in our ports."
In both these accounts it is sufficiently manifest, that the French were fully convinced there could be no possibility of denying their defeat, however they might seek to disguise the extent of their disaster. The grand designation of their expensive and numerous armament was thus, at a single blow, completely frustrated: and, instead of finding themselves, flushed with success, in a treacherously subjugated country, with a view of extending their conquest to India; they became, at once, reduced to depend on their own resources for even their subsistence, in a distant land, without any other hope of ever returning home, than what was afforded them by the remote prospect of a peace.
Though Admiral Nelson had written his dispatches for the commander in
chief immediately after this glorious victory, he was unable to send
Captain Berry, of the Vanguard, in the Leander of fifty guns, to the
Earl of St. Vincent, off Cadiz, till the 5th of August.
In a few days after, as if the admiral had foreseen the fate of the Leander, which it will appear he certainly apprehended, he prepared a copy of these dispatches to the Earl of St. Vincent; and transmitted it to Evan Nepean, Esq. Secretary to the Admiralty, by the Honourable Captain Thomas Bladen Capel, in La Mutine brig, to which he had just been appointed on Captain Hardy's promotion to the Vanguard. In these will be seen his own modest and pious account of a victory, perhaps, without parallel, when duly considered in it's completeness and consequences.
"Vanguard,
Mouth of the Nile, 7th August 1798.