"MY DEAR SIR,
"I have had so much said about the King of Naples's orders only to admit three or four of the ships of our fleet into his ports, that I am astonished. I understood, that private orders, at least, would have been given for our free admission. If we are to be refused supplies, pray send me, by many vessels, an account; that I may, in good time, take the king's fleet to Gibraltar. Our treatment is scandalous for a great nation to put up with, and the king's flag is insulted at every friendly port we look at. I am, with the greatest respect, your most obedient servant,
Horatio Nelson.
P.S. I do not complain of the want of attention in individuals, for all classes of people are remarkably attentive to us."
"His Excellency, the Right Honourable Sir William Hamilton, K.B."
A secret epistle, at the same time, addressed to Sir William and Lady
Hamilton, has these words—
"MY DEAR FRIENDS,
"Thanks to your exertions, we have victualled and watered: and, surely, watering at the Fountain 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."
Though no person in the fleet was acquainted with the harbour of Syracuse, such was the skill and exertion of the officers that every ship got safely in: and, full permission having been secured, by the admirable management and address of Lady Hamilton, not only water, but other articles of the first necessity, were obtained with the greatest expedition. Indeed, though there was no proper or regular water-place, the classical Fountain of Arethusa, that celebrated daughter of Oceanus, and nymph of the Goddess of Chastity, supplied them copiously with her pure and traditionally propitious libations; and the hero, it has been seen, did not fail to anticipate, with becoming gratulations, his sense of their indisputable efficacy. Such were the exertions of the officers and men, and such were the facilities, in other respects, which they now enjoyed, that the whole squadron were in a condition to put to sea by the 25th.
In the mean time, Admiral Nelson had addressed a letter to the Earl of St. Vincent, on the 20th instant, stating what he had done since his last, and his future intentions. "Yesterday," says he, "I arrived here; where I can learn no more than conjecture, that the French are gone to the eastward. Every moment, I have to regret the frigates having left me; to which must be attributed my ignorance of the movements of the enemy. Your lordship deprived yourself of frigates, to make mine, certainly, the first squadron in the world; and I feel that I have zeal and activity to do credit to your appointment: and yet, to be unsuccessful, hurts me most sensibly. But, if they are above water, I will find them out; and, if possible, bring them to battle. You have done your part, in giving me so fine a fleet; and I hope to do mine, in making use of them. It is my intention to get into the mouth of the Archipelago; where, if the enemy are gone towards Constantinople, we shall hear of them directly: if I get no information there, to go to Cyprus; where, if they are in Syria or Egypt, I must hear of them. We have a report that, on the 1st of July, the French were seen off Candia; but, near what part of the island I cannot learn."
Being now ready for sea, and finding that the French fleet had neither been seen in the Archipelago, nor the Adriatic, nor gone down the Mediterranean, he concluded that the coast of Egypt must still be the object of their destination. With this impression on his anxious mind, it is not to be supposed that he would for a moment hesitate in again seeking them there, through any consideration of the immoderate heat of climate, or other experienced or apprehended hardships.
On the 25th of July, accordingly, the British squadron sailed from Syracuse; and, hoping some positive information might be obtained in the Morea, he steered first for that coast: having, on the 28th, made the Gulph of Coron, Captain Troubridge was dispatched with the Culloden, into the port of Coron; off which place, owing to the usual active exertion of that able officer, the fleet was not detained longer than three hours. The Turkish governor, with great pleasure, gave Captain Troubridge the welcome intelligence, that the enemy had been seen steering to the south-east, from Candia, about four weeks before. The captain had, also, during his very short visit, the satisfaction of observing that the inhabitants of Coron entertained the most serious apprehensions from the French armament, and expressed the greatest possible detestation and abhorrence of that people.
The reasons now became evident, which had before seemed unaccountable, how it happened that the enemy should have been missed by the British squadron, both in it's passage to Alexandria, and in it's return to Syracuse. The French, having steered a direct course for Candia, had necessarily made an angular passage towards Alexandria; while Admiral Nelson, by immediately proceeding to Alexandria, most materially shortened the distance. The smallness of his squadron, too, making it expedient to sail in close order, the space which it occupied was extremely limited; and, having no frigates to detach on the look out, the chance of descrying the enemy, unless very near, amid the haze of the atmosphere in that climate, was prodigiously circumscribed. Under these circumstances, the distance of about thirty-five leagues, between Candia and the Barbary coast, must be considered as leaving more than sufficient space for two of the largest fleets ever known mutually to pass without the smallest observation of one another. In returning to Syracuse, the British squadron, by steering up to the northward, while the enemy kept a southern coast for Alexandria, had the chance of falling in with them rendered still less likely than before.
Pleased with the information which they had received, though still unable implicitly to rely on the fact, after such repeated disappointments, not a moment was lost in carrying all possible sail for Alexandria.
On the 1st of August, at noon, they had the happiness to descry the port of Alexandria; with an aspect, however, far different from what it had before presented to their disappointed view. They perceived, with delight, that it now appeared filled with ships; and had, soon, the undescribable transport to behold the French flag flying on board several of them. A tumult of joy animated every bosom in the British squadron, at sight of the enemy. The humblest individual felt himself a hero; and had a great right so to feel, since every individual was eagerly prepared to risque his life for the safety and glory of his king and country. The brave admiral was calm, but no mortal can convey to another the sense of ineffable delight which glowed in every fibre of his frame. The bliss of his bosom, at this impressive moment, was that of extatic perfection; for, it admitted not the smallest doubt of success. His calmness was the result of his piety; for his noble heart was pouring forth to Heaven the sacred effusions of gratitude, anticipatory of the glorious conquest which he was about to prove the honoured medium of atchieving. This perfection of bliss is felt but by a few favoured mortals, and with none will it consent to abide. That it was, for a moment, felt by the immortal Nelson, when he first beheld the French fleet, a due consideration of his entire character, so powerfully presses on the mind of his biographer, that he cannot resist the temptation to tender it as an assumed fact.
In a narrative, formed from the minutes of an officer of rank, reported to be the present Sir Edward Berry, then captain of the Vanguard, first published in the Naval Chronicle, it is observed, that the pleasure which the admiral himself felt was perhaps more heightened than that of any other man, as he had now a certainty by which he could regulate his future operations. "The admiral had," continues this narrative, and, as it subsequently appeared, most justly, "the highest opinion of, and placed the firmest reliance on, the valour and conduct of every captain in his squadron. It had been his practice, during the whole of his cruise, whenever the weather and circumstances would permit, to have his captains on board the Vanguard: where he would fully develope 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 position or situation might be, by night or by day. There was no possible position in which they could be found, that he did not take into his calculation, and for the most advantageous attack of which he had not digested and arranged the best possible disposition of the force which he commanded. With the masterly ideas of their admiral, therefore, on the subject of naval tactics, every one of the captains of his squadron was most thoroughly acquainted; and, on surveying the situation of,the enemy, they could precisely ascertain what were the ideas and intentions of their commander, without the aid of farther instructions. Thus, signals became almost unnecessary; much time was saved; and the attention of every captain could almost undistractedly be paid to the condition of his own particular ship: a circumstance from which, on this occasion, the advantages to the general service were almost incalculable. It cannot here be thought irrelevant, to give some idea of what were the plans which Admiral Nelson had formed, and which he explained to his captains with such perspicuity as to render his ideas completely their own. To the naval service, at least, they must not only prove interesting but useful. Had he fallen in with the French fleet at sea, that he might make the best impression on any part of it that should appear the most vulnerable, or the most eligible for attack, he divided his force into three sub-squadrons, viz.
VANGUARD ORION CULLODEN MINOTAUR GOLIAH THESEUS LEANDER MAJESTIC ALEXANDER AUDACIOUS BELLEROPHON. SWIFTSURE. DEFENCE ZEALOUS.
Two of these sub-squadrons were to attack the ships of war; while the third was to pursue the transports, and to sink and destroy as many as it could. The destination of the French armament was involved in doubt and uncertainty; but it forcibly struck the admiral that, as it was commanded by the man whom the French had dignified with the title of the Conqueror of Italy, and as he had with him a very large body of troops, an expedition had been planned which the land force might execute without the aid of their fleet, should the transports be permitted to make their escape, and reach in safety their place of rendezvous: it therefore became a material consideration with the admiral, so to arrange his force, as at once to engage the whole attention of their ships of war, and at the same time materially to annoy and injure their convoy. It will be fully admitted, from the subsequent information which has been received on the subject, that the ideas of the admiral on this occasion were perfectly just, and that the plan which he had arranged was the most likely to frustrate the designs of the enemy. It is almost unnecessary to explain his projected mode of attack at anchor, as that was minutely and precisely executed in the action about to be described. These plans, however, were formed two months before an opportunity presented itself of executing any of them; and the advantage now was, that they were familiar to the understanding of every captain in the fleet.
"It has been already mentioned, that the Pharos of Alexandria was seen at noon on the 1st of August. The Alexander and Swiftsure had been detached ahead on the preceding evening, to reconnoitre the port of Alexandria, while the main body of the squadron kept in the offing. The enemy's fleet was first discovered by the Zealous, Captain Hood, who immediately communicated, by signal, the number of ships, sixteen, lying at anchor in a line of battle, in a bay on the larboard bow, which was afterwards found to be Aboukir Bay. The admiral hauled his wind that instant; a movement which was immediately observed, and followed, by the whole squadron: and, at the same time, he recalled the Alexander and Swiftsure. The wind was, at this time, north north-west; and blew what seamen call a top-gallant breeze. It was necessary to take in the royals, to haul up on a wind. The admiral made the signal to prepare for battle; and, that it was his intention to attack the enemy's van and centre as they lay at anchor, according to the plan previously developed. His idea, in this disposition of his force was, first, to secure the victory; and, then, to make the most of it, as circumstances might permit. A bower cable of each ship was immediately got out abaft, and bent forward. They continued carrying sail; and standing in for the enemy's fleet, in close line of battle. As all the officers of the squadron were totally unacquainted with Aboukir Bay, each ship kept sounding as she stood in.
"The enemy appeared to be moored in a strong and compact line of battle, close in with the shore; their line describing an obtuse angle in it's form, flanked by numerous gun-boats, four frigates, and a battery of guns and mortars on an island in their van. This situation of the enemy seemed to secure to them the most decided advantages; as they had nothing to attend to but their artillery, in their superior skill in the use of which the French so much pride themselves, and to which, indeed, their splendid series of land victories are in general chiefly to be imputed.
"The position of the enemy presented the most formidable obstacles: but the admiral viewed them all with the eye of a seaman determined on attack; and it instantly struck his eager and penetrating mind, that "where there was room for an enemy's ship to swing, there was room for one of our's to anchor." No farther signals were necessary, than those which had already been made. The admiral's designs were fully known to his whole squadron; as was his determination to conquer, or perish in the attempt. The Goliah and Zealous had the honour to lead inside, and to receive the first fire from the van ships of the enemy, as well as from the batteries and gun-boats with which their van was strengthened. These two ships, with the Orion, Audacious, and Theseus, took their stations inside the enemy's line, and were immediately in close action. The Vanguard anchored the first on the outer side of the enemy; and was opposed, within half pistol-shot, to Le Spartiate, the third in the enemy's line. The shores of the Bay of Aboukir were soon lined with spectators, who beheld the approach of the English, and the awful conflict of the hostile fleets, in silent astonishment.
"Sir Horatio Nelson, as Rear-Admiral of the Blue, carried the blue flag at the mizen; but, from a standing order of the Earl of St. Vincent, the squadron wore the white, or St. George's ensign, in the action. This being white, with a red cross, the first quarter bearing the union, it occasioned the display of the cross on the renowned and ancient coast of Egypt.
"So entirely was the admiral resolved to conquer, or to perish in the attempt, that he led into action with six ensigns, or flags, viz. red, white, and blue, flying in different parts of the rigging. He could not bear to reflect on the possibility of his colours being carried away even by a random shot from the enemy.
"In standing in, the leading ships were unavoidably obliged to receive into their bows the whole fire of the broadsides of the French line, till they could take their respective stations: and it is but justice to observe, that the enemy received their opponents with great firmness and deliberation; no colours having been hoisted on either side, nor a gun fired, till our van ships were within half gun-shot. At this time, the necessary number of our men were engaged aloft in furling sails, and on deck in hauling the braces, and other requisite employments, preparatory to casting anchor. As soon as this took place, a most animated fire opened from the Vanguard; which ship covered the approach of those in the rear, who were following in a close line. The Minotaur, Defence, Bellerophon, Majestic, Swiftsure, and Alexander, came up in succession; and, passing within hail of the Vanguard, took their respective stations opposed to the enemy's line. All our ships anchored by the stern; by which means, the British line became inverted from van to rear. Captain Thompson, of the Leander of fifty guns, with a degree of judgment highly honourable to his professional character, advanced towards the enemy's line on the outside, and most judiciously dropped his anchor athwart hause of Le Franklin, raking her with great success; the shot, from the Leander's broadside, which passed that ship, all striking L'Orient, the flag-ship of the French commander in chief.
"The action commenced at sun-set, which was at thirty-one minutes past six, with an ardour and vigour which it is impossible to describe. In a few minutes, every man stationed at the first six guns in the fore part of the Vanguard's deck, was down, killed or wounded, and one gun in particular was repeatedly cleared: one of the midshipmen was just remarking the escapes he had experienced, when a shot came, and cut him in two. At about seven o'clock, total darkness had come on; but the whole hemisphere was, at intervals, illuminated by the fire of the hostile fleets. Our ships, as darkness came on, had all hoisted their distinguishing lights, by a signal from the admiral.
"The van ship of the enemy, Le Guerrier, was dismasted in less than twelve minutes; and, in ten minutes after, the second ship, Le Conquerant, and the third, Le Spartiate, very nearly at the same moment, experienced a similar fate. L'Aquilon, and Le Souverain Peuple, the fourth and fifth ships of the enemy's line, were taken possession of by the British at half past eight in the evening. Captain Berry, at that hour, sent Lieutenant Galway, of the Vanguard, with a party of marines, to take possession of Le Spartiate: and that officer returned, by the boat, the French captain's sword, which Captain Berry immediately delivered to the admiral; who was then below, in consequence of the severe wound which he had received in the head during the heat of the attack."
This wound seems to have been inflicted by langridge shot, or a piece of iron; which, cutting his forehead at right angles, the skin hung over his face, Captain Berry, fortunately happening to be sufficiently near, caught the admiral in his arms, and prevented him from falling. It was, at first, the universal opinion, that their beloved commander had been shot through the head; and, indeed, the appearance was rendered dreadfully alarming, by the hanging skin and the copious effusion of blood. Not a man on board was now solicitous for his own life; every brave fellow was alone anxious for that of the worthy admiral. This, however, far from repressing their ardour, served only to animate their fury, and prompt them, if possible, to still greater exertions. On being carried into the cockpit, where several of his gallant crew were stretched with their shattered limbs, and lacerated wounds, the surgeon, with the most respectful anxiety, quitted the poor fellow then under his hands, that he might instantly attend on the admiral.
"No," replied the heroic commander, with the utmost composure, though he had then no hope of surviving, "I will take my turn with my brave fellows."
"The agony of his wound, in the mean time, greatly increasing, he became satisfied that the idea which he had long indulged of dying in battle was now about to be accomplished. He desired to see his chaplain, the Reverend Mr. Comyn, and begged he would bear his remembrances to Lady Nelson; and, as the last beneficial office that he conceived he should be able to perform, he appointed Captain Hardy, of La Mutine, to be Captain of the Vanguard. Having expressed a wish to see Captain Louis, of the Minotaur, Captain Berry had hailed that ship, and the commander came on board. The admiral was desirous of personally thanking him for the assistance which he had, in the height of danger, been enabled to render the Vanguard. "My dear Louis," said the admiral, "farewel! I shall never, should I survive, forget the obligation I am under to you. Whatever may become of me, my mind is at peace." He, then, with the most pious composure, seemed resigning himself to death. As soon as the surgeon had, according to the express injunctions of the admiral, paid all necessary attention to every person previously wounded, he came forward to examine the wound of their commander. An awful silence prevailed; but it was of short duration, for the surgeon almost immediately pronounced it to be merely superficial, and of no dangerous consequence. The pleasing intelligence speedily circulated through the ship, and the excess of sorrow was instantaneously converted into the excess of joy: nor did the hero feel less delighted at hearing the grateful expressions of gladness from his generous crew, than at the unexpected announcement of his life's being considered, by the surgeon, as in no sort of danger. This circumstance, indeed, greatly tended to alleviate his sufferings during the painful operation of dressing his wounded forehead.
"At this time, it appeared that victory had already declared itself in our favour; for, though L'Orient, L'Heureux, and Le Tonnant, were not taken possession of, they were considered as completely in our power: which pleasing intelligence Captain Berry had likewise the satisfaction of communicating in person to the admiral.
"At ten minutes after nine, a fire was observed on board L'Orient, the French admiral's ship, which seemed to proceed from the after part of the cabin; and which increased with great rapidity, presently involving the whole of the after part of the ship in flames. This circumstance Captain Berry immediately communicated to the admiral; who, though suffering severely from his wound, came immediately on deck: where, the first consideration that struck his benevolent mind was, concern for the danger of so many lives; to save as many as possible of whom, he ordered Captain Berry to make every practicable exertion. A boat, the only one that could swim, was instantly dispatched from the Vanguard; and other ships, that were in a condition to do so, immediately followed the example: by which means, from the best possible information, the lives of about seventy Frenchmen were saved. The light thrown by the fire of L'Orient on the surrounding objects, enabled the commanders to perceive, with more certainty, the situation of the two fleets, the colours of both being clearly distinguishable. The cannonading was partially kept up to leeward of the centre till about ten o'clock, when L'Orient blew up with a most tremendous explosion.
"An awful pause, and death-like silence, for about three minutes, ensued; when the wreck of the masts, yards, &c. which had been carried to a vast height, fell down into the water, and on board the surrounding ships. A port fire from L'Orient fell into the main-royal of the Alexander; the fire occasioned by which was, however, extinguished in about two minutes, by the active exertions of Captain Ball.
"After this awful scene, the firing recommenced with the ships to leeward of the centre, till twenty minutes past ten; when there was a total cessation of firing, for about ten minutes: after which, it was revived till about three in the morning; when, it again ceased.
"After the victory had been secured in the van, such British ships as were in a condition to move, had gone down on the fresh ships of the enemy. At five minutes past five in the morning, the two rear ships of the enemy, Le Guillaume Tell and Le Genereux, were the only French ships of the line that had their colours flying. At fifty-four minutes past five, a French frigate, L'Artemise, fired a broadside, and struck her colours: but such was the unwarrantable and infamous conduct of the French captain, that after having thus surrendered, he set fire to his ship; and, with part of his crew, made his escape on shore. Another of the French frigates, La Serieuse, had been sunk by the fire from some of our ships; but, as her poop remained above water, her men were saved on it, and were taken off by our boats in the morning. The Bellerophon, whose masts and cables had been entirely shot away, could not retain her situation abreast of L'Orient, but had drifted out of the line to the lee side of the bay, a little before that ship blew up. The Audacious, in the morning, was detached to her assistance. At eleven o'clock Le Genereux and Guillaume Tell; with the two frigates, La Justice, and La Diane; cut their cables, and stood out to sea: pursued by the Zealous, Captain Hood, who handsomely endeavoured to prevent their escape. But, as there was no other ship in a condition to support the Zealous, she was recalled.
"The whole day of the 2d of August was employed in securing the French ships that had struck; and which were now all completely in our possession, Le Tonnant and Timoleon excepted. As these were both dismasted, and consequently could not escape, they were naturally the last of which it was necessary to think of taking possession.
"On the morning of the 3d, the Timoleon was set fire to; and Le Tonnant had cut her cable, and drifted on shore: but that active officer, Captain Miller, of the Theseus, soon got her off again, and secured her in the British line.
"The British force engaged, consisted of only twelve ships of seventy-four guns, and the Leander of fifty: for, from the over anxiety and zeal of Captain Troubridge to get into action, his ship, the Culloden, in standing in for the van of the enemy's line, had unfortunately grounded on the tail of a shoal, running off from the island on which were the mortar and gun batteries of the enemy; and, notwithstanding all the exertions of that able officer, and his ship's company, she could not be got off. This unfortunate circumstance was severely felt, at the moment, by the admiral, and all the officers of the squadron: but their feelings were nothing, compared to the anxiety, and even agony of mind, which the captain of the Culloden himself experienced for so many eventful hours. There was but one consolation which could offer itself to him, in the midst of the distresses of his situation—a feeble one, it is true—that his ship served as a beacon for three other ships, viz. the Alexander, Theseus, and Leander, which were advancing, with all possible sail set, close in his rear: and which, otherwise, might have experienced a similar misfortune; and thus, in a greater proportion still, have weakened our force. It was not till the morning of the 2d, that the Culloden could be got off: and it was then found, that she had suffered very considerable damage in her bottom; that her rudder was beat off; and the crew could scarcely keep her afloat, with all pumps going. The resources of Captain Troubridge's mind availed him much, and were admirably exerted, on this trying occasion. In four days, he had a new rudder made, on his own deck, which was immediately shipped; and the Culloden was again in a state for actual service, though still very leaky.
"The admiral, knowing that the wounded of his own ships had been well taken care of, bent his first attention to those of the enemy. He established a truce with the commandant of Aboukir; and, through him, made a communication to the commandant of Alexandria, that it was his intention to allow all the wounded Frenchmen to be taken ashore to proper hospitals, with their own surgeons to attend them: a proposal which was assented to by the French, and carried into effect the following day. The activity and generous consideration of Captain Troubridge were again exerted, at this time, for the general good. He communicated with the shore, and had the address to procure a supply of fresh provisions, onions, and other necessary refreshments, which were served out to the sick and wounded, and which proved of essential utility.
"On the 2d, the Arabs and Mamelukes, who had, during the battle, lined the shores of the bay, saw with transport that the victory was decisively on the part of the British fleet: an event, in which they participated, with an exultation almost equal to that of the conquerors; and, on that and the two following nights, the whole coast and country were illuminated as far as the eye could penetrate, in celebration of the happy event. This had a great effect on the minds of the prisoners; as they conceived that this illumination was the consequence not entirely of the defeat of their fleet, but of some signal success obtained by the Arabs and Mamelukes over Bonaparte.
"Though it is natural to suppose, that the time and attention of the admiral, and all the officers of his squadron, were very fully employed in repairing the damages sustained by their own ships, and in securing those of the enemy which their valour had subdued, yet the mind of that great and good man felt the strongest emotions of the most pious gratitude to the Supreme Being, for the signal success which, by the Divine favour, had crowned his endeavours in the cause of his country; and, in consequence, on the morning of the 2d, he issued the following memorandum to the different captains of his squadron—