"SIR,
"In obedience to your orders to make a vigorous attack on the town of Santa Cruz, in the island of Teneriffe, I directed, from the ships under my command, a thousand men, including marines, to be prepared for landing, under the direction of Captain Troubridge of his majesty's ship Culloden; and Captains Hood, Thompson, Freemantle, Bowen, Miller, and Waller, who very handsomely volunteered their services: and, although I am under the painful necessity of acquainting you, that we have not been able to succeed in our attack, yet it is my duty to state that, I believe, more daring intrepidity never was shewn, than by the captains, officers, and men, you did me the honour to place under my command; and the Journal which I transmit you herewith will, I hope, convince you, that my abilities, humble as they are, have been exerted on the occasion.
"Inclosed, I also transmit you a list of killed and wounded; and, among the former, it is with the deepest sorrow I have to place the name of Captain Richard Bowen, of his majesty's ship Terpsichore—than whom, a more enterprising, able, and gallant officer, does not grace his majesty's naval service: and, with great regret, I have to mention the loss of Lieutenant John Gibson, commander of the Fox Cutter; and a great number of gallant officers and men.
"I have the honour to be, Sir, with the greatest respect, your most faithful and obedient servant,
"Horatio Nelson."
The Journal mentioned in this letter, as written by the rear-admiral, with his left hand, and transmitted to Sir John Jervis, was as follows. It is remarkable, that neither the letter, nor this Journal, make the smallest mention of his having lost his arm on the occasion; which information merely occurs in the list of the killed and wounded. This singular mode of omitting to particularise himself, forms a curious trait in the character of the immortal hero.
A Detail of the Proceedings of the Expedition against the Town of Santa Cruz, in the Island of Teneriffe.
BY REAR-ADMIRAL NELSON.
"On Friday the 21st inst. I directed to be embarked, on board the Seahorse, Terpsichore, and Emerald frigates, one thousand men—including two hundred and fifty men under the command of Captain Thomas Oldfield—the whole commanded by Captain Troubridge; attended by all the boats of the squadron, scaling ladders, and every implement which I thought necessary for the success of the enterprise. I directed that the boats should land, in the night, between the fort on the north-east side of the Bay of Santa Cruz and the town, and endeavour to make themselves masters of that fort; which, when done, to send in my summons: the liberal terms of which, I am confident, you will approve. Though the frigates approached within three miles of the place of debarkation, by twelve o'clock; yet, from the unforeseen circumstance of a strong gale of wind in the offing, and a strong current against them in shore, they did not approach within a mile of the landing-place when the day dawned, which discovered to the Spaniards our force and intentions.
"On my approach with the line of battle ships, Captains Troubridge and Bowen, with Captain Oldfield of the marines, came on board, to consult with me what was best to be done; and were of opinion, if they could possess the heights, over the fort before mentioned, that it could be stormed. To which, I gave my assent; and directed the line of battle ships to batter the fort, in order to create a diversion. But, this was found impracticable; not being able to get nearer the shore than three miles, from a calm, and contrary currents: nor could our men possess themselves of the heights, as the enemy had taken possession of them, and seemed as anxious to retain as we to get them. Thus foiled in my original plan, I considered it for the honour of our king and country, not to give over the attempt to possess ourselves of the town; that our enemies might be convinced there is nothing that Englishmen are not equal to: and, confident in the bravery of those who would be employed in the service, I embarked every person from the shore on the 22nd at night.
"On the 24th, I got the ships to an anchor, about two miles to the northward of the town, and made every shew for a disposition of attacking the heights; which appeared to answer the end, from the great number of people they had placed on them. The Leander, Captain Thompson, joined this afternoon, and her marines were added to the force before appointed; and Captain Thompson also volunteered his services. At-eleven o'clock at night, the boats of the squadron, containing between six and seven hundred men, a hundred and eighty men on board the Fox cutter, and about seventy or eighty men in a boat we had taken the day before, proceeded towards the town; the divisions of boats conducted by all the captains, except Freemantle and Bowen, who attended with me to regulate and lead the way to the attack: every captain being acquainted, that the landing was to be made on the mole; from whence they were to proceed, as fast as possible, into the great square; where they were to form, and proceed on such services as might be found necessary. We were not discovered, till within half gun-shot of the landing-place: when I directed the boats to cast off from each other, give a huzza, and push for the shore.
"A fire of thirty or forty pieces of cannon, with musketry from one end of the town to the other, opened on us; but nothing could stop the intrepidity of the captains landing the divisions. Unfortunately, the greater part of the boats did not see the mole; but went on shore, through a raging surf, which stove all the boats to the left of it.
"For a detail of their proceedings, I send you a copy of Captain Troubridge's account to me; and I cannot but express my admiration of the firmness with which he and his brave associates supported the honour of the British flag.
"Captains Freemantle and Bowen, and myself, with four or five boats, stormed the mole; though opposed, apparently, by four or five hundred men; took possession of it; and spiked the guns: but such a heavy fire of musketry, and grape-shot, was kept up from the citadel, and the houses at the head of the mole, that we could not advance; and we were all, nearly, killed or wounded.
"The Fox cutter, in rowing towards the town, received a shot under water, from one of the enemy's distant batteries, and immediately sunk; and Lieutenant Gibson, her commander, with ninety-seven men, were drowned.
"I must not omit to acquaint you of the satisfaction which I received from the conduct of Lieutenant Baynes of the Royal Artillery; not only from the ardour with which he undertook every service, but also from his professional skill."
List of Killed, Wounded, Drowned, and Missing, of his Majesty's Ships undermentioned, in storming Santa Cruz, in the Island of Teneriffe, in the Night of the 24th of July 1797.
Theseus, eight seamen, four marines, killed; twenty-five seamen
wounded; and thirty-four drowned.
Culloden, one seaman, two marines, killed; twelve seamen, six
marines wounded; and thirty-six drowned.
Zealous, three seamen, two marines, killed; and nineteen seamen,
two marines, wounded.
Leander, one seaman, five marines, killed; one seaman, four
marines, wounded; and one missing.
Seahorse, two seamen killed; and thirteen seamen, one marine,
wounded.
Terpsichore, eight seamen killed; nine seamen, two marines,
wounded; and four missing.
Emerald, five seamen, three marines, killed; eleven seamen wounded;
and ten drowned.
Fox cutter, seventeen drowned.
Total killed, wounded, and missing, two hundred and fifty-one.