On reaching the foot of the cliff our superiors (with the exception of Captain Nelson) rather threw cold water upon the proposed scheme of raising guns to the top; Mr Annesley, however, with respectful firmness maintained his belief in the practicability of his ideas; and after a great deal of discussion they decided to at least attempt the ascent themselves, and see how the project looked from the lofty stand-point of the summit.
By the time that we had accomplished our climb their views had become somewhat modified, Captain Nelson’s quick eye having lighted upon several spots, in the progress of his ascent, where it would be practicable to erect sheers or to secure tackles. But it was the sight of the redoubt itself, as seen from the top of the rock, and the complete command of it which would be obtained by a battery planted at the spot whereon they stood, which finally decided the admiral to make the attempt.
The details of the plan were arranged there and then, the most advantageous positions for sheers, etcetera, fixed upon during the descent, the resources of the fleet discussed on the passage off, and, immediately on our arrival alongside the “Victory,” the preparations were commenced. Anchors, chains, ropes, blocks, etcetera, were loaded into the ships’ boats, spare spars were launched overboard and formed into a raft, and that same evening the “Mouette” left the fleet, with fourteen boats and the raft in tow; and the wind happening to be dead fair, and just a nice little breeze for the purpose, enabling us all to crowd every stitch of canvas we could set, we ran gaily down before it, and by dusk had everything ashore in readiness for the commencement of our task the first thing on the following morning.
It is not necessary to describe in detail the operations which eventually resulted in the planting of a battery of 18-pounder guns, together with the necessary ammunition, upon the summit of that precipitous rock, at a height of no less than 700 feet above the sea-level; suffice it to briefly say that by the almost unparalleled skill and perseverance of the officers in charge, and the equally extraordinary exertions of the bluejackets, the feat was actually accomplished, and by sunset on the 15th of February, 1794, everything was ready for opening fire.
I had hoped that, as the idea might fairly be said to have originated with me, I should be entrusted with the charge of one of the working parties engaged in the task of establishing the battery; but, much to my disappointment, I was left in charge of the cutter, which, during the progress of the operations, was kept going between the fleet and the shore literally day and night, in consequence of which Mr Robert Summers was turned over to me as my first lieutenant. We grumbled almost incessantly at our hard lot in not being allowed to render our valuable assistance more directly to the work in hand, but the reward for our enforced self-denial was nearer at hand than either of us expected.
The morning of the 16th broke fair and clear, with scarcely a breath of air to ruffle the surface of the water, and with the first streak of dawn all hands were aroused by the roar of the cannonade from the Cliff Battery, as we had named it. All day long without a moment’s intermission was the fire kept up, and on into the evening as long as there was light enough to see. Then the fire slackened down somewhat, the efforts of our gunners being merely directed through the night to the prevention of all attempts on the part of the enemy to execute repairs. On the following morning our guns again opened upon the devoted redoubt, and shortly after midday a message was brought down to me for conveyance to the admiral, the substance of which was that there was every indication of a practicable breach being effected before sunset.
There was a fresh breeze dead against us, but we crowded sail on the cutter to such an extent, in our eagerness to get off to the fleet with the welcome news, that it is the greatest wonder in the world we did not carry the sticks out of her. Arrived under the lee of the “Victory,” Bob and I jumped into our dinghy, and, rowing alongside the flag-ship, sprang up her lofty sides, and, finding the admiral on the quarter-deck, went up to him and delivered our message.
“I was wondering,” said Sir Hyde Parker, who was also on the quarter-deck, “what good news you young monkeys had to tell, that you were carrying-on upon the boat in that unmerciful manner. If you are not more careful, young gentlemen, that craft will turn the turtle with you some day, and our friend Hood will lose two of his most promising officers, eh?”
The admiral looked at us for a moment with just the ghost of a smile flickering over his inscrutable features, and then ordered the signal to be made for the captains of the various men-o’-war to rendezvous on board the flag-ship.
“I have arranged with Dundas,” he said, “to send a brigade on shore to help make up the storming-party, and I think it will be best to let each captain call for a certain number of volunteers.”