Though, on joining the British fleet, the Lively frigate, commanded by the Right Honourable Lord Viscount Garlies, was appointed to proceed with Sir Gilbert Elliot, and the gentlemen accompanying him, to England; there being reason to expect an approaching general engagement with the Spanish fleet, the Lively, at the joint solicitations of Sir Gilbert Elliot and Lord Garlies, who were desirous of waiting and observing the issue, was detained with the squadron, and acted as a repeating frigate during the action.
This circumstance enabled Colonel Drinkwater, who was on board the Lively, to view that interesting scene with a precision and leisure which could never have occurred to any person actually engaged in the conflict.
To the elegant pen of this gentleman, the world is indebted for one of the most accurate and masterly descriptions of a naval engagement which has ever been given; and his correct and elegant pencil has also illustrated his "Narrative of the Proceedings of the British Fleet, commanded by Admiral Sir John Jervis, K.B. on the 14th of February 1797," with engraved plans of the relative positions of the two fleets, at the various most momentous periods of the celebrated battle off Cape St. Vincent's.
From this ingenious pamphlet, now become exceedingly scarce, there will, perhaps, be no impropriety in extracting the chief particulars of this, at that time, unparalleled naval victory: particularly as, from the very extraordinary share which Commodore Nelson actually had in this glorious engagement, by disingenuously presenting a garbled account relative to him alone, it might seem rather to appear as his battle, than that of Sir John Jervis, the illustrious commander in chief; who derives, so deservedly, from that splendid victory, his title of Earl of St. Vincent.
The weakness of over-zealous friends is often more prejudicial than the most violent efforts of professed enemies. No man ever less needed, or less desired, to strip a single leaf from the honoured wreath of any other hero, with the vain hope of augmenting his own, than the immortal Nelson; no man ever more merited the whole of that which a generous nation unanimously presented to Sir John Jervis, than the Earl of St. Vincent.
"Before I enter," says Colonel Drinkwater, "on the detail of the proceedings of the important day which will certainly immortalize the name of Jervis, and of his brave seconds, it will be proper to state the relative force of the British and Spanish fleets.
"The British fleet—or, to use, I believe, a more correct term, the British squadron—consisted of fifteen sail of the line, four frigates, a sloop of war, and a cutter; the Spanish fleet, of twenty-seven sail of the line, ten frigates, and a brig.
"Before sun-set, in the evening of the 13th, the signal had been made for the British squadron to prepare for battle, and the ships were also directed to keep in close order during the night.
"At day-break, on the 14th—St. Valentine's Day—the British fleet was in complete order, formed in two divisions, standing on a wind to the south south-west. The morning was hazy. About half past six, the Culloden made the signal for five sail in the south-west by south quarter; which was soon after confirmed by the Lively and Niger frigates, and that the strange sail were by the wind on the starboard tack. The Bonne Citoyenne sloop of war, Captain Lindsey, was therefore directed to reconnoitre.
"At a quarter past eight o'clock, the squadron was ordered, by-signal, to form in a close order; and, in a few minutes afterwards, the signal was repeated to prepare for battle.