"The rear-admiral," says he, "who is always present in the most arduous enterprises, with the assistance of some other barges, boarded and carried two of the enemy's gun-boats, and a barge-launch belonging to some of their ships of war, with the commandant of the flotilla. Rear-Admiral Nelson's actions speak for themselves; any praise of mine would fall very short of his merit!"
A second and more effectual bombardment of the city of Cadiz, and the shipping in the harbour, under the direction of Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson, took place on the evening of the 5th of July. The bomb vessels, arranged by his instructions, suddenly opened a most tremendous discharge on the town, as well as on the fleet; which was vigorously kept up, till they had expended the whole of their allotted portion of shells: when, having greatly annoyed the enemy, and considerably diminished the force of the warlike preparations which had been collecting, they retired in good order, without themselves receiving the smallest injury.
Even these hostile attacks, however, do not appear to have extinguished civilities between the contending commanders, though they must certainly have diminished their satisfaction at receiving them.
Two or three days after, thirty Spanish prisoners having been taken in a ship from the Havannah, with the captain of a Spanish frigate which had been burnt there, and who was a passenger in the captured vessel, Rear-Admiral Nelson wrote a letter to Don Josef Mazerendo, dated on board the Theseus, July 8, 1797; in which he says, that he is directed, by Sir John Jervis, to acquaint his excellency that these thirty men are at liberty to return into Cadiz, whenever he may be pleased to send for them, on condition that they do not serve till regularly exchanged. Of the Spanish captain, taken as a passenger, he generously adds—"I know it to be my commander in chief's intention, that he should not be considered as a prisoner of war. The distresses occasioned by the known laws of war," liberally concludes this exalted man, "are miserable enough, without adding to them!"
The prisoners, accordingly, were immediately sent for; but there seems to have been a backwardness in the Spanish admiral's performance of the conditions proposed: and, on the 10th, Rear-Admiral Nelson resolutely demanded them again, that they might be immediately sent to England, if they were not received as prisoners of war; which, at length, was reluctantly agreed to.
It appears that, about this time, intelligence had been received, by the commander in chief, of a prodigiously rich ship, El Principe d'Asturias, belonging to the Philippine Company, and bound from Manilla to Cadiz, being then in the port of Santa Cruz, the capital of the island of Teneriffe; where the treasure was intended to be landed for security, as had previously been the case with several other rich cargoes. With a view of obtaining possession of these valuable treasures, an expedition against that place was determined on, under the conduct of Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson.
He was accordingly detached, by Sir John Jervis, on the 15th of July, with three ships of the line, the Theseus, Culloden, and Zealous; the Terpsichore, Emerald, and Seahorse, frigates; and the Fox cutter. These were afterwards joined by the Leander of fifty guns. The general orders which Sir Horatio Nelson received were, to make a vigorous and spirited attack; but, on no account, personally to land with the forces, which were to be under the command of Captain Troubridge, unless his presence should be absolutely necessary. These particular injunctions were generally thought to have been most humanely given, by the commander in chief, for the sake of preserving the valuable life of the rear-admiral; which might, otherwise, from his known disregard of danger, be too much exposed: and some also ascribed them to the wish of giving Captain Troubridge a considerable share in the glory of that intended brilliant enterprise.
The plan of this expedition was contrived with all that masterly address and precision which ever marked the operations projected by the judicious and gallant rear-admiral; and, as the author is favoured with the opportunity of giving them in detail, the principles which they comprise may be adopted, perhaps, with deserved success, by other commanders, on many future occasions.
The first order issued by Rear-Admiral Nelson was addressed to Thomas Troubridge, Esq. captain of his majesty's ship Culloden, and commander of the forces ordered to be landed for taking Santa Cruz.
"Theseus, at Sea, July 20, 1797.