His celebrated letter to the Earl of St. Vincent was in the following words—
"Vanguard, off the Mouth of the Nile, 3d August 1798.
"MY LORD,
"Almighty God has blessed his majesty's arms, in the late battle, by a great victory over the fleet of the enemy; whom I attacked, at sun-set on the 1st of August, off the mouth of the Nile. The enemy were moored in a strong line of battle, for defending the entrance of this bay (of shoals;) flanked by numerous gun-boats, four frigates, and a battery of guns and mortars on an island in their van: but nothing could withstand the squadron your lordship did me the honour to place under my command. Their high state of discipline is well known to you; and, with the judgment of the captains, together with their valour, and that of the officers and men of every description, it was absolutely irresistible. Could any thing from my pen add to the characters of the captains, I would write it with pleasure; but, that is impossible. I have to regret the loss of Captain Westcott, of the Majestic, who was killed early in the action; but the ship was continued to be so well fought by her first-lieutenant, Mr. Cuthbert, that I have given him an order to command her till your lordship's pleasure is known. The ships of the enemy, all but their two rear ships, are nearly dismasted; and these two, with two frigates, I am sorry to say, made their escape: nor was it, I assure you, in my power to prevent them. Captain Hood most handsomely endeavoured to do it; but I had no ship in a condition to support the Zealous, and I was obliged to call her in. The support and assistance I have received from Captain Berry cannot be sufficiently expressed. I was wounded in the head, and obliged to be carried off the deck; but, the service suffered no loss by that event. Captain Berry was fully equal to the important service then going on; and, to him, I must beg leave to refer you, for every information relative to this victory. He will present you with the flag of the second in command, that of the commander in chief being burnt in L'Orient. Herewith, I transmit you lists of the killed and wounded; and, the lines of battle of ourselves and the French.
"I have the honour to be, my lord, your lordship's most obedient servant,
"Horatio Nelson."
"To Admiral the Earl of St. Vincent, Commander in Chief, &c. off
Cadiz."
BRITISH LINE OF BATTLE.
Ships. Captains. Guns. Men. 1. Culloden Thomas Troubridge 74 590 2. Theseus Ralph Willet Miller 74 590 3. Alexander Alexander John Ball 74 590 4. Vanguard {Rear-Adm. Sir H. Nelson, K.B.} {Edward Berry } 74 595 5. Minotaur Thomas Louis 74 640 6. Leander Thomas Boulden Thompson 50 343 7. Swiftsure Benjamin Hallowell 74 590 8. Audacious Davidge Gould 74 590 9. Defence John Peyton 74 590 10. Zealous Samuel Hood 74 590 11. Orion Sir James Saumarez 74 590 12. Goliath Thomas Foley 74 590 13. Majestic George B. Westcott 74 590 14. Bellerophon Henry D'E. Darby 74 590