"The Right Honourable Lord Nelson, K.B."
The capitulation contained nine articles, like that of St. Elmo, which it in all other respects resembled. The ordnance was one hundred and eighteen pieces of cannon; and there were twelve thousand muskets, four hundred and fourteen thousand musket-cartridges filled, and sixty-seven thousand eight hundred and forty-eight pounds of powder. The French garrison consisted of a hundred and ninety-nine officers, and two thousand six hundred and eighteen non-commissioned officers and privates.
The town and garrison of Gaieta, being under the same commander in chief as Capua, Monsieur Girardon, General of Brigade, was immediately after agreed to be surrendered without a siege, and an order to that effect was sent, on the 30th, to the Governor: on which account, the place having only been blockaded, all the French troops, consisting of eighty-three officers, and fourteen hundred and fifteen privates, were allowed to march out with their firelocks, bayonets, swords, and cartouch-boxes, without being deemed prisoners of war on their arrival in France. In other respects, the articles of the capitulation, which was signed by General Acton, Lord Nelson, and Monsieur Girardon, on board the Foudroyant, were very similar to those of Capua. There were sixty pieces of brass cannon, twelve iron, and thirteen mortars, with an immense quantity of powder and other garrison stores.
On the 1st day of August 1799, the first anniversary of Lord Nelson's glorious victory off the Nile, his lordship had the inexpressible happiness of announcing to his king and country, the entire liberation of the kingdom of Naples from French anarchy; the restoration of it's worthy sovereign to his hereditary throne; and of his numerous oppressed subjects, to the felicity of that benign and paternal protection which they had ever experienced under his Sicilian Majesty's mild and gentle sway.
This agreeable intelligence was communicated in the two following letters: one, to the commander in chief, Lord Keith; the other, to Evan Nepean, Esq. Secretary to the Admiralty.
"Foudroyant, Bay of Naples, 1st August 1799.
"MY LORD,
"I have the honour to transmit you a copy of Captain Troubridge's letter to me, and the capitulation of Capua and Gaieta, &c. Too much praise cannot be given to Captain Troubridge, for his wonderful exertion in bringing about these happy events, and in so short a space of time. Captain Hallowell has also the greatest merit. Captain Oswald, whom I send to England with a copy of my letter, is an officer most highly deserving promotion. I have put Lieutenant Henry Compton, who has served as a lieutenant with me from January 1796, in the Perseus bomb, in his room, and whom I recommend to your lordship.
"I sincerely congratulate your lordship, on the entire liberation of the kingdom of Naples from a band of robbers; and am, with the greatest respect, my lord, your, &c.
"Nelson."