"Foudroyant, at Sea, 10th Feb. 1800.
Off Cape di Corso,
Eight Leagues West of Cape Passaro;
off Shore, Four Miles.
"MY LORD,
This morning, at day-light, being in company with the ships named in the margin, I saw the Alexander in chase of a line of battle ship, three frigates, and a corvette: and, about eight o'clock, she fired several shot at one of the enemy's frigates, which struck her colours; and, leaving her to be secured by the ships astern, continued the chase. I directed Captain Gould of the Audacious, and the El Corso brig, to take charge of this prize. At half past one P.M. the frigates and corvette tacked to the westward; but the line of battle ship, not being able to tack without coming to action with the Alexander, bore up. The Success being to leeward, Captain Peard, with great judgment and gallantry, lay across his hawser, and raked him with several broadsides. In passing the French ship's broadside, several shot struck the Success; by which, one man was killed, and the master and seven men wounded. At half past four, the Foudroyant and Northumberland coming up, the former fired two shot; when the French ship fired her broadside, and struck her colours. She proved to be Le Genereux, of seventy-four guns, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Perrée, commander in chief of the French naval force in the Mediterranean; having a number of troops on board, from Toulon, bound for the relief of Malta. I attribute our success, this day, to be principally owing to the extreme good management of Lieutenant William Harrington, who commands the Alexander in the absence of Captain Ball: and I am much pleased with the gallant behaviour of Captain Peard, of the Success; as, also, with the alacrity and good conduct of Captain Martin, and Sir Edward Berry. I have sent Lieutenant Andrew Thomson, First Lieutenant of the Foudroyant, to take charge of Le Genereux; whom I beg leave to recommend to your lordship, for promotion: and send her, under care of the Northumberland, and Alexander, to Syracuse, to wait your lordship's orders. I have the honour to be, my lord, your lordship's most obedient and most humble servant,
Bronte Nelson
The Right Honourable Lord Keith, K.B. &c."
His lordship, the next day, directed Captain Gould, of the Audacious, to proceed with the French prisoners for the harbour of St. Paul, in the Island of Malta; and, putting them on board any ship of war, or empty transport, he might find there, to return to the westward of Goza, where he was to cruize till farther orders.
Though Lord Nelson was much gratified by this capture, which reduced the number of French ships that had escaped at the battle off the Nile to the single one of Le Guillaume Tell, then blocked up at Malta, his health appeared daily on the decline. Still, however, his spirits seem to have remained lively; for, in writing on the occasion, to Palermo, he desires Prince Leopold will tell his august father, that he is, he believes, the first Duke of Bronte who ever took a French seventy-four.
Besides the French prisoners sent to Malta for the sake of compelling their countrymen to maintain them, and consequently to assist in the consumption of the provisions of the garrison, and thus accelerate it's surrender; there were a number of Moorish prisoners on board Le Genereux, subjects of the Bashaw of Tripoli. These Lord Nelson sent back to their own country; with letters to the bashaw, as well as to the British consul: the former of whom he assures, that he is happy in the opportunity of saving so many of his subjects from a French prison; and the latter, he requests, will not fail to impress on the bashaw's mind, that Nelson is never unmindful of his friends. "The bashaw," he adds, "was very good in supplying the El Corso with some rope, which was duly reported to me; and, for which, I beg, you will thank his excellency in my name."
On the 24th of February, off Malta, where his lordship found his health much affected, he wrote to Lord Keith, that it was impossible he could remain much longer there. "Without some rest," says his lordship, "I am gone. I must, therefore, whenever I find the service will admit of it, request your permission to go to my friends at Palermo, for a few weeks, and leave the command here to Commodore Troubridge. Nothing but necessity obliges me to write this letter." Finding, however, on the 28th, from the report of his friend Captain Ball, that the French ships were perfectly ready for sea, and would probably attempt to escape the first fair wind, he writes thus to Lord Keith—"My state of health is very precarious. Two days ago, I dropped with a pain in my heart, and I am always in a fever; but the hopes of these gentry coming out, shall support me a few days longer. I really desire to see this Malta business finished." The following passage, which occurs in another part of this letter, is highly characteristic—"The intended movements of their ships, is a convincing proof, to me, that the garrison has lost all hopes of a successful resistance, and I wish General Graham would make false attacks. I am no soldier; therefore, ought not to hazard an opinion: but, if I commanded, I would torment the scoundrels night and day."
Having waited till the 8th of March, with the vain expectation that the French ships would venture out, his lordship wrote to Lord Keith, that his health continued so bad, he was obliged, in justice to himself, to retire to Palermo for a few weeks, directing Commodore Troubridge to carry on the service during his necessary absence: and, in a day or two after, sailed for Palermo; where he did not arrive, having had a tedious passage, till the 16th.