Thus ended this noble fight, the consequences of which were felt from one end of Europe to the other, indeed, I may say, in all parts of the world; and, surely, for such a day’s work, the country ought to have voted a medal, not only to the admirals and captains, but (as was the case at Waterloo) to every officer, seaman, and marine, in the fleet.
The loss of the Neptune in this action, considering what she did, was comparatively small; but the ship was admirably managed by her gallant captain, who was ably supported by a clever scientific first lieutenant (the present Captain George Acklom), who justly merited every praise for his coolness and abilities on that memorable day.
During the time we were going into action, and being raked by the enemy, the whole of the crew, with the exception of the officers, were made to lie flat on the deck, to secure them from the raking shots, some of which came in at the bows and went out at the stern. Had it not been for the above precaution, many lives must have been sacrificed. My quarters were the five midship-guns on each side of the main-deck. I was sent on board the Santissima Trinidada, a few days after the action, to assist in getting out the wounded men, previous to destroying her. She was a magnificent ship, and ought now to be in Portsmouth harbour. Her top-sides, it is true, were perfectly riddled by our beautiful firing, and she had, if I recollect right, 550 killed and wounded; but from the lower part of the sills of the lower-deck ports to the water’s edge, few shot of consequence had hurt her between wind and water, and those were all plugged up. She was built of cedar, and would have lasted for ages, a glorious trophy of the battle; but “sink, burn, and destroy,” was the order of the day, and after a great deal of trouble, scuttling her in many places, hauling up her lower-deck ports,—that when she rolled the heavy sea might fill her decks,—she did at last go unwillingly to the bottom.
I have now by me a gilt dirk that I brought away from her, it belonged to the Spanish admiral’s son, Don Baltazar Cisneros; I would not part with it for its weight in gold. Of all our hard-earned prizes, only four got safe to Gibraltar; viz., San Ildefonso (74), San Juan Nepomuceno (74), Bahama (74), and the old English Swiftsure (74), the rest were either sunk or burnt. Nothing being talked of now but horizontal firing, it is to be hoped we shall fire as well and with the same precision and effect next war, as the British fleet did on this memorable day.
The establishment of the school for naval gunnery on board the Excellent at Portsmouth, placed as it is under the superintendence of Sir Thomas Hastings, and other scientific officers, will, in my humble opinion however some persons may affect to despise teaching seamen the science of naval gunnery, be of general benefit to the service. One of the originators of it, the gallant Captain Sir John Pechell, Bart., C.B., K.C.B., deserves great credit, and the thanks of the service for the interest, zeal, and attention he has paid to it; as also does Captain George Smith, who invented the moveable target, now used on board our men-of-war, and several other ingenious and clever inventions of his have been before the public. He has lately invented paddle-box life boats for steam ships.
List of the English Fleet, under Lord Nelson, on the 21st October, 1805-27 sail of the line, 4 frigates, 1 cutter, 1 schooner.
FRIGATES.
| Guns. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Euryalus | 36 | Hon. H. Blackwood. |
| Sirius | 36 | William Prowse. |
| Phœbe | 36 | Hon. T. B. Capel. |
| Naiad | 36 | T. Dundas. |
| Pickle (schooner) | 12 | Lieut. J. R. Lapenotiere. |
| Entreprenant (cutter) | 12 | Lieut. R. B. Young. |