Discovery, off Boulogne,
Aug. 6, 1801.
"MY LORD,
"I beg leave to make the report to your lordship of the four
howitzer-boats that I had the honour to command in the attack of
the enemy last night. Having led in, to support Captain Parker's
division, keeping between his lines until the enemy opened their
fire on him: we keeping on towards the pier, until I was aground in
the headmost boat; then opened our fire, and threw about eight
shells into it. But, from the strength of the tide coming out of
the harbour, was not able to keep off the pier-head; but continued
our fire on the camp until the enemy's fire had totally slackened,
and Captain Parker's division had passed without me. I beg leave to
mention to your lordship, that I was ably supported by the other
boats. Captain Broome, and Lieutenant Beem, of the Royal Artillery,
did every thing in their power to annoy the enemy. The other
officers of artillery were detached in the other four
howitzer-boats.
"I have the honour to be, &c.
John Conn."
* * * * *
_Return of Killed and Wounded in the Boats of his Majesty's Ships and
Vessels, on the attack of the French Flotilla, moored before Boulogne,
16th of August 1801_.
KILLED 4 Officers. 33 Seamen. 7 Marines.
WOUNDED 14 84 30
---- ---- ----
TOTAL 18 117 37
---- ---- ----
Total, Killed and Wounded, 172.
The circumstances unfolded in the above letters very sufficiently
account for the failure of success, while they demonstrate how well it
had been merited. Lord Nelson was, doubtless, in some degree
disappointed, for he had hoped to destroy or bring off all their boasted
flotilla. He consoled himself, however, with reflecting that, if little
advantage had been gained, there was, on his part, no loss of honour;
while the enemy owed their security to the disgraceful resource of being
constrained to chain their vaunted vessels for invading our country to
the shores of their own.
His lordship was scarcely returned to the Downs, from this expedition,
when he had the honour of receiving, from the First Lord of the
Admiralty, his old friend the Earl of St. Vincent, a most kind and
affectionate letter, dated the 17th of August 1801, from which the
following is an extract--
"It is not given us, to command success; your lordship, and the
gallant men under your orders, certainly deserve it: and I cannot
sufficiently express my admiration of the zeal and persevering
courage with which this gallant enterprize was followed up;
lamenting, most sincerely, the loss sustained in it. The manner in
which the enemy's flotilla was fastened to the ground, could not
have been foreseen. The highest praise is due to your lordship; and
all, under your command, who were actors in this gallant attempt."
Lord Nelson immediately issued the following general orders to all who
had fought under his command on this occasion.
"Medusa, Downs, 18th Aug. 1801.
"Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson has the greatest satisfaction in sending
to the captains, officers, and men, under his command, that were
employed in the late attempt on the enemy's flotilla off Boulogne,
an extract of a letter which he has received from the First Lord of
the Admiralty; not only approving of their zeal and persevering
courage, but bestowing the highest praise on them. The vice-admiral
begs to assure them, that the enemy will not have long reason to
boast of their security; for he trusts, ere long, to assist them in
person, in a way which will compleatly annihilate the whole of
them. Lord Nelson is convinced that, if it had been possible for
men to have brought the enemy's flotilla out, the men that were
employed to do so would have accomplished it. The moment the enemy
have the audacity to cast off the chains which fix their vessels to
the ground, that moment, Lord Nelson is well persuaded, they will
be conducted, by his brave followers, to a British port, or sent to
the bottom.
"Nelson and Bronte."
Such were the consolations of these great and congenial minds. They had
nothing with which to upbraid themselves; no cause of censure in any of
the brave men employed on the occasion; nor the smallest doubt of
success, with the same measures, and the same men, wherever success
might be possible. The chief source of sorrow which afflicted the breast
of our hero, was commiseration for the sufferings of the many gallant
men who were now languishing, on the bed of anguish, with dreadful and
dangerous wounds received in the action. At the hospital, his lordship
was a constant attendant; this, indeed, had ever been his humane
practice. He tenderly enquired into the state of their wounds, and
poured the balm of sympathetic solace into their agonized minds. On
beholding a brave fellow, whom he particularly recollected, and kindly
asking what injury he had received, his lordship was informed that he
had lost an arm. "Never mind that," said the hero; "I have lost an arm,
too; and, perhaps, shall shortly lose a leg: but, my good fellow, they
can never be lost in a better cause, than in the defence of our
country." This had a wonderful effect, not only on the man particularly
addressed, but all his fellow-sufferers around; several of whom
exclaimed, that they should disregard their being wounded, if they were
not thus prevented from accompanying his lordship in another attack on
the enemy.
While Lord Nelson was engaged in these services off Boulogne, the new
concessions of his majesty, with regard to the extensions of his
lordship's titles and honours, had been published in the London Gazette,
on the 4th and 12th of August 1801. The first, announcing his creation
to the dignity of Baron of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, by the name, stile, and title, of Baron Nelson of the Nile, and
of Hilborough in the county of Norfolk, with remainders: and the second,
that Lord Viscount Nelson had been permitted, by his Majesty's warrant,
dated 7th January 1801, to adopt, for himself and heirs, the title of
Duke of Bronte, with the fief of the Dutchy annexed thereto; and, also,
to receive the Great Cross of the Order of St. Ferdinand and of Merit,
all conferred on him by Ferdinand IV. King of the Two Sicilies.
The original of the creation of Lord Viscount Nelson, before Baron of
Burnham Thorpe in the county of Norfolk, to the Barony of Hilborough in
the same county, is expressed in terms at once so highly honourable to
the sovereign from whom they proceeded, and to his lordship, in whose
just praise they are thus publicly addressed by his Majesty to the whole
world as well as to posterity, that it is judged proper to give a
complete and correct copy of this curious and interesting document to
the reader, as obtained from the office of the royal signet.