On the 13th, when off Cape St. Vincent, Commodore Nelson in the
_Minerve_ frigate, joined, and reported having been chased by the
Spaniards. This was a fleet of 27 sail of the line, which had passed
the Straits on the 5th, and was then working up for Cadiz, with the
intention of picking up more ships there, and then proceeding for
Brest to join the French.
The morning of the 14th, the 'glorious St. Valentine's day,' 1791,
broke thick and misty, but as soon as daylight made its appearance,
the Spaniards were sighted to the S.W.; one by one they were made out
through the fog, and reported to the Admiral, who received the report
of their increasing numbers with imperturbability, and when the whole
27 sail were fully in sight, and Captain Calder expressed some
hesitation about the wisdom of coping with such odds, he exclaimed,
"Enough Sir, were there _fifty_ I will go through them."
The Spanish fleet were much scattered and in no particular order, but
some eight ships were considerably to leeward of the rest, leaving a
distinct gap, which was, however, rapidly narrowing, by the nineteen
ships to windward running down to join their companions. For this gap
the British ships pushed with all sail in a compact line, "VICTORY"
in the centre. A few minutes hesitation might have been fatal, for had
the enemy got all his ships together, the 15 English vessels would
have fought against great odds; but Jervis was a bold Commander, to
whom indecision was unknown, and who was well aware of the value of
the presence of a man like Nelson, and, indeed, it was mainly by the
latter's daring manoeuvre at a later period of the action, that the
Spaniards were prevented from effecting their junction.
As it was, they were just in time, and as soon as the weather division
of Spaniards saw the head of the English line between them and their
friends, they hauled to the wind on the opposite tack, hoping to get
round the rear of the British line, and so effect their purpose. Their
lee division still stood determinedly on, and attempted to cut the
British line ahead of the "VICTORY" herself, but she, by her rapid
advance, frustrated this, and forced the _Principe de Asturias_, of
112 guns, to put about to avoid a collision. The Spanish ship, which
bore the flag of one of their Rear Admirals, let fly her broadside as
she shot up in the wind, but either from the obscurity caused by
smoke, or by mistaken orders this was done at the wrong time, and
extraordinary to relate, not a shot struck the "VICTORY." With a
ringing cheer of derision from her crew, the British flagship re-paid
the compliment, but with interest, for as the Spanish three-decker
slowly turned round and presented her stern to her, the whole of the
"VICTORY'S" guns were discharged into it with destructive effect.
The Spaniard ran straight away to leeward, followed by his whole
division, and until the close of the day, never appeared again in the
action.
In the mean time, the weather division, as has been said, were
intending to round the rear of our line, and so join their ships to
leeward, but Nelson, in the _Captain_, the third ship of the line from
the rear, saw their object the instant their van bore up together
astern, and immediately wearing round, plunged fearlessly into their
midst. He was followed by the _Culloden_ and _Excellent_, and the
Spanish Admiral, daunted by this spirited conduct, hauled to the wind,
and gave up the attempt.
The annexed plan may help to the comprehension of the position of
affairs at this period of the action.
[Illustration: BATTLE OF CAPE ST. VINCENT ABOUT 1.45, P.M.]
The other British ships in the meantime were tacking in succession,
and one after another came into action to the support of their
comrades.
The "VICTORY" engaged the _Salvador del Mundo_, a 112 gun ship,
which had already been mauled by the _Excellent_, and forced her to
strike her colours. This was at 3, p.m., and shortly afterwards, Sir
John, who was discreet as he was bold, observing that about 24
Spaniards (composed of the 8 lee ships, and odd ships of the weather
division, who were all fresh) were bearing down on them, made the
signal to close up to cover the prizes; this was immediately done, and
the Spaniards, not liking the look of the compact line of the British,
hauled off, and made no effort to continue the action.
In this battle, Nelson particularly distinguished himself, as in his
little 74, the _Captain_, he boarded in succession, and took, the _San
Nicholas_, of 80, and _San Josef_, of 112 guns; the "VICTORY"
passing just at that time, gave the gallant _Captain_ three cheers.
Nelson went on board the "VICTORY" after the action, and was warmly
embraced by Sir John Jervis, on the very quarter-deck on which he was
to fall, covered with glory, eight years later, and not far from the
place where this battle had been fought.
But for all these details we must refer the reader to _James's_,
_Drinkwater's_, and other accounts.
The "VICTORY," strange to say, had but 1 man killed, and 8 wounded;
the total loss in the English fleet being about 350 killed and
wounded.
The fruits of the victory were the _San Josef_, _Salvador del Mundo_,
112, _San Nicholas_, 80, and _San Isidro_, 74; a result, that
considering these prizes were wrested from 27 ships by 15, cannot but
be considered as most glorious.
The enemy, next day, had it in their power to renew the action with 21
ships. Who can say what the result might have been, for some of our
vessels were so disabled as to render it necessary to tow them; but
though the Spaniards once made a feint, as if they would attack, they
finally disappeared, allowing our fleet and prizes to arrive safely at
Lagos Bay, in Portugal, where they anchored on the 16th.
On the 19th, they experienced a gale of wind that drove the
"VICTORY" from her anchors, whereby she had a most narrow escape of
being wrecked. On the 23rd they sailed, and arrived at Lisbon on the
28th, without accident or molestation.
The news of the battle of Cape St. Vincent, as it was called, was
received in England with frantic joy; great rejoicings took place
throughout the kingdom, the fleet received the thanks of both Houses
of Parliament, Sir John Jervis was created Earl of St. Vincent,
Admirals Thompson and Parker were made Baronets, and the gallant
Commodore Nelson was invested with the honours of the Bath.
On the 28th March Sir John Jervis was reinforced by a squadron from
England, when he shifted his flag on the 30th from the "VICTORY" to
the _Ville de Paris_, a new three-decked ship.
The fleet sailed next day (the "VICTORY" being now a private ship)
and proceeded off Cadiz, where Nelson had been cruising for some time
watching the Spanish ships, who, ever since the 16th of February had
lain in that port, hooted and jeered at by the populace, and their
Admirals and Captains disgraced.
Jervis blockaded Cadiz during the summer, the "VICTORY" serving in
sometimes the outer, sometimes the in-shore squadron, and sending her
boats to take part in the night attacks, undertaken by Commodore
Nelson, with the hopes of shaming the Spaniards to come out. On one of
these occasions, 5th July, some of her men were wounded. But the Dons
were not to be lured out, and on the approach of winter, Earl St.
Vincent withdrew his vessels to the Tagus, and amongst other ships
sent the "VICTORY" home, with the prizes taken on February 14th. She
arrived at Spithead on October 1st, and thence going to Chatham, paid
off on November 26th, after another long and eventful commission of
nearly five years duration.
Worn out, and unfit for further active service, the poor old
"VICTORY" was here degraded to the office of prison hospital ship,
which she filled for two years, when, unwilling that such a favourite
and fast sailing ship should be lost to the country, the Admiralty
directed her to be thoroughly repaired. This took a year, and in the
spring of 1801 she came out of dock almost a new ship, but she was
not ready for service in the Baltic campaign of that date, and had
rest at Chatham for still two years.
The peace concluded between England and France in 1802 was not of long
duration, for on April 29th, 1803, war was again declared; this had
been foreseen, and early in the month, great preparations were made in
all the dockyards. Lord Nelson was appointed Commander-in-Chief in the
Mediterranean, and selected the "VICTORY" as his flagship. She was
commissioned at Chatham, on April 9th, and on 16th May arrived at
Spithead. Nelson was waiting for her, but could not get away for a few
days; and such was his impatience to sail, that in answer to everyone
who spoke to him on the 19th of his departure, he said, "I cannot sail
till to-morrow, and that's an age."
He went on board on the 20th, and sailed in a violent squall of wind
and rain the same afternoon, having orders to speak Admiral Cornwallis
off Brest, and if necessary to leave the "VICTORY" with him, and go
on a frigate. On the 22nd he was in sight of Brest, but no Cornwallis
was to be seen, and after chafing for a day, his anxiety did not
permit him to wait any longer, so striking his flag in the
"VICTORY," he went on board the _Amphion_, leaving the former ship
to find the Admiral of the Channel Fleet, and if not required, to
follow him with all speed.
Within forty hours after Lord Nelson left him, Captain Sutton met Lord
Cornwallis, and was immediately permitted to resume his voyage. A few
days after, the "VICTORY" fell in with the _Ambuscade_, a French
frigate, formerly an English one, which she re-captured, and on the
12th June, she anchored at Gibraltar. After watering, she left on the
15th, called at Malta on the 9th July, and on the 30th, joined the
squadron of 5 line-of-battle ships, off Cape Sicie, when Lord Nelson
at once shifted into her, bringing Captain T. Masterman Hardy with
him, from the _Amphion_, Captain Sutton of the "VICTORY" exchanging.
For 18 months subsequent to this, there is no fact worth recording in
the history of the "VICTORY." During that time Lord Nelson, with a
fleet that averaged 10 sail of the line, closely watched the road of
Toulon, where a French fleet lay at anchor, going occasionally to
Agincourt Sound, in Sardinia, for water, &c., but the French never
showed any sign of moving, until the beginning of 1805, though every
stratagem was tried to entice them to come out.
Spain had declared war with England on 12th December, 1804, and
Buonaparte had formed a great plan for the invasion of Britain, the
first step to the accomplishment of which, was to gain the command of
the Channel. This could only be done by placing an overwhelming force
of ships there, and by misleading the English as to his design. With
this object in view, Admiral Villeneuve, who was now in command at
Toulon, prepared for sea, and embarked on board his 11 ships, 3,500
soldiers.
His orders, as subsequently ascertained were, to proceed to the West
Indies, effect a junction there with a fleet of 21 sail from Brest,
land his troops, and if opportunity offered, ravage our colonies; then
return with speed to Ferrol, where the Spaniards were to have a fleet
of at least 25 sail ready to join him, and with this overpowering
force, he was expected to keep our ships at bay, while the bold
originator of this scheme, Napoleon, crossed the Channel himself, at
the head of 170,000 men. We shall see how much easier this was to plan
than to carry out.
On January 12th, 1805, well nigh worn out with watching, hoping, and
fearing, his ships and their rigging rotten, Nelson left his station
off Toulon, for the anchorage at Agincourt Sound, which he called his
"home," to water and refit, leaving his two frigates to watch the
enemy.
The fleet now consisted of the following ships:--"VICTORY," 104,
_Royal Sovereign_, 100, _Canopus_, 80, _Spencer_, 74, _Leviathan_,
74, _Tigre_, 80, _Superb_, 74, _Belleisle_, 74, _Swiftsure_, 74,
_Conqueror_, 74, _Donegal_, 74.
On the 17th Villeneuve put to sea, and on the 19th January, at 2 p.m.,
the fleet in Agincourt Sound was electrified by the appearance of the
frigates, with the welcome signal flying, "enemy is at sea." In two
hours the ships were under weigh, and made sail for the passage
between Biche and Sardinia, a passage so narrow that the ships had to
proceed in single line, directed by the lights of their next ahead,
and led by the "VICTORY," who took them through in safety.
Nelson had nothing to guide him as to where the French were bound, but
he knew they could not be far off, and dispatched the few frigates he
had to scour the coasts in search, but all to no purpose--no tidings
could be obtained. A gale that arose on the 21st, and that lasted a
week, blew in the teeth of the fleet as it attempted to go south, and
Nelson was wild at the thought that they had escaped him. The only
place his reasoning led him to suppose they could have sailed for, was
Egypt, and thither he turned his ships' heads. He arrived off
Alexandria on 7th February, but found no sign of them there either;
immediately he retraced his steps, and called off Malta, and here he
learnt that the French fleet were dispersed and disabled by the gale
on the 21st, and had returned to Toulon, scattered and crippled.
Nelson, in a letter to Admiral Collingwood, thus writes on the
subject. "Buonaparte has often made his brags that our fleet would be
worn out by keeping the sea; that his was kept in order and increasing
by being kept in port; but he now finds I fancy, _if Emperors hear
truth_, that his fleet suffers more in one night, than ours in a
year."
By March 12th, the British fleet, after struggling with a continuation
of gales, succeeded in regaining their station off Toulon, and to
their joy, saw the enemy still at anchor, and after watching them till
the 27th, they proceeded to Palma Bay to get that refit they so much
required, as during all this cruise, every ship had been strained to
her utmost.
Villeneuve took the first opportunity to escape again, after his ships
were repaired, and on 29th March ran out of Toulon roads; on the 31st
he was discovered off Cape Sicie, by the _Phoebe_, which vessel lost
no time in communicating her intelligence to the Admiral, who was
again on his way to Toulon; and once more the exciting chase began.
The frigates, most unfortunately, lost the French ships, and could
give no intelligence of their apparent destination. Again Nelson
thought of Egypt, and proceeded off Sicily, sending ships right and
left to get information, and on the 15th April, when off Palermo, he
first heard of the evident intention of the enemy to go westward. At
once he made sail in pursuit, but the fates were against him, and
while the French in their passage down the Spanish coast had been
favoured with easterly winds, he could get nothing but westerly gales.
"I believe," he says, "this ill luck will go near to kill me."
It was the 4th May, before the "VICTORY" and her consorts anchored
in Tetuan Bay to water and provision. Sailing the next day, they put
into Gibraltar for a few hours, and learnt nothing there, but that the
enemy's fleet had passed the Straits on the 8th April, nearly a month
in advance of them. Nelson at once went to Cape St. Vincent, hoping to
get news, and the next day he received the first reliable information
from an American brig, which was to the effect, that on the 9th April,
the French fleet of 11 sail had appeared off Cadiz, been joined by a
squadron of five Spanish and 2 French line-of-battle ships, and
immediately resumed their voyage. He then heard from an Admiral
Campbell in the Portuguese service, that their destination was the
West Indies; this tallied with his own ideas, and he instantly decided
on following.
On May 10th he put into Lagos Bay to get more provisions, and on the
11th, having sent the _Royal Sovereign_ back to the Mediterranean, as
a slow sailer who was likely to hinder him, he started in pursuit of
the 18 ships of the enemy, with but 10 of his own. His anxiety at this
time was extreme; he was very ill, and had been told by his physicians
that he ought to go home, but "salt beef and the French fleet is far
preferable to roast beef and champagne without them;" he writes, "my
health or my life even must not come into consideration at this
important crisis." Captain Hardy is reported to have said to him, "I
suppose, my Lord, that by crowding all this sail you mean to attack
those 18 ships?" "By God, Hardy," said he, "that I do;" and on the
passage over, he took every opportunity of making his plans known to
his captains, that a success might be ensured if possible. Barbadoes
was reached on June 4th, and here he received information that led him
to suppose that either Tobago or Trinidad was the object of the
combined fleet, who had been seen on the 28th May, and, embarking 2000
men, he hurried on for the latter island. Off Tobago he received
corroborative news from an American schooner, who must have deceived
him on purpose and all was preparation in the English fleet.
Early on the morning of the 7th June, the ships stood along the north
shore of Trinidad; and had anything been wanting to confirm the
intelligence they had received, it was supplied in the conflagration
of a battery, that protected a little cove in the steep coast, and the
flight of its garrison, who were seen speeding away in the direction
of the town. The remembrance of Aboukir Bay rose in their minds, every
man expected that the deeds of that glorious day would be repeated in
the Gulf of Paria, and as the ships sailed, prepared for battle,
through the Bocas of Trinidad, expectation was strained to the utmost,
to catch the first glimpse of the enemy they fully relied on seeing on
rounding the point.
What was their astonishment then on coming in view of the town, to
find the Union Jack still waving over the forts, and no French
men-of-war to be seen.
Nelson at once anchored for the night without communication, and early
next morning sailed for Grenada.
In the meantime, the town of Puerto d'Espana, the capital of Trinidad,
was the scene of the wildest excitement. The lieutenant of artillery
in command of the above-mentioned out-post, finding a fleet close to
him in the morning, and making no doubt it was that of the enemy (for
no one knew of Nelson's arrival in the West Indies), had burnt his
barracks, thrown his guns over the cliff, and hastened back to the
town, spreading dismay with the intelligence that the French were upon
them. The inhabitants at once fled to the interior, the troops were
drawn into the forts, and the town was left at the mercy of the French
Republicans, of whom there were many in the island, and who now came
forward and proclaimed themselves, believing their friends were at
hand.
The movements of the fleet were inexplicable to the governor, and he
was at once puzzled and relieved, when daylight revealed the strange
ships underweigh, and leaving their shores. It was some days before
the mystery was explained, and they learnt that Nelson had paid them a
visit.
He, in the meanwhile, was hurrying along the chain of islands to the
north, getting information, true or false, every day. On the 11th he
heard that the enemy, now consisting of 20 sail, had passed Antigua,
steering northward; and at once concluding that they were bound for
Europe, he landed the troops at Antigua on the 12th, and left next day
for Gibraltar, not without hopes of still catching them up.
This promptitude on the part of Nelson in following Villeneuve to the
West Indies, doubtless saved some of our possessions there, as there
was no force to withstand the combined fleets; but such was the terror
of his name, that no sooner did the enemy hear of his approach,
although he had but half their number of ships, than they immediately
started again on their return, without attempting to carry out that
part of their programme, which directed them to ravage our colonies.
Nelson's squadron, after a most tedious voyage, arrived at Gibraltar
on July 20th, when he went on shore; this was the first time for two
years that he had put his foot out of the "VICTORY," for such had
been his anxiety during his long blockade of Toulon to be ready at any
moment, that it had never suffered him to leave his ship for an
instant. Nothing up to this time had been heard of the enemy, and the
indefatigable Nelson, after watering and provisioning at Tetuan,
sailed again on the 23rd July.
He spoke Admiral Collingwood's squadron on 26th, and receiving
information that the enemy had gone to the northward, he proceeded for
Ushant, off which, on August 15th, he met Admiral Cornwallis with the
Channel fleet of 24 sail of the line, and from him received an order
to leave eight of the ships with him, and repair with "VICTORY" and
_Superb_ to Portsmouth.
The two ships arrived at Spithead on the 18th, when they were put in
quarantine for a day, to Nelson's great indignation; they were then
released, and Nelson went to his home at Merton, to get that rest he
so badly needed. The "VICTORY" remained at Spithead, and did what
repairs she could at that anchorage during her brief stay.
A short account of the proceedings of the combined fleets up to this
time, may tend to the elucidation of the state of affairs.
When Villeneuve made his escape from the Mediterranean, the Brest
squadron attempted to put to sea to join him at Martinique, but the
determined front put on by Lord Gardner, who commanded the Channel
fleet, then blockading Brest, daunted the enemy, who put back again
into port. This was failure number one, in Buonaparte's scheme.
We have followed Villeneuve with his 20 sail of French and Spanish
line-of-battle ships to Antigua; thence he proceeded for Brest,
intending to effect a junction with the fleet awaiting him there; but
on July 22nd, Sir Robert Calder, who was watching Ferrol and had been
warned by a frigate from Lord Nelson of the probable approach of the
enemy, met and engaged him, and though he numbered but 15 to 20, he
took two ships of the line, and forced the French admiral from his
design. This was the second breakdown in the programme; however,
Villeneuve got into Ferrol and joined the ships there, which made his
force 29 sail of the line, and with these he sailed on August 9th,
but, for some unexplained cause, instead of now making his way to
Brest, he turned south and entered Cadiz on the 21st, driving off
Admiral Collingwood's small squadron.
On September 2nd, Captain Blackwood, on his way to London with the
news of the combined fleets having left Ferrol, called at 5 a.m. at
Merton, where he found Lord Nelson up and dressed; the latter
immediately said, "you bring me news of the French and Spanish fleets,
I shall have to give them a drubbing yet;" and going up to town with
him, offered his services to the Admiralty. These were gladly
accepted, and the "VICTORY" again hoisted his flag on September
15th, and sailed the same day in company with the _Euryalus_, Captain
Blackwood, which frigate he afterwards despatched ahead to direct that
the "VICTORY" should not be saluted on her arrival, in order that
the enemy should be unaware of the reinforcement. On the 28th of the
same month he joined, and took command of, the fleet off Cadiz,
which, by the junction of Sir Robert Calder's ships to Admiral
Collingwood's now consisted of 29 sail.
On October 4th, Nelson dispatched Rear-Admiral Louis with 5 sail of
the line to Gibraltar, but a small squadron from England joined a few
days afterwards, making up his fleet to the following 27 sail of the
line.
104 { "VICTORY" { Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson, K.B.
{ { Capt. Thos. Masterman Hardy.
{ _Royal Sovereign_ { Vice-Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood.
100 { { Captain Edward Rotheram.
{
{ _Britannia_ { Rear-Admiral Earl of Northesk.
{ { Captain Charles Bullen.
{ _Temeraire_ Captain Eliab Harvey.
{ _Prince_ Captain Richard Grindall.
98 { _Neptune_ Captain Thos. Francis Freemantle.
{ _Dreadnought_ Captain John Conn.