{ _Belleisle_ Captain William Hargood.
{ _Revenge_ Captain Robert Moorsom.
{ _Mars_ Captain George Duff.
{ _Spartiate_ Captain Sir Francis Laforey, Bart.
{ _Defiance_ Captain Philip Charles Durham.
{ _Conqueror_ Captain Israel Pellew.
{ _Defence_ Captain George Hope.
74 { _Colossus_ Captain James N. Morris.
{ _Leviathan_ Captain Henry W. Bayntun.
{ _Achille_ Captain Richard King.
{ _Bellerophon_ Captain John Cooke.
{ _Minotaur_ Captain Charles J. M. Mansfield.
{ _Orion_ Captain William Codrington.
{ _Swiftsure_ Captain William G. Rutherford.
{ _Ajax_ Lieut. John Pilfold.
{ _Thunderer_ Lieut. John Stockham.
{ _Polyphemus_ Captain Robert Redmill.
64 { _Africa_ Captain Henry Digby.
{ _Agamemnon_ Captain Sir Edward Berry.
Before continuing our narrative, we must again remind our readers that
this is but the history of one ship, and that in our account of
Trafalgar, only a sufficient general description of the movements of
the fleet will be given, to render the "VICTORY'S" part
intelligible; for details, we must again refer to _James's Naval
History_, where the most complete account of the action that has been
published, will be found.
On 19th October, the Franco-Spanish fleet, of 33 sail of the line,
under Admiral Villeneuve, as Commander-in-Chief, and Admiral Gravina,
(Spanish), as second, came out of Cadiz, and, after some manoeuvring,
at daylight on the 21st, the two fleets were in sight of one another,
being then about 20 miles west of Cape Trafalgar. The wind was light,
from the W.N.W., and the enemy were in a straggling line on the
starboard tack, under easy sail; the British fleet were in two columns
on the port tack, and some ten miles dead to windward. At 6.50, the
"VICTORY" made the signal to bear up, on which the enemy wore
together, thus presenting his port broadside to the English fleet,
which bore down with a very light wind right aft, and with all
studding sails set; the "VICTORY" leading the port line, and the
_Royal Sovereign_ the starboard, the latter being somewhat in advance.
Thus the British very slowly closed with the enemy, Lord Nelson
refusing to allow the _Temeraire_, his next astern, to take the lead,
and thereby bear the brunt of the battle. His Lordship visited the
decks of his ship, exhorted his men not to throw away a shot, and was
received with cheers as he again went on deck. Having made every
other signal to his fleet he thought necessary, he finished with that
most celebrated one--"England expects that every man will do his
duty,"--which, at 11.40, was hoisted at the "VICTORY'S"
mizen-topgallant-masthead, and was received by most of the ships with
cheers.
This made, Lord Nelson's customary signal on going into
action--"Engage the enemy more closely"--was hoisted at the main, and
there remained until the mast was shot away.
At noon, the action commenced by the _Fougoeux_ opening fire on the
_Royal Sovereign_, on which the British Admirals hoisted their flags,
and all their ships the white ensign, having also, each, two Union
Jacks in the rigging. Twenty minutes later the enemy's ships ahead of
the "VICTORY" began a furious cannonade on her, which killed in a
short time amongst many others, Mr. Scott, Lord Nelson's secretary.
Seeing Nelson's intention to break the line, the enemy closed up ahead
of him, making an almost impenetrable line; but the "VICTORY" still
held her course, and steered straight for the mass of ships grouped
round the _Bucentaure_, a French 80, on board of which was Villeneuve,
the French Commander-in-Chief, though he never showed his flag during
the action.
Nelson directed Captain Hardy to run on board any ship he chose, as it
was evident they could not pass through the line without a collision,
and at 12.30, not having as yet fired a single shot, the "VICTORY"
passed slowly under the stern of the _Bucentaure_, so close as almost
to be able to catch hold of her ensign, and discharge the port guns in
succession right into her cabin windows, placing about 400 men _hors
de combat_, by that one broadside, and almost disabling her from
further resistance. The position of the ships at this moment is shown
in the accompanying plan.
[Illustration: BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR AT 0.25, P.M.]
At the same time the "VICTORY" fired her starboard guns at two
vessels on that side of her, and five minutes later ran on board the
_Redoutable_, a French 74, hooking her boom iron into the Frenchman's
topsails, and so dropped alongside, the "VICTORY" being on the
_Redoutable's_ port side, and the latter closing her lower deck ports
to prevent boarding. A tremendous cannonade ensued, the "VICTORY"
firing her port guns at the _Bucentaure_ and _Santissima Trinidada_,
her starboard ones being very fully employed by the _Redoutable_ which
was so close alongside, that the men on the "VICTORY'S" lower deck
on each discharge dashed a bucket of water into the hole made in the
enemy's side by the shot, to prevent the spread of the fire that might
have destroyed both ships indiscriminately.
During this time the British ships were coming into action one after
another, but very slowly, as the wind, light all the morning, had now
fallen to a mere air, barely sufficient to bring all our vessels up;
thus the first ships engaged had dreadful odds against them, and the
loss of life in them was great.
After bringing the _Redoutable_ to close action as before described,
Lord Nelson and Captain Hardy, side by side, calmly walked the centre
of the quarter deck, from the poop to the hatchway. At about 1.25, in
their walk forward his Lordship turned a little short of the hatchway,
Captain Hardy took the other step, and turned also, and beheld the
Admiral in the act of falling. He had been wounded by a musket ball
fired from the mizen-top of the _Redoutable_, which struck him in the
left shoulder as he turned, and thence descending, lodged in the
spine. He sank on to the very spot that was still red with his
secretary's blood, and was raised by Sergeant Secker, of the Marines,
and two seamen, who under Captain Hardy's directions, bore him to the
cockpit. "They have done for me at last, Hardy," said the hero as he
fell. "I hope not," said Hardy. "Yes," was the reply, "they have shot
my backbone through." But his presence of mind was still strong, and
he gave directions for the tautening of the tiller ropes as he was
carried below, and covered his face and decorations with a
handkerchief, that he might not be recognised.
The cockpit was crowded with wounded, and with difficulty he was borne
to a place on the port side, at the foremost end of it, and placed on
a purser's bed with his back resting against one of the wooden knees
of the ship. Here the surgeon examined his wound, and at once
pronounced it mortal.
In the meantime the battle raged furiously, the men stationed in the
_Redoutable's_ tops (Nelson would allow none in the "VICTORY," for
fear of setting fire to the sails), had nearly cleared the
"VICTORY'S" upper deck, 40 men being killed or wounded on the deck
alone. The French, seeing this, attempted to board, but were driven
back with great gallantry by the few men that remained, headed by
Captain Adair, of the Marines.
At about 1.50 the _Redoutable_ ceased firing, and two midshipmen and a
few men were sent from the "VICTORY" to assist in putting out a fire
that had burst out on board of her, and the "VICTORY" then proceeded
to get herself clear, leaving her prize lashed to the _Temeraire_,
that had just fouled her on the other side. The "VICTORY" was by
this time so crippled in her spars and sails that all efforts on her
part to get into _close_ action (Lord Nelson's favourite position),
with another enemy were ineffectual; but she still continued engaged
on the port side with the _Santissima Trinidada_ and other ships; and
later, with a fresh batch of the enemy's ships that passed along the
line and eventually escaped.
By 4.30 p.m. the action was over, and a victory was reported to Lord
Nelson just before his death. We left him in the cockpit, where he was
attended by Dr. Scott, the chaplain, and Mr. Burke, the purser. He
had sent the doctor away to attend to the other wounded, and lay in
great agony, fanned with paper by those two officers, and giving his
last directions as to those he loved; but ever and anon interrupted by
the cheers of the "VICTORY'S" crew, he would ask the cause, and
being told it was a fresh enemy's ship that had struck her flag, his
eye would flash as he expressed his satisfaction. He frequently asked
for Captain Hardy, and that officer not being able to leave the deck,
his anxiety for his safety became excessive, and he repeated, "he must
be killed;" "he is surely destroyed." An hour had elapsed before Hardy
was able to come to him, when they shook hands, and the Admiral
asked--"How goes the day with us." "Very well, my Lord," was the
reply; "we have about 12 of the enemy in our possession."
After a few minutes of conversation, Hardy had again to return on
deck, and shortly after the "VICTORY'S" port guns redoubled their
fire on some fresh ships coming down on her, and the concussion so
affected Lord Nelson that he cried in agony, "Oh! 'VICTORY!'
'VICTORY!' how you distract my poor brain;" but, weak and in pain as
he was, he indignantly rebuked a man, who in passing through the
crowded cockpit struck against and hurt one of the wounded.
Captain Hardy again visited him in about another hour, and, holding
his Lordship's hand, congratulated him on a brilliant victory, saying,
he was certain that 14 ships had surrendered. "That is well," he
answered, "but I bargained for 20." Then, Hardy having again to go on
deck, Nelson after emphatically telling him to anchor, and declaring
his intention to direct the fleet as long as life remained, said,
"kiss me Hardy," the Captain knelt down and kissed him, when he said,
"Now I am satisfied. Thank God I have done my duty." Twenty minutes
later he quietly passed away, having again and again repeated to his
last breath, the words above mentioned. They were, it has been well
remarked, the whole history of his life.
On the firing ceasing, the "VICTORY" had lost 57 killed and 103
wounded, and found herself all but a wreck. The tremendous fire to
which she was exposed, when leading her line into action, had caused
great damage, at a very early period of the battle, and before she
herself fired a gun, many of her spars were shot away, and great
injury was done to the hull, especially the fore part of it.
At the conclusion of the action, she had lost her mizen-mast, the
fore-topmast had to be struck to save the foremast; the mainmast was
not much better, and it took all the exertions of her crew to refit
the rigging sufficiently to stand the bad weather that followed.
The actual number of prizes taken by 5 p.m., on October 21st, were 19;
so that Nelson's desired number was nearly made up; but from their
disabled condition, they were nearly all wrested from us by the gales
that succeeded the battle. Lord Nelson had doubtless foreseen this,
and thence his wish to anchor, and as a matter of fact, most of those
few ships and prizes that did anchor, rode the gale out in safety and
were saved; but the majority of the vessels were either anchorless, or
in such deep water that they could not with convenience anchor.
The "VICTORY'S" trophy, the _Redoutable_, was one of those that sunk
after the action in deep water, and in her, as in many of the other
vessels lost, went down her prize crew of British seamen. The English
fleet were in nearly as disabled a state as their prizes, as might be
expected after such a battle, and it is a matter of wonder that some
of them were not lost on the treacherous shoal that swallowed up so
many of the captured ships.
The enemy's fleet of 33 sail was disposed of as follows:
Taken into Gibraltar 4 }
Burnt by the English 3 } 19 lost to
Sunk by the English 3 } the enemy.
Wrecked during the gale 9 }
Struck, but afterwards got into Cadiz
crippled 2 }
Escaped into Cadiz damaged 4 }
Escaped into Cadiz perfect 4 } 14 saved to
Escaped to the South, but captured by } the enemy.
Sir R. Strachan on the 4th Nov., }
and taken into Plymouth 4 }
On the 22nd, the day after the battle, the breeze was fresh from the
S.S.W., and it was all the ships could do to increase their distance
from the shore, such as were manageable towing those that were totally
dismasted. On the 23rd it blew a gale, and then the misfortunes of the
victors commenced; the hawsers of many of the ships towing parted, and
the English vessels had too much to do to save themselves and one
another, to attempt to get hold of the prizes again, so they drifted
helplessly away, two to be blown safe into Cadiz, but seven to meet an
awful end amongst the breakers of that shallow coast. Five others were
burnt and sunk to ensure their not falling into the enemy's hands
again.
On the morning of this day, the remnant of the enemy's ships put to
sea to attempt to recapture some of their friends, but the gale coming
on, the only result was the loss of two more of themselves, one of
which fell into our hands before going ashore. The "VICTORY," with
the small amount of sail she could show to the gale, laboured deeply
in the heavy sea, and on the 24th, when the wind moderated a little,
she was taken in tow by the _Polyphemus_. In the afternoon, managing
to rig up some jury topmasts and a mizen-mast, she was more
comfortable, but at 5 p.m. next day, on the storm increasing, the
towing hawser parted, the mainyard carried away, and her sails split
to ribbons. With nothing now to steady her, the "VICTORY" rolled
dangerously and unmanageably, and an anxious night was passed, but
happily for her as well as other of our ships, the violence of the
wind abated in the morning, and the _Neptune_ taking her in tow, after
two days brought her safely into Gibraltar.
In the meantime Lord Nelson's remains had been placed in a cask of
brandy, as the best means at hand of preserving them, and on the 3rd
of November, having refitted, the "VICTORY," accompanied by the
_Belleisle_, sailed on the melancholy duty of conveying the body of
her hero to England, and, after a most boisterous passage, reached
Spithead, on December 4th.
Here she was the object of a most intense and reverential attention,
her battered sides, with, in many places, the shot yet sticking in
them; her still bloody decks; her jury masts and knotted rigging;--all
attested the severity of the ordeal she had gone through; while the
flag that still waved, but at half-mast, reminded the spectator that
the great Admiral who had such a short time before sailed from that
very anchorage to victory, had now, also, returned to his grave.
Amongst other injuries, the "VICTORY'S" figure-head, a coat of arms
supported by a sailor on one side and a marine on the other, was
struck by shot, which carried away the legs of the soldier and the arm
of the sailor, and the story goes (but we cannot vouch for its truth),
that all the men who lost legs in the action were marines, and those
who lost arms sailors. The figure-head is still the same, but the
wounded supporters have been replaced by two little boys, who, leaning
affectionately on the shield, seem certainly more fitted for the
peaceful life of Portsmouth Harbour than for the hard times their more
warlike predecessors lived in.
The "VICTORY" left Spithead on December 11th for Sheerness, which
was reached on the 22nd, when the hero's remains, having been
deposited in the coffin made from the mainmast of the _L'Orient_ (the
French flagship at the Nile), were transferred to Commissioner Grey's
yacht for conveyance to Greenwich, and thence to St. Paul's. As this
was done, Lord Nelson's flag, which had flown half-mast ever since the
action, was lowered for the last time. The "VICTORY" then went to
Chatham, paid off on the 16th of January, 1806, and underwent another
thorough repair.
It was agreed on all sides that the enemy fought harder and more
desperately at Trafalgar than they had ever done before, and at the
same time it was undeniable that the victory was the most complete
ever gained. The exultation that arose in the breasts of all who heard
how the pride of the enemy had been humbled, was embittered by the
thought that their hero and idol was dead; that he, whose very name
ensured victory, would never again lead his ships to the thickest of
the fight, and men doubted whether even the triumph of Trafalgar was
not too dearly bought. But Nelson had done his work. Never after did
the enemy show a large fleet at sea; and he himself fell, as he had
often wished, in the moment of victory; leaving behind him an undying
fame, and such an example of entire devotion to his country's service
as had never before been equalled in the world's history.
Mr. Devis, the painter of the picture of the "Death of Nelson," now on
board the "VICTORY," went round in her from Spithead to Sheerness.
On the voyage he took portraits of all the characters depicted, and
sketched the locality, so that this picture may be considered as a
truly historical and faithful one.
In the commencement of 1808, our ally, Sweden, being threatened by an
invasion by Russia, a fleet was sent to the Baltic to assist them, of
which Sir James Saumarez was appointed Commander-in-Chief, and the
"VICTORY" was once more called into active service as his flagship.
She was commissioned on 18th March, by Captain Dumaresq, and sailed
for the Baltic shortly after, arriving at Gottenburg at the end of
April. To this place the fleet was followed by a force of 10,000 men
under Sir John Moore, who, however, in consequence of disagreements,
were withdrawn in June and returned to England, leaving Sir James with
the "VICTORY" and ten 74-gun ships, to protect Sweden against
Russians, Danes, French, and Prussians. In August, the advanced
division of the Anglo-Swedish fleet met the Russians, and chasing
them into Rogerwick, destroyed one 74 and blockaded the remainder in
that port. Sir James, who was on his way north, received this
intelligence a few days afterwards, and hastened to join.
On arriving on August 30th, off Rogerwick, he found the enemy safe
inside, and at once made preparations for an attack. On the 1st
September, in company with the _Goliath_, the "VICTORY" stood in to
reconnoitre, and having silenced a battery that engaged them, a good
view of the enemy's position was obtained, and the next day fixed for
the assault. Unfortunately, the next day broke with a gale of wind,
the ships were unable to move, and the storm lasting eight days, gave
the enemy time to bring troops from Revel, and to erect batteries on
all sides, making any attempt at attack hopeless. Sir James therefore,
after watching the port till September 30th, sailed for Carlscrona,
where he remained till winter warned him to depart for England. He
arrived in the Downs on 9th December, and at once struck his flag.
The operations in the Baltic in this, and the other four years in
which the "VICTORY" was flagship of Sir James Saumarez, were, as far
as she herself was concerned, mainly confined to political schemes and
transactions; the active work, such as it was, being done by the
frigates and gun-boats, many of which latter, however, were manned by
the "VICTORY'S" officers and men; the Russian fleet never came out
again, but remained shut up in Cronstadt, which was much too strong to
be attacked; thus the proceedings are of very little interest, and
beyond the fact of her being employed, we have little to record.
She went out almost immediately after the striking of Saumarez's flag
in 1808, as a private ship in the squadron which was dispatched to
Corunna to bring home the army of the unfortunate Sir John Moore, and
returned to Portsmouth on January 23rd. During this cruise she was
commanded by Captain Searle, but on her going round to Chatham for a
refit, Captain Dumaresq again returned to her, and Sir James Saumarez
re-hoisting his flag on April 8th, 1809, she once more sailed for the
Baltic, on the navigation being reported open. The best part of this
year was spent by the "VICTORY" and fleet of 10 sail, in blockading
the Russian ships in Cronstadt. One successful boat attack was made,
when 8 of the enemy's gun-boats were destroyed, but otherwise there
was no fighting. In the autumn, Sweden was forced to make peace with
Russia, on terms dictated by the latter, that would have doubtless
been harder, had not the presence of the British fleet prevented any
active employment of the Russian ships. The "VICTORY" returned to
the Downs by Christmas, and the Admiral struck his flag.
On the 11th March, 1810, Saumarez resumed his command, and proceeded
to Hawke Roads, in Sweden, and thence to Hano Bay, near Carlscrona,
where he laid most of the year, having a ship or two watching the
Russians; but as they never ventured out, nothing was done, and
"VICTORY" sailed on 10th October, with 1000 sail of merchantmen
under her convoy. These were seen safely through the Belt, and Sir
James then remained with all his ships at Hawke Bay, as late as the
ice permitted him, to prevent the possibility of the Russian fleet
from the White Sea entering the Baltic. The Swedes about this time
were compelled by Napoleon to declare war with England, but the
feelings between the two countries were privately as friendly as
before. Hearing that the Archangel ships were laid up, Saumarez sailed
for England, and arriving on 3rd December, hauled down his flag.
The "VICTORY" then again made a trip to the coast of Portugal, this
time with the flag of Rear-Admiral Sir Joseph S. Yorke, who took a
squadron of 7 line-of-battle ships to Lisbon, with a reinforcement of
6500 men for Sir Arthur Wellesley, then blockaded in his intrenchments
at Torres Vedras by Massena; but she returned to the Nore in time to
hoist Sir James Saumarez's flag for the fourth year, on the 2nd April,
1811.
He proceeded to Wingo Sound, and there remained nearly the whole
year. The anomalous state of affairs between Sweden and ourselves
continued, and as public enemies and private friends we remained until
the end of the year, when Sweden concluded an alliance with England.
The "VICTORY'S" boats made various expeditions against the Danes,
and captured several gun-boats.
On December 18th, the fleet left Wingo for England; and on the 23rd a
gale arose, by which they were dispersed, and H.M.S. _St. George_ and
_Defence_ were wrecked on the western coast of Jutland, and the _Hero_
off the Texel; but the "VICTORY" and other ships weathered it in
safety, and anchored at St. Helen's on Christmas Day, when Sir James
struck his flag.
On April 14th, 1812, it was again hoisted, and on the 28th,
"VICTORY" sailed with a squadron of 10 sail of the line, and took
her station as usual at Wingo. The naval operations this year were
more active than before; the Danes had equipped a good many frigates
and small craft for attacks on the Swedish coast, and frequent
engagements took place between them and our smaller vessels; but
"VICTORY" was not herself in action. In October, orders were
received from England to send his flagship home, and on the 15th of
that month, Sir James shifted his flag to the _Pyramus_, and
"VICTORY" sailed for England, and arriving at Portsmouth, was paid
off in November.
This was the last active service of this glorious old ship, though she
was on the point of being sent to sea again in 1815, when no less than
six Admirals, on applying for commands, named the "VICTORY" as the
ship they would wish to have, although there were many new ships,
larger, and carrying much heavier ordnance; but the prestige attached
to the "VICTORY," besides her well known sailing qualities,
outweighed every other consideration. Waterloo, however, soon put an
end to that war, and the "VICTORY" was never re-commissioned.
[Illustration: THE "VICTORY" AS SHE NOW LIES IN PORTSMOUTH HARBOUR.]
In 1825 she was made flagship in Portsmouth harbour, and ever since
that date, with but few intervals, she has continued to bear the flags
of Admirals, who, having like her, spent their lives in the service of
their country, terminate their active careers by holding the highest
post in the British Navy,--the command at Portsmouth. Every year, as
the 21st October, the anniversary of Trafalgar, comes round, daylight
discovers the "VICTORY" with a wreath of laurel at each mast-head, a
continual memorial of the deeds of that ever-to-be-remembered day,
when at one blow the naval power of two great nations was crippled,
and the superiority of England established without dispute.
In 1844, Queen Victoria happened to be passing through the harbour on
this day, and learning the cause of the decoration of the "VICTORY,"
at once pulled on board, and went round the ship. Her Majesty evinced
much emotion, when shown the almost sacred spots where the hero fell
and died; and plucking some leaves from the wreath that enshrined the
words on the poop, "England expects that every man will do his duty,"
kept them as a memento.
The "VICTORY" now no longer bears the Admiral's flag; the increasing
numbers of seamen in our depôts, rendered in 1869 a larger ship more
convenient, and she is retained in her position in the harbour solely
as a reminiscence of the past; and it almost seems a pity that she
cannot be now fitted up internally, as nearly as possible as she was
at Trafalgar, that the thousands of annual visitors might form a
better idea of the state of the decks of a man-of-war of the olden
time when going into action; and that in these days of rapid and
enormous changes in both shipbuilding and ordnance, a type of the
man-of-war that won England her pre-eminence, might be preserved to
all time.