"MY DEAR LORD,
"On my arrival here, from Leghorn, I received your lordship's
letter of October 7, communicating to me the title his majesty had
been graciously pleased to confer upon me; an honour, your lordship
is pleased to say, the highest that has ever been conferred on an
officer of my standing, who was not a commander in chief.
"I receive, as I ought, what the goodness of our sovereign, and not
my deserts, is pleased to bestow: but, great and unexampled as this
honour may be, to one of my standing--yet, I own, I feel a higher
one, in the unbounded confidence of the king, your lordship, and
the whole world, in my exertions. Even at the bitter moment of my
return to Syracuse, your lordship is not insensible of the great
difficulties I had to encounter, in not being a commander in chief.
The only happy moment I felt, was in the view of the French; then,
I knew, that all my sufferings would soon be at an end!
"I observe what your lordship is pleased to say, relative to the
presenting myself, and the captains who served under me, with
medals; and, also, that the first lieutenants of the ships engaged
will be distinguished by promotions, as well as the senior marine
officers. I hope, and believe, the word "engaged" is not intended
to exclude the Culloden; the merit of that ship, and her gallant
captain, are too well known to benefit by any thing I could say.
Her misfortune was great, in getting aground, while her more
fortunate companions were in the full tide of happiness. No; I am
confident, that my good Lord Spencer will never add misery to
misfortune. Captain Troubridge, on shore, is superior to captains
afloat. In the midst of his great misfortunes, he made those
signals which prevented, certainly, the Alexander and Swiftsure
from running on the shoals. I beg your pardon for writing on a
subject which, I verily believe, has never entered your lordship's
head; but my heart, as it ought to be, is warm to my gallant
friends.
"Ever your lordship's most faithful and obedient
"Nelson."
So anxious was Lord Nelson for his gallant friend Troubridge, and the
other brave officers of the Culloden, that he thus urges, at the same
time, in a letter to the Earl of St. Vincent, the subject which occupied
his feeling heart. "I received, yesterday," writes he, "a private letter
from Lord Spencer; saying, that the first lieutenants of all the ships
engaged would be promoted. I sincerely hope, this is not intended to
exclude the first of the Culloden. For Heaven's sake, for my sake, if
it be so, get it altered! Our dear friend Troubridge has suffered
enough; and no one knows, from me, but Culloden was as much engaged as
any ship in the squadron. His sufferings were, in every respect, more
than any of us. He deserves every reward which a grateful country can.
bestow on the most meritorious sea-officer of his standing in the
service. I I have felt his worth every hour of my command. I have before
wrote you, my dear lord, on this subject; therefore, I place Troubridge
in your hands."
Of his own disappointment, at not having obtained higher rank, he writes
nothing to his commander in chief; but, among his most intimate friends,
he is known to have freely expressed his grief and indignation at
receiving the title of baron only. Had they left him as he was, he has
been heard repeatedly to say, he would not have complained; but, he
thought, his services merited more than a barony. It would, perhaps, be
difficult to find any substantial objection against his having been
made, at least, a viscount; which would still have left the commander in
chief his superior in rank. Indeed, on such peculiarly great and
glorious occasions, there need be little dread respecting precedents. No
minister would have been impeached, who had even advised his being
created a duke; and, most assuredly, the country would have rejoiced at
his merited elevation to that dignity. Why should not the navy possess
honours equal to those of a military Marlborough? and, when do we
expect to behold the hero on whom they may with more propriety be
bestowed?
It is a positive fact, that Lord Nelson would never wear his own gold
medal, till he had obtained one for his friend Captain Troubridge; who,
by the strictness of official etiquette, without any actual blame in
administration, had been at first excluded.
The following laconic epistle to Captain Troubridge, at Leghorn,
exhibits a true sailor's letter.
"Naples, Dec. 10th 1798.
"MY DEAR TROUBRIDGE,
"I have just received Mr. Windham's letter of November 30th, and
find it is settled that all the cargoes of the Genoese ships should
be landed; and all the French privateers disarmed, and their crews
sent away. So far, I am content. Money is not our object; but to
distress the common enemy. I hope, if you liked it, you visited the
Grand Duke, in my stead; I could not have been better
represented--the copy is a damned deal better than the original.
"Nelson."
"Duckworth has a captain under him; John Dixon, from England, is
Post Captain; and Mr. Grey arrived."
At the same time, he wrote to his Excellency the Honourable Mr. Windham,
apologizing for not having himself accepted his Royal Highness the
Grand Duke's invitation to visit him at Pisa. "I have," says he, "to
request that you will present my most profound acknowledgments to his
Royal Highness. I was under a sacred promise, to return here as
expeditiously as possible; and not to quit the Queen and Royal Family of
Naples, without her majesty's approbation. This will plead my cause for
quitting Leghorn so expeditiously."
Another letter, written to Mr. Windham this day, is too interesting to
be omitted. It presents his opinion of the patriotic character of Mr.
Windham, the disinterestedness of his own, and the wretched
pusillanimity of the Neapolitan officers.
Naples, 10th Dec. 1798.
"MY DEAR SIR,
"Your several letters of November 30, came to me this moment.
Believe me, no person can set a higher value on your friendship
than I do; for, I know, from experience, that you have nothing more
at heart, than the honour of our king and country. I rejoice to
hear, that the cargoes of corn in the Mole of Leghorn will be
landed; and the privateers disarmed, and the scoundrels belonging
to them sent away. The enemy will be distressed; and, thank God, I
shall get no money. The world, I know, think that money is our God;
and, now, they will be undeceived, as far as relates to us. "Down,
down with the French!" is my constant prayer. I hope, that the
emperor is marched to support this country: for, unused to war,
it's officers seem alarmed at a drawn sword; or a gun, if loaded
with shot. Many of them, peaceable heroes, are said to have run
away when brought near the enemy. The King and General Acton being
at Rome, I know not what orders will be sent to General Naselli;
but, you may depend, I will do nothing which can do away your just
demand of retribution to our merchants robbed by the French at
Leghorn. I arrived here on the 5th of December, and found my
presence very comfortable for the poor queen. Ever believe me, my
dear Sir, your most faithful and obliged
"Nelson."
Our indefatigable hero wrote, also, on this day, two letters to his
Excellency, the Right Honourable Sir Moreton Eden, K.B. Minister
Plenipotentiary at Vienna. In the first of these, he says, with his
usual excellence of heart, "I have to thank you, for your kindness to
Captain Berry. Poor fellow, he has suffered greatly, both in body and
mind; but, I hope, his reception in England will perfectly restore him."
The other letter fully demonstrates that his head was no less excellent
than his heart. It would have been well for the repose of Europe, and
particularly for the welfare of the Emperor of Germany, and his
hereditary dominions, as well as of his royal relatives at Naples, had
our hero's advice, even at this late period, been sufficiently
regarded. We give, with peculiar pleasure, the whole of this almost
prophetic document.
Naples, Dec. 10, 1798.
"MY DEAR SIR,
"I received, with thanks, your favour of November the 15th: and
perfectly agree with you, that a delayed war, on the part of the
emperor, will be destructive to this monarchy; and, of course, to
the newly-acquired dominions of the emperor in Italy. Had the war
commenced in September or October, all Italy would at this moment
have been liberated. This month is worse than the last; the next
will render the contest doubtful; and, in six months, when the
Neapolitan _republic_ will be organized, armed, and with it's
numerous resources called forth, I will suffer to have my head cut
off, if the emperor is not only defeated in Italy, but that he
totters on his throne at Vienna. Pray, assure the empress, from me,
that, notwithstanding the councils which have shook the throne of
her father and mother, I shall remain here, ready to save the
sacred persons of the king and queen, and of her brothers and
sisters; and, that I have also left ships at Leghorn, to save the
lives of the Great Duke and her imperial majesty's sister: for all
must be a republic, if the emperor does not act with expedition and
vigour. "Down, down with the French!" ought to be placed in the
council-room of every country in the world: and, may Almighty God
give right thoughts to every sovereign! is the constant prayer of
your excellency's most obliged and obedient servant,
"Nelson."
"Whenever the emperor acts with vigour, your excellency may say
that a proper naval force shall attend to the safety of the
Adriatic, as far as in my power."
At this period, it appears, the unfavourable news from the royal army,
and the manifest cowardice, treason, and treachery, every where seeming
to pervade the unhappy and devoted kingdom of Naples, plunged the
excellent queen into an agony of grief which admitted not of
consolation. "None, from this house," says Lord Nelson, writing on the
11th of December to Earl Spencer, "have seen her majesty these three
days; but, her letters to Lady Hamilton paint the anguish of her soul.
However," adds his lordship, "on enquiry, matters are not so bad as I
expected. The Neapolitan officers have not lost much honour; for, God
knows, they had not much to lose: but, they lost all they had. Mack has
supplicated the king to sabre every man who ran from Civita Castellana
to Rome. He has, we hear, torn off the epaulets of some of those
scoundrels, and placed them on good serjeants. I will, as briefly as I
can, state the position of the army, and it's lost honour; for, defeat
they have had none. The right wing of nineteen thousand men under
General St. Philip, and Micheux (who ran away at Toulon) were to take
post between Ancona and Rome, to cut off all supplies and communication.
Near Fermi, they fell in with the enemy, about three thousand. After a
little distant firing, St. Philip advanced to the French general; and,
returning to his men, said--_I no longer command you!"_ and was going
off to the enemy. A serjeant said--"You are a traitor; what have you
been talking to the enemy?" St. Philip replied _I no longer command
you!"_--"Then you are an enemy!" and, levelling his musket, shot St.
Philip through the right arm. However, the enemy advanced; he was among
them; Micheux ran away, as did all the infantry; and, had it not been
for the good conduct of two regiments of cavalry, they would have been
destroyed. So great was this panic, that cannon, tents, baggage,
military chest, all were left to the French. Could you credit--but, it
is true--that this loss has been sustained with the death of only forty
men! The French lost many men by the cavalry; and, having got the good
things, did not run after an army three times their number. Some ran
thirty miles, to Pesara. The peasantry took up arms, even the women, to
defend their country. However, the runaways are not only collected, but
advanced to Arcoti; which they took from the French, cutting open the
gates with hatchets. It is said, they have got a good general; Cetto, a
Neapolitan prince; and, I hope, will be ashamed of their former conduct.
General Micheux is bringing a prisoner to Naples. This failure has
thrown Mack backward. It is the intention of that general to surround
Civita Castellana. Chevalier Saxe advanced th Viterbi; General Metch to
Fermi; and Mack, with the main body, finding his communication not open
with Fermi, retreated towards Castellana. In his route, he was attacked
from an entrenchment of the enemy, which it was necessary to carry.
Finding his troops backward, he dismounted, and attempted to rally them:
but they left their general, and basely fled. The natural consequence
was, he was sorely wounded; but saved by some gallant cavalry, and
carried off by the bravery of a coachman: and is safe, poor fellow, at
Rome; and, hopes are entertained of his recovery. The fugitives are fled
to Rome, fancying the French at their heels; who never moved from their
entrenchment, which was carried by another party of troops, under
General Dumas. It is reported, that the king has stripped the Prince di
Tarante, Duc di Tranoulle, of his uniform, and disgraced him. He
commanded under Saxe; and fled, among the first, to Rome. It is for the
traitorous and cowardly conduct of these scoundrels, that the great
queen is miserable, knowing not whom to trust. The French minister, and
his legation, went off by sea yesterday."
On the 14th, the King of Naples returned home; and notice was
immediately given, by Lord Nelson, through the medium of Sir William
Hamilton, with as much secrecy as circumstances would admit, that three
English transports, then in the Bay of Naples, had directions to receive
on board such valuable effects as could be stowed in them, from British
merchants, and other residents, and that the whole squadron would be
ready to receive their persons, should such a measure be found
necessary, in consequence of the kingdom's being invaded by a formidable
French army. The Marquis De Niza, at the same time, was desired, by his
lordship, to spare a number of Portuguese officers and seamen, for the
purpose of assisting to fit some of the Neapolitan ships for sea. He
wrote, also, to Captain Ball, at Malta, for the Goliath, Captain Foley,
to be sent immediately; and to Captain Troubridge, at Leghorn, whom he
desired to join him without one moment's loss of time; leaving the
Terpsichore in Leghorn Roads, to bring off the Grand Duke, should such
an event be necessary. "The King," writes he, "is returned home, and
every thing is as bad as possible. For God's sake, make haste. Approach
the place with caution. Messina, probably, I shall be found at; but you
can enquire, at the Lipari Islands, if we are at Palermo. Caution Gage
to act with secrecy; and desire him to write to Windham, and give him
those instructions which may be necessary, at this time, for his
guarded conduct and secrecy."
It had, at this time, been fully resolved, that the King, Queen, and
Royal Family, of Naples, should embark, with all their richest moveable
effects, on board Lord Nelson's ship, for Sicily. In the mean while, it
was necessary to conceal such an intention from the Neapolitans in
general; who would, probably, never have consented to their departure.
Most of the nobility, who were disaffected, and of the common people,
who were loyal, it was not doubted, would object, for different reasons,
to a measure which they must behold in different points of view, and
consequently both conspire to defeat: while, by the dangerous collision,
a spark might be struck on materials of so inflammable a nature as the
rude populace, and particularly of a populace so very rude as the
Lazzaroni of Naples; which, suddenly blazing forth into a devouring
flame, might fatally involve the whole royal family, and their most
faithful and friendly adherents, and render them the unfortunate victims
of the cruel and destructive conflagration.
It was, therefore, at the extreme hazard of their lives, that Lord
Nelson, with Sir William and Lady Hamilton, for several days preceding
the meditated departure, took in charge the various articles secretly
conveyed from the palace, and concerted the different operations
necessary for effecting the escape of the royal family without discovery
or suspicion. Every day, Lady Hamilton assisted and advised with the
King and Queen of Naples, and their jewels, cloaths, &c. were conveyed
in boxes, during the night. Neither Sir William Hamilton, nor Lord
Nelson, for several days, judged it safe to appear publicly at the
palace; but his lordship secretly accompanied Lady Hamilton, one
evening, for the purpose of exploring a subterraneous passage leading
from the queen's bedchamber to the sea, by which it was agreed that they
should get off; and settled every preliminary preparation with the few
loyal nobility in whom the royal family could confide. Great anxiety was
expressed for the cardinals, and other members of the Romish church, who
had taken refuge, in Naples, from French persecution, and might now be
expected to fall the first victims of their cruelty; but Lord Nelson
desired they might be humanely informed that, on coming in boats
alongside any of his ships, and displaying their red stockings, they
should be instantly received on board.
In the midst of this important business, his lordship had written, on
the 18th, the following very concise epistle to Earl Spencer.
Naples, Dec. 18, 1798.
"MY DEAR LORD,
"There is an old saying--that, when things are at the worst, they
must mend." Now, the mind of man cannot fancy things worse than
they are here. But, thank God, my health is better; my mind never
firmer; and my heart in the right trim, to comfort, relieve, and
protect, those who it is my duty to afford assistance to. Pray, my
lord, assure our gracious sovereign--that, whilst I live, I will
support his glory; and that, if I fall, it shall be in a manner
worthy of your lordship's faithful and obliged
"Nelson."
"I must not write more. Every word may be a text for a long
letter."
In spite of every precaution, however, an idea of what was going
forward, seems to have prevailed among the people; and, on the 20th,
riotous proceedings began to take place, and some murders were
committed, which filled the royal family, and their loyal adherents,
with new alarms. This was a most critical period for our hero, and Sir
William and Lady Hamilton, who would certainly have been sacrificed to
the fury of the populace, had a full discovery been then made of the
important parts they were acting. Nothing, however, could deter these
firm friends from continuing to assist the royal family in escaping from
the perils by which they were so cruelly surrounded: and, at night, they
were got off, by his lordship, through the subterraneous passage; and
conveyed, in barges, amidst a most tremendous sea, on board the
Vanguard, where they safely arrived about ten o'clock. Among this
unfortunate royal family, thus constrained to quit their kingdom, under
protection of the British flag, was the amiable Princess Royal, and
with her infant of only a month old. They sailed, on the 23d, at night;
and, in addition to their misfortunes, a more furious tempest the next
day arose than Lord Nelson had ever before witnessed. It was borne,
however, by the royal sufferers, with all the magnanimity which can
distinguish minds worthy of majesty. Scarcely had the storm subsided,
when their estimable hearts were subjected to a still more severe trial:
for, next morning, being Christmas-day, their third son, Prince Albert,
seven years of age, was suddenly taken ill; and, at six o'clock in the
evening, died in Lady Hamilton's arms. This was an affliction too
poignant for nature to be defeated of her tribute; and the unhappy pair
were overwhelmed, on the melancholy occasion, with a grief which adorned
their illustrious character, and communicated even to the most heroic of
their friends. At ten o'clock, they entered the Bay of Palermo; and, at
midnight, the viceroy and nobility arrived on board, and informed the
royal mourners that all their Sicilian subjects were ready to receive
their majesties with joy.
The following most interesting letter, written by Lord Nelson to the
Earl of St. Vincent, the third day after their arrival, contains a
valuable narrative of the various proceedings by which this important
business was preceded, and at length thus successfully accomplished.
"Palermo, Dec. 28, 1798.
"MY LORD,
"On the 22d, I wrote a line to Commodore Duckworth, telling him
that the Royal Family of the Two Sicilies were safely embarked on
board the Vanguard; and requested him to take the first opportunity
of acquainting your lordship of this event. For many days previous
to the embarkation, it was not difficult to foresee that such a
thing might happen. I, therefore, sent for the Goliath, from off
Malta; and for Captain Troubridge in the Culloden, and his squadron
from the north and west coast of Italy: the Vanguard being the only
ship in Naples Bay. On the 14th, the Marquis De Niza, with three of
the Portuguese squadron, arrived from Leghorn; as did Captain Hope,
in the Alcmene, from Egypt. From this time, the danger for the
personal safety of their Sicilian Majesties was daily increasing;
and new treasons were found out, even to the minister at war. The
whole correspondence relative to this important business was
carried on, with the greatest address, by Lady Hamilton and the
queen; who, being constantly in the habits of correspondence, no
one could suspect. It would have been highly imprudent, either in
Sir William Hamilton or myself, to have gone to court; as we knew
that all our movements were watched, and that even an idea was
entertained, by the Jacobins, of arresting our persons, as a
hostage--as they foolishly imagined--against the attack of Naples,
should the French get possession of it. Lady Hamilton, from this
time, to the 21st, every night received the jewels of the royal
family, &c. &c. &c. and such cloaths as might be necessary for the
very large party to embark; to the amount, I am confident, of full
two millions five hundred thousand pounds sterling. On the 18th,
General Mack wrote, that he had no prospect of stopping the
progress of the French; and intreated their majesties to think of
retreating from Naples, with their august family, as expeditiously
as possible. All the Neapolitan navy were now taken out of the
mole, consisting of three sail of the line and three frigates. The
seamen, from the two sail of the line in the bay, left their ships,
and went on shore; and a party of English seamen, with officers,
were sent from the Vanguard, to assist in navigating them to a
place of safety. From the 18th, various plans were formed for the
removal of the royal family from the palace to the water-side. On
the 19th, I received a note from General Acton; saying, that the
king approved of my plan for their embarkation. This day, and the
20th, and 21st, very large assemblies of the people were in
commotion; several people were killed, and one was dragged by the
legs to the palace. The mob, by the 20th, were very unruly, and
insisted that the royal family should not leave Naples. However,
they were pacified by the king and queen's speaking to them. On the
21st, at half past eight, three barges, with myself and Captain
Hope, landed in a corner of the arsenal. I went into the palace,
and brought out the whole royal family; put them in the boats; and,
at half past nine, they were all safely on board the Vanguard: when
I gave immediate notice to all British merchants, that their
persons would be received on board every and any ship in the
squadron, their effects of value being before embarked; and I had
directed that all the condemned provisions should be thrown
overboard, in order to make room for their effects. Sir William
Hamilton had also directed two vessels to be hired for the
accommodation of the French emigrants, and provisions were supplied
from our victuallers. In short, every thing had been done for the
comfort of all persons embarked. I did not forget, in these
important moments, that it was my duty not to leave the chance of
any ships of war falling into the hands of the French; therefore,
every preparation was made for burning them, before I sailed. But
the reasons given me by their Sicilian majesties, induced me not to
burn them till the last moment. I, therefore, directed the Marquis
De Niza to remove all the Neapolitan ships outside the squadron
under his command; and, if it were possible, to equip some of them
with jury-masts, and send them to Messina: and, whenever the French
advanced near Naples, or the people revolted against their
legitimate government, then immediately to destroy the ships of
war, and to join me at Palermo; leaving one or two ships to cruise
between Capri and Ischia, in order to prevent the entrance of any
English ships into the Bay of Naples. On the 23d, at seven in the
evening, the Vanguard, Samnite, and Archimedes, with about twenty
sail of vessels, left the Bay of Naples, The next day, it blew much
harder than I ever experienced since I have been at sea. Your
lordship will believe, that my anxiety was not lessened by the
great charge that was with me; but, not a word of uneasiness
escaped the lips of any of the royal family. On the 25th, at nine
in the morning, Prince Albeit, their majesty's youngest child,
having eat a hearty breakfast, was taken ill; and, at seven in the
evening, died in the arms of Lady Hamilton! And here it is my duty
to tell your lordship, the obligations which the whole royal
family, as well as myself, are under, on this trying occasion, to
her ladyship. They necessarily came on board without a bed, nor
could the smallest preparation be made for their reception. Lady
Hamilton provided her own beds, linen, &c. and became their slave;
for, except one man, no person belonging to royalty assisted the
royal family. Nor did her ladyship enter a bed the whole time they
were on board. Good Sir William, also, made every sacrifice for the
comfort of the august family embarked with him. I must not omit to
state, the kindness of Captain Hardy, and every officer in the
Vanguard; all of whom readily gave their beds for the convenience
of the numerous persons attending the royal family. At three in the
afternoon, being in sight of Palermo, his Sicilian majesty's royal
standard was hoisted at the main top-gallant mast-head of the
Vanguard: which was kept flying there, till his majesty got into
the Vanguard's barge; when it was struck in the ship, and hoisted
in the barge, and every proper honour paid to it from the ship. As
soon as his majesty set his foot on shore, it was struck from the
barge. The Vanguard anchored at two in the morning of the 26th. At
five, I attended her majesty, and all the princesses, on shore: her
majesty being so much affected, by the death of Prince Albert, that
she could not bear to go on shore in a public manner. At nine, his
majesty went on shore; and was received with the loudest
acclamations and apparent joy. I have the honour to be, with the
greatest respect, your lordship's most obedient humble servant,
"Nelson."
Earl of St. Vincent."
It has been said, that the King of Naples had not, without much
difficulty, been induced to quit the seat of his government. Doubtless,
as will ever be the case, where various powerful parties unhappily
divide a country, each chiefly regardful of it's own particular
interest, the leaders of the several factions would struggle, by all
imaginable stratagems, to draw into their own vortex the sovereign on
whose debasement they could alone hope to erect any satisfactory
individual exaltation. The King of Naples, though a man of excellent
dispositions, and neither defective in valour nor in wisdom, might
possibly have fallen a prey to some of the numerous deceptive artifices
which originated in these causes, if the admirable political sagacity of
his vigilant and august consort, the worthy daughter of Maria Theresa,
aided by the keen council of our immortal Nelson, and the penetrative
wisdom and address of the British minister and his accomplished lady,
had not preserved his Sicilian, majesty's unsuspecting mind from the
ruinous effects of such, destructive machinations. Nothing can possibly
be more obvious, than that the advice of these friendly fellow-sufferers
must necessarily have been sincere; and, if the king really did
hesitate, before he embraced a design which nothing but necessity could
justify, it must only be ascribed to that ardent desire of constantly
doing what is right, which finally induced his majesty to adopt the
proposed salutary measure. The king, however, had by no means abandoned
his loyal Neapolitan subjects, in thus guarding against the treasons of
the disloyal; that would not have been a measure for our exalted hero or
his estimable friends ever to have advised, or either of their Sicilian
majesties to have adopted. On the contrary, Prince Pignatelli had been
previously created a viceroy; a grand, police guard established, to
preserve the tranquillity of the city during his majesty's absence,
commanded by officers selected equally from the respective classes of
the nobility and private citizens; and large sums of money, with a
prodigious number of arms, freely distributed among the Lazzaroni, to
preserve all the advantages of their accustomed ardent zeal and loyal
attachment. It was, therefore, in fact, only a temporary removal of the
court of the King of the Two Sicilies, from his capital of Naples, in
one grand division of his dominions, at a most critical period, to that
of Palermo, in the other. In short, the prudence of the precaution soon
manifested itself by the event; and the noble part which our immortal
hero so successfully performed, by his consummate wisdom, on the
important occasion, liberally interwove, with the civic laurels of
Italy, the honoured wreath of naval glory, which had been recently and
universally yielded to his invincible valour on the banks of the Nile.