be distinguished by humanity in the victory which he expected.
Setting an example himself, he twice give orders to cease firing
on the Redoubtable, supposing that she had struck, because her
guns was silent; for, as she carried no flag, there was no means
of instantly ascertaining the fact. From this ship, which he had
thus twice spared, he received his death. A ball fired from her
mizen-top, which, in the then situation of the two vessels, was
not more than 15 yards from that part of the deck where he was
standing, struck the epaulette on his left shoulder, about a
quarter after one, just in the heat of action. He fell upon his
face, on the spot which was covered with his poor secretary’s
blood. Hardy, who was a few steps from him, turning round,
saw three men raising him up. “They have done for me at last,
Hardy,” said he. “I hope not,” cried Hardy. “Yes” he replied,
“my back-bone is shot through.” Yet even now, not for a moment
losing his presence of mind, he observed, as they were carrying
him down the ladder, that the tiller ropes, which had been shot
away, were not yet replaced, and ordered that new ones should be
rove immediately: then, that he might not be seen by the crew, he
took out his handkerchief, and covered his face and his stars. Had
he but concealed these badges of honour from the enemy, England,
perhaps, would not have had cause to receive with sorrow the news
of the battle of Trafalgar. The cockpit was crowded with wounded
and dying men, over whose bodies he was with some difficulty
conveyed, and laid upon a pallet in the midshipmen’s berth. It was
soon perceived, upon examination, that the wound was mortal. This,
however, was concealed from all except Captain Hardy, the Chaplain,
and the medical attendants. He himself being certain, from the
sensation in his back, and the gush of blood he felt momently
within his breast, that no human care could avail him, insisted
that the surgeon should leave him, and attend to those to whom he
might be useful; “for,” said he, “you can do nothing for me.” All
that could be done was to fan him with paper, and frequently to
give him lemonade to alleviate his intense thirst. He was in great
pain, and expressed much anxiety for the event of the action, which
now began to declare itself. As often as a ship struck, the crew of
the Victory hurrahed, and at every hurrah, visible expression of
joy gleamed in the eyes, and marked the countenance of the dying
hero. But he became impatient to see Hardy; and as that officer,
though often sent for, could not leave the deck, Nelson feared
that some fatal cause prevented him, and repeatedly cried, “Will
no one bring Hardy to me? he must be killed! he is surely dead!”
An hour and ten minutes elapsed from the time when Nelson received
his wound, before Hardy could come to him. They shook hands in
silence, Hardy in vain struggling to suppress the feelings of that
most painful and yet sublime moment. “Well, Hardy,” said Nelson,
“how goes the day with us?” “Very well,” replied Hardy; “ten ships
have struck, but five of the van have tacked, and show an intention
to bear down upon the Victory. I have called two or three of our
fresh ships round, and have no doubt of giving them a drubbing.”
“I hope,” said Nelson, “none of our ships have struck.” Hardy
answered, “there was no fear of that.” Then, and not till then,
Nelson spoke of himself. “I am a dead man, Hardy,” said he; “I
am going fast; it will be all over with me soon. Come nearer to
me. Let my dear Lady Hamilton have my hair, and all other things
belonging to me.” Hardy observed, that he hoped Mr. Beatty could
yet hold out some prospect of life. “Oh! no,” he replied; “it is
impossible. My back is shot through. Beatty will tell you so.”
Hardy then once more shook hands with him, and with a heart almost
bursting, hastened upon deck.
By this time all feeling below the breast was gone, and Nelson,
having made the surgeon ascertain this, said to him: “You know I
am gone. I know it. I feel something rising in my breast,” putting
his hand on his left side, “which tells me so.” And upon Beatty’s
inquiring whether his pain was very great, he replied, “so great
that he wished he was dead. Yet,” said he, in a lower voice, “one
would like to live a little longer too!” And after a few minutes,
in the same undertone, he added: “What would become of poor Lady
Hamilton if she knew my situation!” Next to his country she
occupied his thoughts. Captain Hardy, some fifty minutes after he
had left the cockpit, returned, and again taking the hand of his
dying friend and commander, congratulated him on having gained a
complete victory. How many of the enemy were taken he did not know,
as it was impossible to perceive them distinctly, but 14 or 15
at least. “That’s well,” cried Nelson, but “I bargained for 20.”
And then, in a stronger voice, he said: “Anchor, Hardy, anchor.”
Hardy, upon this, hinted that Admiral Collingwood would take upon
himself the direction of affairs. “Not while I live, Hardy,” said
the dying Nelson, ineffectually endeavouring to raise himself
from the bed: “do you anchor.” His previous orders for preparing
to anchor had shown how clearly he foresaw the necessity of this.
Presently calling Hardy back, he said to him in a low voice, “Don’t
throw me overboard;” and he desired that he might be buried by his
parents, unless it should please the King to order otherwise. Then
reverting to private feelings: “Take care of my dear Lady Hamilton,
Hardy; take care of poor Lady Hamilton. Kiss me, Hardy,” said he.
Hardy knelt down and kissed his cheek; and Nelson said, “Now I
am satisfied. Thank God I have done my duty!” Hardy stood over
him in silence for a moment or two, then knelt again and kissed
his forehead “Who is that?” said Nelson; and being informed, he
replied, “God bless you, Hardy.” And Hardy then left him for ever.
Nelson now desired to be turned upon his right side, and said, “I
wish I had not left the deck; for I shall soon be gone.” Death was,
indeed, rapidly approaching. He said to the Chaplain, “Doctor,
I have _not_ been a _great_ sinner;” and after a short pause,
“Remember that I leave Lady Hamilton and my daughter Horatia as a
legacy to my country.” His articulation now became difficult; but
he was distinctly heard to say, “Thank God, I have done my duty!”
These words he repeatedly pronounced, and they were the last words
which he uttered. He expired at thirty minutes after four, three
hours and a quarter after he had received his wound.”
TRAKTIR BRIDGE, BATTLE OF.--Fought during the Crimean campaign,
between the French and Sardinian forces, and the Russians--
“The garrison of Sebastopol having failed, on the 2nd of August,
in a desperate attempt to forces the Allied lines by the Woronzoff
Road, remained inactive only in appearance. They were ready for
a new Balaclava and a new Inkerman all in one, so far as the
strategic movement is concerned. In August the Tchernaya is
fordable at many points, well known, of course, to the enemy.
On the 16th of that month they debouched from the Tchouliou
Heights, and descended to the Tchernaya, in the neighbourhood of
Traktir-bridge. Behind this bridge rise, at a little distance,
the Fediukine hills, on which rested the rear of the French army,
which now faced about. To their right were the Sardinians,--to
theirs the Turks. Beyond the river, and under Tchouliou hills is
a valley, along which swarmed the Russian masses, driving the
outposts of the Sardinian Bersaglieri, or sharp-shooters. About
1500 Zouaves and Chasseurs guarded the bridge: they were attacked
by 10,000 Russians, under General Read. For an hour the 1500 held
the 10,000 beneath the storm of artillery which pound upon their
dense columns from one English battery and from the Sardinian and
French artillery. At last, the Russians swarmed over the fords,
forced the bridge, and slowly pushed the brave Zouaves up the hill;
but executed this movement painfully, out of breath, in disorder,
and rent by ordnance. At the hill’s brow the main body of the
French received in their openings comrades worthy of Leonidas, who,
turning, and now backed by strong columns, charged bayonets down
the declivity. Twice the enemy rallied, but in vain. The Sardinians
and French made a final rush, and drove them with carnage upon
their supports, who were thus disarrayed. The artillery reopened,
and the battle was won. General Scarlett’s dragoons came up at this
moment, but General Pelissier deemed pursuit unwise. The enemy
retired on Mackenzie’s Farm. He left on the field a quantity of
fascines, planks, beams, ladders, and sappers’ tools, destined
to destroy the works of the besiegers. He left also 2500 dead;
and 1620 of his wounded were that night in the ambulances of the
French, who took, in addition, 500 prisoners. They themselves lost
180 killed, and 810 wounded--chiefly on and near the bridge. This
great battle occurred the day succeeding the First Napoleon’s natal
anniversary, and the fête-day of the French Empire. It was on that
very morning that the Queen of England set out to pay the first
Royal visit ever made by English Monarch to a Sovereign of that
warlike dynasty. It seemed as if events both in the East and in the
West were conspiring to raise to the highest point the glory of the
Napoleon destinies at one and the same hour.”
TREBIA, BATTLE OF.--Fought between Hannibal and the Romans.
Hannibal taking advantage of the well known impetuosity of the
Romans, sent over at first a detachment of 1000 horse. These
pretending defeat, hastily recrossed the river, followed by the
main body of the Romans. By this means the defeat of the Romans was
insured. Benumbed with wading up to their armpits in water, they
became an easy prey to their enemies; 26,000 were either slain, or
drowned in attempting to cross the river.
TRINCOMALEE.--Taken from the Dutch by the English in 1782. Retaken
by the French same year; restored to the Dutch in 1783. Surrendered
to the British, under Colonel Stewart, August 26th, 1795, and was
confirmed by the peace of Amiens in 1802. Of a series of actions
fought off Trincomalee, between Sir Edward Hughes and the French
Admiral Suffrein, one was fought February 18th, 1782, the enemy
having 11 ships and the British 9. On April 12th following, they
had 18 to 11 ships, and on July 6th, same year, they had 15 to 12
ships. Yet, in every one of these battles, the French suffered
severe defeats.
TRIPLE ALLIANCE.--This celebrated party alliance between the States
General and England against France, was for the protection of the
Netherlands (Holland and Belgium). Sweden afterwards joined the
alliance, January 28th, 1668.
TRIUMPH.--On the day appointed, the General, crowned with laurels,
pronounced an oration to the soldiers and surrounding multitude,
relating his military achievements; then the march began with a
long procession, in which were carried inscriptions, containing
the names of the nations, provinces, or cities, he had conquered;
the priests assisted, leading the beasts used for sacrifice.
The conqueror, in an ivory car, richly ornamented, closed the
procession. He was surrounded by his friends and relations, bearing
branches of laurel; the procession stopped at the Capitol, where
they sacrificed to Jupiter, and deposited part of the spoils.
The lustre of the Roman conquests was often tarnished by their
inhumanity to the conquered; their prisoners, if of high rank,
were only reserved to suffer superior mortifications; the captive
Monarchs and Generals were bound in chains, their heads closely
shaven (a mark of peculiar degradation), and they were thus
presented a sad spectacle to the gazing multitude.
TROYES.--Celebrated for the treaty, May 24th, 1420. The French
were driven from Troyes by the Allied armies, February 7th, 1814.
Retaken by Napoleon, February 28th, and finally occupied by the
Allies, March 4th, same year.
TYRE.--A celebrated city in Asia Minor. Besieged by Nebuchadnezzar,
B.C. 572, and the city demolished a year after its rebuilding.
Taken by Alexander the Great, who spent seven months in the siege,
August 20th, 332 B.C. Thousands of the inhabitants were crucified
by Alexander, along the shore, for the bravery with which they had
defended their city.
U.
ULM, BATTLE OF.--A fierce and bloody engagement between the French
and Austrians, the latter commanded by General Mack, and the French
by Marshal Ney. The French gained a complete victory, the Austrians
losing 36,000 men as prisoners, the flower of their army, and an
immense number of killed and wounded. Fought, October 17th, and
19th, 1805.
UNIFORMS.--First used in France by Louis XIV in 1668, adopted in
England not long after.
USHANT, NAVAL BATTLE OF.--Between the British and French fleets,
when after an indecisive action of three hours, under cover of the
night, the latter withdrew in a deceptive manner to the harbour of
Brest. Keppel commanded the English fleet and the Count d’Ovillier
the French. A dispute occurring between the English Admiral and the
second in command caused the victory to be not so complete as it
would otherwise have been. Fought, July 27th, 1778.
UTRECHT, TREATY OF.--The Union of the seven Provinces began here
A.D. 1579. Celebrated treaty, April 11th, 1713. Surrendered to the
Prussians, May 9th, 1787. Possessed by the French, January 17th,
1795.
V.
VALENCIA, BATTLE OF.--Taken by the Earl of Peterborough in 1705,
and soon again lost. Resisted the attempts of many, but was taken
from the Spaniards by the French, under Suchet, January 9th, 1812;
all the garrison, 16,000 men, and immense stores, surrendered.
VALENCIENNES, SIEGE OF.--Besieged from May 23rd to July 14th, when
the French garrison surrendered to the Duke of York, 1793. Retaken
by the French, on capitulation; the garrison and 1100 emigrants
made prisoners, with immense stores, viz. 200 cannon, 1,000,000
pounds of gunpowder, 8,000,000 florins in specie, 6,000,000 of
livres, 1000 head of cattle, &c., on August 30th, 1794.
VALUE OF PRINCES.--£400,000 was the price paid to the Scots for
delivering up to the English Charles I.
Margaret of Anjou was ransomed for £12,500.
£1,000 offered by Parliament for the head of Charles II.
£30,000 for that of the Pretender.
Richard I was ransomed for the large sum of £100,000 or 150,000
marks; he had before been sold by the Duke Leopold of Austria, to
the Emperor Henry IV, for £60,000.
King John, of France, was to be redeemed by his subjects for the
enormous sum of 3,000,000 crowns, but they could not raise the
amount.
VARNA, BATTLE OF.--The Emperor Nicholas of Russia arrived before
Varna, the head-quarters of his army, then besieging the place,
August 5th, 1828. The Turks made a vigorous attack on the
besiegers August 7th; another on the 21st, but they were repulsed;
surrendered to the Russians, October 1st, 1828. Famous as the
point of _rendezvous_ of the Allied army, preparatory to the
Crimean war. The cholera made dreadful devastation in both the
English and French armies; then a great fire nearly destroyed the
town, but purified the air; and the news of the Crimean invasion
expedition dispelled the gloom and melancholy which pervaded, to a
very great degree, our troops.
VIENNA.--Besieged by the Turks, under Solyman the Magnificent, with
an army of 300,000 men, but forced to raise the siege having lost
70,000 soldiers. Again besieged in 1683, and the siege raised by
the celebrated John Sobieski, King of Poland, who totally routed
the Turkish army of 100,000 men. Taken by the French, November
14th, 1805, and afterwards retaken and taken for some time.
VILLA FRANCA, BATTLE OF.--Engagement here between the British
cavalry, under Cotton, and the French cavalry, under Soult. The
French were defeated, April 10th, 1812. When Napoleon heard of the
result he reproached Soult the first time in his life.
VIMEIRA, BATTLE OF.--Between the British, under Wellington, and
the whole of the French and Spanish forces, in Portugal, under
Marshal Guinot, whom the British signally defeated, August 21st,
1808. The enemy’s force were 14,000 men, of whom 1600 were cavalry.
They attacked the English at Vimeira early in the morning. The
principal assault was on the English centre and left, with the
view, according to a favourite French expression of “driving the
English into the sea,” which was close in their rear. The attack
was made with great bravery but as bravely repulsed. It was
repeated by Kellerman, at the head of the French reserve, which
was also signally repulsed, and the French being charged with the
British bayonet, withdrew on all sides in confusion, leaving many
prisoners, a General Officer, and 14 cannon, with ammunition, in
the hands of the British. French loss, killed and wounded, 1800.
English 720; only one-half of the British force was actually
engaged.
VINEGAR HILL, BATTLE OF.--Between the British troops and the Irish
insurgents, in 1798. The rebels suffered a severe defeat, and much
blood shed on both sides. June 12th, 1798.
VITTORIA, BATTLE OF.--Fought, June 21st, 1813, between the French
and English. The following is a graphic account of this great
victory:
“The splendid achievements of the campaign of 1812 produced their
natural results. Even the torpid obstinacy of Castilian pride was
at last overcome, and by a decree of the Cortes of September 22nd,
1812, the great English General was invested with the supreme
command of the Spanish armies. He repaired to Cadiz on the 24th of
December, and on the 30th he was received by the Cortes in full
assembly. The news of Napoleon’s overthrow in Russia had just
arrived, and all hearts seemed to expand with hope of the speedy
expulsion of his troops from Spain.
England herself also now began to put forth efforts commensurate
with the crisis. At the opening of the year 1813 her land forces
consisted of 228,000 men, besides 28,000 in India, 95,000 militia
at home, and 32,000 foreign troops in the British service. And,
besides these, she had 200,000 native troops in India, a local
militia of 300,000, and a yeomanry cavalry of 68,000, forming a
grand total of 949,000 men in arms; and her expenditure in the year
amounted to £118,000,000 sterling.
Thus supported, her great Commander, of whom it may be questioned
if his equal _in all respects_ ever stood upon a field of battle,
looked forward with reasonable expectation to a coming harvest;
to a campaign in which, after four years’ toils and sufferings,
the grand object of the final expulsion of the French from Spain
might be anticipated. And assuredly the means he took to gain this
end in the simplest and completest manner, were marked by the most
consummate skill and wisdom.
To be nearer to his supplies, and to relieve the wasted provinces
of Spain, Wellington had withdrawn his army into cantonments on
the Coa and the Agueda, that is, in Leon and in Beira, or Northern
Portugal. All the Lusitanian kingdom had long been free from the
French, and the campaign of 1812 had compelled them to abandon all
Andalusia Murcia, Granada, Asturias and Estramadura. The French
army now occupied only central and eastern Spain, the bulk of the
troops being quartered in New and Old Castile.
Wellington’s chief attention was naturally devoted, during the
winter, to the task of reorganizing his forces for the final
struggle of the opening year. His own English army was the only
force he had which was at all in a condition to march against
the enemy. Of the Spanish troops he found it necessary to give
the Spanish Minister of War, in March 1813, the following
description:--“There is not a single battalion or squadron in the
Spanish armies in a condition to take the field; there is not in
the whole kingdom of Spain a depôt of provisions for the support of
a single battalion for one day; there is not a shilling of money in
any military chest. To move them forward at any point now, against
even inconsiderable bodies of the enemy, would be to insure their
certain destruction.”
But by unceasing exertions these evils were, in a measure,
overcome: and Wellington found himself, in the month of May, 1813,
for the first time in a state approaching to an equality with the
French. Their force, which in former years had often amounted to
nearly 400,000 men, was now reduced to 239,000 of which about
197,000 were present with the eagles. Meanwhile Wellington’s
nominal force now amounted to 200,000, and although only about
one-half of this number were fit to take the field, the remainder
was still of use in maintaining the communications, guarding
convoys, and cutting off the foraging parties of the enemy. His
principal army of English and Portuguese mustered about 75,000 men,
of whom about 44,000 were English. The efficiency of the Portuguese
troops was advanced in a surprising manner; reinforcements,
especially of cavalry, had arrived from England; and the
Anglo-Portuguese troops, conscious of an improved organization,
were more confident than ever; while the French, hearing of the
calamities of their brethren in Russia, were proportionably
depressed. Even the Spaniards had, in some numbers, been brought
into better condition:--Wellington had kept them fed and clothed
during the winter, and had now several efficient corps of native
troops, ready to act in conjunction with his own army. Hence, on
the 22nd of May the great English General began his march, and
when he crossed the stream which divides Portugal from Spain, he
rose in his stirrups, and waving his hand, exclaimed, “Good bye to
Portugal!”
The military skill and talent of a commander is never more
conspicuously seen than in those manœuvres by which an enemy is
defeated _without a battle_. Such manœuvres often resemble the
skill and power with which an able and fearless horseman, even
while on the ground, will control a powerful courser, forcing
him backwards by a small leverage upon his mouth. In the present
instance the French still had a considerable army and able
Generals, and they occupied the centre of Spain, defending the
capital, and ready to fight, if needful, a succession of battles
before they would relinquish their prey. But their more able
antagonist forced them to retreat, step by step, without fighting,
until their last and only stand was made at Vittoria, almost in
sight of France; and then delivering his attack, he utterly routed
them, and chased them over the Pyrenees. On the 22nd of May, as we
have said, the English army marched out of Portugal; on the 21st of
June it fought and gained the battle of Vittoria; and before the
1st of July the shattered remains of the French army, with their
King Joseph at their head, had fled over the Pyrenees. Little more
than a single month had sufficed to destroy, uproot, and utterly
abolish the French dominion in Spain, and that at a time, too, when
there were still 197,000 French soldiers in the field, under many
able Commanders.
A brave general of the ordinary kind would have marched in quest
of the French, lying in front of Madrid; would have defeated them,
and taken the capital. All the smaller bodies of French in Spain
would then have been called round the King; and in July a second
battle would have been fought in Arragon, or in front of Burgos.
One more victory,--a third, supposing the English to have been
always victorious, might have sent the French out of Spain; but any
mistake or mishap might have prevented this. But Wellington, by
masterly tactics, always threatening to turn the enemy’s right wing
and to get upon his communications, backed his foe as a man backs
a horse, till he could bring the opposing army into a position fit
for his purpose; and then, delivering at once a knock-down blow, he
drove the whole mass, king and army, in four-and-twenty hours, out
of Spain.
King Joseph had reckoned, in the spring, upon a direct attack by
the great road of Madrid; but when it would come, or where it would
fall, he could not divine, for Wellington kept him constantly in
doubt, by a variety of feigned movements.
At last, towards the end of May, he found that Wellington, sending
40,000 men under Graham through the difficult passes of the
Tras-os-Montes, and moving himself a week after on the Esla, had
carried his whole army, by the 4th of June, over the Douro, and was
now in full march for Valladolid. If he should gain that place,
Joseph well knew that his communications would be cut off, and his
whole army taken, to use Napoleon’s phrase, “_flagrante delicto_.”
Hastily, therefore, Madrid was abandoned, the whole army put in
retreat; and now Joseph would make his stand at Burgos.