from the greater part of their line, and some of their lighter ships
were adrift. It was, however, difficult to take possession of those
which struck, because the batteries on Amak Island protected them, and
because an irregular fire was kept up from the ships themselves as the
boats approached. This arose from the nature of the action; the crew
were continually reinforced from the shore, and fresh men coming on
board, did not inquire whether the flag had been struck, or, perhaps,
did not heed it; many, or most of them, never having been engaged in war
before.
By half-past two the action had ceased along that part of the line
which was astern of the _Elephant_, but not with the ships ahead and the
Crown Batteries. Nelson, seeing the manner in which his boats were fired
upon when they went to take possession of the prizes, became angry, and
said he must either send on shore to have this irregular proceeding
stopped, or send a fire-ship and burn them. Half the shot from the
_Trekroner_ and from the batteries at Amak at this time struck the
surrendered ships, four of which had got close together; and the fire of
the English in return was equally, or even more, destructive to these
poor devoted Danes. Nelson, who was as humane as he was brave, was
shocked at this massacre--for such he called it--and, with a presence of
mind peculiar to himself, and never more signally displayed than now, he
retired into the stern galley, and wrote thus to the crown-prince:
"Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson has been commanded to spare Denmark when she
no longer resists. The line of defence which covered her shores has
struck to the British flag; but if the firing is continued on the part
of Denmark he must set on fire all the prizes that he has taken, without
having the power of saving the men who have so nobly defended them. The
brave Danes are the brothers, and should never be the enemies, of the
English." A wafer was given him, but he ordered a candle to be brought
from the cockpit and sealed the letter with wax, affixing a larger seal
than he ordinarily used. "This," said he, "is no time to appear hurried
and informal." Captain Sir Frederick Thesiger, who acted as his
aide-de-camp, carried this letter with a flag of truce. Meantime the
fire of the ships ahead and the approach of the _Ramilies_ and _Defence_
from Sir Hyde's division, which had now worked near enough to alarm the
enemy, though not to injure them, silenced the remainder of the Danish
line to the eastward of the _Trekroner_. That battery, however,
continued its fire.
During Thesiger's absence, Nelson sent for Freemantle, from the
_Ganges_, and consulted with him and Foley whether it was advisable to
advance with those ships which had sustained least damage, against the
yet uninjured part of the Danish line. They were decidedly of opinion
that the best thing which could be done was, while the wind continued
fair to remove the fleet out of the intricate channel, from which it had
to retreat. In somewhat more than half an hour after Thesiger had been
despatched, the Danish adjutant-general, Lindholm, came bearing a flag
of truce; upon which the _Trekroner_ ceased to fire and the action
closed after four hours' continuance. He brought an inquiry from the
prince, What was the object of Nelson's note? The British admiral wrote
in reply: "Lord Nelson's object in sending the flag of truce was
humanity; he therefore consents that hostilities shall cease and that
the wounded Danes may be taken on shore. And Lord Nelson will take his
prisoners out of the vessels, and burn or carry off his prizes as he
shall think fit. Lord Nelson, with humble duty to his royal highness the
prince, will consider this the greatest victory he has ever gained if it
may be the cause of a happy reconciliation and union between his own
most gracious sovereign and His Majesty the King of Denmark."--Sir
Frederick Thesiger was despatched a second time with the reply; and the
Danish adjutant-general was referred to the commander-in-chief for a
conference upon this overture. Lindholm, assenting to this, proceeded to
the _London_, which was riding at anchor full four miles off; and
Nelson, losing not one of the critical moments which he had thus gained,
made signal for his leading ships to weigh in succession; they had the
shoal to clear, they were much crippled, and their course was
immediately under the guns of the _Trekroner_.
The _Monarch_ led the way. This ship had received six-and-twenty shot
between wind and water. She had not a shroud standing; there was a
double-headed shot in the heart of her fore mast and the slightest wind
would have sent every mast over her side. The imminent danger from which
Nelson had extricated himself soon became apparent; the _Monarch_
touched immediately upon a shoal, over which she was pushed by the
_Ganges_ taking her amid-ships; the _Glatton_ went clear; but the other
two, the _Defiance_ and the _Elephant_, grounded about a mile from the
_Trekroner_, and there remained fixed for many hours in spite of all the
exertions of their wearied crews. The _Désirée_ frigate also, at the
other end of the line, having gone toward the close of the action to
assist the _Bellona_, became fast on the same shoal. Nelson left the
_Elephant_ soon after she took the ground to follow Lindholm. The heat
of action was over; and that kind of feeling, which the surrounding
scene of havoc was so well fitted to produce, pressed heavily upon his
exhausted spirits. The sky had suddenly become overcast; white flags
were waving from the mast-heads of so many shattered ships; the
slaughter had ceased, but the grief was to come; for the account of the
dead was not yet made up, and no man could tell for what friends he
would have to mourn. There was another reflection also, which mingled
with these melancholy thoughts and predisposed him to receive them. He
was not here master of his own movements as at Egypt; he had won the day
by disobeying his orders; and in so far as he had been successful, had
convicted the commander-in-chief of an error in judgment. "Well," said
he, as he left the _Elephant_, "I have fought contrary to orders and I
shall perhaps be hanged! Never mind, let them!"
This was the language of a man, who, while he is giving utterance to an
uneasy thought, clothes it half in jest because he half repents that it
has been disclosed. His services had been too eminent on that day, his
judgment too conspicuous, his success too signal, for any commander,
however jealous of his own authority or envious of another's merits, to
express anything but satisfaction and gratitude, which Sir Hyde heartily
felt and sincerely expressed. It was speedily agreed that there should
be a suspension of hostilities for four-and-twenty hours; that all the
prizes should be surrendered and the wounded Danes carried on shore.
Seventeen sail of the Danes were taken, burnt, or sunk in this battle.
The boats of Sir Hyde's division were actively employed all night in
bringing out the prizes and in getting afloat the ships which were on
shore. At daybreak, Nelson, who had slept in his own ship, the _St.
George_, rowed to the _Elephant_, and his delight at finding her afloat
seemed to give him new life. There he took a hasty breakfast, praising
the men for their exertions, and then pushed off to the prizes which had
not yet been removed. The English spent the day in refitting their own
ships, securing the prizes, and distributing the prisoners; the Danes,
in carrying on shore and disposing of the wounded and the dead. It had
been a murderous action. Our loss, in killed and wounded, was nine
hundred and fifty-three. The loss of the Danes, including prisoners,
amounted to about six thousand. The negotiations, meantime, went on; and
it was agreed that Nelson should have an interview with the prince the
following day. The preliminaries of the negotiation were adjusted at
this interview. During the repast which followed, Nelson, with all the
sincerity of his character, bore willing testimony to the valour of his
foes. He told the prince that he had been in a hundred and five
engagements but that this was the most tremendous of all. "The French,"
he said, "fought bravely, but they could not have stood for one hour the
fight which the Danes had supported for four." He requested that
Villemoes might be introduced to him; and, shaking hands with the youth,
told the prince that he ought to be made an admiral. The prince replied:
"If, my lord, I am to make all my brave officers admirals, I should have
no captains or lieutenants in my service."
For the battle of Copenhagen, fought on April 2nd, 1801, Nelson was
raised to the rank of viscount; an inadequate mark of reward for
services so splendid and of such paramount importance to the dearest
interests of England. There was, however, some prudence in dealing out
honours to him step by step; had he lived long enough he would have
fought his way up to a dukedom.
He had not been many weeks on shore before he was called upon to
undertake a service for which no Nelson was required. Bonaparte, who was
now first consul and in reality sole ruler of France, was making
preparations upon a great scale for invading England; but his schemes
in the Baltic had been baffled; fleets could not be created as they were
wanted; and his armies, therefore, were to come over in gun-boats and
such small craft as could be rapidly built or collected for the
occasion. From the former governments of France such threats have only
been matter of insult or policy: in Bonaparte they were sincere; for
this adventurer, intoxicated with success, already began to imagine that
all things were to be submitted to his fortune. We had not at that time
proved the superiority of our soldiers over the French, and the
unreflecting multitude were not to be persuaded that an invasion could
only be effected by numerous and powerful fleets. A general alarm was
excited, and, in condescension to this unworthy feeling, Nelson was
appointed to a command extending from Orfordness to Beachy Head, on both
shores--a sort of service, he said, for which he felt no other ability
than what might be found in his zeal. This zeal he continued to display
without abatement until the Peace of Amiens gave him leisure to return
home again.
THE STORY OF THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR.
BY ROBERT SOUTHEY.
In 1803 the short-lived Peace of Amiens came to an end, and Nelson was
re-appointed to the command of the Mediterranean fleet. Hoisting his
flag upon the _Victory_ he busied himself for some time in preventing a
combination of the French fleets. Notwithstanding his vigilance, the
French ships escaped from Toulon and joined with those of Cadiz. Nelson
followed them to the West Indies, but they were evidently more inclined
to fence than to fight, and so contrived to elude him. Nelson, weary of
cruising in search of the enemy, gave up the chase, and returned to
England determined to rest awhile and recoup. All his stores were
brought up from the _Victory_, and he found in his house at Merton the
rest he required. Many days had not elapsed before Captain Blackwood, on
his way to London with despatches, called on him at five in the morning.
Nelson, who was already dressed, exclaimed the moment he saw him: "I am
sure you bring me news of the French and Spanish fleets! I think I shall
yet have to beat them!" They had refitted at Vigo after an indecisive
action with Sir Robert Calder, then proceeded to Ferrol, brought out the
squadron from thence, and with it entered Cadiz in safety. "Depend on
it, Blackwood," he repeatedly said, "I shall yet give M. Villeneuve a
drubbing." But, when Blackwood had left him, he wanted resolution to
declare his wishes to Lady Hamilton and his sisters, and endeavoured to
drive away the thought. He had done enough; he said, "Let the man trudge
it who has lost his budget!" His countenance belied his lips and as he
was pacing one of the walks in the garden, which he used to call the
quarter-deck, Lady Hamilton came up to him and told him she saw he was
uneasy. He smiled, and said, "No, he was as happy as possible; he was
surrounded by those he loved, his health was better since he had been on
shore, and he would not give sixpence to call the king his uncle." She
replied that she did not believe him, that she knew he was longing to
get at the combined fleets, that he considered them as his own property,
that he would be miserable if any man but himself did the business, and
that he ought to have them as the price and reward of his two years'
long watching and his hard chase. "Nelson," said she, "however we may
lament your absence, offer your services; they will be accepted and you
will gain a quiet heart by it; you will have a glorious victory, and
then you may return here and be happy."
His services were as willingly accepted as they were offered; and Lord
Barham, giving him the list of the navy, desired him to choose his own
officers. "Choose yourself, my lord," was his reply; "the same spirit
actuates the whole profession; you cannot choose wrong."
Early on September 14th Nelson reached Portsmouth, and having despatched
his business on shore, endeavoured to elude the populace by taking a
by-way to the beach; but a crowd collected in his train, pressing
forward to obtain sight of his face; many were in tears, and many knelt
down before him and blessed him as he passed. England has had many
heroes, but never one who so entirely possessed the love of his
fellow-countrymen as Nelson. All men knew that his heart was as humane
as it was fearless; that there was not in his nature the slightest alloy
of selfishness or cupidity; but that, with perfect and entire devotion,
he served his country with all his heart, and with all his soul, and
with all his strength; and, therefore, they loved him as truly and as
fervently as he loved England. They pressed upon the parapet to gaze
after him when his barge pushed off, and he was returning their cheers
by waving his hat. The sentinels who endeavoured to prevent them from
trespassing upon this ground, were wedged among the crowd; and an
officer, who, not very prudently upon such an occasion, ordered them to
drive the people down with their bayonets, was compelled speedily to
retreat, for the people would not be debarred from gazing till the last
moment upon the hero--the darling hero--of England!
Nelson arrived off Cadiz on September 29th--his birthday. Fearing that
if the enemy knew his force they might be deterred from venturing to
sea, he kept out of sight of land, desired Collingwood to fire no salute
and hoist no colours; and wrote to Gibraltar to request that the force
of the fleet might not be inserted there in the _Gazette_. His reception
in the Mediterranean fleet was as gratifying as the farewell of his
countrymen at Portsmouth: the officers, who came on board to welcome
him, forgot his rank as commander in their joy at seeing him again. On
the day of his arrival, Villeneuve received orders to put to sea the
first opportunity. Villeneuve, however, hesitated when he heard that
Nelson had resumed the command. He called a council of war; and their
determination was, that it would not be expedient to leave Cadiz unless
they had reason to believe themselves stronger by one-third than the
British force.
In the public measures of this country secrecy is seldom practicable,
and seldom attempted: here, however, by the precautions of Nelson and
the wise measures of the Admiralty, the enemy were for once kept in
ignorance; for, as the ships appointed to reinforce the Mediterranean
fleet were despatched singly, each as soon as it was ready, their
collected number was not stated in the newspapers and their arrival was
not known to the enemy. But the enemy knew that Admiral Louis, with six
sail, had been detached for stores and water to Gibraltar. Accident also
contributed to make the French admiral doubt whether Nelson himself had
actually taken the command. An American, lately arrived from England,
maintained that it was impossible--for he had seen him only a few days
before in London, and at that time there was no rumour of his going
again to sea.
The station which Nelson had chosen was some fifty or sixty miles to the
west of Cadiz, near Cape St. Mary's. At this distance he hoped to decoy
the enemy out, while he guarded against the danger of being caught with
a westerly wind near Cadiz and driven within the Straits. The blockade
of the port was rigorously enforced, in hopes that the combined fleet
might be forced to sea by want. The Danish vessels, therefore, which
were carrying provisions from the French ports in the bay, under the
name of Danish property, to all the little ports from Ayamonte to
Algeziras, from whence they were conveyed in coasting boats to Cadiz,
were seized. Without this proper exertion of power, the blockade would
have been rendered nugatory by the advantage thus taken of the neutral
flag. The supplies from France were thus effectually cut off. There was
now every indication that the enemy would speedily venture out: officers
and men were in the highest spirits at the prospect of giving them a
decisive blow; such, indeed, as would put an end to all further contest
upon the seas.
"I verily believe," said Nelson, writing on October 6th, "that the
country will soon be put to some expense on my account; either a
monument, or a new pension and honours; for I have not the smallest
doubt but that a very few days, almost hours, will put us in battle. The
success no man can insure; but for the fighting them, if they can be got
at, I pledge myself. The sooner the better: I don't like to have these
things upon my mind."
At this time he was not without some cause of anxiety; he was in want of
frigates--the eyes of the fleet, as he always called them--to the want
of which the enemy before were indebted for their escape and Bonaparte
for his arrival in Egypt. He had only twenty-three ships--others were on
the way; but they might come too late; and though Nelson never doubted
of victory, mere victory was not what he looked to, he wanted to
annihilate the enemy's fleet.
On the 9th, Nelson sent Collingwood what he called, in his diary, the
Nelson-touch. "I send you," said he, "my plan of attack, as far as a man
dare venture to guess at the very uncertain position the enemy may be
found in; but it is to place you perfectly at ease respecting my
intentions, and to give full scope to your judgment for carrying them
into effect. We can, my dear Coll, have no little jealousies. We have
only one great object in view--that of annihilating our enemies and
getting a glorious peace for our country. No man has more confidence in
another than I have in you; and no man will render your services more
justice than your very old friend, Nelson and Bronte." The order of
sailing was to be the order of battle; the fleet in two lines with an
advanced squadron of eight of the fastest sailing two-deckers. The
second in command, having the entire direction of his line, was to break
through the enemy, about the twelfth ship from their rear; he would lead
through the centre, and the advanced squadron was to cut off three or
four ahead of the centre. This plan was to be adapted to the strength of
the enemy, so that they should always be one-fourth superior to those
whom they cut off. Nelson said that "his admirals and captains, knowing
his precise object to be that of a close and decisive action, would
supply any deficiency of signals and act accordingly. In case signals
cannot be seen or clearly understood, no captain can do wrong if he
places his ship alongside that of an enemy." One of the last orders of
this admirable man was that the name and family of every officer,
seaman, and marine who might be killed or wounded in action, should be,
as soon as possible, returned to him, in order to be transmitted to the
chairman of the patriotic fund, for the benefit of the sufferer or his
family.
About half-past nine in the morning of the 19th, the _Mars_, being the
nearest to the fleet of the ships which formed the line of communication
with the frigates in-shore, repeated the signal that the enemy were
coming out of port. The wind was at this time very light, with partial
breezes, mostly from the south-south-west. Nelson ordered the signal to
be made for a chase in the south-east quarter. About two the repeating
ships announced that the enemy were at sea. All night the British fleet
continued under all sail, steering to the south-east. At daybreak they
were in the entrance of the Straits, but the enemy were not in sight.
About seven one of the frigates made signal that the enemy were bearing
north. Upon this the _Victory_ hove to; and shortly afterwards Nelson
made sail again to the northward. In the afternoon the wind blew fresh
from the south-west, and the English began to fear that the foe might be
forced to return to port. A little before sunset, however, Blackwood, in
the _Euryalus_, telegraphed that they appeared determined to go to the
westward. "And that," said the admiral in his diary, "they shall not do
if it is in the power of Nelson and Bronte to prevent them." Nelson had
signified to Blackwood that he depended upon him to keep sight of the
enemy. They were observed so well that all their motions were made known
to him; and, as they wore twice, he inferred that they were aiming to
keep the port of Cadiz open and would retreat there as soon as they saw
the British fleet; for this reason he was very careful not to approach
near enough to be seen by them during the night. At daybreak the
combined fleets were distinctly seen from the _Victory's_ deck, formed
in a close line of battle ahead, on the starboard tack, about twelve
miles to leeward and standing to the south. Our fleet consisted of
twenty-seven sail of the line and four frigates; theirs of thirty-three
and seven large frigates. Their superiority was greater in size and
weight of metal than in numbers. They had four thousand troops on board;
and the best riflemen who could be procured, many of them Tyrolese, were
dispersed through the ships.
Soon after daylight Nelson came upon deck. October 21st was a festival
in his family, because on that day his uncle, Captain Suckling, in the
_Dreadnought_, with two other line-of-battle ships, had beaten off a
French squadron of four sail of the line and three frigates. Nelson,
with that sort of superstition from which few persons are entirely
exempt, had more than once expressed his persuasion that this was to be
the day of his battle also; and he was well pleased at seeing his
prediction about to be verified. The wind was now from the west, light
breezes, with a long, heavy swell. Signal was made to bear down upon
the enemy in two lines, and the fleet set all sail. Collingwood, in the
_Royal Sovereign_, led the lee line of thirteen ships; the _Victory_ led
the weather line of fourteen. Having seen that all was as it should be,
Nelson retired to his cabin, and wrote the following prayer:--
"May the great God whom I worship grant to my country and for the
benefit of Europe in general a great and glorious victory, and may no
misconduct in any one tarnish it; and may humanity after victory be the
predominant feature in the British fleet! For myself individually, I
commit my life to Him that made me; and may His blessing alight on my
endeavours for serving my country faithfully! To Him I resign myself and
the just cause which is entrusted to me to defend. Amen. Amen. Amen."
Having thus discharged his devotional duties, he proceeded to recite at
length in his diary the services rendered to him and through him to the
English nation by Lady Hamilton, commending her to the care of the
Government. This entry was witnessed by Henry Blackwood and T. M. Hardy.
Blackwood arrived on board the _Victory_ about six o'clock. He found
Nelson in good spirits, but very calm; not in that exhilaration which he
had felt upon entering into battle at Aboukir and Copenhagen. He knew
that his own life would be particularly aimed at, and seems to have
looked for death with almost as sure an expectation as for victory. His
whole attention was fixed upon the enemy. They tacked to the northward
and formed their line on the larboard tack; thus bringing the shoals of
Trafalgar and St. Pedro under the lee of the British, and keeping the
port of Cadiz open for themselves. This was judiciously done; and
Nelson, aware of the advantages it gave them, made signal to prepare to
anchor.