The Battle of Trafalgar, and extracts from the log of His Majesty’s
Ship _Neptune_, on the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd October, 1805.
FEELINGS OF A CREW GOING INTO ACTION. BY LIEUT. H. GASCOIGNE, R.M.
_Extracted from a Poem called “Fame.”_
“The man who pants not for his country’s fame
Is lost to virtue and the sense of shame;
For here the common parent of us all,
Bears every claim of those whom dear we call--
Our father, mother, brother, sister, wife,
Religion, friendship--all that’s good in life,
The whole united in the single name
Of country! ever our support must claim.
Poor is the soul who could outlive the day
When honour called him, and he shunn’d the fray;
Poor is the man who yet could wish to live
When to his country death would glory give!
Pardon, O God! thou righteous Judge of all,
If willing we obey our country’s call,
Though ill-prepared; for Thou didst plant these laws,
And to Thy mercy we submit our cause!
Full expectation gives the mind to wait,
And moments lengthen in the hands of fate.”
I shall never forget the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st of October, 1805.
Signs of a movement in the combined fleets of France and Spain in Cadiz
were made by signal on the 18th by the inshore squadron, and on the
19th the enemy came out of port. The wind was light and the day rather
hazy, so that the body of our fleet never perceived them. Sunday we
had a fresh breeze, when some of the headmost ships saw the enemy in
shore, but they were too close under the land to be attacked. All
hearts towards evening beat with joyful anxiety for the next day, which
we hoped would crown our anxious blockade labours with a successful
battle. When night closed in, the rockets and blue lights, with signal
guns, informed us the inshore squadron still kept sight of our foes,
and, like good and watchful dogs, our ships continued to send forth
occasionally a growling cannon to keep us on the alert, and to cheer us
with the hope of a glorious day on the morrow.
And the morrow came; and with it the sun rose, which, as it ascended
from its bed of ocean, looked hazy and watery, as if it smiled in tears
on many brave hearts which fate had decreed should never see it set. It
was my morning watch; I was midshipman of the forecastle, and at the
first dawn of day a forest of strange masts was seen to leeward. I ran
aft and informed the officer of the watch. The captain was on deck in a
moment, and ere it was well light, the signals were flying through the
fleet to bear up and form the order of sailing in two columns.
The wind had moderated considerably in the night, but still our fleet,
which consisted of twenty-seven sail of the line, four frigates, a
schooner, and cutter, was much scattered. Our ship had been previously
prepared for battle, so that with the exception of stowing hammocks,
slinging the lower yards, stoppering the topsail-sheets, and other
minor matters, little remained to be done. All sail was set, and the
different ships tried to form the line in two divisions, but the
lightness of the wind, and the distance of the sternmost from the van,
prevented anything like speed in the manœuvre; in short, the line never
was properly formed, for the brave and gallant chiefs of each division
were too eager to get into battle to wait for this. The old _Neptune_,
which never was a good sailer, took it into her head to sail better
that morning than I ever remember to have seen her do before. About
ten o’clock we got close to the _Victory_, and Captain Fremantle had
intended to pass her and break the enemy’s line, but poor Lord Nelson
himself hailed us from the stern-walk of the _Victory_, and said,
“_Neptune_, take in your studding-sails and drop astern; I shall break
the line myself.” A signal was then made for the _Téméraire_ (98) to
take her station between us and the _Victory_, which consequently made
us the third ship in the van of his lordship’s column.
At this period the enemy were forming their double line in the shape
of a crescent. It was a beautiful sight when their line was completed:
their broadsides turned towards us, showing their iron teeth, and now
and then trying the range of a shot to ascertain the distance, that
they might, the moment we came within point blank (about six hundred
yards), open their fire upon our van ships--no doubt with the hope of
dismasting some of our leading vessels before they could close and
break their line. Some of them were painted like ourselves--with double
yellow sides; some with a broad single red or yellow streak; others all
black; and the noble _Santissima Trinidada_ (138), with four distinct
lines of red, with a white ribbon between them, made her seem to be a
superb man-of-war, which indeed she was. Her appearance was imposing;
her head splendidly ornamented with a colossal group of figures,
painted white, representing the Holy Trinity, from which she took her
name. This magnificent ship was destined to be our opponent. She was
lying-to under topsails, top-gallant sails, royals, jib, and spanker;
her courses were hauled up; and her lofty, towering sails looked
beautiful, peering through the smoke, as she awaited the onset. The
flags of France and Spain, both handsome, chequered the line, waving
defiance to that of Britain.
Then, in our fleet, union-jacks and ensigns were made fast to the fore
and fore-topmast-stays, as well as to the mizen-rigging, besides one at
the peak, in order that we might not mistake each other in the smoke,
and to show the enemy our determination to conquer. Towards eleven,
our two lines were better formed, but still there existed long gaps
in Vice-Admiral Collingwood’s division. Lord Nelson’s van was strong:
three three-deckers (_Victory_, _Téméraire_, and _Neptune_), and four
seventy-four’s, their jib-booms nearly over the others’ taffrails,
the bands playing “God save the King,” “Rule Britannia,” and “Britons
strike home;” the crews stationed on the forecastle of the different
ships, cheering the ship ahead of them when the enemy began to fire,
sent those feelings to our hearts that ensured us victory. About ten
minutes before twelve, our antagonists opened their fire upon the
_Royal Sovereign_ (110), Vice-Admiral Collingwood, who most nobly, and
unsupported for at least ten minutes, led his division into action,
steering for the _Santa Anna_ (112), which was painted all black,
bearing the flag of Admiral Gravina, during which time all the enemy’s
line that could possibly bring a gun to bear were firing at her. She
was the admiration of the whole fleet.
To show the great and master mind of Nelson, who was thinking of
everything even in the momentous hour of battle, when most minds would
have been totally absorbed in other matters, it was remarked by him
that the enemy had the iron hoops round their masts painted black;
orders were issued by signal to whitewash those of his fleet, that
in the event of all the ensigns being shot away, his ships might be
distinguished by their white masts and hoops.
In order to convey a more accurate notion of the commencement and of
the ensuing events of this glorious day, I shall introduce an extract
from the log-book of His Majesty’s Ship _Neptune_ (98 guns):--
“A.M., moderate and fine weather; at daylight discovered 39 strange
ships to leeward. At 6, answered the signal from the _Victory_,
Lord Nelson’s flag-ship, No. 76, to form the order of sailing
in two lines; bore up and made all sail, the fleet consisting
of twenty-seven ships of the line, four frigates, a cutter, and
schooner, in company; cleared ship for action. At 11, answered the
general telegraph signal, ‘England expects every man will do his
duty’; Captain Fremantle inspected the different decks, and made
known the above signal, which was received with cheers. At 11.30,
the signal to break the enemy’s line, and engage to leeward.
“At 12, the _Royal Sovereign_ (110), Vice-Admiral Collingwood,
most nobly broke the enemy’s line, and engaged the Spanish Admiral
Gravina, whose flag was flying in the _Santa Anna_ (112), cutting
off the 19th ship from their rear; the French and Spanish fleet, of
33 sail of the line, 4 frigates, and 2 brigs, lying-to for us to
leeward, with their heads to the northward.
“At 12.15, the _Victory_ (100), Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson, followed
by the _Téméraire_ (98), Captain Eliab Hervey, and _Neptune_ (98),
Captain Fremantle, broke the line of the enemy by the French
Commander-in-Chief’s ship, Admiral Villeneuve, in the _Bucentaure_
(84), and _Santissima Trinidada_ (138), of four decks, bearing the
flag of Rear-Admiral Don Cisneros Baltazar, the eleventh ship from
the van.
“At 12.25, three of the enemy’s ships of the line opened their fire
upon us, raking us fore and aft. At 12.35, we broke their line,
passed between, and opened our broadside and raked them on both
sides. At 12.47, we engaged a two-deck ship, with a flag at her
mizen. At 1.30, entirely dismasted her, she struck her colours; but
before that, the _Leviathan_ (74), also opened her broadside upon
her, we passed on (first giving her three hearty cheers), and bore
down and attacked the _Santissima Trinidada_, a Spanish four-decker
of 140 guns, with a flag at her mizen; raked her as we passed
under her stern; and at 1.50 opened our fire on her starboard
quarter. At 2.40, shot away her main and mizen masts; at 2.50, her
foremast; at 3, she cried for quarter, and hailed us to say they
had surrendered; she then stuck English colours to the stump of
her mainmast; gave her three cheers. At this time the _Leviathan_
and _Conqueror_ (74’s), on our starboard quarter, firing on some
of the enemy’s ships. Our standing and running rigging much
cut; foretop-gallant and royal-yard shot away; the foremast and
foretop-mast very badly wounded; three shot in the main-mast; one
cheek of the mizen mast shot away, and wounded in other places;
foreyard nearly shot in two, and ship pulled in several places;
sent down men to get up more shot, having nearly fired away all
that was on deck.
“When the smoke cleared away, observed the _Victory_, _Royal
Sovereign_, and _Téméraire_ warmly engaged, and the six van ships
of the enemy who had not been engaged had tacked, and were bearing
down to attack us. At 3.30, opened our fire on them, assisted by
the _Leviathan_ and _Conqueror_; observed one of them to have all
her masts shot away by our united fire; the rest then hauled their
wind (we learned afterwards it was Rear-Admiral Dumanoir), and
making off to the southward, and we not in a condition to follow
them, our sails being nearly shot from the yards, and, in addition
to other defects, not a brace or bowline left. Turned the hands
up to knot and splice, and bend new sails. At 5, observed 18 sail
of the enemy making off, viz., 13 sail of the line, 3 frigates,
and 2 brigs, leaving to us 20 ships of the line, 2 of which were
first-rates, viz., _Santissima Trinidada_ and _Santa Anna_. At
5.15, a French ship of the line, _L’Achille_, blew up with nearly
all her crew. Observed the _Victory_ with her mizen-mast and
all her topmasts shot away; the _Royal Sovereign_ with only her
foremast standing; unable to see the condition of the rest of the
fleet. At 6, we hailed the _Ajax_ (74), and told her to go and
take possession of a French ship of the line dismasted; saw the
_Prince_ (98) take the _Santissima Trinidada_ (138) in tow, which
had struck to us. Found we had 10 men killed, and 35 wounded, 4 of
whom shortly after died of their wounds.
“At midnight, having repaired what damages we could, made sail.
At 4 in the morning of the 22nd, we were spoke by the _Pickle_
schooner, who told us it was Admiral Collingwood’s orders. We took
some ship in tow. At daylight, observed Admiral C.’s flag in the
_Euryalus_ frigate, with the _Royal Sovereign_ in tow, who made our
signal to take her in tow, which we did.
“At daylight, it blew a fresh gale from the S.S.W.; the ships very
much scattered; all the prizes dismasted and drifting about, most
of them having been cast off from the ships that had them in tow;
and the French 84-gun ship, _Rédoutable_, while in tow of the
British _Swiftsure_, foundered with nearly all her unfortunate
crew. At daylight of the 23rd, we picked up four of her people
floating upon a piece of her wreck. Came on board of us, as
prisoner from the _Mars_ (74), Admiral Villeneuve, the French
commander-in-chief.
“In this battle we lost the brave Vice-Admiral Viscount Nelson, who
was killed on board the _Victory_ by a musket-ball from the maintop
of the French 84-gun ship, _Rédoutable_. The news of the death of
this lamented hero threw a damp over our victory, which we were
not prepared for. At noon on the 23rd, the signal was made that
the remnant of the enemy’s fleet was coming out of Cadiz to try
and pick up some of the dismasted ships and prizes; cast off the
_Royal Sovereign_, and bore up with the rest of the ships that were
able, and formed the line of battle to leeward of our dismasted
ships and prizes for their protection; on seeing which, the enemy
returned into port without accomplishing his object, but losing
another ship, the _El Rayo_ (100), for his pains!”
Thus ended this noble fight, the consequences of which were felt from
one end of Europe to the other, indeed, I may say, in all parts of the
world; and, surely, for such a day’s work, the country ought to have
voted a medal, not only to the admirals and captains, but (as was the
case at Waterloo) to every officer, seaman, and marine, in the fleet.
The loss of the _Neptune_ in this action, considering what she did, was
comparatively small; but the ship was admirably managed by her gallant
captain, who was ably supported by a clever scientific first lieutenant
(the present Captain George Acklom), who justly merited every praise
for his coolness and abilities on that memorable day.
During the time we were going into action, and being raked by the
enemy, the whole of the crew, with the exception of the officers,
were made to lie flat on the deck, to secure them from the raking
shots, some of which came in at the bows and went out at the stern.
Had it not been for the above precaution, many lives must have been
sacrificed. My quarters were the five midship-guns on each side of the
main-deck. I was sent on board the _Santissima Trinidada_, a few days
after the action, to assist in getting out the wounded men, previous
to destroying her. She was a magnificent ship, and ought now to be in
Portsmouth harbour. Her top-sides, it is true, were perfectly riddled
by our beautiful firing, and she had, if I recollect right, 550 killed
and wounded; but from the lower part of the sills of the lower-deck
ports to the water’s edge, few shot of consequence had hurt her between
wind and water, and those were all plugged up. She was built of cedar,
and would have lasted for ages, a glorious trophy of the battle; but
“sink, burn, and destroy,” was the order of the day, and after a
great deal of trouble, scuttling her in many places, hauling up her
lower-deck ports,--that when she rolled the heavy sea might fill her
decks,--she did at last go unwillingly to the bottom.
I have now by me a gilt dirk that I brought away from her, it belonged
to the Spanish admiral’s son, Don Baltazar Cisneros; I would not part
with it for its weight in gold. Of all our hard-earned prizes, only
four got safe to Gibraltar; viz., _San Ildefonso_ (74), _San Juan
Nepomuceno_ (74), _Bahama_ (74), and the old English _Swiftsure_ (74),
the rest were either sunk or burnt. Nothing being talked of now but
horizontal firing, it is to be hoped we shall fire as well and with the
same precision and effect next war, as the British fleet did on this
memorable day.
The establishment of the school for naval gunnery on board the
_Excellent_ at Portsmouth, placed as it is under the superintendence of
Sir Thomas Hastings, and other scientific officers, will, in my humble
opinion however some persons may affect to despise teaching seamen the
science of naval gunnery, be of general benefit to the service. One of
the originators of it, the gallant Captain Sir John Pechell, Bart.,
C.B., K.C.B., deserves great credit, and the thanks of the service
for the interest, zeal, and attention he has paid to it; as also does
Captain George Smith, who invented the moveable target, now used on
board our men-of-war, and several other ingenious and clever inventions
of his have been before the public. He has lately invented paddle-box
life boats for steam ships.
_List of the English Fleet, under Lord Nelson, on the 21st October,
1805-27 sail of the line, 4 frigates, 1 cutter, 1 schooner._
LORD NELSON’S DIVISION.
Guns. Killed. Wounded.
_Victory_ 100 { Vice-Admiral Viscount Nelson } 51 75
{ Captain T. M. Hardy }
_Téméraire_ 98 Eliab Harvey 47 76
_Neptune_ 98 T. F. Fremantle 10 35
_Conqueror_ 74 Israel Pellew 3 9
_Leviathan_ 74 H. W. Bayntum 4 22
_Ajax_ 74 Lieut. J. Pilfold 0 9
_Orion_ 74 Edward Codrington 1 23
_Agamemnon_ 64 Sir Edward Berry 2 7
_Minotaur_ 74 C. J. M. Mansfield 3 22
_Spartiate_ 74 Sir F. Laforey, Bart. 3 20
_Britannia_ 100 { Rear-Admiral the Earl Northesk } 10 42
{ Captain Charles Bullen }
_Africa_ 64 Henry Digby 18 44
--- ---
Total 154 383
--- ---
VICE-ADMIRAL COLLINGWOOD’S DIVISION.
Guns. Killed. Wounded.
_Royal Sovereign_ 100 { Vice-Admiral Collingwood } 47 94
{ Captain Rotherham }
_Mars_ 74 G. Duff (killed) 29 69
_Belleisle_ 74 W. Hargood 33 93
_Tonnant_ 80 C. Tyler 26 50
_Bellerophon_ 74 J. Cook (killed) 27 133
_Colossus_ 74 J. N. Morris 40 160
_Achille_ 74 Richard King 13 59
_Polyphemus_ 74 R. Redmill 2 4
_Revenge_ 74 R. Moorson 28 51
_Defiance_ 74 P. C. Durham 17 53
_Swiftsure_ 74 W. G. Rutherford 9 7
_Defence_ 74 G. Hope 7 29
_Thunderer_ 74 Lieut. Stockham 4 16
_Prince_ 98 R. Grindall 0 0
_Dreadnought_ 98 John Conn 7 26
--- ---
Total 263 794
--- ----
Grand Total 417 1177
--- ----
FRIGATES.
Guns.
_Euryalus_ 36 Hon. H. Blackwood.
_Sirius_ 36 William Prowse.
_Phœbe_ 36 Hon. T. B. Capel.
_Naiad_ 36 T. Dundas.
_Pickle_ (schooner) 12 Lieut. J. R. Lapenotiere.
_Entreprenant_ (cutter) 12 Lieut. R. B. Young.
* * * * *
_List of the French and Spanish combined fleets in action, off Cape
Trafalgar, near Cadiz, 21st October, 1805--33 sail of the line, 3
frigates, 3 brigs._
No. Guns.
1. _San Ildefonso_ 74 Taken. (Spanish.)
2. _San Juan Nepomuceno_ 74 Do. (Do.)
3. _Bahama_ 74 Do. (Do.)
4. _Swiftsure_ 74 Do. (French.)
(The above four ships arrived safe at Gibraltar.)
5. _Monarca_ 74 Taken and wrecked. (Spanish.)
6. _Fougueux_ 74 Do., do., and all her crew.
(French.)
7. _Indomptable_ 84 Do., do. (Do.)
8. _Bucentaure_ 74 Taken and wrecked, and most of
her crew. (French.)
9. _San Francisco de Asis_ 74 Taken and wrecked. (Spanish.)
10. _El Rayo_ 100 Do. (Do.)
11. _Neptuno_ 84 Do. and destroyed. (Do.)
12. _Argonaut_ 74 Driven on shore, but got off again.
(French.)
13. _Berwick_ 74 Taken and wrecked. (Do.)
14. _L’Aigle_ 74 Do., do. (Do.)
15. _L’Achille_ 74 Blew up in action, with most of
her crew. (French.)
16. _Intrépide_ 74 Taken, and burnt after the action.
(French.)
17. _San Augustin_ 74 Do., do. (Spanish.)
18. _Santissima Trinidada_ 140 Taken by the _Neptune_; sunk after
the action by the _Prince_ and
_Neptune_, in consequence of
orders to destroy her. (Spanish.)
19. _Rédoutable_ 84 Taken, and foundered with all her
crew except four. (French.)
20. _Argonauta_ 80 Taken and destroyed. (Spanish.)
21. _Santa Anna_ 112 Taken, but got into Cadiz
dismasted. (Spanish.)
22. _Algesiras_ 74 Taken, but escaped in the gale
into Cadiz. (French.)
23. _Pluton_ 74 Do., do. (Do.)
24. _San Juste_ 74 Do., but got into Cadiz with her
foremast only standing.
(Spanish.)
25. _San Leandro_ 64 Taken--got into Cadiz. (Do.)
26. _Le Neptune_ 84 Escaped. (French.)
27. _Le Héros_ 74 Escaped--lost topmasts. (French.)
28. _Principe di Asturias_ 112 Lost all her masts--escaped
into Cadiz. (Spanish.)
29. _Montanez_ 74 Escaped. (Spanish.)
30. _Formidable_* 84 Do. (French.)
31. _Mont Blanc_* 74 Do. (Do.)
32. _Scipion_* 74 Escaped. (French.)
33. _Duguay Trouin_* 74 Do. (Do.)
(The four ships marked thus (*) were taken a few days after the action
by Sir Richard Strachan’s squadron.)
_Names and Rank of French and Spanish Flag Officers in the battle._
Admiral Villeneuve, Commander-in-Chief--taken. (French.)
Rear-Admiral Magon--killed. (French.)
Rear-Admiral Dumanoir--escaped; taken afterwards by Sir Richard
Strachan. (French.)
Admiral Gravina--escaped. (Spanish.)
Vice-Admiral Alava--taken in _Santa Anna_ (112). (Spanish.)
Rear-Admiral Cisneros--taken in _Santissima Trinidada_(140). (Spanish.)
The loss of the combined fleet was twenty ships of the line, one
admiral killed, and three taken; the total killed, wounded, and taken
prisoners, was near 16,000 men and officers. In concluding the account
of the Battle of Trafalgar, I think I shall be excused for copying into
this _olla_ two beautiful extracts from unknown authors. The first
lines on the particular circumstance of each of the different powers
having a ship of the line, called the _Neptune_, in the battle:--
“Three different powers to rule the main,
Assumed old Neptune’s name;
One from Gallia, one from Spain,
And one from England came.
“The British _Neptune_, as of yore,
Proved master of the day;
The Spanish _Neptune_ is no more,[F]
The French one ran away.”
LORD NELSON’S DEATH AND TRIUMPH.
_From the Sheffield Paper, 1805._
“Intelligence of a most glorious event, accompanied with tidings
of an awful calamity (like the angels of mercy and affliction
travelling together), has arrived on our shores, and awakened the
public mind from the agony of despondence to a tumult of mingled
emotions, sorrow and joy, mourning and triumph.
“On the 21st of October, 1805, while the cowardly and incapable
Austrian, General Mack, was surrendering himself and army into the
hands of Bonaparte, the noble and lamented Lord Nelson, once more,
and for the last time, fought and conquered the united foes of his
country; but he fell in the meridian of victory, and in one moment
became immortal in both worlds.
“His career of services had been long; but it was only in the last
war that he burst upon the eye of the public as a luminary of the
first magnitude. At the battle of Aboukir, he rose like the sun in
the east, and like the sun too, after a summer’s day of glory, he
set in the west, at the battle of Trafalgar, leaving the ocean in a
blaze as he went down,[G] and in darkness when he descended.
“In ages to come, when the stranger who visits our island shall
enquire for the monument of Nelson, the answer will be, ‘Behold his
country which he has saved.’”