The Life of Nelson, Volume 2

33

To acknowledge a signal is simply to hoist a flag, showing that it has been seen and understood. To repeat is to hoist the signal yourself, thus transmitting it as an order to those concerned.

34

Life of Rev. Dr. A.J. Scott, p. 70

35

Norway was then attached to the Danish Crown, as now to that of Sweden.

36

Midnight to four A.M.

37

These suggestive italics are in the letter as printed by Clarke and M'Arthur, and reproduced by Nicolas.

38

Hollesley Bay.

39

Josiah Nisbet, her son.

40

Nelson's eldest brother. There appear to have been two copies of this letter in Nelson's hand. One, of which the latter half only remains, is in the British Museum. It bears the endorsement of Lady Nelson, as given. The other copy, entire, is in the Alfred Morrison collection—Number 536. Nelson probably sent a copy to Lady Hamilton to satisfy her exigencies that the breach was final. The two correspond, word for word,—as far, that is, as the former remains. Maurice Nelson died in April, 1801.

41

Nelson several times spoke of Nisbet's early promise. The author is indebted to Mrs. F.H.B. Eccles, Nisbet's granddaughter, for a copy of the following letter from St. Vincent to his sister Mrs. Ricketts:—

LONDON, January 22, 1807.

My dear sister,—Upon reflexion it appears best to send you the only letters I can find relative to Captain Nisbet, and to authorize you to assert in my name that Lord Nelson assured me that he owed his life to the resolution and admirable conduct of his stepson, when wounded at Teneriffe, and that he had witnessed many instances of his courage and enterprise. Yours most affectionately,

ST. VINCENT.

This letter explains how St. Vincent, feeling the value of Nelson's life to the country, granted, in the still warm memories of Teneriffe, a promotion which must have been sorely against his judgment.

42

Nicolas, vol. vii. Addenda, p. ccix. In a letter to Lady Hamilton of the same date, Nelson says: "Read the enclosed, and send it if you approve. Who should I consult but my friends?" (Morrison, vol. ii. p. 142.) Whether the enclosed was this letter to Davison cannot be said; but it is likely. Compare foot-note, preceding page.

43

Nelson.

44

Lady Nelson.

45

Morrison, vol. ii. p. 137.

46

On the 21st of September, 1802, six months before Hamilton's death, he was still £1,200 in Nelson's debt. (Morrison, vol. ii. p. 404.)

47

Morrison, No. 684.

48

Ante, p. 43.

49

From Mr. G. Lathora Browne's "Nelson: His Public and Private Life," London, 1891, p. 412.

50

Naval Chronicle, vol. xxxvii. p. 445.

51

Life of Rev. A.J. Scott, D.D., p. 191.

52

Nicolas, vol. iv. p. 533.

53

Ibid., vol. vii. p. ccx. Author's italics.

54

Ibid., vol. v. p. 60.

55

It is possible that Nelson here used the word "reflect" in the primary sense of reflecting honor; but in the secondary sense of being a reflection upon those who had denied a just claim, the phrase, ambiguous as it stands, represented accurately his feelings. "I own, my dear Sir," he said again to the Premier, with reference to this decoration, "great as this honour will be, it will have its alloy, if I cannot at the same time wear the medal for the Battle of Copenhagen, the greatest and most honourable reward in the power of our Sovereign to bestow, as it marks my personal services."

56

See Pettigrew, vol. ii. p. 225; Morrison, vol. ii. p. 176.

57

This habit is mentioned by Captain James Hillyar, for extracts from whose journals the author is indebted to Admiral Sir W.R. Mends, G.C.B.

58

Morrison Collection, No. 632, October 8, 1801.

59

This sentence refers to the governor; not to Villettes, as the construction might indicate.

60

Unfit for sea, and kept at Naples for political reasons.

61

The Honourable Mr. Waldegrave, afterwards Admiral Lord Eadstock.

62

Five French ships-of-the-line, returning from the West Indies, had taken refuge in Ferrol.

63

Life of Rev. A.J. Scott, p. 124.

64

Phillimore's Last of Nelson's Captains, p. 122. A portion of this incident has before been quoted, in another connection (vol. i. p. 355, note). It is repeated, because again applicable, to illustrate a different trait of Nelson's character.

65

The letter of this gentleman, Dr. Gillespie, from which a quotation has already been made, was published in the London "Times" of October 6, 1894.

66

This incidental remark may be noted, as bearing upon the statement, now rejected, that his orders were put on especially for battle.

67

There is here no mention of smoking; nor has any allusion to it, or to tobacco, caught the author's eye in Nelson's letters.

68

Dr. Beatty's Narrative of the Death of Lord Nelson. Nicolas, vol. vii. p. 259.

69

Sir William Hotham.

70

Many of these details are taken with little alteration from the "Life of Rev. A.J. Scott."

71

Memoir of Sir Thomas Hardy, in Clarke and M'Arthur's Life of Nelson vol. iii. p. 234.

72

Hillyar was then engaged to a lady in Malta.

73

As Lady Nelson's first marriage was in 1779, Josiah Nisbet could not have been eighteen when made a commander, in 1797.

74

Phillimore's "The Last of Nelson's Captains," p. 146.

75

Flag-officers had a share in all prizes taken by vessels of their squadrons.

76

Davison.

77

Ante, p. 192.

78

Pettigrew, vol. ii. p. 444.

79

Nicolas, vol. vi. p. 288.

80

Late British minister to Spain.

81

Author's italics.

82

The whole of this account is taken from the Life of Sir William Parker. Phillimore's Last of Nelson's Captains, pp. 125-129.

83

At noon, January 20, "Mount Santo bore N.W., distant six leagues."—"Victory's" Log. Cape Monte Santo is sixty miles north of the southern extremity of Sardinia.

84

On the east coast of Sicily.

85

Bulkheads are the light partitions which divide cabins, offices, etc. from the rest of the decks. For battle they are removed to allow freer communication, and to lessen the risk of fire and splinters.

86

An island twenty miles west of Sicily.

87

Author's italics.

88

March 9th.

89

Author's italics.

90

Apparently Gulf of Palmas.

91

From England.

92

Sir John Orde.

93

Orde's squadron never exceeded six ships-of-the-line, while Villeneuve's numbered eleven without the Spaniards. It will be seen further on that Nelson blamed Orde for not keeping track of the enemy's movements, and sending word to him at Gibraltar, and elsewhere, of the direction taken. As far as the author's information goes, he agrees with this censure. To fight eleven ships with six could only be justified by extreme circumstances; but to lose sight of them in spring weather infers even worse judgment than fighting would. It was of the first importance to learn the destination of so large a body, considering that the interests of Great Britain were threatened in directions so diverse as the Channel, the East Indies, and the West Indies.

94

Lord Radstock's son had been transferred before this from the "Victory" to the "Hydra"; but his father did not yet know the fact, and supposed him with Nelson.

95

First Lord of the Admiralty, who had very lately succeeded Melville.

96

An east wind.

97

The signal flag for a vessel about to sail.

98

Life of the Rev. A.J. Scott, p. 171.

99

Ahead, but a little to one side.

100

Phillimore's Last of Nelson's Captains.

101

The "Northumberland" and the "Spartiate."

102

The island immediately north of Martinique.

103

"The Trench and Spaniards landed 1,000 sick when they arrived at Martinico, and buried full that number during their stay." Nicolas, vol. vi. p. 480.

104

Author's italics.

105

Author's italics.

106

One of the easternmost of the Azores.

107

The report of the American schooner, which saw the allied fleet, June 15th.

108

Of Biscay.

109

The extent of Brereton's fault (if at fault) depended, probably, upon the character and responsibility of the man he had on lookout at so critical a moment, and the care with which he tested the report made to him. Brereton did not know of Nelson's arrival, possibly not of his approach. At the same time men must take the blame of carelessness, when harm comes of it. Ball, commenting to Nelson upon the incident, said: "I think orders should be given, that when a fleet is discovered, an officer should be sent for to witness it, and that one should be at the signal hill at the rising and setting of the sun. I have often reflected on these circumstances, and on the little attention generally paid them." As it stands, the whole affair is a warning to officers, of what results may flow from errors small in themselves.

110

In a letter to the Earl of Mornington, dated December 21st, 1805, Wellington, then Wellesley, said, "I arrived in England about September 10th." The margin of time for meeting Nelson, who left Merton on the 13th, was therefore small, and fixes very closely the date of this interesting interview. The Colonial and War Offices seem then to have been under one head.

111

Correspondence and Diaries of John Wilson Croker, vol. ii. p. 233.

112

The Prime Minister Pitt.

113

Compare for example, ante, vol. i. p. 421.

114

Lady Hamilton's mother.

115

Nelson to Right Hon. George Rose, August 29 and September 3, 1805: Nicolas, vol. vii. pp. 18, 19, 29.

116

Ante, p. 31.

117

This is the earliest intimation that has come under the author's eye of the formulation (as distinguished from the development) of the groups of Orders in Council of 1807, bearing upon the Neutral Trade, which were issued and carried out by a Ministry other than the one which Nelson knew. The measure was clearly under consideration before Trafalgar.

118

That is, the ship ready to sail in half an hour, one of the two anchors which moor a ship being lifted.

119

The author wishes to guard himself from seeming to share the perversion, as he thinks it, of this saying, into an argument against heavy ships, because the heavier the ships, the smaller the number. Without here expressing any opinion upon this controverted subject, he would simply quote on the other side the view attributed to Nelson during the chase to the West Indies. "He knew that the French had no three-decked ships in their fleet, and he reckoned on the great superiority in close action of three batteries of guns over two." (Last of Nelson's Captains, p. 137.) With this may be joined a quotation from himself involving implicitly the same idea: "Two [two-deckers] alongside an enemy are better than three-deckers a great way off." This evidently suggests the idea that one three-decker was better than two seventy-fours, conditions being similar. In truth, numbers should be read "numbers of guns"—or, better still, "numbers, other things being equal."

120

The author has to thank the present Earl Nelson for this anecdote.

121

May, 1805.

122

The author does not here understand the speaking of "two or three" rear ships, when the van is supposed to be five or six—making a total of not over nine or ten enemies. If this order of attack was issued, as expressly stated by Clarke and M'Arthur, on the chase to the West Indies, Nelson then was fully aware that he with ten ships was in pursuit of eighteen. (See ante, p. 296) It appears to the author more probable that it was issued to the fleet when off Toulon, in anticipation of a possible meeting with the French squadron there, when the disparity of force was less—say, eight to ten. This impression is confirmed by the "Plan of Attack" speaking of the junior "Admirals"—in the plural. There was but one such in the pursuit to the West Indies. It is quite possible, however, that the same order was re-issued upon the later occasion, re-copied without change of words. In any event, it confirms other statements and actions of Nelson's, that an enemy should not be fought ship to ship, but by a concentration on part of his order.

123

Inserted by author.

124

Ante, pp. 306, 323.

125

Ante, p. 82.

126

The author has introduced an arrow to show the direction of the wind as viewed by Nelson; the arrow flying with the wind.

127

Formerly Mr. Addington, who was at the head of the Government during the Copenhagen expedition.

128

This was a mistake on Nelson's part. Rodney's fleet actually, though accidentally, broke through De Grasse's order in two (if not three) places.

129

A desert group of small islands between Madeira and the Canaries.

130

The author is indebted for this reminiscence to Mr. Stuart J. Reid, who received it from Pasco's son, also an officer in the Navy.

131

Besides three of the battles associated with Nelson's name—St. Vincent, the Nile, and Trafalgar—Berry as a midshipman had been in the five fleet actions between Suffren and Hughes, in the East Indies, in 1782 and 1783. ("The Nelson Memorial," by John Knox Laughton, pp. 83, 284.)

132

The name Thompson was spelled by Nelson indifferently with or without the "p", which, as Nicolas observes, confirms the belief that it was fictitious. The fact is singular; for, from a chance remark of his, it appears that he meant it to be Thomson. (Morrison, Letter No. 569.)

133

The author is indebted for this anecdote to Mr. Edgar Goble, of Fareham, Hants, whose father, Thomas Goble, then secretary to Captain Hardy, was present at the table.

134

One sixty-four, the "Africa," had separated to the northward during the night, and joined in the battle by passing alone along the enemy's line, much of the time under fire. She belonged, therefore, to Nelson's column, and cooperated with it during the day.

135

Nelson in his journal wrote: "The enemy wearing in succession." As the allies' order was reversed, however, it is evident that he meant merely that the ships wore one after the other, from rear to van, but in their respective stations, each waiting till the one astern had, to use the old phrase, "marked her manoeuvre,"—a precaution intended to prevent collisions, though it necessarily extended the line.

136

The author is indebted for these incidents to Admiral Sir W.R. Mends, G.C.B., who received them from the second baronet, Sir Henry M. Blackwood, when serving with him as first lieutenant.

137

The "Euryalus's" log gives eight o'clock as the hour of the captain's going on board the "Victory;" but Blackwood not only says six, but also mentions that his stay on board lasted five and a half hours, which gives about the same time for going on board. The other frigate captains did not go till eight. Blackwood, as the senior, might need a fuller and longer continued interview, because the general direction of the frigate squadron would be in his hands; or Nelson might particularly desire the presence of a close professional friend, the captains of the ships-of-the-line having their hands now full of preparations.

138

The question of Lady Hamilton's services on the occasions mentioned by Nelson, vigorously asserted by herself, has been exhaustively discussed by Professor John Knox Laughton, in the "United Service Magazine" for April and May, 1889. His conclusions are decisively adverse to her claims.

139

See ante, p. 275.

140

That is, with a one and a half knot breeze.

141

The vocabulary of the telegraphic signal book provides certain words which can be signalled by a single number. Words not in this vocabulary must be spelled letter by letter,—each letter of the alphabet having its own number.

142

That is, to the westward.