NELSON'S LETTERS AND DISPATCHES
October 8th - 14th, 1805 Footnotes
Note 1 - Note 2 - Note
3 - Note 4 - Note 5 -
Note 6 - Note 7 - Note
8 - Note 9 - Note 10 -
Note 11 - Note 12 - Note
13 - Note 14 - Note 15
- 1)
- The Royal Sovereign, which was intended for Vice-Admiral
Collingwood's Flag, joined the fleet from England on that day.
- 2)
- The battle was fought before either of those officers arrived
- 3)
- In the upper margin of the paper Lord Nelson wrote, and Mr. Scott
added to it a reference, as marked in the text, - "the Enemy's
Fleet is supposed to consist of 46 sail of the Line, British Fleet of
40. If either is less, only a proportionate number of Enemy's Ships are
to be cut off; B. to be ¼ superior to the E. cut off."
- 4)
- In the upper margin of the paper, and referred to by Lord Nelson as
in the text, - "Vide instructions for Signal, yellow with blue fly,
Page 17, Eighth flag, Signal Book, with reference to Appendix."
- 5)
- The Signature does not occur to the draught, but was affixed to the
originals issued to the Admirals and Captains of the Fleet. To the Copy
signed by Lord Nelson, and delivered to Captain George Hope of the
Defence, was added" N. B. When the Defence quits the Fleet
for England you are to return this Secret Memorandum to the Victory.,,
Captain Hope wrote on that Paper:" It was agreeable to these
Instructions that Lord Nelson attacked the Combined Fleets of France and
Spain, off Cape Trafalgar, on the 21st of October, 1805, they having
thirty-three Sail of the Line, and we twenty-seven.',
- 6)
- Vice-Admiral Collingwood wrote to Lord Nelson on the 9th of October:
- " Dreadnought, October 9th, 1805.
- " My dear Lord,
- " I have a just sense of your Lordship's kindness to me, and the
full confidence you have reposed in me inspires me with the most lively
gratitude. I hope it will not be long before there is an opportunity of
showing your Lordship that it has not been misplaced. I am going as soon
as possible on board the Royal Sovereign. I have had a little distress
about two Lieutenants being senior to my First Lieutenant, Clavell, who
is, indeed, my right arm, and the spirit that puts everything in motion.
But I hope your Lordship will appoint them to this Shiptheir names
are Palmer and Hewsonand then I will take my Signal Lieutenant,
whose name is Brice Gilliland, and who is very desirous to go into the
Sovereign.
- '' I had made the distribution which would have filled the Ships
complete from the Lord Duncan, but this morning they have sent to tell
me all the bread, which was on his invoice, was taken out at Gibraltar.
I will hasten this business as much as possible. I have the honour to be
your Lordship's most obedient and most humble servant, CUTHB.
COLLINGWOOD.
- " As soon as the Officers get their appointments, they will
move. Mr. Clavell wants none, as his Commission moves with me.,,Autograph
in the Nelson Papers.
- 7)
- The Pickle Schooner. This Vessel brought to England the dispatch
announcing the Battle of Trafalgar.
- 8)
- The Minister of Marine, who was supposed to have intended to take the
command of the Combined Fleets at Cadiz.
- 9)
- Captains of the Phbe, Amazon, Hydra, and Sirius, under Captain
Blackwood's orders.
- 10)
- It has been already stated that thus highly distinguished Officer was
a protégé of Nelson, and that Hoste always entertained the
most reverential esteem and affection for his great patron. Writing to
his father on the 1st of October, Captain Hoste said, " I am now on
board the Victory, and have seen Lord Nelson, who is as good and as
friendly as ever ;,, and to his mother, " I dine with Lord Nelson
today, and, I understand, I am to be appointed to a larger Ship; he is
as good a man as ever lived.,, On the 13th, he wrote to his father, "I
am this day appointed to the Amphion, one of the finest and most
desirable Ships on this station.,, The Amphion was sent to Algiers with
presents to the Dey, and on her arrival at Gibraltar, on the 9th of
November, Captain Hoste heard of the Battle and of the death of Lord
Nelson. His feelings were thus expressed in a letter to his father:"
I have just time to say that I am as well as a man can be who has lost
the best friend he ever possessed. I know not how to begin. I believe I
said in my last I was ordered to Algiers, by that ever-to-be-lamented
man, with presents to the Dey. I left the Fleet on the 16th, and on the
21st the battle was fought. Not to have been in it, is enough to make
one mad; but to have lost such a friend besides, is really sufficient to
almost overwhelm me. I sail instantly to join Admiral Collingwood, who
is off Cadiz. I will write to you more fully in my next, when matters
are more settled: at present I am not fit for anything. I like my Ship
very much; as the last gift of that excellent man, I shall ever consider
her, and stay in her during the War I am low indeed, and nothing but a
good Action with a French or Spanish Frigate will set me up again.,,
- To his mother, on the 15th of November, he said, "Admiral
Collingwood perfectly understands how and in what manner I have gained
my present rank, and the footing I was on with that poor, good, great
man, Lord Nelson I cannot get over the loss of our late noble
Commander-in-Chief in so short a time. Never shall we find his equal,
and never will the Navy of Great Britain furnish a man with half his
abilities. I never saw such firmness, such decision, in any man in my
life before. His last words to Captain Hardy were, 'to sink rather than
strike his flag, and that he died happy in having seen that day.,,, To
his father he soon afterwards wrote, "What will Mr. Coke say to the
Victory? O that I had been there! it would have been some consolation to
have witnessed the last heroic feats of that man, whose memory will ever
be held sacred by every British seaman.,, Early in 1806 he said to his
sister, "The wretched remains of the French and Spanish fleets are
still there, and exhibit a striking example of what British valour can
perform, when aided by the genius and bravery of a Nelson. Poor man! I
have every day sufficient cause to lament his loss. At any rate, he has
left us an example; and, for my own part, though I never expect to
attain to the high honours he so deservedly held, yet it will be my
first and earnest endeavour to follow his footsteps.,, That Hoste
fulfilled this intention was amply shown by his memorable action off
Lissa, on the 13th of March, 1811, when he showed that NELSON was
uppermost in his thoughts by the telegraphic signal " REMEMBER
NELSON,,, and by his letter to his father, written on the 29th of that
month: "It is gratifying to me, indeed I feel it so truly, to
observe the regard they all have for my dear old Amphion. She was the
last gift of my poor Lord Nelson. I hope I have not disgraced his memory
in the care of her, though she is cruelly knocked about.,,Memoirs
of Sir William Hoste
- 11)
- In reply to this letter, Vice-Admiral Collingwood wrote:
- " Dreadnought, October 10th, 1805.
- " My dear Lord,
- " This is a delightful day for our business, and I hope much
will be done in clearing the Transports. I find the bread which was in
the Duncan, is removed to the Shields, and they are taking it out, but I
have no account from him............ There is a tattle mistake in Mr.
Gillisland's commission, as he is removed by it from the Sovereign to
the Dreadnought, instead of from the Dreadnought to the Sovereign. I
have sent to Mr. Hewson to ask him if he will waive his right of
seniority, and stay in the Ship he isif he does I shall be glad I
really think these people in Cadiz are about to move, and wish to Heaven
we were done with the Transports, and could get a little nearer to them;
and now I have only to assure your Lordship that I will hasten
everything as much as I possibly can; and have the honour to be, &c.,
CUTHB. COLLINGWOOD.,,Autograph in the Nelson Papers.
- 12)
- " To LORD VISCOUNT NELSON AND BRONTE.
- " Dreadnought, October 10th, 1805.
- " My dear Lord,
- " While this Transport business is going on, we cannot be
better placed, and I suppose the Ships to leeward are in sight to
communicate their first motion. I wish I could go on board the
Victuallers; for they go on exceedingly slow. They will never have such
another day. I shall go on board the Sovereign as soon as I have dined.
My baggage has been long there. I send your Lordship, the Agent of the
Hospital's letter. I thought I had put them into the last trunk. I have
had all the gratuitous medicines surveyed some time past, and demands
gone to Gibraltar; but the Dispenser came out in the last Convoy, and
was not there to supply them at the time. The first Ship, I dare say,
which arrives from Gibraltar, will make all complete in that department.
I think Sir Robert Calder had better not urge Durham, if he declares
that he cannot be useful to him It makes my heart ache. Whenever the
Malabar is cleared of provisions I will manage the cables somehow. I am
told the Sovereign teas a great quantity of other stores, as tar, sugar,
&c., which can well be distributed in the Fleet, when I have time to
look round. The Achille wanted caulking much. I ordered a gang on board
of her to shut her up before the wet weather comes.
- I send your Lordship the letter I received just now from the
Admiralty, because I think it will give you pleasure to find my
proceedings approved. I have the honour, &c., CUTH. COLLINGWOOD.
Autograph,
- 13)
- In reply to this letter, Vice-Admiral Collingwood wrote on the same
day:
- " Dreadnought, October 12th, 1805.
- "I am grieved whenever I think of Sir Robert Calder's case. I
think he must be aware of his situation, and feels more about it than he
chooses should appear. I wish he was in England, because I think he
wants a calm adviser,, ...... In reference to Lord Nelson's
disparagement of the Dreadnought, the gallant Admiral, with true
nautical affection for the Ship in which he happened to serve, said in
her defence:" The Dreadnought certainly sails very ill, but
it is her only fault; for no Ship is better manned, and in every respect
better conditioned.
- 14)
- The Agamemnon sailed from England on the 2nd of October, having on
board Lord Robert Fitzgerald, Minister at Lisbon; and she joined the
Fleet on the 13th of October. When the Agamemnon was signalled, Lord
Nelson rubbed his hands and exclaimed with glee, " Here comes
Berry; now we shall have a Battle.', Sir Edward Berry's report of his
masterly escape from the Rochefort Squadron was as follows:
- " My Lord,
- " This morning, at half-past three, Cape Finisterre bearing S.
70 W. distance 20 leagues, I discovered eight Sail to windward. At four,
one of them bore down towards the Agamemnon. I immediately made the
Private Night-signal to her, which was not answered. I kept steering my
course, S. by W., full and by, all sail set, except studdingsails. At
daylight I made the Private Signal, which was not answered. The Ship
that bore down to us I soon made out to be a Three-decker, with five
Ships of the Line, two Frigates, and a Brig, evidently French. The
Three-decker was within gun-shot of us at day-break, and crowded all
sail to get alongside of us, as did an eighty-gun Ship on our lee
quarter. I ordered all the water on the lower decks (there being a butt
before the breast of every gun) to be started, and the casks thrown
overboard, to be clear for battle. At 9 A.M. I had the satisfaction to
perceive that we gained from the Three-decker, but the eighty-gun Ship
gained on the Agamemnon. I was determined not to keep away, and I could
not tack without the certainty of a broadside from the Three-decker, and
being raked by the eighty-gun Ship when in stays. I, therefore, kept the
Ship steady to her course, furling the top-gallant sails, and hauling
down the staysails in the squalls, and setting them occasionally. At 10
the maintop-gallant sheet was carried away. I then let fly the
top-gallant sheets, and fired guns until it was bent. The eighty-gun
Ship still gained on us. I ordered the weather quarter-boat to be cut
away; and tan out the stern chasers. At eleven the French Admiral
relinquished the chase, bore up, and called in the eighty-gun Ship, at
which time she was within random shot of us. I immediately hoisted the
colours, and shortened sail. The Enemy's Squadron also hoisted English
colours. During the chace we ran per log seventy miles. Perceiving a
Frigate to leeward, evidently English, kept No. 5 flying, and fired guns
repeatedly. I feel it my duty to express to your Lordship my approbation
of the exemplary conduct of every Officer and individual in the Ship;
but it would be injustice to the First Lieutenant, Mr. Hugh Cook, not to
bear testimony to his very judicious conduct and most able counsel, to
whom I ascribe the saving of His Majesty's Ship in this retreat.
- " In the afternoon, I interchanged signals with His Majesty's
Ship, L'Aimable, the Frigate to leeward, and in the evening communicated
with the Hon. Captain Bouverie. He informed me that he had, some days
ago, dispatched a Sloop to the Hon. Admiral Cornwallis, and to England,
with the intelligence of the Rochefort Squadron being out. I therefore
deemed it unnecessary to interfere with his former orders.I have, &c,
E. BERRY, Captain.,,
- 15)
- Lord Nelson's generous motive for allowing Sir Robert Calder to
return to England in his own Ship, the Prince of Wales, appears in a
Letter in p. 66 ante; and there are in the Nelson Papers the following
letters from that unfortunate Officer. If Lord Nelson was correct in
thinking, as some of his biographers assert, that Calder was one of the
only two enemies he ever had in the Service (vice vol. n. p. 337), his
conduct towards him, on this occasion, must have been painfully felt.
- To VICE-ADMIRAL LORD VISCOUNT NELSON, K.B.
- " (Private.)
- " Prince of Wales, the 10th October, 1805.
- " My dear Lord,
- " I send you three letters for your inspection and
determination thereon. I have only to remark, that in conformity to your
Lordship's opinion, as well as that of Vice-Admiral Collingwood's, and
my own, I have summoned Captain Durham to attend on my inquiry, as I
mean to do Rear-Admiral Stirling, and all the Captains who were under my
orders, when in presence of the Enemy, between the 22nd and 24th of last
Julyconceiving it proper, for the satisfaction of the Public
Service, as well as to clear my character as am Officer. I am sorry to
put any Officer to any difficulties, but the Service must not suffer. As
the Royal Sovereign has joined, I am in hopes your Lordship will now
very soon allow me to proceed to England, as my mind, you are well
assured, must be distressed to a degree, until such time as I have an
opportunity to clear my character fully to the world. I shall flatter
myself to have the honour of paying to you my respects, and to thank you
in person for all your kindnesses to me since I have been under your
command, and to wish you every possible success. I have the honour to
be, my Lord, with very great respect, and true regard, your obliged and
faithful humble servant, " ROB. CALDER.
- "'The Prince of Wales can spare to any ship a month's bread and
salt provisions, if it meets with your Lordship's approbation. R. C.,,Autograph
in the Nelson Papers.
- `' (Private.)
- " Prince of Wales, at Sea, the 11th October, 1805.
- " My dear Lord,
- " Captain Durham having declined to attend me to England, on the
inquiry solicited on my part, into my conduct, unless he has a positive
order so to do, I beg your Lordship will not give yourself any further
trouble upon the occasion, as his evidence can be of no moment to the
Public Service; and, as to myself, I am willing to relinquish any
private consideration on my own account. My reasons for having summoned
him in the first instance were, that I might not have been suspected to
have collected only such as were my supposed friends, and thereby
occasioned the inquiry to be called a packed business. This matter being
now settled respecting Captain Durham, permit me to repeat to your
Lordship my strong wishes to return to England, without further loss of
time, in the Prince of Wales, that my mind may be put at ease, and for
the re-establishing of my health, which has suffered so very seriously
from my severe and long services. I have the honour to be, my Lord, with
very great respect, and true regard, your Lordship's much obliged and
faithful humble servant, ROB. CALDER.,'Autograph.
- " (Private.)
- " Prince of Wales, at Sea, the 12th October, 1805.
- " My Lord,
- " I am this instant honoured with your Lordship's letter: I own
I was not prepared for its contents. Believe me, they have cut me to the
soul, and, if I am to be turned out of my Ship, after all that has
passed, I have only to request I may be allowed to take my Captain, and
such Officers as I find necessary for the justification of my conduct as
all Officer, and to be put into such Ship with them, and Captains
Lechemere and Browne, as your Lordship shall deem proper for my passage
to England, and that I may be permitted to go without a moment's further
loss of time. My heart is broken; and I can only say I have the honour
to be, my Lord, with all due respect, your Lordship's obliged and
faithful humble servant, ROB. CALDER.
- `` P.S.I hope and trust I shall not be kept here until
Vice-Admiral J. T. Duckworth arrives. This would be heaping an
additional distress upon me. Adieu.,,Autograph.
- " (Private.)
- " Prince of Wales, at Sea, the 12th October, 1805, 6 P.M.
- " My dear Lord,
- " I have this instant been honoured by your favour by Captain
Otway, who has been so good as to take the friendly part which he has
done. I have only to thank your Lordship, and to say I feel as I ought
to do upon the very friendly communication you have been pleased to
communicate to me this evening, and for which I shall ever feel
grateful. I can have no objections to your Lordship's forwarding all the
correspondence, both public and private, that has passed between us,
since I have had the honour to be under your Lordship's command. I have
not it in my power to say more at present, as I cannot keep Captain
Otway, as it is growing dark. I shall hope to have the honour of paying
my respects to your Lordship before I leave this, and to receive your
commands. Until when, I have the honour to be, your Lordship's ever much
obliged and faithful humble Servant, ROBERT CALDER. ,Autograph.