hardly possible to conceive the state of my Ship: I have little less than one hundred sick. I purpose staying three days in Port, when I shall get to Toulon, for I cannnot bear the thought of being absent from the scene of action. I shall finish this when I anchor. I am still as busy as ever. A French 40-gun Frigate, and five hundred men, was ready to weigh when I hove in sight. I am obliged to keep close watch to take care he does not give me the slip, which he is inclined to do. I shall pursue him, and leave the two Courts to settle the propriety of the measure, which I think will not be strictly regular. Have been up all night, watching my neighbour; and I believe he would have gone to Sea, could he have cast without getting on board us, as the night was most favourable for the attempt-a gale of wind and thick weather. However we were ready to cut the moment he did. Two days past, they turned their former Captain from his office, and he luckily got on shore, or they intended to have made him Sergeant of Marines. I sail for Toulon to-morrow. Remember me to Mrs. Nelson and my Aunt, and believe me, your affectionate Brother, HORATIO NELSON. TO MRS. NELSON. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. i. p. 134.] My dear Fanny, Leghorn, September 27th, 1793. I am sorry to tell you the Vessel I sent in here is cleared; so all my hopes, which I own were not very sanguine, are 1 In a Letter from Mr. Hoste, without date, he mentions this capture, and a circumstance which is not noticed in Nelson's Letters, nor by his biographers: "On Sunday afternoon we saw two Ships close in shore, which we supposed were French Frigates. Accordingly we gave chase. They had, however, the good fortune to get under the protection of a Fort before we could cut them off. We stood in after them, but as it was late in the evening, and dark, we could not with safety go into the harbour, though we were almost within gun-shot. The Fort fired at us, but their balls fell short; we returned the compliment, and reached them. In the morning, Captain Nelson intended to send in our boats to burn them, but they thought proper to save us the trouble gone. Prizes are not to be met with, except so covered by Neutral papers that you may send in fifty, and not one turn out good. I was hurried from Naples by information of a French Ship of War, and three vessels under her Convoy being off. I had nothing left but to get to Sea, which I did in two hours expedition, however, has not crowned my endeavours with success; for I have seen nothing of them. I am here plagued with a French 40-gun Frigate, who was to have sailed the day I arrived, and will take the first dark moment to get out. I am determined in my own mind to pursue him. I hope to sail to-morrow if this gentleman does not; and shall lie in his route to intercept him if he sails. I have just heard, that last night the crew of my neighbour deposed their Captain, made the Lieutenant of Marines Captain of the Ship, the Sergeant of Marines Lieutenant of Marines, and their former Captain Sergeant of Marines. What a state! they are mad enough for any undertaking. They say, as they have five hundred men on board, they will go to Sea this night in spite of me: I shall be surprised at nothing they may attempt.-I dined with the King of Naples the day before I sailed, and was placed at his right hand, and every attention paid me. He would have visited my Ship the day I sailed; but I was hurried away unexpectedly. September 28th. We have been looking out all night for our neighbour to cut his cables, as it has blown a gale of wind and rain: but he lay in such a position that he could not cast his Ship without getting on board us, which he did not choose to risk. I shall sail to-morrow for Toulon. God bless you. I am, &c., HORATIO NELSON. by coming out of the harbour with five or six small vessels, in consequence of a message Captain Nelson sent them by a neutral vessel, which had its effect. They proved to be all Genoese, and therefore we could not make prizes of them. They informed us the French bad one man killed. The country people were running up the mountain, crying out, "Mon Dieu!" very much frightened, thinking we should land. Six hnndred of the militia were sent down to oppose our landing. The name of the harbour is Cagliari, about twelve leagues to the East of Toulon. We have taken a prize valued at 15,000l. or 16 000l. I can say no more, as the boat is going."-Memoirs of Sir William Hoste, vol. i. p. 17. TO MRS. NELSON. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 134.] Agamemnon, Toulon, 7th October, 1793. As I never omit an opportunity of writing, I shall not let a Ship sail for Leghorn without a letter. I came here two days since, and shall sail on a cruise to-morrow. Lord Hood is much pleased with me. Our situation here is wonderful: the hills are occupied by the Enemy, who are erecting works for mortars and cannon. Whether we shall be able to maintain our most extraordinary acquisition, time only can determine however, one hour will burn the French Fleet. You will not forget me to my Father. I am, &c., HORATIO NELSON. TO WILLIAM SUCKLING, ESQ. [From the "Athenæum." On the 9th of October 'Captain Nelson received sealed orders from Lord Hood which he was not to open until he had arrived off the East end of the Island of Porquerol, one of the Hieres Islands, when he found he was to go to Cagliari, and place himself under the directions of Commodore Linzee in the Alcide.] I My dear Sir, Agamemnon, off Corsica, October 11th, 1793. may possibly meet a vessel bound to Leghorn, when I may send this letter. Yesterday I spoke a Ship from Gibraltar, by whom I got your letter of 26th of July, the only one I have received since I left England; and I may not be in the way for some time to come of getting any. When you favour me with a letter, direct it to the care of Mr. Udney, Consul at Leghorn; and I believe some part of the postage must be paid in London. I am on my way to Sardinia, and then have secret orders. If anything is to be got, I stand a fair chance. I was very few days in Toulon. The service for those landed is warm. On the 8th, at night, a very handsome action took place, commanded by a Lieutenant in the Navy,2 and 450 men, in 2 Lieutenant Walter Serocold, who was promoted, and fell at the Siege of Calvi in July 1794. 8 which 150 of the Enemy were killed, taken, or wounded, 3 mortars and 5 twenty-four pounders destroyed. The Enemy possess the heights, from which shot and shells are continually thrown into the harbour. When the English troops from Gibraltar arrive to head the columns, something very decisive will be undertaken. The Lord is very much. pleased with my conduct about the troops at Naples, which I undertook without any authority whatever from him; and they arrived at Toulon before his requisition reached Naples.3 Only yesterday he told me he would make Suckling a Lieutenant as soon as possible. I think he will not be in the Victory. many weeks Our force now at Toulon, on shore, is 12,500 men, and before November is out, will be 30,000, when the whole of this Country will fall to us, for they hate the Convention. The White Flag is flying in all the Ships and Forts, under which we fight on shore. My health never was better than at present, as is Josiah's; but I cannot but feel uneasy at the accounts you give me of Mrs. Nelson. I wish she was comfortably fixed in a house or good lodgings, in a place she liked; but I hope, and indeed believe, she will recover herself at Kentish Town, where I am certain every kind attention will be shown her. The Spaniards behave so infamously that I sincerely wish not one Ship or soldier was in Toulon : they will do nothing but plunder and cut the throat of poor wretches who have surrendered to the British. Remember me in the kindest manner to Mr. Suckling, Miss Suckling, and Horace. compliments to Mr. Rumsey and family. Believe me, dear Sir, your affectionate Best 3 On the 27th of September, 1793, the first division of Neapolitan Ships, under Marshal Fortiguerra, the Commodore, had arrived at Toulon, with 2,000 troops, in two Ships of the Line, two Frigates, and two Sloops. On the 5th of October, the second division of Neapolitan Ships, with 2,000 more troops, arrived. Lord Mulgrave's Dispatch of 27th September, and Lord Hood's of the 13th October 1793, in the London Gazette. Mr. Suckling's residence. TO MRS. NELSON. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. i. p. 135.] My dear Fanny, October 12th, 1793. I received a letter from Mr. Suckling yesterday, and was indeed truly sorry to hear you were not perfectly well. Why should you alarm yourself? I am well, your son is well, and we are as comfortable in every respect as the nature of our service will admit. Lord Hood is now quite as he used to be: he is so good an Officer, that every body must respect him. All the Foreigners at Toulon absolutely worship him; were any accident to happen to him, I am sure no person in our Fleet could supply his place. Every day at Toulon has hitherto afforded some brilliant Action on shore, in which the Sea-Officers have made a conspicuous figure: Elphinstone in particular, who is a good Officer and gallant man. I have only been a spectator; but had we remained, I should certainly have desired to be landed. Some of our Ships have been pegged pretty handsomely; yet such is the force of habit, that we seem to feel no danger. The other day we sat at a Court-Martial on board Admiral Hotham, when Princess Royal, a French 74, our friend, three Frigates, and four Mortar-boats, were firing at a battery for four hours, the shot and shells going over us; which, extraordinary as it may seem, made no difference. The Ardent, Captain Robert Manners Sutton, brother to the Bishop, was much cut up, after behaving with the greatest gallantry and good conduct: near thirty of his men were either killed, or are since dead of the wounds. Indeed, wherever our Ships or Sea-Officers have had an opportunity, they have all behaved well. God bless you. HORATIO Nelson. • Third son of Lord George Manners, younger son of John, 3rd Duke of Rutland, brother of Charles, then Bishop of Norwich, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, and uncle of the present Viscount Canterbury. This gallant officer, who was born in 1754, perished with all his crew, in August, 1794, when the Ardent was lost off Corsica, it being supposed that she was accidentally blown up. |