I have wrote almost a sheet of nonsense; but in my great wis. Farewell my dear Brother, Love to Mrs. Bolton, Kate, and Mun, and compliments to Miss Beck, and all your Wells' Club. TO THE REVEREND MR. NELSON, BURNHAM. [Autograph, in the Nelson Papers.] My dear Brother, Albemarle, in the Downs, January 28th, [1782.] you quite quiet and easy, am determined you shall In the first place, you did I have no doubt but you have scolded me most heartily for not having wrote before this, but I know after a Storm comes a Calm; so at this time I suppose not expecting a letter: therefore I have one. Now I'll begin excuses. not wish me to write till I knew where I was to [be] stationed; that I can't tell you, for I do not know myself. The Admiralty, I believe, are asleep, but if I can prognosticate, we are to have the Downs Station for the present-(a horrid bad one). I am glad you went on shore when you did, or you must have come to the Downs with us, for we could not send a boat on shore all the next day. At eleven on Monday morning, we sailed with sixty-five Sail, and next day, at noon, was at the His youngest sister Katherine, who was born 19th March 1767: she married on the 26th of February 1787, George Matcham of Ashford Lodge, and died 28th March 1842, leaving a large family. back of the Goodwin Sands. The Ships in the Downs took us for a Dutch Fleet going down Channel; and many of the Men-of-War were under sail to come after us, when a Cutter went in, and told them who we were. We all got safe in that night, and next, I delivered my charge up to the Admiral. Here I have been laying ever since without orders; and in such a long series of bad weather as is seldom met with. We have nothing but a coast full of wrecks,—twice we have parted from our anchors; the North Seas are dreadful at this season of the year. I'll wish you a good night, for must have some conversation with the Doctor, who, I believe, has saved my life since I saw you. All on the other side,9 is what I told you in my last 1 had left on board. At last I was ordered round to Portsmouth to take in eight months' provisions, and I have no doubt was meant to go to the East Indies with Sir Richard Bickerton, which I should have liked exceedingly, but alas, how short-sighted are the best of us. On the 26th January, at eight in the morning, it blew a hard gale of wind at N.N.W., a large East India Store Ship drove from her anchors, and came on board us. We have lost our foremast, and bowsprit, mainyard, larboard cathead, and quarter gallery, the Ship's head, and stove in two places on the larboard side,— all done in five minutes. What a change! but yet we ought to be thankful we did not founder. We have been employed since in getting jury-masts, yards, and bowsprit, and stopping the holes in our sides.1 What is to become of us now, I know 9 i. e. The preceding part of this letter. Clarke and M'Arthur thus relate the circumstance; but as they are wrong in the date, they may have been misinformed respecting the particulars. It will be observed that the accident happened at eight in the morning, and that Nelson does not say a word of his being on shore at the time.-"The Albemarle arrived in the Downs on the 3rd of January 1792, from Yarmouth Roads; when her Captain went on shore to call on the senior Officer, the Hon. Keith Elphinstone. During his absence from the Ship, there came on so heavy a gale, that almost all the vessels on the station drove, and the Brilliant Store-ship, belonging to the Ordnance, came athwart-hawse of the Albemarle. Captain Nelson immediately ran to the beach, and with his wonted contempt of danger, when any duty called for his exertions, employed every method he could devise to return on board, fearing lest the Albemarle might drive on the Goodwin Sands; but the dreadful surf and increasing gale, made even the skilful mariners of Deal regard the attempt as utterly impracticable. At length some of the most intrepid offered to make not. She must go into dock, and I fear must be paid off, she has received so much damage. But, however, we must take the rough as well as the smooth: these are the blessings of a Sea life. Remember me to Mrs. Bolton, Kate, and Mun, and Mr. Bolton if at home; not forgetting Mr. Robinson Boyles, and Charles Boyles if he is there. Farewell, dear brother, And believe me to be your affectionate Brother; TO PHILIP STEPHENS, ESQ., SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY. Sir, [Original, in the Admiralty.] Albemarle, at Spithead, 2nd February, 1782. I am to acquaint you, for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that I arrived here this morning in His Majesty's Ship Albemarle, under my command; and inclosed I transmit you her State and Condition. I am, Sir, &c. HORATIO NELSON. TO WILLIAM LOCKER, ESQ., GRAY'S INN. [Autograph, in the Locker Papers..] My dear Sir, Portsmouth, February 5th, 1782. Since I received yours, the Albemarle is much altered for the worse. An East India Store-Ship came on board us in a gale of wind, and carried away our foremast, bowsprit, head, and quarter gallery, and done considerable damage to her hull. We arrived here two days ago, and are now coming into the harbour to be docked. I was ordered for Foreign ser the trial for fifteen guineas; this produced a competition, and Nelson, to the astonishment of all beholders, was long seen struggling with a raging and mountainous surf, in which the boat was continually immerged. After much difficulty, he got on board his ship, which lost her bowsprit and foremast."-Vol. i. p. 46. 2 Mr. Robinson Boyles was probably the brother of Charles Boyles, so often mentioned. vice. Charles Poles is here: he is going to Gibraltar with a large Cutter, laden with Gun-boats; I wish he was safe back. I think he runs great risk of going to Cadiz. Sir Richard Bickerton is here ;-a great man, he seems to carry it pretty high with his Captains. Jack Moore is with him, and I heard him tell Captain Robinson, who was Admiral Parker's Captain in the Fortitude, he would certainly provide for him. I shall certainly see you in Town before the Albemarle gets out of the harbour. Mr. White, the builder, has inquired after you. Farewell, my dear Sir, and believe me to be, Faithfully yours, HORATIO NELSON. Compliments to the Bradleys, and all that ask after me. TO THE REVEREND MR. NELSON, BURNHAM. Dear Brother, [Autograph, in the Nelson Papers.] Portsmouth, February 8th, 1782. Your letter of January 30th I received two nights ago; and am much obliged to you for it; I should have wrote before I did from the Downs, only I expected my orders every day, when I could have told you where I was to have been stationed. You have heard of the accidents that have happened to the poor Albemarle, both by my letter and the Papers long before this. I was under orders for Foreign service, and I fancy was going with dispatches to North America. I am now waiting at Spithead for a wind to bring me into the harbour to be docked and repaired; what will become of me afterwards I know not. If I should touch at any wine Countries, you may assure Lord Walpole I will purchase some of the best wines for him. I beg you will make 'Captain Pole then commanded the Success frigate. i. e. Of being captured by the Spaniards. Wearing a Broad Pendant in the Gibraltar 80, and going with a Squadron to India. • Vice-Admiral Sir Hyde Parker. Captain Mark Robinson is mentioned in p. 6, ante. my best respects to him and Lady Walpole, with many thanks for their kind inquiries after me. I regret very much I had not the pleasure of receiving Mr. Walpole on board the Albemarle, or if he had been in Yarmouth, I should certainly have paid my respects to him. Apropos of wine :-in my opinion, the expense of sending a cask of wine from this place to Burnham is almost the original cost; but there it is, if you please to have it; only send word. Charles Boyles sailed from here the day before my arrival. Whatever may be the opinion of the Wells people respecting Captain Gardner's behaviour in the matter of his Lieutenants quitting his Ship, I will answer he was right. There is not a better Officer, or more of a gentleman, this day in the Service. I am much afraid poor Charles will wait a long while with Mr. R before he gets promotion, for he is a great liar. Sir Richard Bickerton, with the East India Fleet, sailed yesterday afternoon, with six Sail of the Line for India, and three Sail of the Line and two Fifties, to go part of the way with them. The West India Fleet is not yet ready: they will sail Saturday or Sunday, if the wind is fair. I wish I could congratulate you upon a Rectory instead of a Vicarage: it is rather awkward wishing the poor man dead, but we all rise by deaths. I got my rank by a shot killing a Post-Captain, and I most sincerely hope I shall, when I go, go out of [the] world the same way; then we go all in the line of our Profession-a Parson praying, a Captain fighting. I suppose you are returned from Hilborough before this, and taken Miss Ellen and the Living. As Miss Bec takes so much notice of my respect to her, honoured by being in her favour. Mun, not forgetting little Kate. letter, that I must get another half sheet to work.1 tell her I think myself Love to Mrs. Bolton and You have wrote so long a 7 Horatio, second Lord Walpole, of Wolterton, created Earl of Orford in 1806. He married in 1748, Rachel, daughter of William third Duke of Devonshire; she died in May 1805. The Earl of Orford died in February 1809. 8 Captain Alan Gardner, afterwards Admiral Lord Gardner. 9 Captain Everitt who commanded the Hinchinbrook, joined the Ruby for a cruize, in consequence of the illness of her proper Captain, Joseph Deane; and being killed by a random shot in capturing La Prudente, French Frigate, on the 2nd of June 1779, Nelson was promoted into the Hinchinbrook. 1 The conclusion is not preserved. |