CHAPTER XVII. PERSONAL I.: NELSON'S PERSONAL INFLUENCE. The sources of his unbounded influence-His rule of kindness and love -Young Hardy-Captain Ball and Nelson-Kindness to a prisoner -Anxiety for Troubridge-Captain Layman-Appeal for Captain Hellyer-Youthful imprudence; the runaway-Rear-Admiral Campbell-Sir Robert Calder-Captain Westcott's mother-The sailors' love for Nelson-The old Agamemnon-The old sailor of the NileThe mutineers of the Minotaur-Sailors and soldiers-DisciplineThe Captain of the American schooner-Nelson's opinion on promotions-Advice to young Connor. HE object of the present chapter is to Lord Howe thought that the most marvellous part of the Battle of the Nile was that no captain failed in doing his duty, and believed that there was something special in the admiral to produce this result and make them the "Band of Brothers" of whom Nelson was so justly proud. Great as had been the exertions of his predecessors in the glorious roll of English admirals, no one of them had, ere Nelson came, ruled rather by kindness and love than by fear. Even Jervis, respected as he was, and readily obeyed, was rather feared than loved. Nelson was adored. He realized the duty of his being known by report to every man and boy in his fleet, and in his flagship his personal ways, his habits, his gestures, walk, voice, temper, and methods were familiar to everybody. "He lived in public and impressed it in one way or in another, according to his conduct under it. Hence the personal character of the admiral in a fleet may almost have a greater influence on what is called the public character, and what the man is may be as important a national consideration as what the admiral is." I In the previous chapters evidence has been given of the source of this influence-his fatherly method of instructing his young midshipmen, his habit of taking them with him on all occasions into official society, his kindness and offered liberality to the two poor lunatic seamen, his sorrow for the loss of the two brave boys that fell at Boulogne, his assiduous care of and poignant grief at the death of poor young Parker. The record of other instances may be introduced by an anecdote with reference to Hardy related by Lady Minto: "It was on February 11, 1797, only three days before the great Battle of St. Vincent. Nelson was on board a frigate in the Mediterranean, just east of the straits of Gibraltar. He was on his way to join the commander-in-chief, whose fleet lay at some distance on the west. The frigate was close to the straits, when she found herself chased from the eastward by two Spanish ships-of-the-line. Suddenly there was a cry of 'Man overboard!' A boat was soon lowered by young Thomas Hardy, known eight years later as the flag-captain of the Victory, to whom Nelson gave his farewell instructions as he lay dying of his wound. A very rapid current sets in eastwards through the straits. This current quickly carried the boat far astern of the frigate-further and further from her friends, closer and closer to the pursuing enemy. It was a critical moment. To go after the boat was to lose time, and risk capture from the powerful line-of-battle ships. Nelson, they say, cast an anxious look From the Edinburgh Review for 1886, pp. 551-2. A review of Professor Laughton's digest of the Despatches, in which the true character of Nelson is most carefully worked out. 1798.] NELSON AND CAPTAIN BALL. 353 at the receding boat, then exclaimed, By heaven I will not lose Hardy! Back the mizen-topsail!' No sooner said than done; the frigate was stopped, the boat's crew was recovered, and the Spaniard, not knowing what to make of the manœuvre, and fearing some trap, shortened sail, and was soon lost to sight." It I may be remembered that during the trip to France in 1783, Nelson met Captain Ball and another officer at St. Omer, wearing the then unusual ornament of epaulettes, borrowed from the French service, and not as yet introduced in that of our navy. The result was that Nelson entertained a poor opinion of these decorated officers—an opinion which evidently, from the following anecdote, he still entertained when Ball, in the Alexander, joined Nelson's squadron in the Mediterranean. "On joining, Captain Ball went on board the Vanguard to pay his respects to the rear-admiral, and met with a by no means flattering reception. 'What,' said Nelson, are you come to have your bones broken?' Ball quietly replied that he had no wish to have his bones broken, unless his duty to his King and country required such a sacrifice, and then they should not be spared. Soon after, in the storm of May, 1798, the Vanguard was taken in tow by the Alexander, and Nelson, fearing from the state of the weather that both ships would go down, peremptorily ordered that his ship should be abandoned to its fate. Ball held on, and when the ships arrived at St. Pierre's, Nelson at once went on board Ball's ship, and, cordially embracing him, said, 'A friend in need is a friend indeed.' From this time their close friendship commenced, and he highly esteemed him." 2 To Captain Ball the very arduous and difficult defence of Malta was entrusted by Nelson after the Battle of the Nile, a position in which, it is evident from the following 1 Recorded by Lady Minto and quoted in the sermon of the Rev. Montague Butler, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, at a meeting of the Church of England Young Men's Society, July 5, 1889, at St. Peter's, Mancroft, Norwich. 2 Ex relatione Rev. Francis Laing, who was told it by Ball; Despatches, vol. iii. p. 21, note. letter, he was the subject of reports that he had forfeited Nelson's esteem-far from it : "My dear Ball," wrote Nelson, on hearing of his anxiety, "I love, honour, and respect you; and no persons ever have, nor could they, were they so disposed, lessen you in my esteem, both as a public officer and a private man therefore, never let such a thought come into your head, which was never more wanted to be clear from embroils than at this moment." Then, fortifying his perseverance by informing him that Troubridge is coming with ships and Colonel Graham with troops, he thus proceeds : 66 'But, my dear friend, you holding your port so long as you have, is a matter of the greatest credit to you. If you are forced to quit the island, it cannot lessen your exertion or abilities; and do not let such an event, should it unfortunately happen, depress your spirits for a moment, and believe me as ever, your obliged and affectionate friend, 66 NELSON." I In the following letter to Daniel Williams, Esq., father of Lieutenant C. D. Williams, a prisoner, we have another instance of Nelson's kindness 2 : "LEGHORN, Feb. 27, 1795. "DEAR SIR,-I only received your letter of December 29th yesterday, on the return of the fleet from sea. "I had some time learnt with pleasure that your son was a prisoner and not lost, which I feared was the case from the bad account I heard of the vessel. I at that time made inquiries if any little money could be got to him, but was told at this place it was impossible; however, I will make further inquiry, and, if possible, get a remittance to him. I shall have, I assure you, great pleasure in doing so on your son's account, who is a very good young man, and who at a future time, I shall be glad to serve. I need no reference to any 1 November 24, 1799. See in Appendix the account of how Captain Ball gave his worn out crew twenty minutes rest during the heat of the Battle of the Nile, as told by him to the poet Coleridge. 2 The prisoner was a lieutenant on board the Agamemnon. Mr. Williams was afterwards a police magistrate and knighted. |