within four miles of Bastia. As soon as they are ready to act, I have no doubt Bastia will very soon be taken, although the Enemy have 62 guns mounted, besides mortars. Your picture of Bastia is very like, only adding a Citadel. We did the Enemy great damage, as we learn from a Dane who had been with a cargo of corn, but who was glad to get away. Lord Hood is just arrived,1 but has not brought an older Captain than myself with him. I am to anchor and act with the Army. Maurice Suckling is not yet made a Lieutenant, but, I hope, will in time. Promotion is very slow now Toulon is lost; and the additional Lieutenants being taken away from the small Ships, will make it the longer before it comes to his turn, as they are to be put into Ships as vacancies happen. I should be glad he was made. Your letters give me great pleasure; and I hope, when you feel leisure, you will indulge me by writing. The French have got three Sail of the Line in the outer road of Toulon ready for Sea, a proof that all their stores were not burnt.

I beg you will give my kindest remembrances to Mrs. Suckling, Miss Suckling, and all your family. Best respects to Mr. Rumsey and family, who, I hope, are all well. I shall be very glad to shake you all again by the hand. Believe

me,

Your most affectionate,

HORATIO NELSON.

TO THE REVEREND MR. NELSON, HILBOROUGH.

[Autograph, in the Nelson Papers.]

Agamemnon, March 1st, 1794, off Bastia, in Corsica.

My dear Brother,

As Mrs. Nelson is removed from your neighbourhood, I know you love to hear a little of what is going forward, therefore shall send you some extracts of our Journal. I feel myself very much obliged by your offer about the farm, but don't think I shall make prize-money enough to purchase an estate; and if I do, must look out for a house and grounds

1 See Nelson's Journal, vide p. 366, post.

6

in some measure ready made. It is too late for me to begin. I assure you and Mrs. Nelson I feel myself very much obliged by your attention to my Mrs. Nelson. Where is General White? I suppose your letter came by him, but I have neither seen or heard of him; but I must begin my Journal from January 21st. You must judge if we have been active.

January 21st.-Landed sixty troops and sixty seamen within a very short distance of Fiorenzo with some opposition. The soldiers stood guard, and the seamen destroyed a large store of flour for the garrison, and set the mill on fire. The Enemy sent 1000 men, but our activity had done the job before their arrival, and they only got a few scattering shot at us. I was not on shore, but may say it was ama zingly well conducted. My merit, if that is any, was seizing the happy moment. The Enemy lost many men; we had not a man hurt.

February 5th.-Landed the troops, and anchored two Frigates off the port of Centuri. After a very trifling opposi tion, took possession of the Town and Harbour. It being low water, was obliged to burn six Sail, four of them loaded with wine for the garrison of St. Fiorenzo. Only one man, belonging to a Frigate, was killed. Received the thanks of the inhabitants for sparing the Town.

February 6th and 7th.-Lord Hood and the troops arrived, landing near Mortella Tower. Left the Fleet, being ordered to block up Bastia.

February 8th.-At eight o'clock anchored with the Tartar, off the town of Maginaggio: sent a flag of truce on shore to demand an immediate surrender. Having received a very insolent answer, viz. We are Republicans, that is sufficient. Go to St. Fiorenzo, to Bastia, or Calvi.-There you will get such an answer as you desire: the troops which I command, and which are ready to give you a meeting, are true French soldiers." I immediately landed, when this famous Commander and his troops ran away, and I had the satisfaction of striking the National Flag with my own hand. We found the Town full of provisions for Bastia, which we destroyed, and ten Sail of Vessels. You will recollect our time could be but short.

1 Vide p. 352, ante.

In a few hours, ten times our numbers could be got together to oppose us; therefore we could carry nothing away.

February 9th.-Anchored in Capreia, a Genoese port. The Governor assured me there was no vessel under Republican colours there. Sailed next day.

February 12th.-Saw a small Dispatch-boat get into a Cove in Capreia. Sent the boats to attack her, but they were beat off. Went myself, boarded the vessel, and brought her off. We had six men badly wounded: we killed many of the French, and the Officer commanding her.

February 19th.-Went on shore with sixty troops five miles to the North of Bastia. Marched to within two miles and a half of Bastia, where we took the village and tower of Moimo, the French running away. These successes induced all the Corsicans in this part of Corsica to declare for us, and are now acting against the French. At night saw over the hills the Frigates on fire at Fiorenzo.

On the 21st received Lord Hood's letter, announcing the fall of Fiorenzo. 23rd, wishing to reconnoitre Bastia, and to the Southward of it close, I passed a battery of six guns, which began on us, the ships proceeding as named, Agamemnon, Romulus, Tartar. At the third shot we got the distance so exact, that we very soon drove the French out of the battery, and totally destroyed it, getting within shot of the Town. They began on us with shot and shells, and from the works over the Town. I backed our main top-sail, and passed slowly along the Town. The cannonading lasted one hour and three quarters. We did them great damage, as we see, and by a Dane who immediately came out, we hear they lost a number of men. We suppose they fired on us with twentyseven guns and four mortars, besides those on the outworks; and although each Ship was struck in the hull, yet not a man was killed or wounded. Our troops were just in sight on the hills, having marched over-land from Fiorenzo, which is only twelve miles distant. General Dundas sent an express to Lord Hood to give him an account of it. It must have been a fine sight from the hills. On the 25th, getting too near in a calm, they fired on me with shot and shells, some of which burst very near us, so as to shake Agamemnon. Our troops are not yet got to work. I can't think what they are after. Give my kindest remembrances to Mrs. Nelson

and my Aunt, and your children, and compliments at Swaffham. Believe me,

Your most affectionate Brother,

HORATIO NELSON.

Write to me, and direct to the care of John Udney, Esq., his Britannic Majesty's Consul at Leghorn: some postage must be paid, but don't know how much.

JOURNAL B.

March 1st.-Off Bastia.

March 2nd.-Lord Hood in sight.

March 3rd.-Lord Hood made my Signal, and acquainted me of the retreat of our Troops from the Heights, and of their return to St. Fiorenzo. Saw General Dundas's letter to What the General could have

Lord Hood, as also Paoli's. seen to have made a retreat necessary, I cannot conceive. The Enemy's force is 1,000 Regulars, and 1,000 or 1,500 Irregulars. I wish not to be thought arrogant, or presumptuously sure of my own judgment, but it is my firm opinion that the Agamemnon with only the Frigates now here, lying against the Town for a few hours with 500 troops ready to land, when we had battered down the Sea-wall, would to a certainty carry the place. I presumed to propose it to Lord Hood, and his Lordship agreed with me; but that he should go to Fiorenzo, and hear what the General had to sav, and that it would not be proper to risk having our Ships crippled without a co-operation of the Army, which consists of 1,600 Regulars, and 180 Artillery-men, all in good health, and as good troops as ever marched. We now know, from three Ragusa Ships and one Dane, that our cannonade on Sunday, the 23rd February, threw the Town into the greatest consternation; that it almost produced an insurrection; that La Combe St. Michel, the Commissioner from the Convention, was obliged to hide himself, for had he been found and massacred, to a certainty the Town would have been surrendered to me. But St. Michel having declared he would blow up the Citadel with himself was the only thing which prevented a boat coming off to us with offers. A magazine 1 Vide p. 358.

blew up, and the people believe we fired nothing but hot shot. The French shot were all hot; that by our cannonade on Tuesday afternoon, the 25th February, the Camp was so much annoyed that the French run, and in the Town they so fully expected I should land, that St. Michel sent orders for the La Fleche to be burnt, but it falling calm, I could not lay near enough the Town to do good service. Many people were killed and wounded, and the Master of the Ragusa, who has been on board me, had a piece shot out of his leg, and the man next him killed. I lament that several women were killed, and a most beautiful girl of seventeen. Such are the horrors of war. My Ship's company behaved most amazingly well. They begin to look upon themselves as invincible, almost invulnerable: believe they would fight a good battle with any Ship of two decks out of France. Lord Hood offered me the Courageux 74, but I declined it shall stay by Agamemnon.

March 4th. Close off Bastia. Romney joined.

TO MRS. NELSON.

[From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. i. p. 155.]

My dear Fanny,

Agamemnon, March 4th, 1794.

You will be surprised to hear that the English General, Dundas, has retired from before Bastia without making an attack. God knows what it all means. Lord Hood is gone

to St. Fiorenzo to the Army, to get them forward again. A thousand men would to a certainty take Bastia: with five hundred, and Agamemnon, I would attempt it. Lord Hood said publicly, that if he thought it proper to give me three Sail of the Line, and 500 men, he was sure I should take the Town, although probably not the heights; but he would not sacrifice his Seamen and Ships in doing, what the finest Army of its size that ever marched could, and wish to do. General Paoli has told them, that if they don't keep my force low, I shall take Bastia, before they pitch their tents in St. Fiorenzo: however, these are only civil speeches.

2 Vide p. 358, ante.