and from the centre of the Citadel 2300 yards. The Enemy returned a heavy fire during the whole day. The Proselyte frigate anchored off the tower of Torga, about 1200 yards from the Town battery. Captain Serocold informed me that she took fire from red-hot shot, and that as he found the impossibility of getting the Ship off the shore, he thought it right to set her on fire in several places, and she burnt to the water's edge. April 12th. A heavy fire was kept up by us during the whole of last night and this day, apparently with good effect; the Enemy preserving a continued fire upon us. In the afternoon I went with Colonel Villettes, Lieutenant Duncan, R.A., and Captain Clarke, Brigade-Major, with a Corsican guide, to examine a ridge about one thousand yards nearer the Town than our present position, and on which the Corsicans kept a strong guard every night. The Enemy's continued fire of musketry and grape was poured on us during the whole evening. Unfortunately, the last shot they fired from Camponella killed the Corsican guide, who was standing behind Clarke, and shot off his right arm and a part of his right side: Clarke was looking over my shoulder at Camponella, whence we were distant about two hundred and fifty yards. We began on the 13th of April a battery for three twentyfour pounders close to the Torga tower, which stands on the sea-side, 1230 yards from the Town battery, and 1600 from the Citadel; and, a little in the rear, a battery for two twenty-four pounders, a mortar battery for one fourteen-inch Neapolitan mortar, and for the two ten-inch mortars which are to be removed from the upper battery. We were employed in getting up the guns, mortars, shells, shot, powder, and platforms, and in making the batteries, until the 21st; as also a breast-work to cover a hundred men in case of an attack. TO THOMAS POLLARD, ESQ., LEGHORN. [Autograph, in the possession of John Luxford, Esq.] Dear Sir, Camp, April 17th, 1794, I have to thank you for your remembrance of me: we want many good things; some porter, either a cask or bottled. I hope soon to have the pleasure of writing you from Bastia. You will be sorry for poor Clarke; but I have hopes he will live. Believe me, Your obliged, Pray put my letter in the Post-office. HORATIO NELSON. JOURNAL C. The Torga battery opened on the 21st of April at daylight on the Town battery and Camponella, and apparently with good effect. The Enemy kept up a most heavy fire on us the whole day, with shells and shot, from the citadel, Town, Stafforella, Camponella, a square tower, and the two batteries newly raised under Stafforella. General D'Aubant came on the heights from St. Fiorenzo, Brigadierwith all the Staff and Field Officers of that Army, and a guard of fifty Corsicans. The next day, the 22nd of April, the Enemy were hard at work on the heights, strengthening all their posts; the natural consequence of the parade of reconnoitering yesterday. A constant firing is kept up night and day. We are informed by several deserters, that our batteries have done great damage, and killed and wounded many of the Enemy. Our guns have twice totally demolished the Townbattery, and very much damaged Camponella, but from our not having a sufficient number of men to take advantage of this, the Enemy are enabled to repair them, and indeed make them stronger than ever. During this, and the succeeding night, our Corsicans made two false attacks on the upper posts, and those to the Southward, which must have harassed the Enemy considerably. TO MRS. NELSON. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. i. p. 162.] April 22nd, 1794. I have great reason, my dearest Fanny, to be thankful to that Being, who has ever protected me in a most wonderful manner, and in none more than since my landing here. If it is His good pleasure, I shall in nothing more rejoice, than in being once more with you; when we will talk over all these stories, and laugh at them. We are here with a force not equal to our wishes or wants, and with only half of what is at present in this Island. General D'Aubant will not attack our Enemy, with two thousand as fine troops as ever marched, whilst we are here beating them from post to post with one thousand. The Island, however, is to belong to England; reinforcements are expected, and our Generals will, I am sure, be ordered to act. My Ship lies on the North side of the town, with some Frigates, and Lord Hood is on the South side. It is very hard service for my poor seamen, dragging guns up such heights as are scarcely credible. The loss of the Enemy, we know, has been very great; report states it as much as five hundred killed and wounded, ours is not more than twenty. The Agamemnon has to number five amongst them they are not the men to keep out of the way. Yours, &c. HORATIO NELSON. TO ADMIRAL LORD HOOD." [Autograph draught, in the Nelson Papers. The preceding part of this Letter has not been found.] * * may be of the greatest service to us, but I am sure the Colonel1 will thank your Lordship for your information and • Lord Hood was promoted from Vice-Admiral of the Red to be an Admiral of the Blue, on the 11th of April 1794: and changed his Flag accordingly on the 16th of May. 1 Villettes. VOL. 1. с с be doubly on his guard against a surprise: besides, our abatis is already made. I have all my carpenters ready at dark to cut down more trees, and the piquet to-night is under the command of Major Smith, who is said to be a very good Officer. The Enemy are mistaken as to the impossibility of our troops getting down. In ten minutes at farthest, I am sure they would be at the bridge from the alarm-posts. I shall communicate your Lordship's letter to Colonel Villettes, and am sure he will take every precaution to prevent a surprise. I shall also communicate your ideas about Monserrat. Colonel Villettes intends writing your Lordship on his return from the heights. H. N. My Lord, TO ADMIRAL LORD HOOD. [Autograph draught, in the Nelson Papers.] April 24th, 1794. During the whole of yesterday no accident happened to any person here; and although I have no doubt but even remaining in our present situation, and by strict guard rowing close to the Town, and the Corsicans harassing them on the hills, and the Gun-boats by night, but that the Enemy must surrender before any great length of time, yet if force can be spared, a successful attack on the heights must much facilitate a speedy capture. I own it will give me the highest pleasure to assist in the attack. Your Lordship knows exactly the situation I am in here. With Colonel Villettes I have no reason but to suppose I am respected in the highest degree; nor have I occasion to complain of want of attention to my wishes for the good of the service from any parties; but yet I am considered as not commanding the Seamen landed. My wishes may [be,] and are, complied with; my orders would possibly be disregarded therefore, if we move from hence, I would wish your Lordship to settle that point. Your Lordship will not, I trust, take this request amiss: I have been struggling with it since the first day I landed. The Gun-boats did not last night, or the night before, appear to us to be so near in shore as they might have been. I may be mistaken, but believe half the shot did not go on shore. Colonel Villettes desires me to say that three of the Chasseurs are gone off; but it is thought not to Bastia, but into the country. They are Corsicans. I am, &c. HORATIO NELSON. TO ADMIRAL LORD HOOD. [Autograph draught, in the Nelson Papers.] My Lord, April 25th, 1794. I feel myself most exceedingly obliged by your kind letter of yesterday, and am happy that my ideas of the situation I am in here so perfectly agree with your Lordship's. Captain Hunt' is a most exceeding good young man, nor is any one more zealous for the service. I don't complain of any one, but an idea has entered into the heads of some under him, that Captain Hunt's command was absolutely distinct from me; and that I had no authority whatever over him, except as a request. It was even doubted whether I had a right to command the Officers and Seamen landed from the Agamemnon-that word, attached to the batteries,' was wrested to a meaning very different from your Lordship's thoughts. 6 Your kind intention to Captain Hunt I had the honour of telling your Lordship should be furthered by every means in my power; and my regard for him, I assure you, is undiminished. At present, no letter can be necessary, but when your Lordship may judge it proper, I will thank 1 Captain Anthony Hunt, who brought home Lord Hood's Dispatch announcing the surrender of Bastia. He commanded the Amphitrite of 20 guns, when that Ship was lost in the Mediterranean, some months before. Lord Hood's strong commendation of Captain Hunt's services in his Dispatch occasioned Nelson some chagrin, as he conceived, and not without reason, that he was more conspicuously noticed than himself. (See post.) Captain Hunt conveyed the late Marquis of Wellesley to India in La Virginie, and died in May 1798, soon after landing the Governor-General at Bengal. |