Duncan told me this morning, that he was sure we had not shot enough to breach the bastions, and that he supposed a mine would be run under one of them, that in the outer Town. TO ADMIRAL LORD HOOD. My dear Lord, Camp, July 20th, 1794. When the Victory's were first landed our numbers victualled were 341, Captain and every body included: now from various causes, for which I can readily account, our numbers are only 223 working-men, as by the inclosed list. I will land all I can from Agamemnon. They shall, if possible, be here to-night. All our boats and the Transports have hitherto been employed every night it has been possible in carrying shot and shells and stores. I will take Moutray's men, as I think the General cannot now want the battery. I have no doubt but Calvi will be ours in spite of all endeavours to poison the mind of a good man. This application I thought was coming, but I do not see there can be any occasion for it; but our exertions must not slacken. Moutray some days ago said to Colonel Moore something that led Moore to say, 'Why don't Lord Hood land 500 'men to work? our Soldiers are tired.' Here the riddle is fully explained. I never write or open my mouth to any one but your Lordship. The permanent party for work is every person wanted; we don't portion our work: for instance, this morning we could have done much work, rested the afternoon, and work at night. Now, rumour says, for the General is asleep, that all is to go forward this night, which if we had 1,000 seamen is impossible; but no exertion of mine or Hallowell's is wanting. We are not firing: the Enemy are lining their merlons with sandbags, &c. The Dolphin's people I will send for, and an Officer. shall see the General in the evening. Believe me, I Your most faithful, HORATIO NELSON. INCLOSURE. Seamen, exclusive of Officers, Servants, Cooks, attendant on Last evening I went to the General's as usual, and had not remained long before Sir James Esrkine arrived with two letters from Calvi, where it would appear he had been sent with a Flag of Truce. The General took me out to say that as he thought the taking the Mozelle was a proper moment to know the sentiments of the Garrison, he had sent in a letter just to ask if they had any terms to propose, and that the answer he had received was, that they were de. termined to hold out to the last extremity: therefore he wished me to write your Lordship and say what probably he has wrote. I could not help saying that in a business of such great moment, it would be improper in me to convey his sentiments, and submitted whether it would not be best for himself to write your Lordship. What seems wanting is more Seamen, a number sufficient to make the battery, and to drag the guns without any help, with all the VOL. I. GG supplies for those guns. The Army are harassed to death, and the Enemy have, it seems, 2,000 men in arms at Calvi: therefore the General wants from your Lordship to make our number 500 working men. From various causes we are not more than 220 working men, and after 120 men are deducted for the present battery, we have not more than 100 working men. The General is going to send to Bastia for 300 Troops to assist the Army in the land duty which they now have. Gunpowder is wanted, as also shot in such quantities as I fear it is out of your Lordship's power to supply, for we have no chance of success but by battering a breach, which without more ammunition could not be done; and it was come to the point either to go on or to give it up. I told the General that I was sure that if you had the means of supplying his wants I was certain he would have them; but I believed neither shot nor powder was to be got from the Ships. The General then said, as San Francesco was destroyed, why could not Ships be laid against the walls? I took the liberty of observing that the business of laying wood before walls was much altered of late; and that even if they had no hot shot, which I believe they had, that the quantity of powder and shot which would be fired away on such an Attack could be much better directed from a battery on shore. All our conversation was with the greatest po liteness, and he thanked me for my assistance; but it was necessary to come to the point whether the Siege should be persevered in or given up. If the former, he must be supplied with the means, which were more troops, more seamen to work, and more ammunition. I observed that if men nor ammunition could be supplied from the Fleet, or without sending to Gibraltar, that our present position might possibly be held. I had wrote so far, when Sir James arrived to say he was going off to your Lordship. He, of course, is authorized to say everything. Your most faithful, HORATIO NELSON. TO LIEUT, RICHARD SAINTHILL, AGENT FOR TRANSPORTS. [From "Memoirs of Captain Richard Sainthill."] You are hereby required and directed to land out of the Transports under your direction all the empty Wine-pipes they have on board, for erecting batteries, for which this shall be your order. Given under my hand, at the Camp before Calvi, this 20th July 1794. HORATIO NELSON. TO ADMIRAL LORD HOOD. [Autograph, in the Hood Papers.] Camp, July 22nd, 1794. My dear Lord, I am just come from the General, who intends getting things forward for this night, and to-morrow night purposes making a great effort to mount the seven heavy guns in their battery, and wishes to have near five hundred Seamen. We employ every man at the lower batteries all night, but there are eighteen at the upper battery which the General wishes to remain, in case of the Enemy opening a fire. If Fennel is here, he says he has thirty men, probably twenty-five effective. Except the Agamemnon's boat's crews and the Maltese, every man is landed from her. I should think I may take twenty-five of the boats' crews: the L'Aimable will probably, if you please, furnish the rest; and as it will take immediately sixty men in the batteries who must be relieved the next evening, we shall, I dare say, want more for the night after, and our having worked for four nights together, cannot have much strength remaining. The six-gun battery is to be removed forward, and mounted, I hope. We alter our plans so often that it distresses us. We have been part of two nights carrying the large mortars and beds to the right, through very bad ground: it is now talked of, and I fear will be ordered to carry them all to the left. The ground is so bad, if we move them, that one night of every seaman fresh I don't think will more than effect it. However, I say nothing. The General asked me when I thought the powder and shot would be landed? I told him that I was sure your Lordship had sent for it, and I had no doubt it would soon arrive. I delivered Captain Knight's message, as I understood it-that the General might depend upon every assistance in your Lordship's power to give him, and that I had directions for to furnish every wish of the General's as far as I had the power, and when I had it not, to acquaint your Lordship. He said he was sure of every assistance—that he never doubted. There is certainly no Treaty going forward. The General told me they thought they were gaining a great point by making more works, but it was useless for them-they only laid themselves more open to be knocked to pieces. If more men are wanted for the second battery to be erected, I will acquaint your Lordship as soon as possible. Believe me with truest esteem, Your Lordship's most faithful, TO ADMIRAL LORD HOOD. [From Clarke and M‘Arthur, vol. i. p. 185.] 22nd July 1794. We will fag ourselves to death, before any blame shall lie at our doors; and I trust, my dear Lord, it will not be forgotten, that twenty-five pieces of heavy ordnance have been dragged to the different batteries and mounted, and all, but three at the Royal Louis battery, have been fought by Seamen, except one Artillery-man to point the guns, and, at first, an additional Gunner to stop the rest; but, as I did not choose to trust a Seaman's arms to any but Seamen, he was withdrawn: all the mortars have also been worked by Seamen: every man landed is actually half barefooted. I am far from well; but not so ill as to be confined. My eye is troublesome, and I don't think I shall ever have • Vide p. 307. ante. 7 Sic. query, vent. |