TO ADMIRAL LORD HOOD. [Autograph, in the Hood Papers.] Camp, July 29th, 1794. My dear Lord. Since the Agamemnon has been here, two seamen, good men, have entered from the Changeable Transport into the Agamemnon. The Master came to me, and hoped I would give him two men in lieu. One, his Carpenter, was mutinous; and the other, his Second Mate; that he would be satisfied with an indifferent Carpenter, but he could not with propriety go to sea without one: that he would not ask for any one in lieu of the other, but he was very short-handed. I told him that if your Lordship had no objection I would discharge two men in lieu, but without that I did not feel justified, and desired him to take an opportunity of going on board, and asking Captain Inglefield9 for an order. Lieutenant H- this morning came to me in a very uncivil way, that the Master of the Changeable had complained to him that [he] could not go to sea for want of two men in lieu; that if I would not give men in lieu to send them back, "Dear Sir,-What I require from your people to-night, for the good of the Public service, in which I am sure of your kind assistance, is nearly as follows,— To place three eighteen-pounders upon their carriages, and in the batteries; to carry down, and place upon their respective platforms, two thirty-six-pounders, and one twenty-six. Captain Stephens informs me that he has settled with respect to the number of Seamen we require on the batteries to-morrow, a little before day-break,-— -a number similar to that I had the honour of showing you some days ago, and which then appeared to me inferior to the service, but which upon a further explanation, I find to be sufficient from the number of additional guns added to them. May I entreat, for the safety of the whole, that no tobacco may be smoked by the sailors when upon this duty. I have the honour to be, your obedient servant, CHAS. STUART." Autograph, in the Nelson Papers. 9 Captain John Nicholson Inglefield. Captain Sir Hyde Parker, First Captain to Lord Hood, having been promoted to Rear-Admiral, and wishing to hoist his Flag, (to which his Lordship consented,) Lord Hood issued an order dated "Victory, Hieres Bay, 19th June 1794," which, after stating those facts, and that from not having twenty Sail of the Line under his command, he did not feel himself entitled to appoint a First Captain in Sir Hyde Parker's room, "yet having a very urgent "and pressing occasion for assistance,” he had “thought fit to authorize Captain Inglefield to repair on board the Victory, and take upon him the duties of First Captain, under the character of Adjutant-General of the Fleet." Captain Inglefield was afterwards a Commissioner of the Navy; and was placed on the Retired list of Post-Captains in February 1799. 66 and some other Man-of-War would. I told him, as I did the Master, that as you was here, I should not do it without your order. He said he had told the Master not to pay them their wages, and that he would justify him by his instructions; in short, he was very uncivil, but these Agents forget themselves very much; and I have had more trouble with this Officer about the Transports' people than a little. He is never satisfied: I only wish I had rejected his services; with the men I should have had but little trouble. Cooke told me H`s character before he landed; but I thought the service would have been forwarded by landing him, and I believe he took more pains to get men from his own Division. If your Lordship pleases, I will discharge or lend two men in lieu. Believe me, your most faithful, HORATIO NELSON. I send off my Journal to last night. CONTINUATION OF CAPTAIN NELSON'S JOURNAL. [From a Copy, in the Admiralty.] 29th July. The Truce still continues: at 10 o'clock General Stuart went on board the Victory. At night four small Vessels got into Calvi, and the Garrison gave three cheers. 30th. At noon an Officer went into town with a Flag of Truce. At half-past one he returned. Got everything ready to recommence hostilities. At half-past five began firing. The Garrison fired one general round, when they nearly all left their guns, only now and then stealing a gun at us. By dusk, three or four of their guns were totally disabled. During the night the Enemy only fired three or four guns: we fired a gun every three minutes. Lieutenant Byron, of the 18th Regiment, and Ensign Boggis, 51st Regiment, killed. Lieutenant Livingstone, 30th Regiment, wounded; one Seaman of the Agamemnon wounded. TO ADMIRAL LORD HOOD. [Autograph, in the Hood Papers.] My dear Lord, Camp, July 30th, 1794. The General has desired me to send the Boreas Hospital Ship to Bastia, with sick soldiers; as I cannot do it, your Lordship being present, I have, trusting it will meet with your approbation, ordered the Boreas to anchor off Revellata, and the sick to be embarked in the sandy Bay below our Camp ready to receive your Lordship's directions. At one o'clock this morning, I am sorry to say, the Enemy received some supplies. One whole Galley, two Half Galleys, as reported to me. They gave three cheers on the vessel's arrival. I had established a signal with L'Amiable, a Dutch Jack inverted, when I wanted a boat. If the Ships near know the signal for a boat I can get one instantly, whenever I may want to send to your Lordship. The Corsican who brought the letter from Sir Gilbert Elliot yesterday afternoon, is waiting to know if any answer is to be sent. Your most faithful HORATIO NELSON. TO ADMIRAL LORD HOOD. [From a Copy, in the Nelson Papers] Camp, July 30th, 1794. My dear Lord, Every letter of yours which Many thanks for your letter. can require the least secrecy, I assure you is held sacred by me. The Enemy getting in these supplies, four Vessels, certainly will alter the face of the negotiation. Indeed, my Lord, I am sure that we have much more to fear from the climate than the Enemy. I own I should not have consented to have given them one day's Truce. I wish our batteries were open; I think two days will sicken them. In our present state we cannot part with a man. 200 are on the batteries each day, thirty-three sick, and with Officers and servants 460. The Agamemnon cannot get under weigh: she has only her boats' crews and Maltese, besides idlers. The Seamen are very healthy in comparison with the Army, who in a week will be half sick. I attribute our healthiness to our hard work, and quantity of wine allowed. Believe me your most faithful HORATIO NELSON. I have sent 10 sick men on board Agamemnon this morning. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR GILBERT ELLIOT, BART. [Autograph, in the Minto Papers.] My dear Sir, Camp, July 30th, 1794. You will probably have heard that Flags of Truce have been passing between us and the Garrison. What the basis is I am not exactly in a situation to be made acquainted with ; but if I am not mistaken, it is for a suspension of hostilities for a certain time, when, if no succours arrived, then to enter into a Capitulation. If this is the case, it is all over, for last night four Vessels arrived with supplies, and the Garrison gave three cheers. Indeed, my dear Sir, we have much more to dread from the climate than from the fire of the Enemy; I would not give them one hour's Truce. They know their Climate, that it is an Enemy we can never conquer; for if the Siege is prolonged one week more, half this Army will be sick. Lord Hood is not well, or the General. Believe me, Your most faithful Servant, JOURNAL. [From a Copy, in the Admiralty.] 31st July. Our fire kept up very brisk during the whole day, the Enemy only firing from one gun on their left, and four or five howitzer shells. By sunset nearly all the Enemy's guns seemed disabled, and a great deal of the parapet wall beat down. The houses in the Citadel very much damaged, and on fire in three places, but the houses being all arched will not allow the fire to spread. At four o'clock a Flag of Truce came out to say two men had been killed in the Hospital, by a shot from our battery. At five the fire re-commenced. Mr. Bankes, Midshipman of the Victory, killed. One additional Gunner killed. TO ADMIRAL LORD HOOD. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. i. p. 185.] My dear Lord, July 31st, 1794. I own I rejoiced when our fire opened against the Enemy, being thoroughly convinced, that all we have to guard against is unnecessary delay: the climate is the only Enemy we have to fear; that we can never conquer. Far be it from me to cast a reflection on the General's humanity, I admire it; but there are times, and I think the present is one of them, when it would be more charitable to our Troops to make the Enemy suffer, than for our brave fellows to die incessantly, four or five of a day. Why might not the General send notice, that they must remove all their sick from the lower Town to the upper one, for that it may be a necessary measure to destroy it? In that case, they would be so crowded, that a few hours would make them submit to any terms. The General is very unwell, and not being able to remain here last night, I have not heard of him this morning. This is my ague day, and hope so active a scene will keep off the fit. It has shaken me a good deal; but I have been used to them, |