The Story of Nelson 12

The Story of Nelson 12

The _Captain_, the smallest 74 in the fleet, stood a good chance

of being annihilated by the oncoming squadron of Spanish ships,

which included the _Santissima Trinidad_, a gigantic four-decker.

Lieutenant-Colonel Drinkwater, who was an eye-witness, tells us that

for a considerable time Nelson “had to contend not only with her,

but with her seconds ahead and astern, of three decks each. While he

maintained this unequal combat, which was viewed with admiration, mixed

with anxiety, his friends were flying to his support: and the enemy’s

attention was soon directed to the _Culloden_, Captain Troubridge;

and, in a short time after, to the _Blenheim_, of 90 guns, Captain

Frederick; who, very opportunely, came to his assistance.

 

“The intrepid conduct of the Commodore staggered the Spanish admiral,

who already appeared to waver in pursuing his intention of joining the

ships cut off by the British fleet; when the _Culloden’s_ arrival,

and Captain Troubridge’s spirited support of the _Captain_, together

with the approach of the _Blenheim_, followed by Rear-Admiral Parker,

with the _Prince George_, _Orion_, _Irresistible_, and _Diadem_, not

far distant, determined the Spanish admiral to change his design

altogether, and to make the signal for the ships of his main body to

haul their wind, and make sail on the larboard tack.

 

“Advantage was now apparent, in favour of the British squadron, and

not a moment was lost in improving it. As the ships of Rear-Admiral

Parker’s division approached the enemy’s ships, in support of the

_Captain_, and her gallant seconds, the _Blenheim_ and _Culloden_,

the cannonade became more animated and impressive. The superiority

of the British fire over that of the enemy, and its effects on the

enemy’s hulls and sails, were so evident that there was no longer any

hesitation in pronouncing a glorious termination of the contest.

 

“The British squadron at this time was formed in two divisions, both

on the larboard tack[18]: Rear-Admiral Parker, with the _Blenheim_,

_Culloden_, _Prince George_, _Captain_, _Orion_, and _Irresistible_,

composed one division, which was engaged with the enemy’s rear; Sir

John Jervis, with the other division, consisting of the _Excellent_,

_Victory_, _Barfleur_, _Namur_, _Egmont_, _Goliath_, and _Britannia_,

was pressing forward in support of his advanced squadron, but had not

yet approached the real scene of action.

 

“While the British advanced squadron warmly pressed the enemy’s centre

and rear, the Admiral meditated, with his division, a co-operation

which must effectually compel some of them to surrender.

 

“In the confusion of their retreat, several of the enemy’s ships had

doubled on each other; and, in the rear, they were three or four

deep. It was, therefore, the British admiral’s design to reach the

weather-most of these ships; and, then, to bear up, and rake them all

in succession, with the seven ships composing his division. His object,

afterwards, was to pass on to the support of his van division; which,

from the length of time they had been engaged, he judged might be in

want of it. The casual position, however, of the rear ships of his van

division, prevented his executing this plan. The admiral, therefore,

ordered the _Excellent_, the leading ship of his own division, to

bear up; and, with the _Victory_, he himself passed to leeward of the

enemy’s rearmost and leewardmost ships; which, though almost silenced

in their fire, continued obstinately to resist the animated attack of

all their opponents.

 

“Captain Collingwood, in the _Excellent_, in obedience to the admiral’s

orders, passed between the two rearmost ships of the enemy’s line;

giving to the one most to windward, a 74, so effectual a broadside, in

addition to what had been done before, that her captain was induced to

submit. The _Excellent_ afterwards bore down on the ship to leeward,

a three-decker: but, observing the _Orion_ engaged with her, and the

_Victory_ approaching her, he threw into her only a few discharges of

musquetry, and passed on to the support of the _Captain_, at that time

warmly engaged with a three-decker, carrying a flag. His interference

here was opportune, as the continual and long fire of the _Captain_ had

almost expended the ammunition she had at hand, and the loss of her

fore-topmast, and other injuries she had received in her rigging, had

rendered her nearly ungovernable.

 

“The Spanish three-decker had lost her mizen-mast; and, before the

_Excellent_ arrived in her proper station to open on this ship, the

three-decker dropped astern aboard of, and became entangled with, a

Spanish two-decker, that was her second. Thus doubled on each other,

the _Excellent_ gave the two ships her fire; and then moved forwards to

assist the headmost ships in their attack on the Spanish admiral, and

the other ships of the enemy’s centre.

 

“Meanwhile, Sir John Jervis, disappointed in his plan of raking the

enemy’s rear ships, and having directed, as before observed, the

_Excellent_ to bear up, ordered the _Victory_ to be placed on the

lee-quarter of the rearmost ship of the enemy, a three-decker; and

having, by signal, ordered the _Irresistible_ and _Diadem_ to suspend

their firing, threw into the three-decker so powerful a discharge, that

her commander, seeing the _Barfleur_ ... ready to second the _Victory_,

thought proper to strike to the British Commander-in-chief. Two of

the enemy’s ships had now surrendered; and the _Lively_ frigate, and

_Diadem_, had orders to secure the prizes. The next that fell were the

two with which Commodore Nelson was engaged.

 

“While Captain Collingwood so nobly stepped in to his assistance, as

already mentioned, Captain R. W. Miller, the Commodore’s captain, was

enabled to replenish his lockers with shot, and prepare for a renewal

of the fight. No sooner, therefore, had the _Excellent_ passed on, than

the gallant Commodore renewed the battle.

 

“The three-decker with which he was before engaged having fallen

aboard her second, that ship, of 84 guns, became now the Commodore’s

opponent. To her, therefore, he directed a vigorous fire; nor was it

feebly returned, as the loss on board the _Captain_ evinced, nearly

twenty men being killed and wounded in a very few minutes. It was now

that the various damages already sustained by that ship, through the

long and arduous conflict which she had maintained, appearing to render

a continuance of the contest in the usual way precarious, or perhaps

impossible, that Commodore Nelson, unable to bear the idea of parting

with an enemy of which he had so thoroughly assured himself, instantly

resolved on a bold and decisive measure; and determined, whatever might

be the event, to attempt his opponent sword in hand. The boarders were

accordingly summoned, and orders given to lay his ship, the _Captain_,

on board the enemy.”

 

“At this time,” says Nelson, “the _Captain_ having lost her

fore-topmast, not a sail, shroud, or rope left, her wheel shot away,

and incapable of further service in the line, or in chase, I directed

Captain Miller to put the helm a-starboard, and calling for the

Boarders, ordered them to board. The Soldiers of the 69th Regiment,

with an alacrity which will ever do them credit, and Lieutenant Pierson

of the same Regiment, were amongst the foremost on this service.

The first man who jumped into the Enemy’s mizen-chains was Captain

Berry, late my First Lieutenant (Captain Miller was in the very act of

going also, but I directed him to remain); he was supported from our

spritsail-yard, which hooked in the mizzen-rigging. A soldier of the

69th Regiment having broke the upper quarter-gallery window, jumped

in, followed by myself and others as fast as possible. I found the

cabin-doors fastened, and some Spanish Officers fired their pistols;

but having broke open the doors, the soldiers fired, and the Spanish

Brigadier (Commodore with a Distinguishing Pendant) fell, as retreating

to the quarter-deck, on the larboard side, near the wheel. Having

pushed on the quarter-deck, I found Captain Berry in possession of the

poop, and the Spanish ensign hauling down. I passed with my people and

Lieutenant Pierson on the larboard gangway to the forecastle, where

I met two or three Spanish Officers prisoners to my seamen, and they

delivered me their swords.

 

“At this moment, a fire of pistols or muskets opened from the Admiral’s

stern gallery of the _San Josef_, I directed the soldiers to fire into

her stern; and, calling to Captain Miller, ordered him to send more men

into the _San Nicolas_, and directed my people to board the First-rate,

which was done in an instant, Captain Berry assisting me into the main

chains. At this moment a Spanish Officer looked over the quarter-deck

rail, and said--‘they surrendered;’ from this most welcome intelligence

it was not long before I was on the quarter-deck, when the Spanish

Captain, with a bow, presented me his Sword, and said the Admiral was

dying of his wounds below. I asked him, on his honour, if the Ship were

surrendered? he declared she was; on which I gave him my hand, and

desired him to call to his Officers and Ship’s company, and tell them

of it--which he did; and on the quarter-deck of a Spanish First-rate,

extravagant as the story may seem, did I receive the Swords of

vanquished Spaniards: which, as I received, I gave to William Fearney,

one of my bargemen, who put them with the greatest _sangfroid_ under

his arm.”

 

Nelson afterwards went on board the _Irresistible_. It was then late

in the afternoon, and he did not think it advisable to take possession

of the _Santissima Trinidad_ because he was convinced that “a night

Action with a still very superior Fleet” must inevitably follow.

Jervis received the Commodore with great affection and was not sparing

with well-deserved praise. The hero of the day was no less generous in

acknowledging the services of Collingwood. He described his conduct

as “noble and gallant.” Nelson had no truer friend than the commander

of the _Excellent_, whose admiration for the Commodore’s genius knew

no bounds. “The highest rewards are due to you and _Culloden_:”

Collingwood replied, “you formed the plan of attack--we were only

accessories to the Dons’ ruin; for had they got on the other tack, they

would have been sooner joined, and the business would have been less

complete.”

 

While the interest of the fight centres about the _Captain_, each

ship contributed to the victory. In addition to Nelson’s vessel, the

_Colossus_ and _Culloden_ were badly battered but fortunately the loss

in men was remarkably small. Four prizes fell to the British fleet on

St Valentine’s Day, 1797.

 

To his wife, Nelson confesses that “the more I think of our late

action, the more I am astonished; it absolutely appears a dream....

The Spanish war will give us a cottage and a piece of ground, which

is all I want. I shall come one day or other laughing back, when we

will retire from the busy scenes of life: I do not, however, mean to

be a hermit; the dons will give us a little money.” This must not be

taken too seriously, for within forty-eight hours of the battle he

had confided to Sir Gilbert Elliot that “to take hereditary Honours

without a fortune to support the Dignity, is to lower that Honour it

would be my pride to support in proper splendour.” He did not wish a

“baronetage,” but on the other hand, “There are Honours, which die

with the possessor, and I should be proud to accept, if my efforts are

thought worthy of the favour of my King.” George III. created him a

Knight of the Bath; Jervis became Earl of St Vincent. Six days after

the battle Nelson was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral of the Blue,

not as a reward for his meritorious conduct but as his due according to seniority.