The Story of Nelson 4

The Story of Nelson 4

“The season was far advanced, and every hour lessened the chance of

extricating themselves. Young as he was, Nelson was appointed to

command one of the boats which were sent out to explore a passage into

the open water. It was the means of saving a boat belonging to the

_Racehorse_ from a singular but imminent danger. Some of the officers

had fired at, and wounded, a walrus.... The wounded animal dived

immediately, and brought up a number of its companions; and they all

joined in an attack upon the boat. They wrested an oar from one of the

men; and it was with the utmost difficulty that the crew could prevent

them from staving or upsetting her, till the _Carcass’s_ boat, under

Nelson, came up. The walrusses, finding their enemies thus reinforced,

dispersed.

 

“A short time after this occurrence, young Nelson exposed himself

in a more daring manner. One night, during the mid-watch, he stole

from the ship with one of his comrades, taking advantage of a rising

fog, and set out over the ice in pursuit of a bear. Nelson, in high

spirits, led the way over the frightful chasms in the ice, armed with

a rusty musket, as was his companion. It was not, however, long before

the adventurers were missed by those on board; and, as the fog had

much increased, the anxiety of Captain Lutwidge and his officers for

them was very great. Between three and four in the morning, the mist

having nearly dispersed, the hunters were discovered at a considerable

distance, attacking a large bear. The signal for their return was

instantly made; but it was in vain that Nelson’s companion urged him

to obey it. He was at this time divided by a rent in the ice from his

shaggy antagonist, which probably saved his life; for the musket had

flashed in the pan, and their ammunition was expended. ‘Never mind,’

exclaimed Horatio, ‘do but let me get a blow at this devil with the

butt end of my musket, and we shall have him.’ His companion, finding

that entreaty was in vain, left him, and regained the ship. The

Captain, seeing the young adventurer’s danger, ordered a gun to be

fired to terrify the enraged animal; this had the desired effect; but

Nelson was obliged to return without his bear. Captain Lutwidge, though

he could not but admire so daring a disposition, reprimanded him rather

sternly for such rashness, and for conduct so unworthy of the situation

he occupied; and desired to know what motive he could have for hunting

a bear. ‘Sir,’ he replied, pouting his lip, as he was wont to do when

agitated, ‘I wished to kill a bear, that I might carry its skin to my

father.’”

 

Towards the middle of August the two ships were able to forge their way

through the ice, although not without considerable difficulty, and duly

sailed for home waters.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER II

 

A Hero in the Making

 

(1773-1783)

 

“_True honour, I hope, predominates in my mind far above riches_”

--NELSON.

 

 

We are fortunate in having an account of Nelson’s early career at sea

penned by himself, otherwise the material at our disposal would be

extremely scanty. The story of the next few years is therefore told

in his own words. What it lacks in picturesqueness is made up for in

authenticity:

 

“On our arrival in England,” he says, “and paid off, 15 October [1773],

I found that a squadron was fitting out for the East Indies; and

nothing less than such a distant voyage could in the least satisfy my

desire of maritime knowledge: and I was placed in the _Seahorse_ of 20

guns, with Captain Farmer, and watched in the foretop; from whence in

time I was placed on the quarter-deck: having, in the time I was in

this ship, visited almost every part of the East Indies, from Bengal to

Bussorah. Ill-health induced Sir Edward Hughes, who had always shown

me the greatest kindness, to send me to England in the _Dolphin_ of

20 guns, with Captain James Pigot, whose kindness at that time saved

my life. This ship was paid off at Woolwich on 24 September, 1776. On

the 26th I received an order from Sir James Douglas, who commanded

at Portsmouth, to act as lieutenant of the _Worcester_, 64, Captain

Mark Robinson, who was ordered to Gibraltar with a convoy.[6] In this

ship I was at sea with convoys till 2 April, 1777, and in very bad

weather. But although my age might have been a sufficient cause for not

entrusting me with the charge of a watch, yet Captain Robinson used to

say, ‘he felt as easy when I was upon deck, as any officer in the ship.’

 

“On [the 9th] April, 1777, I passed my examination as a lieutenant;

and received my commission the next day, as second lieutenant of the

_Lowestoffe_ frigate of 32 guns, Captain (now Lieutenant-Governor of

Greenwich Hospital) William Locker. In this ship I went to Jamaica; but

even a frigate was not sufficiently active for my mind, and I got into

a schooner, tender to the _Lowestoffe_. In this vessel I made myself a

complete pilot for all the passages through the (Keys) Islands situated

on the north side [of] Hispaniola. Whilst in this frigate, an event

happened which presaged my character; and, as it conveys no dishonour

to the officer alluded to, I shall relate it.

 

“Blowing a gale of wind, and very heavy sea, the frigate captured an

American letter of marque.[7] The first lieutenant was ordered to board

her, which he did not, owing to the very high sea. On his return on

board, the captain said, ‘Have I no officer in the ship who can board

the prize?’ On which the master ran to the gangway, to get into the

boat; when I stopped him, saying, ‘It is my turn now; and if I come

back, it is yours.’ This little incident has often occurred to my mind;

and I know it is my disposition, that difficulties and dangers do but

increase my desire of attempting them.

 

“Sir Peter Parker, soon after his arrival at Jamaica, 1778, took me

into his own flag-ship, the _Bristol_, as third lieutenant; from which

I rose by succession to be first. Nothing particular happened whilst I

was in this ship, which was actively employed off Cape François, being

the commencement of the French war.”

 

A few words with reference to the hostilities mentioned are needed as

explanation. The war between Great Britain and her colonists in North

America, which culminated in the birth of a new World-Power, now known

as the United States, had broken out in 1775, although the seeds of

dissension had been sown much earlier. This unfortunate and disastrous

quarrel had also embroiled “the mother of nations” in a strife with

France and Spain, whose help the New Englanders secured in 1778 and

1779 respectively. In 1780 Holland became involved. The foolishness of

not having sufficiently watched the doings of a potential enemy now

became apparent. For several years “resolute Choiseul, the abrupt proud

man” of Carlyle, had bent his energies on increasing the French navy,

and when the Brest fleet of thirty-two sail-of-the-line, under Count

D’Orvilliers, met the British fleet of thirty sail, under Vice-Admiral

the Hon. A. Keppel, off Ushant on the 27th July 1778, the action was

indecisive. In American waters Lord Howe hove in sight of the fleet

under D’Estaing, the French commander having better ships and heavier

metal, but while Howe was manœuvring to attack the enemy a storm parted

the would-be contestants. Both suffered considerable damage by wind and

not by shot as had been anticipated. Shortly afterwards Admiral Byron

took over Howe’s command and endeavoured to come up with D’Estaing’s

ships. Unfortunately the Frenchman had sailed to the West Indies, which

“in this protracted contest,” to use the words of Admiral Mahan, was to

be “the chief scene of naval hostilities....” “The West Indies is the

Station for honour,” said Nelson sometime later. Froude, the historian,

predicted that “If ever the naval exploits of this country are done

into an epic poem--and since the _Iliad_ there has been no subject

better fitted for such treatment or better deserving it--the West

Indies will be the scene of the most brilliant cantos.” We shall have

occasion to refer to this great strategic point many times in these

pages, especially in the great game of hide-and-seek between Napoleon’s

captains and Nelson immediately preceding the Trafalgar campaign.[8]

The year 1778 was not a brilliant one in British naval annals, although

it closed by Hotham and Barrington attacking D’Estaing off St Lucia and

preventing him from landing more than half the troops intended for the

subjugation of that island. As a consequence the force under Chevalier

de Michaud surrendered, and St Lucia was won.

 

“On 8 December, 1778,” Nelson continues, “I was appointed commander

of the _Badger_ brig; and was first sent to protect the Mosquito

shore, and the Bay of Honduras, from the depredations of the American

privateers. Whilst on this service, I gained so much the affections

of the settlers, that they unanimously voted me their thanks, and

expressed their regret on my leaving them; entrusting to me to describe

to Sir Peter Parker and Sir John Dalling their situation, should

a war with Spain break out. Whilst I commanded this brig, H.M.S.

_Glasgow_, Captain Thomas Lloyd, came into Montego Bay, Jamaica, where

the _Badger_ was laying: in two hours afterwards she took fire by a

cask of rum; and Captain Lloyd will tell you, that it was owing to my

exertions, joined to his, that her whole crew were rescued from the

flames.”

 

This stirring incident merits a more detailed description than the bare

facts which Nelson chose to set forth. The crew was in a panic when he

and his men set foot on the deck of the doomed vessel, and by almost

superhuman exertions managed to throw all the gunpowder in the magazine

overboard before the flames reached it. He also ordered that the loaded

cannon should be directed upward, so that when they exploded, owing to

the intense heat, no damage would result. Thus early in his career did

Nelson show that he was not at a loss when the unusual and unexpected

happened. In a letter to Captain Locker, who was ill, the young officer

describes the fate of the _Glasgow_ as “a most shocking sight; and had

it happened half an hour later, in all probability a great many people

would have been lost.” He also notes that the company of the derelict

were falling ill very fast owing to the constant tropical rains to

which the men were exposed, there being no room for them on the

_Badger_.

 

“On 11 June, 1779,” Nelson continues, “I was made post into the

_Hinchinbrook_. When, being at sea, and Count d’Estaing arriving at

Hispaniola (Haïti) with a very large fleet and army from Martinique, an

attack on Jamaica was expected. In this critical state, I was by both

admiral and general entrusted with the command of the batteries at Port

Royal; and I need not say, as the defence of this place was the key to

the port of the whole naval force, the town of Kingston, and Spanish

Town, it was the most important post in the whole island.”

 

D’Estaing’s fleet consisted of twenty-two sail-of-the-line, excluding

transports and privateers which had attached themselves to him, and it

was commonly reported that he had no fewer than 20,000 troops on board.

Nelson, as noted above, was now Post-Captain, and although he had no

occasion to prove his ability as a commander of land batteries, he

seems to have taken kindly to the situation. In a letter to his friend

Captain Parker, dated the 12th August 1779, he states that “Jamaica is

turned upside down since you left it,” and furnishes particulars of the

measures made for the defence of the island. “You must not be surprised

to hear of my learning to speak French,” he remarks as a humorous aside.

 

To help to achieve the downfall of the wily d’Estaing was not to fall

to Nelson’s lot. That worthy hastened to Savannah, which was attacked

by troops under General Lincoln and himself. They were routed by the

British lines, whereupon d’Estaing sailed away.

 

Great Britain was now at war with Spain, which had thrown in her lot

with France, and was soon to feel the effects of the Armed Neutrality,

consisting of Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, and Prussia. They

resented England’s right to search neutral ships, with the result

that the latter Power could not retain her supremacy at sea, a cause

of Cornwallis’s surrender at Yorktown and the consequent loss of the

American Colonies. In January 1780 it was resolved to make an attempt

to take the important post of Fort San Juan, on the river of that name.

This would materially aid the British to secure the city of Granada,

on Lake Nicaragua, and to sever the communications of the enemy

between their northern and southern dominions. The idea originated

with Dalling, Governor of Jamaica, to whom history has scarcely done

justice. The naval force was entrusted to Nelson, the command of the troops to Captain John Polson.