Chapter II: Part 2

The peace concluded between England and France in 1802 was not of long duration, for on April 29th, 1803, war was again declared; this had been foreseen, and early in the month, great preparations were made in all the dockyards. Lord Nelson was appointed Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean, and selected the "VICTORY" as his flagship. She was commissioned at Chatham, on April 9th, and on 16th May arrived at Spithead. Nelson was waiting for her, but could not get away for a few days; and such was his impatience to sail, that in answer to everyone who spoke to him on the 19th of his departure, he said, "I cannot sail till to-morrow, and that's an age."

He went on board on the 20th, and sailed in a violent squall of wind and rain the same afternoon, having orders to speak Admiral Cornwallis off Brest, and if necessary to leave the "VICTORY" with him, and go on a frigate. On the 22nd he was in sight of Brest, but no Cornwallis was to be seen, and after chafing for a day, his anxiety did not permit him to wait any longer, so striking his flag in the "VICTORY," he went on board the _Amphion_, leaving the former ship to find the Admiral of the Channel Fleet, and if not required, to follow him with all speed.

Within forty hours after Lord Nelson left him, Captain Sutton met Lord Cornwallis, and was immediately permitted to resume his voyage. A few days after, the "VICTORY" fell in with the _Ambuscade_, a French frigate, formerly an English one, which she re-captured, and on the 12th June, she anchored at Gibraltar. After watering, she left on the 15th, called at Malta on the 9th July, and on the 30th, joined the squadron of 5 line-of-battle ships, off Cape Sicie, when Lord Nelson at once shifted into her, bringing Captain T. Masterman Hardy with him, from the _Amphion_, Captain Sutton of the "VICTORY" exchanging.

For 18 months subsequent to this, there is no fact worth recording in the history of the "VICTORY." During that time Lord Nelson, with a fleet that averaged 10 sail of the line, closely watched the road of Toulon, where a French fleet lay at anchor, going occasionally to Agincourt Sound, in Sardinia, for water, &c., but the French never showed any sign of moving, until the beginning of 1805, though every stratagem was tried to entice them to come out.

Spain had declared war with England on 12th December, 1804, and Buonaparte had formed a great plan for the invasion of Britain, the first step to the accomplishment of which, was to gain the command of the Channel. This could only be done by placing an overwhelming force of ships there, and by misleading the English as to his design. With this object in view, Admiral Villeneuve, who was now in command at Toulon, prepared for sea, and embarked on board his 11 ships, 3,500 soldiers.

His orders, as subsequently ascertained were, to proceed to the West Indies, effect a junction there with a fleet of 21 sail from Brest, land his troops, and if opportunity offered, ravage our colonies; then return with speed to Ferrol, where the Spaniards were to have a fleet of at least 25 sail ready to join him, and with this overpowering force, he was expected to keep our ships at bay, while the bold originator of this scheme, Napoleon, crossed the Channel himself, at the head of 170,000 men. We shall see how much easier this was to plan than to carry out.

On January 12th, 1805, well nigh worn out with watching, hoping, and fearing, his ships and their rigging rotten, Nelson left his station off Toulon, for the anchorage at Agincourt Sound, which he called his "home," to water and refit, leaving his two frigates to watch the enemy.

The fleet now consisted of the following ships:--"VICTORY," 104, _Royal Sovereign_, 100, _Canopus_, 80, _Spencer_, 74, _Leviathan_, 74, _Tigre_, 80, _Superb_, 74, _Belleisle_, 74, _Swiftsure_, 74, _Conqueror_, 74, _Donegal_, 74.

On the 17th Villeneuve put to sea, and on the 19th January, at 2 p.m., the fleet in Agincourt Sound was electrified by the appearance of the frigates, with the welcome signal flying, "enemy is at sea." In two hours the ships were under weigh, and made sail for the passage between Biche and Sardinia, a passage so narrow that the ships had to proceed in single line, directed by the lights of their next ahead, and led by the "VICTORY," who took them through in safety.

Nelson had nothing to guide him as to where the French were bound, but he knew they could not be far off, and dispatched the few frigates he had to scour the coasts in search, but all to no purpose--no tidings could be obtained. A gale that arose on the 21st, and that lasted a week, blew in the teeth of the fleet as it attempted to go south, and Nelson was wild at the thought that they had escaped him. The only place his reasoning led him to suppose they could have sailed for, was Egypt, and thither he turned his ships' heads. He arrived off Alexandria on 7th February, but found no sign of them there either; immediately he retraced his steps, and called off Malta, and here he learnt that the French fleet were dispersed and disabled by the gale on the 21st, and had returned to Toulon, scattered and crippled.

Nelson, in a letter to Admiral Collingwood, thus writes on the subject. "Buonaparte has often made his brags that our fleet would be worn out by keeping the sea; that his was kept in order and increasing by being kept in port; but he now finds I fancy, _if Emperors hear truth_, that his fleet suffers more in one night, than ours in a year."

By March 12th, the British fleet, after struggling with a continuation of gales, succeeded in regaining their station off Toulon, and to their joy, saw the enemy still at anchor, and after watching them till the 27th, they proceeded to Palma Bay to get that refit they so much required, as during all this cruise, every ship had been strained to her utmost.

Villeneuve took the first opportunity to escape again, after his ships were repaired, and on 29th March ran out of Toulon roads; on the 31st he was discovered off Cape Sicie, by the _Phoebe_, which vessel lost no time in communicating her intelligence to the Admiral, who was again on his way to Toulon; and once more the exciting chase began. The frigates, most unfortunately, lost the French ships, and could give no intelligence of their apparent destination. Again Nelson thought of Egypt, and proceeded off Sicily, sending ships right and left to get information, and on the 15th April, when off Palermo, he first heard of the evident intention of the enemy to go westward. At once he made sail in pursuit, but the fates were against him, and while the French in their passage down the Spanish coast had been favoured with easterly winds, he could get nothing but westerly gales. "I believe," he says, "this ill luck will go near to kill me."

It was the 4th May, before the "VICTORY" and her consorts anchored in Tetuan Bay to water and provision. Sailing the next day, they put into Gibraltar for a few hours, and learnt nothing there, but that the enemy's fleet had passed the Straits on the 8th April, nearly a month in advance of them. Nelson at once went to Cape St. Vincent, hoping to get news, and the next day he received the first reliable information from an American brig, which was to the effect, that on the 9th April, the French fleet of 11 sail had appeared off Cadiz, been joined by a squadron of five Spanish and 2 French line-of-battle ships, and immediately resumed their voyage. He then heard from an Admiral Campbell in the Portuguese service, that their destination was the West Indies; this tallied with his own ideas, and he instantly decided on following.

On May 10th he put into Lagos Bay to get more provisions, and on the 11th, having sent the _Royal Sovereign_ back to the Mediterranean, as a slow sailer who was likely to hinder him, he started in pursuit of the 18 ships of the enemy, with but 10 of his own. His anxiety at this time was extreme; he was very ill, and had been told by his physicians that he ought to go home, but "salt beef and the French fleet is far preferable to roast beef and champagne without them;" he writes, "my health or my life even must not come into consideration at this important crisis." Captain Hardy is reported to have said to him, "I suppose, my Lord, that by crowding all this sail you mean to attack those 18 ships?" "By God, Hardy," said he, "that I do;" and on the passage over, he took every opportunity of making his plans known to his captains, that a success might be ensured if possible. Barbadoes was reached on June 4th, and here he received information that led him to suppose that either Tobago or Trinidad was the object of the combined fleet, who had been seen on the 28th May, and, embarking 2000 men, he hurried on for the latter island. Off Tobago he received corroborative news from an American schooner, who must have deceived him on purpose and all was preparation in the English fleet.

Early on the morning of the 7th June, the ships stood along the north shore of Trinidad; and had anything been wanting to confirm the intelligence they had received, it was supplied in the conflagration of a battery, that protected a little cove in the steep coast, and the flight of its garrison, who were seen speeding away in the direction of the town. The remembrance of Aboukir Bay rose in their minds, every man expected that the deeds of that glorious day would be repeated in the Gulf of Paria, and as the ships sailed, prepared for battle, through the Bocas of Trinidad, expectation was strained to the utmost, to catch the first glimpse of the enemy they fully relied on seeing on rounding the point.

What was their astonishment then on coming in view of the town, to find the Union Jack still waving over the forts, and no French men-of-war to be seen.

Nelson at once anchored for the night without communication, and early next morning sailed for Grenada.

In the meantime, the town of Puerto d'Espana, the capital of Trinidad, was the scene of the wildest excitement. The lieutenant of artillery in command of the above-mentioned out-post, finding a fleet close to him in the morning, and making no doubt it was that of the enemy (for no one knew of Nelson's arrival in the West Indies), had burnt his barracks, thrown his guns over the cliff, and hastened back to the town, spreading dismay with the intelligence that the French were upon them. The inhabitants at once fled to the interior, the troops were drawn into the forts, and the town was left at the mercy of the French Republicans, of whom there were many in the island, and who now came forward and proclaimed themselves, believing their friends were at hand.

The movements of the fleet were inexplicable to the governor, and he was at once puzzled and relieved, when daylight revealed the strange ships underweigh, and leaving their shores. It was some days before the mystery was explained, and they learnt that Nelson had paid them a visit.

He, in the meanwhile, was hurrying along the chain of islands to the north, getting information, true or false, every day. On the 11th he heard that the enemy, now consisting of 20 sail, had passed Antigua, steering northward; and at once concluding that they were bound for Europe, he landed the troops at Antigua on the 12th, and left next day for Gibraltar, not without hopes of still catching them up.

This promptitude on the part of Nelson in following Villeneuve to the West Indies, doubtless saved some of our possessions there, as there was no force to withstand the combined fleets; but such was the terror of his name, that no sooner did the enemy hear of his approach, although he had but half their number of ships, than they immediately started again on their return, without attempting to carry out that part of their programme, which directed them to ravage our colonies.

Nelson's squadron, after a most tedious voyage, arrived at Gibraltar on July 20th, when he went on shore; this was the first time for two years that he had put his foot out of the "VICTORY," for such had been his anxiety during his long blockade of Toulon to be ready at any moment, that it had never suffered him to leave his ship for an instant. Nothing up to this time had been heard of the enemy, and the indefatigable Nelson, after watering and provisioning at Tetuan, sailed again on the 23rd July.

He spoke Admiral Collingwood's squadron on 26th, and receiving information that the enemy had gone to the northward, he proceeded for Ushant, off which, on August 15th, he met Admiral Cornwallis with the Channel fleet of 24 sail of the line, and from him received an order to leave eight of the ships with him, and repair with "VICTORY" and _Superb_ to Portsmouth.

The two ships arrived at Spithead on the 18th, when they were put in quarantine for a day, to Nelson's great indignation; they were then released, and Nelson went to his home at Merton, to get that rest he so badly needed. The "VICTORY" remained at Spithead, and did what repairs she could at that anchorage during her brief stay.

A short account of the proceedings of the combined fleets up to this time, may tend to the elucidation of the state of affairs.

When Villeneuve made his escape from the Mediterranean, the Brest squadron attempted to put to sea to join him at Martinique, but the determined front put on by Lord Gardner, who commanded the Channel fleet, then blockading Brest, daunted the enemy, who put back again into port. This was failure number one, in Buonaparte's scheme.

We have followed Villeneuve with his 20 sail of French and Spanish line-of-battle ships to Antigua; thence he proceeded for Brest, intending to effect a junction with the fleet awaiting him there; but on July 22nd, Sir Robert Calder, who was watching Ferrol and had been warned by a frigate from Lord Nelson of the probable approach of the enemy, met and engaged him, and though he numbered but 15 to 20, he took two ships of the line, and forced the French admiral from his design. This was the second breakdown in the programme; however, Villeneuve got into Ferrol and joined the ships there, which made his force 29 sail of the line, and with these he sailed on August 9th, but, for some unexplained cause, instead of now making his way to Brest, he turned south and entered Cadiz on the 21st, driving off Admiral Collingwood's small squadron.

On September 2nd, Captain Blackwood, on his way to London with the news of the combined fleets having left Ferrol, called at 5 a.m. at Merton, where he found Lord Nelson up and dressed; the latter immediately said, "you bring me news of the French and Spanish fleets, I shall have to give them a drubbing yet;" and going up to town with him, offered his services to the Admiralty. These were gladly accepted, and the "VICTORY" again hoisted his flag on September 15th, and sailed the same day in company with the _Euryalus_, Captain Blackwood, which frigate he afterwards despatched ahead to direct that the "VICTORY" should not be saluted on her arrival, in order that the enemy should be unaware of the reinforcement. On the 28th of the same month he joined, and took command of, the fleet off Cadiz, which, by the junction of Sir Robert Calder's ships to Admiral Collingwood's now consisted of 29 sail.

On October 4th, Nelson dispatched Rear-Admiral Louis with 5 sail of the line to Gibraltar, but a small squadron from England joined a few days afterwards, making up his fleet to the following 27 sail of the line.

104 { "VICTORY" { Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson, K.B.
{ { Capt. Thos. Masterman Hardy.

{ _Royal Sovereign_ { Vice-Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood.
100 { { Captain Edward Rotheram.
{
{ _Britannia_ { Rear-Admiral Earl of Northesk.
{ { Captain Charles Bullen.

{ _Temeraire_ Captain Eliab Harvey.
{ _Prince_ Captain Richard Grindall.
98 { _Neptune_ Captain Thos. Francis Freemantle.
{ _Dreadnought_ Captain John Conn.

80 _Tonnant_ Captain Charles Tyler.

{ _Belleisle_ Captain William Hargood.
{ _Revenge_ Captain Robert Moorsom.
{ _Mars_ Captain George Duff.
{ _Spartiate_ Captain Sir Francis Laforey, Bart.
{ _Defiance_ Captain Philip Charles Durham.
{ _Conqueror_ Captain Israel Pellew.
{ _Defence_ Captain George Hope.
74 { _Colossus_ Captain James N. Morris.
{ _Leviathan_ Captain Henry W. Bayntun.
{ _Achille_ Captain Richard King.
{ _Bellerophon_ Captain John Cooke.
{ _Minotaur_ Captain Charles J. M. Mansfield.
{ _Orion_ Captain William Codrington.
{ _Swiftsure_ Captain William G. Rutherford.
{ _Ajax_ Lieut. John Pilfold.
{ _Thunderer_ Lieut. John Stockham.

{ _Polyphemus_ Captain Robert Redmill.
64 { _Africa_ Captain Henry Digby.
{ _Agamemnon_ Captain Sir Edward Berry.

Before continuing our narrative, we must again remind our readers that this is but the history of one ship, and that in our account of Trafalgar, only a sufficient general description of the movements of the fleet will be given, to render the "VICTORY'S" part intelligible; for details, we must again refer to _James's Naval History_, where the most complete account of the action that has been published, will be found.

On 19th October, the Franco-Spanish fleet, of 33 sail of the line, under Admiral Villeneuve, as Commander-in-Chief, and Admiral Gravina, (Spanish), as second, came out of Cadiz, and, after some manoeuvring, at daylight on the 21st, the two fleets were in sight of one another, being then about 20 miles west of Cape Trafalgar. The wind was light, from the W.N.W., and the enemy were in a straggling line on the starboard tack, under easy sail; the British fleet were in two columns on the port tack, and some ten miles dead to windward. At 6.50, the "VICTORY" made the signal to bear up, on which the enemy wore together, thus presenting his port broadside to the English fleet, which bore down with a very light wind right aft, and with all studding sails set; the "VICTORY" leading the port line, and the _Royal Sovereign_ the starboard, the latter being somewhat in advance.

Thus the British very slowly closed with the enemy, Lord Nelson refusing to allow the _Temeraire_, his next astern, to take the lead, and thereby bear the brunt of the battle. His Lordship visited the decks of his ship, exhorted his men not to throw away a shot, and was received with cheers as he again went on deck. Having made every other signal to his fleet he thought necessary, he finished with that most celebrated one--"England expects that every man will do his duty,"--which, at 11.40, was hoisted at the "VICTORY'S" mizen-topgallant-masthead, and was received by most of the ships with cheers.

This made, Lord Nelson's customary signal on going into action--"Engage the enemy more closely"--was hoisted at the main, and there remained until the mast was shot away.

At noon, the action commenced by the _Fougoeux_ opening fire on the _Royal Sovereign_, on which the British Admirals hoisted their flags, and all their ships the white ensign, having also, each, two Union Jacks in the rigging. Twenty minutes later the enemy's ships ahead of the "VICTORY" began a furious cannonade on her, which killed in a short time amongst many others, Mr. Scott, Lord Nelson's secretary. Seeing Nelson's intention to break the line, the enemy closed up ahead of him, making an almost impenetrable line; but the "VICTORY" still held her course, and steered straight for the mass of ships grouped round the _Bucentaure_, a French 80, on board of which was Villeneuve, the French Commander-in-Chief, though he never showed his flag during the action.

Nelson directed Captain Hardy to run on board any ship he chose, as it was evident they could not pass through the line without a collision, and at 12.30, not having as yet fired a single shot, the "VICTORY" passed slowly under the stern of the _Bucentaure_, so close as almost to be able to catch hold of her ensign, and discharge the port guns in succession right into her cabin windows, placing about 400 men _hors de combat_, by that one broadside, and almost disabling her from further resistance. The position of the ships at this moment is shown in the accompanying plan.

At the same time the "VICTORY" fired her starboard guns at two vessels on that side of her, and five minutes later ran on board the _Redoutable_, a French 74, hooking her boom iron into the Frenchman's topsails, and so dropped alongside, the "VICTORY" being on the _Redoutable's_ port side, and the latter closing her lower deck ports to prevent boarding. A tremendous cannonade ensued, the "VICTORY" firing her port guns at the _Bucentaure_ and _Santissima Trinidada_, her starboard ones being very fully employed by the _Redoutable_ which was so close alongside, that the men on the "VICTORY'S" lower deck on each discharge dashed a bucket of water into the hole made in the enemy's side by the shot, to prevent the spread of the fire that might have destroyed both ships indiscriminately.

During this time the British ships were coming into action one after another, but very slowly, as the wind, light all the morning, had now fallen to a mere air, barely sufficient to bring all our vessels up; thus the first ships engaged had dreadful odds against them, and the loss of life in them was great.

After bringing the _Redoutable_ to close action as before described, Lord Nelson and Captain Hardy, side by side, calmly walked the centre of the quarter deck, from the poop to the hatchway. At about 1.25, in their walk forward his Lordship turned a little short of the hatchway, Captain Hardy took the other step, and turned also, and beheld the Admiral in the act of falling. He had been wounded by a musket ball fired from the mizen-top of the _Redoutable_, which struck him in the left shoulder as he turned, and thence descending, lodged in the spine. He sank on to the very spot that was still red with his secretary's blood, and was raised by Sergeant Secker, of the Marines, and two seamen, who under Captain Hardy's directions, bore him to the cockpit. "They have done for me at last, Hardy," said the hero as he fell. "I hope not," said Hardy. "Yes," was the reply, "they have shot my backbone through." But his presence of mind was still strong, and he gave directions for the tautening of the tiller ropes as he was carried below, and covered his face and decorations with a handkerchief, that he might not be recognised.

The cockpit was crowded with wounded, and with difficulty he was borne to a place on the port side, at the foremost end of it, and placed on a purser's bed with his back resting against one of the wooden knees of the ship. Here the surgeon examined his wound, and at once pronounced it mortal.

In the meantime the battle raged furiously, the men stationed in the _Redoutable's_ tops (Nelson would allow none in the "VICTORY," for fear of setting fire to the sails), had nearly cleared the "VICTORY'S" upper deck, 40 men being killed or wounded on the deck alone. The French, seeing this, attempted to board, but were driven back with great gallantry by the few men that remained, headed by Captain Adair, of the Marines.

At about 1.50 the _Redoutable_ ceased firing, and two midshipmen and a few men were sent from the "VICTORY" to assist in putting out a fire that had burst out on board of her, and the "VICTORY" then proceeded to get herself clear, leaving her prize lashed to the _Temeraire_, that had just fouled her on the other side. The "VICTORY" was by this time so crippled in her spars and sails that all efforts on her part to get into _close_ action (Lord Nelson's favourite position), with another enemy were ineffectual; but she still continued engaged on the port side with the _Santissima Trinidada_ and other ships; and later, with a fresh batch of the enemy's ships that passed along the line and eventually escaped.

By 4.30 p.m. the action was over, and a victory was reported to Lord Nelson just before his death. We left him in the cockpit, where he was attended by Dr. Scott, the chaplain, and Mr. Burke, the purser. He had sent the doctor away to attend to the other wounded, and lay in great agony, fanned with paper by those two officers, and giving his last directions as to those he loved; but ever and anon interrupted by the cheers of the "VICTORY'S" crew, he would ask the cause, and being told it was a fresh enemy's ship that had struck her flag, his eye would flash as he expressed his satisfaction. He frequently asked for Captain Hardy, and that officer not being able to leave the deck, his anxiety for his safety became excessive, and he repeated, "he must be killed;" "he is surely destroyed." An hour had elapsed before Hardy was able to come to him, when they shook hands, and the Admiral asked--"How goes the day with us." "Very well, my Lord," was the reply; "we have about 12 of the enemy in our possession."

After a few minutes of conversation, Hardy had again to return on deck, and shortly after the "VICTORY'S" port guns redoubled their fire on some fresh ships coming down on her, and the concussion so affected Lord Nelson that he cried in agony, "Oh! 'VICTORY!' 'VICTORY!' how you distract my poor brain;" but, weak and in pain as he was, he indignantly rebuked a man, who in passing through the crowded cockpit struck against and hurt one of the wounded.

Captain Hardy again visited him in about another hour, and, holding his Lordship's hand, congratulated him on a brilliant victory, saying, he was certain that 14 ships had surrendered. "That is well," he answered, "but I bargained for 20." Then, Hardy having again to go on deck, Nelson after emphatically telling him to anchor, and declaring his intention to direct the fleet as long as life remained, said, "kiss me Hardy," the Captain knelt down and kissed him, when he said, "Now I am satisfied. Thank God I have done my duty." Twenty minutes later he quietly passed away, having again and again repeated to his last breath, the words above mentioned. They were, it has been well remarked, the whole history of his life.

On the firing ceasing, the "VICTORY" had lost 57 killed and 103 wounded, and found herself all but a wreck. The tremendous fire to which she was exposed, when leading her line into action, had caused great damage, at a very early period of the battle, and before she herself fired a gun, many of her spars were shot away, and great injury was done to the hull, especially the fore part of it.

At the conclusion of the action, she had lost her mizen-mast, the fore-topmast had to be struck to save the foremast; the mainmast was not much better, and it took all the exertions of her crew to refit the rigging sufficiently to stand the bad weather that followed.

The actual number of prizes taken by 5 p.m., on October 21st, were 19; so that Nelson's desired number was nearly made up; but from their disabled condition, they were nearly all wrested from us by the gales that succeeded the battle. Lord Nelson had doubtless foreseen this, and thence his wish to anchor, and as a matter of fact, most of those few ships and prizes that did anchor, rode the gale out in safety and were saved; but the majority of the vessels were either anchorless, or in such deep water that they could not with convenience anchor.

The "VICTORY'S" trophy, the _Redoutable_, was one of those that sunk after the action in deep water, and in her, as in many of the other vessels lost, went down her prize crew of British seamen. The English fleet were in nearly as disabled a state as their prizes, as might be expected after such a battle, and it is a matter of wonder that some of them were not lost on the treacherous shoal that swallowed up so many of the captured ships.

The enemy's fleet of 33 sail was disposed of as follows:

Taken into Gibraltar 4 }
Burnt by the English 3 } 19 lost to
Sunk by the English 3 } the enemy.
Wrecked during the gale 9 }

Struck, but afterwards got into Cadiz
crippled 2 }
Escaped into Cadiz damaged 4 }
Escaped into Cadiz perfect 4 } 14 saved to
Escaped to the South, but captured by } the enemy.
Sir R. Strachan on the 4th Nov., }
and taken into Plymouth 4 }

On the 22nd, the day after the battle, the breeze was fresh from the S.S.W., and it was all the ships could do to increase their distance from the shore, such as were manageable towing those that were totally dismasted. On the 23rd it blew a gale, and then the misfortunes of the victors commenced; the hawsers of many of the ships towing parted, and the English vessels had too much to do to save themselves and one another, to attempt to get hold of the prizes again, so they drifted helplessly away, two to be blown safe into Cadiz, but seven to meet an awful end amongst the breakers of that shallow coast. Five others were burnt and sunk to ensure their not falling into the enemy's hands again.

On the morning of this day, the remnant of the enemy's ships put to sea to attempt to recapture some of their friends, but the gale coming on, the only result was the loss of two more of themselves, one of which fell into our hands before going ashore. The "VICTORY," with the small amount of sail she could show to the gale, laboured deeply in the heavy sea, and on the 24th, when the wind moderated a little, she was taken in tow by the _Polyphemus_. In the afternoon, managing to rig up some jury topmasts and a mizen-mast, she was more comfortable, but at 5 p.m. next day, on the storm increasing, the towing hawser parted, the mainyard carried away, and her sails split to ribbons. With nothing now to steady her, the "VICTORY" rolled dangerously and unmanageably, and an anxious night was passed, but happily for her as well as other of our ships, the violence of the wind abated in the morning, and the _Neptune_ taking her in tow, after two days brought her safely into Gibraltar.

In the meantime Lord Nelson's remains had been placed in a cask of brandy, as the best means at hand of preserving them, and on the 3rd of November, having refitted, the "VICTORY," accompanied by the _Belleisle_, sailed on the melancholy duty of conveying the body of her hero to England, and, after a most boisterous passage, reached Spithead, on December 4th.

Here she was the object of a most intense and reverential attention, her battered sides, with, in many places, the shot yet sticking in them; her still bloody decks; her jury masts and knotted rigging;--all attested the severity of the ordeal she had gone through; while the flag that still waved, but at half-mast, reminded the spectator that the great Admiral who had such a short time before sailed from that very anchorage to victory, had now, also, returned to his grave. Amongst other injuries, the "VICTORY'S" figure-head, a coat of arms supported by a sailor on one side and a marine on the other, was struck by shot, which carried away the legs of the soldier and the arm of the sailor, and the story goes (but we cannot vouch for its truth), that all the men who lost legs in the action were marines, and those who lost arms sailors. The figure-head is still the same, but the wounded supporters have been replaced by two little boys, who, leaning affectionately on the shield, seem certainly more fitted for the peaceful life of Portsmouth Harbour than for the hard times their more warlike predecessors lived in.

The "VICTORY" left Spithead on December 11th for Sheerness, which was reached on the 22nd, when the hero's remains, having been deposited in the coffin made from the mainmast of the _L'Orient_ (the French flagship at the Nile), were transferred to Commissioner Grey's yacht for conveyance to Greenwich, and thence to St. Paul's. As this was done, Lord Nelson's flag, which had flown half-mast ever since the action, was lowered for the last time. The "VICTORY" then went to Chatham, paid off on the 16th of January, 1806, and underwent another thorough repair.

It was agreed on all sides that the enemy fought harder and more desperately at Trafalgar than they had ever done before, and at the same time it was undeniable that the victory was the most complete ever gained. The exultation that arose in the breasts of all who heard how the pride of the enemy had been humbled, was embittered by the thought that their hero and idol was dead; that he, whose very name ensured victory, would never again lead his ships to the thickest of the fight, and men doubted whether even the triumph of Trafalgar was not too dearly bought. But Nelson had done his work. Never after did the enemy show a large fleet at sea; and he himself fell, as he had often wished, in the moment of victory; leaving behind him an undying fame, and such an example of entire devotion to his country's service as had never before been equalled in the world's history.

Mr. Devis, the painter of the picture of the "Death of Nelson," now on board the "VICTORY," went round in her from Spithead to Sheerness. On the voyage he took portraits of all the characters depicted, and sketched the locality, so that this picture may be considered as a truly historical and faithful one.

In the commencement of 1808, our ally, Sweden, being threatened by an invasion by Russia, a fleet was sent to the Baltic to assist them, of which Sir James Saumarez was appointed Commander-in-Chief, and the "VICTORY" was once more called into active service as his flagship. She was commissioned on 18th March, by Captain Dumaresq, and sailed for the Baltic shortly after, arriving at Gottenburg at the end of April. To this place the fleet was followed by a force of 10,000 men under Sir John Moore, who, however, in consequence of disagreements, were withdrawn in June and returned to England, leaving Sir James with the "VICTORY" and ten 74-gun ships, to protect Sweden against Russians, Danes, French, and Prussians. In August, the advanced division of the Anglo-Swedish fleet met the Russians, and chasing them into Rogerwick, destroyed one 74 and blockaded the remainder in that port. Sir James, who was on his way north, received this intelligence a few days afterwards, and hastened to join.

On arriving on August 30th, off Rogerwick, he found the enemy safe inside, and at once made preparations for an attack. On the 1st September, in company with the _Goliath_, the "VICTORY" stood in to reconnoitre, and having silenced a battery that engaged them, a good view of the enemy's position was obtained, and the next day fixed for the assault. Unfortunately, the next day broke with a gale of wind, the ships were unable to move, and the storm lasting eight days, gave the enemy time to bring troops from Revel, and to erect batteries on all sides, making any attempt at attack hopeless. Sir James therefore, after watching the port till September 30th, sailed for Carlscrona, where he remained till winter warned him to depart for England. He arrived in the Downs on 9th December, and at once struck his flag.

The operations in the Baltic in this, and the other four years in which the "VICTORY" was flagship of Sir James Saumarez, were, as far as she herself was concerned, mainly confined to political schemes and transactions; the active work, such as it was, being done by the frigates and gun-boats, many of which latter, however, were manned by the "VICTORY'S" officers and men; the Russian fleet never came out again, but remained shut up in Cronstadt, which was much too strong to be attacked; thus the proceedings are of very little interest, and beyond the fact of her being employed, we have little to record.

She went out almost immediately after the striking of Saumarez's flag in 1808, as a private ship in the squadron which was dispatched to Corunna to bring home the army of the unfortunate Sir John Moore, and returned to Portsmouth on January 23rd. During this cruise she was commanded by Captain Searle, but on her going round to Chatham for a refit, Captain Dumaresq again returned to her, and Sir James Saumarez re-hoisting his flag on April 8th, 1809, she once more sailed for the Baltic, on the navigation being reported open. The best part of this year was spent by the "VICTORY" and fleet of 10 sail, in blockading the Russian ships in Cronstadt. One successful boat attack was made, when 8 of the enemy's gun-boats were destroyed, but otherwise there was no fighting. In the autumn, Sweden was forced to make peace with Russia, on terms dictated by the latter, that would have doubtless been harder, had not the presence of the British fleet prevented any active employment of the Russian ships. The "VICTORY" returned to the Downs by Christmas, and the Admiral struck his flag.

On the 11th March, 1810, Saumarez resumed his command, and proceeded to Hawke Roads, in Sweden, and thence to Hano Bay, near Carlscrona, where he laid most of the year, having a ship or two watching the Russians; but as they never ventured out, nothing was done, and "VICTORY" sailed on 10th October, with 1000 sail of merchantmen under her convoy. These were seen safely through the Belt, and Sir James then remained with all his ships at Hawke Bay, as late as the ice permitted him, to prevent the possibility of the Russian fleet from the White Sea entering the Baltic. The Swedes about this time were compelled by Napoleon to declare war with England, but the feelings between the two countries were privately as friendly as before. Hearing that the Archangel ships were laid up, Saumarez sailed for England, and arriving on 3rd December, hauled down his flag.

The "VICTORY" then again made a trip to the coast of Portugal, this time with the flag of Rear-Admiral Sir Joseph S. Yorke, who took a squadron of 7 line-of-battle ships to Lisbon, with a reinforcement of 6500 men for Sir Arthur Wellesley, then blockaded in his intrenchments at Torres Vedras by Massena; but she returned to the Nore in time to hoist Sir James Saumarez's flag for the fourth year, on the 2nd April, 1811.

He proceeded to Wingo Sound, and there remained nearly the whole year. The anomalous state of affairs between Sweden and ourselves continued, and as public enemies and private friends we remained until the end of the year, when Sweden concluded an alliance with England. The "VICTORY'S" boats made various expeditions against the Danes, and captured several gun-boats.

On December 18th, the fleet left Wingo for England; and on the 23rd a gale arose, by which they were dispersed, and H.M.S. _St. George_ and _Defence_ were wrecked on the western coast of Jutland, and the _Hero_ off the Texel; but the "VICTORY" and other ships weathered it in safety, and anchored at St. Helen's on Christmas Day, when Sir James struck his flag.

On April 14th, 1812, it was again hoisted, and on the 28th, "VICTORY" sailed with a squadron of 10 sail of the line, and took her station as usual at Wingo. The naval operations this year were more active than before; the Danes had equipped a good many frigates and small craft for attacks on the Swedish coast, and frequent engagements took place between them and our smaller vessels; but "VICTORY" was not herself in action. In October, orders were received from England to send his flagship home, and on the 15th of that month, Sir James shifted his flag to the _Pyramus_, and "VICTORY" sailed for England, and arriving at Portsmouth, was paid off in November.

This was the last active service of this glorious old ship, though she was on the point of being sent to sea again in 1815, when no less than six Admirals, on applying for commands, named the "VICTORY" as the ship they would wish to have, although there were many new ships, larger, and carrying much heavier ordnance; but the prestige attached to the "VICTORY," besides her well known sailing qualities, outweighed every other consideration. Waterloo, however, soon put an end to that war, and the "VICTORY" was never re-commissioned.

In 1825 she was made flagship in Portsmouth harbour, and ever since that date, with but few intervals, she has continued to bear the flags of Admirals, who, having like her, spent their lives in the service of their country, terminate their active careers by holding the highest post in the British Navy,--the command at Portsmouth. Every year, as the 21st October, the anniversary of Trafalgar, comes round, daylight discovers the "VICTORY" with a wreath of laurel at each mast-head, a continual memorial of the deeds of that ever-to-be-remembered day, when at one blow the naval power of two great nations was crippled, and the superiority of England established without dispute.

In 1844, Queen Victoria happened to be passing through the harbour on this day, and learning the cause of the decoration of the "VICTORY," at once pulled on board, and went round the ship. Her Majesty evinced much emotion, when shown the almost sacred spots where the hero fell and died; and plucking some leaves from the wreath that enshrined the words on the poop, "England expects that every man will do his duty," kept them as a memento.

The "VICTORY" now no longer bears the Admiral's flag; the increasing numbers of seamen in our depôts, rendered in 1869 a larger ship more convenient, and she is retained in her position in the harbour solely as a reminiscence of the past; and it almost seems a pity that she cannot be now fitted up internally, as nearly as possible as she was at Trafalgar, that the thousands of annual visitors might form a better idea of the state of the decks of a man-of-war of the olden time when going into action; and that in these days of rapid and enormous changes in both shipbuilding and ordnance, a type of the man-of-war that won England her pre-eminence, might be preserved to all time.

Griffin & Co., Publishers, 2, The Hard, and Wickham Street, Portsea

Transcriber's Note

Minor punctuation errors have been repaired. Hyphenation and accent usage have been made consistent. Archaic and variant spelling, grammar and punctuation usage is preserved as printed.

Ditto marks within tables have been replaced with words.

Page 18 references Admiral St. Julien, "who was thorough republican." It's possible that the word 'a' may have been omitted following 'was,' but as it may be correct as printed, no change has been made.

The following printer errors have been fixed:

Page 10--apopletic amended to apoplectic--... Sir C. Hardy
was seized with an apoplectic fit, ...

Page 14--Island amended to Islands--... having sent the
merchant ships to the Zaffarin Islands, ...

Page 24--countrymen amended to countryman--... and the deeds
of their countryman, Buonaparte, ...

Page 34--Eary amended to Early--Early on the morning of the
7th June, ...

Page 37--go amended to got--... however, Villeneuve got into
Ferrol ...

Page 40--Admiral amended to Admirals--... on which the British
Admirals hoisted their flags, ...

Page 40--amonst amended to amongst--... which killed in a
short time amongst many others, Mr. Scott, ...

Page 48--dipatched amended to dispatched--... as a private
ship in the squadron which was dispatched ...

The illustration caption in {braces} has been provided by the transcriber for the convenience of the reader.

The frontispiece illustration has been moved to follow the title page. Other illustrations have been moved where necessary so that they do not fall in the middle of a paragraph.