TRAFALGAR

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, 1 September 1905, Page 33

TRAFALGAR

By F. W. COOMBES,

HE twenty-first of next i month will be the hundredth anniversary of England's great victory over the combined fleets of France and Spain off Cape Trafalgar. Just at this time when our relations with the two countries mentioned are of the most

amicable nature possible, the recalling of this great sea fight may by some be thought to be hardly generous, bue surely this is not so. British subjects are not ashamed when the citizens of the United States celebrate the Fourth of July. We admit that we were decisively beaten in the war which it commemorates, and we are also ready to admit that we are glad of it for the American's victory meant the victory of English liberties and the dearly won rights of loyal Englishmen. Why, then, should our friends, be they Frenchmen or Spaniards, feel hurt at the commemoration of the greatest of all our triumphs on the main? We do not for a moment think they would be^ so, any more than we should begruclge them the right to recall any of the great deeds achieved by the armies of the two countries. Next month, therefore, we may be sure that the hundredth anniversary of Trafalgar will be celebrated in a style befitting the great occasion. The scene at the famous square in London, where England's tribute to her greatest admiral stands, should be a very striking one. Out here, in New Zealand something is to be done to show that we have not forgotten the great day, and it is to be hoped that this may also be found worthy of the event. No doubt that patriotic institution, the Navy League, will see to this, while the Education

Department is moving in the matter of having special lessons at the schools given on the battle and its after results. Wreaths frozen in blodks of ice are to foe sent to be placed on Nelson's monument in London. Although the story has been often told it will 'be of interest at this time to recall the chief incidents in this great sea fight of a century ago. I have in my possession an ancient naval chronologist of the war published in 1806, and this gives the following fine description of Nelson's victory. Written as it must have been immediately after the ships of war had returned from the action it possesses a greater interest than many of the much-touched-up accounts of later days: — In the middle of the year 1805, Vice- Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson, after a long and unprecedented, but unavailing, chase after the combined fleet from the Straits of Gibraltar to the West Indies, and back again, returned to his native country; but, always active, when his country required his services, he re-assumed the chief command of the British fleet, stationed off the harbour of Cadiz, on the 4th of October. Towards the middle of the month his Lordship learned, ° that Admiral Villeneuve, the French commander-in-chief, had orders to sail from that port before the 21st, in order to accomplish some favourite object of the French o-overnment; supposed to be, to collect in his passage the Carthagena squadron and that of Toulon; by which he wouW probably have increased his force to between forty and fifty sail of the line; with which it was their design to prevent, if possible, the sailing of any expedition with British troops from Malta, or with Russian troops from Corfu, to the assistance of the allies on the

Continent. Lord Nelson had, in consequence, his frigates incessantly employed in watching the motions of the enemy, while he, with the fleet, kept oui of sight. Thus disposed, at the distance of about fifteen leagues from Cadiz, the look-out ships com municated to his Lordship, on the 19th of October, that the combined fleet from that place had put to sea; and, as they sailed with light winds,

westerly, his Lordship concluded that their destination was the Mediterranean, and immediately made all sail for the Straits' entrance with the British squadron, consisting of twenty-seven ships, three of them sixty-four; where his Lordship was informed, by the Hon. Capt. Blackwood, of the Euryalus (whose vigilance in watching and giving notice of the enemy's motions had been

Lord Nelson's last and most brilliant victory. Disposition of the British and Combined Fleets immediately before the battle off Cape Trafalgar, Oct. 2T» 1805.

highly meritorious), that they had not yet passed the Straits. On Monday, the 21st, at daybreak, when Cape Trafalgar bore E. by S. about seven leagues', the enemy was discovered six or seven miles to the eastward, the wind about west and very light; the Com-mander-in-Chief immediately made the signal for the fleet to bear up in two columns, as they are formed for

sailing; a mode of attack his Lordship had previously directed, to avoid the inconvenience of delay in forming a line of battle in the usual manner. The enemy's line, consisting- of thirty- three ships, of which eighteen were under the direction of Admiral Gravina, wore! with their heads to the northward, and foxmed their line of battle with great closeness and correctness; but, as the

mode of attack was unusual, so the structure of their line was new ; it formed a crescent, convexing to leeward; so that, in leading down to their centre, our ships had both their van and rear abaft the beam. Before the fire opened, every alternate ship was about a cable's length to windward of her second a-head and a- stern, forming- a kind of double line, and appeared, when on their beam, to leave a very little interval between them, and this without crowding their ships, Admiral Villeneuve was in the Bucentaure, near the centre, and the Prince of Asturias bore Gravina's flag in the rear; but the French and S Danish ships were mixed without any apparent regard to order of national squadron. As the mode of attack had been previously determined on, and communicated to the flag-officers and captains, few signals were necessary, and none were made, except to direct close order as the lines bore down. The Commander-in-Chief, in tne Victory, led the weather-column, and the Royal Sovereign, Vice-Ad-miral Collinq-wood, the lee. The action bee^an at twelve o'clock, by the leading ship of the columns attempting to break through the enemy's line, the Commander-in-Chief at about the tenth shi^ from the van, the' second in command at about the twelfth from the rear, leaving the van of the enemy unoccupied, so that the succeeding ships should break through, in all parts, a-stern of their leaders. This plan was followed, as explained hereafter: the conflict was severe; the enemy's ships were foug-ht with a gallantry highly honourable to their officers, but the attack on them was irresistible, and it pleased the Almicrhtv disposer of all events to grant his Majesty's arms a complete and g-lorious victory. About. 3 P.M. many of the enemy's ships having struck their colours, their line gave way; Admiral Gravina, with ten ships, joining their frigates to leewarcl, stood towards Cadi/. The five headmost ships in their van tacked, and, standing to the southward, to wind-

ward of the British line, were engaged, and the sternmost of them taken; tike others went off, leaving to his Majesty's squadron nineteen ships of the line, of which two were first rates, the Santissima Trinidada and the Santa Anna,, with three flag officers 1 , viz., Admiral Villeneuve, the Commander-in-Chief; Don Ignatio D'Alva, Vioe-Adrniral; and the Spanish Rear-Admiral, Don Balthazar Hidalgo Dimeros. The Achille, French 74, after having surrendered, by some mismanagement of the Frenchmen, took fire and blew up: 200 of her men were saved by the tenders. Tn the course of the action, the Temeraire was boarded, by accident or design, by a French ship on one side and a Spaniard on the other; the contest was vigorous; but, in the end, the combined ensigns were torn from the poop, and the British hoisted in their places. Our limits will not admit all the encomiums that were so deservedly passed by Admiral Collingrwood, on the conduct of the British fleet: but we cannot omit; that such a battle could not be fought without sustaining a pr-eat loss of men, and that we have to lament, in common withthe British navy and the British nation, in the fall of the Commander-in-Chief, the loss of a hero. wV>ow name will be immortal, and whose memory will be for ever rie^r to his country. His Lordship received a musqiuetball in his left breast, about the middle of the action; and, having sent his last farewell to his friend and successor in the command, soon after expired, with all that magnanimity by which he was so eminently distinguished. We have also to lament the loss of those excellent officers, Captain Duff, of the Mars, and Captain Cooke, of the Bellerophon. The fleet, after the action, were found to be in a very perilous situation; many dismasted, all shattered, in thirteen fathoms water, off the shoals of Trafalgar; and, when signal was made to prepare to anchor, few of the ship© had an anchor to let go, their cables having

been shot. Rough weather, and a continued series of misfortunes ensued, which increased for some days, so as to render a destruction of most of the captures unavoidable; previously, however, to which, on the return of Admiral Gravina with his ten ship® to Cadiz, he was immediately ordered to sea again; but was, consequently, beaten off, his own ship, the Prince of Asturias, being dismasted, and the Rayo taken. Four thousand troops, which had embarked, were taken with Admiral Villenetave in the Bucentaure. The total nuniber of prisoners is said to have been 16,000. The foregoing description of the action is, chiefly, from the official dispatches. The following is a statement of the names and force of the ships that composed the two fleets; and which, also, serves as an index to the plate representing the disposition of them immediately before the commencement of the engagement: — British Fleet, van, or weather column. 1 Victory 100 Vice A dm. Viscount Nelson, Capt. T. M. Hardy. 2 Temeraire ... 98 Eliab Harvey. 3 Neptune 98 T. F. Premantle. 4 Conqueror ... 74 Israel Pellew. 5 Leviathan ... 74 H. W. Bayntun. 6 Ajax 74 Lieut. J. Pilfold (acting) 7 Orion 74 Edw. Codrington. 8 Agamemnon . . 64 Sir Edw. Berry. 9 Minotaur ... 74 0. J. M. Mansfield. 10 Spartiate ... 74 Sir F. Laforey, Bart. 11 Britannia ... 100 Rear Ad m. Earl of North - esk, Capt. Chas. Bullen. 12 Africa 64 Henry Digby. FRIGATES, &C. Euryalus ... 36 Hon. H. Blackwood. Sirius 3fi William Prowse. Phoebe 36 Hon. T. B. Capel. Naiad 38 T. Dundas. Pickle (sch.) ... 10 Lieut. J. R. Lapenotiere. Entreprenante (cut) Lieut. John Puver. REAE, OR LEE COLUMN. 13 Eoyal Sovereign 100 Vice A dm. Colliugwood, Capt. E. Eotheram. 14 Mars 74 George Duff. 15 Belle Isle ... 74 William Hargood. 16 Tonnant 80 Charles Tyler. 17 Bellerophon ... 74 John Cooke. 18 Colossus 74 J. N". Morris. 19 Achille 74 Richard King. 20 Polyphemus ... 64 Robert Redmill. 21 Revenge 74 Richard Moorsom. 22 Smftsure ... 74 W. G. Rutherford.

23 Defence 74 George Hope. 24 Thunderer ... 74 Lieut. J. Stockham (act.)' 25 Defiance ... 74 P. C. Durham. 26 Prince 98 "Richard Grindall. 27 Dreadnought... 98 John Conn. Combined Fleet, french ships. Le Bueentaure ... 80 L'Aigle 74--------{Flag-Sh. Admiral Le Heros (Fl.-Sh.) 74 Villeneuve) Le Fougueux 74 *Le Formidable ... 80 *Le Dv Guay Trouin 74 {Flag-Sh. Rear- L'Argonaute 74Ad. Dumanoir) Le Redoubtable ... 74 L'Algesiras ... 74 L'Achille 74 (Flag-Sh. Rear-Ad. Magon) L'Hermione 40L'lndomptable ... 84 L'Hortumne 40 Le Neptune ... 84 La Cornelie 40 LePluton 74 La Themis 40 *Le Montßlafcc... 74 Le Ehin 40Le Swiftsure ... 74 L'Argus (Sp,) .. 16 *Le Scipion 74 Le Furet (Sp.) ... 18Le Berwick ... 74 L'Observateur ... 16L'lntrepide ... 74 SPANISH SHIPS. Santissima Trini- Monarca 74 dada (Flag-Sh. 136 Montanez 74-Rear-Ad. Cisneros) St. Jnan NeponmcePrincipe de As- nos 74 tarias (Flag-Sh. 112 Bahama 74 Ad. Oravina) St. Justo 74 Argonauta 80 St. Leandro 64 Neptuno 84 St. Augustin 74--------(Hear-Ad. B. H. St. Tldefonso 74 Dineros) St Francisco de Asis 74 Santa Anna ... 112 (V.-Ad. D'Alava) Flora 44 Eayo 100 Mercurio 44 Previous to the action, Lord Nelson had fully explained to every captain in the fleet, the mode in which he intended to attack the enemy's line, and every ship had also received such particular secret instructions that very few signals were requisite on the day of battle. ' However, all out five minutes before the action: commenced, the following remarkable sentence was conveyed, by telegraph, to all the ships in the fleet: — "England expects that every man; will do his duty." On this being explained by the cantains to their respective crews, it was received withan enthusiasm which shewed that theexpectations of their country, would not be disappointied on this occasion; and, indeed, from the accounts of every officer who was present, we believe that it is impossible to convey an adequate idea of the general exultation and joy that pervaded every ship, at the prospect of bringing the

enemy's fleet to action. By none, perhaps, was this so forcibly and sincerely felt as by his Lordship. After the many anxious days and nights that he had passed, since the commencement of the war, in watching or pursuing the flying foe, he now, for the "first time, had the satisfaction to behold the enemy, whom he had so long 1 sought, drawn up to receive him, and in a situation where they had neither batteries nor mooring-ohains to trust to for protection. Whilst bearing- down upon the enemy's line, he repeatedly said, "that it was the happiest day of his life; and that, from the plan of attack which he had laid down, he expected that he should have possession of twenty of t!he enemy's ship© before night:" a prediction which was verified in so remarkable a manner, that we hardly know whether most to admire the consummate science and wisdom with which the plan of attack was previously arranged, or the cool intrepidity with which it was carried into, complete execution; as not one single ship escaped of that part of the enemy's line on which his Lordship had directed the principal effort to 'be made, and the total number of ships which had actually surrendered before night was twenty; of which the Achille and the St. Augustino were burned; but all of them had previously struck their colours. The action commenced at twelve o'clock, hy the enemy's firing on Vice-Admiral Collingwood in the Royal Sovereign ; who, at ten minutes past twelve, broke the line. The enemy, at about the same time, opened their fire on Lord Nelson's division. It was his Lordship's intention to have engaged to leeward, so as to prevent the enemy from escaping into Cadiz; and to have broken through their line, between the tenth and the eleventh ship in the van, as before explained, at the same time that Vice-Admiral Collingwood penetrated their line at about the twelfth from the rear: but when, at twenty minutes past

twelve, he attempted to break through in that place, with the intention of attacking the French com-mander-in-chief, the French ship Redoutable shot a-foead, to prevent the line toeing- broken, and his Lordship ran her on J board. The Temeraire, by which the Victory was seconded, also ran, in like manner, on board of the Intrepid©, the next ship in the enemy's line. Four ships being thus locked together, effectually broke the line and made an opening for the Neptune, she being the next ship in the van. The Neptune was near half-a-mile from the Victory when she broke the line, and had not then fired a shot. Her people were secured at all quarters while she was raked by the enemy in going down, and did not open her fire until she had gotten into the enemy's line; when she, in her turn, raked several of their ships as she passed. At about half -past twelve she was under the quarter of the Bucentaure (Admiral Villeneuve), which she engaged for about half-an-hour, and until her colours were struck. The Neotune was ably supported by the Conqueror and Leviathan, and proceeded next to the Santissima Trinidada, a four-decker, and the largest ship in the world, which she engaged until about a quarter past two; whbni, having totally dismasted her, she also struck and hailed the Neptune to take possession. At this moment the smoke, by clearing away, discovered five of the enemy's ships forming on her larboard bow, which induced her captain (Fremantle) to stand toward and attack them. The Conqueror, soon after, having, taken out the French commander-in-chief, very handsomely stood between the Neptune and the enemy, and attacked and captured one of them: the Defence another: the Leviathan another: and. by ten minutes after four o'clock, the whole five, being dismasted, struck their colours and the action ceased. For a considerable time after the line was broken, the Victory and the three other ships before mentioned

lay engaged together, as it were, in one mass; anj so close, that the flash of almost every gun, fired from the Victory, set. fire to the Bedoubtable, to which ship, she was opposed; whilst our seamen, with the greatest ■coolness, were at intervals employed, in the midst of the hottest fire, in throwing buckets of water to extinguish the flames on-board of the ■enemy's ship; lest, by their spreading, they might involve both ships in destruction. It is questionable if ancient or modern history car> produce a more striking example of cool and deliberate valour than that here noticed, and it certainly reflected the highest honour upon the discipline and intrepidity of the crew of that ship. Lord Nelson had now vigorously attacked the Bucentaure; and it was during the hottest part of the action that his Lordship received his fatal wound, whilst engaged with the Redoubtable and the French Admiral at the same time. The enemy's tops were all crowded with soldiers, who aimed particularly at the officers on the quarter-deck. The Victory was in general so enveloped in smoke, that it was difficult to distinguish any particular person on board; but, unfortunately, for a few seconds, when the smoke was more dispersed than usual, a soldier, attracted by the insignia which his Lordship wore, took aim at Lord Nelson from the mizen-top of the Redoubtable: and, at the instant he fired, his Lordship fell, the ball entering near the left shoulder, passing- through the lungs, and lodcrinar in the RDine. Captain Hardy immediately ran to him and said, "J hope it is not mortal, my Lord/ He replied, "They have caught me at last/ Mr Burke, the purser, then carried him down to the midshipmen's berth; and, in q-oimor down, he possessed presence of mind enough to remark, that the tiller-ropo was too slack, which he desired that Captain Hardy might be acquainted with, etc. It was an unfortunate circumstance that his Lordship ran onboard the enemy; for, although it

was a certain and expeditious mode of breaking the line, it cost him and most of the officers on the quarterdeck their lives. It exposed them to the musiqiuet and pistol shot of the enemy's men in their tops, who picked them off. The Victory took her first opponent in about half an hour; then attacked the others, and had commenced her fire on the Trinidada before she struck. The Temeraire took hers in about the same space of time, but unfortunately lost her topmast etc. Vice-Admiral Collingwood, in the Royal Sovereign, took the Santa Anna, and the other ships of his division were equally distinguished by their meritorious conduct; but especially the Mars, Bellerophon, Tonnant, Belleisle, and Colossus. The subjoined statement of the losses in each will sufficiently shew the active part which they bore in the eno-agre-ment. Several ships, in consequence of its being 1 nearly a calm, were unable to get into action until it was nearly over ; amongst these were tlie Prince and Dreadnought (Nos. 26 and 27 in the Plan). This was the cause of many of the leading ships in the rear division being so much injured. No ship, so much engaged, appears to have lost so few men as the Neptune ; which may be attributed to the judicious position in which she was placed, by being able to fire repeated broadsides into the stern of the Bucentaure and Santissima Trinidada before they could get their broadsides to bear upon her. The anxiety of Lord Nelson for the event of the day was such as seemed totally to surmount the pains of death and every other consideration. When Mr Beattie, the surgeon, waited upon him, he said: "Doctor, you can be of no use to me; leave me, and go to assist those to whom you can be of service, as I have but a few moments to live." He repeatedly asked for Captain Hardy., and sent to inquire how the battle went, expressing the most lively satisfaction in finding it favourable. His lower

extremities soon became cold and insensible, and the effusion of yood from his lungs often threatened suffocation; but still his eyes seemed to brighten and his spirits to revive, at hearing the cheers given by the crew of the Victory, as. the different ships of the enemy surrendered. His anxious wishes to see his friend, Captain, Hardy, were gratified so soon as circumstances would permit that gallant officer to quit the deck, which was not, however, until the victory was decided. He was then enabled to attend to the last wishes of the dying hero, who eagerly inquired liow many ships were captured. On being told, by Captain Hardy, that he was certain of twelve having struck, which he could, see, and that, probably more had surrendered, his Lordship said, "What, only twelve! there should have been fifteen or sixteen by my calculation. However (after a pause, he added), twelve is pretty well, and I am now happy." Captain Hardy was obliged to return to the deck; hut his Lordship previously said, "Hardy, T shall be dead before you return, take my body home." He now said, "That he felt death fast approaching, and that he had 'bait a few minutes to live— that he could have wished to have survived a little longer, to have seen the fleet in safety; but, as that was impossible, he thanked God that he had outlived the action, and had been enabled to do his' duty to his country." About this time he was again roused by hearing another cheer from the crew of the Victory, at their seeing some more of the enemy's ships strike their colours; at which he expressed the highest satisfaction. His last words were, " I have done my duty, I praise God for it." And in a few moments after, lie expired without a groan. The Frenchman, by whose hand this matchless hero fell, was soon after shot by Mr Pollard, midshipman of the Victory, andf was s^en to fall out of the mizen-t'op. The Redoiiitable was so dreadfully shattered, that she afterwards went to the

bottom- with most of her crew; so that his fall was greatly avenged. The loss in the Victory was chiefly sustained whilst going into action; when, as the leading ship of the division, she had to sustain the fire of the enemy's ships* for nearly twenty minutes, before she returned a gun. She also suffered considerable loss from the musquetry of the enemy; but so tremendous and well-directed was the fire from the Victory, that every ship on which she got her guns to bear was very speedily silenced. The Redoutable, alone, had no less than thirty of her guns dismounted; and, for a considerable time before she struck, did not return a single shot. It was his Lordship's intention to have engaged the Bucentaure, at first, if he could have distinguished her; but, singular as it may appear, no person on-board could discover the French Admiral's flag to be flying, though the Victory was, for a considerable time, within pistol-shot of her, and handled her so severely as to render her incapable of taking any share in the engagement afterwards. Three of the French ships in the van, who had no part in the action, and one of which carried a RearAdmiral's flag, had the inhumanity and cowardice, as they were making their escape, to fire, for a considerable time, upon the Saniissima Trinidada and several other of the crippled Spanish prizes, after they had surrendered, which, from their situation, were incapable either of opposition or flight; and a considerable number of the Spaniards were killed and wounded from this unprecedented and bloody deed. About eight o'clock in the evening of the action, Vice-Admiral C oilingwood took the command of the fleet, and sent an order to the respective ships to take their prizes in tow. Rut a gale came on in the evening, which made it difficult to retain possession of those that were taken. On the morninp- of the 23d, the Bedoutable foundered a-stern of the

Swiftsure, with a British lieutenant and eighteen men. On the 24th, the remainder of the enemy's fleet were observed to leeward, and signal was made to call off the prizes and pursue them; but, night coming on, and with it a heavy gale, they were seen. on the next morning drifting off the harbour of Cadiz. It was still blowing hard; and, there being every appearance of another gale, and being on a lee-shore, without any fair prospect of getting the prizes off, the signal was made to take out the prisoners and destroy them. The heavy sea that was running, and the gale increasing, it was found impossible to take out the prisoners from all the prizes, and it became necessary to turn several adrift with the prisoners in them; arid" some of our own people in possession. Several, unfortunately, escaped into Cadiz. The Ships taken and after-wards sent to Gibraltar were, according to the official returns, as follow : Spanish. St. Udefonso 74 Bahama 74 San Juan Nepomuceno ... 74 French. Swiftsure 74 Talcen, but afterwards wrecked, and tohere. Spanish. Monarca 74, off St. Luc.ir, S. Francisco de Asis 74, near Rota. El Eayo 100, near St. Lucar. Neptuno 84, between Rota and Catolina. French. Fouguenx 74, off Cape Traf alg.i r, crew perished, with. 30 of the Temeraire's men. Indomptable ... 84, off Eota, and all perished Bucentaure 80, on the Porqties, some saved. Borwick 74, north of St. Lucar. L'Aigle 74, near Rota. Ships JJurni. French — Achille ... 74, in the action. Intrepid e 74, by the Britannia. Spanish — St. Augustin 74, by the Leviathan.

SunJe. Santissima Trinidad (Spanish) 136, by the Prince' Neptune, &c. Redoubtable (French) 74, astern of the Swiftsure r with 13 of the Temeraire's and five of theSwiftsure's men. Argonauta 80, sunk by the Ajax. Returned to Cadiz. Spanish. Santa Anna 112, taken, but got in dismasted. San Justo 74, with a foremast only. San Leandro 64, dismasted. Principe de Asturias 112, (Ad. Gravina) dismasted.. Montanez 74. French. Algesiras 74 (Rear-Ad.,Ms,gon killed), taken, but got in dismasted. Pluton 74, in a sinking state. Neptune 84, perfect. Argonaut c 74. Heros 74 (Admiral Kossilie). Escaped, by hauling to the southward, but afterivards taken by Sir R. Straohan. French— Formidable, 80, Kear-Ad. Duinanoir* Mont 81anc, 74 ; Scipion, 74 ; Dv Guay Trouin, 74There were therefore — Sent to Gibraltar 4 Destroyed 15 Returned to Cadiz, wrecks 6| ]0 „ „ serviceable 4 ) Escaped to the southward, &c. ... 4 Total 33 Of the hostile admirals everyone was either taken, killed, or wounded The French ship, Swiftsure, was that taken in the last war. TheIndomptable, wrecked, had taken on board the crew of the Bucentaure, and every soul perished. The four ships which escaped were taken, in an attempt to escape to Rochefort, on the 3d of November, after a very resolute and most honourable contest of three hours and a half, by Commodore Sir E. J. Strachan, in the Caesar, 80; with the Hero, 74, Hon. A. H. Gardner; Courageux, 74, Rd Lee; and Namur, 74, L. W. Halsted. Accompanied by the Santa Margarita, 36, W. Rathborne; AEolus, 32, Lord Win. Fitzroy; PHoenix, 36, Thomas Baker; and Revolutionaire, 36, H. Hotham.