Volume I Part 9 (1/2)
The weakness of over-zealous friends is often more prejudicial than the most violent efforts of professed enemies. No man ever less needed, or less desired, to strip a single leaf from the honoured wreath of any other hero, with the vain hope of augmenting his own, than the immortal Nelson; no man ever more merited the whole of that which a generous nation unanimously presented to Sir John Jervis, than the Earl of St.
Vincent.
”Before I enter,” says Colonel Drinkwater, ”on the detail of the proceedings of the important day which will certainly immortalize the name of Jervis, and of his brave seconds, it will be proper to state the relative force of the British and Spanish fleets.
”The British fleet--or, to use, I believe, a more correct term, the British squadron--consisted of fifteen sail of the line, four frigates, a sloop of war, and a cutter; the Spanish fleet, of twenty-seven sail of the line, ten frigates, and a brig.
”Before sun-set, in the evening of the 13th, the signal had been made for the British squadron to prepare for battle, and the s.h.i.+ps were also directed to keep in close order during the night.
”At day-break, on the 14th--St. Valentine's Day--the British fleet was in complete order, formed in two divisions, standing on a wind to the south south-west. The morning was hazy. About half past six, the Culloden made the signal for five sail in the south-west by south quarter; which was soon after confirmed by the Lively and Niger frigates, and that the strange sail were by the wind on the starboard tack. The Bonne Citoyenne sloop of war, Captain Lindsey, was therefore directed to reconnoitre.
”At a quarter past eight o'clock, the squadron was ordered, by-signal, to form in a close order; and, in a few minutes afterwards, the signal was repeated to prepare for battle.
”About half past nine o'clock, the Culloden, Blenheim, and Prince George, were ordered to chase in the south by west quarter; which, upon the Bonne Citoyenne making a signal that she saw eight sail in that quarter, was afterwards strengthened by the Irresistible, Colossus, and Orion.
”A little past ten o'clock, the Minerve frigate made the signal for twenty sail in the south-west quarter; and, a few minutes after, of eight sail in the south by west. Half an hour afterwards, the Bonne Citoyenne made the signal that she could distinguish sixteen--and, immediately afterwards, twenty-five--of the strange s.h.i.+ps, to be of the line. The enemy's fleet were, indeed, now become visible to all the British squadron.
”The s.h.i.+ps first discovered by the Culloden were separated from their main body; which, being to windward, were bearing down in some confusion, with a view of joining their separated s.h.i.+ps. It appeared to have been the British admiral's intention, on discovering the separated s.h.i.+ps of the enemy's fleet, to have cut them off, if possible, before the main body could arrive to their a.s.sistance; and, with this view, the fast-sailing s.h.i.+ps of his squadron were ordered to chase.
”a.s.sured, now, of the near position of their main body, he probably judged it most advisable to form his fleet into the line of battle; and the signal was made for their forming the line of battle ahead and astern, as most convenient. A signal was made, directing the squadron to steer south south-west.
”About twenty minutes past eleven o'clock, the admiral pointed out that the Victory, his flag-s.h.i.+p, would take her station next to the Colossus. Some variation in steering was afterwards directed, in order to let the rear s.h.i.+ps close up. At twenty-six minutes past eleven o'clock, the admiral communicated his intention to pa.s.s through the enemy's line, hoisting his large flag and ensign; and, soon after, the signal was made to engage.
”The British van, by this time, had approached the enemy; and the destination of leading the British line into action, fell to the lot of the Culloden, commanded by Captain Troubridge. About half past eleven o'clock, the firing commenced, from the Culloden, against the enemy's headmost s.h.i.+ps to windward.
”As the British squadron advanced, the action became more general; and it was soon apparent, that the British admiral had accomplished his design of pa.s.sing through the enemy's line.
”The animated and regular fire of the British squadron was but feebly returned by the enemy's s.h.i.+ps to windward; which, being frustrated in their attempts to join the separated s.h.i.+ps, had been obliged to haul their wind on the larboard tack. Those to leeward, and which were most effectually cut off from their main body, attempted also to form on their larboard tack; apparently, with a determination of either pa.s.sing through, or to leeward of, our line, and joining their friends: but the warm reception they met with, from the centre s.h.i.+ps of our squadron, soon obliged them to put about; and, excepting one, the whole sought safety in flight, and did not again appear in the action till the close of the day.
This single s.h.i.+p, which persevered in pa.s.sing to leeward of the British line, was so covered with smoke, that her intention was not discovered till she had reached the rear: when she was not permitted to pa.s.s without notice, but received the fire of our sternmost s.h.i.+ps; and, as she luffed round the rear, the Lively, and other frigates, had also the honour of exchanging, with this two-decker, several broadsides.
”Sir John Jervis having effected his first purpose, now directed his whole attention to the enemy's main body to windward; consisting, at this time, of eighteen sail of the line. At eight minutes past twelve, the signal was therefore made for the British fleet to tack in succession; and, soon after, the signal for again pa.s.sing the enemy's line.
”The Spanish admiral's plan seemed to be, to join his s.h.i.+ps to leeward, by wearing round the rear of our line; and the s.h.i.+ps which had pa.s.sed, and exchanged shot, with our squadron, had actually borne up with this view.
”This design, however, was frustrated by the timely opposition of Commodore Nelson; whose station in the rear of the British line afforded him an opportunity of observing this manoeuvre, and of frustrating the Spanish admiral's intention. His s.h.i.+p, the Captain, had no sooner pa.s.sed the rear of the enemy's s.h.i.+ps that were to windward, than he ordered her to wear, and stood on the other tack towards the enemy.
”In executing this bold, and decisive manoeuvre, the commodore reached the sixth s.h.i.+p from the enemy's rear, which was the Spanish admiral's flag, the Santissima Trinidada, of one hundred and thirty-six guns; a s.h.i.+p of four decks, and said to be the largest in the world. Notwithstanding the inequality of force, the commodore instantly engaged this colossal opponent; and, for a considerable time, 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 ninety guns, Captain Frederick; who, very opportunely, came to his a.s.sistance.
”The intrepid conduct of the commodore staggered the Spanish admiral, who already appeared to waver in pursuing his intention of joining the s.h.i.+ps 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 s.h.i.+ps 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 s.h.i.+ps of Rear-Admiral Parker's division approached the enemy's s.h.i.+ps, 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 it's effects on the enemy's hulls and sails, were so evident, that there was no longer any hesitation in p.r.o.nouncing a glorious termination of the contest.
”The British squadron, at this time, was formed in two divisions, both on the larboard tack: 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, Goliah, 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 division 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 s.h.i.+ps 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 weathermost of these s.h.i.+ps; and, then, to bear up, and rake them all, in succession, with the seven s.h.i.+ps composing his division. His object, afterwards, was to pa.s.s 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 s.h.i.+ps of his van division prevented his executing this plan. The admiral, therefore, ordered the Excellent, the leading s.h.i.+p of his own division, to bear up; and, with the Victory, he himself pa.s.sed to leeward of the enemy's rearmost and leewardmost s.h.i.+ps; 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, pa.s.sed between the two rearmost s.h.i.+ps of the enemy's line; giving to the one most to windward, a seventy-four, 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 s.h.i.+p 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 musketry, and pa.s.sed 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.