Volume I Part 25 (1/2)
Another letter, written to Mr. Windham this day, is too interesting to be omitted. It presents his opinion of the patriotic character of Mr.
Windham, the disinterestedness of his own, and the wretched pusillanimity of the Neapolitan officers.
Naples, 10th Dec. 1798.
”MY DEAR SIR,
”Your several letters of November 30, came to me this moment.
Believe me, no person can set a higher value on your friends.h.i.+p than I do; for, I know, from experience, that you have nothing more at heart, than the honour of our king and country. I rejoice to hear, that the cargoes of corn in the Mole of Leghorn will be landed; and the privateers disarmed, and the scoundrels belonging to them sent away. The enemy will be distressed; and, thank G.o.d, I shall get no money. The world, I know, think that money is our G.o.d; and, now, they will be undeceived, as far as relates to us. ”Down, down with the French!” is my constant prayer. I hope, that the emperor is marched to support this country: for, unused to war, it's officers seem alarmed at a drawn sword; or a gun, if loaded with shot. Many of them, peaceable heroes, are said to have run away when brought near the enemy. The King and General Acton being at Rome, I know not what orders will be sent to General Naselli; but, you may depend, I will do nothing which can do away your just demand of retribution to our merchants robbed by the French at Leghorn. I arrived here on the 5th of December, and found my presence very comfortable for the poor queen. Ever believe me, my dear Sir, your most faithful and obliged
”Nelson.”
Our indefatigable hero wrote, also, on this day, two letters to his Excellency, the Right Honourable Sir Moreton Eden, K.B. Minister Plenipotentiary at Vienna. In the first of these, he says, with his usual excellence of heart, ”I have to thank you, for your kindness to Captain Berry. Poor fellow, he has suffered greatly, both in body and mind; but, I hope, his reception in England will perfectly restore him.”
The other letter fully demonstrates that his head was no less excellent than his heart. It would have been well for the repose of Europe, and particularly for the welfare of the Emperor of Germany, and his hereditary dominions, as well as of his royal relatives at Naples, had our hero's advice, even at this late period, been sufficiently regarded. We give, with peculiar pleasure, the whole of this almost prophetic doc.u.ment.
Naples, Dec. 10, 1798.
”MY DEAR SIR,
”I received, with thanks, your favour of November the 15th: and perfectly agree with you, that a delayed war, on the part of the emperor, will be destructive to this monarchy; and, of course, to the newly-acquired dominions of the emperor in Italy. Had the war commenced in September or October, all Italy would at this moment have been liberated. This month is worse than the last; the next will render the contest doubtful; and, in six months, when the Neapolitan _republic_ will be organized, armed, and with it's numerous resources called forth, I will suffer to have my head cut off, if the emperor is not only defeated in Italy, but that he totters on his throne at Vienna. Pray, a.s.sure the empress, from me, that, notwithstanding the councils which have shook the throne of her father and mother, I shall remain here, ready to save the sacred persons of the king and queen, and of her brothers and sisters; and, that I have also left s.h.i.+ps at Leghorn, to save the lives of the Great Duke and her imperial majesty's sister: for all must be a republic, if the emperor does not act with expedition and vigour. ”Down, down with the French!” ought to be placed in the council-room of every country in the world: and, may Almighty G.o.d give right thoughts to every sovereign! is the constant prayer of your excellency's most obliged and obedient servant,
”Nelson.”
”Whenever the emperor acts with vigour, your excellency may say that a proper naval force shall attend to the safety of the Adriatic, as far as in my power.”
At this period, it appears, the unfavourable news from the royal army, and the manifest cowardice, treason, and treachery, every where seeming to pervade the unhappy and devoted kingdom of Naples, plunged the excellent queen into an agony of grief which admitted not of consolation. ”None, from this house,” says Lord Nelson, writing on the 11th of December to Earl Spencer, ”have seen her majesty these three days; but, her letters to Lady Hamilton paint the anguish of her soul.
However,” adds his lords.h.i.+p, ”on enquiry, matters are not so bad as I expected. The Neapolitan officers have not lost much honour; for, G.o.d knows, they had not much to lose: but, they lost all they had. Mack has supplicated the king to sabre every man who ran from Civita Castellana to Rome. He has, we hear, torn off the epaulets of some of those scoundrels, and placed them on good serjeants. I will, as briefly as I can, state the position of the army, and it's lost honour; for, defeat they have had none. The right wing of nineteen thousand men under General St. Philip, and Micheux (who ran away at Toulon) were to take post between Ancona and Rome, to cut off all supplies and communication.
Near Fermi, they fell in with the enemy, about three thousand. After a little distant firing, St. Philip advanced to the French general; and, returning to his men, said--_I no longer command you!”_ and was going off to the enemy. A serjeant said--”You are a traitor; what have you been talking to the enemy?” St. Philip replied _I no longer command you!”_--”Then you are an enemy!” and, levelling his musket, shot St.
Philip through the right arm. However, the enemy advanced; he was among them; Micheux ran away, as did all the infantry; and, had it not been for the good conduct of two regiments of cavalry, they would have been destroyed. So great was this panic, that cannon, tents, baggage, military chest, all were left to the French. Could you credit--but, it is true--that this loss has been sustained with the death of only forty men! The French lost many men by the cavalry; and, having got the good things, did not run after an army three times their number. Some ran thirty miles, to Pesara. The peasantry took up arms, even the women, to defend their country. However, the runaways are not only collected, but advanced to Arcoti; which they took from the French, cutting open the gates with hatchets. It is said, they have got a good general; Cetto, a Neapolitan prince; and, I hope, will be ashamed of their former conduct.
General Micheux is bringing a prisoner to Naples. This failure has thrown Mack backward. It is the intention of that general to surround Civita Castellana. Chevalier Saxe advanced th Viterbi; General Metch to Fermi; and Mack, with the main body, finding his communication not open with Fermi, retreated towards Castellana. In his route, he was attacked from an entrenchment of the enemy, which it was necessary to carry.
Finding his troops backward, he dismounted, and attempted to rally them: but they left their general, and basely fled. The natural consequence was, he was sorely wounded; but saved by some gallant cavalry, and carried off by the bravery of a coachman: and is safe, poor fellow, at Rome; and, hopes are entertained of his recovery. The fugitives are fled to Rome, fancying the French at their heels; who never moved from their entrenchment, which was carried by another party of troops, under General Dumas. It is reported, that the king has stripped the Prince di Tarante, Duc di Tranoulle, of his uniform, and disgraced him. He commanded under Saxe; and fled, among the first, to Rome. It is for the traitorous and cowardly conduct of these scoundrels, that the great queen is miserable, knowing not whom to trust. The French minister, and his legation, went off by sea yesterday.”