drowned in trying to get off; boats upset; and many put a period to their existence. One family, of a wife and five children, are just arrived-the husband shot himself. Indeed, Sir, the recital of their miseries is too afflicting to dwell upon. In this scene of horror, Lord Hood was obliged to order the French Fleet of twenty Sail of the Line, and as many other Ships of War, together with the Arsenal and Powder Magazines, to be set on fire: report says one-half of that miserable place is in ashes. The Neapolitan Fleet, and near one hundred Sail with them, are arrived in Port Especia, twelve leagues from hence. What calamities do Civil Wars produce; and how much does it behove every person to give their aid in keeping peace at Home. It is the poor inhabitants at Toulon that I feel for. The quitting Toulon by us, I am satisfied, is a National benefit; both in money, for our contracts will be found to have been very extravagant, people seemed to act as if fortunes were to be made instantly; and in saving some of our gallant English blood, which, when the muster comes to be taken, will appear to have flowed plentifully. The destruction of the Fleet and Arsenal, and indeed of the harbour of Toulon, for a number of years, is a great benefit to England. I have only to regret it could not have been done on the first day of our entrance. I expect Lord Hood here immediately, although they say he is in Hieres Bay, having blown up Fort la Malgue. I shall not close this letter till the moment of the post going out. Four Sail filled with wounded soldiers and sailors are just arrived. It is thought that the Governor here will not allow the emigrés to land; Leghorn being, as they say, in want of provisions. I have still a small Squadron blocking up the Frigates in Corsica, who are in the greatest distress. And I remain, as ever, your Royal Highness's most dutiful and faithful servant, HORATIO NELSON. 2 TO MRS. NELSON. [From Clarke and M‘Arthur, vol. i. p. 141.] My dear Fanny, Agamemnon, December 27th, 1793. Everything which domestic Wars produce usually, is multiplied at Toulon. Fathers are here without their families, families without their fathers. In short, all is horror. I have the Count de Grasse under my command, in a French Frigate: his wife and family are at Toulon. Lord Hood put himself at the head of the flying troops, and was the admiration of every one; but the torrent was too strong. Many of our posts were carried without resistance; at others, which the English occupied, every one perished. I cannot write all my mind is deeply impressed with grief. Each teller makes the scene more horrible. Lord Hood showed himself the same collected good Officer which he always was. I have only time to say, God bless you. HORATIO Nelson. TO MRS. NELSON. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. i. p. 144. Early in January 1794, Lord Hood concluded a convention with General Paoli, by which it was agreed that the British Forces should assist the Corsicans in expelling the French from possession of the Forts, &c.; and that Corsica should be ceded to Great Britain. Captain Nelson was then cruising off Calvi with a small Squadron to prevent the French from receiving supplies; and he was in frequent communication with Paoli.] Off Calvi, January 6th, 1794. I left Leghorn on the 3rd, and very soon got off here, since which time we have had nothing but hard gales of wind, and the heaviest rains I almost ever met with. I am waiting anxiously for Troops from Lord Hood, to take St. Fiorenzo and the Frigates, which will fall into our hands a few hours after their arrival. I was most unfortunately driven a few miles to leeward two days ago, in the height of the gale; and a Frigate took that opportunity of sailing from St. Fiorenzo to Calvi with provisions. One of my Frigates exchanged a few shot with her, but at too great a distance to prevent her getting in. I had so closely blockaded Calvi, that they must have surrendered to me at discretion; not a vessel had before got in for the six weeks I have been stationed here. This supply will keep them a week or two longer. We now know from a deserter, that it was the Melpomene who engaged us on October 22nd: she had twenty-four men killed, and fifty wounded, and was so much damaged as to be laid up dismantled in St. Fiorenzo. She would have struck long before we parted, but for the gunner, who opposed it; and when at length the colours were ordered to be struck by general consent, we ran into a calm, whilst the other Ships came up with a fresh breeze, and joined their consort. Admiral Trogoff tells me she is allowed to be the finest Frigate out of France, and the fastest sailer: we were unlucky to select her the others we could outsail. Had she struck, I don't think the others would have come down, and I should have had great credit in taking her from such superior force: now, of course, nothing can be known of that business, and I have to look out for another opportunity; which is very scarce here. I have just received a most handsome letter from Lord Hood: he looks upon these Frigates as certain, trusting to my zeal and activity, and knows, if it is in the power of man to have them, I will secure them. Linzee was to have been here for this service, and to settle plans with General Paoli, the Chief of the Corsicans, relative to landing the troops, &c. Andrews 9 is my ambassador. This business A French Rear-Admiral, who had zealously co-operated with Lord Hood at Toulon against the Republicans. 8 Commodore Robert Linzee, in the Alcide 74: he died an Admiral of the Blue, in September 1804. 9 On the 17th of January 1794, General Paoli wrote to Captain Nelson from Murato he had on the preceding day received his Letter by Lieutenant George Andrews, with whom he had agreed about the Signals. Paoli added, "A little before Mr. George [Andrews] came, were arrived here, Sir Gilbert Elliot, Colonel Moore, and Major Koebler: they are gone this morning to reconnoitre the environs of Saint Fiorenzo, and I hope they will bring a plan such as Lord Hood seems desirous to have."-Original in the Nelson Papers. Lieutenant, afterwards Captain, George Andrews, was the brother of the Miss Andrews mentioned in going through my hands is a proof of Lord Hood's confidence in me, and that I shall pledge myself for nothing but what will be acceptable to him. I have promised my people, as soon as we have taken Corsica, that I would ask for a month's rest from them;-except to get provisions, I have not been one hour at anchor for pleasure, since April 23rd; but I can assure you I never was better in health, as is Josiah. On Sunday I expect Lord Hood and the troops. Hoste is indeed a most exceeding good boy, and will shine in our Service.1 We shall talk these matters over again in a winter's evening. Yours, &c., HORATIO NELSON. TO WILLIAM LOCKER, ESQ., LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF THE ROYAL HOSPITAL AT GREENWICH. [Autograph, in the Locker Papers.] My dear Friend, Agamemnon, St. Fiorenzo, January 17th, 1794. I had some hopes of seeing my friends in England very soon; but for the present they are at an end, and if I do not sail from this Country before the spring very far advances, I believe I shall give up all thoughts of going home till the Campaign is finished; for I should be truly sorry to have the chance of laying by the walls for two or three months in the height of summer, and when probably we shall have active service in this Country. We are a week arrived here from a cruise of three weeks off Toulon, during which time we were fifteen days under storm-staysails, indeed such a series of bad weather I never experienced; the Ships most of them strained a good deal, but sustained no material damage, nor did a single Ship part company. We saw three French Frigates, but from the Admiral's anxiety to keep the Fleet together, he did not make the signal for the Frigates to chase Nelson's letters from St. Omer, ante. An account of Captain Andrews's services is given by Clarke and M'Arthur, in a note to this Letter: he died in July 1810. 1 No anticipation was ever more completely realized. Vide p. 355. them till too late in the day, and they most unluckily escaped. One of them was a crippled Ship: Agamemnon was the next to them by six or seven miles, but a Line-of-Battle Ship never chases. I have no doubt but we should have taken one, if not two, of them, for few Ships sail equal to us, none I believe at present in this Fleet. The Admiral is anxious to get to Sea again, to cover our Convoy and expected reinforcements from England, and was only waiting till the Berwick, commanded by our shipmate Smith, was got ready for Sea; but waiting for her must now be at an end, for last night a very heavy sea rolling into the Gulph, the Berwick not having, I understand, her rigging set up, lost all her masts, and is now a most complete wreck. I don't think our shipmate has much improved in the art of seamanship since we parted. The Admiral, as you will believe, is much out of humour with him, thinking we have not a Seventy-four to spare, the French Fleet in the outer road of Toulon being as follows: Sans Culotte 120, Tonnant 80, Ca Ira 80, Languedoc 80, Génereux 74, Censeur 74, Duquesne 74, Centaure 74, Commerce de Bordeaux 74, Mercure 74, Conquerant 74, Guerrier 74, Souverain 74, Heureux 74, Barras 74: in the inner, Hardi 64, Alcide 74; one eight of these very good, six bad, but will to Sea, three very bad, with twelve Frigates in the harbour, and five Corvettes. Fifty sail of Marseilles Ships are fitting for Transports: they have some expedition on foot, most certainly, I think Port Especia, many others, Corsica. Remember me most kindly to all your family, and believe me ever, Your most obliged, HORATIO NELSON. [During great part of the year 1794, Captain Nelson kept, in three forms, a Journal of his proceedings: first, Memoranda from the 21st of January to the 13th of July, containing little more than dates and a brief notice of occurrences; secondly, rather longer details of events from the 24th of February to the 1st of April, 1794; thirdly, a regular Journal of the Siege of Bastia, beginning on the 4th of April and ending on the 4th of July; and fourthly, a Journal of the Siege of Calvi, ending on the 10th of August, 1794, a copy of which he sent daily from the Camp to Lord Hood. The first and second of those Papers, in his own autograph, are now in the Nelson Papers; 2 Captain William Smith. |