TO CAPTAIN KEATS, H.M. SHIP SUPERB. [Autograph, in the possession of the Reverend Richard Keats.] My dear Keats, Victory, July 10th, 1805. I send you the last Papers; they seem rather worse for wear. I hope our present wind will last us to Cape Spartel. When the weather is fine, and you feel so inclined, I trust I need not repeat how happy I am at all times to see you, feeling myself your much obliged, NELSON AND BRONTE. TO COMMISSIONER OTWAY, GIBRALTAR. [Autograph, in the possession of Rear-Admiral Inglefield, C.B.] My dear Commissioner, Victory, July 10th, 1805. Be so good as to order a fore-yard to be prepared for the Canopus; hers is rotten. Whether the Fleet will anchor at Gibraltar, or pass up the Mediterranean, must depend upon what the Enemy may have done, and when they passed Gibraltar; for if there is a hope of getting up with them before they get to Toulon, I shall not anchor. I have ordered no letters to be received for Gibraltar, as I do not wish it to be known, at the Rock, my intention of anchoring. You will be so good as to mention my intentions and wishes for secrecy, to General Fox. If I pass up the Mediterranean, I shall write you a line relative to stores, &c. &c. I am always, my dear Commissioner, your much obliged, humble servant, Nelson and Bronte. TO REAR-ADMIRAL KNIGHT, GIBRALTAR. [From a Press-copy in the possession of the Right Hon. John Wilson Croker.] Victory, July 10th, 1805. My dear Admiral, I wish the probability of the Fleet's anchoring at Gibraltar to be kept as secret as possible, for everything which is known on the Rock gets into Spain. If the Enemy's Fleet has passed up the Mediterranean, (unless it has been such a length of time that there is no chance of my getting up with them before they get into Toulon,) I shall not anchor at Gibraltar, but have the Transports convoyed after the Fleet; but on this subject I shall write, if I do not stop. Be so good as to mention these circumstances to General Fox. I have wrote to the Commissioner to prepare a fore-yard for Canopus, as hers is rotten. I am ever, my dear Admiral, your most faithful, humble servant, NELSON AND BRONTE. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Original, in the Admiralty.] Victory, at Sea, 10th July, 1805. You will be pleased to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that Mr. James Marguette, (a man of colour,) who has for these many years piloted his Majesty's Ships, in Squadrons and otherwise, from Barbadoes to the different Leeward Islands, came on board the Victory off that Island, on the 4th ult., for the purpose of piloting the Fleet under my command to any of the Leeward Islands in pursuit of the Enemy; and that on the 13th June, when the Fleet sailed from Antigua, I judged it proper to take him with me, that I might (in case of certain information after we left that place, that the Enemy had gone to Porto Rico or Jamaica,) have a person with me who was perfectly acquainted with the pilotage of those places; and as Mr. Marguette is a very clever, able man, and had been at the former place with Sir Henry Harvey, and several other Admirals; he is, therefore, now on board the Fleet; and it is my intention to send him to England by the first opportunity, in order that their Lordships may direct him a passage to Barbadoes by the first Ship of War going there. 6 I shall furnish Mr. Marguette with a letter, when he quits the Victory, that due attention may be paid to this Admiral Sir Henry Harvey, K.B., who died in December 1810. valuable man, who very cheerfully offered his services to pilot the Fleet. I, therefore, beg leave to recommend him to their Lordships' notice, and trust they will be pleased to approve of my having taken him with me, for the reasons before mentioned. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. TO CAPTAIN PARKER, H.M. SHIP AMAZON. [From a Press-copy in the possession of the Right Hon. John Wilson Croker.] Sir, July 10th, 1805. If you find' off Cape Spartel any Vessel which can convey your intelligence to me, on my arrival off that Cape, you will proceed to Gibraltar, and complete your water, provisions, and stores with all possible expedition, and join me, unless I send you further orders. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON AND Bronte. PRIVATE DIARY. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. ii. p. 415.] Wednesday, 17th July, 1805. Our whole run from Barbuda, day by day, was 3459 miles: our run from Cape St. Vincent to Barbadoes was 3227 miles, so that our run back was only 232 miles more than our run out-allowance being made for the difference of the latitudes and longitudes of Barbadoes and Barbuda; average, per day, thirty-four leagues, wanting nine miles. 8 18th July, 1805. Cape Spartel in sight, but no French Fleet, nor any information about them: how sorrowful this makes me, but I cannot help myself! 7 Though this Note was dated on the 10th of July, the Amazon did not leave the Squadron until the forenoon of the 13th of that month, when Cape St. Vincent bore S. 89° E., distance about 183 leagues.-Signal Log. 18th July. Noon. Cape Spartel S. 75° E., distance 12 leagues."-Victory's Log.] TO VICE-ADMIRAL COLLINGWOOD. [Autograph, in the possession of the Honourable Mrs. Newnham Collingwood. "18th July. Noon. Several Men of War in sight.”—Signal Log.] My dear Collingwood, Victory, July 18th, 1805. I am, as you may suppose, miserable at not having fallen and I am almost increased in The name of General Brereton But for his false information, the in with the Enemy's Fleet; sorrow, in not finding them. will not soon be forgot. On the 18th of May, 1805, Vice-Admiral Collingwood was appointed to command a Squadron on Foreign Service: he arrived off Cape Finisterre, on the 27th of that month, and fell in with Sir Richard Bickerton, which induced him to take his station off Cadiz. On the 18th of July, Vice Admiral Collingwood wrote the following letter to Lord Nelson: "My dear Lord, "Dreadnought, July 18th, 1805, off Cadiz. "I congratulate your Lordship on your return from the long chase you have had to the West Indies, and wished sincerely I could have had the pleasure of seeing you, and of telling you how truly dear you are to my friendship. We approached you with caution, not knowing whether we were to expect your Lordship, or the Frenchmen first. "I had been for some time under orders for Foreign Service before the Toulon Ships sailed, and my Ships were increased or diminished as the apparent service seemed to require. The sailing of the Toulon Ships determined my route. But I have always had an idea that Ireland alone was the object they have in view, and still believe that to be their ultimate destination-that they will now liberate the Ferrol Squadron from Calder, make the round of the Bay, and, taking the Rochefort people with them, appear off Ushant-perhaps, with thirty-four Sail, there to be joined by twenty more. Admiral Cornwallis collecting his out Squadrons may have thirty and upwards. This appears to be a probable plan; for unless it is to bring their great Fleets and Armies to some point of service-some rash attempt at conquest-they have been only subjecting them to chance of loss, which I do not believe the Corsican would do, without the hope of an adequate reward. This summer is big with events. We may all, perhaps, have an active share in them, and sincerely I wish your Lordship strength of body to go through-and to all others, your strength of mind. "I have a letter from Calder to-day by the Pickle. He complains of his health: the constant anxiety of his situation is wearing him down. He tells me, that Cotton, dissatisfied with something, is likely to leave the Fleet; and instead of the old ones, Sterling has a Squadron off Rochfort, and Nugent is First Captain to Admiral Cornwallis. I hope my worthy friend Admiral Murray is well, and beg my kind regards to him, and Admiral Louis. When I found you had only ten Ships, I sent Pickmore and the Illustrious-our best sailers, to join at Barbadoes; but as they were for the purpose of joining your Lordship only, and to follow wherever you were, 1 conclude they are on their way home again. This day the Pickle brought me your Lordship's letter of March, for which I am much obliged. All my family are well, and only Battle would have been fought where Rodney fought his, on June 6th. I must now only hope that the Enemy have not tricked me, and gone to Jamaica; but if the account, of which I send you a copy, is correct, it is more than probable they are either gone to the Northward, or, if bound to the Mediterranean, not yet arrived. The Spaniards, or the greatest part of them, I take for granted, are gone to the Havannah, and I suppose, have taken fourteen Sail of Antigua sugar loaded Ships with them. The moment the Fleet is watered, and got some refreshments, of which we are in great want, I shall come out, and make you a visit; not, my dear friend, to take your Command from you, (for I may probably add mine to you,) but to consult how we can best serve our Country, by detaching a part of this large force. God bless you, my dear friend, and believe me ever most affectionately yours, NELSON AND BRONTE. Admiral Murray desires to be kindly remembered. TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Autograph, in the Admiralty. "19th July. A.M. At 7:30, anchored in Rosia Bay, Gibraltar. Squadron anchored as convenient. Found riding here H. M. Ships Decade and Amazon, and Rear-Admiral Knight's Flag on board the Guerrier Sheerhulk in the Mole."-Victory's Log.] Sir, Victory, July 20th, 1805, Gibraltar. By a Brig which sails for England this day, I have to acquaint you that I anchored in this Bay yesterday morning, without having obtained the smallest intelligence of the Enemy's Fleet, except what is contained in the enclosed paper. The Squadron is in the most perfect health, except lamenting this long War should keep me for ever from home. God bless you, my dear Lord, with health and every happiness. I am ever, with a most affectionate regard, your Lordship's faithful and most humble servant and friend, "CUTHBERT COLLINGWOOD. "I am exceedingly pleased with Captain Mundy of the Hydra. His vigilance and activity are exemplary; he is a clever young man. I must send him in for water, &c.; but I want two or three Frigates very much."-Autograph, in the Nelson Papers. A very imperfect copy of this letter occurs in the "Correspondence and Memoir of Lord Collingwood,” (Vol. i. p. 150,) where it is erroneously said to have been dated on the 21st of October. |