Authentic Narrative of the Death of Lord NelsonBeatty, William
History
Authentic Narrative of the Death of Lord Nelson
Beatty, William
Admirals -- Great Britain -- Biography; Nelson, Horatio Nelson, Viscount, 1758-1805 -- Death and burial
MESSRS. OGILVIE and COLLINGWOOD, Midshipmen of the Victory, were sent in
a small boat to take charge of the prize, which they effected.[19] After
this, the ships of the Enemy's van that had shewn a disposition to
attack the Victory, passed to windward; and fired their broadsides not
only into her and the Temeraire, but also into the French and Spanish
captured ships indiscriminately: and they were seen to back or shiver
their topsails for the purpose of doing this with more precision.[20]
The two Midshipmen of the Victory had just boarded the Redoutable, and
got their men out of the boat, when a shot from the Enemy's van ships
that were making off cut the boat adrift. About ten minutes after taking
possession of her, a Midshipman came to her from the Temeraire; and had
hardly ascended the poop, when a shot from one of those ships took off
his leg. The French Officers, seeing the firing continued on the prize
by their own countrymen, entreated the English Midshipmen to quit the
deck, and accompany them below. The unfortunate Midshipman of the
Temeraire was carried to the French Surgeon, who was ordered to give his
immediate attendance to him in preference to his own wounded: his leg
was amputated, but he died the same night. The Redoutable suffered so
much from shot received between wind and water, that she sunk while in
tow of the Swiftsure on the following evening, when the gale came on;
and out of a crew originally consisting of more than eight hundred men,
only about a hundred and thirty were saved: but she had lost above three
hundred in the battle.[21]
It is by no means certain, though highly probable, that Lord NELSON was
particularly aimed at by the Enemy. There were only two Frenchmen left
alive in the mizen-top of the Redoutable at the time of His LORDSHIP'S
being wounded, and by the hands of one of these he fell. These men
continued firing at Captains HARDY and ADAIR, Lieutenant ROTELY of the
Marines, and some of the Midshipman on the Victory's poop, for some
time afterwards. At length one of them was killed by a musket-ball: and
on the other's then attempting to make his escape from the top down the
rigging, Mr. POLLARD (Midshipman) fired his musket at him, and shot him
in the back; when he fell dead from the shrouds, on the Redoutable's
poop.
The Writer of this will not attempt to depict the heart-rending sorrow,
and melancholy gloom, which pervaded the breast and the countenance of
every individual on board the Victory when His LORDSHIP'S death became
generally known. The anguish felt by all for such a loss, rendered
doubly heavy to _them_, is more easy to be conceived than described: by
his lamented fall they were at once deprived of their adored commander,
and their friend and patron.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account