Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 8Sylvester, Charles Herbert
General
Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 8
Sylvester, Charles Herbert
Children's literature; Literature -- Collections
One of the last orders of this admirable man was, that the name and
family of every officer, seaman, and marine, who might be killed or
wounded in action, should be, as soon as possible, returned to him, in
order to be transmitted to the chairman of the Patriotic Fund, that the
case might be taken into consideration, for the benefit of the sufferer
or his family.
About half-past nine in the morning of the 19th, the _Mars_, being the
nearest to the fleet of the ships which formed the line of communication
with the frigates in shore, repeated the signal that the enemy were
coming out of port. The wind was at this time very light, with partial
breezes, mostly from the S.S.W. Nelson ordered the signal to be made for
a chase in the southeast quarter. About two, the repeating ships
announced that the enemy were at sea.
All night the British fleet continued under all sail, steering to the
southeast. At daybreak they were in the entrance of the Straits, but the
enemy was not in sight. About seven, one of the frigates made signal
that the enemy were bearing north. Upon this the _Victory_ hove to; and
shortly afterwards Nelson made sail again to the northward. In the
afternoon the wind blew fresh from the southwest, and the English began
to fear that the foe might be forced to return to port. A little before
sunset, however, Blackwood, in the _Euryalus_, telegraphed that they
appeared determined to go to the westward,--"And that," said the admiral
in his diary, "they shall not do, if it is in the power of Nelson and
Bronté to prevent them."
Nelson had signified to Blackwood, that he depended upon him to keep
sight of the enemy. They were observed so well, that all their motions
were made known to him; and, as they wore twice, he inferred that they
were aiming to keep the port of Cadiz open, and would retreat there as
soon as they saw the British fleet: for this reason he was very careful
not to approach near enough to be seen by them during the night.
At daybreak the combined fleets were distinctly seen from the
_Victory's_ deck, formed in a close line of battle ahead, on the
starboard tack, about twelve miles to leeward, and standing to the
south. Our fleet consisted of twenty-seven sail of the line and four
frigates; theirs of thirty-three, and seven large frigates. Their
superiority was greater in size, and weight of metal, than in numbers.
They had four thousand troops on board; and the best riflemen who could
be procured, many of them Tyrolese, were dispersed through the ships.
Little did the Tyrolese, and little did the Spaniards, at that day,
imagine what horrors the wicked tyrant whom they served was preparing
for their country!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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