The Life of the Right Honourable Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson, Volume 1Harrison, James
History
The Life of the Right Honourable Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson, Volume 1
Harrison, James
Admirals -- Great Britain -- Biography; Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Biography; Nelson, Horatio Nelson, Viscount, 1758-1805
"The close of the day, before the four prizes were secured,
undoubtedly saved the Spanish admiral's flag from falling into the
hands of the victors. The Santissima Trinidada, in which he carried
it, had been so much the object of attention, that the ship was a
perfect wreck when the action ceased. Many, indeed, aver that she
actually struck both her flag and ensign; hoisting a white flag, as
a signal of submission: but, as she continued her course, and
afterwards hoisted a Spanish jack, others doubt this circumstance.
It is, however, an indisputable truth, that her fire had been
silent for some time before this event is reported to have
occurred. It was a defensive combat, entirely, on their parts,
after Commodore Nelson obliged them to haul their wind on the
larboard tack.
"The loss of the enemy, in this engagement, must have been very
considerable. The fire of the British squadron was, throughout the
action, superior, in the proportion of five or six to one; and, if
we were to judge from the number of killed and wounded found on
board the prizes, their casualties, must greatly exceed the numbers
that have been usually computed. Almost all their wounded, that had
lost limbs, died for want of assistance; and many others, who were
wounded in other parts, were found dead in the holds.
"The loss of the British squadron, in killed and wounded, amounted
to exactly three hundred: moderate, indeed, when compared with that
of the enemy, and considering the duration of the action! But the
expenditure of ammunition was beyond any recent example. The
Culloden, it is said, expended one hundred and seventy barrels of
powder; the Captain, one hundred and forty-six; and the Blenheim,
one hundred and eighty: other ships expended in similar
proportions. It is by no means unworthy of remark, however, that
not a single British gun burst.
"The Captain fired more shot than are usually given to a ship of
her rate, at her first equipment in England: and it was observed
that, when shot or grape were wanting, on board this ship, for the
carronades, the tars substituted, in their place, nine-pounds shot,
seven of which were frequently discharged at one time; and this at
so short a distance, that every shot of the seven must have had
effect.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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