The Life of the Right Honourable Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson Volume I Part 25

Another letter, written to Mr. Windham this day, is too interesting to be omitted. It presents his opinion of the patriotic character of Mr.

Windham, the disinterestedness of his own, and the wretched pusillanimity of the Neapolitan officers.

Naples, 10th Dec. 1798.

"MY DEAR SIR,

"Your several letters of November 30, came to me this moment.

Believe me, no person can set a higher value on your friends.h.i.+p than I do; for, I know, from experience, that you have nothing more at heart, than the honour of our king and country. I rejoice to hear, that the cargoes of corn in the Mole of Leghorn will be landed; and the privateers disarmed, and the scoundrels belonging to them sent away. The enemy will be distressed; and, thank G.o.d, I shall get no money. The world, I know, think that money is our G.o.d; and, now, they will be undeceived, as far as relates to us. "Down, down with the French!" is my constant prayer. I hope, that the emperor is marched to support this country: for, unused to war, it's officers seem alarmed at a drawn sword; or a gun, if loaded with shot. Many of them, peaceable heroes, are said to have run away when brought near the enemy. The King and General Acton being at Rome, I know not what orders will be sent to General Naselli; but, you may depend, I will do nothing which can do away your just demand of retribution to our merchants robbed by the French at Leghorn. I arrived here on the 5th of December, and found my presence very comfortable for the poor queen. Ever believe me, my dear Sir, your most faithful and obliged

"Nelson."

Our indefatigable hero wrote, also, on this day, two letters to his Excellency, the Right Honourable Sir Moreton Eden, K.B. Minister Plenipotentiary at Vienna. In the first of these, he says, with his usual excellence of heart, "I have to thank you, for your kindness to Captain Berry. Poor fellow, he has suffered greatly, both in body and mind; but, I hope, his reception in England will perfectly restore him."

The other letter fully demonstrates that his head was no less excellent than his heart. It would have been well for the repose of Europe, and particularly for the welfare of the Emperor of Germany, and his hereditary dominions, as well as of his royal relatives at Naples, had our hero's advice, even at this late period, been sufficiently regarded. We give, with peculiar pleasure, the whole of this almost prophetic doc.u.ment.

Naples, Dec. 10, 1798.

"MY DEAR SIR,

"I received, with thanks, your favour of November the 15th: and perfectly agree with you, that a delayed war, on the part of the emperor, will be destructive to this monarchy; and, of course, to the newly-acquired dominions of the emperor in Italy. Had the war commenced in September or October, all Italy would at this moment have been liberated. This month is worse than the last; the next will render the contest doubtful; and, in six months, when the Neapolitan _republic_ will be organized, armed, and with it's numerous resources called forth, I will suffer to have my head cut off, if the emperor is not only defeated in Italy, but that he totters on his throne at Vienna. Pray, a.s.sure the empress, from me, that, notwithstanding the councils which have shook the throne of her father and mother, I shall remain here, ready to save the sacred persons of the king and queen, and of her brothers and sisters; and, that I have also left s.h.i.+ps at Leghorn, to save the lives of the Great Duke and her imperial majesty's sister: for all must be a republic, if the emperor does not act with expedition and vigour. "Down, down with the French!" ought to be placed in the council-room of every country in the world: and, may Almighty G.o.d give right thoughts to every sovereign! is the constant prayer of your excellency's most obliged and obedient servant,

"Nelson."

"Whenever the emperor acts with vigour, your excellency may say that a proper naval force shall attend to the safety of the Adriatic, as far as in my power."

At this period, it appears, the unfavourable news from the royal army, and the manifest cowardice, treason, and treachery, every where seeming to pervade the unhappy and devoted kingdom of Naples, plunged the excellent queen into an agony of grief which admitted not of consolation. "None, from this house," says Lord Nelson, writing on the 11th of December to Earl Spencer, "have seen her majesty these three days; but, her letters to Lady Hamilton paint the anguish of her soul.

However," adds his lords.h.i.+p, "on enquiry, matters are not so bad as I expected. The Neapolitan officers have not lost much honour; for, G.o.d knows, they had not much to lose: but, they lost all they had. Mack has supplicated the king to sabre every man who ran from Civita Castellana to Rome. He has, we hear, torn off the epaulets of some of those scoundrels, and placed them on good serjeants. I will, as briefly as I can, state the position of the army, and it's lost honour; for, defeat they have had none. The right wing of nineteen thousand men under General St. Philip, and Micheux (who ran away at Toulon) were to take post between Ancona and Rome, to cut off all supplies and communication.

Near Fermi, they fell in with the enemy, about three thousand. After a little distant firing, St. Philip advanced to the French general; and, returning to his men, said--_I no longer command you!"_ and was going off to the enemy. A serjeant said--"You are a traitor; what have you been talking to the enemy?" St. Philip replied _I no longer command you!"_--"Then you are an enemy!" and, levelling his musket, shot St.

Philip through the right arm. However, the enemy advanced; he was among them; Micheux ran away, as did all the infantry; and, had it not been for the good conduct of two regiments of cavalry, they would have been destroyed. So great was this panic, that cannon, tents, baggage, military chest, all were left to the French. Could you credit--but, it is true--that this loss has been sustained with the death of only forty men! The French lost many men by the cavalry; and, having got the good things, did not run after an army three times their number. Some ran thirty miles, to Pesara. The peasantry took up arms, even the women, to defend their country. However, the runaways are not only collected, but advanced to Arcoti; which they took from the French, cutting open the gates with hatchets. It is said, they have got a good general; Cetto, a Neapolitan prince; and, I hope, will be ashamed of their former conduct.

General Micheux is bringing a prisoner to Naples. This failure has thrown Mack backward. It is the intention of that general to surround Civita Castellana. Chevalier Saxe advanced th Viterbi; General Metch to Fermi; and Mack, with the main body, finding his communication not open with Fermi, retreated towards Castellana. In his route, he was attacked from an entrenchment of the enemy, which it was necessary to carry.

Finding his troops backward, he dismounted, and attempted to rally them: but they left their general, and basely fled. The natural consequence was, he was sorely wounded; but saved by some gallant cavalry, and carried off by the bravery of a coachman: and is safe, poor fellow, at Rome; and, hopes are entertained of his recovery. The fugitives are fled to Rome, fancying the French at their heels; who never moved from their entrenchment, which was carried by another party of troops, under General Dumas. It is reported, that the king has stripped the Prince di Tarante, Duc di Tranoulle, of his uniform, and disgraced him. He commanded under Saxe; and fled, among the first, to Rome. It is for the traitorous and cowardly conduct of these scoundrels, that the great queen is miserable, knowing not whom to trust. The French minister, and his legation, went off by sea yesterday."

On the 14th, the King of Naples returned home; and notice was immediately given, by Lord Nelson, through the medium of Sir William Hamilton, with as much secrecy as circ.u.mstances would admit, that three English transports, then in the Bay of Naples, had directions to receive on board such valuable effects as could be stowed in them, from British merchants, and other residents, and that the whole squadron would be ready to receive their persons, should such a measure be found necessary, in consequence of the kingdom's being invaded by a formidable French army. The Marquis De Niza, at the same time, was desired, by his lords.h.i.+p, to spare a number of Portuguese officers and seamen, for the purpose of a.s.sisting to fit some of the Neapolitan s.h.i.+ps for sea. He wrote, also, to Captain Ball, at Malta, for the Goliath, Captain Foley, to be sent immediately; and to Captain Troubridge, at Leghorn, whom he desired to join him without one moment's loss of time; leaving the Terpsich.o.r.e in Leghorn Roads, to bring off the Grand Duke, should such an event be necessary. "The King," writes he, "is returned home, and every thing is as bad as possible. For G.o.d's sake, make haste. Approach the place with caution. Messina, probably, I shall be found at; but you can enquire, at the Lipari Islands, if we are at Palermo. Caution Gage to act with secrecy; and desire him to write to Windham, and give him those instructions which may be necessary, at this time, for his guarded conduct and secrecy."

It had, at this time, been fully resolved, that the King, Queen, and Royal Family, of Naples, should embark, with all their richest moveable effects, on board Lord Nelson's s.h.i.+p, for Sicily. In the mean while, it was necessary to conceal such an intention from the Neapolitans in general; who would, probably, never have consented to their departure.

Most of the n.o.bility, who were disaffected, and of the common people, who were loyal, it was not doubted, would object, for different reasons, to a measure which they must behold in different points of view, and consequently both conspire to defeat: while, by the dangerous collision, a spark might be struck on materials of so inflammable a nature as the rude populace, and particularly of a populace so very rude as the Lazzaroni of Naples; which, suddenly blazing forth into a devouring flame, might fatally involve the whole royal family, and their most faithful and friendly adherents, and render them the unfortunate victims of the cruel and destructive conflagration.

It was, therefore, at the extreme hazard of their lives, that Lord Nelson, with Sir William and Lady Hamilton, for several days preceding the meditated departure, took in charge the various articles secretly conveyed from the palace, and concerted the different operations necessary for effecting the escape of the royal family without discovery or suspicion. Every day, Lady Hamilton a.s.sisted and advised with the King and Queen of Naples, and their jewels, cloaths, &c. were conveyed in boxes, during the night. Neither Sir William Hamilton, nor Lord Nelson, for several days, judged it safe to appear publicly at the palace; but his lords.h.i.+p secretly accompanied Lady Hamilton, one evening, for the purpose of exploring a subterraneous pa.s.sage leading from the queen's bedchamber to the sea, by which it was agreed that they should get off; and settled every preliminary preparation with the few loyal n.o.bility in whom the royal family could confide. Great anxiety was expressed for the cardinals, and other members of the Romish church, who had taken refuge, in Naples, from French persecution, and might now be expected to fall the first victims of their cruelty; but Lord Nelson desired they might be humanely informed that, on coming in boats alongside any of his s.h.i.+ps, and displaying their red stockings, they should be instantly received on board.

In the midst of this important business, his lords.h.i.+p had written, on the 18th, the following very concise epistle to Earl Spencer.

Naples, Dec. 18, 1798.

"MY DEAR LORD,

"There is an old saying--that, when things are at the worst, they must mend." Now, the mind of man cannot fancy things worse than they are here. But, thank G.o.d, my health is better; my mind never firmer; and my heart in the right trim, to comfort, relieve, and protect, those who it is my duty to afford a.s.sistance to. Pray, my lord, a.s.sure our gracious sovereign--that, whilst I live, I will support his glory; and that, if I fall, it shall be in a manner worthy of your lords.h.i.+p's faithful and obliged

"Nelson."

"I must not write more. Every word may be a text for a long letter."

In spite of every precaution, however, an idea of what was going forward, seems to have prevailed among the people; and, on the 20th, riotous proceedings began to take place, and some murders were committed, which filled the royal family, and their loyal adherents, with new alarms. This was a most critical period for our hero, and Sir William and Lady Hamilton, who would certainly have been sacrificed to the fury of the populace, had a full discovery been then made of the important parts they were acting. Nothing, however, could deter these firm friends from continuing to a.s.sist the royal family in escaping from the perils by which they were so cruelly surrounded: and, at night, they were got off, by his lords.h.i.+p, through the subterraneous pa.s.sage; and conveyed, in barges, amidst a most tremendous sea, on board the Vanguard, where they safely arrived about ten o'clock. Among this unfortunate royal family, thus constrained to quit their kingdom, under protection of the British flag, was the amiable Princess Royal, and with her infant of only a month old. They sailed, on the 23d, at night; and, in addition to their misfortunes, a more furious tempest the next day arose than Lord Nelson had ever before witnessed. It was borne, however, by the royal sufferers, with all the magnanimity which can distinguish minds worthy of majesty. Scarcely had the storm subsided, when their estimable hearts were subjected to a still more severe trial: for, next morning, being Christmas-day, their third son, Prince Albert, seven years of age, was suddenly taken ill; and, at six o'clock in the evening, died in Lady Hamilton's arms. This was an affliction too poignant for nature to be defeated of her tribute; and the unhappy pair were overwhelmed, on the melancholy occasion, with a grief which adorned their ill.u.s.trious character, and communicated even to the most heroic of their friends. At ten o'clock, they entered the Bay of Palermo; and, at midnight, the viceroy and n.o.bility arrived on board, and informed the royal mourners that all their Sicilian subjects were ready to receive their majesties with joy.

The following most interesting letter, written by Lord Nelson to the Earl of St. Vincent, the third day after their arrival, contains a valuable narrative of the various proceedings by which this important business was preceded, and at length thus successfully accomplished.

"Palermo, Dec. 28, 1798.

"MY LORD,

"On the 22d, I wrote a line to Commodore Duckworth, telling him that the Royal Family of the Two Sicilies were safely embarked on board the Vanguard; and requested him to take the first opportunity of acquainting your lords.h.i.+p of this event. For many days previous to the embarkation, it was not difficult to foresee that such a thing might happen. I, therefore, sent for the Goliath, from off Malta; and for Captain Troubridge in the Culloden, and his squadron from the north and west coast of Italy: the Vanguard being the only s.h.i.+p in Naples Bay. On the 14th, the Marquis De Niza, with three of the Portuguese squadron, arrived from Leghorn; as did Captain Hope, in the Alcmene, from Egypt. From this time, the danger for the personal safety of their Sicilian Majesties was daily increasing; and new treasons were found out, even to the minister at war. The whole correspondence relative to this important business was carried on, with the greatest address, by Lady Hamilton and the queen; who, being constantly in the habits of correspondence, no one could suspect. It would have been highly imprudent, either in Sir William Hamilton or myself, to have gone to court; as we knew that all our movements were watched, and that even an idea was entertained, by the Jacobins, of arresting our persons, as a hostage--as they foolishly imagined--against the attack of Naples, should the French get possession of it. Lady Hamilton, from this time, to the 21st, every night received the jewels of the royal family, &c. &c. &c. and such cloaths as might be necessary for the very large party to embark; to the amount, I am confident, of full two millions five hundred thousand pounds sterling. On the 18th, General Mack wrote, that he had no prospect of stopping the progress of the French; and intreated their majesties to think of retreating from Naples, with their august family, as expeditiously as possible. All the Neapolitan navy were now taken out of the mole, consisting of three sail of the line and three frigates. The seamen, from the two sail of the line in the bay, left their s.h.i.+ps, and went on sh.o.r.e; and a party of English seamen, with officers, were sent from the Vanguard, to a.s.sist in navigating them to a place of safety. From the 18th, various plans were formed for the removal of the royal family from the palace to the water-side. On the 19th, I received a note from General Acton; saying, that the king approved of my plan for their embarkation. This day, and the 20th, and 21st, very large a.s.semblies of the people were in commotion; several people were killed, and one was dragged by the legs to the palace. The mob, by the 20th, were very unruly, and insisted that the royal family should not leave Naples. However, they were pacified by the king and queen's speaking to them. On the 21st, at half past eight, three barges, with myself and Captain Hope, landed in a corner of the a.r.s.enal. I went into the palace, and brought out the whole royal family; put them in the boats; and, at half past nine, they were all safely on board the Vanguard: when I gave immediate notice to all British merchants, that their persons would be received on board every and any s.h.i.+p in the squadron, their effects of value being before embarked; and I had directed that all the condemned provisions should be thrown overboard, in order to make room for their effects. Sir William Hamilton had also directed two vessels to be hired for the accommodation of the French emigrants, and provisions were supplied from our victuallers. In short, every thing had been done for the comfort of all persons embarked. I did not forget, in these important moments, that it was my duty not to leave the chance of any s.h.i.+ps of war falling into the hands of the French; therefore, every preparation was made for burning them, before I sailed. But the reasons given me by their Sicilian majesties, induced me not to burn them till the last moment. I, therefore, directed the Marquis De Niza to remove all the Neapolitan s.h.i.+ps outside the squadron under his command; and, if it were possible, to equip some of them with jury-masts, and send them to Messina: and, whenever the French advanced near Naples, or the people revolted against their legitimate government, then immediately to destroy the s.h.i.+ps of war, and to join me at Palermo; leaving one or two s.h.i.+ps to cruise between Capri and Ischia, in order to prevent the entrance of any English s.h.i.+ps into the Bay of Naples. On the 23d, at seven in the evening, the Vanguard, Samnite, and Archimedes, with about twenty sail of vessels, left the Bay of Naples, The next day, it blew much harder than I ever experienced since I have been at sea. Your lords.h.i.+p will believe, that my anxiety was not lessened by the great charge that was with me; but, not a word of uneasiness escaped the lips of any of the royal family. On the 25th, at nine in the morning, Prince Albeit, their majesty's youngest child, having eat a hearty breakfast, was taken ill; and, at seven in the evening, died in the arms of Lady Hamilton! And here it is my duty to tell your lords.h.i.+p, the obligations which the whole royal family, as well as myself, are under, on this trying occasion, to her ladys.h.i.+p. They necessarily came on board without a bed, nor could the smallest preparation be made for their reception. Lady Hamilton provided her own beds, linen, &c. and became their slave; for, except one man, no person belonging to royalty a.s.sisted the royal family. Nor did her ladys.h.i.+p enter a bed the whole time they were on board. Good Sir William, also, made every sacrifice for the comfort of the august family embarked with him. I must not omit to state, the kindness of Captain Hardy, and every officer in the Vanguard; all of whom readily gave their beds for the convenience of the numerous persons attending the royal family. At three in the afternoon, being in sight of Palermo, his Sicilian majesty's royal standard was hoisted at the main top-gallant mast-head of the Vanguard: which was kept flying there, till his majesty got into the Vanguard's barge; when it was struck in the s.h.i.+p, and hoisted in the barge, and every proper honour paid to it from the s.h.i.+p. As soon as his majesty set his foot on sh.o.r.e, it was struck from the barge. The Vanguard anch.o.r.ed at two in the morning of the 26th. At five, I attended her majesty, and all the princesses, on sh.o.r.e: her majesty being so much affected, by the death of Prince Albert, that she could not bear to go on sh.o.r.e in a public manner. At nine, his majesty went on sh.o.r.e; and was received with the loudest acclamations and apparent joy. I have the honour to be, with the greatest respect, your lords.h.i.+p's most obedient humble servant,

"Nelson."

Earl of St. Vincent."

It has been said, that the King of Naples had not, without much difficulty, been induced to quit the seat of his government. Doubtless, as will ever be the case, where various powerful parties unhappily divide a country, each chiefly regardful of it's own particular interest, the leaders of the several factions would struggle, by all imaginable stratagems, to draw into their own vortex the sovereign on whose debas.e.m.e.nt they could alone hope to erect any satisfactory individual exaltation. The King of Naples, though a man of excellent dispositions, and neither defective in valour nor in wisdom, might possibly have fallen a prey to some of the numerous deceptive artifices which originated in these causes, if the admirable political sagacity of his vigilant and august consort, the worthy daughter of Maria Theresa, aided by the keen council of our immortal Nelson, and the penetrative wisdom and address of the British minister and his accomplished lady, had not preserved his Sicilian, majesty's unsuspecting mind from the ruinous effects of such, destructive machinations. Nothing can possibly be more obvious, than that the advice of these friendly fellow-sufferers must necessarily have been sincere; and, if the king really did hesitate, before he embraced a design which nothing but necessity could justify, it must only be ascribed to that ardent desire of constantly doing what is right, which finally induced his majesty to adopt the proposed salutary measure. The king, however, had by no means abandoned his loyal Neapolitan subjects, in thus guarding against the treasons of the disloyal; that would not have been a measure for our exalted hero or his estimable friends ever to have advised, or either of their Sicilian majesties to have adopted. On the contrary, Prince Pignatelli had been previously created a viceroy; a grand, police guard established, to preserve the tranquillity of the city during his majesty's absence, commanded by officers selected equally from the respective cla.s.ses of the n.o.bility and private citizens; and large sums of money, with a prodigious number of arms, freely distributed among the Lazzaroni, to preserve all the advantages of their accustomed ardent zeal and loyal attachment. It was, therefore, in fact, only a temporary removal of the court of the King of the Two Sicilies, from his capital of Naples, in one grand division of his dominions, at a most critical period, to that of Palermo, in the other. In short, the prudence of the precaution soon manifested itself by the event; and the n.o.ble part which our immortal hero so successfully performed, by his consummate wisdom, on the important occasion, liberally interwove, with the civic laurels of Italy, the honoured wreath of naval glory, which had been recently and universally yielded to his invincible valour on the banks of the Nile.

END OF VOLUME THE FIRST.