The Life of the Right Honourable Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson Volume I Part 4

In a letter from Cape Tiberoon, dated February 25, 1783, written by Captain Nelson to his friend Captain Locker, from which some of the above facts are also extracted, he says, speaking of the Duke of Clarence--"He will be, I am certain, an ornament to our service. He is a seaman; which, perhaps, you would hardly suppose: every other qualification you may expect from him. A vast deal of notice has been taken of him at Jamaica: he has been addressed by the Council, and the House of a.s.sembly were to address him the day after I sailed. He has his levees at Spanish Town; they are all highly delighted with him. With the best temper, and great good sense, he cannot fail being pleasing to every one."

What a pity it is, that any impediment should have ever prevailed against the royal duke's taking an active command!

Some time after Captain Nelson had joined Lord Hood, in the West Indies, the admiral having received several contradictory accounts of the number of the enemy's s.h.i.+ps at the Havannah, and being consequently unable to rely on such varying reports, was desirous of sending, for the requisite information, one on whom he well knew he might safely depend.

Accordingly, Captain Nelson was dispatched on this business, which he executed with his usual adroitness and success. He reflected that the Albemarle, from it's having been formerly a French s.h.i.+p, might still be taken for one on this occasion. Having, therefore, sailed for the Spanish main, he hoisted French colours, and lay off the Havannah harbour. While he remained in this situation, a boat filled with scientific gentlemen, who had been collecting curious plants, and other natural rarities, on the Spanish main, happening to pa.s.s near, he ordered them to be hailed, and invited aboard. From these persons, who had no suspicion that this French-built vessel, and under a French flag, being addressed also in that language, was any other than it pretended to be, very readily mentioned all the particulars relative to the force and number of the s.h.i.+ps in the harbour: their astonishment, however, is not to be described, when they found themselves prisoners of war, on board an English frigate. The worthy captain soon satisfied them, that they had not fallen into the hands of free-booters; and, in consideration of the scientific pursuits in which they were manifestly engaged, the manner in which they had been captured, and the requisite information with which they had faithfully furnished him, he told them, in the handsomest way possible, after regaling them on board for some time, that they should be at liberty to depart whenever they pleased, with their boat and all it contained, on their parole of honour, to be considered as prisoners, if his commander in chief should refuse to acquiesce in their being thus liberated, which he did not think at all likely to happen. Struck with such generosity of sentiment, they earnestly entreated him to take whatever might be most acceptable from their collection of natural curiosities, or any thing else they had to offer; but he positively declined receiving any reward for doing what he felt to be his duty under all the circ.u.mstances of the case, and they parted with mutual good wishes for each other's felicity. It will hereafter appear, that this generous act was performed to one, at least, of the party, who retained a very grateful sense of the indulgence.

Captain Nelson continued actively employed in the West Indies, till the Peace of 1783; but Lord Rodney's famous victory of the 12th of April 1782, which led finally to that event, had so completely damped the ardour of the enemy, that little or nothing farther occurred, worthy of particular notice. At the conclusion of the war, he had the honour of attending his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence on a visit which he paid to the Governor of the Havannah; a circ.u.mstance which contributed still more powerfully to cement their mutual friends.h.i.+p. From hence, being under orders to return home, he sailed for England, where he safely arrived; and his s.h.i.+p was paid off, at Portsmouth, about the first week in July 1783.

In such estimation was this brave and worthy man held, even at that period, by those who had the best opportunities of judging, that the whole of his s.h.i.+p's company offered, if he could get a s.h.i.+p, to enter for it immediately. Nor can we wonder at this attachment, when we behold him, on sh.o.r.e, after the conclusion of their services, employing all his activity and address in attempts to get the wages due to his good fellows, as he kindly called them, for various s.h.i.+ps in which they had served during the war. The infernal plan of turning them over from s.h.i.+p to s.h.i.+p, he frequently declared, occasioned the chief disgust which seamen have to the navy; and both prevented them from being attached to their officers, and their officers from caring two-pence about them.

A few days after the Albemarle was paid off, Lord Hood introduced Captain Nelson at St. James's; where he remarked that the king was exceedingly attentive to what his lords.h.i.+p said. The beginning of the week following, he went to Windsor; and there took leave of the Duke of Clarence, who was then about to embark for the continent.

As Captain Nelson had now no thoughts of going to sea; his fortune not permitting him to live on board a king's s.h.i.+p, to use his own words, "in such a manner as is going on at present;" after again visiting his family and friends in Norfolk, he agreed to reside a short time in France, with Captain Macnamara, for the purpose of acquiring a knowledge of the French language.

Sterne's Sentimental Journey, he said, was the best description he could give of this tour. He was highly diverted by looking what a curious figure the postillions, in their jack boots, and their rats of horses, made together. He was told that they travelled _en poste_, but did not get on above four miles an hour. Their chaises were without springs, and the roads paved like London streets. They were shewn into an inn, as the Frenchmen called it; but he thought it more like a pig-stye: there, in a room with two straw beds, they had two pigeons for supper, on a dirty cloth, with wooden handled knives. "Oh!" exclaimed he, "what a transition from happy England!" But they laughed at the repast; and went to bed with a determination that nothing should ruffle their temper. In their way to St. Omer's, they pa.s.sed through a very fine corn country, diversified with woods; and Captain Nelson, though a Norfolk man, acknowledged it to be the best place for game he had ever known.

Partridges, at Montrieul, were sold at two-pence halfpenny a brace, and pheasants and woodc.o.c.ks in proportion. On arriving at St. Omer's, he was surprised to find it, instead of a dirty, nasty town, as he had always heard it represented, a large city, with good streets, well paved and lighted.

While Captain Nelson was at St. Omer's, he received a most polite letter from the princ.i.p.al personage among those whom he had detained off Porto Cavallo, when he went to look into the harbour of the Havannah. This gentleman's rank he did not at all know till he got to France. His a.s.sumed name was that of the Count de Deux Ponts: but he was, in fact, a Prince of the German Empire, a General of the French Army, Knight of the Grand Order of St. Louis, and second in command at the capture of York Town. His brother was heir-apparent of the Electorate of Bavaria, and of the Palatinate. So that Captain Nelson had the honour of taking prisoner a man who was not unlikely to become a sovereign prince of Europe, and capable of carrying into the field an army of a hundred thousand men.

This letter, which had been dispatched the first moment it was known by the grateful writer that Captain Nelson had arrived in France, was truly expressive of the attention that had been paid him when on board the English s.h.i.+p, and contained a very kind and pressing invitation to Paris; of which it was the captain's full intention to have availed himself, had he remained as long in the country as was originally intended.

Though he visited only a few English families, lest he should never speak French, he made but slow progress in learning the language; and, early in the year 1784, was recalled from it's pursuit by the prospect of an appointment.

About the 20th of March, accordingly, he was commissioned for the Boreas frigate of twenty-eight guns, then at Long Reach, under the command of Captain Wells: and, unfortunately, was attacked the very same day, by the ague and fever; which continued, every other day, for above a fortnight, and pulled him down most astonis.h.i.+ngly. This, however, was not his sole misfortune. On his recovery, he sailed at daylight, just after high water; but the pilot run the s.h.i.+p aground, where it lay with so little water that the people could walk round, till next flood. That night, and part of the following day, the s.h.i.+p lay behind the Nore, with a hard gale of wind and snow. "On Tuesday," says he, in a true sailor's letter to Captain Locker, dated at Portsmouth, April 21, 1784, "I got into the Downs: Wednesday, I got into a quarrel with a Dutch Indiaman, who had Englishmen on board; which we settled, though with some difficulty. The Dutchman made a complaint against me; but the Admiralty, fortunately, have approved my conduct in the business; a thing they are not very guilty of, where there is a likelihood of a sc.r.a.pe. And yesterday, to complete me, I was riding a _blackguard_ horse, that ran away with me at Common; carried me round all the works, into Portsmouth, by the London gates; through the town; out at the gate that leads to Common, where there was a waggon in the road, which is so very narrow that a horse could barely pa.s.s. To save my legs, and perhaps my life, I was obliged to throw myself from the horse; which I did, with great agility: but, unluckily, upon hard stones; which has hurt my back, and my legs, but done no other mischief. It was a thousand to one, that I had not been killed. To crown all, a young girl was with me: her horse ran away, as well as mine; but, most fortunately, a gallant young man seized the horse's bridle a moment before I dismounted, and saved her from the destruction she could not have avoided."

This was, certainly, a most wonderful escape, though it is related with a vein of humour which takes off all apprehension from the reader; to whom it must, undoubtedly, appear little less whimsical and facetious than John Gilpin's celebrated race: while, to balance the advantage of Cowper's admirable fiction, it has the boast of Nelson's unimpeachable truth.

The Boreas, being fully equipped for the Leeward Islands, as a cruizer on the peace establishment, Captain Nelson sailed from Spithead about the middle of May 1784; carrying out Lady Hughes and her family, to Admiral Sir Richard Hughes, who commanded in chief on that station.

They arrived at Madeira, after a pleasant pa.s.sage, on the 1st of June; and, on the 8th, proceeded to the place of destination, which they safely reached just before the hurricane season. The ladies expressed themselves well satisfied with their accommodation on board, which had certainly cost the captain nearly two hundred pounds extraordinary; for which Lady Hughes is stated, from most respectable authority, to have demonstrated her grat.i.tude, by presenting him with a silver tea-caddy ladle, which could hardly be worth more than five s.h.i.+llings!

The service, on this station, was attended with difficulties which had, perhaps, been but little expected, either by the officers of the British navy, or those who sent them; and it was far more fortunate for government, than it was for Captain Nelson, that he had been employed on the occasion.

The Americans, while colonists of Great Britain, had enjoyed, as subjects, almost the entire trade between their country and our West India Islands. Having erected themselves into independent states, they had hoped that, on the return of peace, we should have permitted them again to enjoy the privileges of fellow-subjects, which they had, by withdrawing their allegiance, undoubtedly forfeited. This hope had not been indulged, by the Americans, through any want of political discernment on their part; they well knew themselves now to be, what on other occasions they loudly enough boasted, foreigners in every sense of the word. They were satisfied, however, at the same time, that the mother-country had not always been renowned for the highest degree of national sagacity; they felt, that they had themselves acquired, by force, the independence which they enjoyed; and they trusted that the British administration, through apprehensions of renewing an unpopular and disastrous war, would be induced to connive at, if not confirm, the privilege the Americans affected to claim under the very Navigation Act of Great Britain, the most beneficial effect of which they were thus artfully contriving to destroy.

The West Indians, themselves, who were prevented, by an immediate prospect of the return of their own interest, from contemplating it in a remote view, they well knew, would oppose no obstacle: these, in fact, readily fell into the snare, and were clamorous for their old customers.

Those persons, too, who held official situations, generally more considerate of their ease and their emoluments, than of the duties proper to be performed, in a climate so enervating, and a country so luxurious, would naturally, it was not doubted, rather contend for, than against, such claims as seemed to favour these indulgences. Here, too, with very few exceptions, they met with equally zealous and still more powerful supporters.

The governors and custom-house officers, in fact, agreed that, by the Navigation Act, the Americans had a right to trade with all our West India islands; and the merchants and planters, who likewise found it for their present interest to embrace the same doctrine, pretended that they were of the same opinion.

Captain Nelson, in the mean time, ever as studious to acquire a due knowledge of the full extent of his professional duties, as zealously determined completely to perform the utmost that they could possibly require of him, unswayed by any sinister or selfish motive, viewed the business in a very different light; and felt that, as an executive naval officer, it was his business to enforce, on all occasions, the maritime laws of his country.

Accordingly, in November 1784, the hurricane months being over, and the squadron arrived at Barbadoes, where the s.h.i.+ps were to separate for the different islands, with no other orders than those for examining anchorages, and usual enquiries after wood and water, as this did not appear to him the intent of placing men of war, in peaceable times, he asked Captain Collingwood to accompany him, their sentiments being exactly similar, and ask the commander in chief a few questions. They, accordingly, proceeded together, to Sir Richard Hughes; when Captain Nelson respectfully asked, whether they were not to attend to the commerce of their country, and to take care that the British trade was kept in those channels which the navigation laws pointed out? Sir Richard replied, that he had no particular orders, nor had the Admiralty sent him any acts of parliament. That, Captain Nelson remarked, was very singular, as every captain of a man of war was furnished with the Statutes of the Admiralty, in which the Navigation Act was included; which act was directed to admirals, captains, &c. to see it carried into execution. On producing and reading these laws to Sir Richard, to use Captain Nelson's own words, "he seemed convinced that men of war were sent abroad for some other purpose than to be made a show of;" and, the Americans then filling our ports, orders were issued for all the squadrons to see the Navigation Act carried into execution.

When Captain Nelson went to his station, at St. Kitt's, he sent away all the Americans; not chusing to seize them at that time, lest it should have appeared a trap laid for them.

In December, to his utter astonishment, he received an order from the commander in chief, stating that he had obtained good advice, and required that the Americans might not only be prevented from coming in, but permitted to have free egress and regress, if the governor chose to allow them. He inclosed, at the same time, a copy of the orders which he had sent to the governors and presidents of the islands. Some, on this, began by sending letters, not far different from orders, that they should admit them in such and such situations as they described: telling Captain Nelson, that Sir Richard had left it to them; but, that they thought it right to let him know it. These, however, he soon silenced.

The commander in chief's was a more delicate business. He was under the necessity of either disobeying orders, or of disobeying acts of parliament which he conceived the latter was disobeying. He, therefore, n.o.bly determined on the former: trusting to the uprightness of his intention; and fully confiding, that his country would not allow him to be ruined by protecting it's commerce. He sent to Sir Richard; expatiated on the navigation laws, to the best of his ability; and frankly told him, that some person, he was certain, had been giving him advice, which he would be sorry for having taken, against the positive directions of acts of parliament. He expressed his conviction, that Sir Richard had too much regard for the commerce of Great Britain, to suffer our worst enemy to take it from us; and that, too, at a time when Great Britain was straining every nerve to suppress illegal trade at home, which only affected her revenue: that he hoped we should not be so singular, as to allow of a much more ruinous traffic's being carried on under the king's flag. He added, in short, that he should decline obeying his orders, till he had an opportunity of seeing and talking to him; making, at the same time, an apology for any seeming impropriety.

Sir Richard Hughes was, at first, going to send a captain to supersede him: but, having mentioned the matter to his captain, was informed, that all the squadron seemed to think the orders sent were illegal; and, therefore, did not know how far Captain Nelson was obliged to obey them.

Such being their sentiments, he could not have been there tried by a court-martial.

Captain Nelson now proceeded to inform the people of the custom-house, that he should, after such a day, seize all foreign vessels found in our islands; and, till then, keep them out to the utmost of his power. They fancied, however, that he could not seize, without a deputation; and, therefore, disregarded his threats.

In May 1785, accordingly, he seized the first American vessel.

Immediately, he had the governor, the officers of the customs, and most of the planters, for his enemies. Subscriptions were instantly set on foot, and soon filled, to prosecute him; and the admiral stood neuter, though his flag was then flying in the roads.

This last circ.u.mstance grieved him; but there was nothing by which he could either be dismayed or deterred from any act which he considered as forming part of his positive duty.

Though he had thus offended most of the heads of distributive justice, and the demons of the law were accordingly let loose on him, before the first vessel's complaint was brought to trial, he had seized four others under similar predicaments. On these occasions, too, having ordered the masters on board his s.h.i.+p, to examine them; and sent marines to take forcible possession of their vessels, without allowing any person whatever to go on sh.o.r.e; he had many different actions brought against him, for detention, false imprisonment, &c. and damages laid, in the various causes, at the enormous sum of forty thousand pounds!

The consequence was, that he remained a close prisoner on board his own s.h.i.+p eight weeks, to prevent being arrested for a sum which it would have been impossible for him to have found bail.

When the trial came on, he was protected, for the day, by the judge. The marshal, however, was engaged to arrest him, and the merchants promised to indemnify that officer for the act: but, the judge having declared that he would send him to prison, if he dared take such a step, he thought proper to desist.

Let it, however, never be forgotten, that Captain Nelson had the good fortune to find an honest lawyer; and, that the President of Nevis offered the court to become his bail for ten thousand pounds, if he chose to suffer the caption! The worthy president declared, that Captain Nelson had done only his duty; and, though himself suffered more in proportion than any of them, he could not possibly blame him.

Thus, supported by an upright judge, an honest attorney, and a sincere and opulent friend, after a trial of two days, he carried his cause, and the American vessels were condemned.

As a last resource, when under the terrors of the law, the only terrors his heroic mind ever felt, he had transmitted a memorial to his majesty; who, immediately, says Captain Nelson, "had the goodness to order me to be defended at his expence; and sent orders to Mr. s.h.i.+rley to afford me every a.s.sistance in the execution of my duty: referring him to my letters, &c. as there was, in them, what concerned him not to have suffered."

This kindness was particularly grateful, as it manifested the fullest approbation of Captain Nelson's conduct; but he felt far from being pleased to find, that the chief praise bestowed by government on the occasion was addressed to the very person whom, he could not but be of opinion, least deserved it. "The treasury," says he, "by the last packet, has transmitted thanks to the commander in chief, and the officers under him, for their activity and zeal in protecting the commerce of Great Britain. Had they known what I have told you, I don't think they would have bestowed thanks in that quarter, and neglected me.

I feel much hurt that, after all the loss of health, and risque of fortune, another should be thanked for that which I did, and against his orders. I either deserved to be sent out of the service, or at least have had some little notice taken of me. They have thought it worthy of notice, and have neglected me. If this is the reward for a faithful discharge of my duty, I shall be careful, and never stand forward again.

But, I have done my duty, and have nothing to accuse myself of."

What is thus urged against the propriety of giving most thanks to him who had, from misconception or misrepresentation, been induced rather to prevent than promote those operations by which thanks were obtained; and not particularly directing the smallest attention, otherwise than by indemnifying his law expences, to the individual who had, at all hazards, effectually performed them; is certainly very natural. Let it be considered, however, that government might not be so sufficiently informed of all the particulars as to warrant their entering into a nice degree of just discrimination.

About this period, March 1786, Captain Nelson seems to have been engaged in paying his addresses to the widow of Dr. Nesbit, of the Island of Nevis, Mrs. Frances Herbert Nesbit, who was a daughter of William Herbert, Esq. the senior judge, and niece of his brother the president: for he says, in a letter to Captain Locker, "most probably, the next time you see me, will be as a Benedict; I think, I have found a woman who will make me happy." He adds, that he shall tell him more shortly; but, that his paper is full. In two subsequent letters, however, one of the 29th of December following, and the other of the 9th of February 1787, not an additional word appears respecting the lady.

In the mean time, Admiral Sir Richard Hughes had, in August, quitted the command; and, shortly after, Captain Nelson received orders from the Admiralty, to take the Pegasus and Solebay frigates under his command, immediately on their arrival from Nova Scotia, which was about the latter end of November. The Pegasus being commanded by Prince William Henry, the Duke of Clarence, his royal highness was, of course, under the command of Captain Nelson; who did every thing in his power to prevent his ill.u.s.trious friend from being a loser by this pleasing circ.u.mstance. They were, in fact, mutually attached to each other, and almost inseparable companions. He knew that the prince had foibles, as well as private men; but he knew, also, that they were far overbalanced by his virtues. In his professional line, he considered him as superior to nearly two-thirds of the list; and, in attention to orders, and respect to his superiors, Captain Nelson declared, that he hardly ever knew his equal.

The prince was every where received with all the honour and respect due to his rank, at our different islands: and was invited, also, by the French Governor of Martinico, the Viscount de Damas; and the Baron de Clugny, Governor of Guadaloupe; to favour their islands with a visit.

On the 14th of February, Captain Nelson writes to his friend Captain Locker, from Montserrat--"I am here, with the Pegasus and Solebay. The island has made fine addresses, and good dinners. Tomorrow, we sail for Nevis and St. Christopher's, where the same fine things will be done over again. His royal highness keeps up strict discipline in his s.h.i.+p; and, without paying him any compliment, she is one of the first ordered frigates I have seen. He has had more plague with his officers than enough. His first-lieutenant will, I have no doubt, be broke. I have put him under arrest; he having written for a court-martial on himself, to vindicate his conduct, because his captain thought proper to reprimand him in the order-book. In short, our service has been so much relaxed during the war, that it will cost many a court-martial to bring it up again."

The affair above alluded to, which made considerable noise at the time, appears to have been this: the prince, on going ash.o.r.e, is said to have left express orders, that none of the crew should, during his absence, be permitted to quit the s.h.i.+p. The lieutenant, however, from the general maxim, that the superior officer on board has a right to exercise uncontrouled command, permitted a boat to go on sh.o.r.e with some of the men. This coming to his royal highness's knowledge, who could not possibly be pleased with what appeared manifestly done in defiance of his instructions, he adopted the method which has been mentioned of expressing, in the order-book, his disapprobation of the act.

Captain Nelson proved, by his conduct on the occasion, what he thought of the business: and, without his knowledge of naval usage, a man at all conversant in legal constructions, or even the plainest principles of common sense, must see, if he is not blinded by prejudice, that the general rule above alluded to could never be intended to overthrow any positive orders left by a superior officer, at the will of the inferior.

If, indeed, a case of necessity should arise, the latter would have a right to act according to his discretion; but it must always be at his peril, if he cannot prove, at least, that it appeared to be absolutely necessary; still more so, if he manifestly breaks through, wilfully or perversely, the very orders which himself received from his superior officer, and is consequently bound to see regularly carried into execution.

It is somewhat remarkable, that Captain Nelson, in writing to Captain Locker, whom he always considered as a sort of father as well as a friend, on the day preceding his departure for Nevis, where he was a few weeks afterwards married to the widow of Dr. Nesbit, a physician of that island, should not even yet muster sufficient resolution to say that he was then going to take possession of the woman who, he thought, was destined to make him happy.

To this lady, who had a son then about nine years of age, he was, at length, early in March 1787, actually united. The marriage was celebrated with considerable splendour, and his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence did them the honour to stand as the bride's father on the joyful occasion.

A very few days afterwards, he proceeded, in the Boreas, on his pa.s.sage to Tortola, with his royal highness, who had then only that island and Grenada left unvisited. Indeed, ever since November, his time had been entirely taken up in attending the prince on his tour round these islands.

On the 21st of March, he wrote, while at sea, to Captain Locker, expressing how happy he should be when the time arrived for a voyage to England. "No man," he observes, "has had more illness, or more trouble, on a station, than I have experienced: but, let me lay a balance on the other side--I am married to an amiable woman, that far makes amends for every thing. Indeed, till I married her, I never knew happiness. I shall have great pleasure in introducing you to her."

The prince, he adds, who has shewn him every act of kindness that the most professed friends.h.i.+p could bestow, was expected to leave the country in June; and, by that time, himself hopes orders will arrive for his returning to England. He wonders that any independent man will accept the command of this station: "for," he concludes, "there is nothing pleasant to be got by it."