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192

THE BATTLE OF THE NILE.

CH. XXXIX.

well justified in hesitating to risk his squadron by an attack on an enemy in such a position. But Nelson, though his daring was remarkable even in a British seaman, was never rash. He had repeatedly discussed with his captains every possible contingency under which the enemy might be encountered, and had inspired them with entire confidence in his skill and judgment. The fortune of this great day, according to the ordinary tale, was decided by a brilliant manœuvre, which Nelson adopted upon a survey of the enemy's position. The celebrated phrase 'where the French ships have room to swing, the English ships have room to anchor,' has been always quoted, as if a great discovery, in naval tactics, had been then made by the genius of Nelson. But the importance of the movement was as well known to naval commanders, as the importance of outflanking an army in the field is known to the youngest General in the service. It was well known to Nelson that his old Commander, Lord Hood, had lately intended to attack the French in this manner; but had found the attempt, in the particular case, impracticable. Lord Duncan had executed the manœuvre with partial success at Camperdown. Nelson's merit consists, not in having made a discovery in the art of naval warfare, but in the prompt judgment which determined when a movement of the most hazardous character could be made with success. In this sense, the fine discrimination which decided that there must be sea-room along either side of a ship which swung at her anchorage, was a stroke of genius which stamped Nelson as a seaman of the highest rank. It does not appear that he issued any particular orders to his captains immediately before the engagement.* It is almost unnecessary,' says Sir Edward Berry, who was Nelson's flag captain, 'to explain his projected mode of attack at anchor, as that was minutely and

precisely executed in the action which we now come to describe.' -Nelson Despatches, vol. iii. p. 50.

1798.

ADMIRAL BRUEYS KILLED.

193

The signal for action being given, the foremost ships forged ahead, heaving the lead as they advanced. At length five ships succeeded, notwithstanding a heavy fire from the batteries and gun-boats, in casting anchor between the French line and the shoal; and these ships, damaged as they were, became instantly engaged in close action with their opponents alongside. Nelson's own ship, the 'Vanguard,' with the rest of the squadron, except the 'Culloden,' Captain Trowbridge, which struck on a shoal at the entrance of the bay, took up positions to seaward of the enemy. The general action commenced at sunset, and continued throughout the night until six o'clock the following morning, a period of nearly twelve hours. But in less than two hours, five of the enemy's ships had struck; and soon after nine o'clock, the sea and shore, for miles around, were illuminated by a fire which burst from the decks of the 'Orient,' the French flag-ship, of one hundred and twenty guns. In about half an hour she blew up, with an explosion so appalling that for some minutes the action was suspended, as if by tacit consent. At this time, the French Admiral Brueys was dead. Although thrice wounded, the brave Commander refused to leave his quarter-deck, and was killed by a chainshot before the ship took fire. Nelson also had been carried below, with a wound which was, at first, supposed to be mortal. He had been struck in the head with a fragment of langridge shot, which tore away a part of the scalp. His friends, however, and the whole ship's company, were soon relieved by the cheering announcement of the surgeon that the wound was only superficial. But he was disabled from taking any farther part in the engagement. Faint with loss of blood, suffering from the anguish of his wound, and blinded by the lacerated membrane which hung down over his remaining eye, the heroic

VOL. IV.

194

6 EXPLOSION OF THE ORIENT.' CH. XXXIX.

Admiral remained below, content with the assurance that the victory was won. About an hour after he had been hurt, Captain Berry came below to report the conflagration of the 'Orient,' and Nelson was led on deck to witness the awful scene, as well as to observe, through the hideous glare, the condition of the fleets. He immediately gave orders to his first lieutenant to lower the only boat left in the Vanguard,' and, with such other boats as he could collect, to proceed to the relief of the enemy's men, beleaguered in a wall of fire; for the humanity of Nelson was not less heroic than his valour and self-devotion. He then suffered himself, though not without much persuasion, to be led to his cot. His last act that night was to sign Captain Hardy's commission to the Vanguard,' in the place of Berry, whom he had already determined to send home with the despatches announcing the result of that glorious day.

6

The victory was, indeed, won before the explosion of the 'Orient.' After that event, the French line was reduced to the six ships in rear of the squadron.* But these still maintained the combat with the desperate bravery which distinguished the service of the Republic. At three o'clock in the morning four more of the French ships were destroyed or taken. There was then an interval of two hours, during which hardly a shot was fired on either side. At ten minutes to seven another ship of the line, after a feeble attempt at resistance, hauled down her colours. The action was now over. Of the thirteen French ships of the line, nine had been taken, and two had been burnt. The English had the mortification of seeing the remaining two line-of-battle ships, with two frigates, weigh anchor in the morning, and make their escape, without the power of preventing them.

* "When I'Orient blew up, the six van-ships had surrendered.' Nelson to Earl Howe, 3rd Dec.—

Nelson Despatches, vol. iii. p. 230.

1798.

RESULTS OF THE VICTORY.

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195

Nelson had thirteen sail of the line; but the 'Culloden,' commanded by Trowbridge, his most trusted and valued captain, from the accident already mentioned, could take no part in the engagement. None of his ships exceeded the rating of seventy-fours, and all of them, as compared with the enemy, were undermanned. Nelson had only one frigate and a brig. Including the crew of the Culloden, he had eight thousand and sixty-eight seamen and marines. The French had also thirteen sail of the line; one of them, the 'Orient,' carrying one hundred and twenty guns; three eighties; and nine seventy-fours. These, with four frigates, included a complement of eleven thousand two hundred and thirty men. The British killed and wounded were eight hundred and ninetyfive. The loss of the French, including prisoners, was five thousand two hundred and twenty-five.

Nelson's com

of frigates.

Such was the great battle of the Nile, the most brilliant, and the most important of the series of naval engagements which had plaint of want sustained the reputation and assured the safety of the British Empire from the arrogance of the common enemy of Europe. The victory would have been complete, had any frigates and small craft been attached to the British squadron. With such auxiliaries, none of the French transports in the harbour of Alexandria could have escaped destruction. Were I to die at this moment,' writes Nelson in one of his despatches, want of frigates would be found stamped on my heart.' Though His presence of suffering great anguish and prostration mind. from the wound in his head, the Admiral forgot nothing, and omitted nothing which his duty required. At the same time that he sent his despatches home, he wrote to the Governor of Bombay, informing him that the French had invaded Egypt, with an ultimate view to the invasion of India; but that he had annihilated their fleet, and thus removed im

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196 NELSON'S DESPATCH TO GOVERNMENT. CH. XXXIX.

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mediate danger. This communication had the effect of saving the East India Company a vast expenditure in preparations, which had been ordered for the expected approach of the French army. The 'Leander,' his only frigate, which Nelson had sent home with the despatches, was taken off Candia, on the 18th of August, by one of the French ships which escaped from Aboukir Bay; but Nelson had sent duplicate despatches by the brig Mutine.' The glorious news, however, which in these days would have been rung through England in forty-eight hours, did not reach London until the 2nd of October, two months after the action.* The joy and pride of the English people knew no bounds. The long and unsuccessful voyage in search of the enemy had given rise to murmurs; and wise people were heard to say, that the Government was unpardonable for having entrusted a command of such importance to a young rear-admiral.

The public were slowly and reluctantly yielding to this opinion, when a Gazette Extraordinary announced in the concise and unadorned language of a British Commander, 'A great victory over the fleet of the enemy, at the mouth of the Nile.' The particulars were soon known. Thirteen out of seventeen ships burnt, sunk or captured. The flag of England not lowered in a single ship. The name of Nelson

* I have taken the account of the battle of the Nile from Nelson's despatches, and the accompanying statements of officers who were in the action. The true history of great deeds is commonly very unlike the dramatic version of them. One of the most striking particulars in Southey's narration is a dialogue which Nelson is supposed to have held with his flag captain before the action. 'Captain Berry, when he comprehended the scope

of the design, exclaimed with transport, "If we succeed, what will the world say?" "There is no if in the case," replied the Admiral, "that we shall succeed, is certain; who may live to tell the story, is a very different question." We are assured, however, on the authority of Captain Berry himself, that no such scene took place.-Nelson Despatches, vol. iii. p. 65.

Admiral Viscount Hood to Lord Nelson, Oct. 15, 1798.

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