Every Man Will Do His Duty (32 page)

A
T THE AGE OF
forty-seven, Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson had already lost his right eye and right arm in the service of his country. His courageous maneuvers had helped win smashing triumphs over the Spanish at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1797), over the French at the Battle of the Nile (1798), and over the Danish at the Battle of Copenhagen (1801). But Nelson was as vain as he was courageous. (“I am envious only of glory; for if it be a sin to covet glory, I am the most offending soul alive,” he wrote Lady Hamilton in 1800.) He insisted on wearing his honorary medals on his uniform during battle, which made him an obvious target for enemy sharpshooters. In this passage, Surgeon William Beatty delivers his classic account of the Battle of Trafalgar—down to Nelson’s last words.

AS THE
VICTORY
drew near to the enemy, his Lordship, accompanied by Captain Hardy, and the captains of the four frigates (
Euryalus, Naiad, Sinus,
and
Phoebe
)who had been called on board by signal to receive instructions, visited the different decks of the ship. He addressed the crew at their several quarters, admonishing them against firing a single shot without being sure of their object; and expressed himself to the officers highly satisfied with the arrangements made at their respective stations.

It was now plainly perceived by all on board the
Victory,
that from the very compact line which the enemy had formed, they were determined to make one great effort to recover in some measure their long lost naval reputation. They wore in succession about twenty minutes past seven o’clock;
and stood on the larboard tack, with their heads toward Cadiz. They kept a good deal of sail set; steering about two points from the wind, with top sails shivering. Their van was particularly closed, having the
Santissima Trinidada
and the
Bucentaur
the ninth and tenth ships, the latter the flagship of Admiral Villeneuve: but as the admirals of the Combined fleets declined shewing their flags till the heat of the battle was over, the former of these ships was only distinguished from the rest by her having four decks; and Lord Nelson ordered the
Victory
to be steered for her bow.

Several officers of the ship now communicated to each other their sentiments of anxiety for his Lordship’s personal safety, to which every other consideration seemed to give way. Indeed all were confident of gaining a glorious victory, but the apprehensions for his Lordship were great and general; and the surgeon made known to Dr. Scott his fears that his Lordship would be made the object of the enemy’s marksmen, and his desire that he might be entreated by somebody to cover the stars on his coat with a handkerchief.

Dr. Scott and Mr. Scott (public secretary) both observed, however, that such a request would have no effect; as they knew his Lordship’s sentiments on the subject so well, that they were sure he would be highly displeased with whoever should take the liberty of recommending any change in his dress on this account; and when the surgeon declared to Mr. Scott that he would avail himself of the opportunity of making his sick report for the day, to submit his sentiments to the admiral, Mr. Scott replied, “Take care, Doctor, what you are about: I would not be the man to mention such a matter to him.”

The surgeon notwithstanding persisted in his design, and remained on deck to find a proper opportunity for addressing his Lordship; but this never occurred: as his Lordship continued occupied with the captains of the frigates (to whom he was explaining his intentions respecting the services they were to perform during the battle) till a short time before the enemy opened their fire on the
Royal Sovereign,
when Lord Nelson ordered all persons not stationed on the quarter deck or poop to repair to their proper quarters; and the surgeon, much concerned at this disappointment, retired from the deck with several other officers.

The boats on the quarters of the ship, being found in the way of the guns, were now lowered down and towed astern.

Captain Blackwood, of the
Euryalus,
remained on board the
Victory
till a few minutes before the enemy began to fire upon her. He represented to his Lordship that his flagship would be singled out and much pressed by the enemy; and suggested the propriety therefore of permitting one or two ships of his line to go ahead of the
Victory,
and lead her into action, which
might be the means of drawing in some measure the enemy’s attention from her.

To this Lord Nelson assented, and at half past nine o’clock he ordered the
Téméraire
and
Leviathan
by signal (the former of which ships, being close to the
Victory,
was hailed by his Lordship) to go ahead for that purpose; but from the light breeze that prevailed they were unable, notwithstanding their utmost efforts, to attain their intended stations. Captain Blackwood foresaw that this would be the case; and as the
Victory
still continued to carry all her sail, he wished Captain Hardy to acquaint his Lordship, that unless her sail was in some degree shortened, the two ships just mentioned could not succeed in getting ahead previously to the enemy’s line being forced: this, however, Captain Hardy declined doing, as he conceived his Lordship’s ardour to get into battle would on no account suffer such a measure.

About half an hour before the enemy opened their fire, the memorable telegraphic signal was made, that
“ENGLAND EXPECTS THAT EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY,”
which was spread and received throughout the fleet with enthusiasm. It is impossible adequately to describe by any language the lively emotions excited in the crew of the
Victory
when this propitious communication was made known to them: confidence and resolution were strongly pourtrayed in the countenance of all; and the sentiment generally expressed to each other was that they would prove to their country that day how well British seamen
could
“do their duty” when led to battle by their revered admiral.

The signal was afterwards made to “prepare to anchor after the close of the day;” and Union Jacks were hoisted at the foretop mast and topgallant stays of each ship, to serve as a distinction from the enemy’s, in conformity with orders previously issued by the commander in chief. By his Lordship’s directions also, the different divisions of the fleet hoisted the St. George’s or White Ensign, being the colours of the commander in chief: this was done to prevent confusion from occurring during the battle, through a variety of national flags.

The
Royal Sovereign
now made the signal by telegraph, that “the enemy’s commander in chief was in a frigate.” This mistake arose from one of their frigates making many signals.

Lord Nelson ordered his line to be steered about two points more to the northward than that of his second in command, for the purpose of cutting off the retreat of the enemy’s van to the port of Cadiz; which was the reason of the three leading ships of Admiral Collingwood’s line being engaged with the enemy previously to those of the commander in chief’s line.

The enemy began to fire on the
Royal Sovereign
at thirty minutes past eleven o’clock; in ten minutes after which, she got under the stern of the
St.
Anna,
and commenced a fire on her. Lieutenant Pasco, signal officer of the
Victory,
was heard to say while looking through his glass, “There is a topgallant yard gone.” His Lordship eagerly asked, “Whose topgallant yard is that gone? Is it the
Royal Sovereign
’s?”and on being answered by Lieutenant Pasco in the negative, and that it was the enemy’s, he smiled, and said: “Collingwood is doing well.”

At fifty minutes past eleven, the enemy opened their fire on the commander in chief. They shewed great coolness in the commencement of the battle; for as the
Victory
approached their line, their ships lying immediately ahead of her and across her bows fired only one gun at a time, to ascertain whether she was yet within their range. This was frequently repeated by eight or nine of their ships, till at length a shot passed through the
Victory
’s main topgallant sail; the hole in which being discovered by the enemy, they immediately opened their broadsides, supporting an awful and tremendous fire.

In a very short time afterwards, Mr. Scott, public secretary to the commander in chief, was killed by a cannon shot while in conversation with Captain Hardy. Lord Nelson being then near them; Captain Adair of the marines, with the assistance of a seaman, endeavoured to remove the body from his Lordship’s sight: but he had already observed the fall of his secretary; and now said with anxiety, “Is that poor Scott that is gone?” and on being answered in the affirmative by Captain Adair, he replied, “Poor fellow!”

Lord Nelson and Captain Hardy walked the quarter deck in conversation for some time after this, while the enemy kept up an incessant raking fire.

A double-headed shot struck one of the parties of marines drawn up on the poop, and killed eight of them; when his Lordship, perceiving this, ordered Captain Adair to disperse his men round the ship, that they might not suffer so much from being together.

In a few minutes afterwards a shot struck the fore brace bits on the quarter deck, and passed between Lord Nelson and Captain Hardy; a splinter from the bits bruising Captain Hardy’s foot, and tearing the buckle from his shoe. They both instantly stopped; and were observed by the officers on deck to survey each other with inquiring looks, each supposing the other to be wounded. His Lordship then smiled, and said: “This is too warm work, Hardy, to last long;” and declared that “through all the battles he had been in, he had never witnessed more cool courage than was displayed by the
Victory
’s crew on this occasion.”

The
Victory
by this time, having approached close to the enemy’s van, had suffered very severely without firing a single gun: she had lost about
twenty men killed, and had about thirty wounded. Her mizzen topmast, and all her studding sails and their booms on both sides were shot away; the enemy’s fire being chiefly directed at her rigging, with a view to disable her before she could close with them.

At four minutes past twelve o’clock, she opened her fire, from both sides of her decks, upon the enemy; when Captain Hardy represented to his Lordship, that “it appeared impracticable to pass through the enemy’s line without going on board some one of their ships.”

Lord Nelson answered, “I cannot help it: it does not signify which we run on board of; go on board which you please; take your choice.”

At twenty minutes past twelve, the tiller ropes being shot away: Mr. Atkinson, the master, was ordered below to get the helm put to port; which being done, the
Victory
was soon run on board the
Redoubtable
of seventy-four guns.

On coming alongside and nearly on board of her, that ship fired her broadside into the
Victory,
and immediately let down her lower deck ports; which, as has been since learnt, was done to prevent her from being boarded through them by the
Victory’
s crew. She never fired a great gun after this single broadside.

A few minutes after this, the
Téméraire
fell likewise on board of the
Redoubtable,
on the side opposite to the
Victory;
having also an enemy’s ship, said to be
La Fougueux,
on board of
her
on her other side: so that the extraordinary and unprecedented circumstance occurred here, of
four
ships of the line being
on board of each other
in the heat of battle; forming as compact a tier as if they had been moored together, their heads lying all the same way. The
Téméraire,
as was just before mentioned, was between the
Redoubtable
and
La Fougueux.

The
Redoubtable
commenced a heavy fire of musketry from the tops, which was continued for a considerable time with destructive effect to the
Victory
’s crew: her great guns however being silent, it was supposed at different times that she had surrendered; and in consequence of this opinion, the
Victory
twice ceased firing upon her by orders transmitted from the quarter deck.

At this period, scarcely a person in the
Victory
escaped unhurt who was exposed to the enemy’s musketry; but there were frequent huzzas and cheers heard from between the decks, in token of the surrender of different of the enemy’s ships. An incessant fire was kept up from both sides of the
Victory
: her larboard guns played upon the
Santissima Trinidada
and the
Bucentaur
; and the starboard guns of the middle and lower decks were depressed, and fired with a diminished charge of powder, and three shot each, into the
Redoubtable.
This mode of firing was adopted by Lieutenants
Williams, King, Yule, and Brown, to obviate the danger of the
Téméraire
’s suffering from the
Victory
’s shot passing through the
Redoubtable
; which must have been the case if the usual quantity of powder, and the common elevation, had been given to the guns.

A circumstance occurred in this situation which showed in a most striking manner the cool intrepidity of the officers and men stationed on the lower deck of the
Victory.
When the guns on this deck were run out, their muzzles came into contact with the
Redoubtable
’s side; and consequently at every discharge there was reason to fear that the enemy would take fire, and both the
Victory
and the
Téméraire
be involved in her flames. Here then was seen the astonishing spectacle of the fireman of each gun standing ready with a bucket full of water, which as soon as his gun was discharged he dashed into the enemy through the holes made in her side by the shot.

It was from this ship (the
Redoubtable
) that Lord Nelson received his mortal wound. About fifteen minutes past one o’clock, which was in the heat of the engagement, he was walking the middle of the quarter deck with Captain Hardy, and in the act of turning near the hatchway with his face towards the stern of the
Victory,
when the fatal ball was fired from the enemy’s mizzen top; which, from the situation of the two ships (lying on board of each other), was brought just abaft, and rather below, the
Victory
’s main yard, and of course not more than fifteen yards distant from that part of the deck where his Lordship stood. The ball struck the epaulette on his left shoulder, and penetrated his chest. He fell with his face on the deck. Captain Hardy, who was on his right (the side furthest from the enemy) and [had] advanced some steps before his Lordship, on turning round, saw the serjeant major (Secker) of Marines with two seamen raising him from the deck; where he had fallen on the same spot on which, a little before, his secretary had breathed his last, with whose blood his Lordship’s clothes were much soiled.