Every Man Will Do His Duty (15 page)

Admiral Sir John Jervis, with fifteen sail of the line and four frigates, has defeated the Spanish Grand fleet, consisting of twenty-seven ships of the line and ten frigates, and captured four sail of the line, two of which are of three decks.

This brilliant affair took place off Cape St. Vincent on the 14th of February, the anniversary of St. Valentine, who by this glorious event has almost eclipsed his brother Crispian; and henceforth we must say, with the poet:

“He that’s outliv’d this day, and comes safe home,

Will stand a tiptoe when the day is nam’d,

And rouse him at the name of Valentine.”

Captain Calder, Captain of the fleet under the command of Sir John Jervis, bears home the admiral’s dispatches and is now on board the Lively. It is expected that he will land to-morrow; and I purpose to avail myself of that opportunity, to transmit you such an account of this splendid action, as I have been able to arrange in the time that has elapsed since we separated from the British fleet in Lagos Bay.

Before I enter on the detail of the proceedings of the important day which will certainly immortalize the name of Jervis, and of his brave seconds, it is proper to state the relative force of the British and Spanish fleets.

The British fleet, or to use, I believe, a more correct term, the British squadron, consisted of fifteen sail of the line, four frigates, a sloop of war, and a cutter; viz.,
two of 100 guns, two of 98 guns, two of 90 guns—total, six three-deckers, eight of 74 guns, and one of 64 guns.

The Spanish fleet was composed of twenty-seven sail of the line, ten frigates, and one brig; viz., one of four decks, carrying 136 guns; six of three decks, each of 112 guns; two of 84 guns, and eighteen of 74 guns each.

The Spanish admiral had sailed from Carthagena the 4th February. On the 5th, he passed Gibraltar, leaving in that Bay three line-of-battle ships, supposed to be laden with military stores for the Spanish troops stationed before that garrison; two of which ships afterwards chaced Commodore Nelson, in the
Minerve.
The strong easterly gale that had been friendly for their getting out of the Mediterranean was, however, unpropitious to their gaining the Port of Cadiz.

On the night of the 11th, as I have before mentioned, they were fallen in with, off the mouth of the Straits, by the
Minerve.
And the evening of the day on which Commodore Nelson joined Sir John Jervis off Cape St. Vincent, we find their fleet driven farther to the westward; for a part of them were not only seen by the
Minerve,
before she joined the British fleet, but
La Bonne Citoyenne,
a British sloop of war, commanded by Captain Lindsay, arrived in the fleet the same evening with intelligence that not two hours before she had exchanged shots with one of the enemy’s frigates, and that the enemy’s fleet was not far distant.

Before sun-set in the evening of the 13th, the signal had been made for the British squadron to prepare for battle, and the ships were also directed to keep in close order during the night.

At daybreak on the 14th (St. Valentine’s day) the British fleet was in complete order, formed in two divisions standing on a wind to the SSW. The morning was hazy. About half-past six o’clock,
A.M.,
the
Culloden
made the signal for five sail in the SW by S quarter, which was soon after confirmed by the
Lively
and
Niger
frigates, and that the strange sail were by the wind on the starboard tack. The
Bonne Citoyenne
sloop of war, Captain Lindsay, was therefore directed to reconnoitre. At a quarter past eight o’clock, the squadron was ordered, by signal, to form in a close order; and in a few minutes afterwards the signal was repeated to prepare for battle.

About half-past nine o’clock, the
Culloden, Blenheim,
and
Prince George
were ordered to chace in the SbyW quarter; which, upon the
Bonne Citoyenne
’s making a signal that she saw eight sail in that quarter, was afterwards strengthened by the
Irresistible, Colossus,
and
Orion.

A little past ten o’clock, the
Minerve
frigate made the signal for twenty sail in the SW quarter, and a few minutes after, of eight sail in the S by W. Half an hour afterwards the
Bonne Citoyenne
made the signal that she could distinguish sixteen, and immediately afterwards twenty-five of the strange ships, to be of the line. The enemy’s fleet were indeed become now visible to all the British squadron.

The ships first discovered by the
Culloden
were separated from their main body, which being to windward, were bearing down in some confusion, with a view of joining their separated ships. It appeared to have been the British admiral’s intention, upon discovering the separated ships of the enemy’s fleet, to have cut them off, if possible, before their main body could arrive to their assistance; and, with this view, the fast sailing ships of his squadron were ordered to chace.

Assured now of the near position of their main body, he probably judged it most advisable to form his fleet into the line of battle, and the signal was made for their forming the line of battle a-head and a-stern as most convenient. A signal was made directing the squadron to steer SSW.

About twenty minutes past eleven o’clock, the admiral pointed out that the
Victory
(his flag-ship) would take her station next to the
Colossus.
Some variation in steering was afterwards directed, in order to let the rear ships close up. At twenty-six minutes past eleven o’clock, the admiral communicated his intention to pass through the enemy’s line, hoisting his large flag and ensign, and soon after the signal was made to engage.

The British van by this time had approached the enemy; and the distinction of leading the British line into action fell to the lot of the
Culloden,
commanded by Captain Troubridge. About half-past eleven o’clock, the firing commenced from the
Culloden
against the enemy’s headmost ships to windward.

As the British squadron advanced, the action became more general; and it was soon apparent that the British admiral had accomplished his design of passing through the enemy’s line.

The animated and regular fire of the British squadron was but feebly returned by the enemy’s ships to windward, which, being frustrated in their attempts to join the separated ships, had been obliged to haul their wind on the larboard tack: those to leeward, and which were most effectually cut off from their main body, attempted also to form on their larboard tack, apparently with a determination of either passing through, or to leeward, of our line and joining their friends; but the warm reception they met with from the centre ships of our squadron soon obliged them to put about; and excepting one, the whole sought safety in-flight, and did not again appear in the action until the close of the day.

The single ship just mentioned persevered in passing to leeward of the British line but was so covered with smoke that her intention was not discovered until she had reached the rear, when she was not permitted to pass without notice, but received the fire of our sternmost ships; and as she luffed round the rear, the
Lively
and other frigates had also the honor of exchanging with this two-decker several broadsides.

Sir John Jervis, having effected his first purpose, now directed his whole attention to the enemy’s main body to windward, consisting at this time of eighteen sail of the line. At eight minutes past twelve, the signal therefore was made for the
British fleet to tack in succession, and soon after he made the signal for again passing the enemy’s line.

The Spanish admiral’s plan seemed to be to join his ships to leeward, by wearing round the rear of our line; and the ships which had passed and exchanged shots with our squadron had actually borne up with this view.

This design, however, was frustrated by the timely opposition of Commodore Nelson, whose place in the rear of the British line afforded him an opportunity of observing this maneuver, and of penetrating the Spanish admiral’s intention. His ship, the
Captain,
had no sooner passed the rear of the enemy’s ships that were to windward, than he ordered her to wear, and stood on the other tack towards the enemy.

In executing this bold and decisive maneuver, the commodore reached the sixth ship from the enemy’s rear, which was the Spanish admiral’s own ship, the
Santissima Trinidad,
of 136 guns, a ship of four decks, and said to be the largest in the world. Notwithstanding the inequality of force, the commodore instantly engaged this colossal opponent, and for a considerable time had to contend not only with her, but with her seconds a-head and a-stern, of three decks each. While he maintained this unequal combat, which we viewed with admiration mixed with anxiety, his friends were flying to his support; and the enemy’s attention was soon directed to the
Culloden,
Captain Troubridge, and in a short time after to the
Blenheim,
of 90 guns, Captain Frederick, who opportunely came to their assistance.

The intrepid conduct of the commodore staggered the Spanish admiral, who already appeared to waver in pursuing his intention of joining the ships cut off by the British fleet, when the
Culloden
’s arrival, and Captain Troubridge’s spirited support of the
Captain,
together with the approach of the
Blenheim,
followed by Rear-Admiral Parker, with the
Prince George, Orion, Irresistible,
and
Diadem,
not far distant, determined the Spanish admiral to change his design altogether, and to make the signal for the ships of his main body to haul their wind, and make sail on the larboard tack.

Advantage was now apparent in favor of the British squadron, and not a moment was lost in improving it. As the ships of Rear-Admiral Parker’s division approached the enemy’s ships, in support of the
Captain
and her gallant seconds, the
Blenheim
and
Culloden,
the cannonade became more animated and impressive. The superiority of the British fire over that of the enemy, and its effects on the enemy’s hulls and sails, were so evident that we in the frigate no longer hesitated to pronounce a glorious termination of the contest.

The British squadron at this time was formed in two divisions, both on the larboard tack; their situation was as follows: Rear-Admiral Parker, with the
Blenheim, Culloden, Prince George,
the rear-admiral’s ship,
Captain, Orion, Irresistible,
composed one division, which was engaged with the enemy’s rear. Sir John Jervis, with the other division, consisting of the
Excellent, Victory, Barfleur, Namur, Egmont, Goliath,
and
Britannia,
was pressing forward in support of his advanced squadron, but had not yet approached the real scene of action.

Stage 1: Just after 12:00 noon

A. British fleet passing through the enemy’s line.

B.
Culloden
tacking to engage the enemy’s main body to windward.

C. Main body of the Spanish fleet, which, after passing the British fleet on the larboard tack, bore up with an apparent design of joining their ships to leeward.

D. Spanish ships cut off from their main body, attempting to join their friends, but obliged to wear and sheer off by the superior force of the British fire.

E. A Spanish line-of-battle ship, which succeeded in joining the main body.

F. The British frigates exchanging fire with the Spanish two-decker as she passed the rear of the British line.

G. A large ship, which at the commencement of the action set all sail and soon disappeared to leeward.

Stage 2: About 12:45 P.M.

A. The main body of Spanish fleet hauling wind on larboard tack and making sail in consequence of spirited attack of Nelson, in
Captain,
74, supported by
Culloden,
74, Captain Troubridge.