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AUTHENTIC NARRATIVE OF THE DEATH OF LORD NELSON:

WITH

THE CIRCUMSTANCES PRECEDING, ATTENDING, AND
SUBSEQUENT TO, THAT EVENT;

THE PROFESSIONAL REPORT

ON HIS LORDSHIP'S WOUND,

AND

SEVERAL INTERESTING ANECDOTES.

BY WILLIAM BEATTY, M.D.

Surgeon to the Victory in the Battle of Trafalgar,
and now Physician to the Fleet under the Command
of the Earl of St. Vincent, K.B. &c. &c. &c.

London:
Printed By T. Davison, White-Friars;
For T. Cadell and W. Davies, in the Strand.

1807.




_TO THE PUBLIC_.


The Surgeon of the late illustrious Lord NELSON feels himself called
upon, from the responsible situation which he held on the eventful day
of the 21st of October 1805, to lay before the British Nation the
following Narrative. It contains an account of the most interesting
incidents which occurred on board the Victory. (Lord NELSON's flag-ship)
from the time of her sailing from England, in the month of September,
till the day of battle inclusively; with a detail of the particulars of
HIS LORDSHIP'S Death, the mode adopted for preserving his revered
Remains during the subsequent long passage of the Victory to England,
and the condition of the Body when it was deposited in Greenwich
Hospital. This short statement of facts is deemed a small but necessary
tribute of respect to the memory of the departed Hero, as well as a
professional document which the Public had a right to expect from the
man who had the melancholy honour of being his principal medical
attendant on that occasion: and is presumed to be not unappropriately
concluded by observations on the state of HIS LORDSHIP'S health for some
time previous to his fall; with his habits of life, and other
circumstances, strongly proving that few men had a greater prospect of
attaining longevity, on which account his premature death is the more to
be deplored by his Country.

It was originally intended that this Narrative should be published in
the LIFE OF LORD NELSON, undertaken by the Rev. J.S. CLARKE and J.
M'ARTHUR, Esq. and it will still form a part of that Work; but from the
length of time which must necessarily elapse before so extensive and
magnificent a Publication can be completed, the Author has been induced
to print it in a separate form.




Narrative


Lord NELSON sailed from St. Helen's in the Victory, with the Euryalus
frigate, on the morning of the 15th of September 1805, to take the
command of the British Fleet cruizing before Cadiz. On the 18th he
appeared off Plymouth; where he was joined by his Majesty's ships
Thunderer and Ajax, with which he proceeded for his destined station. On
the 20th he communicated by private signal with the squadron under the
command of Rear-Admiral STIRLING, which passed within a few miles of the
Victory; and the same day at noon, spoke his Majesty's ship Le Decade,
having on board Rear-Admiral Sir RICHARD BICKERTON, who, was on his
return to England for the recovery of his health.

Some bad weather and adverse winds were experienced by the Victory in
crossing the Bay of Biscay, and on the 27th Cape St. Vincent was seen.
Lord NELSON had dispatched the Euryalus ahead on the preceding day, to
acquaint Admiral COLLINGWOOD with his approach; and to direct that no
salute should take place, nor any public compliments be paid to his
flag, on his assuming the command, as he wished the Enemy to be kept
ignorant of a reinforcement being received by the British Fleet. In the
evening of the 28th, the Victory joined the Fleet; now consisting of
twenty-seven ships of the line, including the Victory, Ajax, and
Thunderer: the city of Cadiz was seen distant about fifteen miles, with
the Combined Fleets at anchor; and Admiral LOUIS, with five or six ships
under his command, close in shore, watching the motions of the Enemy.

On the 29th, prompt and decisive measures were adopted to prevent the
Enemy from receiving any supplies of provisions by sea, which His
LORDSHIP was informed they were very much distressed for: cruizers were
stationed off the Capes St. Vincent, St. Mary's, and Trafalgar; and the
frigates Euryalus and Hydra were ordered to keep off the entrance of
Cadiz. His LORDSHIP now retired with the Fleet to the vicinity of Cape
St. Mary's, about fifty or sixty miles westward of Cadiz; keeping up a
constant communication with the frigates in shore, by means of three or
four ships of the line placed at