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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 convenient intervals for distinguishing
the signals of each other. This distance from, the Enemy's port was
preserved by His LORDSHIP, to prevent them from being speedily
acquainted with the force of the Fleet under his command; and that he
might avoid the necessity of bearing up in bad weather, and running
with the Fleet through the Straits of Gibraltar when the westerly gales
prevailed: as the inconvenience of being forced into the Mediterranean,
had been felt by former Commanders in Chief; and would now have afforded
a favourable opportunity to the Enemy of effecting their escape from
Cadiz, or at all events have rendered their obtaining supplies less
difficult.

On the 1st of October Admiral LOUIS joined the Fleet, with a part of his
squadron (the Canopus, Spencer, and Tigre), from before Cadiz; and
departed the next day with those ships, the Queen, and the Zealous, for
Gibraltar, to procure a supply of provisions, stores, and water, which
they were much in want of. On the 4th he rejoined with his squadron;
having received intelligence from the Euryalus by telegraph, that the
French ships in Cadiz were embarking their troops, and preparing to
sail. Lord NELSON however conceived this to be merely intended as a
stratagem, to draw him nearer to Cadiz, for the purpose of obtaining a
knowledge of his force; and therefore directed Admiral LOUIS to proceed
in the execution of the orders before delivered to him.

Between the 7th and the 13th, His LORDSHIP was reinforced by the Royal
Sovereign, Belleisle, Defiance, Agamemnon, and Africa, from England, and
the Leviathan from Gibraltar. The Agamemnon, Sir EDWARD BERRY, joined on
the 13th;[1] with intelligence that she had been chased on the coast of
Portugal a few days before by an Enemy's squadron, consisting of six
sail of the line.

On the 13th in the evening, Sir ROBERT CALDER, in his Majesty's ship
the Prince of Wales, parted company with the Fleet, on his return to
England. His departure Lord NELSON had some days before evinced an
anxious wish to procrastinate, and was heard that very day to declare
his firm belief that the Combined Fleets would be at sea in the course
of ten days or a fortnight.[2]

On the 18th the Donegal, Captain MALCOLM, left the Fleet for Gibraltar.
On the 19th his Majesty's ships the Colossus, Mars, Defence, and
Agamemnon, formed the cordon of communication with the frigates in
shore: the Fleet was lying to. About half past nine in the morning, the
Mars, being one of the ships nearest to the Fleet, repeated the signal
from the ships further in shore, that "the Enemy were coming out of
port." Lord NELSON immediately ordered the general signal to be made,
with two guns, for a chace in the south-east quarter. The wind was now
very light; and the breezes partial, mostly from the south-south-west.
The Fleet made all possible sail; and about two o'clock the Colossus and
Mars repeated signals from the ships in shore, communicating the welcome
intelligence of "the Enemy being at sea." This cheered the minds of all
on board, with the prospect of realizing those hopes of meeting the
Enemy which had been so long and so sanguinely entertained. It was well
known to His LORDSHIP, that all the Enemy's ships had the iron hoops on
their masts painted black; whereas the British ships, with the exception
of the Belleisle and Polyphemus, had theirs painted yellow: and as he
considered that this would serve for a very good mark of distinction in
the heat of battle, he made known this circumstance to the Fleet, and
ordered the Belleisle and Polyphemus to paint their hoops yellow; but the
evening being far advanced when the signal was made to them for this
purpose, His LORDSHIP, fearing that it might not be distinctly
understood, sent the Entreprenante cutter to them to communicate the
order.

During the night the Fleet continued steering to the south-east under
all sail, in expectation of seeing the Enemy; and at day-break on the
20th found itself in the entrance of the Straits of Gibraltar, but
nothing of the Enemy to be discovered. The Fleet now wore, and made sail
to the north-west; and at seven in the morning the Phoebe was seen
making signals for "the Enemy bearing north." At eight o'clock the
Victory hove to; and Admiral COLLINGWOOD, with the Captains of the Mars,
Colossus, and Defence, came on board, to receive instructions from His
LORDSHIP; at eleven minutes past nine they returned to their respective
ships, and the Fleet made sail again to the northward.

In the afternoon the wind increased, and blew fresh from the south-west;
which excited much apprehension on board the Victory, lest the Enemy
might be forced to return to port. The look-out ships, however, made
several signals for seeing them, and to report their force and bearings.
His LORDSHIP was at this time on the poop; and turning round, and
observing a group of Midshipmen assembled together, he said to them with
a smile, "This day or to-morrow will be a fortunate one for you, young
men," alluding to their being promoted in the event of a victory.

A little before sunset the Euryalus communicated intelligence by
telegraph, that "the Enemy appeared determined to go to the westward."
His LORDSHIP upon this ordered it to be signified to Captain BLACKWOOD
(of that ship) by signal, that "he depended on the Euryalus for keeping
sight of the Enemy during the night." The night signals were so clearly
and distinctly arranged by His LORDSHIP, and so well understood by the
respective Captains, that the Enemy's motions continued to be made known
to him with the greatest facility throughout the night: a certain number
of guns, with false fires and blue lights announced their altering their
course, wearing, and making or shortening sail; and signals
communicating such changes were repeated by the look-out ships, from the
Euryalus to the Victory.

The Enemy wore twice during the night: which evolution was considered by
His LORDSHIP as shewing an intention, on their part, of keeping the port
of Cadiz open; and made him apprehend that on seeing the British Fleet,
they would effect their retreat thither before he could bring them to a
general action. He was therefore very careful not to approach their
Fleet near enough to be seen by them before morning.

The British Fleet wore about two o'clock in the morning; and stood on
the larboard tack with their heads to the northward, carrying their
topsails and foresails, and anxiously expecting the dawn of day. When
that period arrived, the Combined Fleets were distinctly seen from the
Victory's deck, formed in a close line of battle ahead on the starboard
tack, standing to the south, and about twelve miles to leeward. They
consisted of thirty-three ships of the line; four of which were
three-deckers, and one of seventy guns: the strength of the British
Fleet was twenty-seven ships of the line; seven of which were
three-deckers, and three of sixty-four guns. Lord NELSON had, on the
10th, issued written Instructions to the Admirals and Captains of the
Fleet individually, pointing out his intended mode of attack in the
event of meeting the Enemy;[3] and now, previously to appearing himself
on deck, he directed Captain HARDY to make the necessary signals for the
order and disposition of the Fleet accordingly.

HIS LORDSHIP came upon deck soon after day-light: he was dressed as
usual in his Admiral's frock-coat, bearing on the left breast four stars
of different orders which he always wore with his common apparel.[4] He
displayed excellent spirits, and expressed his pleasure at the prospect
of giving a fatal blow to the naval power of France and Spain; and spoke
with confidence of