Certain that all his captains knew what they had to do, and would do it to the best of their ability, he now made the signal to attack the van of the enemy, and steered straight for them, the ships forming line as they advanced. No other signal was made; no other signal was necessary: for the circumstances of the attack had been fully discussed, and any seaman could see, more especially when his attention had been called to it, that where there was room for a ship at single anchor to swing, there was room for a ship under way to pass.
Thus all the leading ships went inside [see Foley, Sir Thomas; Hood, Sir Samuel], and at the closest possible quarters brought a tremendous and overwhelming fire to bear on the ships of the French van, the more overwhelming because the French guns on the larboard side were not clear for action (Ekins, Naval Battles, p. 260). The Vanguard, the sixth ship in the English line, was the first that anchored outside; most of those that followed did the same; but when all the English ships had got into action—with the exception of the Culloden, which had run aground on the end of the shoal extending from Aboukir Island—the thirteen, including the little Leander, were massed on seven of the French, the other six being left out of the fight to leeward, and unable, without better seamanship or more promptitude than they could command, to go to the relief of their friends. Nelson's own account of the battle, as written to Lord Howe, hits off its salient points in very few words: ‘I had the happiness to command a band of brothers; therefore, night was to my advantage. Each knew his duty, and I was sure each would feel for a French ship. By attacking the enemy's van and centre, the wind blowing directly along their line, I was enabled to throw what force I pleased on a few ships. This plan my friends readily conceived by the signals, … and we always kept a superior force to the enemy. At twenty-eight minutes past six, the sun in the horizon, the firing commenced. At five minutes past ten, when the Orient blew up, having burnt seventy minutes, the six van ships had surrendered. I then pressed further towards the rear; and had it pleased God that I had not been wounded and stone blind, there cannot be a doubt but that every ship would have been in our possession.’ Many of the French ships were individually superior to any of the English; the flagship Orient, of 120 guns, was supposed to be equal to any two of them; but, notwithstanding this, they were everywhere overpowered, and captured, burnt, or blown up. Two only escaped, the Généreux and Guillaume Tell, and two of the frigates.
A victory so decisive, so overwhelming, was unknown in the annals of modern war. The fame of it resounded through all Europe, and congratulations, honours, and rewards were showered on Nelson. He was created a peer by the title of Baron Nelson of the Nile and Burnham-Thorpe, with a pension of 2,000l. a year for three lives, and an honourable augmentation to his arms. The East India Company gave him 10,000l. The Emperor of Russia, with an autograph letter, sent his portrait in a diamond box, valued at 2,500l.; and the Sultan of Turkey, with other gifts, sent him a diamond aigrette of the value of 2,000l. Among other gifts, the earliest in point of time, and one which he prized exceedingly, was a sword from the captains of the squadron, virtually presented on 3 Aug. (Nicolas, iii. 67; Catalogue of the Naval Exhibition, 1891, No. 2649); and the quaintest was the coffin, made out of the Orient's main-mast, presented by Captain Hallowell of the Swiftsure [see Carew, Sir Benjamin Hallowell].
Though not dangerous, Nelson's wound was serious. A piece of langridge or scrap-iron had struck him on the forehead, inflicting a severe bruise and cutting a large flap of skin, which, hanging over his eyes, together with the gush of blood, blinded him for the time. For many months he suffered much from headache, and it is very doubtful whether the effects of the blow were not in some degree permanent. When the ships were sufficiently refitted on 15 Aug. 1798, seven, with six of the prizes, were sent to Gibraltar, under the command of Sir James Saumarez (afterwards Lord de Saumarez) [q. v.] The other three prizes, old ships and much battered, were burnt; and leaving Hood, with three ships of the line and three frigates, to blockade the coast of Egypt, Nelson in the Vanguard, with the Culloden and Alexander, sailed for Naples, where he arrived on 22 Sept. The Mutine, carrying Captain Capel with despatches, had brought the news of the victory thither three weeks before, and the court and populace had then indulged in an outburst of frenzied joy. This was repeated with redoubled enthusiasm on the arrival of Nelson. Sir William Hamilton and his wife were the first to go on board the Vanguard, but were immediately followed by the king, who pressed the admiral's hand, calling him ‘deliverer and preserver.’ On his birthday the Hamiltons gave a grand entertainment in his honour, and wherever he went he was greeted as Nostro Liberatore!
The Neapolitan government had meantime
