HON. SIR HENRY BLACKWOOD, BART.
645
During the same year he served with considerable distinction under Lord Keith, on the expedition against the French in Egypt; after which the Penelope returned to England, and arrived at Spithead, March 19, 1802.
At the breaking out of the late war, Captain Blackwood was appointed to the command of the Euryalus, of 36 guns, then just launched; and in that frigate, on the coast of Ireland, under the late Lord Gardner, at Boulogne under Lord Keith, and off Cadiz with Viscount Nelson, he again distinguished himself by his activity and ability.
As every thing connected with the memory of Lord Nelson must ever be interesting to Britons, particularly those of the naval profession, we shall here give Captain Blackwood’s account of the conversation he had with his Lordship on the morning of the glorious 21st Oct. 1805, the last day of that great commander’s life.
“At six o’clock on the morning of the 21st, my signal was made to repair on board the Victory. In a few minutes I went on board, and had the satisfaction to find the Admiral in good, but very calm spirits. After receiving my congratulations, at the approach of the moment he so long and so often had wished for, he replied, ‘I mean to day to bleed the Captains of the frigates, us I shall keep you on board until the very last minute.’ His mind seemed entirely directed to the strength and formation of the enemy’s line, as well as to the effects which his novel mode of attack was likely to produce. He seemed very much to regret, and with reason, that the enemy tacked to the northward, and formed their line on the larboard instead of the starboard tack, which latter line of bearing would have kept the Straits’ mouth open. Instead of which, by forming to the northward, they brought the shoals of Trafalgar and St. Pedro under our lee; and also with the existing wind, kept open the port of Cadiz, which was of infinite consequence to them. This movement was in a great degree the cause of Lord Nelson’s making the signal to prepare to anchor, the necessity of which was impressed on his mind to the last moment of his life; and so much did he think of the possibility of the enemy’s escape into Cadiz, that he desired me to employ the frigates, as much as I could, to complete the destruction of the enemy, whether at anchor or not; and not to think of saving ships or men; for annihilation to both was his first object, and capture but a secondary one. During the five hours and a half that I remained on board, in which I was not ten minutes from his side, he frequently asked me, What I should consider as a victory? the certainty of which he never for an instant seemed to doubt, although from the situation of the land he questioned the possibility of the subsequent preservation of the prizes. My answer was, ‘That considering the handsome way in which battle was offered by the enemy, their apparent determination for a fair trial of strength.
