HISTORIC LETTERS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 317, 31 May 1913, Page 10

HISTORIC LETTERS

BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR DESCRIBED. 111THERTO UNPUBLISHED ACCOUNTS. By the courtesy of His Excellency Admiral Sir George F. King-Hall the Duncdin Star prints copies of two hitherto unpublished letters describing the historic battle of Trafalgar. The letters were written in November and December, 1805, by Captain Moorsom, of the Revenge, and the originals are in the possession of Lady Longmore, granddaughter of Captain Moorsom, who lias consented' to their publication for the first time. "Revenge, Gibraltar, November, 1, 1805. "Dear Sir, —I told E some time ago that 1 should reserve, my letter to you for some great occasion, and I hope the victory gained by Lord Nelson on October 21 will be considered in England as glorious and decisive as any in the annals of the country. I will endeavor, as near as I can, to describe to you the mode of attack, though I could myself only see what passed in that part of the line I was in. Having information that the combined fleets were ooming out of port, Lord Nelson made the best of his way from Cape St. Mary to the Straits mouth, and at daylight on the 21st October he saw them- bearing to leeward, Cape Trafalgar bearing E. by S. about six to seven leagues. The wind all the aorning was light from the N.W., sometimes calm, and towards noon a light breeze about W.S.W. The enemy's fleet bore (the body of them) about E. As we approached them they joined their line in the larboard tack, with their heads to the northward, and we kept going down in two columns, pointing towards their centre. "All our ships were carrying studding sails, and many bad sailers were a long way astern, but little or no stop was made for them. Admiral Collingwood dashed directly down, supported by such ships as could get up, and went directly through their line, Lord Nelson the same, and the rest as fast as they could. Revenge got through .between the fifth and sixth ships from their rear. "They closed so well together that a Frenchman's jibbom took my mizzentopsail as I passed, and he was near jamming me between himself and his second ahead. Perhaps it would have been better for me if he hatf done so, for a Spaniard three-deck ship, with Admiral Gravina's flag, directly shot up on my lee quarter, the Frenchmen were under my stern, and I was obliged to endure a raking fire for a considerable time without being able to help.myself, for all our ropes were cut to pieces in going down, and the wind so light-that we were a long time exposed to their fire before we got clear. _ "From where I passed through to a little ahead of their centre, thfe ships were nearly in a similar situation, all mingled together, and these the great impression was made; their van could not afford any succor to their centre without passing through £he sternmost ' part of our weather column. "In about three hours they gave way. Some went off to windward, some to leeward, as fast as they could. My friend the Spanish admiral was trying hard to dismast me, and succeeded in carrying away all my topsail yards, and at last bore up on the approach of one of our three-deck ships towards him; the van in their flight as they came down raked us on the bow. Four sails went off to windward, and received a heavy fire from the Victory, Mars, Revenge, and another ship as they passed. A fifth, a Spaniard, attempting to follow them, was attacked by three of our ships who were in good' condition, and was obliged to strike. He stood out a long time, and his striking ended the battle. "Just as the fleet vm going into action, Lord' Nelson by signal expressed the following words:—'England expects every man will do his duty.' "He lived long enough to hear of the victory, and that was all. A musket ball struck him about the shoulder and went down into the body. "I have given, as near as I can, my idea of the attack. But it varied so much in different parts of the line that any one person can scarce give a just account of it. My station was the sixth in the rear of the lee column, but as Revenge sailed well, Admiral Collingwood made my signal to keep a line bearing from him, which made me one of the leading ships through the enemy's line. "'I am not certain that our mode of attack was tfie best. However, it succeeded. ,"I don't yet know what the returns are, but I fancy it will be found that the weight of the action fell on a few ships only. "(Signed) Robert Moorsom, "Revenge, Spitliead, December 4, LSOo." "Dear sir,—You will receive, a letter from me from. Gibraltar, which I sent by the Victory, and she sailed a week before me. I then gave you the last account I could pronounce of the action, but I had neither seen the Admiral's letters nor any returns- till my arrival at Spitliead. The reason of the victory being so long after us has been occasioned bv strong gales from the S.E., and coming round still more to the southward as the ships got northward. T got as far as the latitude 51deg. north, and never could make anv easting without giving a great deal to the northward also. The ictorv, I see, is now coming in, with Lord Nelson's flag half-mast down. F have seen several plans of the action, but none answer to be made of it. Indeed, scare any plan can be given. It was irregular, ami the ships got down as fast as they could, and into any space where they found the enemy, without attending to their place in the line. A regular plan was laid down bv Lord Nelson some time before the action, but was not acted upon. His great anxiety seemed to be to get to leeward of them, lest they should make off to Cadiz before he could got near. I must tell you an anecdote of a French woman. The' Pickle, schooner, sent to me about 50 people saved from the Achille, which was burnt and blew up. Amongst them was a young Frenchwoman, about five-and-twenty, and the wife of one of the maintopmen. When the Achille was burning she got out of the gun room port and sat on the rudder chains, till some melted lead ran down upon her, and forced her to strip and leap off. She swam to a spar wliere several men were, but one of them bit and kicked her till she was obliged to quit and get another, which supported her till she was taken up by the Pickle and sent on board the Revenge. Amongst the men she was lucky enough to find her husband. We were not wanting in civility to the lady. 1 ordered her two pursers' shirts to make a petticoat, and most of the officers [•mid her something to clothe her. In a. few h«nrs Jeanette was p®nfectlv hap()y and hard at work making her petticoats. She was sent ashore, and the man also to Algeeiras. oil our arrival at Gibraltar, but the French we have brought home. Tn the squadron with me we had about SOO, taken out of different ships. (Signed) Robert Moorsom. N'" • vo " tell E ]am waiting till J know what is to be done with the Miip before ! write again. I conclude she will have to go into'harbor, as we have three tranvofses cut through by shot, and my mast must come out. My scratch on the cheek was miite well a month ago."