cold, (who, poor fellow! fell from a grape-shot passing through his head as he cheered on the men who were dragging up the last gun for one of the batteries), with directions to them to follow Nelson's orders.

On the 12th of July the enemy opened a heavy fire from the town of San Francesco, and a shot struck and scattered the sand of the works then in progress, some of which was thrown into Nelson's right eye, and upon his face. From this he suffered much, and ultimately lost the sight of the eye. This serious affair is thus noticed by him in a letter to Lord Hood, dated, Camp, July 12, 1794: "Reports, we know, get about, and as neither time, or many other circumstances may be mentioned, it is best to say it myself-that I got a little hurt this morning; not much, as you may judge by my writing." Lord Hood knew his character, and how to estimate his devotion to the service. In his reply to this communication his Lordship says: "My dear Nelson,—I am truly sorry to hear you have received a hurt, and hope you tell truth in saying it is not much. I shall send some one in the morning to know how you are, and whether you would not have assistance."

After a very lengthened progress in the erection of batteries, sending of flags of truce, suspension of hostilities, much to the annoyance of Nelson, whose impatient spirit could not brook the regularity of military operations under the General, Calvi surrendered on the 10th of August. The climate was exceedingly unfavourable at this season of the year for such

vessel, was taken by M. de Gantheaume, the French Admiral, who, however, did every thing in his power to make him comfortable. He was on parole at Minorca, and upon being tried by a Court-Martial at Port Mahon for the loss of his vessel, was honourably acquitted. Upon the return of peace he went to the coast of Africa, and afterwards, upon the renewal of the war, was engaged in an expedition against St. Lucia and Tobago, which capitulated July 1st, 1803. He subsequently sailed in company with Nelson in pursuit of the French fleet. In Le Tigre he commanded the naval part of the expedition to take possession of Alexandria in 1807, and was in Lord Collingwood's fleet in the Bay of Rosas. In 1810 he was made a Colonel of Marines, and in the following year a RearAdmiral. In 1812 he was again in the Mediterranean, where he remained some time after the conclusion of the war. His commission as Vice-Admiral bears the date of August 12, 1809. He died September 2nd, 1834, being at that time an Admiral of the Blue.

an attack; the heat in the months in which they were engaged was intolerable. Nelson says, in a letter to his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence, that they had upwards of 1000 sick out of 2000, and that the others were not much better than phantoms. "We have lost (says he) many men from the season, very few from the enemy. I am here the reed amongst the oaks: all the prevailing disorders have attacked me, but I have not strength for them to fasten upon: I bow before the storm, whilst the sturdy oak is laid low. One plan I pursue, never to employ a doctor: Nature does all for me, and Providence protects me. Always happy, if my humble but hearty endeavours can serve my King and country."

Nelson's usual fortune attended him. His great services, if sufficiently appreciated, were not noticed in the terms of eulogy they deserved by the General. The injury to his eye was not even mentioned in the dispatches. As no notice of the injury to his eye had been made in the public list of the wounded at the siege of Calvi, Nelson felt that it was due to himself to call Lord Hood's attention to the subject, and he therefore, in October, transmitted to his Lordship two certificates, one from the physician of the fleet, the other from the surgeon to the forces in the Mediterranean, who truly predicted that he would never regain the sight of his eye. Lord Howe placed these certificates in Lord Chatham's hands, who promised to lay them before the King. My most gallant and esteemed friend, General Anderson, whose bravery and exploits with his much loved commander Sir John Moore are recorded in history, acquaints me, that he was present when Nelson received the injury to his eye. Nelson, he tells me, made so little of it, and it was so little spoken of, that had he not been on Nelson's battery at the time, he should probably have known nothing about it. General Anderson had gone with two other officers of the 51st regiment to see Nelson's battery open, and they, together with Captain Nelson and others on the battery, were observing one which the enemy had erected opposite. They were of one mind that it was a Manton battery, of which they were soon convinced by two well directed shells being thrown up so that one fell on the ramparts where they were standing. They had only time

to throw themselves on their faces when the shell burst in the sand-bags of which the battery was composed; upon rising they were most agreeably surprised to find that they had all escaped, and were congratulating each other, when Nelson said there was something in his eye; they could observe only a little sand, and recommended him to wash it. So little was then thought of the injury which caused the destruction of the organ.

For one day only did Nelson allow this injury to interfere with the active performance of his duties. The following letter was addressed to Nelson by his father, in relation to the loss he had sustained:

"My dear Horatio,

"It is well known that the predestinarian doctrine is amongst the creeds of military men. It may sometimes be useful yet it must not exclude the confidence Christianity preaches of a particular providence which directs all events. It was an unerring Power, wise and good, which diminished the force of the blow by which your eye was lost; and we thank the hand that spared you-spared you for future good, for example, and instruction, in many subsequent years. There is no fear that flattery can come from me; but I sometimes wipe away the tear of joy at hearing your character in every point of view so well spoken of. The letters received from you give me and your good wife the pleasing intelligence that your health has not suffered from the long fatiguing service you are professionally obliged to go through; and also that success has generally been the issue of your endeavours to make yourself known to the world as a man of probity and judgment; not only looking towards the things that are your own, but to those of others also. Your lot is cast, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord: the very hairs of your head are numbered-a most comfortable doctrine. Upon the whole, I am as strong as can be looked for; how many do I see and hear of, that are either fallen or much more afflicted by age than myself. Bless God, my days are lengthened, I hope, for some good purpose. Accept, my dear good Son,

the usual but most hearty expressions of love and friendship from your affectionate father,

"EDMUND NELSON." 991

Among the losses sustained during the siege of Calvi was one which much affected Nelson; it was that of Mr. Moutray, Lieutenant of the Victory, son of Mrs. Moutray, to whom allusion has been made as being most highly regarded by Nelson. This young man died from the effects of the climate. Nelson manifested his feelings by the erection of an inscription to his memory in the church of San Fiorenzo. It was found in an autograph in the Nelson Papers:

SACRED

TO THE MEMORY

OF

LIEUTENANT JAMES MOUTRAY, R.N.

WHO, SERVING ON SHORE AT THE SIEGE
OF CALVI,

THERE CAUGHT A FEVER,

OF WHICH HE DIED,
SINCERELY LAMENTED,

ON AUGUST 19TH, 1794,

AGED 21 YEARS.

THIS STONE IS ERECTED BY AN AFFECTIONATE FRIEND, WHO WELL KNEW HIS WORTH AS AN OFFICER, AND HIS ACCOMPLISHED MANNERS AS A GENTLEMAN.

H. N.

1 Clarke and McArthur, Vol. i. p. 192.

2 See page 30.

CHAPTER IV.

1794-1797.

AFTER the possession of Calvi, Nelson joined the fleet of Lord Hood, and again proceeded in search of the French fleet which had taken refuge in Gourjean Bay; but on the 18th of September he was ordered to proceed to the Mole of Genoa with dispatches to the Minister there. Upon his arrival he pledged his honour to the Governor that he would not break the neutrality of the port. He found only three English vessels there, and two privateers of the enemy. He was much struck with the magnificence of the place, which exceeded any thing he had before seen. He wrote an account of the city to Mrs. Nelson, and after noticing that the houses and palaces were on the grandest scale, he concludes by observing, "However, I trust we shall soon quit these magnificent scenes, and retire to England, where all that I admire is placed." He paid his respects to the Doge, and was received by him in some sort of state. Mr. Drake, the minister, was not at Genoa at the time of his arrival, and he therefore, as he says, found it absolutely necessary to say something civil, and remarked that he had come to pay his respects to his serenity, and to assure him, that both by duty and inclination, he should pay the strictest attention to the neutrality of Genoa; and should be happy in doing every thing in his power to cement the harmony which subsisted between the two nations. The Doge was much pleased, and civil; saying, that he thanked him for his expressions of

1 In 1794 the Senate of Genoa had determined upon preserving a strict neutrality, but the victory of Monte Nolte over the Piedmontese and Austrians, April 11, 1796, placed Genoa at the discretion of Buonaparte, who in the following year supported the nation against the aristocracy. On the 6th of June a convention was signed, obliging the Genoese to adopt the name of the Ligurian Republic; this was proclaimed, June 14th, modified, June 26th, 1803, and abolished, Oct. 8th, 1805, by the union of the state of Genoa to France.