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again and steered for Grenada. He communicated with Dominica on the 10th, and on the 12th with Montserrat. On the same evening he anchored at St. John's, Antigua: his mind was now relieved from all anxiety respecting the safety of the Windward Islands.

All that Villeneuve had been able to achieve was the recapture of the Diamond Rock, and the capture or destruction of part of a convoy from Antigua; after which, proceeding agreeably to his orders towards Cape Finisterre, he met with Sir Robert Calder, to dispute his passage into Ferrol.

The particulars of the capture of the Diamond Rock, taken from the Martinique Gazette, of the 14th of June, 1805, are here inserted, being descriptive of the rock, and the dangers which the assailants had to encounter: the surrender was owing to want of ammunition and provisions; otherwise the force and courage of Monsieur Boyer and his companions would have been unavailing. Captain Morris descended from his fort, but not without honour, and was subsequently intrusted with the command of another island, which he defended with equal courage and greater

success.

The report is official, and is as follows:

Captain Boyer embarked, on the 9th Prairial, two hundred troops, and was convoyed by two seventy-fours, a frigate, and a brig. On the 11th he divided them in two divisions; between nine and ten o'clock he effected a landing, much sooner than he expected, under a most heavy fire from the English, from the

heights of the rock, the lower part having been abandoned. "The scaling of the rock seemed perfectly easy, and I made my dispositions accordingly; but the moment we had landed, this illusion ceased. I saw nothing but immense precipices, perpendicular rocks, a threatening enemy, whom it was impossible to reach, and insurmountable difficulties on all sides. Our troops suffered severely from a galling volley of musketry, large fragments of the rock, cannon-ball, and casks filled with stones, which they poured upon us. They were intrenched in a number of cavities, which nature had formed at different heights, which it was impossible to reach but by ladders forty feet high. The tremendous fire of the enemy had obliged the boats to retreat, and the ships had drifted into the offing, and we remained without support or provisions; we had no resource but to retreat into two cavities in the rock, between which the English succeeded in cutting off all communication. At night the enemy did not at all relax in their defence. I endeavoured to reconnoitre the rock on all sides; towards midnight a boat approached, and landed sixty grenadiers, with provisions, on the 12th; in the evening I determined to summon the garrison to surrender the following morning. In the course of the night we received more provisions, &c. &c. and the rest of the grenadiers of the 32d. On examining the rock, immediately over our cavern, it occurred to me that it could be scaled. I sent accordingly for scaling-ladders, and desired a captain and lieutenant, and sixty grenadiers, to prepare for the attempt in the morning. My intention to summon the garrison was of course relinquished, and my plan being formed, I ordered all my men to search every where for an outlet. About nine in the morning, a number of them returned to inform me, that they had succeeded in climbing up different parts of the rock. About an hour after, Captain Cortes informed me, some of his men had gained a height, which commanded the entrance of the great house, and had fastened to the rocks some ropes which they found; but as the rock was forty feet high, they did not descend within reach. Part of the staircase of the great house was then brought away, which enabled them to reach the ropes. But none seemed inclined to ascend, until Lieutenant Giraudon climbed up the summit of the height with the rapidity of an arrow, and was followed by a number of grenadiers, marines, and soldiers. To assist this attack, I caused a number of men to conceal themselves in the rocks and buildings facing the Little Savannah, in order to pre

vent their supporting their right flank, which our troops had attacked. In the mean time, Captain Brunet had climbed up, at the head of the grenadiers, and Captain Cortes overcame every thing he found in his way. It was now all over with the Diamond, and we should have had possession of it in a few hours, when Lafine arrived with a flag of truce, the garrison having thrown out a signal for capitulation,which our situation prevented us from seeing. The firing immediately ceased, articles of capitulation were agreed upon, and at sunrise, on the 14th, Captain Morris descended with his garrison, agreeable to the articles, filed off in front of our troops, and laid down their arms and colours. The number of effective men amounted to one hundred and seven. We had fifty killed and wounded."

Nelson learnt, on the 8th of June, that Villeneuve had been seen with his fleet at Martinique on the 4th, that he had threatened an attack on Grenada; this, however, could only have been a feint to induce him to work back with his fleet to that island, which would have occupied much time. The Admiral obtained information on which he could more confidently rely, and which proved correct, that the French fleet had quitted the West Indies, and returned to Europe. Landing Sir William Myers and his troops at Antigua, and sending home the Curieux brig with despatches, Nelson continued his pursuit of the fugitive French Admiral, taking with him the Spartiate, and leaving Sir Alexander Cochrane in the Northumberland, with the command in the Leeward Islands. With eleven sail of the line he steered for St. Michael's, which he made on the 9th of July, and on the 17th he made Cape St. Vincent, while Villeneuve on the 22d was off Ferrol; so that if Nelson had steered for Cape Finisterre, it is probable that he would have

reached it before his enemy; this however he could not know. His chase was unequalled, both for its length and the judgment by which it was guided; he had run six thousand six hundred and eightysix miles, and his name alone had been sufficient to drive an enemy of nearly double his numerical force before him. All things considered, it was very fortunate that Lord Nelson, with such disparity of force, did not fall in with Villeneuve.

As the British fleet required every thing that a dock-yard could afford, the Admiral bore away on the 17th of July for Gibraltar; ascertaining no doubt in his way, that the combined fleet was not in Cadiz. He anchored in Gibraltar-bay on the 19th, and went on shore, for the first time, since the 16th of June, 1803; and two years, except ten days, had elapsed since he had had his foot out of the Victory. From this place he addressed the following letters to his friend Collingwood:

MY DEAR COLLINGWOOD,

Victory, July 18, 1805.

I am, as you may suppose, miserable at not having fallen in with the enemy's fleet, and I am almost increased in sorrow at not finding them. But for -'s false information the battle

would have been fought where Rodney fought his, on June the 6th. I must now only hope that the enemy have but touched here, and gone to Jamaica, but if the account, of which I send you a copy, is correct, it is more than probable they are either gone to the northward, or, if bound to the Mediterranean, not yet arrived. The Spaniards, or the greatest part of them, I take for granted, are gone to the Havannah, and I suppose have taken fourteen sail of Antigua sugar-loaded ships with them. The moment the fleet is watered and got some refreshment, of which we are in great want, I shall come out and make you a visit, not,

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my dear friend, to take your command from you (for I may probably add mine to your's), but to consult how we can best save our country by detaching a part of this large force. God bless you, my dear friend, and believe me ever most affectionately your

NELSON and BRONTE.

Admiral Murray desires to be kindly remembered.

MY DEAR COLLINGWOOD,

Victory, July 20, 1805.

The Martin sloop arrived this morning, and as Captain Savage says, that the Pickle schooner left the fleet before him for Gibraltar, I fear some accident has happened to her. I shall be in Tetuan on the 22d, and twenty-four hours will complete us for our East India voyage,* and I shall see you as soon as possible. I have sent for Sir Richard Bickerton, as I am in total ignorance of the intentions of the admiralty; and I find that the frigates are ordered from aloft to join you, and at a moment when I have fancied that at least double the number are wanted; but the orders of the admiralty must be obeyed. God bless you, my dear friend, and believe me ever yours most truly

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NELSON and BRONTE.

On the 25th, while passing him with a fair wind, he wrote to him again. To those unacquainted with the nature of the winds in that part of the world, it is right to remark, that a levanter, or easterly wind, often blows out of the Straits of Gibraltar, while more to the northward the wind is westerly.

MY DEAR COLLINGWOOD,

Victory, July 25, 1805..

We are in a fresh levanter, you have a westerly wind, therefore I must forego the pleasure of taking you by the hand until October next, when, if I am well enough, I will (if the admiralty please) resume the command. I am very far from well, but I

* Such would have been his voyage had he heard of the enemy going there.

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