the life of horatio lord nelson-第17部分

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sio。　Twelve　vessels　he　had　formerly　destroyed　in　that　port；　though　2000　French　troops　occupied　the　town。　This　former　attack　had　made　them　take　new　measures　of　defence；　and　there　were　now　above　100　sail　of　victuallers；　gun…boats；　and　ships　of　war。　Nelson　represented　to　the　Admiral　how　important　it　was　to　destroy　these　vessels；　and　offered；　with　his　squadron　of　frigates；　and　the　CULLODEN　and　COURAGEUX；　to　lead　himself　in　the　AGAMEMNON；　and　take　or　destroy　the　whole。　The　attempt　was　not　permitted；　but　it　was　Nelson's　belief　that；　if　it　had　been　made；　it　would　have　prevented　the　attack　upon　the　Austrian　army；　which　took　place　almost　immediately　afterwards。

General　de　Vins　demanded　satisfaction　of　the　Genoese　government　for　the　seizure　of　his　commissary；　and　then；　without　waiting　for　their　reply；　took　possession　of　some　empty　magazines　of　the　French；　and　pushed　his　sentinels　to　the　very　gates　of　Genoa。　Had　he　done　so　at　first；　he　would　have　found　the　magazines　full；　but；　timed　as　the　measure　was；　and　useless　as　it　was　to　the　cause　of　the　allies；　it　was　in　character　with　the　whole　of　the　Austrian　general's　conduct；　and　it　is　no　small　proof　of　the　dexterity　with　which　he　served　the　enemy；　that　in　such　circumstances　he　could　so　act　with　Genoa　as　to　contrive　to　put　himself　in　the　wrong。　Nelson　was　at　this　time；　according　to　his　own　expression；　placed　in　a　cleft　stick。　Mr。　Drake；　the　Austrian　minister；　and　the　Austrian　general；　all　joined　in　requiring　him　not　to　leave　Genoa；　if　he　left　that　port　unguarded；　they　said；　not　only　the　imperial　troops　at　St。　Pier　d'Arena　and　Voltri　would　be　lost；　but　the　French　plan　for　taking　post　between　Voltri　and　Savona　would　　certainly　succeed；　if　the　Austrians　should　be　worsted　in　the　advanced　posts；　the　retreat　of　the　Bocchetta　would　be　cut　off；　and　if　this　　happened；　the　loss　of　the　army　would　be　imputed　to　him；　for　having　left　Genoa。　On　the　other　hand；　he　knew　that　if　he　were　not　at　Pietra；　the　enemy's　gun…boats　would　harass　the　left　flank　of　the　Austrians；　who；　if　they　were　defeated；　as　was　to　be　expected；　from　the　spirit　of　all　their　operations；　would；　very　probably；　lay　their　defeat　to　the　want　of　assistance　from　the　AGAMEMNON。　Had　the　force　for　which　Nelson　applied　been　given　him；　he　could　have　attended　to　both　objects；　and　had　he　been　permitted　to　attack　the　convoy　in　Alassio；　he　would　have　disconcerted　the　plans　of　the　French；　in　spite　of　the　Austrian　general。　He　had　foreseen　the　danger；　and　pointed　out　how　it　might　be　　prevented；　but　the　means　of　preventing　it　were　withheld。　The　attack　was　made　as　he　foresaw；　and　the　gun…boats　brought　their　fire　to　bear　upon　the　Austrians。　It　so　happened；　however；　that　the　left　flank；　which　was　exposed　to　them；　was　the　only　part　of　the　army　that　behaved　well：　this　division　stood　its　ground　till　the　centre　and　the　right　wing　fled；　and　then　retreated　in　a　soldierlike　manner。　General　de　Vins　gave　up　the　command　in　the　middle　of　the　battle；　pleading　ill　health。　〃From　that　moment；〃　says　Nelson；　〃not　a　soldier　stayed　at　his　post：　it　was　the　devil　take　the　hindmost。　Many　thousands　ran　away　who　had　never　seen　the　enemy；　some　of　them　thirty　miles　from　the　　advanced　posts。　Had　I　not；　though　I　own；　against　my　inclination；　been　kept　at　Genoa；　from　8000　to　10；000　men　would　have　been　taken　prisoners；　and；　amongst　the　number；　General　de　Vins　himself；　but　by　this　means　the　pass　of　the　Bocchetta　was　kept　open。　The　purser　of　the　ship；　who　was　at　Vado；　ran　with　the　Austrians　eighteen　miles　without　stopping；　the　men　without　arms；　officers　without　soldiers；　women　without　assistance。　The　oldest　officers　say　they　never　heard　of　so　complete　a　defeat；　and　certainly　without　any　reason。　Thus　has　ended　my　campaign。　We　have　established　the　French　republic：　which　but　for　us；　I　verily　believe；　would　never　have　been　settled　by　such　a　volatile；　changeable　people。　I　hate　a　Frenchman：　they　are　equally　objects　of　my　detestation　whether　royalists　or　republicans：　in　some　points；　I　believe；　the　latter　are　the　best。〃　Nelson　had　a　lieutenant　and　two　midshipmen　taken　at　Vado：　they　told　him；　in　their　letter；　that　few　of　the　French　soldiers　were　more　than　three　or　four　and　twenty　years　old；　a　great　many　not　more　than　fourteen；　and　all　were　nearly　naked；　they　were　sure；　they　said；　his　barge's　crew　could　have　beat　a　hundred　of　them；　and　that；　had　he　himself　seen　them；　he　would　not　have　thought；　if　the　world　had　been　covered　with　such　people；　that　they　could　have　beaten　the　Austrian　army。

The　defeat　of　General　de　Vins　gave　the　enemy　possession　of　the　Genoese　coast　from　Savona　to　Voltri；　and　it　deprived　the　Austrians　of　their　direct　communication　with　the　English　fleet。　The　AGAMEMNON；　therefore；　could　no　longer　be　useful　on　this　station；　and　Nelson　sailed　for　Leghorn　to　refit。　When　his　ship　went　into　dock；　there　was　not　a　mast；　yard；　sail；　or　any　part　of　the　rigging；　but　what　stood　in　need　of　repair；　having　been　cut　to　pieces　with　shot。　The　hull　was　so　damaged　that　it　had　for　some　time　been　secured　by　cables；　which　were　served　or　thrapped　round　it。



CHAPTER　IV

1796　…　1797


Sir　J。　Jervis　takes　the　CommandGenoa　joins　the　FrenchBounaparte　begins　his　CareerEvacuation　of　CorsicaNelson　hoists　his　broad　Pennant　in　the　MINERVEAction　with　the　SABINABattle　off　Cape　St。　VincentNelson　commands　the　inner　Squadron　at　the　Blockade　of　Cadiz　Boat　Action　in　the　Bay　of　CadizExpedition　against　TeneriffeNelson　loses　an　ArmHis　Sufferings　in　England；　and　Recovery。

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SIR　JOHN　JERVIS　had　now　arrived　to　take　the　command　of　the　Mediterranean　fleet。　The　AGAMEMNON　having；　as　her　captain　said；　been　made　as　fit　for　sea　as　a　rotten　ship　could　be；　Nelson　sailed　from　Leghorn；　and　joined　the　admiral　in　Fiorenzo　Bay。　〃I　found　him；〃　said　he；　〃anxious　to　know　many　things　which　I　was　a　good　deal　surprised　to　find　had　not　been　communicated　to　him　by　others　in　the　fleet；　and　it　would　appear　that　he　was　so　well　satisfied　with　my　opinion　of　what　is　likely　to　happen；　and　the　means　of　prevention　to　be　taken；　that　he　had　no　reserve　with　me　respecting　his　information　and　ideas　of　what　is　likely　to　be　done。〃　The　manner　in　which　Nelson　was　received　is　said　to　have　excited　some　envy。　One　captain　observed　to　him：　〃You　did　just　as　you　pleased　in　Lord　Hood's　time；　the　same　in　Admiral　Hotham's；　and　now　again　with　Sir　John　Jervis：　it　makes　no　difference　to　you　who　is　commander…in…chief。〃　A　higher　compliment　could　not　have　been　paid　to　any　commander…in…chief　than　to　say　of　him　that　he　understood　the　merits　of　Nelson；　and　left　him；　as　far　as　possible；　to　act　upon　his　own　judgment。

Sir　John　Jervis　offered　him　the　ST。GEORGE；　ninety；　or　the　ZEALOUS；　seventy…four；　and　asked　if　he　should　have　any　objection　to　serve　under　him　with　his　flag。　He　replied；　that　if　the　AGAMEMNON　were　ordered　home；　and　his　flag　were　not　arrived；　he　should；　on　many　accounts；　wish　to　return　to　England；　still；　if　the　war　continued；　he　should　be　very　proud　of　hoisting　his　flag　under　Sir　John's　command；　〃We　cannot　spare　you；〃　said　Sir　John；　〃either　as　captain　or　admiral。〃　Accordingly；　he　resumed　his　station　in　the　Gulf　of　Genoa。　The　French　had　not　followed　up　their　successes　in　that　quarter　with　their　usual　celerity。　Scherer；　who　commanded　there；　owed　his　advancement　to　any　other　cause　than　his　merit：　he　was　a　favourite　of　the　directory；　but　for　the　present；　through　the　influence　of　Barras；　he　was　removed　from　a　command　for　which　his　incapacity　was　afterwards　clearly　proved；　and　Buonaparte　　was　appointed　to　succeed　him。　Buonaparte　had　given　indications　　of　his　military　talents　at　Toulon；　and　of　his　remorseless　nature　at　Paris；　but　the　extent　either　of　his　ability　or　his　wickedness　was　at　this　time　known　to　none；　and　perhaps　not　even　suspected　by　himself。

Nelson　supposed；　from　the　information　which　he　had　obtained；　that　one　column　of　the　French　army　would　take　possession　of　Port　Especia；　either　penetrating　through　the　Genoese　territory；　or　proceeding　coast…ways　　in　light　vessels；　our　ships　of　war　not　being　able　to　approach　the　coast；　because　of　the　shallowness　of　the　water。　To　prevent　this；　he　said；　two　things　were　necessary：　the　possession　of　Vado　Bay；　and　the　taking　of　Port　Especia；　if　either　of　these　points　were　secured；　Italy　would　be　safe　from　any　attack　of　the　French　by　sea。　General　Beaulieu；　who　had　now　superseded　De　Vins　in　the　command　of　the　allied　Austrian　and　Sardinian　army；　sent　his　nephew　and　aide…de…camp　to　communicate　with　Nelson；　and　inquire　whether　he　could　anchor　in　any　other　place　than　Vado　Bay。　Nelson　replied；　that　Vado　was　the　only　place　where　the　British　fleet　could　lie　in　safety；　but　all　places　would　suit　his　squadron；　and　wherever　the　general　came　to　the　sea…coast；　there　he　should　find　it。　The　Austrian　repeatedly　asked；　if　there　was　not　a　risk　of　losing　the　squadron？　and　was　constantly　answered；　that　if　these　ships　should　be　lost；　the　admiral　would　find　others。　But　all　plans　of　co…operation　with　the　Austrians　were　soon　frustrated　by　the　battle　of　Montenotte。　Beaulieu　ordered　an　attack　to　be　made　upon　the　post　of　Voltri。　It　was　made　twelve　hours　before　the　time　which　he　had　fixed；　and　before　he　arrived　to　direct　it。　In　consequence；　the　French　were　enabled　to　effect　their　retreat；　and　fall　back　to　Montenotte；　thus　giving　the　troops　there　a　decisive　superi