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Page 13
It seems that both the British admirals in going into battle outsailed
somewhat their supporting ships; but these soon came into action and
the battle line of the allied fleet was fatally broken at both points.
All the vessels were soon engaged, and the rear line of Villeneuve
gave way as well as the first. Nevertheless, the battle continued
furiously for about two hours. The "Santissima Trinidad" was at that
time the largest warship and the most formidable that had ever been
built. The "Redoubtable" was only second in strength and equipment.
Five or six others were men-of-war of the heaviest draught and metal.
The French and Spanish soldiers fought bravely, going into the battle
with flying streamers and answering shouts.
Nelson, utterly fearless, seems to have had a premonition of his fate.
He had made a hasty codicil to his will, and entered the struggle to
conquer or die. Both fates were reserved for him. From the beginning
of the battle the French and Spanish ships suffered terribly from the
British fire; but they also inflicted heavy losses on their
assailants. Here and there a French vessel was shattered and fell out
of the fight. Nelson was struck with a ball, but refused to go below.
Again he was hit in the shoulder by a musketeer from the masts of the
"Redoubtable" and fell to the deck. "They have done for me at last,
Hardy," said he to Sir Thomas Hardy, captain of the ship. He was
carried below by the officers, and as he lay bleeding the news was
brought to him that already _fifteen_ of the enemy's ships had
surrendered. "That is well," said the dying hero; "but I had bargained
for twenty." Then his thoughts turned to Lady Hamilton, to whom he was
devoted. "Take care of Lady Hamilton, Hardy; take care of poor Lady
Hamilton," said he, as the death dew dampened his brow. He then
embraced the captain and expired.
The victory of the British fleet was complete. The allies lost
nineteen ships. Admiral Gravina was killed, and Villeneuve was taken
prisoner. He never reacted from the mortification of his defeat, but
lingered until the following year, when he despaired of life and hope
and committed suicide. Nelson, in the midst of a pageant hitherto
unsurpassed, was buried in St. Paul's. The battle of Trafalgar passed
into history as the first and greatest naval conflict of the century.
CAMPAIGN OF AUSTERLITZ.
The first four years of the present century were a lull before a
tempest. These years covered on our side of the sea the administration
of the elder Adams. In Europe they corresponded to the period of the
transformation of the Consulate into the French Umpire. This change
was rapidly and easily effected. The star of Napoleon emerged from the
chaos and the cloud and rose rapidly to the zenith. But the mood of
the age was war, war. Could Europe in these first years have foreseen
the awful struggles that were just before, then Europe might well have
shuddered.
Now it was that the ascendancy of the Corsican brought in a reign of
violence and blood. Napoleon became the trampler of vineyards. His
armies made Europe into mire. England--agreeing at Amiens not to
fight--fought. Pitt, now in the last year of his life, used all of his
resources to bring about a league against France. He persuaded
Alexander of Russia, Francis of Austria, and Gustavus of Sweden--all
easy dupes of a greater than themselves--to make a new coalition. He
tried to induce Frederick William of Prussia to join his fortunes with
the rest; but the last-named monarch was for the time restrained by
the weakness of prudence. The agents of Napoleon held out to the king
suggestions of the restoration of Hanover to Prussia. But Austria and
Russia and Sweden pressed forward confidently to overthrow the new
French Empire. That Empire, they said, should not see the end of the
first year of its creation!
The Austrians were first in the field. The Russians, under Kutusoff,
came on into Pomerania from the east. Out of Sweden, with a large
army, came down Gustavus, the Don Quixote of the north, to crush
Bernadotte, who held Hanover. Napoleon for his part sprang forth for
the campaign of Austerlitz, perhaps the most brilliant military
episode in the history of mankind. With incredible facility he threw
forward to the Rhine an army of 180,000 men. His policy was--as
always--to overcome the allies in detail.
On the twenty-fourth of September, the Emperor left Paris. The Empress
and Talleyrand went with him as far as Strasburg. On the second of
October, hostilities began at Guntzburg. Four days afterward the
French army crossed the Danube. On the eighth of the month, Murat won
the battle of Wertingen, capturing Count Auffenberg, with 2000
prisoners. On the tenth the French had Augsburg, and on the twelfth,
Munich. On the fourteenth Soult triumphed at Memingen, capturing a
corps of 6000 Austrians; and on the same day Ney literally overran the
territory which was soon to become his Duchy of Elchingen. Napoleon
out-generaled the main division of the enemy at Ulm. The Austrians,
under General Mack, 33,000 strong, were cooped up in the town and, on
the seventeenth of October, forced to capitulate. Eight
field-marshals and generals, including the Prince Lichtenstein and
Generals Klenau and Fresnel, were made prisoners. "Soldiers of the
Grand Army," said Napoleon, "we have finished the campaign in a
fortnight!"
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