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tory's deck, formed in a close line of battle ahead, on the starboard tack, about twelve miles to leeward, and standing to the south. Our fleet consisted of twentyseven sail of the line, and four frigates. Their superiorty was greater in size, and weight of metal, than in numbers. They had four thousand troops on board; and the best riflemen who could be procured, many of them Tyrolese, were dispersed through the ships. Little did the Tyrolese, and little did the Spaniards, at that day, imagine what horrors the wicked tyrant, whom they served, was preparing for their country.

Soon after daylight Nelson came upon deck. The 21st of October was a festival in his family, because on that day his uncle, Captain Suckling, in the Dreadnought, with two other line of battle ships, had beaten off a French squadron of four sail of the line, and three frigates. Nelson, with that sort of superstition from which few persons are entirely exempt, had more than once expressed his persuasion that this was to be the day of his battle also; and he was well pleased at seeing his prediction about to be verified. The wind was now from the west, light breezes, with a long heavy swell. Signal was made to bear down upon the enemy in two lines; and the fleet set all sail. Collingwood, in the Royal Sovereign, led the lee line of thirteen ships; the Victory led the weather line of fourteen. Having seen that all was as it should be, Nelson retired to his cabin, and wrote the following prayer:

"May the great GOD, whom I worship, grant to my country, and for the benefit of Europe in general, a great and glorious victory, and may no misconduct in any one tarnish it; and may humanity after victory be the predominant feature in the British fleet! For myself individually, I commit my life to HIM that made me; and may his blessing alight on my endeavours for serving my country faithfully! To HIM I resign myself, and the just cause which is entrusted to me to defend. Amen, Amen, Amen."

A portrait of Lady Hamilton hung in his cabin; and no Catholic ever beheld the picture of his patron saint with devouter reverence. The undisguised and romantic passion with which he regarded it amounted almost to superstition; and when the portrait was now taken down,

in clearing for action, he desired the men who removed it, to "take care of his guardian angel." In this manner he frequently spoke of it, as if he believed there were a virture in the image. He wore a miniature of her, also, next his heart.

Blackwood went on board the Victory about six. He found him in good spirits, but very calm; not in that exhilaration which he had felt upon entering into battle at Aboukir and Copenhagen; he knew that his own life would be particularly aimed at, and seems to have looked for death with almost as sure an expectation as for victory. His whole attention was fixed upon the enemy. They tacked to the northward, and formed their line on the larboard tack; thus bringing the shoals of Trafalgar and St. Pedro under the lee of the British, and keeping the port of Cadiz open for themselves. This was judiciously done: and Nelson, aware of all the advantages which it gave them, made signal to prepare to anchor. Villeneuve was a skillful seamen; worthy of serving a better master, and a better cause. His plan of defence was as well conceived, and as original, as the plan of attack. He formed the fleet in a double line; every alternate ship being about a cable's length to windward of her second ahead and astern. Nelson, certain of a triumphant issue to the day, asked Blackwood what he should consider as a victory. That officer answered, that considering the handsome way in which battle was offered by the enemy, their apparent determination for a fair trial of strength, and the situation of the land, he thought it would be a glorious result if fourteen were captured. He replied: "I shall not be satisfied with less than twenty." Soon afterwards he asked him, if he did not think there was a signal wanting. Captain Blackwood made answer, that he thought the whole fleet seemed very clearly to understand what they were about. These words were scarcely spoken before that signal was made, which will be remembered as long as the language, or even the memory of England, shall endure ;- Nelson's last signal: "ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN TO DO HIS DUTY!" It was received throughout the fleet with a shout of answering acclamation, made sublime by the spirit which it breathed, and the feeling which it expressed. "Now," said

By this time all feeling below the breast was gone; and Nelson, having made the surgeon ascertain this, said to him: "You know I am gone. I know it. I feel something rising in my breast,"-putting his hand on his left side-" which tells me so." And upon Beatty's inquiring whether his pain was very great? he replied, "So great, that he wished he was dead. Yet," said he, in a lower voice," one would like to live a little longer too!" And after a few minutes, in the same under tone, he added-“ What would become of poor Lady Hamilton, if she knew my situation!" Next to his country she occupied his thoughts. Captain Hardy, some fifty minutes after he had left the cockpit, returned; and, again taking the hand of his dying friend and commander, congratulated him on having gained a complete victory. How many of the enemy were taken he did not know, as it was impossible to perceive them distinctly; but fourteen or fifteen at least.

ever, was concealed from all except Captain Hardy, the chaplain, and the medical attendants. He himself being certain, from the sensation in his back, and the gush of blood he felt momently within his breast, that no human care could avail him, insisted that the surgeon should leave him, and attend to those to whom he might be useful; "For," said he, " you can do nothing for me."-All that could be done was to fan him with paper, and frequently to give him lemonade to alleviate his intense thirst. He was in great pain, and expressed much anxiety for the event of the action, which now began to declare itself. As often as a ship struck, the crew of the Victory hurraed; and at every hurra, a visible expression of joy gleamed in the eyes, and marked the countenance of the dying hero. But he became impatient to see Captain Hardy; and as that officer, though often sent for, could not leave the deck, Nelson feared that some fatal cause prevented him, and repeatedly cried, "Will no one bring" That's well," cried Nelson," but I Hardy to me? He must be killed! He is surely dead!" An hour and ten minutes elapsed from the time when Nelson received his wound, before Hardy could come to him. They shook hands in silence; Hardy in vain struggling to suppress the feelings of that most pain ful and yet sublimest moment. "Well, Hardy," said Nelson, "how goes the day with us?"-" Very well." replied Hardy; "ten ships have struck, but five of the van have tacked, and show an intention to bear down upon the Victory. I have called two or three of our fresh" Don't throw me overboard;" and he ships round, and have no doubt of giving them a drubbing."-" I hope," said Nelson, "none of our ships have struck?" Hardy answered, "There was no fear of that." Then, and not till then, Nelson spoke of himself. "I am a dead man, Hardy," said he: "I am going fast:-it will be all over with me soon. Come nearer to me. Let my dear Lady Hamilton have my hair, and all other things belonging to me."-Hardy observed, that he hoped Mr. Beatty could yet hold out some prospect of life. "Oh, no!" he replied: "it is impossible. My back is shot through. Beatty will tell you so." Captain Hardy then, once more, shook hands with him; and, with a heart almost bursting, hastened upon deck.

bargained for twenty." And then in a stronger voice, he said:-" Anchor, Hardy, anchor." Hardy, upon this, hinted that Admiral Collingwood would take upon himself the direction of affairs. "Not while I live, Hardy," said the dying Nelson, ineffectually endeavouring to raise himself from the bed:-" Do you anchor." His previous order for preparing to anchor had shown how clearly he foresaw the necessity of this. Presently, calling Hardy back, he said to him in a low voice,

desired that he might be buried by his parents, unless it should please the king to order otherwise. Then reverting to private feelings:-"Take care of my dear Lady Hamilton, Hardy take care of poor Lady Hamilton.-Kiss me, Hardy," said he. Hardy knelt dowr and kissed his cheek and Nelson said. "Now I am satisfied. Thank God, I have done my duty." Hardy stood over him in silence for a moment or two, ther knelt again and kissed his forehead. "Whe is that?" said Nelson; and being informed, he replied, "God bless you, Hardy." And Hardy then left him--for ever.

Nelson now desired to be turned upon his right side, and said,-" I wish I had not left the deck; for I shall

soon be gone." Death was, indeed, | of the men ascending the ladder had facilitated his death, for the blood was forced out of his ears, mouth, and nose.

rapidly approaching. He said to the chaplain," Doctor, I have not been a great sinner:" and after a short pause, "Remember that I leave Lady Hamilton and my daughter Horatia as a legacy to my country." His articulation now became difficult; and he was distinctly heard to say, "Thank God, I have done my duty." These words he repeatedly pronounced: and they were the last words which he uttered. He expired at thirty minutes after four,--three hours and a quarter after he had received his wound.—Family Library. (TO BE CONTINUED.)

A SCENE

AFTER THE STORMING OF BADAJOS.

Returning to the camp, I passed the narrow path across the moat, where many lay dead, half in the water. I had scarcely reached the opposite side, when I perceived a woman with a child at her breast, and leading another by the hand, hurrying about with a distracted air, from one dead body to another, eagerly examining each. I saw her come to one whose appearance seemed to strike her; (he was a grenadier of the 83d regt.) she hesitated some moments, as if afraid to realize the suspicion which crossed her mind. At length seemingly determined to ascertain the extent of her misery, releasing the child from her hand, she raised the dead soldier, (who had fallen on his face) and looking on his pallid features, she gave a wild scream, and the lifeless body fell from her arms.

Sinking on her knees, she cast her eyes to heaven, while she strained her infant to her bosom with a convulsive grasp. The blood had fled her face, nor did a muscle of it move. She seemed inanimate, and all her faculties were absorbed in grief.

WHEN I observed the defences that had been made here, I could not wonder at our troops not succeeding in the assault. The ascent of the breach near the top was covered with thick planks of wood firmly connected together, staked down, and stuck full of sword and bayonet blades, which were firmly fastened into the wood with the points up; round the breach a deep trench was cut in the ramparts, which was planted full of musquets with the bayonets The elder child looked up in her face fixed, standing up perpendicularly, and for some time with anxiety; at last he firmly fixed in the earth up to the locks. said, "Mother, why don't you speak to Exclusive of this they had shell and me? what ails you?-what makes you hand grenades ready loaded, piled on the so pale?-O speak to me, mother, do ramparts, which they lighted and threw speak to me !" A doubt seemed to cross down among the assailants. Round her mind. Without noticing the child, this place death appeared in every form, she again raised the mangled corpse, the whole ascent was completely covered looked narrowly at the face, and carewith the killed, and for many yards fully inspected the mark of his accoutrearound the approach to the walls, everyments-but it was too true-it was her variety of expression in their counte- husband.-Neither sigh, nor groan, nor nance, from calm placidity to the greatest tear escaped her, but sitting down, she agony. The sight was awful. Anxious raised the lifeless body, and placing his to see the place where we had so severe head on her knee, gazed on his face with a struggle the preceding night, I bent feelings too deep for utterance.-The my steps to the ditch where we had child now drew himself close to her placed the ladders to escalade the castle. side, and looking at the bleeding corpse The sight here was enough to harrow up which she sustained, in a piteous tone, the soul, and of which no description of inquired, "Is that my father? Is he mine could convey an idea. Beneath one asleep? Why doesn't he speak to you? of the ladders, among others, lay a cor- I'll waken him for you”—and seizing poral of the 45th regiment, who, when his hand, he drew it towards him-but wounded, had fallen forward on his knees suddenly relapsing his hold, he cried, and hands and the foot of the ladder had" Oh! mother, his hand is cold-cold been, in the confusion, placed on his back. as ice." Her attention had been drawn Whether the wound would have been for some moments to the child, at length mortal, I do not know, but the weight bursting out, she exclaimed, "Poor

orphan! he sleeps, never to wake again his head filled with nothing but fire and -never, O never, will he speak to you sword, miners, breaches, storming, and or me!" The child did not seem to bloodshed! By the side of his box stood understand her, but he began to cry. a deep narrow-necked earthern jug, in She continued, "O my God! my heart which was the remainder of his supper, will burst, my very brain burns-but I consisting of boiled peas. A large moncan't cry-surely my heart is hard-I key, encouraged by the man's silence, used to cry when he was displeased with and allured by the smell of the peas, me--and now I can't cry when he is ventured to the jug, and in endeavouring dead!—Oh, my husband, my murdered to get at its contents, thrust his head so husband!aye, murdered," said she, far into the neck, as to be unable to wiping the blood that flowed from a withdraw it. At this instant the soldier wound in his breast.-"O my poor turning round, came whistling towards children!" drawing them to her bosom, his box; the monkey, unable to get clear "what will become of you?" Here she of it, started up to run off with the jug began to talk incoherent- "Will you sticking on his head. This terrible appanot speak to me, William-will you not rition no sooner saluted the eyes of the speak to your dear Ellen-last night you sentry, than his frantic imagination contold me you were going on guard, and verted poor pug into a fine, blood-thirsty you would return in the morning, but Spanish grenadier, with a most tremenyou did not come; I thought you were dous high cap on his head. Full of this deceiving me, and I came to look for dreadful idea, he instantly fired his piece, you." She now ceased to speak, and roaring out that the enemy had scaled rocked backwards and forwards over the walls. The guard took the alarm, the bleeding corpse; but her parched the drums were beat, signal guns fired, quivering lip, and wild fixed look, and in less than ten minutes the governor showed the agonized workings of her and his whole garrison were under arms. mind. I stood not an unmoved specta- The supposed grenadier, being very tor of this scene, but I did not interrupt much incommoded by his cap, and it. I considered her sorrow too deep almost blinded by the peas, was soon and sacred for common-place consola- overtaken and seized, and by his capture tion. A woman and two men of the the tranquillity of the garrison was resame regiment, who had been in search stored, without that slaughter and bloodof her, now came up and spoke to her, shed which every man prognosticated in but she took no notice of them. A the beginning of the direful alarm. party also who were burying the dead joined them, and they crowded round, striving to console her. I then withdrew, and hastened on to the camp, my mind filled with melancholy reflections. For many days I felt a weight on my mind, and even now I retain a vivid recollection of that affecting scene. But she was not a solitary sufferer; many a widow and orphan was made by the siege and storming of Badajos; our loss amounting, in killed and wounded, to about three thousand men.-Recollections of a Soldier.

FALSE ALARM.

DURING the late siege of Gibraltar, in the absence of the fleet, and when an attack was daily expected, one dark

ORDERLY DRAGOON.

IN one of the battles in the Peninsula, one of Lord Wellington's orderly dragoons had his horse shot under him. The man exclaimed, “Good God! what am I to do? My lord will be very angry if he sees me without a hotse." Upon this, with the utmost sang froid, he rushed into the midst of a party of French dragoons, and knocked one of them off his horse, which he instantly mounted, and returned to Lord Wellington; followed him the remainder of the day on the French horse, with the French accoutrements, trappings, &c.

night, a sentry whose post was near the London :-Printed by JOSEPH LAST, 3, Edward

Devil's Tower, and facing the Spanish lines, was standing at the end of his walk, whistling, looking towards them,

street, Hampstead-road; and published by W. M. CLARK, 19, Warwick-lane, Paternoster row; J. PATTIE, 17, High-street, Bloomsbury, and may be had, by order, of all Booksellers, in town and country.

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THE British army, after the most splendid and masterly retreat that has been recorded in the annals of modern warfare, harrassed at all points by the rapid and skilful manœuvres of the pursuing army, and pressed with a fury that seemed to increase every moment, at length arrived at Corunna, almost entire and unbroken. Nearly 70,000 Frenchmen, led by Bonaparte, with a great superiority of cavalry, had endeavoured in vain to surround or to rout 26,000 British. Two hundred and fifty miles of country had been traversed; mountains, defiles, and rivers had been crossed, in daily contact with their enemy, and victorious in every encounter.

Much baggage undoubtedly was lost, and some field-pieces abandoned; but nothing taken by force.

In fine, neither Napoleon nor the

VOL. I.

Duke of Dalmatia won a piece of artillery, a standard, or a single military trophy from the British army.

On the 15th January, 1809, in the course of the night, Marshal Soult, with great difficulty, established a battery of eleven guns, (eight and twelve pounders) on the rocks which formed the left of his line of battle. Laborde's division was posted on the right; half of it occupied the high ground, the other half was placed on the descent towards the river. Merle's division was in the centre. Mermet's division formed the left. The position was covered in front of the right by the villages of Palavia, Abaxo, and Portosa, and in front of the centre by a wood; the left was strongly posted on the rugged heights where the great battery was established. The distance from that battery to the right of the

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