4th December 1804
To Rear Admiral Campbell
Victory, December 4th, 1804
Sir,
It was this sincerest sorrow that I received your letter of yesterday’s date, stating the melancholy account of your bad state of health, and that in your opinion it was absolutely necessary you should go immediately to England for its re-establishment, of which opinion I find is also the Physician of the Fleet and other Medical Gentlemen.
I shall therefore order the very fast Frigate that comes to the Fleet, to bear your Flag , and to proceed with you to such Port in England as you shall direct her Captain ; and I do most sincerely hope that your health will be soon re-established, and that your will very shortly be at sea, where you have so long served with both honour and advantage to your King and Country ; and I beg you to be assured that my most sincere good wishes will ever attend you, and that I am, with the Highest esteem and regard, Sir, your most faithful and affectionate Servant,
NELSON AND BRONTE
To Rear Admiral George Campbell, H.M. Ship Canopus
Victory, at Sea, 4th December, 1804
Having directed the Captain of his Majesty’s Ship Ambuscade to put himself under your command, and follow your orders for his further proceeding, you are hereby required and instructed to shift your Flag from his Majesty’s Ship Canopus into his Majesty’s Ship Ambuscade, and proceed direct to any Port in England, which you may find most convenient ; and on your arrival you will direct Captain Durban, of the said Ship, to wait at Such Port until he receives their Lordships order for his further proceedings.
NELSON AND BRONTE
To William Marsden, Esq, Admiralty
Victory, at Sea, 4th December, 1804
Sir,
You will please to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that there has no particular occurrence happened in the Squadron, since my letter to you of the 15th ultimo, only the detention of two or three Spanish Vessels, which has been sent to Malta ; one of them, the Pearl, from Buenos Ayres and Monte Video, had upwards of 106,000 dollars on board, in gold and silver, and otherwise a valuable cargo. By a letter from Minorca to Barcelona, detained by the Squadron, it appears by some of the intercepted letters, that they have been some time expecting a War with England, and have been putting the Forts of that Island, and their Gun-boats, &c in a state of active defence ; defence but I am perfectly satisfied that no succour of Troops has yet been landed on that Islands.
I am Sir, &c
NELSON AND BRONTE
Notes
Horatio Nelson, The Dispatches and Letters of Vice Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson, with Notes, ed. Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas (London: Henry Colburn, 1846), 384-285.
