HMS Vanguard logbook
From the Battle of the Nile
A long time ago, my father in law, Tom Mahoney sent me a copy of Master and Commander for Christmas, all the way from Summerside, Prince Edward Island . Those were the days when we still read paper books. Of course, I couldn’t put it down. I loved reading about the ship actions, the naval terminology, and the sounds of the 18th century speech patterns. After completing the 20 of the books in the Aubrey-Maturin series I read them again, playing out and understanding every naval action. I then looked around for other books like them. There were many excellent series, older writers such as the Dickensian Captain Frederick Marryat, C. S. Forester with the Hornblower series, and later writers following in Patrick O’Brian’s footsteps, such as Julian Stockwyn, David Donachie, S. Thomas Russel, Alaric Bond, James Nelson, Dewey Lambdin, and many more. Most of all I was fascinated by frigate actions and the employment of the ruse de guerre, the idea that to fight a stronger enemy you needed to fool them into thinking you are something that you are not. This idea was the inspiration to write my own naval historical novel.
The Greenwich Maritime Museum
As a professional researcher it seemed quite natural to me to tackle a subject area of which I had barely scratched the surface and write about it. Knowing that original sources are the best, on every trip to London I paid a visit to the Maritime museum. One of the early curators was Brian Lavery, who has written some excellent naval non-fiction. In ‘Nelson And The Nile,’ he not only describes the famous battle of the 1st August 1798, but also provides a detailed list of what went wrong for the French that night. After reading his book, I knew the focus of my research would be that battle, and one of the key sources for the events leading up to the fleet encounter is the logbook of Nelson’s flagship at the Nile, HMS Vanguard.
Below you will see the image I took of the lieutenant’s log from Vanguard, in which you can read a first hand, rather clinical account of the Battle of the Nile. I have also included a transcription. If somebody can fill in the words I could not read, please let me know.
A Transcription of the Log Page
Moderate breezes & fine W.r Saw Alexandria bearing SE & set Driver and Main sail and haul’d to the wind. Unbent the best bower cable and took it out of the stern port and bent it again
At the Pharohs tower bore SSW 4 or 5 leagues Descry’d the French Fleet and bore up for them sounding in 14. 15. 13. 11. 10 fathoms (warped ?) 28 past 6 the French fleet hoisted their colours and commenced firing on our van ships (illegible) came to with the best bower in 8 fathoms veered to ½ a cable 31 past 6 opened fire on the La Spartiate which was continued without intermission until ½ past 8 when our opponent struck to us. Sent lieut. Galway with a party of Marines to take possession of her at 9. Saw 3 others strike to the Zealous, Audacious, Minotaur. 55 past 8 the Orient of 120 guns took fire. The ships ahead still keeping up a heavy fire on the enemy. At 10 the L’Orient blew up with a violent explosion – The enemy ceased firing 10 past 10 perceived another ship on fire which in two minutes was extinguished and a fresh cannonading begun 20 past ten a total cessation of firing for 10 minutes when it was renewed again
16 past 12 lieut. Vasval (?) went with a party of marines to take possession of a ship 15 past 2 am came on board a boat from (illegible) Alexander 55 past 2 a total cease of firing 28 past 3 came on board a boat from the Defence 20 past 3 Lieut. Vasval returned. The ship he went to having got under weigh before he was able to board her 5 past 5 the enemy’s ships to the SW began firing 54 past 5 a French Frigate fired a broadside and struck her colours 4’ (minutes) after which she took fire at 7 she blew up with a violent explosion at 6 the Goliath got under weigh bore down to the (So.d) to the enemy’s ships which had not struck 40 past 6 she began firing at a frigate and continued firing until ¼ before 7. 50 past 6 one of the enemy’s ships of the line fired some guns struck her colours & was boarded 55 past The Zealous weighed & went ahead
55 past 10 the English ships began firing at a frigate gave her two broadsides then ceased firing ½ past 11 two line of battle ships & 2 frigates got under weigh and stood out to sea our ships giving them a broadside as they passed.
Line drawn here
Moderate breezes and clear (W^n Emp^d) variously about the yards and rigging 45 past 12 the Zealous gave a broadside to the forementioned ships as they past bent the stream cable to the best bower swung the ship head to wind ship riding with the cable in at the proper hawsehole
account of the whole of French ships taken and destroyed 8 ships of 74 guns – 2 of 80 guns and 1 of 120 guns with two frigates of 36 guns each Found the officers killed and wounded on board to be as follows – Killed Wm Taddy Capt. Of marines Thomas Seymour Midn. William Taylor - Wounded Sir Horatio Nelson rear Admiral of the Blue Nathaniel (?) Valsal Lieut. Mr. Campbell Admiral’s secretary J Weatherstone MMG Antbirn Midn. Micahel Austin Boatswain
Carpenters employed plugging up the shot holes and making fishes for the Mts.
18 past 10 the enemy set fire to one of their ships of the line 4 past 1 she blew up with a violent explosion.
