Nelson by John Sugden

Author:John Sugden
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781446444580
Publisher: Random House

5

‘Why you should deny me every possible assistance in your power to give towards my effecting a most important object, I am at a loss to account for,’ Hood wrote to D’Aubant in growing disbelief.46

It was true that the general’s resources were limited. The army had arrived in Corsica with a field train of only nine guns, and only four howitzers and three mortars were imported thereafter. However, D’Aubant descended into outright obstructionism. He had captured additional guns at St Fiorenzo, and must have known that there was no immediate need for any of them. After all, the French garrisons in Corsica were isolated and surrounded, while the island itself was covered by the might of the British fleet in Mortella Bay. Gradually, as Hood clamoured for guns, entrenching tools, artillerists, sandbags, even kettles, a pattern took shape. D’Aubant’s practice was to refuse, then to reflect and relent a little, and finally to raise more difficulties. ‘You told me in one of your letters that you had granted all the mortars,’ raged a frustrated Hood, ‘and I am now informed you have changed your mind. This is highly prejudicial to the king’s service . . .’47

The case of the 12th Regiment of Light Dragoons stationed in Civita Vecchia typified the duel. Hood and Elliot tried to have them shipped to Corsica to give D’Aubant the men he said he needed to attack Bastia. First the general agreed, but after speaking to his adjutant general and reconsidering orders that told him the light dragoons could only be deployed as a mounted force he began saying they should be sent to Flanders instead.

At the end of March, Elliot was still shuttling helplessly between the ships and the army headquarters ashore in search of an elusive reconciliation. D’Aubant seemed to weaken when Sir Gilbert suggested that the 12th Light Dragoons, the fleet marines and perhaps Sardinian or Neapolitan troops might be added to the general’s forces. But on board the Victory, Hood had had enough imponderables. If they could get additional troops D’Aubant might agree . . . but time was slipping away. The admiral declared ‘his mind was made up’, the army men were merely prevaricating, and ‘he would not be made a fool or a tool of by them’. Maybe he was right. The next time Elliot saw D’Aubant the general was singing a different song, and declaring ‘he was determined not to entangle himself with any cooperation’. Even the long-suffering Sir Gilbert began to bubble angrily. Appalled at the ‘want of spirit’ in the army he muttered about cowardice and treason.48

In the end Hood wrung few more than his minimum needs from D’Aubant. The army spared him twenty-five artillerists, but kept more than a hundred uselessly sitting at St Fiorenzo. That meant that seamen would have to man the siege guns at Bastia. At the same time Hood and Nelson applied to Naples for the mortars, cannons, fuses, entrenching tools, ammunition, timber and stores they could not get from St Fiorenzo.

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