The Nelson Touch by Noel Gerson

Author:Noel Gerson [Gerson, Noel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Media
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Ten

King George’s Privy Council sent Nelson a letter thanking him for rescuing Ferdinand and Maria Carolina, and the always practical Admiralty promptly made the port of Palermo its major base in the Mediterranean. Nelson was promoted to senior rear admiral, and was entitled to fly a red pennant instead of a blue one. He was also given vastly greater responsibility; in addition to maintaining a patrol of the central Mediterranean, he was instructed to blockade Naples and the island of Malta. On the personal instructions of Earl Spencer his squadron was enlarged for the purpose, and as the Vanguard was in need of major repairs that could only be made in England, he transferred his flag to the Foudroyant, a new ship-of-the-line of eighty guns. Hardy sailed home with the Vanguard, and Nelson immediately named his old friend Sir Edward Berry, who had just returned to the Mediterranean, as his flag captain.

Several flag officers were transferred to posts at the Admiralty, and two were retired from active service, so Nelson was now second-in-command of the entire fleet. But in spite of his insatiable ambition, his new rank failed to please him, for Earl St. Vincent was recalled to England and the command was given to Lord Keith. Neither admiral could forget their jealous rivalry when both had been captains early in the war, and from the start their correspondence was cool. Keith was in a position to be magnanimous, however; aware of his junior’s brilliance, he tried to placate him by assigning most of the captains who had fought with Nelson at the Nile to the Palermo squadron. Troubridge and Ball and Hallowell were among them, but Nelson was bitterly disappointed when he learned that Sir James Saumarez had been reassigned to duty with the main body of the fleet.

Ball brought the news to the Foudroyant, where several members of the Band of Brothers had gathered, and the new senior rear admiral promptly lost his temper. “I shall protest to the Sea Lords!” he said.

The captains exchanged uneasy glances.

“I need Saumarez as much as I need any of you. Elphinstone,” he added, emphasizing the surname by which Lord Keith had been known before being made a peer, “has never forgiven me. You know that’s true, Berry.”

Everyone looked at the flag captain. “There may have been a certain feeling on his part after the Battle of St. Vincent milord,” Sir Edward conceded, “but I doubt if he still begrudges you the glory that you won.”

It was obvious to all but one man in the cabin that no officer who had achieved the rank of vice-admiral and had been made commander-in-chief of the most important of all England’s fleets would continue to hate a subordinate. Nelson refused to be placated, however. “Then why didn’t he send me Saumarez?”

The captains remained silent.

“Well? Damnation, will someone answer me?” Hallowell, dependable and steady, replied thoughtfully, “None of us is familiar with the problems of the commander-in-chief, milord. I’m sure he has his reasons for keeping

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