Countdown to Trafalgar: Nelson's Private Diary October 1st to 7th 1805

Tuesday Oct 1^st fine W^t. Ad^l Louis’ Squadron joined with Thunderer & Endymion with sprung masts.  Sent Aetna to cruize under Cape St. Marys Pickle joined from Plymouth.

(16)

Wrote Ly. Hn.

Wednesday Oct 2^nd

Fine W^t: westerly sent Thunderer to Gib^r. Sard^a. Palermo & Naples.  Sent Canopus, Tigre, Spencer Queen, Zealous to Gib^r & Tetuan for water & provⁿ.  Sent the Nimble to England all night fine weather.

Thursday Oct 3^rd 1805

Fine Weather.  Sent Eurydice to Cruize under Cape S^t. Marys

Friday Oct 4^th

Fine Weather Wind Easterly several Ships of War in sight to the Southward which proved to be Adm^l. Louis’ Squadron.

Saturday Oct 5^th

Fine weather, Bittern joined with 2 transports from Gib^r, laying too clearing transports.

Sunday Oct 6^th

Mod^e. Breezes ESE clearing transports in the night fresh breezes Easterly.

Wrote L^y. H.

Monday Oct 7^th 1805

Fresh Breezes & a hasty sea joined the Amphion with a transport from Lisbon Naid & Niger with transports from Gibralt^r. Sent the Bittern to Lisbon with the Gib^r. Mail at noon mod^e. Breezes & a swell from the Eastward all night fresh Gales Easterly.

From  The National Archive, Catalogue reference PROB 1/22

________________________________________________________________________________

Notes:

'Adl. Louis': Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Louis.  As a Captain, he had been one of Nelson's 'Band of Brothers' at the Battle of the Nile in 1798.

Abbreviations:

'Gib^r.' - Gibraltar.  Sometimes Nelson used this to mean Gibraltar the place, sometimes Gibraltar the ship.

'provⁿ.' - provisions

'Sard^a.' - Sardinia

Queen: a 98-gun ship

Canopus, Tigre: 80-gun ships

Thunderer, Spencer: 74-gun ships

Zealous: a 64-gun ship

Amphion, Endymion, Eurydice, Naiad, Niger: Frigates.

Aetna: a bomb vessel.

Bittern: a sloop.

Nimble,Pickle: cutters.