Nelson, utterly fearless, seems to have had a premonition of his fate.
He had made a hasty codicil to his will, and entered the struggle to
conquer or die. Both fates were reserved for him. From the beginning
of the battle the French and Spanish ships suffered terribly from the
British fire; but they also inflicted heavy losses on their
assailants. Here and there a French vessel was shattered and fell out
of the fight. Nelson was struck with a ball, but refused to go below.
Again he was hit in the shoulder by a musketeer from the masts of the
"Redoubtable" and fell to the deck. "They have done for me at last,
Hardy," said he to Sir Thomas Hardy, captain of the ship. He was
carried below by the officers, and as he lay bleeding the news was
brought to him that already _fifteen_ of the enemy's ships had
surrendered. "That is well," said the dying hero; "but I had bargained
for twenty." Then his thoughts turned to Lady Hamilton, to whom he was
devoted. "Take care of Lady Hamilton, Hardy; take care of poor Lady
Hamilton," said he, as the death dew dampened his brow. He then
embraced the captain and expired.

The victory of the British fleet was complete. The allies lost
nineteen ships. Admiral Gravina was killed, and Villeneuve was taken
prisoner. He never reacted from the mortification of his defeat, but
lingered until the following year, when he despaired of life and hope
and committed suicide. Nelson, in the midst of a pageant hitherto
unsurpassed, was buried in St. Paul's. The battle of Trafalgar passed
into history as the first and greatest naval conflict of the century.


CAMPAIGN OF AUSTERLITZ.