Motion Picture Story Magazine (Aug 1911-Jan 1912)

TEE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR 95 the combined fleet to wear ship, and a very pretty maneuver it was to see the mighty fighting birds wear lazily around — all headed to the north. "Now, as we came down all too slowly on the flank of this great fleet, you must remember that many hours must elapse before we could engage them. My Lord Nelson had gone below, accompanied by his favorites, Captains Blackwood and Hardy. What they did there did not concern us, tho 'twas said that they had witnessed the signing of his will. And then the tireless admiral, having dismissed them, writ those prayerful words in his diary, the last he was ever to pen : ' For myself, individually, I commit my life to Him who made me, and may His blessing light on my endeavors for serving my country faithfully. To Him I resign myself and the just cause which is entrusted me to defend. Amen, Amen, Amen.' "The signal officer waited quietly till Nelson rose from his knees — for he had writ his prayer thus humbly — and followed him on deck. "The admiral turned toward him, smiling: 'I will amuse the fleet with a signal,' he said, and mused a moment. 'Suppose we telegraph,' he continued, 'England expects that every man will do his duty.' And so these historic words were first unfolded on the air. "A few moments later the French ship Fougueux fired at the Royal Sovereign advancing in silence, and Nelson exclaimed admiringly: 'See how that noble fellow Collingwood carries his ship into action ! ' ' ' We had not long to wait. A dagger of flame shot from a port in the Bucentaure, Villeneuve's flagship, and fell short under our bows. Then, from those clustered protectingly around her, a deadly fire poured in upon the single Victory. As we silently neared them, its volume became terrific, and bit by bit riggings, sails and top-hamper were shot from us. We continued to forge slowly ahead, and as the enemy closed 'round, as like a forest, we became encircled by sheets of flame from their hungry guns. Our mizzen topmast was shot away, and eight marines left a smear of blood and flesh on the deck where a round shot had crashed thru our bulwarks. The wheel was shattered, and the ship had to be steered from below. Yet the Victory still silently advanced. Officers and men were falling on all sides of the admiral, and Hardy beseeched him to seek a less exposed position than the quarterdeck. His answer was a smile from Nelson and the trite reply, 'This is too warm work, Hardy, to last long.' "At last we crossed the Bucentaure's stern, so close that our yardarms brushed her rigging in the passing. And then our double-shotted guns, weary with the waiting, were let loose. It was massacre pure and simple. The heavy guns — one after another as they bore — tore thru her decks like kindling, and we were covered with clouds of dust from the riddled hull. We slowly sailed past her and sought ever deeper into the ring of fire. And, as we neared them, a new and more deadly menace awaited us. The upper deck and fightingtops of the Redoubtable, on which we were closing for a death grapple, were filled with musketeers. Where there was a clear space of some twenty feet, Nelson and Hardy walked back and forth on the quarterdeck, calmly, like two gentlemen on an outing. The mizzen top of the Redoubtable, bristling with sharpshooters, was some fifty feet above them. The leaden hail pattered on our decks without warning. Suddenly, as Hardy turned, he saw my lord in the act of falling on his knees, with his hand touching the deck. The arm giving away slowly, he fell on his left side. 'Hardy,' he exclaimed, 'they have done for me at last — my backbone is quite shot thru. ' "Covering his own face with a handkerchief, that the sight might not affect his men, the stricken man was carried below. The cockpit was already cumbered with the wounded and dying, but the handkerchief falling awry on his face, the surgeon recognized him and came at once to him.