Gratuitous Royal Navy Historickal Posting (TM)

Nelson Boarding the San Josef at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent
by George Jones, 1829

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Cape St. Vincent in 1797, in which Admiral Sir John Jervis, commanding 15 ships of the line, took on and routed a Spanish fleet of 27 ships of the line under Admiral Jose de Cordova.

Part of the British squadron was under the command of Commodore Nelson aboard the 74-gun HMS Captain.

As the fight continued the Captain became more and more damaged until, in Nelson's own words she had "lost her foremast, not a sail, shroud or rope standing, the wheel shot away, and incapable of further service in the line or chase". Nelson brought her up alongside the SAN NICOLAS and ordered boarders away. "The soldiers of the 69th Regiment, with an alacrity which will ever do them credit, with Lieutenant Pierson of the same Regiment ... broke the upper quarter-gallery window, jumped in, followed by myself (Nelson) and others."

There then followed a stiff fight against the Spanish and the ship was eventually taken, the ensign being hauled down by Captain Berry.

At that point Nelson saw the SAN JOSEF alongside and ordered his boarders to cross onto that ship and to take her. "When I got into her main-chains, a Spanish officer came upon the quarter-deck rail, without arms and said the ship was surrendered."

This incident became known as 'Nelson's Patent Bridge for Boarding First-Rates'.

"Nelson's Bridge" was one of the first incidents involving him to capture the imagination of the British public and has, of course, become an important part of the legend surrounding him. Here is a poem on the subject written by William Cox Bennett in the 19th Century:

Of all the bridges ever used, you'll own with one consent,
The noblest was the glorious one our Nelson dared invent;
The bridge he trod to glory, when, on St. Vincent's day,
Together the San Nicolas and the huge San Josef lay.
Alongside the San Nicolas our Nelson trod his deck,
But mastless, and without her wheel, the Captain lay a wreck;
Ringed round by five three-deckers, she had fought through all the fight,
And now, a log upon the waves, she lay, a glorious sight,
All crippled, but still full of fight, for still her broadsides roared,
Still death and wounds, fear and defeat, into the Don she poured;
Yet there she fought, without a sail, without a shroud or rope—
To get at the San Josef, it seemed beyond a hope;
Out then our Admiral spoke, and well his words our blood could stir,
‘In, boarders, to their seventy-four! we'll make a bridge of her.’
Then one fierce cheer that victory meant, across the battle rang;
Into the Spaniards' mizen chains in swarms our boarders sprang;
Through their stern state-room windows, with shout and yell we crashed,
And through their cabin to their deck, with Nelson, on we dashed;
With slash and thrust, all clear right soon from stern to stem we swept;
Then, boys, for their three-decker, and up her sides we leapt;
It seemed, my lads, but minutes, and all was ours aboard,
And Nelson, on her quarter-deck, stood with her Admiral's sword
And, by the light within his eyes, it needed none to tell,
That, to his thinking, as to ours, his bridge had answered well.
Now ours be peace, and never more may such deeds needful be,
But if they're wanted, mind me well, where'er you sail the sea,
If, one to two, you're matched with foes, be sure no chance you lose,
To try again the glorious bridge our Nelson dared to use.

Meanwhile, Admiral Jervis was created Earl St. Vincent in recognition of his victory.