Cadiz East Thirteen Leagues, 6 A.M.

     “The Honourable Captain Blackwood.”

It was on this day, that Lord Nelson issued his celebrated instructions for attacking the combined fleet, of which the following is a correct copy.

     Victory, off Cadiz, Oct. 10,1805.

Thinking it almost impossible to bring a fleet of forty sail of the line into battle, in variable winds, thick weather, and other circumstances which must occur, without such a loss of time that the opportunity would probably be lost of bringing the enemy to battle in such a manner as to make the business decisive; I have, therefore, made up my mind, to keep the fleet in that position of sailing, with the exception of the first and second in command, that the order of sailing is to be the order of the battle:  placing the fleet in two lines, of sixteen ships each, with an advanced squadron of eight of the fastest sailing two-decked ships; which will always make, if wanted, a line of twenty-four sail on which ever line the commander in chief may direct.  The second in command will, after my intentions are made known to him, have the entire direction of his line, to make the attack upon the enemy, and to follow up the blow, until they are captured or destroyed.  If the enemy’s fleet are seen to windward in line of battle, and that the two lines and advanced squadron could fetch them, they will probably be so extended that their van could not succour their rear.  I should therefore, probably, make the second in command’s signal to lead through about the twelfth ship from their rear; or wherever he could fetch, if not able to get so far advanced:  my line would lead through about their centre, and the advanced squadron two, three, or four, ships a-head of their centre, so as to ensure getting at their commander in chief, whom every effort must be made to capture.  The whole impression of the British fleet must be, to overpower from two or three ships a-head of their commander in chief, supposed to be their centre, to the rear of their fleet.  I will suppose twenty sail of the line to be untouched; it must be some time before, they could perform a manoeuvre to bring their force compact to attack any part of the British fleet, or succour their own ships:  which, indeed, would be impossible, without mixing with the ships engaged.  The enemy’s fleet is supposed to consist of forty-six sail of the line, British forty:  if either is less, only a proportion of the enemy to be cut off.  British to to be one-fourth superior to the enemy cut off.  Something must be left to chance.  Nothing is sure in a sea-fight, beyond all others; shots will carry away masts and yards of friends as well as foes.  But I look with confidence to a victory, before the van of the enemy could succour the rear:  and, then, that the British fleet would be ready to receive the twenty sail of the line; or to pursue them, should they endeavour to make off.  If the van of the enemy tacks, the captured ships