Nelson was persuaded that only the arrival of the ships accompanying him saved the place.  Except a guard at the Viceroy’s house, the British troops had been withdrawn to the citadel.  Even there, at the gates of the citadel, and within it, Corsican guards were present in numbers equal to the British, while the posts in the towns were all held by them.  Arriving at early dawn of the 14th, Nelson at once visited the general and the Viceroy.  The former saw no hope, under the conditions, of saving either stores, cannon, or provisions.  “The Army,” said Nelson in a private letter to Jervis, with something of the prejudiced chaff of a seaman of that day, “is, as usual, well dressed and powdered.  I hope the general will join me cordially, but, as you well know, great exertions belong exclusively to the Navy.”  After the evacuation, however, he admitted handsomely that it was impossible to “do justice to the good dispositions of the general.”

Between the heads of the two services such arrangements were perfected as enabled almost everything in the way of British property—­public and private—­to be brought away.  By midday the ships, of which three were of the line, were anchored close to the mole-head, abreast the town, and the municipality was notified that any opposition to the removal of the vessels and stores would be followed by instant bombardment.  Everything yielded to the threat, made by a man whose determined character left no doubt that it would be carried into execution.  “Nothing shall be left undone that ought to be done,” he wrote to Jervis, “even should it be necessary to knock down Bastia.”  From time to time interference was attempted, but the demand for immediate desistence, made, watch in hand, by the naval officer on the spot, enforced submission.  “The firm tone held by Commodore Nelson,” wrote Jervis to the Admiralty, “soon reduced these gentlemen to order, and quiet submission to the embarkation.”  Owing to the anarchy prevailing, the Viceroy was persuaded to go on board before nightfall, he being too valuable as a hostage to be exposed to possible kidnappers.

On the 18th of October a large number of armed French landed at Cape Corso, and approached the town.  On the 19th they sent to the municipality a demand that the British should not be permitted to embark.  Under these circumstances even Nelson felt that nothing more could be saved.  The work of removal was continued actively until sunset, by which time two hundred thousand pounds worth of cannon, stores, and provisions had been taken on board.  At midnight the troops evacuated the citadel, and marched to the north end of the town, where they embarked—­twenty-four hours ahead of the time upon which Nelson had reckoned four days before.  It was then blowing a strong gale of wind.  Last of all, about six o’clock on the morning of the 20th, Nelson and the general entered a barge, every other man being by that time afloat, and were pulled off to the ships, taking with