Nelson now desired his steward, who was in attendance throughout, to turn him on his right side.  “I wish I had not left the deck,” he murmured; “for I shall soon be gone.”  Thenceforth he sank rapidly; his breathing became oppressed and his voice faint.  To Dr. Scott he said, “Doctor, I have not been a great sinner,” and after a short pause, “Remember, that I leave Lady Hamilton and my daughter Horatia as a legacy to my country—­never forget Horatia.”  This injunction, with remembrances to Lady Hamilton and the child, he frequently repeated; and he charged Scott to see Mr. Rose, and tell him—­but here pain interrupted his utterance, and after an interval he simply said, “Mr. Rose will remember,” alluding to a letter which he had written him, but which as yet could not have been received.  His thirst now increased; and he called for “drink, drink,” “fan, fan,” and “rub, rub,” addressing himself in this last case to Dr. Scott, who had been rubbing his breast with his hand, by which some relief was given.  These words he spoke in a very rapid manner, which rendered his articulation difficult; but he every now and then, with evident increase of pain, made a greater effort, and said distinctly, “Thank God, I have done my duty.”  This he repeated at intervals as long as the power of speech remained.  The last words caught by Dr. Scott, who was bending closely over him, were, “God and my Country.”

Fifteen minutes after Hardy left him for the second time, the admiral became speechless; and when this had continued five minutes, the surgeon, who was busied among the other wounded, was summoned again.  He found him upon the verge of dissolution, the hands cold and the pulse gone; but upon laying his hand upon his forehead, Nelson opened his eyes, looked up, and then closed them forever.  Five minutes later he was dead.  The passing was so quiet that Dr. Scott, still rubbing his breast, did not perceive it, until the surgeon announced that all was over.  It was half-past four o’clock, just three hours after the fatal wound was received.  Not till an hour later did the last of the eighteen prizes strike, and firing cease altogether; but the substantial results were known to Nelson before consciousness left him.  To quote the rugged words of the “Victory’s” log, “Partial firing continued until 4.30, when a victory having been reported to the Right Honourable Lord Viscount Nelson, K.B., he died of his wound.”

Of the five ships of the allied van which passed to windward of the “Victory,” one was cut off and captured by the “Minotaur” and “Spartiate.”  The other four continued on the wind to the southwest, and escaped to sea.  By the surrender of Villeneuve the chief command of the combined fleets remained with the Spanish admiral Gravina.  The latter, at quarter before five, fifteen minutes after Nelson breathed his last, retreated upon Cadiz, making signal for the vessels which had not struck to rally round his flag.  Ten other ships, five French and five Spanish,—­in all eleven sail-of-the-line,—­made good their escape into the port.