boats loaded with the seamen and maquickly redeploy hi s troops and the local rines were still a mile from shore as militia from point to point during the dawn broke. "General" Troubridge rebattles negated Nel son's feint. The British never establi shed the momentum turned to Theseus to report to Nelson, and to suggest that the assault force needed to overcome a larger force that occupy the high ground behind the fort. was not inclined to panic. In Troubridge's estimation, that would In the rough seas, the boats-loaded achieve the same purpose as occupying with sailors and marines who had to be exhausted-got fa irl y close to the shore the forts. Nelson agreed, and the assault force was finally put ashore at about nine before bei ng seen. But then, a murderous fire of grape and canister was unleashed. in the morning-at that point, lacking the element of surprise. A small group, including Nelson, reached The Spanish commander, General the mole and , amazingly, overwhelmed Antonio Gutie rrez-a tough and rethe defenders. However, they could get This painting of Vice Admiral Lord Horatio sourceful Castilian who had strength- Nelson by Heinrich Fuger portrays Nelson no farther in the face of the defenders ened the Canaries' defenses since hi s shortly before his death at Trafalgar in J805. positioned in depth around the mole. assignment there--quickly reinforced Nelson had been wounded as he left hi s the position that was Troubridge's obboat. Hi s ri ght elbow was shattered by jective. Further, because of the adverse grape shot believed to have been fired by Sea Tactics Applied to wind and c urrents, the ships-of-the- line Assault from the Sea "El Tigre," a cannon that is today ex hibcould not get closer than three miles. Nelson 's alternate assault plan was a ited, along with other artifacts from the The operation was a shambl es, and version of the seagoi ng tactic he used battle, in Santa Cruz's Museo Militar. Nelson recalled the boats and the in- later at Trafalgar: go at the enemy's The wound was so severe that Nelson shore ships. The squadron then stood off center, create confu sion , and rely on the was returned to Theseus where hi s arm in hi gh winds and heavy seas, with top- superior fighting sk ill s of your own was amputated above the elbow. masts struck. forces to achieve victory before the enMany of the other boats were swampSome observers claimed in hindsight emy recovered. ed, battered to pieces on the rocky shorethat Troubridge should have adapted to The assault force was divided into line, or sunk by cannon fire . The Fox, circumstances and pressed on with the several divi sions. Nelson led the one that with about 180 of the assault force aboard, initial assa ult-without ¡returning for was to attack the enemy's most central was struck "between wind and water" consultation with Nelson. By personally point by landing on the harbor mole, and sank in the harbor. Nelson, who had assuming leadership of the second ef- then heading for the town square. Before been saved by hi s stepson, Josiah , was fort, Nelson implied that he also held disembarking the assault force at llPM being returned to the Theseus in a comthat opinion. After the battle, he was on the 24th , Nelson anchored the squad- mandeered boat. In an action typical of explicit. "Had I been with the first party, ron to the northeast of the city, making it those that endeared him to his men, the I have reason to believe complete suc- appear that there would be another at- barely conscious Nelson di verted the cess would have crowned our efforts." tack on the forts there. The diversion boat to ass ist the Fox's survivors. Nel son 's thought process after the worked, to the extent that Gutierrez One small group of about fifty men, failure of hi s original plan was revealed shifted troops from the town to the north- led by captains Troubridge and Wall er, in hi s after-action report to Jervis: "Thus east. However, Gutierrez 's ability to struggled ashore through the surf to the foiled in my original plan I considtown 's south . Somehow they fought ered it for the honour of our King and "Nelson Wounded at Tenerife , 24 July 1797," by their way into the town square, excountry not to give over the attempt to Richard Westall . Painted in 1809,four years after pecting to rendezvous with other Britpossess ourselves of the town , that Nelson's death, this work expresses the nation' s ish elements that never were able to emotional attachment to their mourned hero. our enemies might be convinced that join them. At dawn, thi s group moved there is nothing that Englishmen are sou th and joi ned another smalI group, not equal to." led by captains Hood and Miller, that One of the most serious fl aws in was under heavy fire. Despite their Nelson's approach, lack of an accusmall numbers-about350- theyset rate assessment of his opposition, out to capture the town's citadel. But show s through that stateme nt. As they were surrounded by 8,000 di sciNelson biographer Ernie Bradford plined Spanish troops, an unfriendly put it, " Nel son's experience of the populace experienced at fighting pi Spaniards at sea had given him no rates , and even the remnant crew of good reason to respect them , but he the captured French frigate Mutine . had never encountered them ashoreIn a move that averted total disaster, Troubridge sent a note, under a except briefly in Nicaragua. He was unaware what magnificent fi ghting flag of truce, to Gutierrez. The note threatened that, unless the British were soldiers the Spaniards could be, and how- in those days-their co lonial allowed to return to their ships, they would burn the town to the ground . outposts were often manned by their Gutierrez agreed to let them leave, best troops." 20
SEA HISTORY 79, AUTUMN 1996