The Important ‘Battle of the Nile 1798’ Post Captain’s Naval Gold Medal awarded to Davidge Gould, Captain of the 74-gun H.M.S. Audacious, who fought in many ‘Boat Actions’ during the American Revolutionary War and enabled the capture of two French capital ships off Genoa in 1795. At the Battle of the Nile, he sailed Audacious inshore of the French line and took Le Conquerant after a desperate close-range fight, then helped batter Guerrier and Spartiate into their submissions. Gould was soon embroiled in the controversy around Lord Nelson’s affair with Lady Emma Hamilton; he finally became Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom, and was the last surviving member of Nelson’s famous ‘Band of Brothers’

Naval Small Gold Medal 1794-1815, the reverse engraved in capitals ‘DAVIDGE GOULD ESQUIRE CAPTAIN OF H.M.S. THE AUDACIOUS ON THE 1 of AUGUST MDCCXCVIII + THE FRENCH FLEET DEFEATED+’. Early Naval Gold Medals were inscribed with ‘The’ between H.M.S. and the ship’s name, but this is omitted in later Naval Gold Medals (Douglas-Morris ‘Naval Medals 1793-1856’ p13 refers). Lacking gold ribbon buckle (therefore was probably worn from a left-hand buttonhole) and enclosed in its original lunettes, extremely fine £80,000-£100,000

Hamilton-Smith collection; Glendining November 1927; W. Waite Sanderson collection, Glendining November 1941; Glendining September 1991.

Davidge Gould was born at Bridgewater, Somerset in 1758, the youngest son of William Gould of Sharpham Park. He entered the Navy at the age of 13 in May 1772 as a volunteer on H.M.S. Alarm, a 32-gun frigate which was the first Royal Navy ship to have a fully copper-sheathed bottom.

Early Career
Gould served in frigates in the Mediterranean and then in North America, where he spent four years as a Midshipman on Captain Hyde Parker’s 44-gun H.M.S. Phoenix during the early part of the First American War. The teenage Midshipman Gould was “much engaged in attacking the enemy’s batteries, cutting out their vessels, and contesting, not without loss, with their boats up the North [now called the Hudson] River” (O’Bryne’s Naval Biography refers).

On 7 May 1779, after seven years at sea, Gould was promoted to Lieutenant. He moved into his first 74-gun line-of-battle ship, H.M.S. Conqueror, and took part in the Battle of the Saintes on 9-12 April 1782. The British fleet (36 ships of the line, commanded by Admiral Rodney) achieved a decisive victory over a combined French and Spanish fleet of 47 ships. Conqueror lost 7 men killed and 23 wounded. As a reward for his conduct in the battle, Gould was appointed First Lieutenant of Rodney’s 98-gun flagship and on 13 June 1782 was promoted Master and Commander of the fire-sloop Pachahunter, based in Jamaica. In 1787 he was appointed to command a former Dutch privateer, H.M.S. Pylades (18), which built up a considerable reputation as an effective anti-smuggling vessel cruising off Start Point in Devon. In between commissions, Gould appears to have spent about four years on half-pay.

Thanks to the Spanish and Russian war scares, on 17 March 1789, aged 30, Gould was made a Post Captain. He was appointed to the command of frigates in the West Indies and the Mediterranean, where he was part of Admiral Hood’s fleet sent to drive the French out of Corsica. He was present at the sieges of Bastia and Calvi (where Captain Nelson was blinded in an eye) and was given his first command of a 74, the 20-year-old H.M.S. Bedford.

The Battle of Genoa 1795
Gould’s first fleet action as Post Captain of Bedford took place in March 1795, when Vice-Admiral Hotham brought to battle off Genoa a French squadron carrying troops intended to recapture Corsica. On 13 March Ca Ira (80) lost her fore and main topmasts in a collision with another French ship. Falling behind the retreating French squadron, Ca Ira soon had to be taken in tow. She was attacked by Captain Nelson in his 64-gun Agamemnon and the 74-gun Captain, until the French squadron returned and drove them off, despite Gould’s attempts to engage the French flagship, the 120-gun Sans-Cullotte.

At dawn the next day Ca Ira, while being towed by the 74-gun Censeur, was isolated, having fallen well behind the main body of the French squadron during the night. In contrast, the British fleet was advantageously placed to windward. Hotham signalled the 74-gun warships Captain and Gould’s Bedford to close and attack Censeur and Ca Ira. The two British ships had to endure raking fire from both French broadsides (some 1,500lbs of metal) as they approached, before they could bring their own guns to bear. They battered the French for 75 minutes, until Captain, which had suffered severe damage to her sails, rigging, and stays, signalled to be towed out of the action. Hotham saw that Bedford had also had her sails and rigging badly cut up and sent two other 74s to relieve them.

Five men were killed on Captain and seven wounded. Bedford had seven killed and eighteen wounded, including her First Lieutenant. By this time Ca Ira and Censeur had been heavily damaged and reduced to almost defenceless hulks, suffering over 400 casualties. The French Admiral abandoned them to their fate, and they duly surrendered to Nelson.

Joining the Audacious and Nelson’s ‘Band of Brothers’
By autumn 1795 Gould, now 37, had turned over command of Bedford. His next ship was H.M.S. Audacious, ten years old and with a 781lb broadside, assigned to Sir John Jervis’s Mediterranean fleet. “Under Jervis, the captains of the Mediterranean fleet were becoming a brotherhood, bonded by skill, experience, mutual respect and a common cause. Maybe they had not thought of it in that way before; but from about this time they all did, and Nelson most of all. And the concept - so suitable to his nature - became an important, conscious element in his conduct of the war.” (Howarth, Nelson – The Immortal Memory refers).
Southey (Life of Nelson p 127) quotes a letter in which Nelson used his famous phrase “The Band of Brothers” (a quotation from Shakespeare’s Henry V Act 4 scene 3 ‘We few, we happy few, we band of brothers’) in 1797: “Such a gallant set of fellows! Such a band of brothers! My heart swells at the thought of them!” After the Nile, Nelson wrote a number of letters and dispatches, often using the term ‘band of brothers’ to refer to the fourteen Captains who had fought under him. To Lord St Vincent, referring to Alexander Ball: “His activity and zeal are eminently conspicuous even amongst the Band of Brothers - each, as I may have occasion to mention them, must call forth my gratitude and admiration.” And on 8 January 1799 to Earl Howe, “I had the happiness to command a Band of Brothers...”
Nelson had already served alongside several of the future ‘Band of the Nile Brothers’. He knew Gould from Corsica and the Battle of Genoa. Nelson's ability to deeply understand, trust and inspire his fleet Captains, through close consultations with them prior to actions, enabled him to leave them free to fight their ships as they believed best in the heat of the battle. It was a key element of his leadership that probably proved decisive in securing the victory at the Nile.
Nelson was notably kind to junior officers and sailors - so was Gould. Theophilus Lee gave an account of a failed attempt by a teenage midshipman to retrieve one of H.M.S. Swiftsure’s spars, which had gone overboard late in the evening. The small boat, “after an hour’s exhausting pull”, finally reached Audacious, the nearest ship. “Our young mid. on getting on board, said to Captain Gould that he hoped he would tell Captain Hallowell that he had done all in his power to save the yard; and the reply from that worthy man was: ‘Do not fear, my fine little fellow, I watched you till dark with a spy glass, and since that, I entertained serious fears that you had all gone together; however, I am delighted to see you safe. Come into my cabin and get refreshment and lay down on my sofa for the night, and I will send a letter by you in the morning to your excellent captain, telling him how hard you struggled to save the spar...” Gould and his first lieutenant added to their kindness by “housing the Swiftsure seamen snugly for the night” (Nelson's Battles by Oliver Warner refers)

Annihilation at Aboukir Bay
In May 1798 the French fleet sailed from Toulon under the command of Vice-Admiral Brueys, carrying Napoleon and a French invasion force bound for Malta and Egypt. In response, Sir John Jervis, who was blockading the main Spanish fleet in Cadiz, reinforced Rear-Admiral Nelson and sent him in search of the French. Initially Nelson was unsuccessful, missing the French when they invaded Malta in June. They then sailed to Egypt, making a successful landing at Alexandria in early July, while Nelson’s ships were replenishing water and provisions in the Sicilian port of Syracuse.

When Nelson heard of this, he became determined to reach Alexandria without loss of time. Throughout the voyage, whenever the weather and circumstances permitted, all his fourteen Captains were summoned to repair on board Nelson’s flagship Vanguard, where he would explain and develop his ideas of the different and best methods of attack, under varying conditions. Every Captain was thoroughly acquainted with the position their commander would adopt upon sighting the enemy, minimising the need for signalling detailed fighting instructions. Gun crews were drilled daily to sharpen their skills in handling the ‘great guns’.
On the afternoon of 1 August 1798, a masthead lookout on Zealous sighted the enemy in Aboukir Bay off the western mouth of the Nile. Thirteen French ships of the line, including the massive 120-gun flagship L’Orient, were anchored in shallow water in a curve running along the shoreline to the north-west. Guns had been landed on an island near the lead ship to deter an assault. Although it was late in the day, Nelson signalled ‘Prepare for Battle’. As the French were not ready for a fight - many of their crew members were ashore - he intended to make an immediate attack, and to concentrate on the enemy’s van and centre. Each of his ships were to anchor by their stern, with ropes attached to their anchor cables to hold them at the right angle for firing most effectively. Once their opponent was neutralised, they would move down the line to the next stationary target. As dusk was approaching, distinctive lights were to be shown at their mizzenmasts to identify them as British. Captains were also required to keep measuring the water depth as they entered the shallow bay, to avoid running aground on its shoals.

At about 6.30 pm the British fleet, sailing in line ahead, entered the Bay, led by Captain Foley in Goliath. As Foley approached the leading French ship (Guerrier), he spotted an opportunity to ease past her into the shallows on the landward side, which he did with care and skill, and entirely on his own initiative, before anchoring against the inside of Conquérant, which was the second French ship in the van. His initiative was followed by Hood in Zealous, Gould in Audacious, Miller in Theseus, and Sir James Saumarez in Orion. Nelson’s Vanguard was the first to attack the Conquerant from the seaward side as Miller attacked from the landward side at sunset. The French van was being attacked on two sides and was crushed before any support could be organised. As planned, Defence, Minotaur, Bellerophon, Majestic, Swiftsure, Alexander, and Leander followed, taking seawards positions against the leading ships in the French line.

Accounts vary as to the exact course Gould took when bringing Audacious into action. Goliath, the lead ship, was already anchored inside and next to Conquerant, while Zealous had taken up position on Guerrier’s port bow. Gould seems to have boldly sailed directly to break through the first gap in the French line. He opened fire at 18.30 when he was between the first two French ships, firing both broadsides simultaneously, respectively at the stern of Guerrier and the bow of Conquerant. Firing both sides of the gundecks at once was a major challenge for Audacious’s gun crews, which they responded to magnificently.

Gould’s manoeuvre was completely faithful to Nelson’s instructions that every enemy ship should be attacked by two, preferably three, British vessels until it was effectively silenced. By 1900 both Guerrier and Conquerant had each lost all three of their masts - soon afterwards Conquerant’s mortally wounded captain struck his colours to Gould. Guerrier held out for almost two hours longer. Realising that Guerrier was finished, Gould used the spring in his anchor cable to transfer his broadside onto Spartiate, which finally also surrendered at 2100.
Audacious had suffered significant damage to its two most important masts and rigging and at least 35 of the crew were wounded, though only one was killed. ‘Fishing’ (reinforcing) two damaged masts and ‘knotting and splicing’ severed rigging took time and had to be done carefully - had Audacious lost even one mast, the ship would have been disabled. Nevertheless, Gould doggedly made his way south to attack the French ships in the centre and rear of their line.
At 2200 L’Orient, which had caught fire, was racked by two enormous explosions and disintegrated, killing at least 1,000 of her crew. After that, the fighting in the centre gradually wound down through sheer exhaustion, but the battle restarted at dawn. According to a French eye-witness “Firing continued until about 2 o’clock in the afternoon [of 2 August] and then we saw two of the line and two frigates under a press of sail on a wind, standing towards the eastward: we make out that all were under French colours. No other ships made any movement and firing ceased entirely.” The fleeing French warships were led away by Rear Admiral Villeneuve.

The Battle of the Nile was over. Nelson said, “Victory is not a name strong enough for such a scene.” Of the thirteen French ships of the line and the four frigates which had opposed him, all but four were either smoking hulks, sunk, held as prizes or helplessly grounded. Of the four ships that escaped, two were frigates. Nelson was anxious to pursue and capture the two remaining French line-of-battle ships, but many of the British Captains had suffered damage to their masts and did not want to risk losing them by sailing into the open sea.

Joining the Egyptian Club, Blockading Malta, Wooing Miss Cornelia Knight
On 3 August the surviving Captains of the British Squadron met on board Orion at the invitation of Sir James Saumarez, the senior Captain and second-in-command during the Battle. They drew up a resolution testifying to their admiration of their Chief: “…request (Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson K.B.) his acceptance of a Sword; and, as a further proof of their esteem and regard, hope that he will permit his Portrait to be taken, and hung up in the Room belonging to the Egyptian Club, now established in commemoration of that glorious day.” Gould and his comrades all added their signatures.
Nelson returned in triumph to Naples, where he soon fell in love with Emma Hamilton. Most of his ships, including Audacious, were sent to blockade Malta (the French garrison eventually surrendered after a two-year siege). In addition to Lord and Lady Hamilton, those people enthusiastically greeting Nelson in Naples included the impoverished widow of Rear-Admiral Sir Joseph Knight and her 41-year-old daughter Cornelia. Lady Knight was well-educated and known for her skill in conversation, while Cornelia was an accomplished author, poet, painter and linguist. The Knights had become close friends of first the Hamiltons and in due course of Nelson and some of his Captains as they returned from Malta to replenish their stores. Before the end of the year, Cornelia had met Davidge Gould, and was immediately smitten by him. However, Gould was not rich. Knowing that the Knights were also poor, he felt that Cornelia should find a husband who could do more for her family than he could, and so was constrained as a gentleman from responding to her signals.
In a letter to Captain Ball on 12 December 1798, Nelson signs off “With every kind wish to Foley, Gould and Waller, believe me ever your affectionate Nelson... and Lady and Miss Knight are not indifferent to the welfare of those off Malta, particularly to an audacious and good friend of ours”. (Nicholas, Dispatches and Letters Vol 3 p199 refers). By the end of the month the Court of the Two Sicilies had fled Naples ahead of invading French troops and the Royal family, the Hamiltons and the Knights had been hastily evacuated by the Navy to Palermo in Sicily. Also, Nelson and Emma Hamilton had become lovers.

Gould, who was still blockading Malta, remained one of Nelson’s favourites. In another letter to Ball in January 1799 he asked, “Remember me kindly to Gould, Foley and Waller.” In a letter to Berry in April 1799, Nelson includes Gould in a list of friends. Nelson now spent much of his time in the Palazzo Palagonia where the Hamiltons were installed. Cornelia enlivened social occasions, as “good” and “charming” as ever, and, thanks to a large but totally unexpected legacy, rich enough to be even more eligible.

Taking advantage of Gould’s absence at sea, an army officer named Harryman pursued Cornelia, but Lady Knight had decided that the family would remain true to her husband’s naval service, and Gould remained her firm favourite for Cornelia’s hand. Her opposition to Harryman left “the poor man almost mad with anger”. But Lady Knight was dying, and Nelson and Sir William Hamilton chivalrously promised to take care of her daughter if she died before Cornelia and Gould could marry. After her mother died in the summer of 1799, Cornelia moved into Palazzo Palagonia (John Sugden ‘Nelson: the Sword of Albion’ p 183 refers). Nelson was away, blockading Naples. He returned in August, and spent the rest of the year in Palermo, gaining a reputation for inactivity and insubordination.

Ruptured Relationships
Early in 1800 Sir William Hamilton was recalled to England. The Admiralty also wanted Nelson to leave Sicily, but Emma Hamilton disliked sea voyages and preferred to return overland. Cornelia Knight was invited to accompany the Hamiltons and Lord Nelson on their journey back to England, starting in July 1800. During this trip, she became concerned about the relationship between Lady Hamilton and Lord Nelson (Emma was already five months pregnant with Nelson’s child). Once back in London, Cornelia met Lady Nelson and soon testified to the “very unpleasant turn” in Nelson’s relations with his wife.
Cornelia was still attracted to Gould but felt increasingly uneasy associating with Nelson and the Hamiltons, with whom it had been assumed she would continue to live. Instead, she accepted an invitation to lodge at the house of Evan Nepean, First Secretary to the Admiralty, and decided to break off relations with the two troubled couples. A private dinner on 17 November 1800 was the last straw. “What a bitch that Miss Knight is” Nelson concluded (John Sugden ‘Nelson: the Sword of Albion’ Vol II p 375 refers).
Nelson’s antipathy towards Cornelia Knight seems to have clouded his appreciation of Davidge Gould. Early in 1801 Nelson wrote to Emma: “The Audacious (Gould) will be paid off tomorrow, and he bears the talking of Miss Knight with good humour. He has enquired where she lives. He is not grown much wiser since we left him, or he would never have wished to leave such a ship and ship’s company.” Audacious had escorted a convoy to Britain in late 1800, and paid off on arrival, ending almost six years under Gould’s command.
It is not known whether Gould, having obtained Cornelia Knight’s address, contacted her when he was in London. It seems likely that they terminated their courtship because of Cornelia’s vehement criticism of Nelson and Emma’s ménage à trois. Cornelia passed entirely out of Gould’s life and never married. In 1805 she was invited to join the household of Queen Charlotte. In 1812 she became Companion to the Princess of Wales, until the Prince Regent dismissed her in 1814.
In spring 1801 Gould was appointed to command H.M.S. Majestic (74), serving on the Brest blockade, and then after a year, in the West Indies. During a period of half-pay during the brief Peace between the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, Gould probably spent some time at his childhood home in Somerset, as in 1803 he married Harriet Willes, eldest daughter of the Reverend William Willes, Archdeacon of Taunton, Somerset.
On the resumption of hostilities in 1803, the Admiralty appointed Captain Gould to H.M.S. Windsor Castle (98) and he joined the Channel Fleet, engaged in blockading Brest. This was to be the most powerful ship that Gould ever commanded. In 1804, aged 46, and after spending 28 years at sea, he was forced to resign his command, owing to ill-health. Gould remained on the Post Captain’s List and was promoted Rear Admiral in October 1807, and Vice Admiral on 1 August 1811.
After the reorganisation of the Order of the Bath in 1815, Gould was invested as a Knight Commander on 29 June 1815, when he was a 56-year-old Vice Admiral of the White. Further promotions followed, as Sir Davidge Gould became Admiral of the Blue in May 1825 and Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in February 1833, when he was 74. He received a ‘Good Service Pension’ of £300 per year in August 1840. Finally, the 88-year-old Gould was appointed to the largely honorary post of Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom on 17 November 1846, a distinction which he retained until his death at Hawkshead, Hertfordshire on 23 April 1847, aged almost 90. He was the last of Nelson’s “Band of Brothers” and is commemorated in an impressive memorial commissioned by his wife.