: "I will tell you as a secret, Bastia will be ours
between the 20th and 24th of this month"--three weeks after the date
of writing--"if succours do not get in." It surrendered actually on
the 22d. One is tempted to speculate if there had been any such
understanding with the garrison as was afterwards reached with Calvi;
but there is no other token of such an arrangement. It is instructive
also to compare this high-strung steadfastness of purpose to dare
every risk, if success perchance might be won thereby, with his
comment upon his own impulses at a somewhat later date. "My
disposition cannot bear tame and slow measures. Sure I am, had I
commanded our fleet on the 14th, that either the whole French fleet
would have graced my triumph, or I should have been in a confounded
scrape." Surely the secret of great successes is in these words.

The siege of Bastia was not in its course productive of striking
events. Having reasoned in vain with the two successive generals, Hood
demanded that there should be sent back to him a contingent of troops,
which had originally been detailed to serve as marines in the fleet,
but which he had loaned to the army for the operations against San
Fiorenzo. Having received these, he returned to Bastia, and on the 4th
of April, 1794, the besieging force, twelve hundred troops and two
hundred and fifty seamen, landed to the northward of the town. They at
once began to throw up batteries, while the Corsicans harassed the
landward approaches to the place. Nelson being with the troops, the
"Agamemnon" with some frigates was anchored north of the city, Hood
with his ships south of it. During the nights, boats from the fleet
rowed guard near to the sea-front, with such diligence that few of the
craft that attempted to run in or out succeeded in so doing. When
darkness covered the waters, British gunboats crept close to the
walls, and by an intermitting but frequent fire added much to the
distress of the enemy. On the 11th of April the garrison was formally
summoned, and, the expected refusal having been received, the British
batteries opened. There was not force enough, however, to bring the
place to terms as a consequence of direct attack, and after three
weeks Nelson, while betraying no apprehension of failure, practically
admitted the fact. "Although I have no doubt but even remaining in our
present situation, and by strict guard rowing close to the town, and
the Corsicans harassing them on the hi