THE LADY OF THE SEA

"The boat that picked her up was the 'Belleisles' her sex was no sooner made known to the men, whose hearts were made of the right stuff, that she was quickly attired with articles of clothing"
                         A British Lieutenant
                         Hms Revenge
                         21/10/1805
                         Cape Trafalgar.

                  JEANETTE

She was pulled naked from the sea
After the destruction of L'Achille,
Her ship was sent to a watery grave
British sailors to a man so brave
Plucked many to safety.

Jeanette, her only known name
She's now legend of Trafalgar fame,
She fed the guns in valiant fervour
But lady luck would desert her
L'Achille would soon be aflame.

The proud ship fought hard and long
Revenge and Swiftsure proved too strong,
Broadsides took many to hell that day
Then Prince joined in the fray
And L'Achille sang her last song.

The Prince fired with savage ire
Slaughter reigned, then came the fire,
Jeanette cowering amidst the gore
Fearing a grave on the sea floor
All hope gone, heaven her only desire.

Through an open port salvation came
As molten lead burnt her naked frame,
She fell to the waiting ocean
Amongst the drowning and commotion.
The lady of the sea, Jeanette thy name.

In a plume of furnace heat
L'Achille exploded in fiery sheet,
Jeanette clung to life, she cried
For her countrymen who'd died
And her saviours she'd soon meet.

The English came to save the foe
Their tenderness was on full show,
The feared Tars showed a new face
Humility and compassion set in place,
Never faltering when the winds came a blow.

The Revenge took her to its heart
In her fashioned dress she looked so smart,
To a man the English sailors cheered
When her thought dead husband suddenly appeared
He'd survived the battle also, after playing a gallant part.

At Gibraltar the battered ships were arrayed
Scars of battle and death displayed,
The prisoners of war awaited their fate
But, Jeanette was freed with her soulmate
With gifts of money the English sailors made.

The lady of the sea is now in history set
We still  only know her first name and yet,
Saved from the waves in a battles rage
She is remembered now on historic page
Wherever you lay, rest in peace brave Jeanette.

Phil Hall  October 2013

Authors note.

Reference:

Trafalgar; The biography of a battle.
By Roy Adkins
Publisher: Abacus
Picture from the book.
"Jeanette rescued from the sea"
Artist unknown. Possibly Thomas Whitcombe.

Ships mentioned in poem.

Combined fleet French/Spanish Navies

L'Achille  74 guns. (Destroyed)
Captain Gabriel Denieport.

English Royal Navy.

HMS Revenge  74 guns.
Captain Robert Moorsom.

HMS Prince  98 guns.
Captain Richard Grindall.

HMS Swiftsure  74 guns.
Captain William George Rutherford.

Mentioned in quote;

HMS Belleisle 74 guns.
Captain William Hargood.

     "Palmam qui meruit ferat"