Horatio Nelson (1758

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Biography

Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte was a British Royal Navy officer whose leadership, grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics led to multiple decisive British naval victories during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Trafalgar Square is dedicated to him. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest admirals in history; many historians consider him the greatest.

In Their Own Words (5)

It is warm work; and this day may be the last to any of us at a moment. But mark you! I would not be elsewhere for thousands.

At the Battle of Copenhagen (2 April 1801) , 1801

May the Great God, whom I worship, grant to my Country and for the benefit of Europe in general a great and glorious victory; and may no misconduct in anyone tarnish it; and may humanity after Victory be the predominant feature of the British fleet. For myself, individually, I commit my life to Him who made me, and may His blessing light upon my endeavours for serving my Country faithfully. To Him I resign myself and the just cause which is entrusted to me to defend. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Diary entry on the eve of the battle of Trafalgar; Dispatches and Letters of Horatio Nelson , 1805

To leave off action"? Well, damn me if I do! You know, Foley, I have only one eye,— I have a right to be blind sometimes . . . I really do not see the signal!

At the battle of Copenhagen, Ignoring Admiral Parker's signal to retreat, holding his telescope up to his blind eye, and proceeding to victory against the Danish fleet. (2 April 1801); as quoted in Life of Nelson, Ch. 7 , 1801

If I had been censured every time I have run my ship, or fleets under my command, into great danger, I should have long ago been out of the Service and never in the House of Peers.

Statement (March 1805); Dispatches and Letters of Horatio Nelson, Vol. 6: May 1804 to July 1805 (1846), p. 353 , 1846

Fear? I never saw fear. What is it? It never came near me.

Said by Nelson after getting lost on a bird-nesting exhibition and being asked by his grandmother why fear did not drive him home, as quoted in Nelson: A personal history (1994), Hibbert, C., p. 6 , 1994

Timeline

The story of Horatio Nelson, told in moments.

1797 Event

At the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, disobeys orders and breaks formation to intercept the Spanish fleet. Boards two enemy ships personally. He's 38, already missing the sight in one eye from a previous action in Corsica.

Breaking formation and boarding two enemy ships personally. Were you disobedient or brilliant? Missing the sight in one eye. Did that change how you fought?

1797 Event

A musket ball shatters his right elbow at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The surgeon amputates within 30 minutes. No anesthetic. He asks for the knife to be heated first. He's back giving orders within an hour.

Amputated in thirty minutes, no anesthetic. Did you scream? Asking for the knife to be heated first. Was that vanity or hygiene?

1798 Event

Attacks the French fleet at Aboukir Bay at night. Nobody does this. He splits his force and sends ships inside the anchored French line, hitting them from both sides. Destroys 11 of 13 French ships. Napoleon's army is stranded in Egypt.

Attacking at night when nobody does that. Were you mad or certain? Hitting the French from both sides. Did the plan feel elegant?

1805 Death

Shot by a French musketeer at the Battle of Trafalgar. The ball enters his left shoulder and lodges in his spine. He lives three hours. 'Thank God I have done my duty.' His fleet destroys 22 French and Spanish ships without losing one. His body is preserved in brandy for the voyage home.

'Thank God I have done my duty.' Was that your actual last thought? Living three hours with a bullet in your spine. Was there peace?

1806 Legacy

State funeral at St Paul's Cathedral. Thirty thousand line the route. Sailors from HMS Victory carry the coffin. They're supposed to fold the ship's ensign and place it on the casket. Instead they tear it apart, each man keeping a piece.

Sailors tearing your ensign apart for keepsakes. Would that move you? Thirty thousand lining the route. Is that enough mourners?

Artifacts (10)

[Carte-de-Visite Album of Prominent Personages]

1860s–70s · Albumen silver prints

The Met View

From Sir William Hamilton's Collection

James Gillray|Hannah Humphrey|Horatio Nelson, Viscount Nelson|Sir William Hamilton

May 8, 1801 · Hand-colored etching

The Met View

Bust of Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson

after 1805 · Glass, mounted in gold as a ring (modern)

The Met View

The Brave Tars of the Victory, and The Remains of the Lamented Nelson!

Thomas Rowlandson|Horatio Nelson, Viscount Nelson

May 1, 1806 · Hand-colored etching

The Met View

The dispatches and letters of Vice Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson

PREFACE FIRST EDITION. Thirty-nine years have elapsed since the greatest of all the Heroes that adorn the Naval History of Britain closed a career of unprecedented triumphs, by a death which...

1845

Letters Read Talk

A lecture

PREFACE TO OCCASIONAL PAPER, No. 4. It has been considered useful as a guide to future action to publish as an occasional paper, an account of the two meetings at Salisbury, held in January and...

1878

Works Read Talk

Home re-union

m ^% i^r ^^--■7M■ ,w8^s 5^^ ^w* % '1 n^HI I E) RARY OF THE U N IVLRSITY or ILLINOIS HOME RE-UNION. TWO PAPERS KKAD AT THE DIOCESAN CONFERENCE, Hdd at Truro, October 27th and 28th,...

1881

Works Read Talk

Letters and despatches of Horatio, viscount Nelson

INTRODUCTION ix one work which gives a full and accurate account of Nelson's career is the collection of his ' Dispatches and Letters ' by Sir Harris Nicolas ; and to that, and to that alone, I refer...

1886

Letters Read Talk

Nelson's words and deeds

PREFACE. The design of this little book is to submit the character and the more conspicuous of the features of the career of Horatio Nelson as they are de- scribed by his own pen. The slender...

1890

Works Read Talk

Letters to Lady Hamilton

Introduction by Douglas Sladen, SISLEY'S, LTD. of Beautiful Books LONDON OR INTRODUCTION WHEN Nelson inflicted his memorable defeat on the French and Spanish off Cape Trafalgar, he established a...

Letters Read Talk

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