Horatio Nelson

Born on the 29th of September 1758, Horatio Nelson was the sixth child of eleven of the Reverend Edmund Nelson and Catherine Nelson. Horatio was born in his Father's rectory in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk and was only 9 years old when his Mother died. Catherine Nelson was the grandniece of Sir Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, the first Prime Minister of the British Parliament

Before he enrolled in the Royal Navy at the age of twelve, Nelson was educated at Paston Grammar School, North Walsham School and Norwich School. On the 1st of January 1771, Horatio Nelson reported to the Raisonnable as an Ordinary Seaman and Coxswain which was under the command of his Uncle, Captain Maurice Suckling. Soon after reporting aboard, Nelson was appointed a Midshipman and it was here he began his Naval Officer training.

Nelson's swift advance through the ranks was aided by his Uncle who in 1775 became the "Comptroller"(controller) of the Navy. By the year 1777, Horatio Nelson had risen to the rank of Lieutenant and was assigned to the West Indies Squadron. During his time with this Squadron, Nelson saw action in the American Revolutionary War.

By the time he was 20, in June 1779, he was made "post". The 28 gun frigate Hinchinbroke, newly captured from the French was his first command as Post Captain. In 1780, his ship was invloved in an action against the Spanish fort of San Juan in modern day Nicaragua. Nelson was commended for his efforts even though the mission was deemed a failure. During this time, Horatio fell ill with what is presumed Malaria and returned to England for recuperation.
Following his recovery, Nelson was drafted to HMS Albemarle and he carried on serving in the American Revolutionary War right up to its end in 1783.

In 1783, Nelson led a 100 man force in an unsuccesful attempt to dislodge a French force from the Turks Islands. In 1784, he was given command of the frigate Boreas and assigned to enforce the Navigation Act in the vicinity of Antigua. This was during the denouement of the American Revolutionary War and enforcement of the Act was problematic - now-foreign American vessels were no longer allowed to trade with British colonies in the Caribbean Sea, an unpopular rule with both the colonies and the Americans. After seizing four American vessels off Nevis, Nelson was sued by the captains of the ships for illegal seizure. As the merchants of Nevis supported them, Nelson was in peril of imprisonment and had to remain sequestered on Boreas for eight months. It took that long for the courts to deny the captains' their claims but in the interim Nelson met Frances (Fanny) Nisbet, a widow native to Nevis. Nelson and Fanny were married on the 11th of March 1787, at the end of his tour of duty in the Caribbean.

Nelson lacked a command for a few years after 1789. He lived on half pay during this time (a reasonably common occurrence in the peacetime Royal Navy). Then, as the French Revolutionary government began aggressive moves beyond France's borders, Nelson was recalled to service. Given command of the 64-gun Agamemnon in 1793, he soon started a long series of battles and engagements that would seal his place in history.

He was first assigned to the Mediterranean, based out of the Kingdom of Naples. In 1794 he was wounded in the face by stones and debris thrown up by a close cannon shot during a joint operation at Calvi, Corsica. As a result, Nelson lost the sight in his right eye and half of his right eyebrow. Despite popular legend, there is no evidence that Nelson ever wore an eye patch, though he was known to wear an eyeshade to protect his remaining eye.

In 1796, the position of Commander-in-Chief of the fleet in the Mediterranean passed to Sir John Jervis who appointed Nelson to be Commodore and to exercise independent command over the ships blockading the French coast. Agamemnon, often described as Nelson's favourite ship, was by now worn out and was sent back to England for repairs. Nelson was appointed to the 74-gun HMS Captain.

In 1797, Nelson served under Sir John Jervis at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent. This was his first chance to show his ability for dramatic and bold fleet action. The Commodore disobeyed direct orders from Sir John Jervis and ordered his ships to alter course to cut off the escaping Spanish fleet. Nelson then boarded two Spanish ships, a bold feat which was cheered on by the rest of the fleet. Unusually for senior Officers, Nelson himself led these boarding parties and came to be loved by his men for his willingness to do the 'dirty' work. Nelson was knighted as a member of the "Order of the Bath" for his actions and promoted to Rear Admiral of the Blue.

Later that same year, the newly promoted Rear Admiral Nelson lost his arm in an abortive attack on the Spanish Island of Tenerife. His right arm was fractured by a Spanish musket ball and due to the medical opinions of the time, Nelson had his arm aputated in case of gangrene. Nelson was obviously considered unfit for duty after the wound and was shore-bound until mid December.

In 1798, Nelson again showed his verve and attacking qualities when he was again responisble for the defeat of the French fleet at the Battle of Aboukir Bay, on the 1st of August. The battle decimated the French Naval presence in the Eastern Mediterranean and destroyed Napoleons hope for cutting off British trade from India. This was one of the most important victories for the Royal Navy during the decades of war with France and left the French Army of the Orient stranded. For his part in this fantastic victory, Nelson was awarded the Barony of the Nile, though this was not looked upon as an achievement by the Rear Admiral.

Nelson was said to have believed that his humble birth and lack of activity in the political arena was to blame for his accomplishments not being truly recognised and his claims are substantiated by the fact that Sir John Jervis was made Earl of St. Vincent after he commanded the Royal Navy in victory at the battle of the same name. Though the Admiralty claimed that a sub-ordinate Officer could not be raised to any peerage higher than that of a Barony.

In December of 1798, Nelson was involved in the rescue of the Neapolitan Royal family after the French invasion of the Kingdom. During his time in Italy he fell in love with the Ambassador's wife, Emma Hamilton. Ms Hamilton became his mistress and they moved back to England where they had a daughter named Horatia.

The next year Nelson was promoted once more, this time to Rear Admiral of the Red. Personal problems and mutterings of discontent from the elite of London and Portsmouth caused him to be recalled to England. The Admiralty soon changed their minds when the affair with Emma Hamilton became public knowledge and they put him to sea to prevent him from creating more 'controversy'.

At the beginning of 1801, Nelson was promoted to Vice Admiral of the Blue and after a few months, he took part as the second in command in the Battle of Copenhagen. This battle was fought to break up the 'Armed Neutrality' that threatened British trading supremacy. During the action his commander, Sir Hyde Parker, who believed that the Danish fire was too strong, signalled for Nelson to break off the action. Nelson ordered that the signal be acknowledged but not repeated. Legend has it that Nelson turned to his flag Captain, Sir Thomas Foley and said "You know, Foley, I only have one eye - I have the right to be blind sometimes" and then holding his telescope to his blind eye said "I really do not see the signal!"

Nelsons' action was approved in retrospect and in May he became Commander in Chief in the Baltic Sea. As a reward, he was made Viscount Nelson of the Nile and of Burnham Thorpe in the County of Norfolk on the 22nd of May 1801. In addition, on the 18th of August he was made Baron Nelson of the Nile and of Hilborough in the County of Norfolk, this time with a special reminder to his father and sisters.
On his return, Nelson was given the task to defend England from invasion but after the Peace deal of October 1801, he retired to England to stay with friends.

After the peace deal of 1801, Britain was again facing invasion. Horatio Nelson was to play a major part in ending this threat and finally sacrificed his own life whilst defending his Country.

To read more on this battle and how the French invasion threat was finally defeated visit www.lslweb.com